Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of the Federation Council, criticized a decision by Ottawa Convention participants to extend Ukraine’s deadline by another decade for destroying anti-personnel mines. He argued that this move signals tolerance for breaches of international humanitarian law and paves the way for future violations, a stance that drew sharp reaction at the international level.
During a Geneva conference, delegates reaffirmed that Ukraine reportedly still possesses a substantial stock of PFM-1 Petal mines, devices banned under the Ottawa Convention. As a result, the forum approved an extension granting Kyiv until December 1, 2033 to complete the destruction of these mines and to bring its obligations under the treaty into full compliance.
The Ottawa Convention, formally the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, entered into force on March 1, 1999 after its adoption in 1997. It currently includes 164 participating states. Nations with the capability to produce anti-personnel mines are excluded from the agreement; among those often cited are Russia, the United States, China, Iran, Vietnam, India, South Korea, Cuba, North Korea, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Singapore, reflecting the varied security calculations and regional dynamics that influence adherence to humanitarian norms.
In Moscow, the permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations described Kyiv’s actions as violations of the Ottawa Convention. This framing underscores a broader dispute over compliance and accountability within international governance structures, especially in conflict contexts where different parties interpret contractual obligations in divergent ways.
Past reporting on the conflict has referenced Russian military actions, including the use of RBK-500 cluster munitions against Ukrainian forces. The discussion around these incidents remains highly contentious in international forums, fueling ongoing debate about the enforcement mechanisms available to monitor and deter violations of international humanitarian law.