Ukraine Not Fulfilling Obligations Under Mine Ban Treaty

GENEVA (Sputnik) - Ukraine and Greece still do not fulfill their obligations under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (also known as the Ottawa Treaty), the state parties said in an interim report on Friday.

Russia repeatedly stated that Ukraine used anti-personnel land mines PFM-1 “Lepestok” in the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. In summer, according to Russian media, the Ukrainian armed forces deployed hundreds of these mines.

“The Committee also supported the President in meeting with Greece and Ukraine concerning their outstanding stockpile destruction commitments under Article 4 of the Convention,” the interim report of the 20th Meeting of the States Parties said.

Greece will start destruction of its mines as soon as Athens signs a new contract with a Croatian company, which will eliminate 300,000 mines over 18 months, according to the participating states.

The meeting noted that, by April 30 2023, Ukraine must present a report on destruction of its 3.3 million PFM-1 mines that are at the country's disposal at the moment.

Ukraine ratified the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction in 2005. The convention aims at “ending the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines” by eliminating their stockpiles around the world.