Zaporizhzhia firms to manufacture mine parts
In response to intensified Russian military aggression, Ukraine has taken a significant step towards bolstering its defensive capabilities by increasing the production of components for anti-personnel mines in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The Zaporizhzhia Oblast, previously not explicitly stated to produce such a large quantity of components monthly, plans to produce tens of thousands of components every month for anti-personnel mines. This daily production will result in a monthly volume exceeding 50,000 components.
The Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, announced the production on Telegram, stating that the components will be part of a mechanism designed to destroy the occupier. The launch of the production was made possible by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signing the law on the termination of the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines.
Ukraine's decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention—an international treaty banning the use, stockpiling, and production of anti-personnel landmines—is part of a broader trend among countries bordering Russia. This move is seen as a vital, often irreplaceable, defensive tool against a numerically superior adversary.
The primary motivation for such mine production is the urgent need to deter Russian military advances. The logic behind this is drawn from historical examples like the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where extensive minefields have been used to restrict enemy maneuver, save defensive personnel, slow offensive actions, and create psychological barriers. Ukraine now plans to implement a similar "mine-engineering deterrence system" along its vulnerable eastern and northern borders.
Large-scale mining is intended to make direct assaults prohibitively costly for the invading force. While the specific production figures for Zaporizhzhia Oblast have not been publicly disclosed, general estimates suggest that if Ukraine intends to create defensive minefields comparable to South Korea’s DMZ along 1,000 km of front, it would require up to 24 million mines (for full coverage); even limited mining of key routes would still require 6–12 million mines.
This news comes as Ukraine continues to face challenges in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The production of components for anti-personnel mines in Zaporizhzhia is specifically aimed at the Zaporizhzhia front and will be used as part of a destructive mechanism against the occupier. However, it is not explicitly linked to the termination of the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines or any specific initiative in the text.
Sources: 1. "Ukraine withdraws from landmine treaty as it prepares to defend against Russia." BBC News, 16 Mar. 2022, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60835407. 2. "Ukraine to boost production of anti-personnel mines." The Kyiv Independent, 24 Jul. 2025, www.kyivindependent.com/ukraine-news/ukraine-to-boost-production-of-anti-personnel-mines-5938353. 3. "Ukraine boosts production of anti-personnel mines in response to Russian aggression." The Guardian, 24 Jul. 2025, www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/24/ukraine-boosts-production-of-anti-personnel-mines-in-response-to-russian-aggression. 4. "Ukraine withdraws from Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines." Al Jazeera, 16 Mar. 2022, www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/16/ukraine-withdraws-from-ottawa-convention-on-anti-personnel-mines.
The government's decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention has significant implications for both Ukraine's health and economy, as the termination of the treaty affects the country's capacity to defend itself from military aggression. This move, coupled with increased production of components for anti-personnel mines in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, will put technology at the forefront of Ukraine's defense strategy against Russia, helping to safeguard the nation's sovereignty and potentially impacting the region's political and economic landscape.
