Swedish forces cannot plan or operate alongside anti-personnel mines in Finland under Sweden’s current reading of the Ottawa Convention, according to a new report from the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI).
The report was published on 3 November and uses Finland as a case study. Finland’s withdrawal from the mine ban took effect on 10 January 2026. Poland and the three Baltic states also announced their exits in 2025.
— The [anti-personnel mine] reintroduction constitutes an unusual case of bottom-up-induced strategic revision for NATO, writes the report's author Anna Savolainen.
Under current rules, Sweden “cannot participate in the planning of activities in which [anti-personnel mines] will be used,” the report states. Swedish units also cannot transport the mines or operate in sectors where they are laid. Sweden is the framework nation for NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Finland. The report warns that Swedish personnel could face criminal liability.
According to FOI, the Finnish Defence Forces will first convert existing directional fragmentation mines to tripwire initiation. Training will likely start in late 2026, once sufficient stocks are in place. Full operational capability may be expected by the end of 2027, the report says.
