International Legal Regulation of the Use of Landmine Weapons: Classification Problems

Abstract

The article notes the increased urgency, due to the significant aggravation of the international situation, of solving problems related to the use of landmine weapons, the victims of which are not only military personnel, but also civilians. Despite the considerable efforts made over a long time and the agreements reached, the mine problem is still far from being resolved. Peaceful initiatives related to the implementation of the basic principles of international humanitarian law, its improvement, are still the main direction of activity of the modern State, which meets the basic needs of citizens, the purpose of which is to resolve conflicts at all levels. In modern conditions, peace initiatives that implement and develop previously reached agreements, including on the use of landmine weapons, are of particular importance. In this article, based on a comparison of the definitions of this weapon, the established restrictions, prohibitions on its use used in the two main acts of international humanitarian law on the mine problem, it is proposed to solve the issue related to the classification of landmine weapons used in the treaties, including anti-personnel mines. It seems obvious that the solution of this issue, the use of definitions that are uniform for treaties on similar issues, is an important initial condition that allows for objective control over the implementation of international agreements.