Oleksii Plotnikov*
International Law on Naval Mines: Rules, Effects and Lessons from Ukraine
Suggested citation:
Plotnikov, O. (2025). International Law on Naval Mines: Rules, Effects and Lessons from Ukraine. Lex Portus, 11(4), 34–46. https://doi.org/10.62821/lp11403
Published online: 23.10.2025
*PhD in Law, Senior Lawyer, Civic Organization “The Tenth of April” (15, Heroiv Krut St., Odesa, Ukraine)
ABSTRACT
The Article addresses the issue of international legal regulation of the use of naval mines and its implications for Ukraine. It considers the existing legal regime based on Hague Convention (VIII) relative to the Laying of Automatic Submarine Contact Mines and customary international law. In order to unveil that regime, the article opens with the XIX century developments which led to the creation of the first international legal regulations restricting certain types of weapons as a result of Hague Peace conferences of 1899 and 1907. In particular, the article concentrates on the Hague Convention (VIII) and its applicability to different types of mines. One of the key questions raised in the article is whether the Hague VIII Convention applies to influence mines which are not mentioned in the text. In order to respond to this question, the article analyses scholarly writings, including the San Remo and Newport manuals, as well as state practice, including military manuals produced by different States. This analysis brings to two conclusions, namely that the Hague VIII has highly likely reached the status of customary international law, and that the rules set forth by this Convention can be extended to both contact mines and influence mines. The article then turns to the question of the implications of the international treaty and customary legal regime for Ukraine – a topic highly relevant in the light of the mine warfare in the Black Sea. The article analyses Ukraine’s diplomatic practice as well as relevant military regulations in order to establish whether Ukraine is bound by the provisions of Hague VIII and whether it actually complies with the relevant international rules. It concludes that it is impossible to establish with certainty whether Ukraine has accepted legal obligations under Hague VIII; however, there are strong grounds to believe that Ukraine factually complies with the requirements of Hague VIII and related customary international law on naval mines.
Keywords: international humanitarian law, Hague Conventions, naval mines, naval warfare, Ukraine’s compliance with international law, armed conflict.
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