Lithuania is leaving the International Convention on the Prohibition of Cluster Munitions today, citing security concerns from neighboring Russia.
The Baltic country of 2,8 million people, which was long under Soviet occupation, has also signaled its intention to withdraw from another international treaty banning the use of anti-personnel mines.
Vilnius says it wants to strengthen its defense capabilities in this way, fearing after Russia's invasion of Ukraine that it would be the next target if Moscow wins.
Non-governmental organizations sharply criticized Lithuania's decision.
Amnesty International called the decision "catastrophic" and Human Rights Watch "alarming," and both organizations warned that it could endanger civilian lives.
The Lithuanian parliament approved its withdrawal from the Convention on Cluster Munitions last July, but Vilnius had to wait six months after submitting the required UN documentation for the decision to take effect.
Lithuania becomes the first country to leave the 2008 convention and the first European Union country to leave a multilateral arms control agreement.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine are signatories to the Convention and both have used cluster munitions.
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