alt Hacker NewsI get what you're saying, but war is evil and sometimes you have to use methods to win that you would otherwise judge from the privileged position of peace.
I can't in good conscience say that the Ukrainians are evil for laying mines well after the invasion started, even though we all know that when the fighting eventually stops it's going to be a disaster to deal with.
Now the Balkans was a different story, where mines were intentionally laid in areas to target civilians. So in the end, like any device designed to kill, it's how and why it is employed that makes the act "evil" or not.
Fair enough, I wasn't super aware of scenarios people mining their own country for defense purposes and I agree that an argument can be made there, as it will not be civilians invading a different country.
As you are aware, in the Balkans this was exclusively done in areas to harm civilians, deep into other countries. I have a plum garden that was near the enemy lines in the 90s, and it was mined. We had to arrange demining squad to go through it, and I still have childhood memories of their tools (mine detectors) being left overnight at our place. Not a memory any person should have.