Lithuania to support Ukraine’s defense with 3,000 drones & rehabilitation program for injured soldiers
The Baltic country will support three veteran rehab centers and calls upon other countries to join
Lithuanian-produced FPV drones for Ukraine
Prime Minister of Lithuania, Ingrida Šimonytė, revealed that Lithuania plans to purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-produced FPV drones for Ukraine, worth EUR 2 million.
The Baltic state, which lives under the shadow of a possible Russian invasion, is one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters in its war of liberation from Russian occupation.
Cheap yet lethal FPV (first-person view) drones have come to be one of the decisive factors in Russia’s war against Ukraine, with both sides racing to outpace each other in production and innovation.
“We expect the drones to reach the frontline by the end of this year,” Šimonytė said at a joint news conference with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Vilnius, LRT reports.
Rehabilitation program for Ukrainian veterans
In addition to the drone purchase, Šimonytė announced that Lithuania is launching a special program for the rehabilitation of injured Ukrainian soldiers, according to LRT.
The program aims to contribute to the development of infrastructure and services in three rehabilitation centers located in the regions of Lviv, Dnipro, and Zhytomyr, Ukraine.
“We will allocate approximately EUR 15 million for these programs from various sources and development programs. We also hope that other donors will join us,” she added.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister emphasized that Lithuania and Ukraine are united in their fight against a common enemy, saying that “The level of cooperation, trust and partnership is unprecedented. I am confident that it will remain so in the future,” the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers’ website stated.
Lithuanian support for Ukraine
- Lithuania, a Baltic country that was also part of the USSR, has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters during the war. Consistently advocating for Ukraine’s NATO and EU membership, Lithuania contributes to the development of the Three Seas Initiative, which could be a crucial platform for Ukraine’s reconstruction, with over 30 Ukrainian companies and institutions expected to participate in the upcoming summit and business forum in Vilnius, according to Ukraine’s Cabinet.
- In March, the prime minister reported that Lithuania contributed 35 million euros to the Czech ammunition initiative, LRT reports.
- Previously, Lithuania allocated $5.4 million to help rebuild schools and kindergartens in Ukraine that Russians destroyed during the war, which has affected over 3,500 educational institutions.
- Lithuania has delivered a shipment of 155-millimeter artillery ammunition to Ukraine, responding to the country’s urgent needs after Ukrainian forces retreated from Avdiivka due to a lack of ammunition. This action aligns with the readiness of the US and EU countries to finance ammunition delivery, with Lithuania joining a Czech-led initiative to support Ukraine.
- Lithuanians also raised over EUR 8.2 million through the “Radarom!” initiative to supply Ukrainian forces with 1,115 kits, each comprising a night vision device, a laser sight, and an individual anti-drone system.
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