Lithuania to Procure 3,000 FPV Drones for Ukraine and Launch Wounded Rehabilitation Program
Lithuania plans to purchase around 3,000 domestically produced FPV drones for transfer to Ukrainian military forces. Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė announced this during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, as reported by LRT.
"The Minister of Defence informed me yesterday that Lithuania will soon purchase approximately 3,000 additional unmanned aerial vehicles of Lithuanian production worth 2 million euros for Ukraine. We expect the drones to arrive at the front by the end of this year," noted Šimonytė.
The Lithuanian official also reminded that Lithuania has provided over 1 billion euros in assistance to Ukraine, half of which is military aid.
Additionally, Lithuania is launching a special program for the rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian soldiers, the country's Prime Minister announced. Šimonytė emphasized the need to assist Ukrainian soldiers who have fulfilled their mission in defending Ukraine, Europe, and Lithuania, and who have suffered and wish to return to normal life.
"Through this program, we will contribute to the development of infrastructure and services at three rehabilitation centres in Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zhytomyr regions," she explained.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, in turn, announced that Lithuania will provide 35 million euros for the Czech initiative to purchase artillery ammunition. Furthermore, Lithuania is actively participating in Ukraine's reconstruction efforts and will allocate an additional 5 million euros for education and 12 million euros for assistance to veterans, school and kindergarten reconstruction, and sheltering.
"We highly appreciate Lithuania's readiness to participate in implementing President Volodymyr Zelensky's Peace Formula and its support for Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic integration. I thanked Lithuania for its clear position regarding the EU's block on Russian and Belarusian agricultural exports, as well as for its leadership in the sanctions arena," said Denys Shmyhal.
It is worth noting that The Gaze reported yesterday that Latvia plans to sign a long-term agreement with Ukraine on support and security, which includes providing military aid amounting to 0.25% of its GDP this year and over the next two years, and will also provide Ukrainian military with drones worth 1 million euros.