Lithuania’s Chief of Defence Valdemaras Rupsys has welcomed the campaign by journalist Andrius Tapinas to buy a Turkey-made Bayraktar combat drone for Ukrainian troops, adding that the Lithuanian military plans to contribute to its acquisition. “Of course, it is not easy for Tapinas alone to do this. As far as I know, the defence minister…
Lithuanian journalist and social media personality Andrius Tapinas has launched a crowdfunding campaign to buy a Bayraktar TB2 military drone for Ukraine. “The defence ministries of Lithuania and Turkey gave the green light, the manufacturer said yes. And now one word is sounding in my head, Bayraktar,” Tapinas said in a Facebook post on May…
Lithuania is in the top 15 of military donors to Ukraine, according to various estimates, says Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence. He would like to see Lithuania in the top 10, however. “The fundamental strategic imperative is that Ukrainians are fighting for us on their soil, and every…
Lithuanian Defence Ministry and the country’s armed forces will provide twenty M113 armoured personnel carriers, ten military trucks and ten all-terrain vehicles to Ukraine. The value of this equipment is estimated at 15.5 million euros, according to the ministry. “We are handing over armoured personnel carriers, 200 of which have been given to Ukraine by…
Latvian Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks has met with US Congress representatives Don Bacon, Ruben Gallego and Sara Jacobs. During the meeting, Pabriks asked the US to increase military aid for Latvia. The parties met to discuss the current geopolitical situation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Latvian-US mutual cooperation in defence and the need to…
Lithuania’s Defence Ministry is eyeing reconnaissance drones made in the country that could replicate the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone, which has made its mark during the war in Karabakh as well as in Ukraine. “There is no chance of catching up with the Americans in terms of quality, or Israel for that matter, because they’ve…
A working group on May 13 finalised a cross-party agreement on beefing up Lithuania’s national security. The final draft excludes commitments to introduce universal military service and a specific percentage of GDP to be spent on defence, as previously expected. The agreement, to be signed by all parties represented in the Lithuanian parliament, is meant…