(Vilnius) Lithuanians have raised more than 5 million euros in a public quest to buy a military drone for Ukraine, in support of this country which is defending itself against the Russian invasion.
Posted at 7:31 a.m.
The money needed to buy a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone was raised in three and a half days, during a fundraiser that ended late Saturday evening in this Baltic country of 2.8 million inhabitants.
“It’s probably the first time in history that citizens of one state can buy and donate such heavy weapons to another state,” said influencer Andrius Tapinas, founder of the local online TV channel Laisves TV, at the origin of the initiative.
Laisves TV has indicated that it will transfer the money collected to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense which will in turn take care of the purchase of the drone and the necessary ammunition.
Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said on Sunday that his deputy would leave for Turkey early next week to sign a letter of intent for the purchase.
“There will be a lot of paperwork,” warned the minister to reporters.
However, “we expect a warm welcome from everyone,” he added.
Pride of Ankara, the Turkish combat drones with which Ukraine came into action in the early hours of the Russian invasion and, according to Kyiv, proved to be a particularly formidable weapon in the fight against the Russian forces.