Lithuanian citizens raised 5 million euros in a crowdfunding campaign to buy a Bayraktar TB2 drone to donate to the Ukrainian military.
The country’s official Twitter account celebrated the milestone last Saturday (2), expressing thanks Lithuania and explained that the sum was reached in three days mainly thanks to small donations.
The “kitten” was a private initiative of Laisves TV, a Lithuanian online channel founded in 2016 to support Kiev’s war effort.
The donation was an unusual addition to military aid given to Ukraine since February’s Russian invasion, as most shipments of arms and other military equipment came directly from governments such as those of the United States, United Kingdom and European countries.
In addition, the Lithuanian initiative is unusual in that the funds were earmarked for specific equipment.
According to R news agency, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Lithuania Beshta Petro celebrated the milestone in an interview with Laisves.
“This is the first case in history of ordinary people raising money to buy something like a bayraktar,” he said. “It’s unprecedented, it’s incredible.”
It was unclear how the funds would be used to purchase the drone or when one might be deployed in Ukraine.
Lithuania’s Defense Ministry said it will ensure the drone is fully armed before handing it over to the Ukrainians. According to the agency’s estimates, arming the drone would cost 1.5 million euros (around R$8.3 million).
Among the most advanced weapons in Ukraine’s arsenal, the Bayraktar TB2 belongs to a new generation of drones armed with relatively inexpensive missiles that have helped shift the strategic balance against Russia. For this reason, the device was dubbed the “life generator” by the Ukrainian Air Force.
Ukraine began using Bayraktar drones shortly after the Russian invasion, using their powerful cameras to monitor the battlefield and laser artillery strikes. The TB2 can remain airborne for 24 hours, with an altitude ceiling of approximately 7.62 km. A longdistance pilot can fly the drone at a distance of almost 300km.
* Intern at R7under the direction of Raphael Hakime