Lithuanians raised more than 5 million euros in a public quest to buy a military drone for Ukraine.
The money needed to buy the Turkish drone Bayraktar TB2 was raised in three and a half days.
Fundraising for Ukraine, which is fighting against the Russian invasion, ended this Saturday evening in the Baltic country of 2.8 million inhabitants.
“It is probably the first time in history that citizens of one state can buy and donate such heavy weapons to another state,” said Andrius Tapinas, founder of local online television channel Laisves TV.
Drones widely used against Russia
It was this influencer who was behind the initiative.
Laisves TV said it will transfer the money collected to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, which will take care of the purchase of the drone and the necessary ammunition.
This Sunday, the Minister of Defense declared that his deputy would leave for Turkey at the beginning of the week to sign a letter of intent relating to the purchase.
“There will be a lot of paperwork,” warned the minister to reporters.
“[But] we expect a warm welcome from everyone.
Pride of Ankara, the Turkish combat drones with which Ukraine has been equipped entered into action in the first hours of the invasion.
According to kyiv, they proved a particularly formidable weapon in the fight against Russian forces.
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