Latvia will send Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems, helicopters, machine guns with ammunition, and drones to Ukraine, Delfi reports.
This week, Latvian Defence Minister Inara Murniece visited Ukraine and met with Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov in Kyiv. During the meeting, the parties discussed in detail the effectiveness of the support already provided by Latvia and the planned deliveries of military aid to Ukraine.
"During the conversation with the Ukrainian Defence Minister, I reaffirmed the unwavering support of the Latvian government and people for Ukraine in this terrible war. Soon, we will send new shipments of military support to Ukraine - Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems, helicopters, machine guns with ammunition and unmanned aerial vehicles. We plan to increase the intensity of training and train at least twice as many Ukrainians as we did in 2022," Murniece said after the meeting.
Last November, Ziedot.lv launched the Good News fundraising campaign. In two months, the campaign raised 439,768 euros, which will be used to purchase military equipment and shells manufactured in Latvia.
In January, the Latvian Ministry of Defence reported that Latvia's support to Ukraine amounted to 0.93% of GDP or more than 314 million euros. Of this amount, approximately 300 million euros is military aid provided by the Latvian government to Ukraine, and the rest is donations from Latvians.
Latvia's military assistance to Ukraine includes ammunition, anti-tank weapons, Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, self-propelled howitzers, helicopters, fuel, individual shells, dry rations for soldiers and other necessary items.
The Ministry of Defence, together with the Entrepreneurs for Peace organization, is implementing an initiative to raise more than €7 million in donations to supply military equipment, bulletproof vests, armoured ambulances, technological solutions and other types of military aid for the Ukrainian armed forces, such as binoculars and night vision equipment.
Also, with the support of the Latvian Ministry of Defence, Ukraine regularly receives various humanitarian and medical aid, organized in cooperation with Ziedot.lv and the Entrepreneurs for Peace movement.
Besides, more than 900 off-road vehicles have already been delivered to Ukrainian soldiers as part of the Twitter-Convoy campaign.