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Latvia to provide Ukraine with domestically-produced drones and radar systems

by Chris York and The Kyiv Independent news desk May 11, 2024 5:48 PM 1 min read
Ukrainian military learn to fly drones at night using thermal vision on May 11, 2023, in Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. (Paula Bronstein /Getty Images)
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Latvia will soon be providing Kyiv with domestically-produced drones and radar systems, Ukraine's ambassador to the country said on May 11.

In an interview with Ukrinform, Anatolii Kutsevol, said military-technical cooperation between Ukrainian and Latvian businesses was increasing.

"I think that over time we will have more media reports about the transfer of drones and radar defense systems manufactured in Latvia to Ukraine," he said.

"There are other areas of cooperation, but they cannot be named now for security reasons," he added.

Latvia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since the outbreak of the full-scale war and annually allocates 0.25% of its GDP to provide military aid to Ukraine.

Silina said earlier in April that Riga's military aid for Kyiv amounted to 392 million euros ($419 million) since February 2022.

Latvia also established the international drone coalition for Ukraine together with the U.K. in January to bolster Ukraine's arsenal of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Latvia's latest military aid package to Ukraine was announced by Prime Minister Evika Silina on April 30 and aims to "improve both Ukraine's air defense and intelligence capabilities."

The package included anti-aircraft guns, tactical unmanned surveillance systems, and "other essential material and technical assets to the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Silina said on X.

Each shipment of aid affirms the relationship between Latvia and Ukraine and "its fight against the aggressor Russia, which is the biggest threat to world peace and security," Silina added.

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