Lithuanian public broadcaster raises $14 million to buy air defense radars for Ukraine

Lithuania marked the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine by raising 14 million euros ($14 million) for radars for Ukrainian air defense systems by crowdfunding.

The campaign was launched by Lithuanian National Radio and Television and a coalition of other Lithuanian organizations on Jan. 30, initially hoping to raise 5 million euros to purchase multifunctional tactical radars for Ukraine’s military.

The radars are needed to monitor the airspace around strategic sites in Ukraine.

“Protecting crucial infrastructure, such as power plants, water towers, etc., helps prevent disruptions to the lives of Ukrainians while the war continues,” the organizers said on the website.

Russian forces have repeatedly launched massive missile and drone attacks against civilian infrastructure across Ukraine since October, killing dozens of civilians and severely damaging Ukraine's energy system, causing electricity, heating, and water cut-offs and forcing authorities to impose blackouts.

The radar campaign is not the first instance of large-scale crowdfunding of military aid to Ukraine from the nation of under three million. In June 2022, over 3.3 million euros were raised to deliver a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drone to Ukraine.

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The Kyiv Independent