The Lithuanian public have crowdfunded $250,000 to purchase a second maritime drone for Ukraine, and started the campaign for the third drone, according to Lithuanian TV anchor Andrius Tapinas.
Tapinas tweeted that the campaign has already crowdfunded 40,000 euros for the third drone. The campaign will transfer the money to UNITED24, Ukraine’s state fundraising platform.
The campaign gained popularity due to the names that Lithuanians have been giving the drones. The names involve wordplay to make them sound like Russian swearwords.
Tapinas has earlier led a successful fundraising campaign in Lithuania to buy a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drone and kamikaze drones Warmate for Ukraine.
Zelensky said on Nov. 5 that Ukraine was launching a fundraising campaign for a fleet of maritime drones, through the UNITED24 platform.
The statement followed an underwater drone attack in occupied Sevastopol Bay that reportedly damaged a Russian frigate, a minesweeper, and a dam. Russia accused Ukraine of the attack. Ukraine hasn't confirmed its involvement.