Sending A Message Of Solidarity, Lithuanians Joint Venture For IDR 78 Billion To Buy Turkey's Advanced Military Drone For Ukraine: In Fact, They Are Given Free

Ukrainian Drone Bayraktar TB2. (Wikimedia Commons/Ministry of Defence of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Hundreds of Lithuanians raised funds to buy advanced military drones from Turkey for Ukraine, showing the solidarity of the country previously under Moscow's rule.

Around 4.4 million euros (IDR 68,657,169,548) was raised in just three days, out of a total of 5 million euros or IDR 78.019,510,850 needed, mostly in small denominations, according to Laisves TV, the Lithuanian internet broadcaster that launched the idea.

"Before this war started, none of us thought that we would buy weapons. But that's normal now. Something has to be done to make the world a better place," said Agne Belickaite, 32, who sent 100 euros immediately after the war started. on Wednesday last week, reported Reuters on May 28.

"I've been donating to buy weapons for Ukraine for a while now. And will do so until victory," he told Reuters, adding one of the things that motivated him in this fundraiser was the fear of Russia attacking Lithuania.

And, the target of 5 million euros was achieved in just three and a half days. The majority of the notes collected were in 5-euro and 100-euro denominations, as quoted by Euronews.

So far, drones have proven effective in recent years against Russian forces and their allies in the conflicts in Syria and Libya.

The purchase was arranged by the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, which told Reuters it plans to sign a letter of intent to buy the planes from Turkey.

Knowing this, Baykar as the drone manufacturer said on Thursday, it will provide the TB2 drone for free to Lithuania.

"The people of Lithuania have respectfully raised funds to purchase Bayraktar TB2 for Ukraine. Upon learning of this, Baykar will provide Bayraktar TB2 to Lithuania for free and request that the funds go to Ukraine for humanitarian assistance," the company said on Twitter, as reported by Daily Sabah.

Campaign organizers will transfer 1.5 million euros to buy ammunition for the drones, according to Andrius Tapinas, a journalist who started the initiative. Turkish officials prefer that the remaining money donated to be used for humanitarian, logistical, or reconstruction assistance for Ukraine, he said.

So far, Ukraine has purchased more than 20 Bayraktar TB2 armed drones from Turkish company Baykar in recent years. And, ordered another 16 on January 27th. The batch was sent in early March.

"This is the first case in history, when people used to raise money to buy something like Bayraktar. This is unprecedented, unbelievable," Beshta Petro, Ukraine's ambassador to Lithuania, told Laisves TV.

Most of the heavy weapons that NATO countries have sent to Ukraine so far are Soviet-made weapons that are still in the inventory of eastern European NATO member states. However, some have recently started supplying Western howitzers.

"While the governments of the largest countries in the world are constantly negotiating, the Lithuanian people are just getting together and, you know, going to raise 5 million euros and buy drones, which is an impressive message to the world," concluded Belickaite.