Latvia’s Ministry of Defense announced on 5 July that it will provide Ukraine with more than 2,500 drones of various types and purposes throughout July as part of the “drone coalition” led by Latvia.
The drones, produced by seven Latvian companies, will be delivered gradually over the course of the month. “The first delivery from this batch – 300 drones – will arrive in the next few days,” the ministry’s communique said. The total value of the systems is approximately 4 million euros ($4,3 mn)
“The drone coalition is starting to work… Together with other members of the initiative, we are constantly working to supply Ukraine with combat drones for various purposes under the current needs and testing requirements of the Ukrainian army,” Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds said.
For 2024, the Latvian Ministry of Defense has allocated 20 million euros ($21 mn) for measures within the “drone coalition,” with over 10 million ($10,8 mn) earmarked for purchasing drones from the Latvian defense industry. The ministry reports that FPV drones will be a priority for deliveries this year.
The ministry notes that the “drone coalition” currently includes 14 countries. Besides Latvia, which plays a leading role, the coalition includes Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, and Australia.
These countries have collectively raised over half a billion euros for supplying drones to Ukraine and are working on creating a joint fund to finance drone production more quickly and efficiently.
In April and May, Latvia transferred 135 combat drones and electronic warfare equipment, worth about 1 million euros, to Ukraine for various purposes.
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