Latvia to provide 1,500 combat drones to Ukraine

Latvia will provide 1,500 combat drones to Ukraine, the country’s Defense Minister Andris Spruds said on April 1.

"Two Latvian companies will deliver a total of 12,000 drones worth 17 million euros to Ukraine in the first half of this year as part of the international drone coalition," he wrote on X.

The allied initiative, co-led by the U.K. and Latvia, was launched in January 2024 to strengthen Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities, a key factor in modern warfare.

By late 2024, nearly 20 countries had joined the coalition.

Latvia, one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters, has committed to providing military support at the level of 0.25% of its GDP every year and will provide thousands of drones.

Ukraine is also working to scale up domestic production. In Dec. 2024, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukrainian drones accounted for over 96% of all UAVs used by the military in 2024.

Sweden unveils its largest military aid package for Ukraine worth nearly $1.6 billion

“The package includes, among other things, support for Ukraine’s air defense, artillery, satellite communications, and maritime capacity,” Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson announced.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova