Lithuania to continue its military assistance to Ukraine in 2023 – ministry

VILNIUS – The Lithuanian Defense Ministry has identified six main areas of its further consistent military assistance to Ukraine in 2023.

Acquisitions, including a contribution to an international fund aimed at financing heavy weapon purchases for Ukraine, will make an important part of Lithuania's military support to Ukraine this year, the ministry said in a press release on Tuesday.

Its military assistance will also include the transfer and repair of weapons and military equipment, military training and education, rehabilitation of military personnel, expert support in the field of defense reforms, and strengthening cyber security.

In light of ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, the ministry also plans to purchase additional equipment produced in Lithuania, such as night vision devices, thermal imaging cameras, and anti-drone equipment, and send it to the country as soon as possible. 

It also plans to purchase additional clothing for Ukrainian military personnel, and to provide new sets of clothing to Ukrainian soldiers undergoing training in Lithuania.

Military training will be conducted bilaterally and multilaterally. A total of about 1,500 Ukrainian military personnel are to undergo training this year, with some of them to be trained in Lithuania in the framework of the EU Military Assistance Mission Ukraine. 

The rehabilitation of wounded soldiers in the Lithuanian spa resort of Druskininkai will also continue this year.

Expert support for defense reforms will be provided along the lines agreed at NATO's Madrid summit: long-term interoperability, institutional development, concept of warfare, reconstruction of military infrastructure, and defense industry development.

The Lithuanian Defense Ministry will also continue to provide expert support by participating in the EU Cyber Rapid Reaction Force and though the Regional Cyber Defense Center in Kaunas.