Latest news with #Sakaliene
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lithuania plans to build naval drones with Ukraine in joint effort
Lithuania is considering launching domestic production of naval drones in cooperation with Ukraine, Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene told Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi on May 6. Under a '1+1' model, Lithuania would fund the production of two drones, keeping one for its own defense and sending the other to Ukraine. The country is particularly interested in Ukraine's Magura-class sea drones, which have been used with success against Russia's Black Sea Fleet. "Magura, in my view, is an excellent military product," Sakaliene said. The proposed initiative would involve shared weapons production on Lithuanian soil, with Vilnius covering the costs. "That is, we pay for the production of two pieces of equipment, one of which is transferred to Ukraine, and the other remains in Lithuania, but we cover the cost for both," she explained. Earlier this year, Lithuania allocated 20 million euros ($21 million) in purchasing weapons for Kyiv from Ukrainian producers. Sakaliene emphasized that Lithuania sees great potential in closer cooperation on technologies like missile and naval drones. "We believe that cooperation in certain areas related to missile drones, sea drones, and other technologies is truly very promising," she said. The Magura drones are small, unmanned surface vessels developed by Ukraine, and have become a key asset in the country's naval warfare. Though small in size, they've proven effective against larger warships, helping keep Russia's Black Sea Fleet pinned in port. On May 2, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) used Magura-7 sea drones equipped with air-to-air missiles to shoot down two Russian Su-30 fighter jets near the port city of Novorossiysk, HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov told The War Zone on May 3. The operation was the first time in history that fighter jets have been downed by unmanned naval drones. Read also: Ukrainian drones reportedly hit Russian fiber optic plant in Saransk We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spend more on defence now to protect Europe from Russia, says Lithuania's defence minister
By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS (Reuters) - Europe must remove borrowing limits for defence spending or face the prospect of war with Russia, Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene told Reuters on Tuesday. "Defence now is an existential matter, it's more important than structural reforms", said Sakaliene. "If you cannot provide enough ammo for your soldiers, it doesn't really matter what you say," she said in an interview. "We have a chance to prevent our citizens from dying in terrifying numbers from Russian bullets and Russian bombs. But we need to disburse funds for strengthening our military, our defence capabilities, right now." Lithuania, a NATO and EU member, which borders both its former overlord Russia and Moscow's close ally Belarus, has committed to spending 5.5% of its gross domestic product next year on defence, up from 3.9% of GDP earmarked this year. European Union finance ministers expressed interest on Saturday in the idea of a joint defence fund that would buy and own defence equipment, partly as a way to address concerns of highly-indebted countries because the debt incurred would not be attached to national accounts. The discussion is part of a European effort to prepare for a potential attack from Russia as EU governments realise they can no longer fully rely on the United States for their security. Russia's defence minister said in December that Moscow had to prepare for direct conflict with NATO in the next decade. Under the separate ReArm Europe plan, the EU is looking to boost military spending by 800 billion euros ($876 billion) over the next four years, via loosening fiscal rules on defence investment and joint borrowing for large defence projects against the EU budget. Sakaliene said the European Union needed to remove all stops on borrowing for defence needs, and provide immediate grants, not only loans, to its members for the purpose. She said that she could understand U.S. President Donald Trump saying he would not defend NATO allies if they were not paying enough for their own defence. "This tension, this unpleasant conversation - it is justified... We are where we are because Europe lagged behind, terribly, for years," said Sakaliene. Despite Trump's words, frontline NATO allies Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Poland "do have the United States by our side should any crisis happen", Sakaliene said, because they spend significantly on their defence and closely cooperate with the U.S. militarily. The minister said she is hopeful NATO allies will commit to at least 4% of GDP spending goal at the Hague NATO summit in June, in the face of the Russian danger.
Reuters
15-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Spend more on defence now to protect Europe from Russia, says Lithuania's defence minister
VILNIUS, April 15 (Reuters) - Europe must remove borrowing limits for defence spending or face the prospect of war with Russia, Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene told Reuters on Tuesday. "Defence now is an existential matter, it's more important than structural reforms", said Sakaliene. "If you cannot provide enough ammo for your soldiers, it doesn't really matter what you say," she said in an interview. "We have a chance to prevent our citizens from dying in terrifying numbers from Russian bullets and Russian bombs. But we need to disburse funds for strengthening our military, our defence capabilities, right now." Lithuania, a NATO and EU member, which borders both its former overlord Russia and Moscow's close ally Belarus, has committed to spending 5.5% of its gross domestic product next year on defence, up from 3.9% of GDP earmarked this year. European Union finance ministers expressed interest on Saturday in the idea of a joint defence fund that would buy and own defence equipment, partly as a way to address concerns of highly-indebted countries because the debt incurred would not be attached to national accounts. The discussion is part of a European effort to prepare for a potential attack from Russia as EU governments realise they can no longer fully rely on the United States for their security. Russia's defence minister said in December that Moscow had to prepare for direct conflict with NATO in the next decade. Under the separate ReArm Europe plan, the EU is looking to boost military spending by 800 billion euros ($876 billion) over the next four years, via loosening fiscal rules on defence investment and joint borrowing for large defence projects against the EU budget. Sakaliene said the European Union needed to remove all stops on borrowing for defence needs, and provide immediate grants, not only loans, to its members for the purpose. She said that she could understand U.S. President Donald Trump saying he would not defend NATO allies if they were not paying enough for their own defence. "This tension, this unpleasant conversation - it is justified... We are where we are because Europe lagged behind, terribly, for years," said Sakaliene. Despite Trump's words, frontline NATO allies Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Poland "do have the United States by our side should any crisis happen", Sakaliene said, because they spend significantly on their defence and closely cooperate with the U.S. militarily. The minister said she is hopeful NATO allies will commit to at least 4% of GDP spending goal at the Hague NATO summit in June, in the face of the Russian danger.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. armored vehicle pulled from bog in Lithuania; Army to share update on missing troops
March 31 (UPI) -- A U.S. Army armored vehicle missing in Lithuania for six days with four American soldiers on board was pulled from a bog early Monday close to the border with Belarus, according to Lithuanian authorities. There was no immediate word about the fate of the missing military personnel. Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene in a social media post said Lithuanian Military Police and U.S. investigators were working at the scene after the 70-ton vehicle was winched free from beneath 15 feet of watery clay-like mud at a training ground near Pabrade, 30 miles northeast of Vilnius, at 4:30 a.m. local time. "I ask for patience and concentration until they can provide us with more information about the situation," she said, stressing that Lithuanian authorities would not be commenting regarding the men on board and the U.S. side would make a public statement when it had all the necessary information and only after informing the families of the soldiers. Sakaliene, who said it took two M88 Hercules-type recovery vehicles and two bulldozers six-and-half hours to pull out the armored vehicle, vowed that if the recovery of the armored vehicle did not provide all the answers to what happened, the work by the investigative teams would continue. The recovery was carried out after divers managed to locate tow points on the submerged vehicle and attach lines. Sakaliene appealed to the public and media to refrain from speculating. "Please understand the delicacy of the situation, let us be sensitive to the families of the soldiers, who need to learn the circumstances of the events from rescuers, not from the media," she said. "We are extremely grateful for the incredible work done by the Lithuanian and U.S. soldiers, the PAGD Fire and Rescue officers, the business employees and volunteers. To the countries that offered assistance and to those standing by to answer a call for assistance, as well." U.S. Army Europe and Africa personnel and Lithuanian authorities led a five-day international recovery effort after the vehicle disappeared Tuesday while taking part in a tactical training exercise, mounting a major engineering and logistical operation involving experts from remote underwater vehicle specialists to geologists. A U.S. Army Engineering Corps contingent and a 55-strong detachment of Polish military engineers packing more than a dozen tracked vehicles, including three M88-type recovery vehicles, joined the effort Friday, followed by a specialist U.S. Navy construction dive team on Saturday. The engineers worked to pump water away from the site and stabilize the surrounding ground to allow it to support the heavy plant required to winch out the armored vehicle while the U.S. divers deployed a remotely operated submersible and handheld sonar to locate "lift points" on the vehicle. The missing men are all believed to be from the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division, 1st Brigade, based out of Fort Stewart, Ga.
Saudi Gazette
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Missing US soldiers' armored vehicle recovered from Lithuanian swamp
WASHINGTON — Lithuanian authorities have recovered the armored vehicle belonging to four missing US soldiers who disappeared during a routine training exercise last week, the country's defense minister confirmed on Monday. 'Six days of hard work have yielded results. The armored vehicle has been recovered,' Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said in a statement on Facebook. The vehicle was found submerged in a swamp in Pabrade, northeast of the capital Vilnius, where the soldiers were last seen. Despite the vehicle's recovery, there has been no official update on the status of the missing soldiers. Lithuanian military police and US investigators continue to examine the scene. Sakaliene urged the public to exercise 'patience' and respect the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation. 'Let us understand the delicacy of the situation and the sensitivity of the soldiers' families,' she US Army Europe and Africa confirmed that a multinational search effort remains underway, with US and Lithuanian forces leading the recovery vehicle was first located last Wednesday, but its extraction proved challenging.'Not only are we dealing with the terrain, a lot of mud that is over top of the vehicle, but also the fact that it's 70 tons that we're trying to recover out of a swamp or bog,' Brig. Gen. John Lloyd said on forces regularly participate in NATO training exercises in Lithuania, a key eastern flank member of the alliance. — Agencies
