Also for Ukraine

Latvia invests in building a “drone army”

Archive image: Soldiers handle a drone on the battlefield in Ukraine.(Bild: AFP/APA/Genya Savilov)

Latvia plans to provide 20 million euros for the development of drones this year. "We can metaphorically talk about building a drone army," said Defense Minister Andris Spruds in Riga.

Investments are to be made both in the development of infrastructure and in the purchase of drones - including from Latvian companies. "We are strengthening the entire ecosystem and our own industry at the same time," said the Latvian minister.

According to Spruds, the industry is in a position to "innovatively create, develop and provide these technologies both for our armed forces and to support Ukraine". For example, a drone test site at the Latvian military base in Selija is to be put into operation this summer. Drone pilots are also to be trained at various levels of the defense sector and an ideas hackathon "Drones for Ukraine" is to take place at the end of the month, Spruds announced.

Together with the UK, Latvia is leading an alliance to supply one million drones to Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia. Its dozen or so members - including Germany - have pledged to invest resources in drone production and deliver drones and spare parts to Ukraine.