Lithuania's mystery crates: New weapons boost for Ukraine
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced the delivery of another weapons aid package to Ukraine. A photo of mysterious crates, the contents of which have not been precisely detailed, has appeared online. We explore what might be inside them.
The aid package includes MANPADS, which are portable anti-aircraft missile systems. However, according to the Ukrainian portal Militarnyj, "the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, for security reasons, does not disclose which model of such anti-aircraft missile systems Ukraine received."
Mysterious Ukrainian crates: what weapons did Lithuania give?
MANPADS are weapons that have proven highly effective in the conflict between Ukrainians and Russians. Recordings have shown successful ambushes on Russian aircraft, such as the Su-25. These systems allow for targeting enemy assets, such as planes, helicopters, or drones, with light anti-aircraft missiles. The missile is usually guided by infrared, and less commonly by a laser beam.
The range of such weapons depends on the specific MANPADS model. Lithuania has been using Swedish RBS 70, American FIM-92 Stinger, and Polish PPZR Grom for years. The latter appeared in the Lithuanian Army in 2014. In 2023, another contract worth 20 million euros was signed, under which Lithuania was to receive more PPZR Grom units in 2024-2025. The range of this equipment, produced by S.A., is from 0.3 to 3.4 miles, and the system weighs approximately 41 pounds.
Faithful ally of Ukraine
Lithuania is one of Ukraine's most faithful allies. Although it doesn’t have weapon reserves comparable to larger countries, in terms of GDP, it is among the nations providing the most to Ukraine.
Regarding military equipment, Lithuania has so far provided the Ukrainian side with, among other things, post-Soviet automatic weapons and large amounts of ammunition, anti-drone measures, logistical equipment, armored vehicles (including M113 and M577), Panzermörser self-propelled mortars, Mi-8 helicopters, an L‑39ZA Albatros aircraft, and even modern NASAMS air defense missile systems.
