A batch of М577 Command Post Vehicles, donated by Lithuania as part of military support, arrived in Ukraine.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced this on Tuesday, April 23.

The press service of the Ministry of Defense also published a photo.

Command Post Vehicles are designed to provide radio communications, command, and control of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

Lithuania’s support for Ukraine is long-term: the country has already provided military assistance worth more than €610 million. This year, in particular, it has provided about €84 million.

The aid includes the transfer of various weapons, ammunition, drones, counter-drone equipment, training for soldiers, and the repair of heavy equipment and artillery systems.

Previously, Lithuania has already transferred command post vehicles to Ukraine. One of the batches of M577 arrived at the beginning of April this year.

In 2016, Lithuania purchased 168 German М577 armored personnel carriers from the German military arsenal, spending a total of €1.6 million on this. Along with the vehicles, the Bundeswehr also transferred spare parts, maintenance tools, and equipment for the crew to its Lithuanian partners.

In 2019, the German enterprise FFG Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft mbH won a tender set up by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to modernize 22 M577 armored personnel carriers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Upgraded M577 can be used to control PzH 2000 howitzers.

Military assistance

In response to Ukraine’s requests, Lithuania has already supplied 155 mm ammunition, M577 APCs, counter-drone systems, generators, equipment necessary for the winter season, and tens of thousands of sets of warm clothing. It has also supplied thousands of rounds of ammunition for Carl Gustaf anti-tank rocket launcher weapon systems and is purchasing thousands of FPV drones for the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

Last week, the Lithuanian military delivered and transferred the L-39ZA light attack aircraft to the Ukrainian Air Force.

Lithuania is considering contributing air surveillance radars to the German Air Defense Coalition for Ukraine.