Ukraine and Lithuania agree on construction of explosives factory

On Wednesday, Ukraine and Lithuania said they will  join forces to build a “next-generation” explosives factory in Lithuania to produce hexogen. The move is set to bolster the “defense capabilities of Ukraine and its European allies.

According to the memorandum of intent, its construction is set to begin next year. Lithuania’s economy minister, Aušrinė Armonaitė, emphasized that  the project sends a “clear signal to the aggressor that we will not back down.”

Kyiv keeps under wraps the name of the Ukrainian company involved in the project for security reasons.  Lithuanian ministry officials revealed that the company operates in a “highly sensitive sector” and falls under Ukraine’s defense umbrella.

Lithuanian deputy minister Erika Kurochkina highlighted Lithuania’s active efforts to create favorable conditions for defense enterprises and attract foreign investment. She argued that the explosives plant is just “one of several joint defense projects” launched by Ukraine and Lithuania, with talks ongoing about the development of drones and other defense technologies.