Ukraine and Lithuania agree on construction of explosives factory
Source: Lithuania’s economy ministry
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.
After the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine witnessed an unprecedented wave of private support for the army. Citizens, big businesses, charitable foundations, and international philanthropists began financing the country’s defense alongside state assistance provided by international partners. Estimates of total private contributions range from tens to hundreds of billions of hryvnias. However, determining the exact amount remains difficult. In many cases, companies combine military aid, humanitarian programs, tax payments, social spending, and employee support in their reporting.
Rinat Akhmetov’s military initiative, “Steel Front”, has delivered a batch of drones worth UAH 214 million to the 1st “Azov” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. This shipment is part of the Metinvest Group’s ongoing support for the unit in 2025.
On October 6, the Administrative Cassation Court within the Supreme Court of Ukraine continued hearing case No. 990/80/25, in which the fifth President and leader of the party “European Solidarity”, Petro Poroshenko, seeks to have Presidential Decree No. 81/2025 from February 12, 2025 — enacting sanctions by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) — declared illegal and annulled. The plaintiff claims the document was falsified and that the sanctions are a tool of political persecution of the opposition, contrary to international norms. Government representatives deny the allegations and insist their actions were lawful. Journalists of Bukvy were present at the hearing.
Rinat Akhmetov’s Metinvest Group has completed the construction of an upgraded underground NATO Role 2 hospital in one of the hottest sectors of the frontline. This is the second stabilization point established under the Steel Front initiative in cooperation with the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The new facility, funded by Metinvest with an investment of UAH 21 million, is more secure than the first one thanks to its deeper location underground (over 6 meters) and additional fortifications.
Five armored vehicles “Kozak” have received a new mission – thanks to the support of Metinvest, they have been upgraded to full-fledged command and staff vehicles. These upgraded vehicles are now operating on the front line.