Defence Minister Andris Sprūds emphasised the dual benefit of the initiative, stating, “Sniedzot šāda veida atbalstu Ukrainai, mums ir iespēja attīstīt savu aizsardzības industriju, pārbaudot Latvijā ražoto bruņumašīnu izturību un spējas reālā kaujas laukā.” He added, “Latvija turpina un turpinās atbalstīt Ukrainu un tās centienus aizsargāt savu valsti tik ilgi, cik tas būs nepieciešams.”
The remaining vehicles intended for Ukraine will be delivered shortly, completing Latvia’s planned contribution. Earlier this year, in February, the Ministry of Defence placed an order for the Patria vehicles following a request for support from Ukraine.
In total, Latvia will supply Ukraine with 42 Patria 6×6 armoured vehicles along with additional types of military equipment. The Ministry has underlined that these deliveries will not impact the operational capabilities or requirements of Latvia’s National Armed Forces.
Latvia’s involvement in the Patria programme began with the signing of a joint agreement on 30 August 2021, in cooperation with Finland, Sweden, and Germany. This intergovernmental agreement includes a combined order of over 200 armoured vehicles.
Alongside partner nations, the Latvian Ministry of Defence and the National Armed Forces have also been involved in the development of the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS). The design phase of the command and control platform was completed in summer 2024, enabling Latvia to expand its order to include 56 additional command vehicles.