Volkswacht Bodensee - Lithuanian firm makes stoves from car parts for power-starved Ukrainians

The initiative comes as a godsend as months of Russian strikes on Ukraine's power infrastructure have left people in the cold and dark for hours at a stretch.

The Kalvis (Blacksmith) company has been sending the stoves -- made from old wheel rims -- to both civilians and soldiers.

"We do what we do best just to make Ukrainians feel a bit better," project co-author Rokas Utakis told AFP.

So far the company has produced nearly 100 stoves, with half of them already in use in Ukraine, including as far as Bakhmut or Izyum near the front line.

Each stove consists of three rims stacked on each another and supported by legs.

It includes two chambers for firewood and ash, as well as a cast iron cover and chimney.

"It can be used as a stove, dryer, or simply as a heater," Utakis said.

A few dozen employees have been staying after hours to make the stoves in the northern city of Siauliai. Other residents have been lending a hand.

"It's nice to work with such an enthusiastic group of people," said Utakis, who works as a craftsman at Kalvis.

"The emotions... of people enjoying the stoves make up for the fatigue you experience making them," he added.

Lithuania and fellow Baltic states Estonia and Latvia have expressed staunch solidarity with Ukraine since Russia invaded it in February.

The trio spent decades under Soviet occupation before declaring independence in 1991 and later joining NATO and the European Union.

J.Horn--BTB