A Czech-made tank, funded by the “Gift for Putin” campaign, has been deployed in the fighting against Russian troops in Ukraine. The campaign was launched by Czech businessman Dalibor Dedek in May 2014 and has collected funds from Czech donors which are then sent to the account of the Ukrainian Embassy in Prague. The Czech Ministry of Defence then purchases military equipment from Czech manufacturers on behalf of the Ukrainian military based on their demands. The “Tomas” tank was among the items purchased with the donated funds, along with 15 Czech-made mobile air defence systems, ambulances, drones and soldier training. The Gift for Putin campaign has also helped in the repurposing of two armored vehicles from the Czech National Bank to assist with the evacuation of wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

The campaign is planning a mass rally on February 25th to mark the first anniversary of the start of the war, and they are preparing projects for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. One of the projects includes a new initiative to collect money for generators in cooperation with the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade. The generators will be the first exception to the rule that all items purchased through the campaign must be produced or already available in the Czech Republic.

So far, the Gift for Putin campaign has collected around CZK 385 million from roughly 100,000 donors via an e-shop on the zbraneproukrajinu.cz website. The list of donors is not public, but both individuals and companies have contributed to the campaign. The campaign received increased interest on August 21st, 2014, which marked the anniversary of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, with people sending symbolic sums of CZK 1,968 for Ukraine.

In conclusion, the Gift for Putin campaign has played a crucial role in supporting the Ukrainian military in their fight against Russian troops. The campaign’s co-founder, Martin Ondracek, believes that the campaign has helped change public opinion on the necessity of arms in establishing peace. With their planned projects for post-war reconstruction and their continued support for the Ukrainian military, the Gift for Putin campaign is poised to make a lasting impact in the ongoing conflict.

Article by Prague Forum