Czech Initiative "A Gift for Putin" Funds Six Howitzers for Ukraine

The Czech civic initiative "A Gift for Putin" raised 60 million CZK (2.4 million euros) to purchase six howitzers for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Gaze reports on this referring to ČTK.

Since its launch in May 2022, the Endowment Fund for Ukraine, which started the "A Gift for Putin" initiative, has raised over one billion CZK through several campaigns to purchase weapons and other military equipment for Ukraine.

According to the initiative's representatives, the new D-30 howitzers are reliable and durable in combat conditions.

Martin Ondráček, the founder of the Endowment Fund for Ukraine, expects the howitzers to arrive in Ukraine within a few months. The campaign organizers named the arms after Czechoslovak heroes of World War II, including Josefu Mašínovi from the resistance group Three Kings, Janu Kubišovi and Jozefu Gabčíkovi, who carried out the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, and Karlu Kuttelwascherovi, a renowned pilot of the British Royal Air Force.

"Our partners mainly appreciate the simplicity of the whole system. You open the case, and everything inside is ready to use," Ondráček stated.

In cooperation with the arms company STV Group, they have already tested dozens of these units in Ukraine, both at the training ground and at the front. After that, the Security Service of Ukraine ordered several hundred more units.

The “Gift to Putin” initiative, with an ironic reference to the Russian president, purchases weapons and equipment for the Ukrainian army with funds raised through public campaigns. Military helicopters, drones, a rocket launcher, a tank, and other equipment worth tens of millions of CZK have already been purchased.

“Donor support is not decreasing, on the contrary, it is constantly growing,” Ondráček said.

At the same time, the initiative announced a new fundraiser to purchase 500 drones with ammunition and controls for 12.5 million CZK.

As The Gaze reported earlier, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala urged Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico not to block the adoption of the European Union’s 18th package of sanctions against Russia.