Six new D-30 howitzers, caliber 122 millimeters, will arrive in Ukraine in three months. This was announced by Martin Ondracek, founder of the Czech initiative “A gift for putin”, which raises funds and organizes the delivery of weapons and military materials to Ukraine, — reported “Czech Radio”.
The public fundraising of 60 million crowns was completed on Sunday. The six howitzers, which make up a full battery called the “Battery of the Exceptional”, were named after six Czech heroes of World War II.
According to Ondracek, “war fatigue” has had virtually no effect on the initiative’s fundraising: since the beginning of the year, 120 million crowns have been raised, more than during the same period in the previous two years. According to Ondracek, the duration of the war and the growing number of casualties, on the contrary, increase the desire of many Czechs to contribute: “People understand that weapons are an absolutely key thing, that without weapons the war cannot be won”.
At the time when Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky endured his infamous press conference at the White House with U.S. president Donald Trump, the initiative saw an unprecedented surge in donations, Ondracek added.
After closing the fundraiser for the howitzers, “A gift for putin” immediately launched a new one — this time for strike drone kits for the SBU special forces. A separate fundraiser for 50 ultra-light women’s bulletproof vests for Ukraine’s female defenders is also nearing completion.