The Czechs raise $230,000 in a few hours as "a gift for Putin"

Volunteers from the Czech organization "Dárek pro Putina" ("Gift for Putin") are fundraising to buy a used Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk multipurpose helicopter for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The secondhand helicopter, known as Čestmír, may be utilized in combat and is currently owned privately. With a price tag of $4.5 million, fundraising efforts have already gathered over $227,000.

Fundraising efforts can provide immediate support to Ukraine's armed forces in their struggle against Russia and President Vladimir Putin. This approach, of organizing online fundraising campaigns to purchase equipment and ammunition, mirrors strategies employed by Western countries and is particularly popular in Poland.

The "Dárek pro Putina" organization aims to purchase the renowned Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and donate it to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The organization shares, "We've named the helicopter Čestmir and we aim to send it into combat as soon as possible". To realize this, they need support for their campaign.

The recent online fundraising campaign has been underway for just a few dozen hours.

The Czechs have considerable experience in raising funds to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Volunteers from "Dárek pro Putina" have previously purchased fifteen Viktor anti-aircraft systems, a T-72 tank, and an RM-70 rocket launcher. They've raised $2.3 million for Ukraine since the war began, and now their sights are set on this helicopter.

The famous Black Hawk has been chosen for purchase. The current owner agreed to the sale. Ukrainian engineers have inspected the helicopter and deemed it suitable for military duty. However, $4.5 million still needs to be raised to finalize the purchase and deploy the multipurpose machine to the front lines.

The "Dárek pro Putina" organization shares their mission, "We want to buy this helicopter and send it to Ukraine as soon as possible in their struggle against Russia."

More details about Čestmír, the named helicopter, and the action plan can be found below:

The Czech Ministry of Defense backs the campaign and will aid in transferring the helicopter to Ukraine. Čestmír is destined for a military intelligence unit that urgently requires such resources. The Black Hawk will train pilots and carry out special operations. It's noteworthy that Ukraine already operates this type of machine.

"Dárek pro Putina" highlights another concern. As stated on their website, "We are trying to procure one machine, but also want to underline that Ukraine desperately needs modern equipment in order to defend all of us from the Russian invasion."