Czechs raise money for 6 howitzers for Ukrainian Armed Forces
Photo: D-30 howitzer to be handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Czech civic initiative Gift for Putin has raised 60 million CZK (2.4 million euros) for howitzers for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Radio Prague International reports.
The money raised will be used to purchase six new D-30 howitzers. These are towed howitzers developed in the 1960s in the USSR, which are now widely used in the Russian-Ukrainian war by both sides.
According to the initiative, the Czechs' willingness to donate money does not indicate war fatigue. On the contrary, since 2025, the initiative has already raised 120 million CZK, which is more than in the same period last year and the year before.
Martin Ondracek from the Ukraine Charitable Foundation, which funds the project, explains that the duration of the conflict and the growing number of victims, on the contrary, have increased the willingness of many Czechs to donate.
"After President Zelensky held the famous press conference at the White House, we saw an incredible increase in donations," he said.
Howitzer started fundraising in November 2024. At the same time, the initiative announced a new fundraiser for the purchase of 500 drones with ammunition and control systems for 12.5 million kroons (507,000 euros).
Since the project's launch in May 2022, through several Gift for Putin fundraisers, the initiative has raised over 1 billion kroons for weapons and other military equipment for Ukraine.
In March, the Czechs raised funds for a Black Hawk helicopter for the Ukrainian Armed Forces as part of the Gift for Putin initiative.
Czechia was the first country to raise money for the helicopter.
