A Slovak fundraising campaign for the Czech ammunition initiative has raised enough money to buy 2,692 shells for Ukraine, the Czech News Agency reported on May 8.
Slovak citizens started their campaign "Ammunition for Ukraine" on April 16 to raise additional funds for the Czech-led initiative after the Slovak government refused to participate.
Within less than a month, over 65,000 people donated 4 million euros ($4.3 million), with one donor giving a single donation of 100,000 euros ($107,000).
The 2,692 shells will be procured from the Czech ammunition manufacturer STV Group, and should be delivered to Ukraine by the end of the summer, the Czech News Agency said.
The success of the campaign is "proof that people in Slovakia feel togetherness and are willing to help Ukrainians, even with a small financial donation that can be transformed into real help," the organizers said.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico won the parliamentary elections in September 2023 on a populist platform that promised to immediately end all military aid to Ukraine.
Fico said on April 28 that the fundraising campaign was "only symbolic" and would not impact the situation on the front line.
While the Slovak government refused to participate, several countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Poland, France, Denmark, and Slovenia, have contributed funds to the Czech initiative, which may deliver as many as supply as 1.5 million rounds to Kyiv.
Czech national security adviser Tomas Pojar said in March that the first batches could be sent to Ukraine as early as June.
Kateryna Denisova
(Updated: )
