Ukrainians donate to their military - and in return are allowed to send their messages to Putin's soldiers on bombs
Created: 08/13/2022 15:21
By: Patrick Freiwah
Soldier of the ultra-nationalist Right Sector of Ukraine on an operation near Donetsk Airport (symbolic image).
© imago stock&people
Participate in the war with donations?
This is becoming a reality in the Ukraine conflict.
"Charity" organizations raise money to prepare missiles aimed at Russia.
Kyiv - In the Ukraine war, a bitter battle ensues for land gains and strategic strikes that weaken the enemy.
However, there has always been money to be made from military conflicts.
This applies to a large extent to armaments companies, whose pockets are filling up as a result of the suffering in crisis regions such as Ukraine.
However, there are also smaller alternative methods of getting money.
Ukrainian platforms are making a virtue out of necessity and have developed a new business model for them: writing messages on rockets, bombs and grenades in return for donations of money, which are aimed at the military of Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.
According to the Ukrainian online news portal
Kyiv Independent
, several Ukrainian organizations are implementing this revenue model to counteract the recent drop in willingness to donate in the Ukraine war - and to strengthen their country's army.
Ukraine-News: Fundraiser for Rocket Labeling - “Emotional Satisfaction”
Thus, money is raised for the Ukrainian military by selling embassies on artillery shells that are fired.
The messages placed are partly martial, partly vulgar: "Fuck the Russians!
Burn in Hell." "Hey Ruskie! I hope you like Ukrainian heavy metal," the report cites extreme examples.
No doubt a dubious undertaking, but the bombs carrying the messages resonate with the populace.
The price per artillery shell is between 10 and 500 US dollars, depending on the design.
And how is it implemented?
Volunteer soldiers take orders directly at the front and write the desired messages on the projectiles with a permanent marker.
Others, in turn, would paint shells in advance and deliver the already branded ammunition to the fighters.
The organizations do it not just for the money, the report says, but to give people the "emotional gratification" that comes with sending a message directly to the Russian army, the
Kyiv Independent theorizes
.
"With messages on rockets, people can express their pain, anger or confidence in Ukraine's victory," says Lyubov Galan, co-founder of the BoomBoard project.
Ukrainian says her project helps turn hatred of Russians into action with attacks...
According to Galan, people leave all sorts of messages for Russians.
Some wish them dead, others take revenge for occupied cities or killed relatives.
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The idea of putting lyrics on rockets isn't new.
What is happening now in the war in Ukraine is turning it into a service: people donate money and choose a message to put on the war material.
Another project - RevengeFor - is aimed specifically at foreigners who want to support Ukraine: Nazar Gulyk is CEO of the Ukrainian startup studio Empat.
The fundraiser is offering to paint messages on ammunition to be fired at Russians for a minimum donation of $500.
To date, he has raised approximately $35,500 including from countries such as the US, Canada, Germany, UK, Norway and Poland.
Ukraine-News: Pack grenades and rockets with messages
His team forwards these messages to the Ukrainian armed forces, who write them on the war machine with a permanent marker.
All funds raised will be transferred to ComeBackAlive, apparently the largest charitable foundation in Ukraine.
The money is then mainly used to buy drones, helmets, laptops and cars for the military.
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Isn't the labeling of ammunition a hindrance in wartime operations when life and death are at stake?
The Ukrainian military reportedly doesn't mind leaving messages on grenades in exchange for donations.
"Technically, it's not difficult.
If you have rockets, all you have to do is take a marker and write,” explains Ukrainian volunteer Yevheniia Sobolieva, who is helping implement the military fundraising campaign.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is warning Russian citizens against an “uncomfortably hot summer vacation” in Crimea.
(PF)
