Czechs crowdfund money to purchase Black Hawk helicopter for Ukraine

A Czech volunteer initiative announced on March 1 that it had raised enough money to purchase a Black Hawk military helicopter for Ukraine’s war effort.

The volunteer initiative, called “A Gift for Putin,” began crowdfunding money for the helicopter in November 2023, rallying more than 20,500 donors to contribute a total of 72.3 million Czech Koruna ($2.9 million).

The funds will go toward purchasing a Black Hawk helicopter from the United States, where it is more affordable than in the Czech Republic.

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) will operate the Black Hawk for evacuating Ukrainian soldiers and special operations, according to the website.

“Ukraine cannot win the war with drones or ammunition alone. It also needs tanks, aircraft, howitzers—and helicopters for special operations,” the volunteer initiative’s website reads.

‘Once in a generation moment’ — Zelensky, Ukraine’s partners gather for key London summit after White House fallout

French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and other top Western officials arrived for a London summit to discuss support for Kyiv, the Guardian reported on March 2.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek