Ukraine: Crowdfunding raises US$1.3m for modernised tank, thanks to Czech citizens
- ‘The Czech Republic became the first country where ordinary people bought a tank,’ Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis said on Twitter
- The Soviet-era T-72 Avenger tank has been modernised to improve its protective systems and to add modern night-vision and communications equipment
Czechs have become the first citizens of a country to raise money through crowdfunding to buy a modernised Soviet-era T-72 tank that will soon be sent to the Ukrainian army to help it defend against Russia’s invasion, a Ukrainian government official said on Monday.
The crowdfunding effort, run by the Ukrainian embassy in Prague, raised 33 million crowns (US$1.31 million) as of Monday, from 11,288 donors, the campaign website said.
“The Czech Republic became the first country where ordinary people bought a tank,” Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis said on Twitter.
The tank, a T-72 Avenger, has been modernised to improve its protective systems and to add modern night-vision and communications equipment.
The Czech Republic, a Nato and European Union member, has been a strong backer of Ukraine.