Czech Group Raises Over €500,000 in Two Days to Buy Missile for Ukraine
A Czech fundraising campaign has raised more than €500,000 in just 48 hours to help Ukraine buy a “Flamingo” cruise missile. The campaign shows how citizens in Europe continue to support Ukraine as it fights against Russia’s invasion.
The campaign, called “Gifts for Putin,” was launched by a Czech organisation that has already run several fundraisers to support Ukraine. In the past, they have collected money for ammunition, drones, military pilot training, cultural preservation, and evacuation ambulances. This time, their goal was to fund a Ukrainian-made Flamingo missile, produced by the defence start-up Fire Point.
Within two days, donations exceeded half a million euros. The organisers announced the news on X (formerly Twitter), saying the missile will be named DANA 1 to honour Dana Drábová, a Czech nuclear physicist and co-founder of the initiative who recently passed away.
According to Fire Point, the FP-5 Flamingo missile can travel up to 3,000 kilometres and carry a 1,150-kilogram payload. It runs on a jet engine and can reach speeds of 900 kilometres per hour. The company also says the missile is designed to resist electronic warfare and uses an anti-jamming GPS system, making it harder for enemies to block or redirect it.
Iryna Terekh, head of production at Fire Point, explained that Ukraine’s air capabilities give it a key advantage. “Fighting in the air is our only real asymmetric advantage on the battlefield right now,” she said. “We don’t have as much manpower or money as Russia does.”
Once the Flamingo missile is purchased, it will be handed over to the Ukrainian army, who will decide when and where to use it.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the missile in August, calling it one of Ukraine’s most successful weapons. He added that Ukraine plans to increase production soon. “By the end of December or by January–February, mass production should begin,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukrainian officials have already credited the Flamingo missile with successful operations. Reports suggest it was used in an attack on a Russian secret service base in the occupied Crimea Peninsula.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has made big changes to encourage local innovation. The government relaxed several regulations to allow start-ups to work directly with the military. This has led to the growth of hundreds of new defence projects and companies.
Many Ukrainian firms that once worked in industries like metallurgy, construction, and IT have shifted their focus to defence production. They now design and build weapons, ammunition, and drones. The ongoing war has given these companies a chance to test their inventions in real combat and make fast improvements to match Russia’s changing tactics.
The Czech initiative’s success shows how ordinary citizens across Europe continue to find creative ways to help Ukraine defend itself — not just with words, but with direct support on the battlefield.
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