Can Ukraine’s crowdfunders ever buy enough weapons to win?
The charity Come Back Alive is using donations to supply drones that can wreck million-pound tanks. Their shopping list is getting longer, Anthony Loyd writes
There is no lack of vengeful enthusiasm among Ukrainians filling up their fuel tanks at Okko garages: every litre of Pulls-brand petrol or diesel goes towards buying a mortar, machinegun or automatic grenade launcher for the troops at the front.
The brainchild of the military charitable trust Come Back Alive, the fundraising campaign — named Eye for an Eye, reflecting the public mood of retribution — has already bought 200 large-calibre 12.7mm machineguns for Ukrainian units. They were given to combat units last month.
Earlier fuel station campaigns have raised millions of dollars to buy drones and weaponry, and this latest one has reached 81 per cent of its $10.9 million target. It aims to buy 300 82mm mortars and 100 automatic grenade launchers.
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