Slovak citizens raise $1.6 million for Czech ammunition initiative after government refuses to contribute
Slovak citizens have raised over $1.6 million in three days for the Czech ammunition initiative after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico refused to contribute to the campaign to aid Ukraine. The initiative was founded in February when Czech President Petr Pavel said that Prague had identified 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside of Europe that could be bought and sent to Ukraine if provided with the necessary funding. Ukrainian forces are facing a critical ammunition shortage, with Russia currently firing shells at a ratio of around 10:1, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky on April 16.
Since then, a number of countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Poland, France, Denmark, and Slovenia, have contributed funds to the initiative. The organizers of the Slovak fundraising campaign said that they "refuse to accept" that their government did not join the initiative. "Let's show that it's not just them who decide. We are convinced that the attitude of the government does not represent the majority of citizens. We are sure that we, the inhabitants of Slovakia, want and know how to help," the fundraising campaign's website says. Over 23,000 people have donated to the campaign so far, one of whom is former foreign minister Ivan Korcok, who lost to Fico's ally Peter Pellegrini in Slovakia's presidential election on April 6.
"Supporting Ukraine is not prolonging the war, it is supporting the existence of a neighbor," Korcok wrote on Facebook, describing it as "sad" that the current government does not offer more support to Kyiv. Environment Minister Tomas Taraba reportely responded with hostility when journalists asked him whether he would contribute to the fundraising campaign. The minister said the reporters should "go to Ukraine" and take up arms themselves or sell their property and contribute to the fundraiser, according to the news outlet Euractiv. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala reported on April 15 that the first 180,000 ammunition rounds for Ukraine have already been contracted as part of the initiative and will be sent to the front line in the coming months.
https://kyivindependent.com/slovak-c...on-initiative/
This month, the Ukrainian defense industry is to produce 10 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers, with more to come
This month, the Ukrainian defense industry is producing 10 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers for the first time, with more to come in May and beyond. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced this. “The share of our own production is constantly growing. The state enters into serious, long-term contracts with our enterprises, which provide predictability, the ability to recruit people and attract investment. This month, our industry will produce 10 Bogdana howitzers for the first time, and in May and beyond, even more,” the President shared.
At the beginning of April, Militarnyi reported that the Ukrainian arms industry is building eight Bohdana self-propelled howitzers each month...
https://mil.in.ua/en/news/this-month...-more-to-come/
Not only Netherlands wants to buy Patriot for Ukraine
Several countries are ready to buy a Patriot battery from any country in the world that agrees to sell it, and for the price it offers, states the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba. "I will reveal a small diplomatic secret: The Netherlands is not the only country that is ready to buy a Patriot battery from any country in the world right now for the price they will name," Kuleba emphasized. The minister stressed that the Netherlands' public declaration of readiness to purchase the Patriot battery is an important moment. However, according to Kuleba, equally important is NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg's statement that there is no need to hide behind NATO standards.
"In fact, when some NATO countries tell us that they cannot deliver a battery because they will not meet the NATO standard for the number of available batteries, and the Secretary-General tells them, do not hide behind this, but give what Ukraine needs because this is the main thing now," the Minister emphasized. As we reported earlier, Stoltenberg said that when it comes to choosing between fulfilling NATO's goals and helping Ukraine, his message is clear.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/not-...713464251.html
Ukraine has a new drone with a range of 3,000 km. It can fly to Siberia
Since President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prioritised the technology, Ukraine has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into long-range drones, capable of searching out and striking distant targets. Half a dozen firms now make them. The best of the new models has a range of 3,000km, able to reach Siberia. Born out of necessity—the West has been reluctant to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons—the programme has disrupted much of Russia’s oil and military infrastructure. But the White House is not happy. It is pushing the Ukrainians to stop the strikes...
https://www.economist.com/europe/202...-inside-russia