"The gift to Mr. Putin" is the name of a Czech fundraising initiative to support Ukraine in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The organization has launched a number of campaigns, including fundraising initiatives to purchase ammunition and drones, train military pilots, preserve cultural heritage, provide evacuation ambulances and most recently a fundraising campaign to sponsor a Ukrainian-made "Flamingo" cruise missile.
In 48 hours, the campaign raised more than half a million euros to buy Flamingo cruise missiles. According to the announcement on social network X, the missile purchased with the budget of this fundraising campaign will be named DANA 1 in memory of the co-founder and Czech nuclear physicist Dana Drabova, who recently passed away.
According to the manufacturer and defense startup Fire Point of Ukraine, the FP-5 Flamingo missile is capable of flying 3,000km away and carrying a 1,150kg warhead.
The cruise missile can fly at speeds of 900 km/h, is said to be electronic warfare resistant and uses a special anti-noise GPS system.
After being purchased from the manufacturer, the missile will be handed over to the Ukrainian army. "They will decide on the day of use and determine the target," the campaign organizer said.
In August this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the press that Flamingo missiles are one of the "most successful missiles" of Ukraine and that Ukraine will soon have more missiles of this type. " mass production will begin by the end of December or January to February," Zelensky said.
According to Ukrainian officials, Flamingo missiles were used in the explosion at a Russian intelligence facility on the Crimean peninsula.
After the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in 2022, Kiev has promoted innovation and eased regulations for startups to cooperate directly with the military. Thanks to that, hundreds of new defense initiatives and enterprises have appeared.
Companies in fields such as smelting, construction and information technology have begun producing weapons, ammunition and drones. Businesses are also testing their products in combat conditions and quickly adapting to changing tactics on the ground.
