PRAGUE — "Gifts for Putin," this is the name of a Czech fundraising initiative, who have been raising money to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion.

The organisation launched several campaigns, including initiatives to raise funds for purchasing ammunition and drones, training future military pilots, preserving cultural heritage, supplying evacuation ambulances, and, most recently, a fundraiser to finance a Ukrainian-made "Flamingo" cruise missile.

In 48 hours, the campaign raised more than half a million euro, the organisation wrote on X, adding that the missile woud be named DANA 1, in memory of a co-founder of the organisation and Czech nuclear physicist, Dana Drábová, who recently passed away.

The FP-5 “Flamingo” missile is capable of travelling 3,000km and delivering a payload of 1,150kg, according to its maker, the Ukrainian defence start-up Fire Point.

The missile, which uses a jet engine, can travel at a speed of 900km/h, the organisation wrote on its campaign page, adding that "the missile is reportedly resistant to electronic warfare and uses special, anti-jamming GPS systems".

“Fighting in the air is our only real asymmetric advantage on the battlefield at the moment. We don’t have as much manpower or money as they have,” said Iryna Terekh, head of production at Fire Point.

After the missile is purchased from the manufacturer, it will be handed over to the Ukrainian army, "They will decide on the date it will be used and determine its target," the campaign organisers said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters in August that the Flamingo missile is one of Ukraine's "most successful missiles," and that soon Ukraine will have more of them, "And by the end of December or in January–February, mass production should begin."

According to Ukrainian officials, the "Flamingo" has already been used, causing explosions at a Russian secret service base in the occupied Crimea Peninsula.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainian government promoted innovation and relaxed regulations to enable start-ups to collaborate directly with the military. As a result, hundreds of new defence initiatives and companies have emerged.

Firms from sectors such as metallurgy, construction, and information technology began producing weapons, ammunition, and drones. The war provided them with the opportunity to test their developments in combat conditions and quickly adapt to Russia’s evolving tactics. — Euronews