Citizens of the Czech Republic have donated $42 million to purchase weapons for the Ukrainian army to protect itself against the Russian invasion, a news release said.
"I am incredibly proud of the solidarity of Czech citizens and companies with Ukraine, which is facing a brutal and criminal attack by Putin's Russia," Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová said in the release. "[Approximately] 120,000 donors and the 40 million euro raised send a clear message about where the Czech Republic stands."
The Ukrainian Embassy in Prague is collecting funds for military equipment for Ukraine, the news release said. This fund was established only two days after the Russian invasion.
The campaign now includes a fictitious e-shop called "Gift for Putin" that offers a range of weapons.
"We want to show that we are not afraid of Putin nor his army," Dalibor Dědek, the entrepreneur and philanthropist behind Gift for Putin said in the release. "It is important that donors see how expensive war really is. We want to convince them that every little bit of money can help to bring an end to a war in which innocent civilians are also dying."
Among the items highlighted in the e-shop are ammunition, grenades and a water disinfection kit, the news release said.
"But by far the most popular donations are for the purchase of tanks and Javelin anti-tank systems," the news release said. "Donors can leave a message for Vladimir Putin on the website. The organizers of the collection will put the messages on the military equipment sent to the Ukrainian army."
Funds raised go "directly to the bank account of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Czech Republic," the website states. "A specialist from the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic will use all collected funds to purchase military material and deliver it to the Ukrainian forces."