Ukraine to Purchase Ammunition With UNITED24 Funds
On September 4, 2024, The Ukrainian Defence Procurement Agency signed the first contract detailing that the country will be utilising money raised from the UNITED24 fundraising platform to procure ammunition. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence revealed that 47 million UAH (Ukrainian Hryvia) would be spent on procuring the ammunition, which coverts into just over $1.14 million. The Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Dmytro Klimenkov commented on the contract in the MOD’s press release stating:
‘This marks a significant advancement in bolstering our Armed Forces’ defense capabilities by acquiring new funding sources. Our efforts will persist in supplying our military with the necessary ammunition to ensure the effective fulfilment of combat operations’
This news follows in the wake of an announcement in March 2024 by the Ukrainian MOD that funds from UNITED24 would be authorised to directly support the armed forces of the country. Speaking in May 2024 the head of the Procurement Policy Department of the Ukrainian MOD, Gleb Kanyevsky, detailed the appropriation of the UNITED24 funds:
‘The Ministry of Defence is actively working on developing alternative funding tool of the needs of the Armed Forces…Citizens of the free democratic world have received an additional opportunity to donate for the purchase of weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.’
UNITED24 is a Ukrainian government run fundraising platform that was launched on May 5, 2022. To allow donations from anyone from anywhere in the world through the UNITED24 website. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shymhal commented on the setting up of the platform before its launch in May 2022, saying:
‘Everyone in the world can make a donation and help Ukraine fight for our freedom. We want to unite the world around the support of our state. Ordinary people, charitable foundations, international companies, opinion leaders around the world. The creation of the platform is also necessary to demonstrate maximum transparency and openness in the use of funds raised: where and to whom they are directed.’
At the time of writing UNITED24 has received donations totalling over $678 million from individuals in over 100 countries. The money raised has already been used to procure important war and civilian materiel, including small arms, ambulances, drones and vans for use as mobile command posts on the frontline.