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A Ukrainian campaign is asking the world’s richest people for help defending the country against invading Russian troops with a five-word slogan: “Buy me a fighter jet.”
The initiative’s backers say that governments around the world, “fearful of the conflict escalating and spreading beyond Ukraine,” will not send jets or impose a no-fly zone — both of which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated NATO and NATO has been demanding United States since the war began in late February.
In which campaign videoWidely shared online, an unidentified man who appears to be a pilot is calling on people from all backgrounds – including singers, actors and business owners – to help the defenders of Ukraine, who are incompatible with the air power of Russian President Vladimir’s armed forces Putin can compete .
“We ask you, philanthropist, to use your financial, organizational and political options to buy a fighter jet and hand it over to us,” read a statement on buymeafighterjet.com. “One plane can save thousands of innocent lives.”
The campaign website estimates that each jet will cost $25 million. On Twitter, those unable to afford the price called the world’s wealthiest for help buying the plane, with many tweeting billionaires Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for help. (Bezos, the owner of the Washington Post.)
The Washington Post was unable to immediately reach the organizers behind the campaign Tuesday, but the hashtag is, and has been, widely promoted on social media Second hand by the Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi, and Anton Gerashchenko, Advisor to the Minister of Interior of Ukraine.
However, it is not clear whether international philanthropists will react to the latest campaign: a move that Russia would likely see as provocative and that could risk embroiling other countries in a wider war with Moscow.
President Biden has warned that enforcing a no-fly zone over Ukraine could lead to “World War III”, while British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said introducing one would endanger the lives of British pilots. “NATO would have to effectively declare war on Russia,” he said in response to requests for the action from Ukrainian officials.
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Instead, many countries, including Britain and the United States, have chosen to support Ukraine by imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia, while providing Kyiv with crucial military assistance — including a variety of weapons, equipment and medical supplies.
The Biden administration has provided more than $2.5 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24. US support included 25,000 helmets, more than 50 million bullets and 100 switchblade drones – small unmanned weapons packed with explosives designed to hover over targets before striking with precision.
Moscow has warned that any country harboring Ukraine’s military aircraft would be considered a party to the war, and in early March the United States rejected Poland’s offer to deliver an unspecified number of MiG-29 fighter jets through an American airbase in German soil to send to Ukraine.
However, experts say attitudes towards the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine appear to have changed in recent weeks, as evidence of alleged Russian atrocities has surfaced. Smaller countries have played a role in supporting Ukrainian defenders, with Slovakia announcing last week it is in talks with allies over how it could provide Ukraine with a fleet of Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets, and Luxembourg offering jeeps and NLAW on anti-tank weapons.
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Digitally savvy since the start of the war, Ukrainian officials have launched various crowdfunding and information campaigns through social media and messaging platforms.
Organizers of the recent campaign say legal and technical advice will be offered to potential donors interested in providing combat aircraft, particularly models such as the Su-25, Su-27, Su-24 and MiG-29.