Ukrainians donated a landmark Hr.1 billion ($23.8 million) through private bank Monobank to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the bank’s co-founder, Oleg Gorokhovskiy, reported in a Telegram post on Tuesday, June 24. The funds will be used to provide critical supplies and equipment to the front line.
Despite Ukraine hitting records on defense spending, the volumes of ammunition needed in the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) are still not enough to be covered by the state. This is why Ukraine’s charity funds, companies, banks, individual volunteers, and soldiers themselves create thousands of “zbory” (plural, “zbir” singular) – fundraising campaigns for military purposes or frontline territories only.
Back in 2020, Ukraine’s popular retail bank Monobank created Banka – a sophisticated tool to save money from Monobank credit or debit cards, as well as organize a joint fundraiser with other people. A client from any bank could open Banka via a link and allocate money there with just a few clicks.
What was first created as a personal savings tool became the most prominent banking instrument for soldiers to start fundraising campaigns after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
To maximize support for the military, Ukrainians not only use online fundraising tools – such as bank applications – but also organize events dedicated to raising funds and reopen festivals closed due to the war.
In October 2024, an event called “Bike Air Defense” was held to raise funds for Kyiv region air defense units that take down Russia’s drones. About 180 riders collected nearly Hr.200,000 ($4,793). This is just one example – throughout the year, dozens of charity events aiming to raise funds for Ukraine’s Armed Forces are organized around the country.