A Czech crowdfunding campaign has successfully raised more than $1.30M to buy a modern tank for the Ukrainian army. The fund received donations from 11,288 individual donors, and was backed by the Czech defense ministry and Ukraine's embassy in Prague.

Dubbed "a gift for Putin", the campaign received donations from 11,288 individual donors, and organizers say it is the first purchase of its kind. It's been named Tomas the Tank

The Ukrainian ambassador in Prague, Yevhen Perebyynis, tweeted: "The Czech Republic has become the first country where ordinary people bought a tank for [the Ukrainian Defense Ministry]."

The T-72 Avenger is a modernized version of the Soviet-era tank that first entered production in 1969. It has been fitted with a new device to create a smoke screen in combat and has an upgraded front cannon. 

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Western governments have supplied Ukrainian forces with huge amounts of military hardware. The US has supplied over $15.1bn in assistance since 24 February, while the UK has committed £2.3bn, according to the UK's House of Commons research service.

Governments in central and eastern Europe have also donated massive sums to Kyiv's forces. Poland is believed to have donated around 230 tanks and the Czech government was an early supplier of hardware.

Organizers say they will continue collecting donations to supply Ukrainian forces with a host of other military essentials, including drones, thermal clothing, bulletproof vests and ammunition.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63121649