Czechs donate CZK 24 million to Kyiv for weapons on invasion anniversary

Prague, Aug 22 (ČTK) - Czechs gave CZK 24.2 million to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons and other support this weekend, the 54th anniversary of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, sending the money to the Ukrainian embassy's special account, it announced in a press release today.

Since the Feb. 24 start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Czechs have sent CZK 1.2 billion to the special account designated for gifts in support of the Ukrainian army.

On the anniversary of the invasion of Czechoslovakia, which dates back to Aug. 21, 1968, people donated symbolic sums, most often CZK 1,968.

As the event's anniversary came nearer last week, lawyer Petr Nemec and organizers of the www.zbraneproukrajinu.cz, public fund-raising campaign called on people to donate the symbolical sum of CZK 1,968 in support of Ukraine.

Some 14,000 people reacted to the appeal. Most of them sent in CZK1,968 and others CZK 68, 196.8 or 19,680. The money will be used to buy military materiel based on consultations with the defense ministries of Ukraine and Czechia.

"The Czechs and Slovaks, who had experience with the occupation in 1968, are well aware of the tragedy of the people of Ukraine faced with the Russian aggression," said Vitaly Usaty, the Ukrainian embassy's charge d'affaires.

"With support of our closest partners, undoubtedly including the Czech Republic, Ukraine will manage to fight off the attacks of the aggressor state and defend its right to life in freedom and democracy," Usaty said.

Shortly after the start of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian embassy in Prague released the information that people can send money in support of Kyiv to the embassy's account 304452700/0300. Over CZK 1.2 billion has been collected in the account since.

"Of course, the biggest sums arrived in the spring when the fighting for Kyiv was underway. However, the sum of one million USD, collected this weekend, shows that the Czech support for Ukraine is not subsiding," Usaty said.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on the occasion of the 54th anniversary of the start of the occupation of the country by Soviet-led Warsaw Pact troops Sunday that Czechs must continue to help Ukraine.

"Fifty-four years later, Russia, with abundant help from Belarus, invaded the territory of independent Ukraine to deprive it of its independence and freedom. Russia has thus unleashed a brutal war not far from us, in which it kills people every day, destroys schools, hospitals, and monuments, and drives people from their homes. Our will to help Ukraine must not desert us," Fiala tweeted.

The invasion in August 1968 ended the relaxed atmosphere of the Prague Spring reform period, Fiala noted.