"Nuclear weapons" fundraiser in Ukraine aims to "show unity," proceeds to fund drone purchases

Oleh Gorokhovsky, co-founder of Monobank and the initiator of the campaign, made a statement on Telegram.

"Yes, we want to have a nuclear weapon and the ability to strike back at the enemy in a way that makes everything clear to them once and for all, but we don’t have anything like that yet," he said.

"The purpose of the fundraiser was to show that we are united, we hate the enemy, and we are ready to fight for our land, freedom, and independence. Our unity is our 'nukes,' which cannot be destroyed, even by another nuclear weapon."

As of Sunday, March 2, the campaign has concluded, raising UAH 27.2 million in just 20 hours.

The funds raised will be redirected to another campaign initiated by Ukrainian volunteer Serhii Sternenko, focused on purchasing drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The fundraiser gained widespread international support, raising over UAH 26 million in less than 24 hours by 8 p.m. on Saturday. Contributions came from over 70,000 participants across 61 countries, with the United States and Poland being the largest international donors. Gorokhovsky expressed his gratitude, saying, "The Americans and Poles are our closest friends and allies beyond any doubt."

In an interview with BBC Ukraine on March 1, Gorokhovsky explained that the fundraiser was intended as a lighthearted joke to "blow off some steam" after "a difficult day." He made it clear that he did not believe “anyone actually thought the donations were intended for nuclear weapons,” and he had never planned for the funds to be used in that way. "It was a joke. Sorry if I disappointed many people... I don't understand how the money raised could be used for nuclear weapons," he stated.

The campaign was planned to last only one day, after which the funds would be used to support volunteer efforts, including the purchase of drones and meeting humanitarian needs at the front line. Gorokhovsky also clarified that the initiative had not been coordinated with Ukrainian authorities, although he did not rule out potentially supporting nuclear development efforts in the future if the government raised the issue.

• As a reminder, on February 28, President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Washington, D.C., and the politicians ended up arguing. Trump said that Zelenskyy was not ready for peace. The President of Ukraine left the White House early.
• They were planning to sign a minerals deal that day, but did not. 
• World leaders supported Zelenskyy.