Soledar salt fundraiser collects ₴58.5 mln to buy drones for Ukraine

The Ukrainian fundraising platform UNITED24 raised more than UAH 58.5 million from selling a special batch of salt, "Might. Ukrainian Stone."  

The batch was made from the last surviving salt of the Artemsil salt factory, based in Soledar, Donetsk region, where Ukraine's famous salt mines are located. At the moment, the city and mines are occupied by russian forces.

The raised amount will allow Ukrainian intelligence to purchase about 2,200 kamikaze drones, the Deputy Prime Minister for Innovations, Development of Education, Science, and Technologies, Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, reported on the Telegram messaging app.

What is the problem?

On February 24, 2022, russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. On the anniversary, Artemsil State Enterprise and the UNITED24 fundraising platform released a special batch of salt, "Might. Ukrainian Stone," mined in Soledar to support Ukraine's Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, to form a flotilla of kamikaze drones.

What is the solution?

"Over UAH 58.5 million ($1.5 million) were raised through UNITED24 for kamikaze drones for Ukraine's intelligence. All thanks to the project 'Might. Ukrainian Stone.' Now intelligence will receive more than 2,200 FPV drones. This was made possible thanks to everyone who bought their pack of salt and to the contributions of our donors and businesses, which have been continuously supporting the army for more than a year," he said.

How does it work?

Fedorov clarified that the Rozetka online retailer and Silpo supermarket chain companies took over part of the cost of salt.

UNITED24 donors covered the second part.

More than 8 million hryvnias were collected thanks to the raffle of five packets of salt with the autograph of the head of Ukraine's Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov.