Crowdfunding Campaign to Raise Funds for Fighter Jet Purchase
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Recently, a campaign has emerged with the slogan "Buy me a fighter jet," appealing for fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 19th (local time), the Ukrainian government and citizens have recently been posting and sharing videos titled "Buy me a fighter jet" on social media (SNS) to promote a fundraising campaign for purchasing fighter jets.
Due to the high cost of fighter jets, many netizens are sending tweets containing the campaign message to Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla; Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon; Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft (MS); and others.
The campaign, named "Buy me a fighter jet," is posted on a homepage and YouTube. The YouTube videos, in both Ukrainian and English versions, were uploaded on the 12th.
In the video, a man dressed as a pilot appears and says, "Whether you are a businessman, IT professional, actor, singer, or anyone regardless of nationality, you can help stop this terror," and shouts, "Buy me a fighter jet."
The campaign homepage states, "We ask you, as a philanthropist, to use your financial, organizational, and political capabilities to purchase a fighter jet and deliver it to us," adding, "One plane can save thousands of innocent lives."
It also estimates that the cost per fighter jet is about $25 million (approximately 31 billion KRW) and explains that the types operated by Ukrainian pilots include the Su-25, Su-27, Su-24, and MiG-29.
The campaign began as Western countries such as the United States and the European Union (EU) responded cautiously to providing military equipment like fighter jets. The campaign website also explains, "Since the war began, Ukraine has requested NATO and others to provide fighter jets, but governments worldwide fear the war expanding beyond Ukraine."
The West has consistently rejected Ukraine's requests for fighter jet support, instead imposing sanctions on Russia or indirectly supporting Ukraine by delivering weapons, equipment, and medical supplies.
Meanwhile, WP reported that it is unclear who organized this campaign. Previously, the Ukrainian government led various campaigns and crowdfunding efforts after the invasion.
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