Missiles with a message
People are spending up to £2500 ($4775) to put personalised messages on Ukrainian missiles and tanks in the latest fundraising scheme to help the country in its war with Russia.
A number of crowdfunding websites have been set up since the Russian invasion began on February 24 to encourage Westerners to donate to the Ukrainian military.
But one new website has a personal twist. Sign My Rocket lets Britons pay to place messages such as “London says hi” on to the bombs before they are launched at Russian targets.
Anton Sokolenko, a volunteer at
Sign My Rocket, said “95 per cent” of donations were being sent by English-speaking customers, with the majority based in the US. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph , he provided photographs which showed a missile and a drone carrying the message “London says hi”.
People pay about US$150 ($240) to put a message on a missile, and US$3000 to write a message on a tank.
Sign My Rocket will provide either photographs of the message, or even a video of the weapon being fired.
The scheme has already raised US$200,000, Sokolenko said, with 1566 messages ordered.
Soldiers have long been known for writing messages on missiles before firing them, notably during World War I.
In one recent — and infamous — case, Russian soldiers wrote “for the children” on to a missile that hit a train station in Kramatorsk, killing 50 people.
Ukrainians have also raised funds to boost the war effort by selling chunks of destroyed Russian weaponry, such as pieces of downed helicopters.
One firm is offering key rings made out of “Havoc” helicopters to donors who send more than £800.