Amid a harsh winter marked by plunging temperatures and intensified Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power infrastructure, a wave of public solidarity has emerged in the Czech Republic. In just five days, Czech citizens have raised more than six million dollars through a grassroots fundraising campaign to provide generators, heaters and batteries for Ukrainians facing prolonged power outages and extreme cold.
The appeal comes as hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine endure freezing conditions, with temperatures dropping to as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius, after renewed Russian attacks severely damaged electricity generation and distribution facilities. Ukrainian engineers have been working continuously and often under dangerous conditions for weeks to restore power, even as fresh strikes repeatedly undermine repair efforts.
In response to the escalating crisis, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy formally declared an energy emergency, highlighting the scale of disruption and the urgent need for international assistance to prevent further humanitarian suffering during the winter months.
Alongside private initiatives, institutional support has also stepped in. The European Commission announced on Friday that it would supply 447 emergency generators valued at approximately 3.7 million euros, aimed at stabilising essential services and providing backup power across affected regions.
The Czech fundraising drive is being led by the civic initiative darekproputina.cz, which has been actively supporting Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Over the past two years, the group has organised high-profile campaigns to procure items ranging from drones and medical supplies to heavy equipment such as a tank and even a Blackhawk helicopter, collectively contributing aid worth more than 55 million euros.
Its most recent campaign has proven especially successful. Between last Wednesday and Monday morning, nearly 75,000 donors contributed a total of 126 million Czech crowns, equivalent to about 6.16 million dollars. Organisers said an additional 15 million crowns in pledged donations are expected to follow soon, further increasing the scale of support.
Martin Ondracek, one of the organisers, said the funds are being mobilised rapidly to meet urgent needs on the ground. Over the weekend alone, the initiative secured two large diesel-powered generators, each costing around eight million crowns, which are set to be delivered to smaller healthcare facilities in Ukraine to ensure they can continue operating despite power outages.
To speed up delivery and avoid bureaucratic delays, the Czech organisers are coordinating closely with three Ukrainian partner funds, while also negotiating with domestic suppliers for equipment that cannot be sourced locally in Ukraine. Ondracek said around 30 people are working intensively on the effort, with a strong focus on spending the money as quickly and efficiently as possible.
He added that demand is particularly high for chemical heaters and battery systems. Batteries, he explained, are crucial for ordinary households, allowing people to store electricity when it becomes available and use it later for basic needs such as boiling water, charging phones or maintaining minimal lighting during extended blackouts.
