US citizens paying to launch slogans scribbled on rockets at Russians

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US citizens are spending thousands of dollars to have slogans of their choosing written on US-made artillery shells set to be fired at Russian positions in eastern Ukraine, mainly the Donbass.

This trend has been garnering more and more impetus as of late, though it has been ongoing since the start of the Ukraine war.

Crowdfunding websites in the United States have so far raised tens of thousands of dollars for the war, offering people around the world the chance to ask for a customized message to be written on a wide, growing array of missiles and bombs to be launched toward Russian, DPR, and LPR forces.

The most infamous crowdfunding group is called "Sign My Rocket". It started off by selling messages on Soviet-made 82mm caliber mortar rounds for $30 each.

Later on, with his businessman mentality, co-founder Anton Sokoloenko realized that if the company were to sell messages scribbled on weapons that are more powerful, such as new and advanced artillery shells, people from the US, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and various other western countries, would pay even more per message.

"We got bigger and bigger shells," Sokolenko told The Washington Post in an interview from his home in Cherkasy. "95% of the orders are in English and most are from the United States."

The company has now made strides, selling commissioned messages on antitank mines, loitering munition drones, hand grenades, rockets, and a variety of other weapons.

The campaign has raised more than $150,000 for the Ukrainian armed forces, the co-founder said, as quoted by the Post.

After Sign My Rocket collects a donation, a Ukrainian soldier is informed of the requested message and scribbles it on the munition then proceeds to take a picture of it, which will be sent to the "donor".

The website's most expensive item available for purchase is the naming rights to a Russian-made T-72 tank for $3,000.

The US State Department issued a statement earlier this month written by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announcing that he is authorizing the US's largest single drawdown of arms and equipment to support Ukraine. 

"This eighteenth drawdown since August 2021 of up to $1 billion includes arms, munitions, and equipment from US Department of Defense inventories for Ukraine’s self-defense," the statement said. 

The package is expected to contain more ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 75,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition, 20 120mm mortar systems, 20,000 rounds of 120mm mortar ammunition, and munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS).

So far, the US has sent 16 HIMARS to Ukraine and pledged to send two NASAMS on July 1. 

Though the United States has been taking care of providing training for the Ukrainian soldiers when it comes to arms they are not accustomed to, Kiev is still selling its arms to the black market due to "inexperience".