Major American ammunition brands are continuing to support victims of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Remington and Federal Ammunition announced that they would be donating $100,000 toward humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine on Monday. Proceeds generated from the sales of a special T-shirt with a Ukrainian flag and the famous call for ammunition of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky provided the funding for the donation.
“This campaign and the tremendous response exceeded our expectations, forcing several re-orders of the t-shirts,” Jason Vanderbrink, President of Remington and Federal as well as CCI and Speer Ammunition, said in a statement. “I’m so proud of our loyal customers for being willing to pitch in and support the people of Ukraine who are suffering because of the horrors of war. Our ammo brands are proud to do our part.”
The donation comes as the war in Ukraine enters nearly its third full month, and the fighting continues apace. The Russian onslaught has displaced nearly 5.5 million residents who have been forced to flee Ukraine. Millions more remain displaced within the war-torn country. Many are still desperately seeking food, shelter, and medical care.
The companies will send the $100,000 contribution to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund run by the non-profit GlobalGiving. The fund has raised $39.5 million for humanitarian efforts thus far, and it has a goal of raising $43 million.
The donation also marks just the latest move taken by American firearms and ammunition manufacturers to aid the war effort in Ukraine. In March, Remington, CCI, Speer, and Federal donated one million rounds of ammunition to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to keep the resistance well-supplied. Competitor AMMO Inc. also offered to make a one million round donation.
Private arms manufacturers, like the Florida-based Adams Arms, have also donated thousands of rifles and rifle components up to this point. Others have pledged to contribute more in the future.
“It goes beyond altruism or corporate responsibility,” Adams told the National Shooting Sports Foundation earlier this month. “As Americans, we cannot allow the kind of aggression Russia has brought forth in Ukraine. What’s that old saying? The only thing evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Well, we are doing something.”
Despite already raising six figures in donation funds, the t-shirt campaign was launched by Remington’s parent company Vista Outdoors less than two months ago. The shirts, which feature the famous “I need ammo, not a ride” call from Ukrainian President Zelensky, remain for sale on each ammunition brand’s website.
