An NFT of the Ukrainian flag, backed by a member of Russian activist group Pussy Riot, has raised over $6.7 million to support Ukraine’s military.
A fundraiser organized by UkraineDAO, a collective fundraising for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, attracted thousands of users who bid for a share of the digital image. The group said profits will be donated to “Come Back Alive,” a campaign aiding Ukraine’s defenses.
Nadya Tolokonnikova, Pussy Riot’s member, political activist and one of Putin’s most outspoken opponents, backed the fundraising campaign and said in a statement that Ukraine’s flag “unites us.”
The initiative was launched following the Ukrainian government announcement on Twitter that it will be accepting crypto donations. As Russia continues its “military operation” in Ukraine, donations are flooding into the campaign.
NFT stands for a non-fungible token and lets people acquire ownership of digital assets. The sale of the NFT with the Ukrainian flag drew over 3,200 individual contributions in 72 hours.
Pussy Riot, known as a feminist punk rock art collective, rose to prominence after their 2012 “punk prayer” performance in Moscow cathedral criticizing President Vladimir Putin who had been endorsed by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Tolokonnikova and fellow member Maria Alyokhina were imprisoned for two years for their performance. Their incarceration has not stopped them from continuing to publicly denounce the regime.
Putin announced the beginning of a “special military operation” in Ukraine on Feb. 24, causing a humanitarian crisis and bringing international outrage.
Many Russian cultural figures have been calling for the end to armed conflict. Among them are chief conductor of Berlin's Philharmonic Orchestra Kirill Petrenko, popular rapper Oxxxymiron and singer Sergei Lazarev, who represented Russia in the 2016 Eurovision Contest.
