American fundraising site Patreon shut down a campaign soliciting contributions to supply Ukrainian troops with medical supplies and body armor, the company announced late Thursday.
Patreon said the campaign, led by a Ukrainian charity known as “Come Back Alive” that supports Ukrainian soldiers in the Donbass region through crowdfunding, violated the site’s policies on funding military activity. The company cited comments from Come Back Alive’s website in which the group claimed to have used funds to provide military vehicles, weapons software and combat training to military personnel.
“We don’t allow Patreon to be used for funding weapons or military activity,” the company said in a blog post. “It is a violation of our policies, and so we have removed the page. All remaining funds in the account will be refunded to contributors.”
The site primarily uses crowdfunded donations for medical equipment, helmets and body armor, Come Back Alive director Taras Chmut told CNBC. Chmut said Patreon’s actions would hamper his organization’s efforts to provide lifesaving equipment to Ukrainian soldiers.
“We have people dying because they don’t have body armor,” he said.
Chmut also said Patreon’s decision to refund contributions would have a negative impact on Come Back Alive’s mission.
“We have too much money here to lose it,” he said.
Patreon did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for additional comment.
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