When the U.S. government offered to evacuate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Russia invaded his country, he reportedly replied, "I need ammunition, not a ride."
Vista Outdoor, the Anoka-based supplier of ammunition to Ukraine's military since 2015, is donating 1 million rounds of small-caliber ammunition to the country's armed forces.
Vista's ammunition companies Federal and Remington also are selling T-shirts on their websites to raise money for refugees.
"The war in Ukraine has displaced millions of citizens and exposed average people to the horrors of war," Jason Vanderbrink, president of Remington, CCI, Speer and Federal Ammunition, said in a news release. "We have long supported Ukrainian armed forces, and we will continue to do so in this global cause to unite for democracy."
Vista's ammunition brands have long served law enforcement agencies and militaries around the world, including NATO countries.
The ammunition donation to Ukraine is significant and can be delivered in a timely manner, a Federal Ammunition spokesman said.
He said the company, at the same time, will continue to fill a persistent ammunition shortage brought on by the influx of new shooters over the past two years as outdoor recreation gained new enthusiasts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Proceeds from the T-shirt sales — with Remington's design playing off Zelenskyy's quote — will be donated to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund through GlobalGiving, a nonprofit international aid organization.
