As war continues to rage throughout Ukraine, many in America still pursue avenues to help its citizens. We recently reported that the Ukrainian Embassy here in the U.S. requested that the U.S. firearm industry send aid in the form of firearms and ammunition. Following that call, American firearm manufacturer KelTec steps up to the plate and helps Ukraine, providing what they need most.
KelTec Helps Ukraine with $200,000 Shipment of Guns
As the people of Ukraine face mounting war, American company KelTec faces a different, but oddly related, problem. A longtime Ukrainian customer of the company suddenly went silent during the Russian invasion, leaving KelTec holding a $200,000 shipment. But the family-owned company opted to be philanthropic in its solution.
According to the Associated Press, “Fearing the worst, [Adrian] Kellgren and his company KelTec decided to put those stranded 400 guns to use, sending them to Ukraine’s nascent resistance movement to help civilians fight back against a Russian military that has been repeatedly shelling their apartment buildings, schools, hospitals and hiding places.”
However, while many grassroots efforts face trials, due to inexperience with regulations of the international shipment of such equipment, Kellgren had a solution. Having dealt with this type of red tape for years, he found a means of fast-tracking the process.
Working with a Ukrainian neighbor, he was able to connect with a diplomat in the Ukrainian Embassy. As a result, Kellgren secured a federal arms export license in just four days. A process that can often take months.
According to the AP, Kellgren secured a license that far surpasses the 400 initial 9mm foldable rifles.
The article states, “KelTec hopes to arrange more shipments in the future. Its license allows the export of up to 10,000 weapons and the company has offered the Ukrainians their own production line and weekly shipments.”
KelTec is also allowing the organizers of a New York City nonprofit, who have collected 60 long guns, to piggyback on its license. By doing so, KelTec is helping orchestrate the effort to get more guns in the hands of Ukrainian civilians.
A Concerted Effort
The AP story goes on to detail, “From California to New York, elected officials, sheriff’s departments and nonprofits say they have also collected thousands of sets of body armor and millions of rounds of ammunition for Ukraine.”
Likewise, as we recently reported, the NSSF provided step-by-step instructions on how to donate firearms and ammo. In addition, the report detailed how to apply for an expedited export license as well as Ukraine’s specific needs. As a result, companies like Adams Arms also join in arming the Ukrainian people.
Although some say that rifles are no match for Russia’s fighter jets and cluster bombs, they’re helping on the streets.
“The people of Ukraine have had mostly just civilian firearms and they’re holding off a superpower,” Kellgren told the AP. “So the X-factor here not isn’t necessarily what equipment you’re holding. … It comes down to the will to fight.”
