Patreon temporarily halts donation page for nonprofit providing armor to Ukrainian military.

• In 2014, Come Back Alive was founded as a nonprofit to equip the Ukrainian military, and its Patreon page received hundreds of thousands of dollars as Russia invaded Ukraine.
• Patreon announced that it would refund the money it collected from the nonprofit's account to all donors.

Patreon, a start-up that enables individuals and groups to receive financial support through its website, announced on Thursday that it had halted the fundraising campaign of a nonprofit organization aimed at collecting donations to provide protective gear, medical supplies, and helmets to Ukrainian soldiers.

In 2014, Come Back Alive, a charitable foundation based in Kyiv, was established. According to its director, Taras Chmut, the organization's last financial contribution came from its Patreon page in August, as reported by CNBC in an interview.

Over $300,000 rolled in, including many donations of less than $1,000, after Russia invaded Ukraine late Wednesday.

On Thursday, those who tried to access the page were met with the message "This page has been removed."

Chmut stated that he saw the group's email to Patreon when he attempted to access account details and transfer money for equipment payment. He added that Patreon responded, stating they were investigating the matter.

CNBC reported that Patreon prohibited the use of its platform for purchasing military equipment.

Patreon prohibits campaigns that involve violence or the purchase of military equipment, regardless of their cause, a company spokesperson informed CNBC in an email. The spokesperson stated that they are investigating the representations on the donation page for how the funds will be used. As a result, the campaign in question has been suspended while the investigation is ongoing. If the page is eventually removed, Patreon's policy is to send the creator the remaining funds or refund all pledges.

Patreon subsequently announced in a blog post that the funds in the charity's account would be returned to all contributors following the publication of this post.

On Thursday, Ukraine declared a mobilization initiative to increase its military strength.

But people who join might not be very well protected from harm.

Chmut, a former member of the country's armed forces, stated that people are dying due to the lack of body armor. Despite the country's poverty, a nonprofit organization has assisted soldiers in obtaining the necessary equipment.

According to its most recent annual report, Come Back Alive has also provided mobile surveillance systems, televisions, and other equipment.

Although the group has other methods of collecting donations, such as a bitcoin wallet code on its website and an influx of bitcoin donations, the Patreon page is the most convenient option for foreigners to donate, and many people have already utilized it, according to Chmut.

"Here, we have an excess of money that cannot be wasted," he stated.

President Biden imposes new sanctions on Russian assets following Putin's commencement of the Ukraine invasion.