Legendary Ship M/S Alpo Returns to Finland After Its Mission to Support Ukraine
Over 2.8 Million Hryvnias Raised Through UNITED24 in More Than 2 Months
The legendary ship M/S Alpo, which participated in the Allied landings in Normandy during World War II, returned to its home port in Oulu, Finland, on Tuesday, June 25. The historic tug, which recreated the historic route to Le Havre to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, helped raise 2,860,138 hryvnias during its two-month journey to aid Ukraine.
M/S Alpo's journey to the French coast began on April 27 in Oulu after three years of meticulous preparation. In addition to Turku and Tammisaari, the first stops included the Swedish cities of Visby and Kalmar. At the port of Copenhagen, the M/S Alpo team met with the ambassadors of Finland and Ukraine, who thanked the initiative's creators - Finnish businessmen Jukka Juola, Markku Kankaala, and Martti Haapala - for their unique idea of supporting Ukraine.
M/S Alpo then proceeded along the Kiel Canal until it arrived at its destination in Le Havre, France, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy on June 6. In each port of call, the M/S Alpo team conducted ship tours for all visitors, shared the history of the tug and World War II events, drew parallels with Ukraine, and encouraged donations to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“The journey was filled with wonderful meetings, and we were warmly welcomed in each port. For example, in Germany, the warship F223 escorted the tug and saluted the flags to show their support and respect for M/S Alpo's historic mission,” said Janne Leinonen, the project leader.
Thanks to the project and media attention, M/S Alpo has become well-known in Finland, Ukraine, and other European countries. In Ukraine, the media partner for the initiative was the 1+1 media group.
The purpose of the trip was to remind everyone of the importance of supporting allies then and now and to raise funds to help Ukraine. The project successfully raised over 2,860,138 hryvnias to support Ukrainian air defense.
Donations were channeled through the fundraising platform UNITED24, founded by President Volodymyr Zelensky, to the "Safe Sky" project - a situational alert system that assists Ukraine's air defense forces. The project was initiated by UNITED24 ambassador, historian, and Yale University professor Timothy Snyder.
“We are extremely grateful to everyone who followed and supported our journey, and most importantly, who joined in the numerous donations. The ship's crew and its owners are truly proud to support the people fighting for their freedom through the UNITED24 platform,” concludes Leinonen.
