The Russia-Ukraine conflict is utilising cryptocurrency and blockchain in new and unexpected ways

<p>Ukraine's civil war is the crypto era's first big conflict, and Ukraine is, coincidentally, the cryptocurrency capital of the world. </p> <p>What was once a means of economic progress in times of peace has become a weapon of war in times of conflict. </p> <p>Millions of dollars in anonymous bitcoin donations to the Ukrainian war effort have been used to purchase thermal imagers, drones, and other military equipment for the Ukrainian army. </p> <p>Contributions to charity and relief operations are made through decentralised autonomous organisations (referred to as DAOs – more on them later), which also connect volunteers worldwide with those in need. </p> <p>The government agency previously tasked with attracting crypto industries has been tasked with maintaining the country's online infrastructure, warning citizens of air raids and missile launches, combating Russian disinformation, coordinating with Google and Facebook, and leading an army of hackers targeting Russian websites and other services. </p> <p>Meanwhile, cryptocurrency has become a new battleground in the war, with Ukraine fearful that Russia would utilise decentralised digital money to circumvent newly imposed financial restrictions. </p> <p>Crypto and blockchain are finally demonstrating what they are capable of – how they can be used for good rather than cartoon ape NFTs. </p> <p>Thus, how has crypto affected the war? </p> <p>From webmaster to guerilla hacker during World War II </p> <p>LDV's narrative, who wishes to remain anonymous, exemplifies how Ukraine's IT industry, which is centred on cryptocurrency, has swung into war. </p> <p>LDV, a webmaster for a crypto-mining investment company, awoke on February 24 to learn about the invasion and attempted to flee to Poland from his residence in Lviv, western Ukraine. </p> <p>"We desired to make a withdrawal, but the waits were prohibitively long. I couldn't have crossed the border finally if I had waited" According to him. </p> <p>He attempted to purchase a bus ticket over the border b