Czech Students Launch Fundraiser to Buy Drone for Ukrainian Soldiers
Students from the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University in Brno have launched a fundraising campaign to purchase a reconnaissance drone for Ukraine’s 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade “Magura.”
The Gaze reports this, referring to Radio Prague International.
The initiative is being carried out in cooperation with the Czech non-profit organization Memory of the Nation (Paměť národa), which has been actively supporting Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“The brigade is currently fighting in the Sumy region, where a new battalion specializing in unmanned systems has been formed and urgently needs drones,” said Tereza Hladíková, one of the student organizers.
She added that her personal visit to Ukraine in September with representatives of Memory of the Nation deeply motivated her to act.
“In Kyiv, we met soldiers who came straight from the front to thank us for the aid we delivered. But really, it’s us who should be thanking them,” Hladíková recalled.
The students aim to raise 120,000 Czech crowns (around €5,000) for the purchase. According to Kristýna Hrušková, head of the Student Section of the International Institute of Political Science, the goal is achievable if “everyone contributes just a few hundred crowns.”
When deciding what type of equipment to buy, the students consulted with staff from Memory of the Nation, who frequently travel to Ukraine to deliver supplies.
“We were advised to focus on reconnaissance and surveillance drones,” Hladíková explained. “They’re affordable and not offensive weapons, which is important to us from an ethical standpoint.
Donations can be made directly to the Memory of the Nation’s bank account or in sealed donation boxes placed at university and public events. The student group is also planning other projects in support of Ukraine, including the production of camouflage nets.
This is not the first time Czech students have supported Ukraine through charitable initiatives. Previous campaigns by the same association helped fund essential military and humanitarian assistance.
As The Gaze reported earlier, the Lithuanian organization Blue/Yellow, dedicated to supporting Ukraine, raised €1 million as part of the Dronatonas campaign to purchase drones that will help Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.