New Czech Campaign “Charlie One” Raises Funds for Ukraine’s Counter‑Drone Efforts

A large-scale campaign called CHARLIE ONE has been launched in the Czech Republic to raise funds for the purchase of interceptor drones for Ukraine, led by the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Army, General Karel Řehka.

The Gaze reports on it, referring to an official website Skupina D.

The Czech public association Skupina D that has already provided Ukraine with thousands of drones and equipment worth over CZK 263 million, has announced a new fundraiser. This time, they will be collecting funds for interceptor drones that destroy Russian strike UAVs. 

The campaign is called CHARLIE ONE, in honor of the combat nickname of General Karel Řehka, who is the moral authority and guarantor of the project's effectiveness. His personal involvement is intended to demonstrate the transparency of the fundraiser and its focus on protecting the civilian population.

In his address to the public, General Řehkathanked the Czech people for their support and emphasized that every drone shot down over Ukraine means greater security for the Czech Republic. 

“Every drone shot down over Ukraine is a drone that will not reach the Czech Republic,” said the general.

He emphasized that interceptor drones will help save lives, especially those of families with children.

The CHARLIE ONE interceptor drone is a specialized defense drone designed to destroy enemy strike drones before they reach civilian targets. 

It is capable of quickly taking off, promptly detecting threats, accurately tracking targets, and destroying them in flight. The system operates around the clock and can function in various weather and operating conditions. 

The main advantages of the drone include quick readiness, the ability to operate at night, accuracy in interception, and relatively low cost compared to the damage caused by a successful attack. Only a small mobile team is required to operate it, making CHARLIE ONE an effective and flexible countermeasure. 

According to Ukrainian defenders, the success rate of shooting down Russian drones is around 80%, although the exact figure depends on the weather and enemy tactics. 

The production of one CHARLIE ONE costs approximately 60,000 Czech CZK, but full combat deployment requires a complex for the entire team: several drones, batteries, spare parts, communications equipment, training, and logistics for transfer to the Security Service of Ukraine units. Such a set costs hundreds of thousands of CZK.

The Czech civic community has shown remarkable activity in fundraising to support Ukraine, launching initiatives that quickly mobilize resources for military and humanitarian aid.

A Czech crowdfunding initiative A Gift for Putin has raised over 16 million crowns to finance two Ukrainian-made long‑range Flamingo missiles instead of one. The campaign quickly surpassed its initial goal of 12.5 million crowns, while the Ukrainian manufacturer Fire Point pledged to double the contribution, enabling the delivery of two missiles named DANA 1 and DANA 2.

As The Gaze informed earlier, Czechia planned to transfer around 30 upgraded T-72M4CZ tanks to Ukraine’s armed forces that are comparable to Russia’s most advanced T-90M main battle tanks.