Kathrine Frich
Crowdfunding has become a lifeline for Ukraine’s war effort.
Crowdfunding has become a lifeline for Ukraine’s war effort.
Ukrainian volunteers power the fight with drones
Volunteers and donors are supplying elite military units with drones and other critical equipment the government cannot always provide.
Some soldiers even say these donated drones outperform the official supplies.
$500 drones destroy $40 million systems
In January, the Ronin unit of the 65th Mechanized Brigade used a $500 FPV drone to destroy a Russian Buk air defense system worth tens of millions.
Since then, they have released videos of similar strikes, showing growing reach deep inside occupied territory.
“Without the drones provided by Sternenko, this would not have been possible,” one pilot told Business Insider.
Tens of Buk systems knocked out in 2025
Drone operators say they managed to hit at least 15 Buk systems this year, compared with just one the year before.
The total value of damage runs into hundreds of millions of dollars.
Ukrainian pilots stressed that the effectiveness of the drones is far greater than their modest cost.
A foundation that delivers
The Sternenko Foundation, led by activist Serhii Sternenko, specializes in supplying FPV drones to frontline units.
Since the war began, it has delivered more than 210,000 drones.
The group works closely with manufacturers to update designs quickly and deliver improvements within days.
FPV drones: from cameras to deadly weapons
Originally designed for aerial video, FPV drones are now one of Ukraine’s most important battlefield tools.
Soldiers attach small explosives, sometimes no heavier than five kilograms, and use them to strike valuable targets.
Both Ukraine and Russia are locked in a constant race to adapt drones and anti-drone defenses.
Outpacing government supplies
While Ukraine produced 2.2 million drones in 2024, many government stockpiles consist of older models.
“These drones are sometimes impossible to use in some sections of the front line,” admitted the commander of another Ukrainian unit.
In contrast, volunteer foundations now provide the majority of frontline drones, in one unit, 95% of the drones used came directly from Sternenko’s foundation.
Donations from hundreds of thousands
Most of the foundation’s funds come from ordinary Ukrainians.
Each month, about 450,000 donors contribute, raising some $7.2 million.
This grassroots support allows the foundation to buy and upgrade drones at the scale soldiers need.
“Without volunteers it would be a catastrophe”
Frontline troops stress how vital the volunteer-supplied drones have become.
“Without these volunteers and donors who contribute generously for Ukraine, it would be a catastrophe,” said Alex Roslin, a foreign coordinator for drone makers.
“Without the support of volunteers, Ukraine would most likely already have been in the hands of the occupation regime,” added Oleksandr Skarlat of the Sternenko Foundation.
