Czech Billionaire Jan Barta Pledges $2 Million for FPV Drones for Ukraine

Czech billionaire Jan Barta has pledged to donate $2 million for FPV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) drones to be used by the Ukrainian military.

Barta announced the initiative on his social media page, stating that for each retweet of his post on the X social network, he would contribute $100 to the Nemesis project, which aims to raise funds for 10,000 FPVs for Ukraine.

In his social media post, Barta expressed concern about the current global situation, likening it to the 1930s and referencing the need to prevent another Hitler-like scenario. However, he made it clear that his contribution for the FPV drones is capped at $2 million.

The billionaire actively updated the public on the progress of the campaign, reporting the number of retweets and the corresponding funds transferred for the purchase of drones for the Ukrainian military. By Tuesday, February 20, Barta announced that the number of retweets had reached the set limit, allowing him to fulfill the promised $2 million donation.

As part of the broader effort, Barta has already transferred $400,000 for the purchase of FPV drones, with the remaining amount scheduled to be sent in the coming days. The funds will contribute to the Nemesis project, a collaboration between the Czech military and reservists aimed at providing 10,000 FPV drones to the Ukrainian military.

In December, the Czech military, with the support of Commander-in-Chief Karel Rzehko, joined forces to support the Nemesis project. Rzehko emphasized the importance of producing drones that align with the knowledge and preferences of the Ukrainian side. Additionally, the association plans to assess the selected drones' resistance to electronic warfare devices, benefiting both the Czech army and the Ukrainian military by exchanging knowledge gained from the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Canadian Defense Minister Announces Donation of 800 Drones to Ukraine

Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair announced on February 20 that Canada will donate over 800 SkyRanger R70 multi-mission unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to Ukraine amidst its nearly two-year armed conflict with Russia. The official announcement on Canada.ca emphasized the government's commitment to providing military assistance to Ukraine.

Minister Blair stated that the donation ensures Ukraine has the necessary drones, valued at over C$95 million ($70.44 million), produced by Teledyne FLIR. These drones are equipped with automatic and autonomous navigation systems, capable of carrying payloads up to 3.5 kilograms, including a camera system for target detection and ammunition.

The SkyRanger R70's multi-mission capabilities are expected to aid Ukrainian forces in identifying individuals, vehicles, and heat sources from long distances, particularly in challenging conditions such as darkness and inclement weather. The drones are scheduled to start shipping in March.