UCL Union has suspended the Ukrainian Society after it bought a drone to aid the fight against Russia.
The Ukrainian Society has been suspended since 25 March after the Students’ Union received a report that the Society “may have acted outside of [its] fundraising framework”, an email seen by The Cheese Grater show.
The Society said it bought a drone in Ukraine and sent it directly to the frontline, funded using ticket sales from an unrelated event it had co-organised for this year’s Welcome Week.
The DJI Mavic drone donated by the Society is available at high street retailers for as little as £1,589 but has been widely utilised in Ukraine’s war effort since the Russian invasion began in 2022.
The Society insists the drone “can be used for humanitarian and defence purposes” but added: “All Ukrainians abroad try to help their country, and with all [due] respect, solely humanitarian help will not win the war, [but] the help for the frontline will.
“We are at war with Russia, and every Ukrainian must help the country.”
However, charities like the Union have a legal obligation to act only within their stated charitable objectives under UK law.
According to the Charity Commission, “Providing aid or military supplies to any foreign armed force is not a charitable purpose, and no charity can legally undertake such activity.”
Why does Ukraine want drones?
The war in Ukraine is now mainly fought with drones as lethal air defences on both sides largely prevented the use of conventional fighter jets.
Over a hundred types of drones are currently in use in Ukraine, ranging from retail models to larger systems with wingspans of up to 20 metres, but “first-person view” (FPV) drones – like the one donated by the Ukrainian Society – remain the most common.
The ready availability and relatively low cost of FPV drones have filled a critical shortage in artillery shells. One Ukrainian told the New York Times: “In many places, our defence is holding only because of these drones.”
These “suicide drones” – strapped with explosives and crashed into targets – are now responsible for over half the destruction on the frontline, according to the Ukrainian general staff.
However, the Ukrainian Society insisted the drone is not a weapon but a surveillance tool used to track enemy movements.
It added drones could also be used for “humanitarian purposes”, including delivering medication to soldiers stranded on the frontline.
Nonetheless, some 60-80% of FPV drones do not reach their targets, while those that do often fail to destroy armoured vehicles, according to one study.
The Ukrainian Society admitted there is a “huge chance” the DJI Mavic drone it purchased no longer exists as many are shot down by Russian forces.
“This is why the frontline is in constant need of [drones]”, it said.
What happens now?
The Union investigation is now in its final stages, The Cheese Grater understands. Its report will likely recommend a disciplinary panel to convene and review its findings.
Under the Union byelaws, a panel can determine a range of outcomes, anything from disaffiliation, removal of committee members, to a slap-on-the-wrist warning, or no disciplinary action at all.
A Union spokesperson said: “We have taken the difficult decision to suspend the Ukrainian Society pending further investigation. This step was taken in line with our policies and our responsibilities as a charity.
“The Society is engaging with the process, but the suspension remains in place until our investigations are complete, at which point we will communicate next steps to the society.
“As our investigation remains ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this time.”
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