$24M Campaign Raises Funds for Ukraine Defense Drones

A massive fundraising campaign is bringing Ukrainian volunteers and military leaders across North America to raise money for life-saving drone defense equipment.

The One United Fundraiser launched in Toronto on January 22 with hundreds of community members, including local schoolchildren who donated money from Christmas caroling. Young performers from a Toronto theater studio contributed proceeds from a charity show.

The campaign aims to raise $24 million to purchase interceptor drones that can stop enemy Shahed drones from hitting Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. These specialized drones protect civilians and help keep electricity and water running during attacks.

Serhiy Prytula, a civic leader and volunteer, told attendees that every donation directly saves lives. He's traveling with military commanders Oleksandr Yarmak and Volodymyr Horodnychyi across eight cities through early February, meeting with Ukrainian communities in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Chicago.

The 412th Nemesis Brigade developed an affordable solution to intercept enemy drones, but scaling it requires significant funding. Volunteer foundations are carrying much of this burden alongside Ukraine's military.

Since Russia's invasion began in 2022, the Unite with Ukraine initiative has raised over $100 million for military equipment. Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian World Congress, says stopping the aggressor remains the top priority before any reconstruction can begin.

The Ripple Effect: The Myhal Family Foundation made a transformative $500,000 matching donation, meaning every dollar contributed through the tour is doubled. This extraordinary commitment significantly strengthens the campaign's ability to deliver real results protecting Ukrainian lives and infrastructure.

George and Rayla Myhal's generosity inspired additional support from major sponsors including Meest Canada & USA, Ukrainian Credit Union Ltd, and several other organizations stepping forward to help.

Families across Canada and the United States now have the power to directly protect Ukrainian civilians from drone attacks, one contribution at a time.