Norway and Canada have launched a fundraising campaign to purchase Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones for Ukraine. The funds are raised on the crowdfunding platforms Spleis and Uhelpukraine .
During the campaign, Norway plans to raise more than $5.5 million needed to buy one Bayraktar and transfer funds to the aid fund at the Ukrainian Embassy. The organizers of the gathering ask the citizens of the country to donate at least NOK 10 for Bayraktar TB2. The first 1,000 sponsors who donate more than 250 crowns ($25) will be able to name the drone.
Canada, in turn, will raise about $7 million for one Bayraktar. At the same time, the country has a ban on the export of technology to the Turkish aircraft manufacturer BAYKAR. The decision came into force in April 2021, after it became known that Turkey sold drones to Azerbaijan during the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
On May 25, Lithuanian journalist Andrius Tapinas initiated the crowdfunding campaign, stating that he had received consent from the Lithuanian and Turkish defense ministries and the manufacturer. In just three days, they managed to raise €5 million for the purchase of one Bayraktar. After that, the Turkish manufacturer said that he would give Ukraine a drone free of charge, and the funds raised could be used for other needs of the country.
Then, in Ukraine, the fund of Serhiy Prytula also raised funds in three days to purchase three Bayraktars at once. BAYKAR again decided to donate three drones to Ukraine.
Poland also joined the campaign on 28 June. The initiative was initiated by a Polish public figure, political scientist and journalist Slavomir Serakovsky. According to him, if the collected funds are not enough or they exceed the plan, the balance will be transferred to the account of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the moment, the country has managed to raise more than $3 million, which is 75% of the required amount for the purchase of one Bayraktar.
On July 18, the executive director of the Turkish company BAYKAR, Haluk Bayraktar, in an interview with CNN, said that he supports Ukraine in its struggle for sovereignty and independence and will never allow Bayraktar drones to be sold to Russia.