Two student unions from UK University suspend Ukrainian societies to buy drones

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Two university unions in the United Kingdom have suspended their Ukrainian societies as they sound if they violated the rules of charity to buy drones that were later sent to support troops fighting Russian soldiers.

The unions of University College London and the University of Lancaster suspended societies after becoming aware of the purchases, which were made last year, arguing that they were a potential breach of the charitable laws in the United Kingdom.

The student unions of the two universities are charitable organizations registered in the United Kingdom and governed by the Charity Commission, which regulates the use of funds and assets, as well as rules around the collection of funds.

According to the Watchdog rules, “providing help or military supplies to any foreign armed force is not a charity and no charity organization can legally carry out this activity.”

From the full scale of Russia Invasion of Ukraine In February 2022, both parties have used drones for air surveillance, cover and long -range attacks.

Research from student unions, which are still live, are studying if purchases violated the commission’s rules.

The UCL’s Union of Students suspended its company in March after the group had used £ 1,500 on a club’s organized club’s nightlife in October to buy a Drone Mavic Dji, a weapon that regularly used Ukrainian troops fighting Russia, and sent it to a front -line soldier.

Artur Podsokha, President of the Society, said that “it could not be silent while the Russian war has been terrorizing our country since 2014,” when Moscow annexed Crimea.

Podsokha said that society had not raised explicitly, but has used the benefits of the event to finance the drone. “We think it would be unfair to us to benefit from the UK’s support while we do nothing to help our own country and soldiers,” he said.

In a publication at the Instagram social network site last summer, the company of the University of Lancaster held more than £ 20,000 to support Ukraine, more than half of which were used to buy drones.

The subtitle accompanying the publication said “The full list of items purchased” included “Three Drons Dji Mavic 3 (£ 3930)” and “Drone Parts for Territorial Defense Forces (£ 2150)”.

Asked by The Financial Times about purchases, the union union of the university said that “it had just been aware of the allegations.”

“We have not yet had the opportunity to investigate -but, from the complaints, we have decided to suspend the membership of society in Lusu, in a precautionary manner, while conducting urgent investigation,” he said.

The Student Union added that the company had not received any funding from the university.

The Ukrainian Society of the University of Lancaster said that its “fundraising activities have always been strictly humanitarian. We have never made an announcement or publications on the collection of funds aimed at military goals”.

“Any content on social networks that can be interpreted as dual use articles were exclusively related to the personal initiatives of the individual members of our society, not the official fundraising activities of society’s funds,” he added.

Podsokha, from the UCL, said that the Society Committee had bought the drone and that he and his colleagues felt “privileged to be safe (in London), while Ukraine supports a constant shell.” The soldier who received had sent them a thank -you video, he added.

UCL said he supported “the union action to suspend Ukrainian society”.

“His research and disciplinary processes are completely independent of the UCL, so it would be inappropriate to make any other comment while continuing,” added the university.

The University of Lancaster said that “close and supportive interest” was needed in the task of the Student Union and that “we hope fully look at their own regulations. As such, we support its action to suspend society and investigate”.

In January, the Charity Commission issued an official warning to the Chabad Lubavitch Centers The North -East London and Essex Limited, which established a fundraising page for a soldier in Israel’s defense forces northern Israel.

It page – That he retired after the commission received 180 complaints, collected about £ 2,280, with £ 937 sent directly to the soldier, according to the commission.