How to help Ukraine: Dignitas and empowering Ukrainian soldiers with technology and innovation (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members, 

Thank you for your continued support. We recently launched a new membership benefit: the “How to help Ukraine” newsletter. We send one edition per month, highlighting an organization supporting Ukraine and giving you a closer look at civil society in Ukraine. We have heard from our members that there’s interest in getting more involved in helping Ukraine, so we will share with you opportunities to donate or, in some cases, volunteer. 

This is our fourth edition of the “How to help Ukraine” newsletter, and we’re proud to be able to feature Dignitas, a volunteer-powered nonprofit working to empower Ukrainian soldiers through technology, training, and innovation. 

Dignitas is currently raising $100,000 to launch a program that will train unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) operators. The goal of their Victory Robots program is to build a sustainable way to educate and train soldiers to use ground drones, so UGVs can become more widely and effectively used on the battlefield. UGVs are quietly revolutionizing Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russia’s full-scale invasion — these remote-controlled drones can do the work of entire convoys, delivering food, water, ammunition, and medical supplies, as well as evacuate the wounded, without putting more soldiers in harm's way. You can make a contribution to Dignitas’ Victory Robots initiative here. For context, it costs about $450 to train one UGV operator, and every contribution makes a difference. 

Three Ukrainian soldiers pose behind the unmanned ground vehicles. These drones can be used to bring supplies from food and water to ammunition to front-line soldiers. 

A Ukrainian soldier demonstrates how an unmanned ground vehicle can be used to evacuate the wounded. 

The history of Dignitas dates back to a grassroots effort by U.S. volunteers to support Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity, also known as the EuroMaidan, in 2013-2014. Initiated by Lyuba Shipovich, a co-founder of Razom for Ukraine, the initiative quickly grew into a trusted global network of volunteers, raising money, procuring equipment, and delivering body armor, generators, and medical aid to protesters in Kyiv. 

In 2023, Dignitas was officially launched with a mission to support Ukrainian soldiers defending the country against Russia’s full-scale invasion. As of 2025, Dignitas is officially registered as a charity organization in both the United States and Ukraine. The U.S. team all work as volunteers, without any compensation, and 95% of all funds raised go directly to Dignitas’ programs in Ukraine. The remaining 5% is allocated for the overhead expenses and operational costs of running Dignitas in Ukraine. 

Here’s what Dignitas has accomplished in just two years: 

Nearly 6,000 drones delivered, including FPVs (first-person view) and reconnaissance drones.

Over 165,000 people trained through Dignitas’ Victory Drones program.

Over 1,000 drone detection devices supplied, as well as thousands of accessories — including batteries, controllers, tablets, and FPV goggles.

Six “Fix&Fly” mobile drone repair units deployed, which help front-line tech teams safely repair and upgrade their drones.

30 mobile shower & laundry units delivered, supporting hygiene and morale among front-line soldiers.

Over 100 veterans have completed the Flight to Recovery reintegration training, a course for veterans to learn to pilot and repair FPV drones for civilian purposes. 

The Tech Explorers youth program launched, giving Ukrainian teenagers hands-on technology skills, with a focus on helping the children of military personnel or those who have been affected by Russia’s war.

Right now, Dignitas is raising $100,000 for its Victory Robots program to fund the training of a UGV unit and cover the costs of the UGVs themselves, equipment and spare parts, technical support and maintenance, and the costs related to training personnel. 

UVGs are remote-controlled robots that roll on tracks along the ground. A single heavy-duty evacuation drone can carry up to one ton of cargo. In practice, this means that in just five trips, it can deliver enough supplies to sustain 10-17 soldiers on the front-line for 10 days, and evacuate five wounded soldiers on the return trips. It can travel up to 200 kilometers in a single operation. 

On average, these UGVs can complete about 10 missions before they are noticed and destroyed by Russian forces, though this can vary based on operations and Russian attacks. 

Ultimately, the use of UGVs means that fewer Ukrainian soldiers will be exposed to danger. 

Dignitas’ Victory Robots program is already making a difference: 10 training centers have already been opened across Ukraine and 800 UGV operators have been trained. 

You can support Dignitas’ UGV initiative here and sign up for their newsletter here. Dignitas is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means that contributions may be tax-deductible for U.S. residents. Their tax identification number is 92-3194330. 

Thank you for your support — and we hope you find these letters highlighting organizations like Dignitas useful. If you have any questions or feedback about our newsletter, please feel free to respond directly to this email or reach out via email at brooke@kyivindependent.com and let us know what you think of this membership benefit.