White Stork, a veteran-led critical aid & last mile logistics charity that takes its name from the national bird of Ukraine, has received a $2,000,000 gift from Reed Hastings, former CEO of Netflix. The funds will be used to purchase anti-drone jamming systems and other types of aid for combat medics along the frontline, the charity announced in a press release.

“The men and women fighting in Ukraine are not professional soldiers. They are civilians who have been thrust into this war for national survival. As veterans, we’ve seen the horrors of war and know how to deliver aid directly to the front. No middlemen, no BS. Reed’s gift to support Ukraine means their survival.” said William McNulty, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who serves as White Stork’s head of mission.

“I’m grateful to have Reed’s support in our fight for national survival.” said Alexander Kamyshin, Ukraine’s presidential advisor for strategic affairs.

The most prevalent type of drone in Ukraine is the weaponized FPV (first person view) drone. Given their navigation capabilities, Russia is using FPV drones to target combat medics who are evacuating wounded Ukrainian soldiers from the battlefield. Russia is flying drones into casualty evacuation vehicles, unleashing an explosion on exposed personnel inside. Anti-drone jamming systems work by blasting electromagnetic noise at the radio frequencies that drones use to operate. Jammers effectively drown out the conversation between a drone and its operator by creating a protective bubble around the vehicle.

The systems cost $500-$6,000 depending on the bandwidth and frequency spectrum they’re designed to disrupt. White Stork is also the largest charity provider of individual first aid kits (IFAKs) to Ukraine, delivering over 120,000 battlefield first aid kits since the start of this war. White Stork provides other types of critical aid including: demining equipment, kevlar blankets, trench shovels, flame resistant flight suits, and body armor. White Stork’s mission is to give every Ukrainian the means to survive.

White Stork has been operating in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. Find out more information about White Stork’s mission at: https://whitestork.us/