Two student unions in the UK suspended their Ukrainian societies over the purchase of drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Scandal erupts in the UK: Two student unions were forced to suspend the activities of Ukrainian student associations after it was revealed they had used donated funds to purchase military equipment for the Ukrainian army.

This was reported by the Financial Times.

Ukrainian student groups at University College London and Lancaster University were found to have used charitable donations to buy Mavic drones—devices actively used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in combat. In London alone, £1,500 raised at a student event was spent, while the Ukrainian group in Lancaster raised over £20,000, a significant portion of which also went toward drones.

These actions directly violate UK law, which strictly prohibits student unions—classified as charitable organizations—from supporting foreign armed forces.

Nonetheless, Ukrainian students apparently knowingly breached these regulations, dragging the academic community into a politically and militarily charged conflict.

An official investigation has been launched in connection with the incident. The situation has sparked debate over whether it is appropriate to turn academic and student environments into covert channels of support for military action.