The Come Back Alive Foundation signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar

03 August 2022 20:16

Taras Chmut (left) and Haluk Bayraktar (right) signed a memorandum on further cooperation between the Come Back Alive Foundation and the Turkish company Baykar, August 3, 2022Come Back Alive

Ukraine's largest charity foundation, Come Back Alive, and the Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar officially announced their cooperation.

The directors of the organizations Haluk Bayraktar and Taras Chmut signed a memorandum on further partnership in Istanbul on Wednesday.

The parties are not disclosing all the details of future cooperation. Still, they note that they have reached an agreement on "the implementation of best practices and international standards for the development of cooperation" and the involvement of other representatives in such cooperation.

"From now on, not only the state is a player at the international level of the country's armaments, but also foundations like ours. And we are ready to get involved in this and provide a shoulder of support to the state, including military purpose goods," commented the director of Come Back Alive Foundation, Taras Chmut.

The foundation and the Baykar company plan to provide each other with comprehensive support for the development of cooperation and the implementation of new joint projects.

"We have something to give each other in this cooperation, and we are sure that with joint efforts, we will reach new horizons, first of all, demonstrations of humanity and the victory of Ukraine," Baykar Director Haluk Bayraktar said.

Taras Chmut (left) and Haluk Bayraktar (right) signed a memorandum on further cooperation between the Come Back Alive Foundation and the Turkish company Baykar, August 3, 2022 / Photo: Come Back Alive

Earlier, on July 26, the foundation purchased for Ukrainian Armed Forces three Bayraktar drones and ammunition at the cost of $ 16.5 million. Such a big purchase by a charity foundation was the first in Ukraine. Back in March 2022, the Come Back Alive foundation received permission to import military goods, including weapons.

Bayraktars for Ukraine

The Baykar company has provided combat drones to Ukraine for free after worldwide fundraising campaigns. Serhiy Prytula's charity fund collected 600 million hryvnias for four Bayraktars for the Armed Forces in three days (although the foundation initially planned to collect funds for three). Turkish manufacturer then announced that the company would give three drones for free.

At the end of May, Lithuania fundraised €5 million in three and a half days to buy the Bayraktar attack drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Then Baykar company also announced that it would give Lithuania one of its drones for free.

A similar fundraising campaign was held in Poland, and the Turkish company again decided to make a gift for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Canada also organized a fundraising campaign and plans to hand over a combat drone for Ukraine by Independence Day of Ukraine — August 24.