While the world watches the big headlines in the Russia-Ukraine war, one European country has quietly stepped up to become a major player behind the scenes—Czech Republic.
According to customs data and reports from the Telegram channel Militarist, the Czech Republic is now one of the top suppliers of drones to Ukraine, trailing only behind China as a country of origin.
In terms of where the shipments are actually coming from, it ranks third globally.
CSTG Leads the Way in Czech Drone Exports
At the heart of this surge in drone exports is one company: Czech Special Trading Group (CSTG).
Among more than a dozen firms involved in this growing industry—including names like Os Broker, Partizan Security, Skyrora, and Destinus—CSTG stands out as the biggest player.
In just the past three months, CSTG has sent more than $38 million worth of drone equipment to Ukraine.
Operating under the UAC brand, the company manufactures two major drone models, Leleka-LR and Bulava, which serve both reconnaissance and combat functions.
These drones are produced at a plant in Kolín and are all destined for use by Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
How Ukraine and Czechia Are Teaming Up on UAVs
CSTG isn’t just a Czech operation—it’s a joint Czech-Ukrainian effort.
Founded in 2023, the company is majority-owned by Czech military engineer Pavel Bulant, but 49% is held by U&C UAS, a Ukrainian-owned company.
Among its owners is Denys Cherednichenko, director of Ukraine’s Deviro Production and Innovation Co, which originally developed the Leleka-LR and Bulava drones.
Interestingly, even though parts of the drones are made in Czechia, final assembly takes place in Ukraine.
Deviro also handles the training of Ukrainian drone pilots, ensuring they know exactly how to operate the high-tech equipment once it reaches the battlefield.
The Power Behind the Company
The current director of CSTG is Sofia Fesyk. Until recently, the leadership team also included Oleksiy Fesyk, a representative from the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Prague.
U&C UAS also has some noteworthy backers—including Štefan Füle, the former Czech Minister for European Affairs, who holds a minority stake.
More Than Just Business: Czech Republic’s Role in the Drone Coalition
The Czech Republic isn’t doing this quietly in the background either—it’s taking a clear position as a leader in the European effort to support Ukraine through drone technology.
The country is part of the Drone Coalition, an initiative led by the Ramstein group of allies, and has already chipped in €1 million to a broader €83 million effort to mass-produce FPV drones for Ukraine.
On top of government action, there’s also grassroots energy.
The Czech-based initiative Drony Nemesis, supported by actor Ondřej Vetchý and military leader General Karel Řehka, has raised over 205 million Czech crowns (about €8.3 million).
Their goal? To deliver 12,000 drones straight to Ukrainian forces.
Some Concerns on the Home Front
Even with all this positive momentum, there’s one issue causing concern.
The Czech military police have opened an investigation into a possible leak of drone components from the country’s army stockpiles.
It’s not yet clear how serious the situation is, but it adds a layer of complexity to an otherwise successful support effort.
A New Drone Hub in the Heart of Europe
With both private sector innovation and government backing, the Czech Republic has quickly become a key logistics and manufacturing hub for drone supplies heading to Ukraine.
As the war drags on, Prague’s role in delivering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will likely only grow—cementing its place at the heart of Europe’s high-tech support system for Kyiv.
