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About Us

About Us

Defense Tech for Ukraine (DTU) is an international task force of volunteers working to ramp up the quality and quantity of equipment, especially drones and counter-drone equipment, to Ukraine’s armed forces.

Group goals

Provide tailored, technical solutions to the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Dramatically ramp up the number of and effectiveness of UxVs in use by the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Drive down cost and increase effectiveness of consumer-available drones and counter-drone devices commonly used by the Ukrainian military.
Encourage domestic Ukrainian manufacturing of drones and counter-drone tools

Join us to help the Ukrainian military save lives and protect freedom.

WHAT WE DO

Increase the number of drones and other high-tech
solutions in the hands of Ukrainian defenders

Our Team

Meet the Experts Behind the Vision

Jonathan Lippert

President

Co-Director at Ukraine Aid Ops. Particular focus on counter-drone and fiber drones. Loves freedom. Hates bullies.

Carl Larson

Executive Director

Responsible for building DTU into a vital hub for innovation, crowdsourcing expertise, and scaling transformative defense solutions from prototype to combat-ready tools. A U.S. Army veteran with combat experience during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Larson also served on the front lines in Ukraine in 2022 as a rifleman and platoon leader. This firsthand experience ensures his commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defenders with lifesaving tools.

David Black

Chief Strategic Officer

Helps shape DTU’s organizational direction along with key initiatives, partnerships, logistics. Research background and in-country experience.

Leonard Sklencar

member of DTU Executive Team

Leonard leads numerous innovative CUAS and UGV projects, while managing logistics from San Antonio, Texas between visits to Ukraine. Leonard’s background in fabrication and manufacturing helps draw closer the spirit of collaboration between Ukrainian and clandestine manufacturers, designers, and engineers. Believing there is no cause or project too small, Leonard works to assist Ukrainian innovation wherever it sparks.

Iuliia Puchko

member of DTU Executive Team

Vice President and co-founder of Shield of Freedom, Director of Ukrainian language weekly conference and community of defense innovators at DTU.
With frequent trips to Ukraine to deliver aid, working closely with military units, NGOs on the ground, meeting with technology innovators in Ukraine, she is dedicated to the goal of furthering technological advancement in defense technology and building a community of like-minded individuals. Inspired by the love of freedom, resiliency and innovative spirit of Ukrainian people she strongly believes that the future of the free world is being decided on the battlefields of Ukraine.

Yulia Brockdorf

member of DTU Executive Team

Yulia Brockdorf, co-founder of DAWN, Inc., leads efforts to support Ukraine through trauma psychotherapy, education, and humanitarian aid. Traveling frequently to Ukraine, she provides front-line psychotherapy and delivers critical medical assistance. Yulia also champions initiatives in Oregon to strengthen ties with Ukraine and promote its resilience through innovation and collaboration.

Catherine Pedersen

Director of Communications

Chief DTU story-teller. Media inquiries welcome.

Ariel Tarasula

DTU Executive Team Member

Kharkiv native, civilian volunteer since the full scale invasion. Arranged evacuations, food, medicine and other needs for many soldiers and their units. Built network of volunteers, organizations and manufactures in over 30 countries who are very supportive of the cause

Defending Freedom with Tech

Defense Tech for Ukraine accelerates the pace of technological development for Ukraine’s defenders, allowing the Ukrainian David to slay the Russian Goliath.