During an interview with the Czech news agency ČTK on October 3rd, the new Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Vasyl Zvarych, announced that over one-third of the planned ammunition has already been delivered to Ukraine through the Czech initiative. This initiative, proposed by Czechia in February, aims to provide 500,000 rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine by the end of the year. Due to delays in US and EU supplies, Ukraine has been facing a severe shortage of ammunition, and the Czech Republic has stepped in to act as an intermediary and connect Ukraine with other countries that can supply the necessary military equipment.
According to Zvarych, the deliveries have had a significant impact on strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities, particularly in providing much-needed 155mm ammunition during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. However, in late September, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported that there have been incidents of premature shell explosions immediately after firing. These explosions have caused injuries to personnel and damage to artillery systems. Zvarych addressed these reports, stating that he has no information about any problems with the supplied ammunition. He also suggested that these reports may be attempts to discredit the initiative, which he described as “excellent, transparent, and truly effective.”
Zvarych also revealed that Ukraine is in discussions with the Czech Defense Ministry to expand the initiative. He expressed hope that the deliveries would continue until 2025 and emphasized the potential for the initiative to become a tool for investing in Ukraine’s domestic ammunition production. He explained that while Ukraine has increased its capabilities, they still need financial resources to further develop and produce smaller caliber ammunition. As of late August 2024, the Czech initiative has received financial support from 15 countries, with the Czech Republic contributing nearly 866 million crowns ($37.7 million) to the effort.
Read More @ euromaidanpress.com