Czechia to deliver 500,000 shells to Ukraine this year. Next batch expected in July/August

Старша редакторка стрічки новин

13 July 2024 11:45

Illustrative photo. A steelworker makes 155mm artillery shells at a plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA, April 13, 2023AP Photo / Matt Rourke

The Czech Republic has set itself the task of delivering 500,000 artillery shells to Ukraine this year, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said.

The first shells under the Czech initiative arrived in Ukraine in June. 50,000 shells were handed over to the Defense Forces. The same amount should arrive in July-August. From September to the end of the year, 80,000 to 100,000 shells will be delivered per month.

Ammunition for Ukraine

According to the Ministry of Strategic Industries, Ukraine needs such an amount of artillery ammunition that no country, even the United States, can provide. However, there are currently several initiatives to provide shells from Ukraine's international partners.

In February, the Czech Republic announced that it had found sources of supply of hundreds of thousands of projectiles for Ukraine from abroad. Among the ammunition found are 500,000 155 mm shells, another 300,000 122 mm shells. Such stocks were found in an unnamed country outside the EU.

About 20 countries joined the "Czech initiative" to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, including Canada, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belgium, Finland, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain and Slovenia.

Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala also reported that Prague has already signed a contract for the purchase of 180,000 artillery ammunition rounds for Ukraine.