Czechs donate artillery ammo to Ukraine in show of solidarity
Czech deputy defence minister Daniel Blažkovec and Lt Gen Valery Zalužnyj, C-in-C of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (in foreground of picture). (Photo: Czech MoD)
The Czech Republic is sending more than 4,000 rounds of 152mm ammunition to Ukraine, and Prague is open to holding discussions with Kiev on extending defence cooperation.
The Czech Republic is donating artillery ammunition to invasion-threatened Ukraine.
A total of 4,006 rounds of 152mm ammunition will be dispatched to Ukraine, and the Czech Republic also pledged to offer medical treatment support for wounded Ukrainian soldiers in the event of a Russian invasion.
Ukraine ordered 26 self-propelled Dana M2 152mm howitzers from the Czech Republic in November 2020. It also inherited 2S19 Msta-S, 2A65 Msta-B and 2S3 Akatsiya 152mm self-propelled artillery pieces when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
The ammunition donation agreement was signed in Prague on 1 February by Czech deputy defence minister Daniel Blažkovec and Lt Gen Valery Zalužnyj, C-in-C of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In talks with Czech defence officials, Zalužnyj discussed defence cooperation ‘and the possibilities of further support in this tense situation’ with more than 100,000 Russian troops massed at the Ukrainian border, the Czech MoD added.
Jan Havránek, deputy minister for defence policy and strategy at the Czech MoD, confirmed: ‘If necessary, we are ready to negotiate with our partners about other forms of support in this difficult situation.’
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