Ukraine has received more than one-third of the 500,000 155 mm shells expected to be delivered under the Czech initiative by the end of 2024, Ukraine's Ambassador to Czechia Vasyl Zvarych said in an interview with CTK news agency published on Oct. 3.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky told the Kyiv Independent in July that the initiative had secured funds for 500,000 rounds and hopes to finance 300,000 more by the end of 2024. Eighteen countries have pledged support to the initial initiative, with 15 having fulfilled their promises and provided the funds, according to the minister.
Zvarych said that Ukraine is currently negotiating with the Czech Defense Ministry to expand the initiative. He also claimed that he had no information about supposed problems with the ammunition recently reported by the German newspaper Handelsblatt.
Handelsblatt reported in late September that some of the artillery shells received through the Czech initiative malfunctioned. A small portion of the received shells exploded prematurely during combat, leading to injuries and damage to artillery systems, undisclosed Ukrainian officials told the media outlet.
The ambassador suggested that Handelsblatt's publication was an attempt to "discredit" the initiative, which "has room for development." Zvarych also expressed hope that the supply will continue in 2025.
"It is effective and helps our soldiers on the battlefield," he added.
The ambassador hoped the initiative would become "a tool for investing in Ukraine's domestic ammunition production."
"Ukraine has increased its (production) capacity, but we need some financial resources to develop it more and be able to produce smaller caliber ammunition," Zvarych said.
Czechia unveiled its initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine jointly with partners earlier this year amid shell shortages caused mainly by delays in U.S. assistance.
Prague is also preparing to launch a new initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine in 2025, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said in an interview with the Denik N newspaper on July 24.
Francis Farrell
