The Czech Republic and the allies will seek to increase the ammunition supply to Ukraine.
Together with other allies, the Czech Republic will seek to increase the supply of ammunition to Ukraine, as reported by České Noviny from a press briefing following Czech President Petr Pavel’s return from a visit to Ukraine.
According to Pavel, Ukraine is suffering from a severe lack of ammunition required to launch a counteroffensive and regain control of its territory occupied by Russia.
“From the meetings I had in Ukraine – and there were many of them, both at the central level and at the level of one region – it became very clear that what Ukraine needs most for successful defense today is ammunition. We will continue to look for ways to not only increase the supply of ammunition from our sources, but we will also creatively look for ways, in cooperation with our allies or other countries, to get what they need to Ukraine in the short term,” emphasized President Pavel.
According to Pavel, the Czech Republic has already taken some of these steps and is aware of its next steps. He added that the required ammunition is frequently no longer manufactured in the Czech Republic but is available in other countries. “Its stockpiles are often in countries that have traditionally bought Soviet equipment.”
“Of course, technology is also in short supply, but the critical shortage of ammunition hinders not only Ukraine’s ability to defend itself effectively but also its ability to launch a successful counter-offensive. And if they are to regain control of territory that Russia has aggressively occupied for more than a year, there is no alternative to a counteroffensive,” stated President Pavel.
According to him, the Russians have an advantage in artillery main guns and rocket launchers. Still, their firing ammunition advantage is four to five times greater than that of the Ukrainians.
Pavel recalls visiting a training facility in Ukraine that housed a Czech-made howitzer and an RM-70 multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS). According to him, they are still working reliably after a year and have received positive feedback from Ukrainians.
“What hinders their even greater and more effective use in defending Ukrainian territory is the ammunition,” noted Pavel.
According to Pavel, the allies provide Ukraine with highly effective equipment, such as modern tanks, but only a small amount of ammunition. Ukrainians can only use this equipment for a few days before having to return it.
“It is becoming essentially a stock item. And that makes little sense,” President Pavel pointed out.
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