Ukrainian border guards have received another shipment of defensive assistance from the Czech Republic, including a DITA wheeled self-propelled artillery system and artillery ammunition, reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
Earlier, Politico reported that Prague, which supplied Ukraine with 850,000 large-caliber shells in 2025 under the so-called “Czech Initiative,” sharply changed its position on aid to Kyiv following the election victory of the right-wing populist ANO movement led by Andrej Babiš.
He criticized Western military assistance to Ukraine and emphasized the need for neutrality, effectively arguing that Kyiv should be left to face Russian aggression on its own.
Second DITA joins border forces
According to the agency, this is the second such self-propelled artillery system provided to Ukrainian border forces.
DITA is a modern artillery system equipped with a 155 mm gun featuring a 45-caliber barrel length. These specifications allow it to achieve a firing range of 39 km when using standard NATO high‑explosive fragmentation shells.
Development of the system began in 2019. The first prototype was completed in 2021 and unveiled at the IDEX-2021 international defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Espreso reports.
Later, DITA was showcased at the MSPO-2021 defense industry exhibition in Poland, where the manufacturer demonstrated the gun’s movement, automatic aiming, and loading cycle.
Ukraine's crews of the new systems are already operating at various hotspots along the state border.
The Ukraine-Czech cooperation will continue
During a recent meeting between Border Guard Service Head Serhii Deineko and Czech representatives, priority areas for strengthening Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and next steps for bilateral cooperation were discussed.
“We are very grateful for the support, the assistance, and everything the Czech Republic does to keep Ukraine strong,” Deineko said.
For his part, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Ukraine, Luboš Veselý, emphasized the Czech Republic's reliability as a partner and friend of Ukraine.
“We will continue to support you,” he said.
In September 2025, fighters from the "Steel Border" brigade shared their experience in countering the enemy's use of fiber-optic FPV drones.
Frontline vs. drones: border guards of Ukraine share how to neutralize fiber-optic UAVs
According to the soldiers, they are less vulnerable to electronic warfare systems but are at the same time heavier and less maneuverable, which gives Ukrainian troops certain tactical advantages.
