Czechia Looks to Assemble Coalition to Buy Vital Artillery Ammunition for Ukraine
The Czech government may have just found a temporary solution for Ukrainian shortages of ammunition. The government in Prague claims to have found a stockpile of ex-Soviet munitions. It is speculated that nearly a million 122mm and 152mm artillery shells may find their way to Ukraine in the upcoming weeks. This may be one of the largest and most important aid packages for Kyiv in a critical moment. An estimated $1.5 billion in emergency funding will be needed to fund the ammuntion procurement.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently suffering from a chronic lack of munitions ofany types. The recent loss at Avdiivka has partially been blamed on a disadvantage in artillery support and logistical issues. The consumption of artillery shells is so high that the current deliveries from Western countries do not meet the demand. Some of the Ukrainian soldiers claimed they had only three rounds per day to use against Russian forces.
The deliveries of equipment from 2022-2023 reached their peak in the summer and with political wrangling over a fresh US aid package the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be hard pressed to replace the losses suffered during the counter-offensive. While new manufacture of munitions continues to ramp up across Europe remaining stockpiles for older Soviet systems could help as could production from outside the European Union. Artillery is a key factors in Ukraine’s ability to hold the frontline and its value cannot be overstated. Czech prime minister Petr Fiala said “We estimate that there should be sufficient ammunition production in Europe and Ukraine in 2025, but we need to bridge the period until then, the Czech initiative is a way the European states can do that.”
Following an emergency summit in Paris called by French president Emmanuel Macron, a number of Western nations have intimated they will support Czechia in the procurement of the ammunition. Canada will reportedly contribute CAD$22 million while the Netherlands has pledged €100 million. Denmark have already announced the procurement, with Czech hell, of 15,000 155mm shells.
European states are keen on increasing artillery munitions production for their use but also for the sake of exports and aid for Ukraine. The current rate of production is too low to provide the ability to stockpile meaningful amounts for potential conflict in Europe and satisfy Ukraine’s Armed Force’s hunger for shells. Ammunition will continue to be a key factor as Ukraine seeks to reorganize for another offensive in 2024.