Czech defense company to establish ammunition production in Ukraine
Czech arms manufacturer Czechoslovak Group offers Ukraine, which faces a significant shortage of ammunition, to ramp up its own production, Rubryka reports, citing the Czech news agency ČTK.
The industrial-technological group Czechoslovak Group (CSG) is negotiating with Ukrainian state companies to transfer the production of ammunition and heavy ground equipment to Ukraine through joint ventures.
Production is expected to start within three years, with investments amounting to hundreds of millions of euros, said CSG spokesman Andrej Čírtek.
"Ukraine aims to significantly strengthen its defense industry. CSG is ready to be a major partner in these efforts, as we supply significant volumes of artillery ammunition and heavy equipment to Ukraine," he said.
According to him, Ukraine needs to replenish its ammunition stocks and acquire capacities for NATO standard ammunition.
"This is why we are in negotiations with state companies and organizations in Ukraine about the transfer of production. We are supported in this by the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic, which also plays an important coordinating role," Čírtek explained.
He added that along with the production of heavy equipment, it is necessary to create facilities for its repair.
"The ambition is to conclude the relevant contracts this year so that production can start within three years," the spokesman said.
CSG owner Michal Strnad explained that the model could be similar to the one introduced between the German conglomerate Rheinmetall and the Ukrainian state company "Ukrainian Defense Industry," which registered a joint venture last year. The project aims to strengthen the production capacities of the Ukrainian defense industry.
"We are discussing two or three joint venture projects," Strnad said.
According to ČTK, since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, CSG has sent about 150-160 units of equipment to Ukraine.
In late February, one of the company's plants was visited by a delegation from the armed forces of the Netherlands led by Chief of Staff General Onno Eichelsheim. The visit, as reported by the company on its website, took place as part of cooperation on projects for the production of military equipment funded by the Dutch government to support Ukraine's defense.
The military inspected the company's workshops where T-72EA tanks are being modernized, and DITA howitzers are being manufactured for the Ukrainian army. The T-72EA is a modernized version of the proven tank design that has already proven itself on the front lines. The DITA howitzer is a modern digitized system developed at the company's development center according to NATO standards and the requirements of modern warfare.
The guests also had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with other modern equipment from the Excalibur Army portfolio, such as the 155mm NATO artillery system Morana, the rescue-evacuation vehicle TREVA-30, and the armored firefighting vehicle Triton 4×4 — like DITA, but built on the Tatra chassis.
After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, CSG increased the production of large-caliber ammunition at its factories in Slovakia, Spain, and Serbia by more than ten times.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that Ukraine had already concluded five agreements for joint production of weapons with leading companies worldwide, with dozens more such joint ventures to be created this year.
What we know about increasing arms production in Ukraine
Rubryka previously reported that next year, Ukraine plans to significantly increase the production of various types of weapons, prioritizing missiles and ammunition for air defense systems.
As Deputy Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk stated in a broadcast of a national telethon, the defense department, jointly with the Ministry of Strategic Industries, wants to increase the production of missiles, ammunition, arms, and military equipment several times over in 2024.
Ukraine plans to produce 1 million FPV drones, over 10,000 medium-range combat drones, and over a thousand drones with a range of 1,000 km next year.
Ukraine and Belgium also plan to establish joint arms production.
The German arms producer Rheinmetall is negotiating to build a tank plant in Ukraine. Kremlin threats to intensify bombardments of Ukraine will not affect the German arms company's intentions about this construction, according to the Rheinmetall CEO.
The largest Ukrainian armed manufacturer, "The Ukrainian Defense Industry," and the Polish company Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa will produce 125mm tank shells. Ukraine and Poland signed the relevant agreement on April 5 this year.
Ukraine and one of the NATO countries have begun to produce 122mm artillery shells. The first batch of ammunition has already been sent to the front.
Currently, about 300,000 people are involved in the Ukrainian defense industry complex.
"Ukrainian Defense Industry" has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the leading German company Dynamit Nobel Defence. The Ukrainian company will also produce small arms according to NATO standards.
