The Czech Republic has secured funding to continue delivering artillery ammunition to Ukraine into next year, but the future of this initiative may depend on the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections in October.

Czech program closes Ukraine’s artillery gap

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský told Bloomberg in an interview that the Czech-led program to source heavy ammunition for Ukraine, funded by a coalition of 11 countries, has significantly changed the situation on the battlefield. According to Lipavský, Ukrainian forces, who at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 had only one artillery round for every ten fired by Russia, now have one for every two.

The Czech Republic has committed to delivering 1.8 million shells to Ukraine this year under this program. Lipavský described the effort as a “game changer” and emphasized that it plays a vital role as US support weakens and efforts by President Donald Trump to end the war remain stalled.

Political future of the ammunition effort uncertain

Despite the success and international backing of the initiative, Lipavský warned that its continuation hinges on maintaining political support after the Czech parliamentary elections scheduled for 3–4 October 2025.

“We’ve secured funding for next year,” said Lipavský, adding that the Czech Republic has also trained 9,000 Ukrainian soldiers and intends to begin training Ukrainian pilots. “What is absolutely crucial is to preserve political support for the ammunition initiative after Czech parliamentary elections,” he said.

Polls indicate that the current center-right government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala is trailing behind former Prime Minister and billionaire Andrej Babiš, who is leading ahead of the vote.

Babiš has openly criticized supplying arms to Ukraine and hosting Ukrainian war refugees.

Far-right ties and NATO defense spending on agenda

Lipavský accused Babis of “far-right populism,” referencing the ex-premier’s alignment with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and France’s National Rally in forming a nationalist bloc in the European Parliament last year.

Czech President Petr Pavel called for maximum efforts to end the war in Ukraine and prevent war from reaching the Czech Republic during a memorial ceremony honoring American soldiers killed in World War II, Ceske Noviny reported on 7 June.

Pavel made the statement while commemorating fallen US troops at monuments in the Šumava Mountains, where he honored their memory in two extinct Šumava villages, the southwestern part of the Czech Republic.

“We must remember the sacrifices of all those who contributed to our ability to live in freedom and peace,” Pavel said in Žlutice. “And although we call what happened here a tragedy, unfortunately, in the context of the entire Second World War, this was only a small episode. But in the context of the people who went through this and their relatives, it was an even greater tragedy, because it actually happened at the end of the war.”

Pavel emphasized the absurdity of deaths occurring so close to the war’s official end, with young people dying senselessly when only days remained until the war’s conclusion.

“And unfortunately, this is happening today as well,” he said. “If today there is war in Ukraine, and people are dying just as senselessly, just as absurdly, as it was here, for reasons that many of us do not even understand, that is why we must do everything in our power not only to end the war in Ukraine, but also to prevent it from reaching us, as it was in the past.”

At Gruberg, Pavel added that it was important to remember what led to the start of World War II in the 1930s.

“If we are not careful enough, if we do not respond to these signals in time, then perhaps our successors will wonder how it is possible that we did not see how this happened,” Pavel said. “Just as we can wonder today when we look at the 1930s and ask ourselves how it is possible that they did not see it then.”

The president’s remarks come as European officials express growing concern about Russian military intentions. EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius shares Western intelligence assessments that a Russian attack on EU states could occur within the next few years.

Recent evaluations by Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and Armed Forces indicate Russia views itself in systemic war with the West and is preparing for a major war with NATO.

Ukraine’s Ukroboronprom is already assembling Czech CZ BREN 2 rifles under license, with partial component production ongoing. The company could begin manufacturing complete rifles within a few months, a representative of Czech arms manufacturer Česká zbrojovka told ČTK, Radio Prague, reports.

Ukroboronprom began licensed assembly in 2024

The Ukrainian state-owned defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom announced in November 2024 that it had begun licensed assembly of the Czech assault rifles. At that time, it was already noted that the aim was to eventually transition from simple assembly to full local production, Radio Prague says.

Assembly ongoing, full production ahead

Currently, Ukraine is carrying out licensed assembly of CZ BREN 2 rifles and has already established local manufacturing of select components. Radek Hauerland, external relations manager for Česká zbrojovka, stated:

“This is already working. The first step is assembly and production of small parts. The next step is full production, meaning transfer of complete technology to Ukraine.”

He added that full production is a highly complex process, requiring specialized technology. However, a licensed facility in Ukraine could begin manufacturing complete rifles within a few months.

“It’s impossible to say exactly. You have to go step by step, from simpler things to more complex ones,” Hauerland said.

According to him, the Ukrainian enterprise could handle production volumes of tens of thousands of rifles per year.

Part of a broader arms partnership with Czech industry

Česká zbrojovka is part of Czechia-based Colt CZ Group, which also includes Sellier & Bellot, a manufacturer of ammunition for small arms. Sellier & Bellot has signed an agreement to produce several types of its ammunition at a new cartridge plant in Ukraine, using technology provided by the Czech side. Colt, a well-known American firearms’ manufacturer, became part of the Czech group several years ago.

The Czech court has convicted a teacher of pro-Russian propaganda in class, iRozhlas reports.

A court in Prague has delivered a guilty verdict in a case that stirred the country back in April 2022. Hana Bednarzová, a stylistics teacher, denied Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a class, claimed that “nothing is happening” in Kyiv, and called ČT1, a public television channel, “controlled by George Soros.”

The teacher justified Russia’s actions against Ukraine and called Ukrainian soldiers “Nazis” who “remove skin from alive people and kill children.” Bednarzová also claimed that “the Russians have been killed in Donbas since 2014.”

When 13- to 14-year-old students objected, she dismissed their arguments, citing “edited footage” and “media fakes.”

Bednarzová was fired in May 2022. She tried to sue for reinstatement but failed. During the trial, she did not retract her words and even claimed that “everything about the war is a lie.”

The judge emphasized that the teacher exploited the trust of underage students, who could not critically assess her statements, a key point in the conviction.

Bednarzová called the case a “political witch hunt” and announced plans to run for parliament with the pro-Russian Stačilo! movement, which advocates lifting sanctions on Russia and Belarus.

Earlier, a Czech citizen who joined the Russian Armed Forces contacted Czech diplomats for help, said Daniel Dreik, the spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Russian forces increasingly rely on poorly equipped infantry assaults, often described as “meat-grinder” attacks. Its leadership often sends waves of infantry soldiers into fire with minimal artillery or drone support, resulting in heavy casualties.