Czech authorities investigate possible illegal drone transfer to Ukraine
Czech criminal authorities are investigating suspicions related to the transportation of drones from Czechia to Ukraine.
Source: Czech Defence Minister Jana Černohová in the Partie discussion programme on CNN Prima News; České Noviny, as reported by European Pravda
Details: This refers to the Nemesis project organised by the Skupina D association. The deputy chairman of the opposition ANO, Radek Vondráček, who met with the minister during the debate, said that ANO would want to discuss the issue in the Chamber of Deputies. The suspicions were previously expressed by Paweł Różyczka, deputy chairman of the Defence Committee of the Chamber of Deputies (ANO).
On Thursday, 6 February, the Aktuálně.cz website reported that special forces illegally transported drones to Ukraine. The drones came from a collection organised, in particular, by actor Ondřej Vetchý. The server stated that the criminal proceedings regarding the army's cooperation with the Skupina D association directly concerned special forces.
Military police spokesperson Kateřina Mlýnková told the server that the investigation was into "possible unauthorised handling of property of the Ministry of Defence and possible use of military personnel outside the tasks of the armed forces".
Aktuálně.cz reports that members of the 601st Special Forces Group transported the military materials to Ukraine, but they did not have parliamentary permission to do so.
Quote from Černohová: "Law enforcement agencies are now investigating all suspicions, and I am glad about this because this is the only way we will get forgiveness or a verdict, regardless of whether there was a violation or not."
Details: "The accusations are, of course, serious," she added, stressing that she could not ignore them. Last year, the minister said that the Military Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defence was investigating the issue. She said the military police are currently investigating the case. She denied that she would pressure or incite the police or the inspectorate.
Quote: "If the Minister of Defence receives any information based on an appeal from the Deputy Chairman of the Defence Committee that appears in the public domain, and Różyczka received it from soldiers, then I have to check it.
I strongly believe that the Nemesis Association, which is led by all those people who speak in this public space, will explain all these issues."
Details: She stressed the need to follow the law and appropriate procedures while defending herself against accusations that she does not want to help Ukraine.
Quote: "You can't just go out of business and say everything is fine when we know it's not, coming from the investigation of the inspection."
Details: She also stated that it does not seem to be normal that one of the founders of the association, Jan Veverka, has a diplomatic passport. "He got it in the wrong way, it does not comply with all the legal norms that we have in the ministry," she added.
The minister said she would also like to address the issue to Czech President Petr Pavel, as it also concerns the commander of the 601st Group, General Miroslav Hofirek. She emphasised that diplomatic passports cannot be issued at the entrance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on the signature of an unauthorised person, i.e. General Hofirek.
Background:
Last year, Černohová raised concerns about the involvement of the Czech Chief of General Staff in the Nemesis initiative, which procures drones for Ukraine – a project that was then inspected by the inspectorate because military facilities were used for drone testing.
Černohová herself said that this dispute with the Chief of the General Staff was "not the first and not the last" and that relations with him were "good on a professional level".
In December, the Czech initiative to raise funds for the purchase of drones for use in combat in Ukraine raised more than CZK203 million (over €8 million).
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