Latest news with #Cernochova
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Czech initiative delivers another 400,000 shells to Ukraine, Prague says
The Czech ammunition initiative had delivered another 400,000 high-caliber rounds to Ukraine as of the end of April, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said on April 27. Speaking on a Czech Television program, Cernochova reiterated that the initiative already supplied 1.5 million rounds of various calibers in 2024 and has enough funds to continue until this fall. The initiative, backed by contributions from Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other countries, has significantly boosted Ukraine's artillery capabilities, Prague said. Cernochova revelead that other countries, such as Belgium, have also shown interest in participating. The initiative was launched last year amid Ukrainian shell shortages, primarily caused by delays in U.S. military aid in early 2024. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky noted that the initiative had reduced the effectiveness of Russian artillery "by 500%" and improved the shell ratio from 1-to-10 in Russia's favor to 1-to-2. "I don't want to tie myself down by any numbers," Cernochova said when asked by a news host whether the initiative aims to provide more rounds than last year. "We will supply as much ammunition as we can find around the world. And we still have enough resources; they are now around an additional 1.5 million (rounds)." Cernochova added that it will be up to donors whether the initiative will be able to secure and deliver the ammunition to Ukraine in the shortest possible time. Czechia's leading opposition party, ANO, aims to suspend the initiative if it wins the parliamentary elections in October 2025, ANO's deputy leader, Karel Havlicek, said in January. Prague has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, supplying military aid, leading EU efforts to secure weapons, and hosting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. Read also: Trump urges Putin to 'stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal' to end Ukraine war We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Czech authorities investigating allegations of unauthorized drone shipments to Ukraine
Prague is investigating allegations of unauthorized drone shipments from Czechia to Ukraine, Ceske Noviny reported on Feb. 9, citing Defense Minister Jana Cernochova. The investigation is focused on the Nemesis project, organized by the Skupina D association, which has been raising funds to procure drones for Ukraine. According to media outlet members of Skupina D are suspected of supplying drones to Ukraine, possibly with the involvement of Czech military personnel, without authorization from the parliament. Czech military police spokesperson Katerina Mlynkova confirmed that authorities are examining "possible unauthorized handling of Defense Ministry property and possible use of military personnel outside the tasks of the armed forces." According to members of the Czech Army's 601st Special Forces Group allegedly transported military equipment to Ukraine without the necessary parliamentary approval. The Czech constitution requires lawmakers' consent before deploying national armed forces abroad. Read also: Illegal border crossing attempts in Ukraine have nearly halved since last summer, Border Guard says An unnamed source cited by the outlet claimed that "someone decided to send soldiers" to Ukraine with military equipment without following proper legal procedures. At least one such trip reportedly took place in 2024. "We can't just close up and say everything is fine when we know it's not, based on the inspection," Cernochova said. Last year, Cernochova voiced concerns over the Czech Army's General Staff's participation in the Nemesis initiative. The Defense Ministry subsequently launched an inspection over the use of military facilities for drone testing. Chief of Staff of the Czech Army, General Karel Rehka, is the honorary chairman of Skupina D. According to the Czech media, Rehka's relationship with Minister Cernochova has long been mired by disputes over defense procurement. Despite the controversy, the Nemesis drone initiative has gained significant public support, raising over 203 million Czech crowns ($8.5 million) to supply drones to Ukraine. Read also: Europe mulls large-scale seizures of Russia's 'shadow fleet' ships, Politico reports We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
