Czech Republic channels frozen Russian funds to arm Ukraine

The Czech Minister of Defence, Jana Černochová, announced that part of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets in the EU will be allocated to purchasing ammunition for the Ukrainian army. This is expected to allow the purchase of hundreds of thousands of rounds of large-calibre ammunition. We explain what types of shells Kyiv might receive.

Tuesday's statement by the Czech Minister of Defence, Jana Černochová, highlighted plans to use part of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets in the European Union to purchase ammunition for Ukraine. Representatives of the Czech Republic, who will act as intermediaries in the transactions, are expected to play a key role in these activities.

Černochová emphasized that allocating part of the funds from frozen Russian assets to purchase ammunition will enable the acquisition of hundreds of thousands of additional rounds of large-calibre ammunition. The Czech Minister of Defence expressed confidence that this decision is a testament to the allies' trust in the Czech Republic and its ammunition initiative.

"This is a unique opportunity to support Ukraine, utilize resources that originally belonged to Russia, and save the public finances of European countries," Černochová wrote on one of the social media platforms.

In May of this year, EU member states agreed to use proceeds from frozen Russian assets for various purposes, including immediate military support for Ukraine. According to information from Czech sources, the total amount of these funds is €1.4 billion ($2 billion CAD), of which the Czech Ministry of Defence will use a portion.

In a press release issued by the Ministry of Defence, it was reported that, according to EU requirements, the Ministry will intermediate in the purchase of ammunition to meet the urgent military needs specified by the Ukrainian side. The ammunition deliveries are expected to take place in the coming months.

"Since this involves the delivery of sensitive military materials to a country at war with an aggressor, we cannot provide further details. This could jeopardize our assistance to Ukraine," said Černochová, whose words were quoted in the press release.

The Czech ammunition initiative, which involves purchasing artillery ammunition from various suppliers and manufacturers, has received the support of 15 countries. The first delivery of about 50,000 rounds of ammunition has already reached Ukraine. By the end of the year, Ukrainians are expected to receive 500,000 rounds of artillery ammunition.

Support from the Czech Republic will include 155 mm and 122 mm calibre shells. These will likely be the simplest versions of artillery shells with a rear truncation. They are constructed in a very simple way — consisting solely of a cast steel body filled with several kilograms of TNT and a fuse screwed onto their tips.

155 mm calibre shells, used by NATO countries, usually contain 10 kg of TNT, giving them significant destructive capability. In the case of simpler versions, they can effectively hit targets at ranges up to 24 km using systems with a 39-calibre barrel length, such as the AS90 self-propelled gun. For systems with a 52-calibre barrel, which can impart higher velocity to the shells, such as the Polish Krab, this range increases to 30 km.

Due to costs, these shells do not feature extraordinary precision. Their accuracy at maximum range allows for hitting an area the size of a soccer field. It is possible that Ukraine will also receive slightly more expensive versions of shells with a gas generator, which increases the range by about 30 percent. In contrast to the 155 mm shells, the performance of 122 mm calibre shells, which are part of the Soviet legacy, is less impressive. They contain about 3 kg of explosive material and allow for attacks at up to approximately 14 km.