Ammunition under Prague’s initiative could reach Ukrainian battlefields in June – Czech PM adviser

“The promised money has to come, and the contracts must be made,” Pojar said.

“At the point when the contract is concluded, it will take several weeks to get it (the ammunition) to Ukraine. From June onwards, supplies could flow.”

Pojar refused to reveal the origin of the ammunition, saying that the initiative was looking worldwide for ammunition “wherever it is available at a reasonable price and of good quality.”

Russia is expected to try to disrupt supplies to Ukraine, so the details are being kept secret.

“The purpose of our initiative is to source ammunition on world markets, arrange financing and coordinate delivery to Ukraine,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on March 12 at the conference ‘Our Security Cannot Be Taken for Granted,’ organized to mark the 25th anniversary of Czech NATO membership.

So far, more than 15 countries have pledged funding for the ammunition, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Norway, as well as non-European allies such as Canada. While Prague identifies available ammunition worldwide, other countries provide the necessary funding. The Czech Republic will then coordinate delivery to Ukrainian battlefields.

According to Fiala, the purchase of 300,000 rounds has been confirmed and a further 200,000 have been pledged. The goal is to deliver the ammunition to Ukraine this year.

“I do not want to promise the impossible because even in an ideal situation, it will take months to successfully get the material to the frontline, where it is most needed,” Fiala said.

On March 11, German newspaper Bild reported that Czechia had purchased 800,000 artillery shells from third countries, which could be delivered to Ukraine within a few weeks.

Czech President Petr Pavel first announced the possibility of buying 800,000 shells for Ukraine on Feb.17. He said he had found half a million pieces of 155-millimeter ammunition and 300,000 pieces of 122-millimeter ammunition. Pavel did not name the countries that agreed to sell the shells. A number of European countries have joined his initiative.

A Ukrainian security official told NV that plans are in place to purchase more shells from South Korea and South Africa. The contract is estimated to cost around $2 billion.