"The first batch of ammunition from our initiative arrived in Ukraine some time ago, and we are doing everything we can to speed up the process," Czech Defense Minister Jana Černohová wrote on X.
Earlier, Černohová mentioned that the Ukrainian Armed Forces would receive the first batch of ammunition under the Czech initiative by the end of June.
Czech initiative on buying artillery ammunition for Ukraine
Czech President Petr Pavel first announced the possibility of purchasing 800,000 shells for Ukraine on Feb. 17.
Czechia secured commitments for 500,000 155mm shells and 300,000 122mm shells, though the sources were not disclosed. Several other European nations joined the Czech initiative.
The plan is believed to involve spending about $2 billion to purchase shells from South Africa and South Korea, according to a Ukrainian military representative.
Allies announced on March 7 that they had acquired the necessary funding to purchase the shells.
Czechia purchased 800,000 artillery shells from South Korea, South Africa, and Turkey, and could deliver them to Ukraine in a few weeks, Germany’s Bild reported on March 11.
Ukraine will receive 1.5 million artillery shells from the initiative within a year, Czechia’s Prime Minister Petr Fiala said in April.
Ukraine will receive the first batch of 155mm shells in June, "in the next few days," Fiala said on May 28.