Ukrainian state company “Ukroboronservice” and Czech manufacturer Sellier & Bellot plan to build an ammunition plant in Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
The Czech Republic has been a strong supporter of Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion, leading an initiative that has garnered hundreds of thousands of ammunition rounds from around the world. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated, “Among other defense industry agreements, a new ammunition plant will be built in Ukraine. The agreement has been signed between Sellier & Bellot and Ukroboronservice,” without disclosing further details. “This is crucial for army supplies at the moment.”
Czech arms manufacturer Colt CZ Group, which acquired Sellier & Bellot earlier this year, announced it would supply equipment for the production of small-caliber ammunition as part of the project. Another division of Colt CZ, Ceska Zbrojovka, has also signed a technology transfer agreement for its CZ BREN 2 rifles to be manufactured in Ukraine, finalizing previous plans.
Ammunition Deliveries
Shmyhal reported that Ukraine has received the first 50,000 shells from a Czech initiative launched earlier this year. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated that the ammunition collection initiative would continue into the next year. It is expected that around half a million artillery shells will be delivered to Ukraine this year through the Czech initiative, which leverages contributions from NATO countries and allies to purchase ammunition from outside Europe.
The construction of a new ammunition plant in Ukraine is a significant step towards strengthening the country’s defense capabilities. Collaboration with Czech partners will help Ukraine ensure a stable supply of necessary ammunition to defend against aggression and enhance its self-sufficiency in the military sector.
