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254 Artillery Shells and Counting: Czech-Slovak Initiative Keeps Ukraine Armed

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
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254 Artillery Shells and Counting: Czech-Slovak Initiative Keeps Ukraine Armed
Illustrative image. Projectiles are yet to be completed at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, US, on April 16, 2024. (Source: Getty Images)

A grassroots initiative spanning Slovakia and the Czech Republic has delivered another shipment of artillery ammunition to Ukrainian forces, Slovak outlet Future Army reported on April 14.

As part of the “Munícia pre Ukrajinu” (“Ammunition for Ukraine”) project, volunteers used donations from Slovak and Czech citizens to purchase a third batch of 122mm artillery shells for the Ukrainian army.

This latest delivery includes 254 artillery shells, purchased for €397,169. The group reported the ammunition was produced by Slovakia’s MSM Group, a well-known defense manufacturer.

Martin Ondráček, a representative of the allied campaign Gift for Putin, emphasized that the purchase was guided by “specific requests from the Ukrainian side and tailored to the army’s current frontline needs.”

The initiative was launched in April 2024 as a direct response to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s decision to abstain from a Czech-led government effort to supply Ukraine with ammunition.

Instead, citizens in both Slovakia and Czechia stepped up—raising over €4 million in a matter of weeks.

So far, organizers say they’ve purchased €4.4 million worth of munitions, including 2,700 rounds of 122mm artillery shells already delivered to Ukraine. An additional 5,500 grenade launcher rounds, valued at €400,000, are expected to arrive soon.

Lucia Štaselová, of the “Peace for Ukraine” initiative, stressed that European support is now more critical than ever.

“Ukraine can no longer rely on its overseas allies the way it used to. That means the responsibility now falls even more heavily on us Europeans to help. Ukrainians are fighting not only for their freedom but also for our shared European values and our security.”

Earlier, Ukrainian military intelligence received a rare Sikorsky S-76A medevac helicopter as part of a charitable initiative, with an estimated value of up to $1.5 million.

The helicopter for Ukrainian intelligence operatives was transported from Canada as part of a charitable initiative by Helijet International, the Maple Hope Foundation, and the Ukrainian World Congress. The aircraft arrived on April 15.

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