Czechoslovak Group (CSG) will cooperate with Ukrainian arms manufacturer Ukrainska Bronetechnika to produce 155-millimeter caliber artillery ammunition locally in Ukraine. This agreement is part of a larger package of contracts signed by the two companies on 2nd October 2024 during the International Defense Industries Forum (DFNC2) in Kiev. Production of 155-millimeter artillery shells under this cooperation will begin next year.
Under the agreement, CSG will provide the Ukrainian manufacturer with the necessary know-how and assistance to start production of 155-millimeter artillery shells directly in Ukraine. Czechoslovak Group by this step confirmed its intention to establish cooperation with Ukrainian companies in the field of artillery ammunition and to assist the invaded country in the production of this type of ammunition on its territory. According to the plans, 100,000 pieces of ammunition will be produced in 2025 within the framework of the cooperation between CSG and UkrainskaBronetechnika, and in 2026 the annual production will exceed 300,000 pieces. The production of ammunition will take place in the Czech Republic and Ukraine with the aim of increasing and accelerating production for the Ukrainian army and reducing the price of artillery shells. The production will cover several types of large caliber ammunition.
Richard Kuběna, Commercial Director of CSG Defence, considers the agreement to cooperate on the production of large caliber ammunition in Ukraine to be important. “The signing of the agreement to localize the production of CSG-produced tank and artillery ammunition in Ukraine was driven primarily by the fact that we realize how important it is for Ukraine to produce military equipment on its territory. This initiative of ours is based on the idea of CSG’s owner Michal Strnad to transfer and localize production and unlike other companies we have also signed an implementation agreement,” says Richard Kuběna.
CSG is one of the companies that supported Ukraine long before the Russian military aggression. Already in 2018, CSG member companies delivered dozens of self-propelled howitzers and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, Czechoslovak Group member companies have realized more significant deliveries of military equipment to Ukraine, including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled howitzers and air defence systems. CSG also cooperates intensively in the supply of large caliber ammunition to Ukraine under the Czech Ammunition Initiative. The latest package of cooperation agreements with UkrainskaBronetechnika and the successful delivery of military equipment to Ukraine demonstrate CSG’s clear support for Ukraine and its defenders.
Speaking about the transfer of production to Ukraine, CSG spokesman Andrej Čírtek stated, “It is essential for Ukraine’s defence capability not only to supply military equipment or ammunition, but more importantly to strengthen its defence industry capabilities. Every country, even if it is not in such a difficult security situation as Ukraine, needs assurance of supplies and this can only be ensured by the industry on its own territory. That is why we have agreed with our Ukrainian partners to transfer know-how and to assist in the start-up of production of various types of large caliber ammunition, which will begin as early as 2025. Of course, we will not disclose details such as the location of production for security reasons.”
The Czech Ministry of Defence and the Intergovernmental Defence Cooperation Agency AMOS played an important role in reaching the agreement between CSG and UkrainskaBronetechnika. Both of these entities have been helping to implement private companies’ assistance to the invaded country since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and also play key roles in the ongoing Czech Ammunition Initiative.
