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Czechoslovak Group (CSG) has signed a cooperation agreement with Ukrainian arms manufacturer “Ukrainska Bronetechnika” (Ukrainian Armor) to locally produce 155mm artillery ammunition in Ukraine.
Under the agreement, part of a larger set of contracts signed on October 2, 2024, CSG will provide the necessary expertise and technical support to help Ukrainska Bronetechnika begin local production of 155mm artillery shells starting next year.
This move is aimed at accelerating production to meet the needs of the Ukrainian military while reducing costs. The initial goal is to produce 100,000 artillery shells in 2025, with production expected to exceed 300,000 shells annually by 2026. The manufacturing process will take place in both the Czech Republic and Ukraine, covering various types of large-caliber ammunition.
“We recognize the importance of Ukraine producing military equipment on its own territory,” said Richard Kuběna, Commercial Director of CSG Defence. “The decision to localize the production of tank and artillery ammunition in Ukraine is part of our long-standing commitment to support Ukraine, and this initiative stems from CSG’s owner, Michal Strnad, who advocated for the transfer of production.”
CSG has supported Ukraine’s defense needs long before the Russian invasion in 2022. In 2018, CSG member companies delivered self-propelled howitzers and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. Since the onset of the invasion, CSG has ramped up its military equipment deliveries, including tanks, howitzers, and air defense systems, as part of its broader efforts to assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
CSG spokesman Andrej Čírtek emphasized the strategic importance of transferring defense manufacturing capabilities to Ukraine. “It is essential not just to supply military equipment and ammunition, but to ensure that Ukraine can sustain its defense capabilities by strengthening its own defense industry,” Čírtek said. He added that while the details of the production facilities will remain undisclosed for security reasons, production will begin in 2025.
The Czech Ministry of Defence and the Intergovernmental Defence Cooperation Agency AMOS played key roles in facilitating this agreement. Both entities have been instrumental in coordinating private sector support for Ukraine since the beginning of the war and are central to the ongoing Czech Ammunition Initiative, which aims to increase ammunition supply to Ukraine.
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