Ukraine and the Czech Republic seek to jointly produce weapons and ammunition

7 July, 2023 The T-72 tank during modernization at the Excalibur Army plant. A frame from the company's video Ukraine has signed a memorandum on military-technical cooperation with the Czech Republic.

The cooperation involves the joint production of weapons and ammunition, as well as the modernization of armored vehicles. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Oleksandr Kamyshin and First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic Frantisek Schulz. The document provides for the support of military-technical cooperation and joining efforts, in particular, in the production of weapons and ammunition.

It is also envisaged to support other projects implemented by defense companies in Ukraine and the Czech Republic.

Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Ukraine and the Czech Republic on cooperation in the defense industry, July 7, 2023. Photo credits: Office of the President of Ukraine

Oleksandr Kamyshin noted on social networks that the cooperation was related to the joint production of small arms and ammunition, as well as the modernization of armored vehicles.

Repair of IFV at the Excalibur Army factory

In addition, the memorandum provides for the conclusion of separate contracts between the subjects of the two states. The signing of the documents took place in the presence of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala.

It is expected that a Czech delegation will arrive in Ukraine in the near future to further develop the agreements reached between the Ukrainian and Czech parties. In June, the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic reported that Ukrainian T-64 tanks, which had been in storage for a long time, would be repaired at the Czech enterprise. The exact amount of equipment to be overhauled in the Czech Republic in the coming months is not being disclosed for security reasons.

Training of soldiers of the 30th Mechanized Brigade on T-64BV.

Photo credits: Ministry of Defense

The contract on repairing and modernization of T-64 tanks of the Ukrainian army was concluded on the basis of a memorandum between the state enterprise VOP CZ and the Ukrainian Ukroboronprom State Concern, signed in February this year.

This project is one of the first specific results of cooperation after the creation of the so-called defense cluster, which should support the development of new Czech-Ukrainian joint enterprises.

The defense cluster is planned to be used to increase the production of military equipment for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.