Czech ammunition initiative: How many shells have been funded so far this year
Illustrative photo: Last year, Czechia transferred nearly 2 million shells to Ukraine (Getty Images)
Despite a change of government, Czechia continues to implement its ammunition initiative for Kyiv. Since the beginning of 2026, funding has already been secured for 880,000 shells for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said National Security Adviser Hynek Kmoníček at a briefing.
Speaking at a public hearing in the Czech Senate, Kmoníček said that since the start of 2026, funds have been raised for 880,000 shells. He added that in 2025, the Czech ammunition initiative supplied Ukraine with 48% of the total volume of large-caliber ammunition deliveries and 52% of 155mm shells.
"We are actively seeking additional sponsors and donors to reach a total of 2.5 to 5 billion koruna," he said.
Kmoníček noted that Ukraine currently has a strong demand for large-caliber ammunition with a range exceeding 30 kilometers. According to the Czech government, the Ukrainian army uses between 3,000 and 8,000 such shells per day.
Czech ammunition initiative
The Czech initiative to procure artillery ammunition for Ukraine was launched in February 2024. Since the project began, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have received more than 4 million shells of various calibers, purchased with international funding.
In 2025 alone, Czechia delivered 1.8 million units of large-caliber ammunition to Ukrainian troops. It was planned to transfer 1.5 million at best.
Babiš pushes back
However, the continuation of the initiative came under threat following a political shift in Prague. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš initially attempted to halt the program.
However, he faced strong resistance both from the public and from Czech President Petr Pavel. As a result, Babiš abandoned his plan but ruled out further direct financing of ammunition purchases from the Czech state budget.
Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka, during a visit to Ukraine in early January, confirmed that Prague intends to continue the ammunition initiative. According to him, nothing should change for Ukraine.
