WSJ: Czech Republic buys shells for Ukraine from some of Russia's allies
Some countries allied with Russia are selling shells to the Czech Republic for their subsequent shipment to Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported. According to the publication, the deals were concluded in secret, and deliveries are carried out through the Czech Republic in order "not to expose suppliers to the wrath of Moscow." The Czech government promises that the first batch of shells purchased on the Czech initiative can be delivered to Ukraine no later than June. Details can be found in the material of "Gazeta.Ru».
Russia's allies allegedly sell ammunition to the Czech Republic for their subsequent delivery to Ukraine. This is reported by The Wall Street Journal newspaper with reference to Czech officials.
The publication does not disclose which countries sell the shells.
"Privacy plays a key role here: we talk and will talk to anyone, regardless of their loyalty or political position - with very few exceptions, such as North Korea," The Wall Street Journal quoted the Czech government's national security adviser Tomas Pojar as saying.
In order to conclude contracts and obtain export licenses, Czech officials "non-publicly" visited dozens of countries that either have production facilities or suitable ammunition.
Having agreed, the Czech Republic applied for payment to any Western country. The deliveries were carried out through the territory of the Czech Republic or some third country. Thus, Ukraine's allies hid where the supplies were coming from and for whom. And they also "did not expose suppliers to the wrath of Moscow," writes The Wall Street Journal.
Among the countries that paid for such supplies, The Wall Street Journal names Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Denmark (the United States did not participate in the transactions).
It is reported that the Czech Republic began purchasing ammunition even before the start of a special military operation in Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal writes that the Czech Republic managed to achieve success in negotiations with suppliers, despite the fact that similar proposals from the United States and Western Europe were rejected.
There is money for the first batch
The initiative to purchase ammunition in third countries was presented by Czech Prime Minister Peter Pavel on February 17 at the Munich Security Conference. He announced the possibility of supplying 500 thousand 155 mm and 300 thousand 122 mm shells to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The first batch of shells purchased in this way can be delivered to Ukraine no later than June, Tomasz Pojar told the CHTK news agency.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that the first deliveries would take place "in a tangible perspective."
"According to the preliminary signals that we received, our guys at the front will feel an increase in the supply of shells in the foreseeable future. That is, it won't take many months," Kuleba said at a press conference on March 13.
Earlier, Tomasz Pojar told the Denik N newspaper that Ukraine's allies have so far managed to raise money only for the first batch of shells.
Kazakhstan does not sell weapons to Ukraine, Serbia refused to train soldiers
Earlier, information appeared in the media about Ukraine's purchases of military products in countries friendly to Russia.
On March 7, RIA Novosti wrote that the Ukrainian state-owned company Ukrspetsexport is conducting similar negotiations with Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan stated that these data are not true.
"We ask citizens and the media not to react to the rumors spread and to trust only official sources of information," the Defense Ministry of Kazakhstan said (quoted by Sputnik Kazakhstan ).
In addition, there were reports in the Western media that Serbia had agreed to supply weapons to Ukraine. This was reported by Reuters with reference to the "merged" Pentagon document. At the same time, the document claims, Belgrade refused to train the Ukrainian military.
Alexey Permyakov