In the midst of the war, an exciting piece of news was revealed at the Munich Security Conference, when Czech Pyotr Pavel revealed an astonishing plan that excited the entire international community. According to Pavel**, the Czechs have discovered a huge stockpile of artillery shells, numbering hundreds of thousands, and they plan to send this valuable support to the front line in Ukraine to provide Ukraine with much-needed fire support.
At the heart of this plan is to seek financial support from allies such as the United States and Germany in order to get these shells to Ukraine in the shortest possible time. Pavel** detailed the type and number of these shells, including half a million rounds of 155 mm caliber ammunition and three hundred thousand rounds of 122 mm caliber ammunition that Ukraine urgently needs. This means that Ukraine is expected to significantly increase its firepower strike capabilities in the near future, making it more competitive on the battlefield.
It is gratifying to note that the Czech Republic has received strong support from Denmark, the Netherlands and Canada in this initiative. These countries are not only on the side of the Czech Republic, but also actively communicating with partners such as the United States, Germany, and Sweden to contribute to the ammunition support operation in Ukraine. This cooperation means that the international community is united to provide substantial support to Ukraine in the fight against aggression.
However, in the face of this ambitious plan, Pavel** also admits that funding is the key challenge. He revealed that the unit price of 155-mm shells purchased by the EU is as high as 5,000 euros, so the total cost of half a million shells will reach 2.5 billion euros. It's a staggering number, but for Ukraine, it may be the key to breaking out of the predicament.
The Ukrainian army has long faced the problem of lack of ammunition, and the Russian army's firepower superiority has made them difficult to suppress on the battlefield. While revealing the plan, Pavel** also pointed out the dilemma that the Ukrainian army consumes only about 2,000 rounds of ammunition per day. In contrast, the Russian army consumes more than three times as much ammunition as Ukraine, which has led to Ukraine being in a passive position on the ground battlefield.
This is not the first time that Ukraine has attracted international attention due to a shortage of ammunition. The ambitious plan launched by NATO last year aims to produce one million artillery shells for Ukraine in 2023, but due to the sharp decline in the production capacity of NATO military factories after the Cold War, less than 40% of the target has actually been achieved. Pavel**'s plan gives Ukraine a glimmer of hope that the arrival of 800,000 rounds of artillery shells will greatly alleviate its lack of ammunition.
However, the implementation of this plan still faces an insurmountable hurdle, and that is the huge financial need. Ukraine must quickly raise €2.5 billion to ensure that these precious munitions reach the front lines quickly and safely. Pavel**'s reminder is sensible that this is not only a logistical challenge, but also a key strategic issue for Ukraine.
In such a moment of crisis, Ukraine needs tremendous international support. Perhaps, the upfront financing of some of the funds is a viable strategy in order to quickly procure some of the much-needed shells and buy time for follow-up operations. At the same time, cooperation with Denmark, the Netherlands and other countries will also play an important role in the whole process.
The success of this ammunition support operation will directly affect the fate of the Ukrainian army on the battlefield in the future. The international community witnessed this move and expected Ukraine to overcome the difficulties and realize this plan to make its army more combat-ready and defend freedom and independence. The realization of this plan will be a victory not only for Ukraine, but also for international justice and will set an example for those countries that pursue peace and freedom.