Ukraine's allies have already raised funds to purchase 800,000 shells

Almost all of the money needed to buy 800,000 shells for Ukraine has been raised, and the ammunition could be on the frontline as early as March or April. According to several people familiar with the project, the shells could be delivered in the coming weeks, although the timing could vary depending on the speed of contracting and transport.

Source. Bloomberg reports.

The Czech Republic, which initially proposed to urgently purchase the shells outside the EU, will be the main organiser, accepting money from allies and ensuring delivery. A group of several hundred Czechs and Ukrainians are working around the clock in the eastern city of Sternberg, transforming buildings belonging to arms manufacturer Excalibur Army into a major centre for supplying weapons to Ukraine, Reuters reports.

Czech President Petr Pavel said in February at the Munich Security Conference that Prague had found 500,000 155 mm and 300,000 122 mm rounds in various countries that could be purchased quickly if funds were available. The money is now available, a government official working on the project confirmed to Bloomberg.

Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, France, and France have already agreed to participate in the initiative, and Poland has expressed interest.

It is estimated that Ukraine needs at least 200,000 shells per month to successfully counter Russian troops. The lack of ammunition was the main reason for the loss of Avdiivka, which Ukrainian forces had to abandon in mid-February after more than four months of gruelling fighting.

"All the fortifications were destroyed by artillery fire and air bombs, and there was no way to build new ones," a Ukrainian soldier who had been in Avdiivka since the beginning of the war told The New York Times.

The main reason for the defeat was "lack of ammunition, no question," added the commander of the 25th separate battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, call sign Shaman. His unit was deployed to defend Avdiivka in October when Russian troops began to storm the city.

To help solve this problem, the Czechoslovak Group (CSG), one of Europe's largest arms companies (it includes Excalibur Army), is ready to invest hundreds of millions of euros in ammunition production in Ukraine. The company is in talks with Ukroboronprom to set up a joint venture and is looking for a site for an artillery and tank shell factory, Czech billionaire Michal Strnad, CSG's owner and CEO, said on Wednesday.

Background. Earlier, it was reported that the EU countries would support the Czech Republic's proposal to purchase 800,000 shells for Ukraine outside the bloc. French President Emmanuel Macron may announce this decision by the end of the week.