Czech army chief receives Ukrainian Order of Merit

Chief of the Czech Army General Staff Karel Řehka received the Ukrainian Order of Merit, Second Class, in Prague on Friday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the honour in September 2023, but it was formally presented only now during a visit by Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

The Czech army shared the news on social media, noting both countries’ shared goal of stopping aggression, defending freedom, and protecting Europe. Řehka called the award a tribute to Czechia, and especially its army’s, support.

Czechia is among Ukraine’s strongest backers. Its military has trained over 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers in the past two years, both at home and abroad. NATO chief Mark Rutte recently said Czech military aid has reached €1.3 billion since the war began.

Last year, the country also helped coordinate the delivery of 1.5 million artillery shells to Ukraine. A similar shipment is expected by the end of this year through a Czech-led international initiative.