Czech Republic sends tanks to Ukraine, prints concrete anti-tank barriers on 3D printers
Czech politicians have joined the world in denouncing the atrocities committed by the Russian army in Ukraine, saying that the war criminals must be brought to justice. In the meantime, the Czech government has boosted military support for the country, sending T-72 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to help Ukraine defend itself.
Expressions of shock, horror and condemnation are filling the Czech social media as more and more evidence emerges of the atrocities committed by Russian forces on Ukrainian soil.
The Czech Parliament on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning the atrocities committed by the Russian army in Buca, describing the mass killing of innocent civilians as a war crime.
It also called for the Czech Republic to take an active part in setting up an international tribunal to investigate and prosecute the war crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine.
Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Jan Bartošek said the brutality of Russian troops against innocent civilians in Ukraine was comparable with the genocide in Srebrenica and with the atrocities committed by Nazi SS troops during World War II. He called for a ban on all Russian banks from the international payment system and for the exclusion of Russia from all international organizations.
Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said the Russian army is systematically committing war crimes in Ukraine and the perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions. He said present-day Russia was comparable to the Stalinist regime and had nothing in common with the civilized world.
There was unanimous agreement in the house that Ukraine must be helped to defend itself and Defense Minister Jana Černochová assured the assembly that the Czech Republic was providing and would continue to provide military support. However, citing security reasons, she refused to confirm that the Czechs were sending T-72 tanks and BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
"I will not confirm or deny these reports. I can only assure you that the Fiala government is helping Ukraine as much as it can and will continue to help by supplying military equipment, both light and heavy."
Czech Television reported on the latest delivery of military equipment, showing footage of a train loaded with five tanks and five fighting vehicles. The information that the tanks and armoured vehicles were being sent to Ukraine was confirmed by the head of the Czech lower house's European Affairs Committee Ondřej Benešík.
According to the Defense Ministry the Czech Republic has sent military aid worth nearly 1 billion crowns ($45 million) to Ukraine since the war broke out. The Czech Republic is also said to be considering aid in terms of helping to repair and refit damaged Ukrainian military equipment and a Czech company in Žďár nad Sázavou has started printing concrete anti-tank barriers on 3D printers and is considering the possibility of Ukrainians printing them “on the battleground” as needed.
