The Czech Republic was one of the first countries to strongly condemn the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
At an emergency meeting on February 24, the Government of the Czech Republic decided to provide immediate humanitarian aid to Ukraine – in the total amount of more than $12.3 million and to introduce an information service for Ukrainian citizens who are in the country. 10 million kroner was also allocated for sanitary materials – first aid kits, blood and plasma. In April, the Czech Republic provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine with long-term storage products in the amount of more than $0.6 million. This includes, in particular, 20 tons of pastes, 16 tons of pasta and almost 90 tons of dry milk from the country’s material reserve fund.
The Czech Republic closed its airspace from the north to Russian planes and, along with Poland, provided trains for the evacuation of Ukrainians.
At the end of February, a massive demonstration in support of Ukraine and against Russian aggression was held in the center of Prague on Wenceslas Square, in which more than 80,000 Czechs took part. Also, all public transport in Prague was decorated with Ukrainian flags.
The government of the Czech Republic revoked the permission to operate the consulates general in Brno and Karlovy Vary, and also stopped the work of its consulates general in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg.
There are about 200,000 refugees from Ukraine in the Czech Republic, which is approximately 2 percent of the Czech population. Staying in the country allows refugees to live in the Czech Republic for one year, have access to health insurance, education and the opportunity to find a job.
In March, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, was awarded the highest state award of the Czech Republic – the Order of the White Lion.
The Czech Republic has frozen the assets of Russian citizens and companies subject to EU sanctions imposed against Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine, worth several million dollars.
The Chamber of Deputies (lower house of the parliament) of the Czech Republic unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the war crimes committed by the Russian military in Ukraine and calling for the punishment of the guilty, as well as tougher sanctions against the Russian Federation.
The Czech news agency “České noviny” (ČTK) has launched a news column in the Czech language about the main events in Ukraine from the Ukrainian National Information Agency “Ukrinform” in a special section dedicated to the war in Ukraine. “Czech Radio” has launched an internet broadcast of a radio broadcast in Ukrainian on the audio portal and mobile application mujRozhlas.cz.
The Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic sent machine guns, small arms, sniper rifles, and corresponding ammunition worth $7.7 million to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A charity auction was held in the Czech capital, where more than $1 million was collected for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the end of April, citizens of the Czech Republic transferred about $51 million to the special account of the Ukrainian embassy, which was used for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
To support the defense of Ukraine against the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic allowed damaged Ukrainian armored vehicles to be serviced at its defense industry enterprises.
On the whole, the Czech Republic transferred more than $130 million in aid to Ukraine. Tanks, attack helicopters and artillery systems are among the most important types of weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On April 14, the Chairman of the Senate of the Czech Republic, Milos Vystrchil, together with several fellow senators, arrived in Kyiv at the invitation of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Mr. Vystrchil said that the restoration of Ukraine is also the restoration of democratic and civilized Europe, so the Czech Republic’s duty is to help it after victory.
On June 5, in the center of Prague, on Old Town Square near the Prague Maidan tent, the 100 Days Of Russian WoARld exhibition was held with photographs illustrating Russia’s war against Ukraine.
At the end of June, the Government of the Czech Republic approved the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to stop issuing visas and residence permits to citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus until the end of March 2023.
The development of mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation also remains an important priority of the two countries.
The analysis of export and import operations of the Dnipropetrovsk region with the Czech Republic demonstrates a high level of partnership relations, because the specified state is one of the key trade and investment partners of the region. There are 29 Czech companies operating in the region, which have invested $10.7 million in the region’s economy. The Czech Republic ranks 2nd among exporters from the Dnipropetrovsk region and ranks 7th in the import of goods among EU countries.
According to the results of 2021, the volume of goods export from the Dnipropetrovsk region increased 2.5 times ($514.8 million), which accounted for 36.4% of the volume of Ukraine to the Czech Republic. The goods that are in the greatest demand among Czech consumers are iron ores, ferrous metals and products, parts for railway locomotives, etc.
Export operations were carried out by 88 enterprises from the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The main exporting companies are enterprises of the mining and metallurgical complex and the processing industry.
TOP-5 exporting enterprises (ranking by volume of exported products):
The import of goods from the Czech Republic to the Dnipropetrovsk region amounted to $77.6 million (5.2% of Ukraine’s imports from the Czech Republic) and increased by 16% compared to 2020. Dnipropetrovsk region traditionally bought machinery and equipment, oil and products of its refining, plastics and polymers, detergents, medicines and other things.
Import operations were carried out by 238 importing enterprises.
TOP-5 importing enterprises (ranking by volume of imported products):
Among the most promising directions for export to the Czech Republic are products of the mining and metallurgical complex, equipment for railway locomotives, organic products of the agricultural sector and goods of light industry from natural materials.
