As part of her regular visits to companies in the Czech defence industry, Minister of Defence Jana Černochová visited the Tatra company in Kopřivnice, part of the Czechoslovak Group (CSG), today. She met with the management and inspected the local production facilities. At the end of the visit, a material donation was presented to the Ukrainian villages of Starý Martinov and Zborov. The Minister had previously visited these villages in July and initiated material assistance.

Upon arriving at the Tatra Kopřivnice premises, the Minister of Defence was welcomed by CSG CEO and owner Michal Strnad, along with Tatra Defence Vehicle CEO Tomáš Mohapel, Tatra Trucks CEO Petr Buršík, and Excalibur Army CEO Vladimír Stulančák. They briefed the Minister on their portfolio of activities and future plans during a joint meeting.

The cooperation between the Ministry of Defence and Tatra is spread across the company’s sister subsidiaries. "Tatra is a key partner in our industrial cooperation programs. These include projects like the tracked infantry fighting vehicle, NATO gun, SHORAD anti-aircraft system, and MADR radar," the Minister of Defence said, adding that the last framework contract with Tatra was concluded in mid-July. "It was an agreement for the purchase of up to 872 T-815 all-terrain vehicles in three different variants," she noted. The framework agreement also allows alliance partners to participate. The Czech Ministry of Defence took inspiration from the German Ministry of Defence's contract for Leopard 2A8 tanks. Slovakia has already decided to join the Tatra trucks project as of the end of August, which could bring a quantitative discount for the Czech Republic as well.

Diesel Generators and Power Plants

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has impacted not only large cities but also small villages, including Starý Martinov and Zborov—places historically connected with the actions of Czechoslovak soldiers during both World Wars. The Ministry of Defence has long cooperated with these municipalities in preserving memorials and graves of Czechoslovak soldiers. In this context, Defence Minister Jana Černochová decided to provide assistance to these municipalities through technical equipment, as specified by local officials during her visit in July.

"Russian attacks are affecting the entire country, and unfortunately, Putin continues to target populated areas and energy infrastructure. As a result, many areas are facing blackouts. I spoke with representatives of Starý Martinov and Zborov about these challenges and about the humanitarian aid the Czech Republic could offer ahead of the coming winter. Today's donation, which the Ministry of Defence arranged with the Czechoslovak Group, is a direct result of those discussions," Minister Černochová explained.

The official donation ceremony took place on October 3 at the Tatra Trucks automotive plant’s testing grounds in Kopřivnice. Minister Černochová received a symbolic confirmation of the donation from Vladimír Stulančák, Director of Excalibur Army, in front of the truck carrying the donated equipment. The donation includes charging stations, diesel generators, an electric generator, and reconnaissance drones, all intended to support Ukrainian army units where soldiers from Starý Martinov and Zborov are serving. The total value and exact details of the donation were not disclosed for security reasons, given that it includes equipment for the Ukrainian army.

"Our company has supported Ukraine with weapons systems and ammunition since the first day of Russian aggression. But we also want to help maintain normal life in Ukraine’s hinterlands, which is why we welcomed the Ministry of Defence's donation project for Starý Martinov and Zborov. We are proud to be involved, and I hope that in the future, we will support Ukraine not only in defense but also in peaceful reconstruction," Stulančák said.

At the end of her visit, the Minister of Defence thanked CSG for its continued support to Ukraine. Over the past two and a half years, during the conflict initiated by Russia, the company has delivered nearly 1,000 pieces of equipment and over 1.2 million rounds of large-caliber ammunition to the war-torn country.