Ukraine Could Provide Workers for Czech Arms Industry

Highly-trained Ukrainian workers could fill thousands of job vacancies in the Czech arms industry to help meet demand triggered by the war in Ukraine, a Czech defence official said on Monday.

The Czech Republic has been one of the top weapons providers to Kyiv among NATO allies since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Deliveries, though, have badly depleted inventories, and officials have warned it could take years to restock.

Some Czech arms producers have already signalled that they need to boost their workforce.

“(There) will be thousands of jobs,” said Deputy Defence Minister Tomáš Kopečný, suggesting that workers could come from Ukraine, whose own arms industry has been targeted by Russian attacks.

“It depends on how the production capacities of Czech companies or the production of joint Czech-Ukrainian arms factories will be increased.”

According to him, the agreement was reached during the meeting between Prime Minister Petr Fiala and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in October.

Besides, according to the deputy minister, these agreements will be beneficial for both parties, as Czech defense industry enterprises lack qualified workers.

As an example, the deputy minister gives Tatra company from the Czechoslovak Group holding company that lacks five hundred workers.
At the end of October, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov, and his counterpart from the Czech Republic Jana Černochová discussed further cooperation on strengthening the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Finalizing the meeting, Reznikov announced more than 50 projects with the participation of the Czech Republic to strengthen the Ukrainian army.