Military equipment of Czechoslovak Group (Photo: Facebook page of the company)

The West has learned several important lessons from Russia's war against Ukraine. In particular, the fact that European armies are not prepared for the battlefield that exists in Ukraine was discussed in an interview with LIGA.net director of External Relations at Czechoslovak Group (CSG), Czech Defense Company, Jan Hamacek.

A key example is the use of drones and UAVs.

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"The battlefield in Ukraine is different from what Western armies were trained for and what their equipment was originally designed for. It's not that the equipment is unusable, but it requires different tactics," Hamachek explained.

According to him, large pieces of equipment, such as howitzers, are easy targets for drones, and this puts more emphasis on anti-drone defense, which Europe has learned from the Ukrainian experience.

Another lesson learned is the importance of direct protection and camouflage systems, especially as Ukrainian forces are also making effective use of drones. The CSG director noted that reducing the heat footprint of vehicles was crucial.

"We are also working to develop more effective short-range air defense systems based on lessons learned in Ukraine," he summarized.

  • In October, Ukraine already received 1.3 million shells from the Czech Republic. By the end of 2025, their number will reach 1.8 million.
  • In November, Czech volunteers paused the purchase of Flamingo missiles for the Armed Forces amid a corruption scandal.