Czech official labels Russia a ‘direct military threat’

A senior Czech official said Thursday Russia posed a “direct military threat” to the Czech Republic and its eastern NATO allies as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued.

Martin Povejsil, head of the Czech foreign ministry’s security department, told reporters it was “impossible to rule out a direct military threat (from Russia) in the foreseeable future.”

He was commenting on a new security strategy approved by the Czech government on Wednesday and designed to raise awareness of the security situation among the Czech public.

“We can see how agendas that were until recently perceived as free of security aspects are gradually taking security into account,” Povejsil said, naming science and research, prone to cyber attacks and espionage, as an example.

“It is necessary to raise the awareness of security threats among the public, and the willingness to share the related costs,” he added.

The security strategy says the Czech Republic should get ready “for the possibility that it could become part of an armed conflict.”

The document also identifies China as a threat, although Povejsil said it was not a direct military one at present.

“Russia and China share the interest to weaken the influence and unity of democratic countries. This systemic rivalry is of a long-term nature,” says the strategy.

Like many of its EU and NATO allies, the Czech Republic, a country of 10.8 million people, has provided Ukraine with hefty humanitarian and military aid since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday that Prague had provided Kyiv with 24 tanks, 76 armored vehicles and 645 anti-tank missiles between January and May this year.

Last year, the Czech defense ministry sent 38 tanks, 55 armored vehicles and over 50 other military vehicles to Ukraine, among other things.

The Czech Republic has also received almost half a million war refugees from Ukraine.