2014 Vrbětice ammunition warehouse explosions
A no entry clean-up zone secured by Czech police in May 2018
A no entry clean-up zone secured by Czech police in May 2018
Native nameVýbuchy muničních skladů ve Vrběticích
LocationVrbětice, Vlachovice (Zlín District), Czech Republic
Date16 October 2014 (2014-10-16), 3 December 2014 (2014-12-03)
TargetAmmunition depot
Attack type
Sabotage
Deaths2
PerpetratorsGRU (suspected)

In 2014, two explosions of ammunition depots occurred in Vrbětice, Vlachovice, in the Zlín District of the Czech Republic.[1] The first explosion occurred on 16 October, and the second on 3 December. Two people were killed in the first explosion. The cleanup of unexploded ammunition left by the blasts was finished on 13 October 2020.[2] According to the Security Information Service and the Police of the Czech Republic, two agents from GRU Unit 29155 were involved in the explosions, with the motivation of disrupting weapons supplies to Ukraine.[3][4]

Background

Both destroyed warehouses were located on the site of the state-owned Military Technical Institute (Vojenský technický ústav, or VTÚ), leased by the Ostrava-based arms company Imex Group.[5][6] A total of six buildings were leased on site, in which the company stored ammunition, weapons and other goods. The owner was Petr Bernatík Jr., who was the executive director and, together with his father, also worked in several other armaments companies.[7]

Explosions

First explosion

On 16 October 2014, the first explosion occurred at Warehouse No. 16, containing 50 tonnes of ammunition, which was thrown as far as 800 metres (870 yd) away after the blast.[8] Two employees of the company were killed and nearby villages were evacuated.[9][10]

The ammunition depot was not present in Zlín District emergency plans, so firefighters at the scene were left unaware of the possible dangers.[11] Immediately after the explosion, about 100 people from the nearby village Vlachovice, as well as students from elementary school and high school in Slavičín were evacuated from the surrounding area.[12] The evacuation, which lasted for two days, was a preemptive measure, as pyrotechnicians were clearing the villages. There were random, uncontrolled detonations in the area caused by ammunition falling from trees or by wildlife. On 30 October, the police announced that access to the area was safe, and 7,000 tonnes of ammunition from the depots could be moved away.[13]

Second explosion

On 3 December 2014, a second explosion occurred at Warehouse No. 12, which contained 100 tonnes of ammunition. The depot was 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi)[14] from the epicentre of the first explosion. 430 people from surrounding villages were evacuated.[15] According to Imex Group's lawyer, artillery ammunition and submachine guns were stored in the depot. He believed that the depot could not have exploded on its own.[16]

Cleaning up the damage

Uncontrolled blasts continued after the second explosion. The last one was observed in mid-December 2014. On 22 December, clean-up workers arrived in Vrbětice.[17] In October 2020 the clean-up was finished.[18] The total cost of cleaning the unexploded ammunition was estimated to be up to CZK 1 billion.[17]

Involvement of Russian GRU

According to the Security Information Service and the Police of the Czech Republic, the depot explosions were probably engineered by Russian military intelligence (GRU) officers.[4] The announcement was made at a press conference by the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš on 17 April 2021.[19] Babiš said that there was "reasonable suspicion regarding a role of members of Russian military intelligence GRU Unit 29155 in the explosion."[20] He said "Russia was not attacking the Czech Republic. The agents attacked ... the goods of a Bulgarian arms trader, who was probably selling these arms to parties fighting Russia ... The ammunition was supposed to explode en route. Of course it is unacceptable that GRU agents were undertaking the operation here - which they bungled".[21]

Two Russian intelligence officers Alexander Mishkin and Anatoly Chepiga suspected of carrying out the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in 2018 were alleged to have been involved in the explosions. Mishkin and Chepiga reportedly arrived in Prague from Moscow on 13 October 2014 and left on 16 October. They requested permission to visit the warehouses for the period of 13–17 October from Imex, using fake passports of citizens of Tajikistan and Moldova (Chepiga as Ruslan Tabarov, Mishkin as Nicolaj Popa).[22] Although no one saw them in the ammunition depot, the investigators believe that both visited Vrbětice as potential arms buyers.[23][24][25]

According to the Czech news magazine Respekt, the ammunition stored in the exploded depot was to be sold to Ukraine battling in the war in Donbas through the Bulgarian arms trader Emiliyan Gebrev;[24][26] Gebrev himself was poisoned in 2015, allegedly by the GRU,[24][27] and his arms depots in Bulgaria suffered five explosions linked to the GRU between 2011 and 2022.[28] Jan Hamáček said the munitions were not planned to explode on Czech territory but only after being transported to Bulgaria.[29] According to the news portal of Seznam.cz, the ammunition was to be sold to the Syrian opposition battling in the civil war against the armed forces led by Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Russia.[30] EMCO, the Gebrev company, published a statement denying that the ammunition was heading to Syria or Ukraine.[31] Later, Gebrev admitted in his email to The New York Times that his company had shipped military equipment to Ukraine after 2014.[32]

Russian investigative group The Insider published further details, indicating that EMCO was one of two companies in the EU manufacturing ammunition compatible with Soviet designed arms, especially 120 mm mortar and 152 mm howitzer rounds. Supplies from the other company were purchased out by the GRU at a higher price, thus making them unavailable for Ukraine, while EMCO agreed to a sale to Ukrainian armed forces, which significantly increased their defense capabilities against Russian intervention. However, the particular supplies intended for Ukraine were not stored in Vrbětice, and the GRU either didn't know it or it hoped that the supplies from Vrbětice would be eventually transported to EMCO depots in Bulgaria and explode there (which explains the delayed detonation).[33]

According to the conclusions of the joint investigation by Bellingcat, Der Spiegel, Respekt and The Insider, six officers of the GRU, led by the head of military unit 29155, general Andrey Averyanov, took part in the operation. In addition to Averyanov, Mishkin and Chepiga, among these six officers were Nikolay Yezhov, Denis Sergeev (cover identity "Sergey Fedotov") and Egor Gordienko ("Georgy Gorshkov"). Two out of six operated under the cover of diplomatic couriers.[23][34][22][35] Data analyzed by Bellingcat supports the hypothesis that the 2014 explosions in Vrbětice were part of a longer-term GRU operation aimed at disrupting Ukraine's capabilities to procure weapons and munitions critical to its defense against Russian troops and Russia-sponsored militants in the war in Eastern Ukraine.[36] The investigation is ongoing and the National Center Against Organized Crime is examining potential support from a Czech citizen.[37]

Security Information Service intelligence report

On 7 April 2021, the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and other members of the Intelligence Activity Committee of the National Security Council were informed about the involvement of Russian secret agents by the Security Information Service.[38] On the same day, a secret intelligence report by BIS was delivered to the Office of the Czech president Miloš Zeman; the Office delivered it to the president himself on 13 April.[39] On 25 April the president said he had been first informed about the involvement by Babiš and Hamáček on 17 April;[40] according to five sources of Deník N, the President did not read the report before that.[41] In January 2022, it was reported that police wanted to analyze the intelligence report for fingerprints and DNA to find out who had unauthorized access to it but the Office of the President told them the report had been shredded in November 2021.[42][43]

Reactions following Czech Government's conclusions on Russian involvement

Domestic reactions

On 17 April 2021, Minister of the Interior and acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Hamáček announced that the Czech Republic was expelling all Russian diplomats who had been identified as Russian intelligence services′ operatives, namely 18 diplomats in the Russian embassy in Prague.[20][19][24][44]

On 19 April, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said that the incident was not an act of state terrorism, but a botched operation to destroy the goods of a Bulgarian ammunition trader, "who was probably selling those weapons to parties fighting against Russia".[45][46] Babiš's statement was widely condemned and ridiculed by politicians, experts, and the public.[45][47] Babiš was criticised by the Czech Social Democratic Party first deputy chairman Roman Onderka and by the opposition.[48] Some public figures including Jan Hamáček, former Chief of the General Staff Petr Pavel, President of the Senate Miloš Vystrčil and Chairman of the Civic Democratic Party Petr Fiala labelled the incident as a terrorist attack and an act of state terrorism.[49][50] Babiš apologized and said that the incident was an "unprecedented" terrorist attack.[48][51] The initial statement by Babiš was quickly picked up by Russian media, including state-controlled RT.[1]

On 18 April, Czech Trade Minister Karel Havlíček said that Russia's Rosatom would be excluded from the nuclear tender to build a new unit of the Dukovany Nuclear Power Station.[52]

On 21 April, the Senate of the Czech Republic passed a resolution designating the explosion an "act of state terrorism against an EU country", and called on the Czech government, i.a., to claim from Russia a financial compensation for the victims, material damage and repair of the damages.[53]

Prague City Hall demanded that the government negotiate with Russia on the return of part of the city's park Stromovka with a total area of about half a hectare that the Russian Embassy has been using since it was taken over by Soviet troops in 1968 after the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.[54][55][56]

Seznam Zprávy reported that Jan Hamáček was considering negotiating with Russia not to disclose evidence of Russia's involvement in the explosions in exchange for 1 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine. Hamáček denied the accusation and said that he intended to sue the media outlet. The journalist, Janek Kroupa, said that he had an audio recording.[57]

On 25 April Czech president Miloš Zeman cast doubt on Russia's involvement, suggesting the blasts could have been caused accidentally due to the mishandling of explosives and said there was no conclusive evidence to charge Russia.[58] This statement prompted thousands of demonstrators to take to the streets in Prague on 29 April, calling Zeman "a servant" of Russia, and demanding he be tried for treason.[59] In response to Zeman's comments, Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamáček on 26 April said that "only one line of investigation exists on the Vrbětice case and that is the one connected with movements of those members of the [GRU] unit 29155" and that "the president's speech was such that everybody found something in it to please them including the Russian Federation, unfortunately".[60]

Reactions of other countries

On 17 April 2021, the day the Czech government made statements on Russia's involvement and expulsion of Russian diplomats, the US Embassy in Prague stated that the United States "stands with its steadfast ally, the Czech Republic. We appreciate their significant action to impose costs on Russia for its dangerous actions on Czech soil."[44] The Czech Republic was also fully supported by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, Dominic Raab, who stated that this event corresponded to the previous behaviour of Russian secret service agents, as was revealed, for example, in Salisbury. Other countries that were the first to express support for the Czech Republic included Slovakia, Latvia, Ukraine, Canada and Poland.[61][62] The chairman of the Britain's Commons foreign affairs select committee, Tom Tugendhat, stated that "the explosions in Vrbětice are the murder of two Czech citizens and a direct attack on a NATO country."[63] He believed that the level of relations with the Russian Federation needed to be reduced immediately. Tugendhat said that the member states of the North Atlantic Alliance should expel the Russian ambassadors.[64]

On 20 April, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia of the Visegrád Group issued the statement "We are ready to continue to build our resilience against subversion. We will carry out this both at the national level and in cooperation with our NATO allies, as well as within the framework of the European Union. The Foreign Ministers of Poland, Slovakia and Hungary express their solidarity with the latest actions taken by the Czech Republic, our close partner, ally and neighbor."[65]

On 22 April, NATO′s North Atlantic Council issued a statement that concluded by saying, "Allies express deep concern over the destabilising actions Russia continues to carry out across the Euro-Atlantic area, including on Alliance territory, and stand in full solidarity with the Czech Republic."[66] On the same day, Slovakia expelled three Russian diplomats (Russia had 28 diplomats accredited in Slovakia), Slovak prime minister Eduard Heger commenting that Slovakia was acting in solidarity with the Czech Republic and that the decision was made after a thorough evaluation of information provided by Slovak intelligence services in coordination with the services of allied countries.[67][68]

On 23 April, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia expelled four Russian diplomats in solidarity with Prague.[69][70][71]

Russia expelled 20 diplomats as persona non grata from the Czech embassy in Moscow. Maria Zakharova called the evidence presented by Czech authorities "a lie". On 23 April, Vladimir Putin signed a decree establishing a list of "unfriendly countries" which will be banned from hiring Russians at their diplomatic missions. On 14 May, Russia placed both the Czech Republic and the United States on the list of unfriendly countries. On 27 April, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that additional countries could be added to the unfriendly list, especially the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and also Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, and on 10 June, Poland was proposed to be added to the unfriendly list because Andrzej Duda had called the explosions a "violation of international law".[72][73][74][75][76][77]

References

  1. 1 2 "Russian military attack on the Czech territory: details, implications and next steps" (PDF). Kremlin Watch Report. 21 April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2021. Alt URL
  2. ↑ Kramář, Rudolf (14 October 2020). "Zásah ve Vrběticích je po dlouhých letech ukončen" [The intervention in Vrbětice is over after many years]. hzscr.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  3. ↑ "Czechia expels Russian diplomats over 2014 ammunition depot blast". Al Jazeera English. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 Eckel, Mike; Bedrov, Ivan; Komarova, Olha (18 April 2021). "A Czech Explosion, Russian Agents, A Bulgarian Arms Dealer: The Recipe For A Major Spy Scandal In Central Europe". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  5. ↑ Stratilík, Ondřej (8 December 2014). "Kulomety do Konga, prošlé náboje v USA. Staré hříchy vrbětického zbrojaře" [Machine guns to the Congo, used rounds to the USA. Old sins of a Vrbětice armorer]. Lidovky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  6. ↑ "Nejvyšší soud vrátil případ odškodnění za Babišovy výroky" [The Supreme Court returned the case of compensation for Babiš's statements]. Novinky.cz (in Czech). 7 July 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  7. ↑ Válková, Hana (7 December 2014). "Šéf Imexu kontroloval v muničním skladu balení. Druhý den přišel výbuch" [The head of Imex inspected the packaging in the ammunition depot. The next day there was an explosion]. iDNES.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  8. ↑ "Okolí vybuchlého skladu obsadili pyrotechnici, evakuace začala" [The area around the exploded warehouse was occupied by pyrotechnicians, and the evacuation began]. ČT24 (in Czech). 23 October 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  9. ↑ Vozárová, Jana (21 November 2014). "Exploze skladu ve Vrběticích má dvě oběti" [A warehouse explosion in Vrbětice has two victims]. Zlínský deník (in Czech). Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  10. ↑ "Explosion Of Ammunition Depots In Vlachovice-vrbětice In The Czech Republic". May 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  11. ↑ Fuksa, Aleš (3 November 2014). "Hasiči netušili, do jakého pekla ve Vrběticích jedou" [The firefighters had no idea what the hell they were going to in Vrbětice]. Novinky.cz. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  12. ↑ "Po výbuchu v muničním skladu jsou dva lidé nezvěstní" [After the explosion in the ammunition depot, two people are missing]. ČT24 (in Czech). 16 October 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  13. ↑ "Pyrotechnici vyčistili areál ve Vrběticích, munice se může odvézt" [Pyrotechnicians cleaned the area in Vrbětice, ammunition can be removed]. Novinky.cz. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  14. ↑ "Vrbětice: Evakuovaní lidé se domů dnes nevrátí" [Vrbětice: Evacuated people will not return home today]. ČT24 (in Czech). 14 December 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  15. ↑ "Ve Vrběticích explodoval jiný sklad s municí, lidé stráví noc mimo domov" [Another ammunition depot exploded in Vrbětice, people spend the night away from home]. iDNES.cz. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  16. ↑ "Sklad nemohl vybuchnout samovolně, řekl zástupce firmy, která si jej pronajímala" [The warehouse could not have exploded spontaneously, said a representative of the company that rented it]. Novinky.cz. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  17. 1 2 "Před pěti lety vybuchlo ve Vrběticích 60 tun munice. Policejní zásah trvá dodnes" [Five years ago, 60 tons of ammunition exploded in Vrbětice. The police intervention continues to this day]. ČT24 (in Czech). 16 October 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  18. ↑ "Po šesti letech skončil nejdelší a nejdražší zásah policie, čištění Vrbětic" [After six years, the longest and most expensive police intervention, the cleansing of Vrbětice, ended]. iDNES.cz. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  19. 1 2 "Do výbuchu ve Vrběticích byli zapojení ruští agenti, oznámil Babiš. Česko jich osmnáct vyhostí" [Russian agents were involved in the explosion in Vrbětice, Babiš announced. The Czechia will expel eighteen of them]. ČT24 (in Czech). 17 April 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  20. 1 2 "Czech Republic Expels 18 Russian Diplomats Over Depot Blast; Searches For Skripal Poisoning Suspects". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  21. ↑ Hovet, Jason; Lopatka, Jan (19 April 2021). "Czechs say Russian retaliation stronger than expected, seeks EU solidarity". Reuters. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  22. 1 2 "Дипломаты с бомбой. Как ГРУ взорвало склад вооружений в Чехии" [Diplomats with a bomb. How the GRU blew up an arms depot in the Czech Republic]. The Insider (in Russian). 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  23. 1 2 "Senior GRU Leader Directly Involved With Czech Arms Depot Explosion". Bellingcat. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  24. 1 2 3 4 Spurný, Ondřej; Kundra, Jaroslav (17 April 2020). "Za výbuchem muničního skladu ve Vrběticích stojí ruští agenti, kteří se pokusili zabít Skripala" [Russian agents who tried to kill Skripal are behind the explosion of the ammunition depot in Vrbětice]. Respekt. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  25. ↑ Corera, Gordon (17 April 2021). "Salisbury poisoning agents 'linked to Czech blast'". BBC News. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  26. ↑ "Moscow Expels 20 Czechs In Tit-For-Tat Move Over Alleged Russian Links To Deadly 2014 Depot Blast". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  27. ↑ "Third Skripal Suspect Linked to 2015 Bulgaria Poisoning". Bellingcat. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  28. ↑ Walker, Shaun (1 August 2022). "Arms dealer '100% sure' Russian agents behind blast at Bulgarian depot". the Guardian. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  29. ↑ "Minister: Blast involving Russian agents intended to occur elsewhere". Radio Prague. 18 April 2021.
  30. ↑ Blažek, Vojtěch (17 April 2021). "Proč ruští agenti zabíjeli v Česku: aby zabránili dodávce zbraní do Sýrie a na Ukrajinu" [Why Russian agents killed in the Czech Republic: to prevent the supply of weapons to Syria and Ukraine]. Seznam Zprávy. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  31. ↑ "Russian attacks in the Czech Republic: domestic context, implications, perspectives". OSW Centre for Eastern Studies. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  32. ↑ Schwirtz, Michael (24 April 2021). "The Arms Merchant in the Sights of Russia's Elite Assassination Squad". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  33. ↑ "Дипломаты с бомбой — 2. Как и почему ГРУ охотилось за болгарским оружейником Гебревым" [Diplomats with a bomb – 2. How and why the GRU hunted for the Bulgarian gunsmith Gebrev]. The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  34. ↑ Dobrokhotov, Roman; Grozev, Christo; Lehberger, Roman; Mayr, Walter; Puhl, Jan; Schmid, Fidelius (20 April 2021). "Tschechien: Explosion in Munitionsdepot war wohl Operation des russischen Geheimdienstes" [Czech Republic: Explosion in ammunition depot probably was an operation by the Russian secret service]. Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  35. ↑ Spurný, Jaroslav; Kundra, Ondřej (20 April 2021). "Bellingcat a Respekt: Za výbuchem ve Vrběticích je šest členů ruského komanda včetně jeho velitele" [Bellingcat and Respekt: Behind the explosion in Vrbětice are six members of the Russian commando, including its commander]. Respekt (in Czech). Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  36. ↑ Bellingcat Investigation Team (26 April 2021). "How GRU Sabotage and Assassination Operations in Czechia and Bulgaria Sought to Undermine Ukraine". bellingcat. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  37. ↑ "Controversy in Czech Republic on a missing document about Russian responsibility in Vrbětice explosions". 2 February 2022.
  38. ↑ "Premiér: Byl to odporný a zcela nepřijatelný teroristický akt, při němž zemřeli dva naši lidé" [Prime Minister: It was a heinous and completely unacceptable act of terrorism in which two of our people died].
  39. ↑ "BIS nás s Vrběticemi vystavila hrozbě obvinění z porušení zákona, píše Hrad" [The BIS has exposed us and Vrbětice to the threat of accusations of breaking the law, writes Hrad]. 3 February 2022.
  40. ↑ "Přepis: Projev prezidenta Zemana ke kauze Vrbětice" [Transcript: President Zeman's speech on the Vrbětice case – List of Reports]. Seznam Zprávy.
  41. ↑ "Tajná zpráva BIS o Vrběticích ležela na Hradě deset dní. Prezident ji nečetl, zřejmě mu o ní ani neřekli" [The BIS secret report about Vrbětice lay in the Castle for ten days. The president didn't read it, they probably didn't even tell him about it]. 19 May 2021.
  42. ↑ "Police investigating whether Office of President shredded intelligence report on Vrbětice blasts". 29 January 2022.
  43. ↑ "Mynář vypráví pohádky. Četl tajnou zprávu BIS? Poskytl ji Rusům? Hrad je vyšetřován" [Mynář tells fairy tales. Did he read the BIS secret report? Did he give it to the Russians? The castle is under investigation]. Aktuálně.cz. 31 January 2022.
  44. 1 2 Lopatka, Jan (17 April 2021). "Czechs expel 18 Russian envoys, accuse Moscow over ammunition depot blast". Reuters. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  45. 1 2 "Rusové ze hry o Dukovany. Babiš mluvil o "zpackaném" útoku na zboží a schytal to" [Russians from the game about Dukovany. Babiš talked about a "messed up" attack on goods and caught it]. Blesk (in Czech). 19 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  46. ↑ Willoughby, Ian (19 April 2021). "Babiš: Deadly Russian operation at Czech munitions store not act of state terrorism". Radio Prague.
  47. ↑ "Czech PM's Remarks On 2014 Blasts Trigger Outrage, Underscore Split Over Russia Ties". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  48. 1 2 "PM Babiš calls 2014 explosion a 'terrorist attack' after previously avoiding the phrase". expats.cz. ČTK. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  49. ↑ Štraub, Jiří (18 April 2021). "Petr Pavel pro eXtra.cz: Útok ve Vrběticích je vojenské napadení, ti lidé mají povolení zabíjet" [Petr Pavel for eXtra.cz: The attack in Vrbětice is a military attack, those people are allowed to kill]. Extra.cz. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  50. ↑ "Vystrčil i Fiala viní Rusko ze státního terorismu" [He also pushed Fiala to blame Russia for state terrorism]. ČT24. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  51. ↑ Lazarová, Daniela (20 April 2021). "PM apologizes for saying Vrbětice blasts did not constitute state terrorism". Radio Prague. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  52. ↑ Willoughby, Ian (18 April 2021). "Deputy PM: Rosatom to be excluded from key Czech nuclear tender". Radio Prague.
  53. ↑ "Usnesení Senátu ke vztahům mezi ČR a Ruskou federací" [Senate resolution on relations between the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation]. Senate of the Czech Republic. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  54. ↑ Laca, Peter; Ponikelska, Lenka (19 April 2021). "Czechs Accuse Russia of 'Terrorist Attack' for Deadly 2014 Blast". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  55. ↑ "Praha chce od Ruska zpět část Stromovky zabranou v roce 1968 po invazi" [Prague wants back from Russia the part of Stromovka captured in 1968 after the invasion]. iROZHLAS (in Czech). 19 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  56. ↑ Beranová, Klára (19 April 2021). "Okupace části Stromovky ze strany Ruska musí skončit, vyzvala vládu Praha" [Russia's occupation of part of Stromovka must end, the Prague government called on]. Novinky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  57. ↑ Plevák, Ondřej (6 May 2021). "Czech Deputy PM files civil suit against article accusing him of Russia collusion". euractiv.com. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  58. ↑ "Czech president 'casts doubt over' Russian involvement in deadly blast". Euronews. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  59. ↑ "Czech Protesters Ask Senate to Charge President Miloš Zeman With Treason Over Support for Russia". Newsweek. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  60. ↑ "Czech Government Rejects President's Comments Casting Doubt On Russian Role In Arms Depot Blast". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  61. ↑ ""Rusko je třeba potrestat, stojíme při vás." Spojenci vyjadřují Česku jasnou podporu" ["Russia must be punished, we stand by you." The Allies express clear support for the Czech Republic]. Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). 18 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  62. ↑ "NATO vyjádřilo Česku podporu. A spolu s ním i Spojené státy, Británie nebo Polsko" [NATO has expressed support for the Czech Republic. And with it the United States, Britain or Poland]. ČT24 (in Czech). 18 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  63. ↑ "Salisbury poisoning suspects wanted over deadly Czech explosion condemned as 'war-like act'". Sky News. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  64. ↑ Hošek, Jiří (18 April 2021). "Šéf zahraničního výboru Dolní sněmovny: Pojďme vyhostit ruské velvyslance" [Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons: Let's expel the Russian ambassadors]. Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  65. ↑ "Главы МИД Вишеградской группы выразили солидарность с действиями Чехии" [Foreign Ministers of the Visegrad Group expressed solidarity with the actions of the Czech Republic]. Izvestia (iz.ru) (in Russian). 20 April 2021. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  66. ↑ "North Atlantic Council statement in solidarity with the Czech Republic". NATO. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  67. ↑ "Slovakia expels three Russian embassy staff in solidarity with Czechs". Reuters. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  68. ↑ "Slovakia to expel three Russian diplomats". The Slovak Spectator. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  69. ↑ "Baltic nations expel Russian diplomats in support of Czech Republic". Euronews. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  70. ↑ "Moscow, Prague To Keep Equal Number Of Staff At Each Other's Embassies, Says Czech Foreign Minister". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  71. ↑ "EU's Baltic states expel four Russian diplomats in solidarity with Prague". France 24. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  72. ↑ "В МИДе рассказали об указе Путина о мерах против недружественных стран" [The Foreign Ministry told about Putin's decree on measures against unfriendly countries]. Izvestia (iz.ru) (in Russian). 25 April 2021. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  73. ↑ Забродин, Алексей (Zabrodin, Alexey); Байкова, Татьяна (Baikova, Tatiana); Лежнева, Любовь (Lezhneva, Lyubov) (27 April 2021). "Десять пролетят: США, Чехия, Прибалтика могут стать "недружественными": Странам из "черного списка" запретят нанимать россиян на работу в дипмиссии" [Ten will fly by: USA, Czech Republic, Baltic states may become "unfriendly": Countries from the "black list" will be banned from hiring Russians to work in the diplomatic mission]. Izvestia (iz.ru). Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  74. ↑ "Правительство РФ утвердило перечень недружественных стран" [The Russian government approved the list of unfriendly countries]. Izvestia (iz.ru) (in Russian). 14 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  75. ↑ "Нарышкин заявил об интересе РФ в сокращении списка недружественных стран" [Naryshkin announced the interest of the Russian Federation in reducing the list of unfriendly countries]. Izvestia (iz.ru) (in Russian). 10 June 2021. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  76. ↑ "В список "недружественных стран" могут попасть США, Чехия и республики Прибалтики" [The list of "unfriendly countries" may include the United States, the Czech Republic and the Baltic republics]. Izvestia (iz.ru) (in Russian). 27 April 2021. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  77. ↑ "В Госдуме призвали включить Польшу в список недружественных стран" [The State Duma called on to include Poland in the list of unfriendly countries]. Izvestia (iz.ru) (in Russian). 27 May 2021. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
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