Final Word from Tuesday, December 30, 2025

"If Russia were to send drones to Czechia, which we can't rule out, would we be able to defend ourselves?" asked Lucie Vopálenská of Czech Radio yesterday. "Would we be able to detect and destroy the unmanned devices, or would we have to be honest with our citizens and tell them to accept the idea that drones could fly in and perhaps even kill someone?" Why we can't rule out being attacked by Russia, esp. given the new Russian-friendly government of Andrej Babiš, she didn't say. Just a month ago, Army Chief of Staff Karel Řehka spoke about how there isn't enough sense of urgency in the Czech army or society and that preparation for war is a continuous and never-ending process. Pres. Petr Pavel agreed with him. Yet even as Russia was pounding Odessa and other Ukrainian cities over Christmas, Řehka and Pavel were enjoying the laid-back holiday period like almost everyone else. If there weren't public radio to remind them, Czechs might get the impression that preparing for war isn't so urgent after all. [ Czech Republic bombing Ukraine media Martin Fendrych Forum24 ]