The Czech Republic and Denmark will send dozens of armoured vehicles and tanks and thousands of firearms to Ukraine as part of a joint project, the Czech defence ministry said on Thursday.

The weapons will be provided by private Czech companies and paid for by the Danish government.

In the first phase of the project, Ukraine will, "in the months to come", receive almost 50 armoured vehicles and combat tanks, 2,500 handguns, 7,000 rifles, 500 machine guns and 500 sniper rifles, the ministry said.

It will also receive intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment and large calibre ammunition.

"This is a substantial donation of equipment, for which there is great demand in Ukraine," Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said.

Czech Deputy Defence Minister Daniel Blazkovec said he expected the cooperation to continue in 2024 and beyond.

The supply comprises modern Czech weapons as well as upgraded equipment already used by the Ukrainian Army, which has been fighting a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022.

"The list was based on the demands and needs of Ukraine's armed forces, with the goal of boosting their combat capability," the Czech ministry said.

In the next phase, Prague and Copenhagen expect to provide the Ukrainian army with 500 heavy machine guns, 280 auto-loading cannons, 7,000 anti-tank weapons, 10,000 hand grenades and 60 mortar systems, it added.