Prague, 29 September 2022 (dpa/MIA) - The Czech Republic is to receive $106 million in military financing from the US, according to announcements on Thursday, as the war rages on in nearby Ukraine. "We understand this gift as an expression of appreciation for the way the Czech Republic has helped Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict," Defence Minister Jana Cernochova said in Prague. The Czech Republic has been a member of the NATO defence alliance since 1999. The US embassy in the Czech Republic confirmed that $100 million came from Washington's Foreign Military Financing programme that only allows for the purchase of US military equipment. Further funding of $6 million is to kit out a cyber protection centre. The US chargé d'affaires in the Czech Republic, Christina Agor, thanked the country for its "tremendous leadership" in supporting Kiev since Russia attacked Ukraine in February. Czech officials say the country has supplied Ukraine with weapons and ammunition worth more than €160 million ($155 million). This included tanks, combat helicopters and wheeled howitzers, according to reports, as the government does not provide such detail.