By: Warren Gray
Copyright © 2024
“In February 2022, Russia struck hard at the resilience of the people of Ukraine. From the very beginning, Czech weapons have been helping Ukraine in its indomitable fight.
As a sign of respect for their heroism, I presented Zelenskyy with the legendary ČZ 75, serial no. 22. The Order of the White Lion edition captures the courage with which
he stands at the head of Ukraine.”
— Czech President Petr Pavel, April 28, 2023.
On April 28, 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind gift from Czech President Petr Pavel during an official visit to Kyiv. Zelenskyy had previously been awarded the Order of the White Lion, First Class, the very highest Czech state honor, on March 7, 2022, for “his bravery and courage in the face of Russia’s invasion.”
Order of the White Lion, First Class. Photo credit: Národní museum, Praha, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
But on this very special occasion, President Pavel offered President Zelenskyy an ornately engraved ČZ 75 stainless-steel pistol in 9x19mm, manufactured by Česká zbrojovka (“Czech armory”) Uherský Brod. It was the limited-edition (only 100 produced, mostly for public auctions), “Order of the White Lion” edition, and the serial number was RBL-022. RBL is the abbreviation for Řád Bílého Lva, meaning “Order of the White Lion,” in Czech, representing the year of its inception, 1922.
This was when the exalted order was created, as “the highest state honor for both Czech citizens and foreigners, for outstanding services to the Czech Republic, eminent contributions to the defense and security of the state, and for enhancing the nation’s international reputation.” It is currently awarded only by the president of the Czech Republic, and Petr Pavel became their new, highly respected president on March 9, 2023.
A fully functional handgun is a very rare gift of state these days, but Pavel, age 62, is an extraordinary leader. He served with distinction in the Czech Army for 44 years, until his retirement in 2018, as a paratrooper, military intelligence officer, deputy military attaché, commander of the Czech Special Forces, at the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe, and finally as Chief of the General Staff, retiring as a four-star general.
In January 1993, while serving with the U.N. Protection Force in Bosnia as a lieutenant colonel, he led a daring rescue mission to evacuate 55 French soldiers from Karin Base, Croatia, which was under siege by Serbian troops with artillery and mortar fire. For this successful operation, he was later awarded the Czech Medal of Heroism and the French Cross for Military Valor, with Bronze Star.
Pavel currently speaks Czech, English, French, and Russian, holds a concealed-carry permit (most unusual for an incumbent president), and his second wife is a lieutenant colonel in the Czech Army. He describes himself as “right of center,” has criticized political correctness in the armed forces, and is a strong and vocal advocate of supporting Ukraine as much as possible, urging NATO and other Western nations to act more forcefully.
When asked about possible Czech involvement in the Ukraine war, he candidly replied, “I know what war is, and I certainly don’t wish it on anyone. The first thing I would do is try to keep the country as far away from war as possible. But…if we just watch, the war will come to us, too…Soldiers do not start wars. Politicians start them, and then soldiers solve it for them.”
Czech President Pavel presenting the pistol to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Photo credit: Petr Pavel
In April 2023, Pavel was the first foreign president to visit war-torn eastern Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in 2022. Zelenskyy’s “White Lion” ČZ 75 stainless pistol is entirely handmade and hand-fit of chromed, stainless steel, bearing a 14-karat, gold-plated shield on the right side of the frame, with a crowned, two-tailed, white lion, from the lesser coat of arms of the Czech Republic. The controls, trigger, extractor, grip screws, and magazine base plate are all gold-plated.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s personal ČZ 75 “White Lion” pistol. Photo credit: ČZ Uherský Brod
The pistol grips are Czech birch-root wood, decorated with linden-tree leaves, a symbol of the Czech presidency, and the presentation case is made of maple, with birch-root sides, and a walnut lid, richly engraved with the distinctive Order of the White Lion emblem. The interior is lined with plush, blue (red on all other versions) microfiber, resembling blue velvet, bearing a metal plate engraved in the Ukrainian Cyrillic language: “From the Czech people to the heroic Ukrainian people – Glory to Ukraine! – Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic.” The last custom-engraved ČZ 75 pistol, not an ultra-rare, “Order of the White Lion” edition, sold at auction in September 2022 for $42,000, to offer some idea of the material value of Zelenskyy’s very special, presentation-grade ČZ 75.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ČZ 75 “White Lion” pistol. Photo credit: ČZ Uherský Brod
As journalist Travis Pike wrote for GunMagWarehouse.com on December 18, 2023, “One of the most legendary pistols ever made: the ČZ 75…a cutting-edge and state-of-the-art pistol in 1975…The pistol [that I tested] was awesome…a 4.7-inch long barrel…It’s a super smooth shooting gun, with excellent ergonomics…Shooting the ČZ 75 is a real joy…it lets you go fast. Really fast…it results in excellent accuracy…The gun is well-proven…The ČZ 75 is a beast. It keeps up with most modern guns in many ways.”
In a related issue, the ČZ factory in the Czech Republic just formalized an arrangement with the Ukroboronprom defense conglomerate in Ukraine in early 2024 to locally produce NATO-standard, ČZ Bren 2 modular assault rifles in Ukraine. These are offered in 5.56mm NATO or 7.62x39mm Russian, with eight-inch, nine-inch, 11-inch, or 14-inch barrels.
Josh Winsett wrote for GunMade.com on November 19, 2023, “ČZ Bren 2 Review: A Smooth And Fast Shooting Carbine…We were instantly shocked by how soft this rifle was shooting. The smoothness translated to speed naturally, allowing us to have incredibly quick, follow-up shots and split times…The Bren 2 has outperformed all expectations regarding its reliability…Through almost 600 rounds, we didn’t see a single malfunction…it’s probably the sexiest ČZ I’ve seen.”
ČZ Bren 2 in 5.56mm NATO, with 11-inch barrel. Photo credit: A209, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
President Zelenskyy himself, age 46, is an inspiring, charismatic, and heroic figure, one of the most famous men on Earth today. British journalist Daniel Johnson recently wrote for The Telegraph on December 17, 2023, that, “Seldom in the annals of war has the fate of a nation weighed so heavily upon the shoulders of one man…it is Zelenskyy who is still the most authentic hero of our day. His charisma is attested to by everyone who meets him, as is his loyalty to those who have done right by Ukraine.
“Zelenskyy presents the world with a transparently frank and open model of leadership who puts most of his Western counterparts to shame. He shows us what the leadership of what we used to call the free world might look like…outsmarting the assorted thugs and megalomaniacs ranged against him. He alone has carried the torch of freedom thus far…Zelenskyy is a man who does not know the meaning of defeat. Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s unique personality, forged under fire, has reinvented patriotism for our times. He’s the little fellow in fatigues who stands up to bullies.”
There you have it, an amazing pistol for the genuinely amazing man, who many have glowingly described as “the true leader of the free world,” almost single-handedly directing the daily defense of Ukraine against a massive, sustained invasion by a belligerent, totalitarian dictatorship from the largest nation on the planet.
His courageous soldiers fight fearlessly with NATO-supplied weapons, yet the entire NATO alliance is so astoundingly fearful of unpredictable, Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine’s bid for accession in NATO has been repeatedly delayed. It’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy who valiantly faces Russian aggression every single day and shows the timid West how it’s done.
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Warren Gray is a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer with experience in joint special operations and counterterrorism, and is an NRA member. He served in Europe (including Eastern Europe) and the Middle East, earned Air Force and Navy parachutist wings, four college degrees, and was a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Intelligence Operations Specialist Course, and the USAF Combat Targeting School. He is currently a published author, historian, and hunter.