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The University of West Bohemia in Pilsen invites you to another interdisciplinary seminar on Monday, May 4. This time, the guest will be General Karel Řehka, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. His lecture will begin at 4:30 PM in the West Bohemian Museum in Pilsen.

General Řehka will highlight the urgent need to accelerate the preparedness of both the state and society for current security threats. He will focus on the dramatic changes in the security environment following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, analyzing the military, societal, economic, and technological dimensions of both conflicts. The lecture will also address the systemic vulnerabilities of the Czech Republic, emphasized by the ongoing strategic shift of the United States toward the Indo-Pacific region and the export of Chinese strategic dependencies into sectors such as energy and telecommunications. In conclusion, the general will summarize the direct impacts of the situation on the Czech Republic and its armed forces and point to the need for accelerated modernization, strengthened resilience of critical infrastructure, and overall societal preparedness.

Karel Řehka graduated from the Military Academy in Vyškov. He served in units specializing in reconnaissance and special operations, where he held various positions, including Senior Liaison Officer for international cooperation and Head of the JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) group. In 2003, he joined the 601st Special Forces Group, where he held multiple command and leadership roles. From 2014 to 2017, he led the Special Forces Directorate at the Ministry of Defense. In 2017, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the NATO Multinational Division Northeast in Poland, where he served until 2020. He then served as the Head of the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (2020–2022). Since July 1, 2022, he has been serving as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.