Huge and fast firepower – that’s what the Panzerhaubitze 2000 has to offer the Ukrainian armed forces. Germany has now delivered seven of the most modern Bundeswehr artillery pieces to Ukraine. They are part of a sizable shipment of weapons that the German Chancellery first published on Tuesday. Planned exports were also announced. Until now, these were always subject to secrecy.
“Finally” is the self-propelled howitzer in the artillery arsenal, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. He thanked his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht (SPD) “for all the efforts” to support Ukraine. The country had previously received American, British, Polish and French howitzers. Kiev hopes for even more support.
First heavy weapons from Germany
These are the first heavy weapons supplied by Germany to Ukraine. The Panzerhaubitze is the most modern artillery piece of the Bundeswehr. It looks like a giant battle tank and can hit targets 40 kilometers away. With special ammunition even a range of 50 to 100 km is possible. The Bundeswehr currently has such guns stationed in Lithuania to protect NATO’s eastern flank.
The Ukrainian armed forces hope to be able to withstand the overwhelming Russian artillery better with the Panzerhaubitze 2000. The special thing about the weapon is that it is still very mobile due to its size and armor. This allows the tank howitzer to change position in a very short time, avoiding enemy fire. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba recently said that Russia’s artillery is 15 times superior to Ukraine’s.
Until now the deliveries were secret
With the publication of the planned and already completed arms deliveries, the practice of the closest allies – for example the US – is being adapted, explains government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. The list includes all weapons and other weapons that have been delivered or are scheduled to be delivered. Until now, it was only visible to MPs in the secret protection office of the Bundestag.
The list, which can be viewed on the Internet, should be continuously updated in the future, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said. Deliveries in progress or in preparation include a number of heavy weapon systems: approximately 30 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, three Mars multiple rocket launchers with ammunition, the Cobra artillery detection radar and ten anti-drone cannons.
Germany sends large quantities of ammunition
There are also 4.8 million rounds of hand-held ammunition, 53,000 rounds of anti-aircraft tank ammunition and 10,000 rounds of artillery ammunition still to be delivered. The planned deliveries also include 54 armored troopships including armaments, 80 Toyota pickup vehicles, 22 trucks and 65 refrigerators for medical supplies.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
