As of: March 2, 2024, 5:23 a.m
By: Patrick Mayer
Comments
Press
Split
The Ukrainian army presents the combat effectiveness of its howitzer “Bohdana”.
However, the video cannot distract from a shortcoming against Russia's troops.
Chernihiv - Ukraine is receiving supplies of weapons for its valiant defensive fight against the invasion by Russia, which violates international law.
Ukrainian arms industry: Kiev presents the Bohdana howitzer during the war
Sweden is delivering Combat Boat 90 combat boats, and Sea King Mk. 41 transport helicopters are expected from Germany - to name just two of many current examples.
The Ukrainian defense industry has been growing steadily since February 2022, since the start of the treacherous Russian invasion under Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin.
Example: The Ministry of Defense in Kiev has now aggressively presented the self-propelled wheeled howitzer 2S22 Bohdana with a caliber of 155 millimeters.
This massive howitzer is very powerful and extremely mobile.
But: The Ukrainian artillerymen who operate them obviously have a big problem in the spring of 2024 that accompanies them to the front.
Weapons for Ukraine: The Ukrainian army is lacking artillery shells everywhere
Because: Many millions of artillery shells that NATO members wanted to deliver to the attacked country are still missing.
However, this has not been possible so far, as various defense ministers between the Baltics and Berlin have honestly admitted in recent weeks.
The ammunition in question is grenades with a caliber of 155 millimeters.
And these are exactly the bullets the 155 mm/L52 cannon of the 2S22 Bohdana would need.
At the beginning of February, the
Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ)
reported that the Ukrainian artillerymen on some sections of the front could only fire smoke grenades against the Russian attackers - literally as "smoke candles".
How much ammunition the crews of the Bodhana wheeled howitzers have available was completely unclear to the public at the end of February.
2S22 Bohdana |
|
Weapon type: |
Self-propelled wheeled howitzer in 155 mm caliber (artillery) |
Chassis: |
Truck KrAZ-6322 |
Crew: |
5 soldiers |
Projectiles/grenades: |
Base bleed explosive grenades, M982 Excalibur guided artillery shell |
Speed: |
80 km/h (30 km/h off-road) |
Perfomance: |
380-420 hp |
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The ammunition shortage is due not least to the fact that a US military package worth a rumored 61 billion US dollars is being blocked in the United States by former President Donald Trump's Republicans.
The Americans were by far the main supplier of 155mm ammunition until December 2023.
According to Ukrainian information, the Bohdana can also fire M982 Excalibur guided artillery shells.
These grenades, which are controlled using GPS, are manufactured not only in the USA, but also by the British defense company BAE Systems.
After all, the Czech Republic is currently collecting financial support for the immediate purchase of 800,000 artillery shells from non-EU countries.
The Netherlands and Belgium said they wanted to contribute 100 and 200 million euros, respectively.
Germany also signaled its willingness to finance a large part of the sum.
Weapons of Ukraine: Bohdana allegedly drove Russians out of Snake Island
Meanwhile, the Ukrainians proudly declare that they can precisely hit targets at a distance of up to 60 kilometers with the Excalibur projectiles.
The howitzer should also be able to shoot up to five times per minute.
As the online portal
Forces.net
reported, in the early summer of 2022, the Ukrainian armed forces fired on the Snake Island in the Black Sea, which was occupied by the Russians, from the mainland with the Bohdana, forcing Putin's troops there to withdraw from the strategically important island at the end of June.
While later American HIMARS multiple rocket launchers also proved to be very effective militarily for the Ukrainian army.
According to their own information, the Ukrainians have been able to produce up to six Bohdana howitzers per month since the beginning of 2023.
It is not known how many copies the Kiev armed forces have in their inventory after two years of the Ukrainian war.
However, there is strong evidence that they urgently need ammunition for this purpose.
(pm)