As a result of Polish military assistance, the Ukrainians are now in possession of at least 24 howitzers, while six more Caesar ”howitzers“ have been delivered by France. Germany and the Netherlands have promised the delivery of 12 more, but the crews of the German Panzerhaubitzen 2000 are still being trained and it is not clear when the equipment will actually find its way to the east.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov confirmed that the howitzers are operational and that Ukraine has received modifications of the M109 howitzer which is found in the arsenals of many states.
The KRAB has been used by the Polish army since 2016. They are produced in a Polish factory by weapons producers Huta Stalowa Wola and are based on a 155 mm caliber gun that is a modification of British weaponry. The undercarriage is produced on the basis of a South Korean license. Its range is 40 kilometers, and it can fire six times in one minute.
The transfer of such equipment is possible thanks to legislation passed in Poland in March. Behind the United States, Poland is the second-largest donor of military equipment to Ukraine. It has supplied the Ukrainians with 250 T-72 tanks, howitzers, Grad rocket launchers, and air-to-air missiles for MIG-29 and Su-27 jet planes.
Apart from heavy weaponry, Poland has also supplied surveillance drones and the Warmate drones similar to American “Switchblade.” The country has also sent large amounts of ammunition and anti-air mobile rocket launchers known as “Piorun,” which are reported to have shot down Russian helicopters.
