Slovakia delivers four Zuzana 2 NATO-standard howitzers to Ukraine and prepares to donate MiG-29s
Two of the first four Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers donated by Slovakia to Ukraine, pictured en route to their final destination. (Photo: Slovakian MoD)
Slovakian Minister of Defence Jaroslav Naď revealed on 13 August that his country has delivered the first four of eight Zuzana 2 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) to Ukraine.
Slovakia and Ukraine in late May signed a commercial agreement to deliver the SPHs. They will join the M777, FH70, Caesar, M109, Krab and PzH 2000 as NATO-standard 155mm artillery systems operated by Kyiv in its ongoing resistance against the Russian invasion.
The 155mm/52cal Zuzana 2 is the latest development of the 155mm/45cal Zuzana 2000, itself based on the Cold War-era 152mm Dana.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that the 155mm SPH can hit targets up to 41.5km away when firing extended-range base bleed ammunition.
Slovakia has provided military aid to Ukraine that is far out of proportion to its size. Examples include four Mi-17 helicopters and a single Mi-2, plus ammunition for the BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system.
Naď also pledged that Slovakia would repair and overhaul Ukrainian military equipment, and Bratislava is also willing to transfer its 11 MiG-29 multirole fighters.
The Ukrainian MoD reported on 13 August that the Slovakian Air Force could take its MiG-29s out of service at the end of the month, paving the way for the EU to fund the transfer of the aircraft.
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