Slovakia Sent First Jointly Financed Zuzana 2 Howitzers to Ukraine

, 1 August 2023, 14:41

Ľudovít Ódor, Slovak Prime Minister, has announced that Ukraine has received the first two Zuzana 2 self-propelled artillery howitzers, funded jointly by Denmark, Norway, and Germany.

"Our duty is to help where and how we can," stated the Slovak Prime Minister at the arms transfer ceremony in the Slovak city of Dubnica nad Váhom, as reported by Dennik N.

Myroslav Kastran, Ukraine's ambassador to Slovakia, was also present at the ceremony.

"This project is an example of successful cooperation and the basis for new military-technical cooperation between Slovakia and Ukraine," he emphasised.

Ódor also stressed that Ukraine's ability to counter Russian aggression is "in the interest of us all."

The defence company Konstrukta-Defence will supply Ukraine with an additional 14 howitzers in the coming months. The last one is to be sent next year.

In October 2022, Denmark signed a letter of intent with Slovakia, Norway, and Germany, stating that the countries jointly decided to make a financial contribution to the Slovak production and transfer of the Zuzana 2 self-propelled artillery systems to Ukraine.

Overall, the countries agreed to donate about 685 million crowns (roughly 92 million euros). Denmark donated around 230 million crowns (30.9 million euros).

The Zuzana 2 is an 8x8 self-propelled gun based on the previous version of Zuzana: 155mm calibre, but with a shorter barrel.