Denmark's discreet delivery: Mystery howitzers for Ukraine
In the past, Denmark transferred all 19 of its Caesar howitzers to Ukraine. The support list also included M109A3 howitzers. However, analysts from the Ukrainian portal Defense Express have recently noticed that Copenhagen found additional weapons—and they were handed over "quietly." These are the Soviet 2S1 Gvozdika howitzers.
Denmark, known for transferring all its Caesar self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, has surprised again with more support. This time, the Soviet 2S1 Gvozdika howitzers have reached the Ukrainian armed forces. The transfer of this equipment was completed without any prior announcement. Denmark executed the transfer "quietly," as analysts from Defense Express discovered by examining the updated list of support provided on Denmark's government website.
New support for Ukraine
Copenhagen is one of the key suppliers of weapons to Ukraine. In addition to the Caesar howitzers, the country has ordered additional units for Ukraine, including Slovak Zuzana-2 and Ukrainian Bogdana. Cooperation with Germany and Norway has allowed for increased deliveries.
Denmark not only provides artillery but also other types of military equipment. Among these are F-16 fighters, over 140 Leopard 1 tanks, and M113 armored personnel carriers. The total value of military support is 64.8 billion Danish kroner, which corresponds to about 5.3 billion USD.
Mysterious origin of the howitzers
It's unclear where exactly the mentioned 2S1 Gvozdika howitzers came from. Defense Express suggests that this equipment is used in many countries, making it difficult to determine its exact origin. It's possible that Denmark purchased these weapons "externally" to pass the howitzers to Ukraine.
To provide some background, the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer is a tracked design from the 1960s. It is powered by an engine generating 230 or 320 horsepower (depending on the version), enabling this 17-ton weapon to reach a maximum speed of 37 mph. The Gvozdika's armament consists of a 122 mm 2A31 howitzer with a range of 9 miles, which can potentially increase to 14 miles when using rocket-assisted ammunition.
