Denmark Transfers All Of Its CAESAR Self-Propelled Howitzers To Ukraine
On Monday, February 13, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense announced that Denmark had transferred all of its Caesar self-propelled artillery to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “Denmark has given Ukraine all of its CAESAR self-propelled howitzers,” the Ministry stated, sharing images of the howitzers’ transport to Ukraine. “A true friend who knows that our fight is Europe’s fight. Tag, Denmark!”
On January 19, 2023, Danish Defense Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen announced that the army would donate to Ukraine all 19 Caesar howitzer artillery systems ordered from French arms manufacturer Nexter in 2017 and 2019. The Minister of Defense stated at the time that they were in constant contact with the Ukrainians, particularly regarding CAESAR-type howitzers, and expressed his gratitude for the broad support received in the Danish parliament for the decision to send of the aforementioned howitzers to support Ukraine’s struggle for freedom. “We must find a balance between helping Ukraine and continuing to strengthen the Danish defense so that we can safeguard Denmark’s security and live up to our obligations in NATO,” the defense minister said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Denmark for its assistance, saying, “I’m deeply grateful to my good colleague Mette Frederiksen & coalition government for an important decision to provide CAESAR howitzers to Ukraine. It will greatly increase Ukraine’s defense capabilities, allow us to oust the aggressor from Ukraine & bring our common victory closer.”
With Denmark’s transfer of all of its Caesar self-propelled artillery systems to Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine now have 37 CAESAR howitzers in their inventory. Since the beginning of the war, France had sent 18 Caesar howitzers to Ukraine. Following a meeting at the end of January with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, in Paris, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that they would send 12 additional Caesar howitzers to Ukraine. Lecornu also stated that Paris will continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine and will assist in the purchase of GM 200 radar systems for air defense.
Apart from the Caesar artillery systems it has received from Denmark and France since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has received M777 howitzers from the United States, Australia, and Canada, KRAB self-propelled howitzers from Poland, PzH 2000 155mm self-propelled howitzers from Germany and the Netherlands, M109 self-propelled artillery systems from Norway and Lithuania, and Zuzana two 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers from Slovakia. Furthermore, Estonia will soon send all of its FH-70 155mm and D-30 122mm howitzers to Ukraine. Sweden has also recently promised to send Archer artillery systems to Ukraine.