Ukrainian Armed Forces Receive 18 Bohdana Self-Propelled Howitzers Funded by Denmark

Denmark has funded the production of 18 Ukrainian-made Bohdana self-propelled howitzers, which have now been delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced this during his speech at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum on September 14. This marks the first time an EU country has allocated funds specifically for purchasing military equipment from Ukrainian manufacturers.

“This was the first agreement we signed. In July, we placed an order with Ukrainian manufacturers for the production of 18 Bohdana artillery systems, and this weekend they were handed over to the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Poulsen said.

The minister also emphasized that producing weapons in Ukraine is significantly more cost-effective compared to manufacturing or purchasing them in the West. Additionally, maintaining the equipment’s operational readiness in Ukraine is less expensive. This has led Denmark to call on other European countries to finance arms production within Ukraine.

The Bohdana is a 155mm self-propelled artillery system that meets NATO standards. It was officially adopted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2023. The system has a maximum firing range of 60 kilometers and can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h. The crew consists of five members.

Ukraine and Denmark had previously signed a memorandum on June 13, under which Denmark agreed to fund Ukrainian arms production. Former Ukrainian Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshyn highlighted that Ukraine’s defense industry has the capacity to increase production, provided that sufficient financial support is available.