Category
War in Ukraine

The Precision and Power of the First Ukrainian-Made Artillery System Bohdana, in Photos

howitzer artillery bohdana

The UNITED24 Media team recently visited a position manned by the 45th Separate Artillery Brigade, in charge of a Bohdana, Ukraine's domestically-produced self-propelled artillery system. The Ukrainian military complex can now manufacture 20 of them per month. 

Authors
Mykyta Shandyba
Mykyta Shandyba
Photographer
Alexander Query
Alexander Query
Author

Bohdana is not just a weapon. The howitzer is a testament to Ukrainian craftsmanship and engineering ingenuity. The crew operates with the precision of a clockwork mechanism, executing their tasks swiftly, accurately, and professionally. 

The Bohdana itself is impressive with its features. This modern self-propelled system, developed by Ukrainian engineers and based on the features of the French CAESAR cannon and the Swedish “Archer,” is designed to hit Russian positions from up to 40 kilometers ahead with deadly accuracy.

The United24 crew follows soldiers from the 45th Artillery Brigade to their position in the Donetsk region, as close as possible to the Luhansk region, occupied by Russia since 2014. The pouring rain makes driving difficult at breakneck speed on the roads scarred by giant potholes, the result of a decade of fight in the region. Along the way, the eviscerated houses and the charred cars on the roadside emerging from the foggy rain are a testament to the desolation that reigns here.
The United24 crew follows soldiers from the 45th Artillery Brigade to their position in the Donetsk region, as close as possible to the Luhansk region, occupied by Russia since 2014. The pouring rain makes driving difficult at breakneck speed on the roads scarred by giant potholes, the result of a decade of fight in the region. Along the way, the eviscerated houses and the charred cars on the roadside emerging from the foggy rain are a testament to the desolation that reigns here.
The commander of the crew of five stands behind the Bohdana, protected by a massive dugout the size of a quarry to hide the precious howitzer. Aptly named “Winter,” he sold auto parts before the full-scale invasion. When the Russians invaded Ukraine again, “Winter” told his wife he was going to wash the family car and instead signed up in the army. He was more afraid of this wife’s reaction than the Russians.
The commander of the crew of five stands behind the Bohdana, protected by a massive dugout the size of a quarry to hide the precious howitzer. Aptly named “Winter,” he sold auto parts before the full-scale invasion. When the Russians invaded Ukraine again, “Winter” told his wife he was going to wash the family car and instead signed up in the army. He was more afraid of this wife’s reaction than the Russians.
The Bohdana crew tilt the self-propelled howitzer cannon out of a second dugout, pointing it at the sky to hit a Russian position nearby. The Russians are roughly 10 kilometers from the artillery position. It takes a minute and a half to bring the howitzer into combat position. The Bohdana can launch shells up to 40 kilometers. Its accuracy makes it a deadly threat to the receiving end, especially when the crew uses U.S.-made guided Excalibur shells. Still, these are scarce these days, and the team increasingly relies on domestically produced 155mm shells.
The Bohdana crew tilt the self-propelled howitzer cannon out of a second dugout, pointing it at the sky to hit a Russian position nearby. The Russians are roughly 10 kilometers from the artillery position. It takes a minute and a half to bring the howitzer into combat position. The Bohdana can launch shells up to 40 kilometers. Its accuracy makes it a deadly threat to the receiving end, especially when the crew uses U.S.-made guided Excalibur shells. Still, these are scarce these days, and the team increasingly relies on domestically produced 155mm shells.
The howitzer moves from one dugout to another to shoot at Russian positions. The Bohdana only moves back and forth here to avoid being spotted. The winter rain soaks the soil, making it muddy, slippery, and challenging to move such a humongous cannon out of its position. Here, the cannon is mounted on an 8-wheeled chassis truck, adapted with claws at the back to ground the howitzer, whose recoil is massive. 
The howitzer moves from one dugout to another to shoot at Russian positions. The Bohdana only moves back and forth here to avoid being spotted. The winter rain soaks the soil, making it muddy, slippery, and challenging to move such a humongous cannon out of its position. Here, the cannon is mounted on an 8-wheeled chassis truck, adapted with claws at the back to ground the howitzer, whose recoil is massive. 
The Bohdana fires its lethal charge in the direction of Russian positions ahead. The massive blast sends a shockwave everywhere around, and better not be behind the cannon when the commander yells, “Fire!” The detonation is so loud that the ringing subsists a while after the blow, even with a noise-reducing headset. The howitzer can launch shells at a firing speed of up to 5 rounds per minute.
The Bohdana fires its lethal charge in the direction of Russian positions ahead. The massive blast sends a shockwave everywhere around, and better not be behind the cannon when the commander yells, “Fire!” The detonation is so loud that the ringing subsists a while after the blow, even with a noise-reducing headset. The howitzer can launch shells at a firing speed of up to 5 rounds per minute.
A view from inside the cabin of the howitzer, hidden in a dugout and waiting for action. The windshield is riddled with bullet impacts. Yet, the armored cabin is thick enough to sustain a few hits and protect the driver from a hail of bullets if the Bohdana is under fire. 
A view from inside the cabin of the howitzer, hidden in a dugout and waiting for action. The windshield is riddled with bullet impacts. Yet, the armored cabin is thick enough to sustain a few hits and protect the driver from a hail of bullets if the Bohdana is under fire. 
From the outside, the 155mm cannon protrudes over the armored cabin. The dugout’s height was carefully calculated to fit the howitzer’s size and hide it from prying eyes and the threat of Russian FPV drones. The winter removed the foliage protecting the crew from Russian drones, which explains why the dugout encasing the howitzer has been carved so deep underground. The dugout was visibly excavated with the help of a bulldozer that left deep marks, meaning that this position was deemed safe enough to bring in construction equipment far from Russian troops' constant surveillance.
From the outside, the 155mm cannon protrudes over the armored cabin. The dugout’s height was carefully calculated to fit the howitzer’s size and hide it from prying eyes and the threat of Russian FPV drones. The winter removed the foliage protecting the crew from Russian drones, which explains why the dugout encasing the howitzer has been carved so deep underground. The dugout was visibly excavated with the help of a bulldozer that left deep marks, meaning that this position was deemed safe enough to bring in construction equipment far from Russian troops' constant surveillance.
Cases of artillery shells are stockpiled in dark excavations hidden by camouflage nets. The commander jokingly warns the team not to smoke inside, or we’ll do the job of the Russians for them. These shells are highly valuable as the Ukrainian military is critically short of shells. The team has to use the ones they have sparingly and accurately as Western help threatens to dwindle over winter. Each shell counts when calculating the crew’s chance of survival to see victory. 
Cases of artillery shells are stockpiled in dark excavations hidden by camouflage nets. The commander jokingly warns the team not to smoke inside, or we’ll do the job of the Russians for them. These shells are highly valuable as the Ukrainian military is critically short of shells. The team has to use the ones they have sparingly and accurately as Western help threatens to dwindle over winter. Each shell counts when calculating the crew’s chance of survival to see victory. 
The crew's driver double-checks on the rear to see if he can return the howitzer to its original position. The team has to take good care of the Bohdana because any critical damage means the self-propelled artillery gun has to be brought to Western Ukraine or abroad to be fixed, endangering the men’s ability to repel Russia’s advance and thus their position. 
The crew's driver double-checks on the rear to see if he can return the howitzer to its original position. The team has to take good care of the Bohdana because any critical damage means the self-propelled artillery gun has to be brought to Western Ukraine or abroad to be fixed, endangering the men’s ability to repel Russia’s advance and thus their position. 
A bulletproof vest hangs on a nail near the entrance of the dugout protecting the howitzer. Among other patches, the blood type of the soldier, here A+, is a mandatory precaution and a stark reminder that life and death is only a matter of seconds in Ukrainian trenches.
A bulletproof vest hangs on a nail near the entrance of the dugout protecting the howitzer. Among other patches, the blood type of the soldier, here A+, is a mandatory precaution and a stark reminder that life and death is only a matter of seconds in Ukrainian trenches.
One of the crew members refills the team’s generator with fuel, a smell that permeates the entire position. A well-running generator is critical to help the men survive the brutal Ukrainian winter. If the generator fell silent, their communication with the outside world would be cut due to the lack of electricity, condemning them to a certain death. 
One of the crew members refills the team’s generator with fuel, a smell that permeates the entire position. A well-running generator is critical to help the men survive the brutal Ukrainian winter. If the generator fell silent, their communication with the outside world would be cut due to the lack of electricity, condemning them to a certain death. 
“What are you cooking?” “It’s bolognese today,” smiles Ruslan, cutting through a big block of meat. The improvised kitchen, hidden in a dugout, is well-equipped with spices and a small fridge, allowing them to eat something other than the usual military rations. Between two hits on the Russians, cooking hearty meals provides a warm interlude for those soldiers who have been fighting for almost three years.
“What are you cooking?” “It’s bolognese today,” smiles Ruslan, cutting through a big block of meat. The improvised kitchen, hidden in a dugout, is well-equipped with spices and a small fridge, allowing them to eat something other than the usual military rations. Between two hits on the Russians, cooking hearty meals provides a warm interlude for those soldiers who have been fighting for almost three years.
The Bohdana’s brothers-in-arms proudly pose for a group picture. They only got to this position recently, but how long they’ll have to stay to man it is unclear. Their only certainty is the strength of the bonds forged between them under the enemy fire, a bond forged in the hope of a free Ukraine. 
The Bohdana’s brothers-in-arms proudly pose for a group picture. They only got to this position recently, but how long they’ll have to stay to man it is unclear. Their only certainty is the strength of the bonds forged between them under the enemy fire, a bond forged in the hope of a free Ukraine. 
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