Berlin approved the delivery of 18 RCH-155 howitzers worth €216 million to Ukraine, Kyiv requested their delivery back in mid-July. This is reported by the German edition of Die Welt, citing its sources. The German government approved not only the purchase of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann products, but also the financing of this supply.
According to Die Welt, the request for PCH-155 howitzers was discussed several times in the federal government, but they did not want to make a decision for a long time, the decision was made only now. “This will be a significant contribution to enhancing the effectiveness of the Ukrainian military. I hope that the federal government will continue to follow this path consistently,” Andriy Melnyk, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, commented on the decision.
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann could not begin production of howitzers before obtaining a license from the federal government with permission to supply Ukraine. Therefore, production is starting only now, and the first RCH-155 samples will be ready for delivery no earlier than 30 months later, that is, by the spring of 2025.
The RCH-155 has a Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) gun based on a Boxer eight-wheeled combat vehicle, with a declared firing range of up to 54 kilometers with V-LAP high-precision projectiles at a speed of nine rounds per minute. It is reported that Germany has already delivered 10 such copies to Ukraine. This self-propelled artillery mount is capable of speeds up to 100 km/h.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said he does not understand why Germany has not yet transferred Leopard II tanks to Ukraine, sending armored vehicles instead. “It’s a mystery to us: we are asking for Leopard tanks or Marder BMPs, and Germany is handing over Dingo armored vehicles. This is also needed, and we are grateful for it. But this is not what we need most in battle. What is the problem?"
In June, it was reported that Germany was in no hurry to supply tanks to Ukraine due to fears that Ukraine could "become self-confident" and introduce them into Russian territory. The second possible reason is Germany's distrust of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Der Spiegel notes that even German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition partners are watching his actions "with a mixture of skepticism and horror."
But Germany should stop even the existing arms supplies to Ukraine, says Andre Wüstner, head of the Union of Bundeswehr military personnel. According to him, the outflow of equipment weakens the armed forces of Germany. “Therefore, our demand is this: no new supplies from the arsenals of the Bundeswehr. And, no less important, the immediate acquisition of those weapons systems that have already been transferred, ”Wustner said in an interview with RND.