Ukraine’s armed forces have received 18 domestically made Bohdana self-propelled, mounted howitzer units, funded by Denmark, marking a new chapter in NATO-aligned defense cooperation amid the ongoing war with Russia.
The announcement was made by Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen during the 20th Yalta European Strategy meeting in Kyiv on September 14.
Denmark’s contribution represents a first-of-its-kind agreement, as the European nation has become the first in the EU to finance the direct purchase of Ukrainian-manufactured military equipment for Kyiv’s defense forces.
The weapons were produced rapidly, with the order placed in July and the units delivered just two months later.
RBC Ukraine reported that Poulsen said it is much cheaper to manufacture weapons in Ukraine than to manufacture or buy them in the West.
Anatolii Stepanov/ASSOCIATED PRESS
It is the first piece of Ukrainian-made artillery using the 155 mm NATO-standard. The Bodhana is crewed by five people, can drive at 50 mph and can fire at targets 35 miles away.
The weapon is designed to be driven into position, rapidly fire multiple rounds, and retreat before the enemy has time to respond.
This mobility and speed make it more effective and less vulnerable than towed artillery units.
The Bohdana system was first used in combat during the summer of 2022, notably during the liberation of Snake Island, a Ukrainian victory in the Black Sea.
While self-propelled mounted guns had been in development for years before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, it wasn’t formally introduced into service until 2023.
Denmark’s support comes in the wake of a broader commitment to Kyiv’s defense. In June, the two nations signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the purchase of weapons from Ukrainian manufacturers.
Additionally, Denmark has committed $115 million toward purchasing Ukrainian-made arms, a reflection of deepening ties between Kyiv and its NATO-aligned partners.
The new weapons came as the Ukrainian army continued its advance into Russia’s Kursk region.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that his country’s operation, which was launched on August 6, had prevented Russia from creating buffer zones along the border—including in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast, which borders Kursk.
He also said that the Ukrainian incursion had slowed Russia’s offensive in the Donetsk Oblast and significantly reduced the advantage in artillery ammunition that Moscow was in the direction of the town of Pokrovsk.
Zelensky said that Russia aims to deploy as many as 70,000 troops to the region, although latest reports said that 30,000 to 45,000 Russian troops were there now.
Last week it was reported that Ukraine is closing in on receiving permission from the U.S. and the U.K. to strike Russian targets with Western-supplied, long-range weaponry, including ATACMS ballistic missiles, which have a range of up to 190 miles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday evening that he would see such a move as direct participation by NATO in the war.
“This will mean that NATO countries, the United States, and European countries are fighting Russia,” he said.