Slovakia continues supply of Zuzana 2 howitzers to Ukraine
The government of Robert Fico, which was formed after the 2023 elections, has halted free military aid to Ukraine. However, it did not prohibit domestic defence companies from fulfilling weapons-related contracts to bolster Kyiv. Consequently, more Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers will soon be dispatched to the front.
On 20 July, the Slovak Ministry of Defence announced in an official communication that, by plans, the order funded by Norway, Denmark, and Germany is progressing. This order includes several Zuzana 2 Howitzers produced by Konštrukta-Defence.
More Zuzana 2 howitzers for Ukraine
"So far, two Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers have been delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and another eight will be handed over by the end of the year. The remaining six self-propelled howitzers will be delivered in 2025," stated the Slovak Ministry of Defence, as cited by the TASR agency.
The Zuzana 2 is a self-propelled howitzer derived from an older type of gun – the VZ. 2000 Zuzana. The Slovaks use a wheeled chassis based on the Tatra 815 VP truck with an 8x8 drive configuration. They also install a 155 mm calibre gun, the standard artillery ammunition in NATO countries. Additionally, the gun is longer (52 calibres) than this Howitzer's older version.
This enables the howitzer to attack targets at up to 40 kilometres. The Zuzana 2 also can fire in MRSI mode. With an automatic loading system, its rate of fire is five rounds per minute. Manual operation of the gun is also possible, but in that case, the rate of fire drops to two rounds per minute.
The Zuzana 2 crew is equipped with an auxiliary weapon: a 12.7 mm machine gun. An important feature of Slovak howitzers is their good mobility, attributed to the 8x8 drive and a powerful engine that allows speeds of up to 90 kilometres per hour on roads and about 30 kilometres per hour off-road. The Zuzana 2 has an armoured cabin and can overcome vertical obstacles up to 60 centimetres high.
Ukrainian soldiers are well acquainted with the Zuzana 2 howitzers, provided to the front by the previous government of Slovakia. As part of free aid, not only were these guns sent to the front, but also Soviet-era, yet still useful, equipment such as BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, S-300 air defence systems, MiG-29 fighter jets, and various types of ammunition.
