Italy Sends Two Dozen M109L Self-Propelled Howitzers to Ukraine - Reports
14:36 GMT 16.04.2023 (Updated: 12:48 GMT 19.06.2023)
© US Army/Lt. Col. Matthew DevivoThe M109 Paladin Self-Propelled Howitzer standing ready deep in the southern training areas at Fort Bragg. Nine National Guard troops from North and South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois and New Jersey are attending the 13 Bravo artillery military occupational specialty (MOS) reclassification course and will learn how to be a crew member on the three main “cannon” artillery weapons systems in the U.S. Army: The M119A3 105mm light towed howitzer, M777A2 155mm medium towed howitzer and the M109A6 Paladin 155mm self-propelled howitzer. Over the course of two days in the field, students will fire hundreds of rounds from all three weapons.
Subscribe
ROME (Sputnik) - Italy is seemingly shipping by rail to Ukraine around 20 M109L self-propelled howitzers, Italian media report, citing footage shot by eyewitnesses at a railway station in the city of Udine in the northeast of the country.
The clip appears to show a train carrying around 20 self-propelled howitzers mounted on special transport wagons moving at a speed of around 5-10 km/h (3.1-6.2 m/h), Italian newspapers reported. The weapons did not appear to have any insignia or identification numbers. One of news outlets identified the cargo as 155 mm M109L self-propelled howitzers, adding that several similar howitzers had already been transferred to Kiev in October 2022.
Italian Minister for Parliamentary Relations Luca Ciriani confirmed to the local broadcaster that the weapons in question were on their way to Ukraine. These howitzers are part of a military assistance package approved by the government of ex-Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, which was in power until October 2022, the official said.
Since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, Western countries have been supplying Kiev regime with various types of weapon systems, including air defense missiles, multiple launch rocket systems, tanks, self-propelled artillery and anti-aircraft guns.
In January, the Italian parliament approved a government decree stipulating the continuation of military aid to Ukraine in 2023. In February, the government greenlit a sixth package of military aid to Ukraine. Although the exact types of weapons provided under these packages are classified, Italian media report that the latest round included an air defense system and drones, while the previous ones featured heavy armored vehicles and heavy artillery equipment.