Ukraine received M109A4BE self-propelled guns

The Ukrainian military received M109A4BE artillery systems.

Footage of these ACSs was shown by soldiers of the 17th Separate Kryvyi Rih Tank Brigade named after Konstyantyn Pestushko.

“They call them the Gods of War, but they are from flesh and blood, with soul and heart, ordinary, courageous, and unconquered, Ukrainian artillerymen of the 17th Tank Brigade,” it is said in the message to the photos.

This is the first time that M109A4BE 155mm self-propelled guns have been spotted at the frontline.

At least 20 of them were acquired by the UK from the Belgian FTS defense company.

Last June, Great Britain’s Defense Secretary Ben Wallace revealed that Britain had purchased and repaired more than 20 ACSs.

“We’re deploying over twenty 155-millimeter self-propelled howitzers that we bought in the global market, we’ve repaired them, and they start coming in, and they have a much longer range than the 152-millimeter rounds,” Minister Ben Wallace said then.

Belgian M109

In 2008, the Belgian army withdrew 64 M109A4BE 155mm self-propelled howitzers from service.

In 2015, at least some of them were sold to a private company Flanders Technical Supply (FTS) which was founded by two partners (one of whom recently passed away), and specialized in the purchase and sale of military surplus all over the world.The contract did not imply any buyout conditions.

Self-propelled artillery systems were also sold by a private Belgian company OIP Land Systems.

In May, the Belgian Defense Ministry tried to buy out these howitzers for Ukraine from the company, but the selling price, which OIP demanded for the purchase of M109, was more than 10 times higher than the price at which they were sold originally.

In early June, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder reported that the former 155-mm self-propelled howitzers M109 of the Belgian army were sold to Ukraine by a private company, but the official buyer was not disclosed.