Ukraine conflict: Slovakia hands over two Zuzana 2 SPHs to Kyiv

Slovakia handed over the first two Zuzana 2 SPHs paid for by Denmark, Germany, and Norway to Ukraine on 1 August. (Slovak MoD)

Konštrukta-Defence handed over the first two Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) paid for by Denmark, Germany, and Norway to Ukraine on 1 August, the Slovak state joint stock company and Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on their websites later the same day. The Slovak MoD expects all 16 Zuzana 2s, worth approximately EUR92 million (USD100.6 million), to be delivered by the end of 2024.

Denmark, Germany, and Norway signed a letter of intent with Slovakia in October 2022 to fund the latter's production of Zuzana 2 SPHs to donate to Ukraine.

Separately, Ukraine signed a commercial contract with Slovakia in June 2022 for a battery of eight Zuzana 2s, all of which have been delivered, according to the Slovak MoD.

Slovak Prime Minister Ľudovít Ódor said at the Zuzana 2 handover ceremony that Konštrukta-Defence and Ukrainian company KZVV were working on a new howitzer, with Slovakia providing the expertise and Ukraine “its extensive production capacity”. He added that the project would result in a prototype.