„High-grade target for the enemy“ German howitzer helped counteroffensive. Germany has been pilloried internationally for itsI reluctance to provide military aid. But German war material arguably played a crucial role in Ukraine’s recent successes. ‚As the Economist reports, the German Gepard anti-aircraft tank played a central role in the Ukrainian counterattack in the northeast of the country: The Russians had hardly used their air force in the defense because they feared losses, the paper cites Ukrainian intelligence. Another German weapon system is also likely to have been critical to the Ukrainians‘ success: the self- propelled howitzer 2000. Russian army’s Ufeline knocked out Exactly how the barrel artillery system from Germany was used is unclear, The Ukrainian General Staff has imposed an information blackout, and only a few details are leaking out. Which units will go into battle with the ten German howitzers suoplied and where is closely guarded secret. However, as t-online has learned from Ukrainian army circles, the tank artillery played a decisive role in the liberation of the strategically important city of Kupyansk, The place was considered a logistics hub of the Russian army, which ensured the supply of ammunition and materials via railroad ines We destroyed the Kupyansk bridge with the help of the self-propelled howitzer 2000,“ Ukrainian artillery officer Serhiy Kovalenko* told t-online. „This prevented both the arrival of Russian reserves and the organized retreat of the enemy.“ The bridge over the Oskil River is the only road connecting the twa parts of Kupyansk. Without the river crossing, Russian troops were trapped on the west bank – and cut off from reinforcements from the east. high-tevel target for the enemy~ For Frank Ledwidge of the University of Portsmauth, the self-propelled howitzer 2000 is lan important piece of the puzzle in Ukraine’s war strategy. Itis the „most powerful and modemn“ artillery system in the world, he said. The three major advantages, he said, are: precision, rate of fire and reliability. „The propel howitzer hits the target from a distance of 30 kilometers ith a maximum deviation of five to ten meters.“ Journalist and security expert Thomas Wiegotd calls the weapon a „gamechanger,“ aithough so far there is rather „anecdotal for it The precision of the self-propelled howitzer has proved to be a decisive factor in the Ukrainians‘ rapid advance on Kupyansk, artillery officer Kovalenko also says: „We needed 12 shells to smash the bridge, With Soviet or Russian barrel artiliery, we might have needed 50 ar mare shelts.“ That was not just a logistical prablem, he said, because it would require more unarmored munitions trucks to make it to the front ines, would also put crews at greater risk: „The longer have to fire at a target, the easier prey we are for Russian drones and enemy artillery.“ he self-propelled howitzer has also proven itse in direct firefights against Russian tanks, according to Kovalenko: „Against enemy main jattle tanks, we use 155 millimeter caliber SMA ‚ounds.“ This state-of-the-art precision grenad explodes aver the target and fires its munition: by parachute. Radar and infrared sensors guide the explosives safely into the target. This is another reason why the German self- bropelled howitzer is a „high-value target for th enemy,“ the soldier says. Russian drones, jegularly searched the front lines to take out th Herman artillery systems. While there have bee hits and damage to the German howitzers, *we javen’t lost any yet,“ he says. The armor is goor especially at the top of the hull and turret