War in Ukraine: Kyivs army recycles old Greek howitzers into its arsenal to provide enhanced firepower against Russian positions.

199 million euros, 60 howitzers, 150,000 shells. The Ukrainian-Greek agreement on the 203 mm M110A2 enters into force with the 52nd artillery brigade. This American self-propelled system, sixty years old but formidable, expands Kyiv’s heavy strike capability on the eastern front.

The Ukrainian 52nd artillery brigade officially announced on April 2, 2026 the commissioning of the M110A2, a 203 mm American-made self-propelled howitzer received from a Greek transfer negotiated in the fall of 2025. This reinforcement expands the Ukrainian heavy strike capability on the eastern front, amid persistent pressure on the contact lines.

An agreement worth 199 million euros

The delivery is part of an agreement between Athens and Kyiv, made public in October 2025, for up to 60 M110A2 systems transported through the Czech Republic for an estimated amount of over 199 million euros, as reported by the Ukrainian media United 24. The batch also includes approximately 150,000 shells of different types, including M404 zone-effect ammunition and M509A1 submunition projectiles, as well as 70mm and 127mm Zuni rockets. Greece had previously classified these systems as “non-operationally necessary equipment,” an administrative condition allowing their transfer without affecting Hellenic defense capacities. The proceeds from the transaction are intended to fund the modernization of the Greek arsenal.

A system from the 1960s back in combat

Developed in the 1960s and gradually phased out of NATO arsenals in the 1990s in favor of the standardized 155 mm caliber, the M110A2 makes an unexpected return to a European battlefield. The system fires 90-kilogram shells with a range ranging from 16.8 to 25 kilometers with standard ammunition, possibly reaching 29 to 30 kilometers with fuse-assisted projectiles. Mounted on a tracked chassis powered by a 405-horsepower Detroit Diesel engine, it can fire three rounds in two minutes in rapid mode before repositioning to limit exposure to counter-battery strikes.

What are the consequences on the balance of forces?

The arrival of the M110A2 complements the Ukrainian’s capability in the 203 mm caliber, previously provided by the 2S7 Pion and 2S7M Malka of Soviet origin. The strategic advantage lies in the compatibility with Western-made ammunition, as the stocks of Soviet projectiles dwindle after four years of conflict. The M110A2 remains a tool of raw firepower, not well suited for surgical strikes, but effective for hitting logistical hubs or fortified positions deep behind Russian lines.