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Denmark to donate 19 French-made howitzers to Ukraine

Denmark said Thursday it would donate 19 French-made Caesar howitzers to Ukraine, including some still on order, following a slew of pledges of heavy weapons from Kyiv's Western allies.

Published: 19 January 2023 17:20 CET
Denmark to donate 19 French-made howitzers to Ukraine
Danish Minister of Defense Jakob Ellemann-Jensen at Aarhus Harbour earlier this week. Denmark has confirmed a new heavy weapons donation to Ukraine. Photo: Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix

“We have been in constant contact with the Ukrainians about the Caesar artillery, and I am pleased that we have now received broad support from parliament to donate it to Ukraine’s freedom struggle,” Danish Defence Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said.

Only a handful of Caesar howitzers have so far been delivered to Denmark, and the statement published by the Ministry of Defence noted that the system was still being implemented in the Danish military.

“There are still a number of technical challenges with the system, which will have to be addressed in cooperation with the manufacturer and Ukraine,” the ministry said.

“Ukraine has requested the artillery despite these challenges,” it added.

Earlier on Thursday, Scandinavian neighbour Sweden also announced it was planning to send its Archer artillery system, as part of a new package of military support for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday urged Western allies to provide Kyiv with more heavy weapons.

The United States, Kyiv’s main backer, is convening a meeting on Friday of around 50 countries — including all 30 members of the NATO alliance — at the US Ramstein military base in Germany to discuss military aid to Ukraine.

Britain this weekend pledged 14 Challenger 2 tanks, making it the first Western country to supply heavy tanks.

The United States has also promised to send its Bradley armoured fighting vehicles, while France has offered its highly mobile AMX-10 RCs — offensive systems long seen as off-limits by hesitant Western nations.

Pressure has also been mounting on Germany from European allies to authorise exports of its Leopard tank, which are used by several armed forces around the world.

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MILITARY

One in four in Denmark stocked up with ‘crisis’ water and food

A significant proportion of the Danish population has followed official advice to ensure they have enough supplies at home to get by for three days in the event of a crisis.

Published: 25 June 2024 13:40 CEST
One in four in Denmark stocked up with ‘crisis’ water and food

Around a quarter of households have stocked three days’ supplies of water after advice was issued by authorities earlier this month to keep stores in case of a crisis.

A survey for newswire Ritzau by the Voxmeter institute found that around a quarter have already followed the guidelines. Over 1,000 people answered the survey, which was conducted between 6 and 9 days after the announcement.

The Danish Emergency Management Service (Beredsskabstyrelsen, DEMA) on June 15th issued advice for the general public to have certain supplies at home so that they are prepared in the event of a crisis. This can can mean natural events like extreme weather or human acts like cyber attacks or sabotage, DEMA said.

DEMA’s director Laila Reenberg, said at a briefing on the recommendations that there was no need to “rush out in panic” to purchase crisis supplies.

“But when you happen to be out grocery shopping, you can gradually fill out your supplies,” she said.

Some 26 percent said they have sufficient stocks of both food and water, while 72 percent said they did not in the survey conducted between June 21st-24th.

Those proportions are reasonable according to an expert, who said it was not expected that the entire country would rush to supermarkets to shop for the full checklist.

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But the numbers can also be used as a guideline for authorities, said Nina Blom Andersen, specialist in Disaster and Risk Management University College Copenhagen, speaking to news wire Ritzau.

“The authorities should use it as a signpost showing that they should always be aware that there is a group they need to look after,” she said.

The survey also asked respondents if they planned to buy things on the checklist that they do not already have.

Items on the list include power banks, first aid kits and wind-up radios.

“What could change these numbers to people being better prepared at home is continued focus on the task from the media, from authorities and that people keep talking about it in their social networks, private lives and relations,” Andersen said.

Focus on the issue from local as well as national authorities could also boost uptake, she added.

Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen has said that information will be sent to all residents in Denmark by secure email “after the summer”.

Folders will also be placed at libraires and other public institutions, he said.

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