Sweden has decided to supply the Ukrainian army with long-range Archer self-propelled guns, modern equipment requested by Kyiv for many months, as well as light armored vehicles, the government announced on Thursday.
After a government meeting, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced at a press conference “the first decision to start supplying Archer artillery systems to Ukraine” to help it against Russia.
Sweden, which has broken with Ukraine on its doctrine of not supplying arms to a country at war, will also send the government 50 CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles and NLAW man-portable anti-tank missiles.
These announcements come at a time when Western countries are multiplying announcements of sending heavy weapons to Ukraine.
“Military support is crucial,” Prime Minister Kristersson said, because “it can change who takes the initiative next winter” on the front lines in Ukraine.
With a range of more than 30 kilometers, which can exceed 50 km with certain advanced shells, the Archer artillery system, manufactured by a Swedish subsidiary of armaments giant BAE Systems, is of the same class as the French Caesar gun.
Placed on an all-terrain truck, it is capable of firing multiple shells in a matter of tens of seconds and then moving almost immediately after, making it formidable at destroying enemy artillery.
Sweden had been investigating their delivery for several months.
The Contact Group for Ukraine, which brings together some fifty countries led by the United States, met Friday at the American base in Ramstein, Germany, to coordinate continued aid to Kyiv.
In the last few days, the UK has already announced the delivery of Challenger 2 tanks, France AMX-10 RC light tanks and the Netherlands a Patriot surface-to-air battery.