While other governments often reveal what military equipment they are sending to Kyiv to fight the Russian invasion that began nearly 15 months ago, Romania has chosen not to publicize the aid it has given to the neighboring country. However, images appeared on social media showing Ukrainian troops using a Soviet-style howitzer made in Reshita at the front.

President Klaus Iohannis has not yet said whether Romania has sent heavy weapons to Ukraine, arguing that it is unwise to pass on vital information to an adversary during a war.

The USA, Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic or the Baltic States are just some of the countries that have publicly and transparently reported that and how much heavy weapons they have sent to Ukraine, most of the allies send several packages of military equipment to Kyiv help

The website Ukraine Weapons Tracker, which tracks weapons from the front, has published a photo of a new type of weapon that the Ukrainian military is using against the Russians: the Romanian M1981 152 mm howitzer, a derivative of the Soviet D-20.

The delivery of these howitzers was not previously reported, but recently Ukraine also received an APR-40 MLRS specially configured for Romania, Ukraine Weapons Tracker notes.

The M1981 howitzer was manufactured under license at the “Reşita” mechanical plant after the Soviet D-20 howitzer of the 1955 model, according to the 8th Brigade ROT “Alexandru Ioan Cuza”.

The D-20 was developed in the early 1950s by a bureau led by F. Petrov to replace the ML-20 howitzer. At the time of its appearance, the D-20 was a very modern artillery piece, being one of the first launchers equipped with a launch plate.

It had the same effect as the 130 mm caliber D-46 gun and was purchased by all Warsaw Pact countries. China produced its own variant called the Type 66.

To move the M1918 howitzers, Romanian tracked tractors TAR-76 and TMA-83, manufactured at the Mizil Mechanical Plant, were used at first, and later a DAC 665 T truck, manufactured at “Autocamioane” in Brasov.

The service team consists of 10 people.

The howitzer entered service with the army on August 1, 1982 and was in service, at least until 2014, in some artillery divisions of the infantry brigade of the Ground Forces.

This howitzer is a special success of the domestic defense industry, being the first in a series that also includes: a 130 mm caliber gun and a 152 mm caliber howitzer, which are created according to the same design principles. , according to the “Encyclopedia of Romanian Artillery”, Col. Prof. Dr. Adrian STROEA, Col. (right) Marin GINOU, Col. Gheorghe BIENARU, Lt. Col. Florin BARBU, Dr. Olga DINILE, cit. Brigade 8 ROT “Alexandru Ioan Kuza”.

Romania does not say how it helps Ukraine

To the question of HotNews.ro, whether Romaniasent heavy weapons to a neighboring country, and if so, what was it and why was it not reported publicly, as in the case of other countries, Klaus Iohannis replied:

• “I can tell you what I have said on other occasions. We are at war, not in the situation we talk about quietly over coffee.
• The war is right next to us, and it is wise not to give vital information to the enemy.
• We publicly declare that we are helping Ukraine with everything we can, and we are doing that.”

Why this discrepancy between the communication of Romania and our neighbors, who publicly disclosed everything that was sent to Ukraine?

• “This is our approach, because we are direct neighbors of Ukraine and we believe that it is better for us and for Ukraine to help them.”