Bogdana guns, manufactured in Ukraine, became the backbone of Ukrainian front-line artillery
Artillery produced in Ukraine is gaining decisive ground on the front. Domestically manufactured Bogdana 155mm artillery systems currently account for about 40 percent of the total artillery pieces used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the front line, according to a senior military official.
Cannons of Ukrainian manufacture Bogdana/PHOTO:X
The data was presented by Andrii Juravliov, deputy chief of staff of the Missile and Artillery Command, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. According to him, the figures reflect the situation at the beginning of October 2025 and include both self-propelled and towed variants of the Bohdana system.
The rapid increase in the weight of this system on the front is a sign of the transformation of the Ukrainian military industry, at a time when Western support is becoming more difficult to anticipate, and the need for autonomy in the production of weapons is increasingly evident.
Juravliov stated that the performance of the Bogdana is getting closer to that of the French CAESAR howitzers, wheeled self-propelled systems delivered to Ukraine as part of international military aid. According to the Oryx military monitoring platform, Ukraine has received more than 200 CAESAR units.
Active tests of the Bogdana system began in 2022, and since then it has been constantly improved. In addition to the self-propelled version, a towed howitzer was also developed, the tests of which were completed earlier this year.
“The enterprise has already developed and tested an automated fire control and sighting system that significantly reduces the time required to bring the gun into position,” Yuravliov explained. In parallel, testing of an automatic charging system continues.
A third version of the system is also in the works, with a shorter barrel—39 gauge—than the current 52 gauge variant.
Among the advantages of Bogdana, the Ukrainian official mentioned the compatibility with a wide range of NATO-type ammunition, which simplifies logistics, but also the long life of the barrel. “Today, it is probably one of the most durable artillery systems in terms of endurance. Its level of technical availability at the front constantly reaches 80%, which means high survivability,” Juravliov said.
According to him, currently, Bogdana systems — self-propelled and towed — represent about 40% of the artillery used by the Ukrainian army on the front line. The trend confirms Kiev's growing reliance on domestic production amid war wear and political uncertainties in the West.
In April 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine was able to produce about ten Bogdana systems per month, surpassing the target of six units by the end of 2023. The authorities in Kiev then estimated that the pace of production could increase further.
