Poland sends Krab self-propelled gun repair specialists to Ukraine
8 August, 2023 Personnel of PGZ Service Orel repair Ukrainian equipment. Summer 2023. Ukraine.
Photo credits: PGZ Polish specialists from PGZ Service Orel arrived in Ukraine to repair Krab artillery systems. Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa stated that its specialists have to work near the front line.
Polish specialists also trained about 100 Ukrainian soldiers so that they could independently perform basic repair and service work. "The Krab self-propelled guns are repaired by our mechanics in direct contact with the front line," said Sebastian Chwalek, Vice-President of the Management Board at PGZ. In May 2023, the director of PGZ announced the creation of PGZ Service Orel, which repairs several dozen Krab howitzers that are involved in Ukraine.
Personnel of PGZ Service Orel repair Ukrainian equipment.
Summer 2023. Ukraine. Photo credits: PGZ
"Knowing the dynamics of operations at the front, we decided to create a subsidiary that will serve equipment, including our Krab self-propelled howitzers," Sebastian Chwalek added.
Mechanics of PGZ Service Orel perform work in field workshops and factories in Ukraine. "Our mobile teams have the ability to perform both simple repairs in the field in the immediate vicinity of the front line, and more serious work at the factories of Ukraine, where they repair equipment damaged as a result of hostilities," explained the head of PGZ. Chwalek also noted that PGZ mechanics have experience working in combat conditions.
KRAB self-propelled guns of the 26th Separate Artillery Brigade of Ukraine.
October 2022. Ukraine. Photo credits: Kostiantyn Liberov
"We have more than 130 personnel at PGZ alone who have accompanied our soldiers in Afghanistan and Chad, among others," he said.
According to Chwalek, consultations on Ukrainian maintenance services are held permanently with the use of secure communication channels, and Polish mechanics respond to the requests of their Ukrainian colleagues in almost real time.
Personnel of PGZ Service Orel repair Ukrainian equipment. Summer 2023.
Ukraine.
Photo credits: PGZ
Recall that Poland launched a large-scale repair operation aimed at returning damaged Ukrainian artillery and armored vehicles to the battlefield.