The Ukrainian artillery units use 203 mm M650 HERA extended-range shells. These are the same shells that Greece plans to sell to intermediary countries for further supply to Ukraine.
This was noticed by OSINT analyst Jeff2146 in photos of the 43rd Artillery Brigade published on September 16, 2025. This unit is known for using Soviet 203 mm 2S7 Pion self-propelled cannons.
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It is unclear whether these M650 shells came from Greece or another supplier. The shells could have originated from the U.S., Turkey, Pakistan, Jordan, countries that have phased out 203 mm artillery, or from donors around the globe.
It should be noted that back in 2023, Ukrainian artillerymen already had 203-mm M106 shells with a range of up to 18.6 km at their disposal. It is known that they were transferred as part of a U.S. military aid package announced on June 9, 2023.
With its base burn, the M650 achieves a maximum range of 30 km. This allows the cannon to fire from a greater distance from the front line.
This reduced the amount of explosive, but it is reportedly offset by the HF-1 high-carbon steel casing. This material provides increased fragmentation, which may even be more beneficial.
Even with trophies in reserve, Ukraine almost certainly ran out of 2S7 Pion shells some time ago. However, the possibility of using American analogues allows these artillery systems to remain in service.
In recent years, interest in the development of 203 mm artillery systems has increased. China, for example, is actively developing a range of systems in this class.
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