Direct proof of use
The L118 Light Gun family appears in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War through the L119 105 mm light gun variant supplied to Ukraine. On 21 July 2022, the UK Ministry of Defence said 36 L119 105 mm artillery guns and ammunition would soon arrive from the United Kingdom, and a later GOV.UK recap said the Ministry of Defence had supplied Ukraine with L119 105 mm light guns and artillery ammunition.
Battlefield reporting followed within weeks. Defense Express reported on 5 August 2022 that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were already actively using British L119 howitzers, citing a Ukrainian artillery-unit commander interview carried by ArmyInform. On 8 August 2022, the same outlet described Ukrainian Air Assault Forces footage from firing positions in southern Ukraine, with airborne artillerymen discussing the gun's mobility and its use to cover assault operations.
Sources: GOV.UK UK to send scores of artillery guns, GOV.UK UK military support for Ukraine continues, Defense Express L119 already in Ukraine, Defense Express Ukrainian paratroopers value mobility
Transfer, training, and fielding
The documented chain runs from training and transfer to operational use. New Zealand announced in May 2022 that an artillery training team of up to 30 personnel would deploy to the United Kingdom to train Ukrainian military personnel to operate L119 105 mm light field guns, while also providing gun sights and training ammunition. The UK then publicly identified 36 L119 guns and ammunition in the July 2022 equipment package.
Defense Express' August 2022 reporting separated the gun's arrival from its employment: one article said Ukrainian forces were already actively using L119s, and the next described Air Assault Forces reporting from firing positions in southern Ukraine. The reported role was mobile 105 mm artillery fire support, with Ukrainian personnel emphasizing the gun's lighter weight, easier towing, faster emplacement, and usefulness for units that needed to move and conceal firing positions.
Sources: New Zealand L119 training deployment, GOV.UK UK to send scores of artillery guns, Defense Express L119 already in Ukraine, Defense Express Ukrainian paratroopers value mobility
Sustainment in Ukraine
By 2024, the public record had shifted from transfer to sustainment. BAE Systems said the UK Ministry of Defence awarded it a contract to maintain and repair gifted L119 Light Guns in Ukraine, allowing donated guns to be serviced in country and returned to the frontline more quickly. The company also described the L119 as a trusted system favored by Ukrainian forces for accurate firepower, light weight, low logistical requirements, and mobility.
The sources support Ukrainian operation of the L119 variant rather than original British-service L118 guns. This page keeps the family entry because the parent catalog record treats L118, L119, and M119 as related branches of the same 105 mm light-gun line, while identifying the Ukraine-specific weapon as the L119.
Sources: BAE Systems Ukraine light gun repair contract
