Russia has turned to using World War II-era Nazi weapons in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, reportedly even raiding museums to sustain its military efforts.
The Ukrainian “TUR” reconnaissance unit claims to have found a Nazi explosive device in a Russian ammunition depot, sharing a photo of the pointed object bearing the Nazi Eagle and Swastika symbols from 1934.
“Nazi weapons are still being used to kill people,” they stated in a Telegram post. “The regimes of Hitler and Stalin may be gone, but Putin’s regime has taken their place. The names change, yet the essence remains unchanged.”
The group added, “The Russian government crafts tales to combat fascism, but, in truth, they are a fascist state themselves,” critiquing the Kremlin’s narrative that it is battling Nazism in Ukraine.
This revelation serves as a stark reminder of Russia’s troubling history at the onset of World War II, specifically referencing the pact between Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and Nazi Germany.
“On September 17, 1939, the Soviet Union betrayed Poland, which was already weakened by fighting against the Nazis,” the unit noted. “This is just one example of the collaboration between these two totalitarian regimes.”
They also mentioned that in August 1939, the Soviet Union and Germany signed additional commercial agreements in early 1940. These arrangements allowed the Soviet Union to obtain military machinery, technology, and resources.
The unit suggested that the Nazi detonator found could be from that era, stating, “It is stored in a Russian depot.”
Reports indicate that Russian forces are regularly relying on such antiquated Nazi detonators found in weapon stockpiles.
Major General Ole Shriyayev, part of Ukraine’s 225th separate assault regiment, indicated that it’s not unusual for Russia to utilize outdated technology and munitions from earlier conflicts.
“I’ve seen time and again that Russia employs equipment dating back to World War II,” he commented on Wednesday.
“This illustrates that Russia is facing some challenges. With the war dragging on for nearly four years, a significant amount of ammunition has been depleted.”
Shriyayev even observed Russian troops using bolt-action rifles from the late 1800s, which were reportedly drawn from a Russian military museum for use in contemporary battles in Ukraine. “The Mosin rifle was developed in the late 19th century, used in both World Wars, and was replaced by what became known as the SKS,” he pointed out. “But that was also around the time the AK-47 emerged, leaving behind antiquated models that aren’t even considered modern anymore.”
President Evangelist Keith Kellogg from the US commented on this issue during a panel at the Yalta European Strategy Conference held in Kiev on Monday.
“[Russia is] trying to explain how Moscow is ‘losing’ the war and is pulling tanks from museums to support their front lines. Meanwhile, Ukrainians are fighting with incredible bravery,” he remarked.
Moscow has also been attempting to modernize older infantry combat vehicles extracted from storage, repurposing artillery from World War II ships in makeshift setups to continue the fight in Ukraine, according to Shriyayev.
“Intelligence reports also confirm that North Korea is supplying munitions to Russia, highlighting their ammunition shortages,” the commander mentioned.
