The Russian army transfers weapons of Ukraine to the people’s militias in Luhansk and Donetsk
Captured equipment and weapons from the Ukrainian army, Ukrainian national battalions and regional defense battalions, which were abandoned and stored in warehouses during the special military operation, were transferred by the Russian Armed Forces (AF) to units of the people’s militias in Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics.
“Equipment and weapons, Soviet-made and supplied from Western countries, after checking their technical condition and restoration, are transferred to the divisions of the People’s Republics,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a briefing published on the ministry’s website.
“In the course of a special military operation, units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation seized a large amount of military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The transferred equipment and weapons will be used to liberate the lands of the people. Republics.
On March 11, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the captured Ukrainian weapons – armored vehicles and anti-tank systems – would be transferred to the DPR and LPR forces.
Against the background of the supply of Western weapons to Ukraine, Shoigu proposed to equip the DPR and LPR with air defense systems. “We have a proposal – to ensure a higher combat capability of the LPR and DPR militia, to transfer air defense systems to them, in particular MANPADS and anti-tank missile systems,” Shoigu said at a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with permanent members of the Russian Security Council.
According to Shoigu, this step is necessary “against the fact that there are absolutely uncontrolled shipments of weapons, various weapons to Ukraine from all sides.” “In my opinion, no one there really counts who, where, and how much is distributed, and this has been said more than once today,” Shoigu said about the supply of arms to Ukraine by Western countries.
“We have collected a huge number of weapons, Ukrainian weapons: tanks, armored vehicles, all kinds of small arms, and very much, artillery. In addition, there are many Javelin and Stinger complexes. They can more effectively implement the defense of their republics.
