https://sputnikglobe.com/20250704/defecting-ukrainian-troops-bring-captured-nato-arms---russian-soldier-1122393629.html
Defecting Ukrainian Troops Bring Captured NATO Arms - Russian Soldier
Defecting Ukrainian Troops Bring Captured NATO Arms - Russian Soldier
Sputnik International
Ukrainian soldiers who were trained in NATO countries but later defected to the Russian side have been supplied with captured NATO weapons, a soldier of the 36th separate guards motor rifle brigade of Russia's Vostok group of forces told Sputnik.
2025-07-04T03:17+0000
2025-07-04T03:17+0000
2025-07-04T04:47+0000
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"During combat actions in the settlement of Komar, foreign weapons were captured, which will be further used against Ukrainian fighters. We have enough foreign weapons, and they will later be handed over to our units ... Today, the Vostok battlegroup is handing over NATO weapons to the Martyn Pushkar unit for the liberation of our territories," the soldier said. The weapons handed over to the unit included M4 and UAR-15 carbines, an FN MAG machine gun, a 40mm caliber automatic grenade launcher, and related ammunition, the soldier said. Despite the fact that the captured NATO weapons are unmatched by Russian analogues, they may still be useful because former Ukrainian soldiers were trained to fight with these weapons, a fighter from the Martyn Pushkar unit with the call sign "Shchuka" said. The Martyn Pushkar voluntary unit is made up of former soldiers of the Ukrainian armed forces, mostly residents of the Zaporozhye (Zaporizhzhia) region, who formed a liberation movement and are fighting against the Ukrainian authorities.
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Defecting Ukrainian Troops Bring Captured NATO Arms - Russian Soldier
03:17 GMT 04.07.2025 (Updated: 04:47 GMT 04.07.2025) Ukrainian soldiers who were trained in NATO countries but later defected to the Russian side have been supplied with captured NATO weapons, a soldier of the 36th separate guards motor rifle brigade of Russia's Vostok (East) group of forces told Sputnik.
"During combat actions in the settlement of Komar, foreign weapons were captured, which will be further used against Ukrainian fighters. We have enough foreign weapons, and they will later be handed over to our units ... Today, the Vostok battlegroup is handing over NATO weapons to the Martyn Pushkar unit for the liberation of our territories," the soldier said.
The weapons handed over to the unit included M4 and UAR-15 carbines, an FN MAG machine gun, a 40mm caliber automatic grenade launcher, and related ammunition, the soldier said.
Despite the fact that the captured NATO weapons are unmatched by Russian analogues, they may still be useful because former Ukrainian soldiers were trained to fight with these weapons, a fighter from the Martyn Pushkar unit with the call sign "Shchuka" said.
"In this case, they will be useful as we were trained in Poland. These weapons will be more convenient for us than AK rifles. They are surely stronger and more resilient, but we trained with these [NATO weapons]. For this reason, it will be easier to work with them," he said.
The Martyn Pushkar voluntary unit is made up of former soldiers of the Ukrainian armed forces, mostly residents of the Zaporozhye (Zaporizhzhia) region, who formed a liberation movement and are fighting against the Ukrainian authorities.
