MOSCOW (AP) — An exhibition of Western military equipment captured from kyiv’s forces during fighting in Ukraine opened Wednesday in the Russian capital.
The exhibition organized by the Russian Defense Ministry features more than 30 pieces of Western-made heavy equipment, including an American-made M1 Abrams battle tank and an American-made Bradley armored fighting vehicle, a Leopard 2 tank and an armored vehicle Marder infantry from Germany, as well as a French armored vehicle. -AMX-10RC armored vehicle manufactured.
The exhibition, which will remain open for a month at a World War II memorial site west of Moscow, also features firearms, military papers and other documents.
Russian authorities have criticized deliveries of Western weapons and military equipment to Ukraine, presenting them as evidence of NATO’s direct involvement in the conflict. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Western military supplies to kyiv will not change the course of the conflict and prevent Russia from achieving its goals.
The exposure comes as Russian forces have seized more land in eastern Ukraine, taking advantage of delays in U.S. military assistance to push back under-equipped Kiev forces.
Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov hailed the Moscow exhibition as a “brilliant idea”.
“The exhibition of the trophies will arouse great interest among residents of Moscow, guests of our city and all residents of the country,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “We should all see the enemy’s damaged equipment.”
Russian military bloggers have drawn parallels between the exhibition and displays of Nazi military equipment captured by the Soviet Union during and after World War II.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stressed that foreign diplomats based in Moscow should take the opportunity to visit the exhibition to see how “the West is destroying peace on the planet.”
“This exhibition will be of interest to everyone who still believes in the mythical ‘Western values’ or who does not notice the aggression unleashed by NATO against Russia and our people,” Zakharova said.
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