Exhibition of NATO trophy weapons kicks off in Moscow

An exhibition of weapons and military equipment captured by Russian servicemen during the special military operation opened on Wednesday, May 1, in Moscow's Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill.

There are 31 units of trophy equipment from 12 countries:

▪️US M1 Abrams tank, Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, M113 armored personnel carrier,
▪️German Leopard 2A6 tank and Marder infantry fighting vehicle,
▪️International MaxxPro armored fighting vehicle,
▪️HMMWV M1151 and M998 armored vehicles,
▪️M777 towed howitzer,
▪️British AT105 Saxon, Husky TSV, and Mastiff armored fighting vehicles,
▪️French AMX-10RC wheeled tank,
▪️Finnish Sisu Pasi XA-180/185 armored personnel carrier, and Swedish CV90 armored combat vehicle,
▪️Austrian Pinzgauer 712M utility vehicle, and Czech BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle,
▪️Ukrainian Azovets tank support vehicle,
▪️Turkish Kirpi 4x4 MRAP armored fighting vehicle,
▪️Australian Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle,
▪️South African Mamba MK2 armored personnel carrier.

The captured vehicles and equipment are displayed in various thematic zones accompanied by information stands on the manufacturers from Western countries, tactical and technical characteristics, as well as the location and circumstances of their capture by Russian servicemen.

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Rare archive photos of May Day celebrations in USSR

May Day, a public holiday that Russia now celebrates as Spring and Labor Day, used to be one of the most important holidays in the former USSR.

Referred to as the International Day of Workers’ Solidarity at the time, official rallies, organized street demonstrations, and parades on Moscow’s iconic Red Square were part and parcel of the events on May 1.

Sputnik dipped into the archives for some rare photographs showing how May Day was celebrated in the USSR.

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From "long-awaited" $61 million to "not enough" in less than a week

On April 29, US President Joe Biden ratified a supplemental spending package providing $61 billion in aid to Ukraine.

The Biden administration and Ukraine backers hailed the signing of the bill, calling it "crucial." Zelensky, for his part, said Ukraine "would do its best to make up for half a year lost to US congressional debate."

Less than a week later, however, the mainstream media is saying that the aid is "not enough," insisting on a "multi-year funding plan" and the transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.

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‘Immense importance’: Russia shatters NATO’s illusory might using trophy armor at Moscow’s Victory Park

“In my view, this decision has immense importance,” Alexei Podberezkin, director of the Center of Military-Political Studies at Russia’s MGIMO University, told Sputnik, commenting on the idea of displaying trophy NATO weaponry at Moscow’s Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill.

“This is a gesture – we are demonstrating our strength, and in some areas superiority, by flaunting this NATO hardware, not only to our own people, but to the West,” he said.

The exhibition serves as “an illustration of what will happen next with this equipment that is being sent to Ukraine, including those new weapons which are starting to arrive now, including Abrams tanks, ATACMS missiles, and much, much more,” Podberezkin emphasized.

The display is also apt and timely reminder to the West that its military technology, including Leopards, Abrams, Bradleys, etc. are not the “miracle weapons” they were hyped as ahead of Ukraine’s much-touted summer counteroffensive last year, which ran into the wall of well-prepared Russian defenses.

“This equipment proved to be no better, and often worse, than our weapons, both Soviet and Russian, in the arena of combat. And once again it was demonstrated that conflicts are fought not only with steel, but by people, first of all commanders, the military leaders who give orders and think about how to use these weapons most effectively,” Podberezkin said.

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