MOSCOW (AP) — An exhibition of Western military equipment captured from Kiev forces during fighting in Ukraine opened Wednesday in the Russian capital.
The exhibition organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense features more than 30 pieces of Western-made heavy equipment, including a US-made M1 Abrams main battle tank and a Bradley armored fighting vehicle, a Leopard 2 tank and a Marder armored infantry vehicle. from Germany, and a French-made AMX-10RC armored vehicle.
The exhibition, which will remain open for a month at a World War II memorial in western Moscow, also displays firearms, military documents and other documents.
Russian authorities have criticized the supply of Western weapons and military equipment to Ukraine, presenting them as evidence of NATO’s direct involvement in the fighting. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Western military supplies to Kiev would not change the course of the conflict and would prevent Russia from achieving its goals.
The exhibition comes as Russian forces seize more land in eastern Ukraine, taking advantage of delays in US military assistance to push back the underarmed Kyiv forces.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov hailed the exhibition in Moscow as a “brilliant idea”.
“The exhibition of trophy equipment will attract great interest from Moscow residents, visitors to our city and all residents of the country,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “We should all see the enemy’s damaged equipment.”
Russian military bloggers drew parallels between the show and exhibitions of captured Nazi military equipment that the Soviet Union held during and after World War II.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that foreign diplomats based in Moscow should take the opportunity to visit the exhibition to see how “the West destroys peace on the planet.”
“This exhibition will be interesting for all those who still believe in mythical ‘Western values’ or do not understand an aggression unleashed by NATO against Russia and our people,” said Zakharova.
