The Kremlin sets up an exhibition in Moscow to show off the weapons seized from Ukraine during the war
In his eagerness to heal the psychological traumas of the Russians, and his own, after the “humiliations” he suffered from the defeat in the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Putin has been power came nearly a quarter of a century, during which he repeatedly uses the word “victory”: in his official speeches, taking advantage of any event, press conference or public appearance. The need for constant victories in all areas, economic, sporting, technological and above all military, has become obsessive, is in fact the hallmark of Putin’s regime. “Without an enemy there is no fight, without a fight there is no victory,” reads one of the advertising claims released by the Russian army in May 2014 aimed at recruiting the so-called ‘kontráktniki’, professional soldiers. That announcement came after the annexation of Crimea and with the war in Donbass in full swing.
It was then that Putin came up with the idea of creating the Park Patriot (Park of the Fatherland), a huge military complex located 18 kilometers southwest of the Russian capital, near the Kúbinka airbase. In addition to the airport, which is the most important in the Moscow region in terms of the number of combat aircraft, the Kubinka area has a tank training ground, Alabino, which now hosts skill championships in the use of armored vehicles. .
Nearby is the main temple of the Russian Armed Forces, striking in its dark khaki color, and the world’s largest museum of World War II weapons captured from Hitler’s troops. As of now, the Park Patriot also has an exhibition of trophies confiscated from the Ukrainian army, which the Russian authorities also consider “Nazi”. It is opened on the occasion of the Armia 2022 International Forum, which was inaugurated last Monday the 15th in the presence of Putin and closed on Sundays, although any visitor can come during these days to see the exhibition.
Russia wants to continue to boast that it is the world’s second largest arms exporter, although that will become increasingly difficult, according to experts. It turns out that their weapons innovations require Western-made components that are already scarce due to sanctions. Also, most of the material displayed in the Patriot Park is not seen on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Amid the huge rows of state-of-the-art war material that make up the international fair that Russia organizes every year to sell its weapons, a separate pavilion shows the war material that Russian forces claim to have seized from Ukrainian troops.
Outside there are about twenty armored vehicles with Ukrainian flags and decals, and several speedboats that were used during the Battle of Mariupol. Inside the enclosure, a massive 155-millimeter US M777 gun predominates over the center of the room. Washington wants this piece of artillery to fire Excalibur-guided missiles soon, further complicating matters for the Russian military in its bid to continue advancing into Ukraine.
Also on display are all kinds of mines (anti-tank and anti-personnel), drones, rocket launchers, grenade launchers, including one made in Spain, rifles, pistols, transmission equipment, demining machines, the remains of a Tochka-U missile like the one that slaughtered civilians on the Kramatorsk (Donetsk) train station and even a British-made armored ambulance for frontline use.
Most of the weapons on display there are Western-made, coming from NATO countries, Israel or New Zealand: the M777 gun, the American Javelin missile launcher (the killer of Russian tanks), the terrifying Turkish Bayraktar drone.
Several Russian officials explain the significance of the exhibition to the public. “We want everyone to know that Western aid to Ukraine will only prolong hostilities,” said an armored division captain. In his words, “we also wanted to influence the radical, extremist and fanatical nature of the Ukrainian regime.”
In one of the corners are also some manuals with which Ukrainian schoolchildren study. “They are imbued with Nazi ideology and hatred of Russia,” the Russian military said. The literature on display also includes manuals on improvising explosives and caring for the wounded.
In another of the exhibitors, you will see a British armored car used as an ambulance. A wounded Ukrainian soldier can be seen on the ground with a swastika tattoo.
A girl asks one of the instructors why most of the war trophies in the exhibit are in perfect condition, except for one New Zealand vehicle that was burned during the skirmish and all bodywork corroded. “Because they ran away, left their positions and left the brand new weapons there,” replies a commander.
The truth is that, compared to the war material captured from the Russians in Ukraine and now on display in Kiev’s central Kreshatik avenue on the occasion of Independence Day, the Russian trophy collection is much more modest. They may not have gotten everything they wrestled from the Kiev troops.
Moreover, the atmosphere that was breathed in the Parque Patriota was not exactly euphoric. However, all the people this correspondent spoke to said they were sure that the Russian army would win. “There is no other way”, said a young visitor who also did not identify himself.
72 countries from around the world took part in the competition, including Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Iran and North Korea, but none from the West. The Russian arms export company Rosoboronexport, according to its director, Alexander Mikheyev, has signed two contracts for the supply to foreign customers worth about €390 million under the Army-2022 forum. Last year, however, Russia signed contracts worth €2 billion.
Source: La Verdad
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