Russia relies on Nazi-era weapons, raids museums to restock arms in Ukraine war

Ukraine’s Tur reconnaissance unit said it discovered cone-shaped detonators inside a Russian ammunition depot bearing a Nazi-era insignia, a finding that underscores Moscow’s effort to repurpose decades-old weapons as its invasion of Ukraine continues. The unit said the detonators were stamped with the Reichsadler eagle and a swastika, dated 1934, and released photos of the devices on Telegram as proof of the find. The disclosure follows months of reporting about Russia scavenging older stocks to keep the fighting going and fuel shortages on the front lines.

As Kyiv and Western officials warn that Moscow is resorting to wartime relics to replenish its dwindling munitions, Ukraine’s 225th Separate Assault Battalion described a pattern of Russia pulling gear from depots, including equipment dating back to World War II and earlier, for use in Ukraine. Maj. Oleh Shyriaiev, who commands the 225th, told The Washington Post that Russia has repeatedly used weapons and ammunition from the earlier conflict eras. He cited bolt-action Mosin–Nagant rifles, developed in the late 19th century and long viewed as obsolete, which he said have appeared on today’s battlefields after being taken from museums or storage.

“We have seen many times that Russia has been using equipment from the times of the Second World War,” Shyriaiev said, noting that stockpiles have been exhausted after nearly four years of war. “The Mosin rifle was developed at the end of the 19th century, used in WWI and WWII, and then replaced by the AK-47, which is not modern by today’s standards.” He added that such relics are a symbol of the broader strain in Moscow’s war effort, where outdated gear has become a necessity rather than a choice.

The broader narrative of weapon replenishment includes open acknowledgment from U.S. and allied officials that Moscow has been tapping a mix of older munitions, mining the remnants of museums, and seeking outside suppliers to keep front lines supplied. At the Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Keith Kellogg described Russia as pulling tanks from mothballs and from museums to place on the battlefield, saying Moscow cannot operate in large-scale maneuvers without risking heavy losses. He also noted that Moscow has repurposed WWII ship guns mounted on lightly armored trailers and has worked to modernize older infantry fighting vehicles pulled from storage, all in a bid to close the growing gap in its stockpiles.

The Tur unit’s discovery of detonators with Nazi-era markings also serves as a historical reminder of Russia’s complicated wartime past and the complex legacy of early 20th-century power politics. The unit highlighted how the Kremlin’s narrative about fighting fascism contrasts with historical episodes in which the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany cooperated at various points, including the non-aggression period and the broader wartime exchange of equipment and materials. The Telegram post referenced the August 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and subsequent trade arrangements that supplied the Soviet Union with military equipment and raw materials — including detonators for shells marked with swastikas — as part of a broader context that the unit argues foreshadows the persistence of totalitarian-era tools in modern arsenals. The Tur unit argued that such relics were preserved in Russian depots and could resurface on the battlefield as long as stocks allow.

Observers say the use of older weapons by Russian forces is not unusual given the prolonged conflict and the depletion of more modern inventories. Shyriaiev said the phenomenon underscores Moscow’s difficulty sustaining a long war, hampered by supply chain constraints and the need to improvise with whatever munitions remain. The reports also point to external factors, including alleged help from allied producers, which have been cited by Kyiv and allied analysts as a contributing factor to Russia’s ability to continue the fight for an extended period.

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The reported use of WWII-era detonators and other relics is part of a larger pattern that officials say reflects Russia’s need to improvise in a long war that has already endured for years. Kyiv’s security analysts and military officers say tanker fleets and other legacy hardware are being pressed into service, and that this approach is unlikely to replace the more modern systems Russia has faced in Ukraine in recent years. The broader implication is that Moscow, facing sustained Ukrainian resistance and western support for Kyiv, is compelled to rely on older technology while continuing to attempt to project force along multiple fronts.

The episode also coincides with ongoing, public discussions about the legacy of WWII-era weapons in modern conflicts and how such relics influence current military doctrine. While wartime propaganda and state narratives often aim to glorify a standardized defense line, observers say the reality on the ground reveals a tactical patchwork: some units fight with new systems, others with weapons that date back many decades. In Ukraine, the 225th Separate Assault Battalion’s reporting and Shyriaiev’s account illustrate a battlefield where the line between history and current combat is, in practice, very thin. The evolution of this war continues to hinge on stockpiles, supply chains, and the ability of both sides to keep front lines supplied with munitions and vehicles that may include equipment once considered obsolete.