Russian troops living in stolen Ukrainian tents and using WW2-era sniper rifles

A Kremlin company commander in Ukraine complained that his men were short of gun sights, drones, night vision devices and radios, with some of his soldiers using sniper rifles from World War Two.

Russian troops living in stolen Ukrainian tents and using WW2-era sniper rifles – World News

Russian troops are living in stolen Ukrainian tents and using antiquated sniper rifles from World War Two.

A Russian company commander showed off the captured tents and other war “trophies” as he guided a pro-Kremlin journalist around his base in the Kherson region of Ukraine.

However, the Kremlin commander bitterly complained about equipment shortages, claiming he lacked gun sights, drones, night vision devices and radios.



Some of his troops were even using using antique Mosin-Nagant sniper rifles, with one of them dating back to 1943.

It comes after multiple reports of supply and equipment shortages within the Russian army.

The Kherson commander, who was not named, told pro-Kremlin journalist Patrick Lancaster: “The tents belonged to the escaped Ukrainian army.

A Russian company commander complained about shortages
“They left them, so now the tents are our trophies, where people live. The cars are also trophies.

“We even have a field sauna. Also a trophy!”

However, the commander admitted his troops were lacking in certain equipment.

“You’ve see we’ve gotten some trophies. What we are lacking is drones… we are lacking gunsights. We are lacking night vision devices. And certainly we really need communication tools,” he said.

A Russian company commander admitted his troops were sleeping in stolen tents
The commander admitted his troops were sleeping in stolen tents
The journalist also interviewed a Russian sniper platoon at the base.

The men were using antiquated Mosin-Nagant rifles from World War Two.

One of the snipers said: “It is (made in) 1943. Our grandparents fought with it.”



Another member of the platoon held up his rifle and showed the serial number, proving it was manufactured in 1944.

The Ukrainian label on the inside of the stolen tent that is now sheltering Russian troops
Mr Lancaster is an American “journalist” who has been embedded with pro-Russian forces over the last few years.

His YouTube video comes after numerous reports exposed how Russian troops were woefully unprepared when they invaded Ukraine.

Military observers noticed that Kremlin convoys appeared to only move during daylight hours, probably because the crew did not have adequate night vision devices.

Many Russian soldiers have been using analogue radios to communicate on the battlefield.

It has allowed a community of online sleuths to monitor their communications and share them publicly, often exposing their plans and locations.

Meanwhile, the Russian army also appeared to have failed to invest in satellite mapping and GPS technology, with their soldiers struggling to navigate across the country using out-of-date Soviet-era paper maps.

Ukrainian intelligence previously said Russian units were sent in with enough rations for just three days, expecting the country would fall almost overnight.

CCTV footage appeared to show Vladimir Putin’s soldiers resorting to looting shops for supplies.

The commander even boasted about capturing a “field sauna”
The commander even boasted about capturing a “field sauna”
However, the company commander in Kherson claimed his troops were eating three meals a day.

Putin’s troops have recently gained ground in two areas of Ukraine, collectively known as the Donbas, while blasting some towns to wastelands.

The Kremlin is believed to be throwing increasing numbers of troops into the battle for Severodonetsk as Moscow courts banned all mention of death toll in the media.

If Severodonetsk falls into Russia ’s hands it will mean Moscow will have taken almost all of Luhansk – part of the Donbas.