# Usability of captured Russian equipment **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion\ **Created:** [March 9, 2022, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usability-of-captured-russian-equipment/960754 "2022-03-09T15:39:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usability-of-captured-russian-equipment/960754/1 "2022-03-09T15:39:38Z")
Maybe this has been answered elsewhere but there’s just too much to read. Given the commonality of much of the equipment on both sides, are things like the multiple launch rocket systems, shoulder fired rockets, newer tanks and more sophisticated offensive weapons easily put to use or do they require a lot specific “type” training? I imagine if some of those thermobaric weapons are seized (and I think they been according to unconfirmed reports), they would have a devastating effect on columns and everything else, if they could be employed accurately. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usability-of-captured-russian-equipment/960754/2 "2022-03-09T16:16:13Z")
Ukraine probably has people qualified to operate such weapons but identifying those experts or getting them to the weapons or vice versa during a war might be difficult. I wouldn’t blame defenders for just destroying captured weapons that aren’t easily transported and moving on. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usability-of-captured-russian-equipment/960754/3 "2022-03-09T16:19:47Z")
This. Moving around the country freely is not possible, and any expertise in these advanced weapons is most likely spread out. If they can capture some weapons, and they have the expertise and ammunition locally available, the Ukrainians would certainly take advantage of that, but they are more likely focused on learning how to use the donated/purchased weapons from the West which are in many cases better than what Russia has deployed to date. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usability-of-captured-russian-equipment/960754/4 "2022-03-09T20:13:05Z")
Both sides have AKs, so I presume rifle ammunition is interchangeable. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usability-of-captured-russian-equipment/960754/5 "2022-03-09T23:29:11Z")
I have seen videos of captured russian tanks/armored vehicles where they overpainted the “Z” in yellow and they did probably give them a look over and will start shooting the bad guys with them. I also read comments from the Ukr. that they have received more (russian) vehicles in the past 8 days than they built/bought in the past 8 years. both infos to be used with a grain of salt of course ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2022, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usability-of-captured-russian-equipment/960754/6 "2022-03-10T00:27:45Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > I also read comments from the Ukr. that they have received more (russian) vehicles in the past 8 days than they built/bought in the past 8 years. Ehh, I’d take that one on face value. I’d wager any Russian equipment they’ve bought in the last 8 years has been on the second-hand market. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usability-of-captured-russian-equipment/960754/7 "2022-03-10T16:48:22Z")
A few threads that already touched on this directly - > [@What military hardware can be used without specialized training?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-military-hardware-can-be-used-without-specialized-training/960545): > > So, currently, the First World is supplying military equipment to Ukraine, but not any manpower. What kind of equipment can be meaningfully supplied in this way? On the one hand, you’ve got things like personal firearms. We could send crates of M16s, and the Ukrainian military could just distribute them to their personnel and they’d basically know what to do with them. If they’re more used to AK47s, then there might be a few details that would be different, but nothing you couldn’t pick up i… > [@How effective are NATO anti-tank weapons in Ukraine right now?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-effective-are-nato-anti-tank-weapons-in-ukraine-right-now/960515): > > [I’ve seen a photo shared a few times](https://www.businessinsider.com/videos-emerge-of-apparent-russian-military-vehicles-abandoned-in-ukraine-2022-3?r=US&IR=T) of what’s meant to be a Russian tank in Ukraine that suffered an ammunition detonation, popping it’s turret right off, and another in a ditch smoking. But any other photos of ruined military vehicles are of lesser armoured vehicles or trucks. Plenty of Russian tanks that are apparently abandoned after running out of fuel or stuck in mud too. Are the Western supplied weapons doing much against tanks? There can’t be a shortage of targets for them to be tried … Yes, both mention use of the NATO provided materials, but also include usage of former and current Russian/Soviet block equipment. Short version, small arms, easy. Military equipment that is non-weaponized (various trucks/transport/etc), also pretty easy. Specialized gear (weaponized or not) - as discussed upthread here, requires matching it with people who have the skills, so much more difficult. Hopefully the links will help prevent too much re-inventing the wheel. 🙂