Ukraine Forced to Wage Unconventional Warfare with Century-Old WW1 Machine Guns

Ukraine is employing a diverse array of weaponry in its efforts to resist Russia, as evident in recent photos shared on social media.

The images, which first appeared on Facebook, reveal Ukrainians using machine guns that date back to the era before World War I, one of the latest tactics employed against Russia that target the Kremlin's drones.

The dated machine guns, identified as PM1910s by Business Insider, were showcased in pictures posted by Ukraine's 118th Territorial Defense Brigade.

Mounted on pickup trucks, these century-old firearms were originally introduced a few years before the onset of World War I and were previously utilized by the Imperial Russian Army.

In contrast, Russia has adopted a more contemporary strategy, as Knewz.com reported. Russian authorities allegedly have sought contributions from college students in the form of vapes, intending to repurpose their components for the production of combat drones.

Ukraine's utilization of such historical weaponry dates back to 2016, several years before the Russian invasion. These tactics have become more prominent as both nations grapple with challenging weather conditions, pushing them to rely increasingly on drone strategies.

Russia recently claimed that Ukraine deployed numerous drones, resulting in the downing of 24 of the aircraft. The drones were allegedly targeting the Moscow region and four other provinces, with no reported casualties.

However, previous reports detailed Russia's deployment of over 70 Shahed drones manufactured in Iran on parts of Kyiv.

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In the past week, both Russia and Ukraine continue to confront severe winter storms causing widespread disruptions, including power outages, water supply losses, flooding and traffic chaos, according to CNBC.

The United Nations reports a grim toll on civilians in the conflict, with at least 10,000 deaths, including over 560 children, and more than 18,500 injuries since Russia initiated its invasion in February 2022.

Danielle Bell, leading the monitoring mission, expressed concern that the conflict may extend further, with civilians facing significant risks even beyond the frontlines, stating “no place in Ukraine is completely safe.”