File image.
On April 21, Russian sources shared several photos of a Soviet-made 9K32M Strela-2M man-portable air-defense system [MANPADs] that was recently captured from Ukrainian forces.
The missile was reportedly one of 2,700 Strela-2M MANPADs Germany supplied to Kiev early on in March to bolster the air defense capabilities of its forces in the face of the Russian military.
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- Click to see full-size image. Source: https://t.me/astrahandm
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- Click to see full-size image. Source: https://t.me/astrahandm
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- Click to see full-size image. Source: https://t.me/astrahandm
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- Click to see full-size image. Source: https://t.me/astrahandm
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- Click to see full-size image. Source: https://t.me/astrahandm
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- Click to see full-size image. Source: https://t.me/astrahandm
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- Click to see full-size image. Source: https://t.me/astrahandm
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- Click to see full-size image. Source: https://t.me/astrahandm
The Strela-2M is an upgraded version of the original Strela-2. The missile, which is guided by infrared homing, has a maximum range of 4,200 meters and a top altitude of 2,300 meters. It is armed with a 1.15 kg directed-energy blast fragmentation warhead.
The MANPADs Germany supplied to Ukraine were exported from the Soviet Union to the now-defunct the German Democratic Republic in 1985.
The operational life of the Stela-2M is 25 years only. This rises some serious doubts about the effectiveness of the missiles supplied to Kiev.
Like many Western states, Germany has been dumping loads of weapons in Ukraine on the hopes of foiling the ongoing Russian special military operation there. While most of the weapons supplied by Berlin were outdated, some were modern, like the Panzerfaust 3 and the MATADOR anti-tank weapons as well as the FIM-92 Stinger MANPADs.
Recently, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that Berlin will not make all of its weapons supplies to Ukraine public.
The Kiev regime continues to demand more and more weapons from Germany. Despite providing massive support, Berlin is now being criticized by Kiev supporters for not supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons like battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.
