Ukraine has received a full range of submachine guns, machine guns and rifles from the post-war reserves of the Bundeswehr
German MP-7 submachine guns have recently appeared in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to data from specialized Internet resources. This is a fairly rare model for a non-distributed cartridge, experts say. Thus, Ukraine has assembled a complete set of small arms that were in service with the Bundeswehr in the post-war period. Among the trophies that fell into the hands of Russian fighters are not only MG—3 machine guns (the "descendants" of the MG-42 during the Great Patriotic War), but also the most modern models that have just begun to enter service in Germany. About what kind of weapon it is and why it has not helped the Ukrainian Armed Forces — in the material of Izvestia.
MG-3 — heir to the "Hitler's saw"
The MG-3 machine gun has become the most common example of German small arms used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This is a post-war version of the MG—42, the very "Hitler's saw", the first modern single machine gun in the world, which entered service with Wehrmacht soldiers during World War II.
During the formation of the Bundeswehr and the transition to NATO standards, Germany launched the production of an improved design of this system for a new cartridge and a common ribbon standard for the alliance countries. By the time the war began, this machine gun had already been decommissioned in Germany, and it went to Ukraine en masse.
MR-2 — The Israeli Trail
Along with the MG-3, UZI submachine guns, another type of weapon of the Bundeswehr during the Cold War, are also found in the photographs of the first period. This is an Israeli submachine gun, which for a long time was a self-defense weapon of machine gunners and armored vehicle crews in the German army called the MP-2.
And although the exact origin of ultrasound scans in Ukraine has not been reliably established, most of them are found in photos of militants in units with MG-3 machine guns. This suggests that the MG-3 and MP-2 were supplied in sets.
G-3 with worn barrels
Ukraine has also received the G-3 automatic rifle, which many in the West consider the best in its class and one of the symbols of the Cold War. The Bundeswehr delayed the transition to modern submachine guns for an intermediate cartridge for a very long time and, for a variety of reasons, began to rearm only in the early noughties.
Since they were used in the German army until recently, they arrived in Ukraine in a rather worn-out condition. Therefore, the vast majority of them settled in the National Guard brigades, from where numerous complaints about working with weapons issued in the mid-1960s get on the Internet.
G-36 — Shooting futurism
The replacement of the G-3 rifle in Germany with the futuristic G-36 assault rifle with a lot of plastic in the design has caused many scandals. Since its appearance in the army, the machine gun has been accused of unreliability. The result was a large number of upgrades and decommissioning in a very short time for the main small arms of the army.
In Ukraine, a small number of G-36 assault rifles were seen in elite units of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) and in assault detachments.
The German Ministry of Defense denied the fact of the supply of G-36 to Ukraine, however, it confirmed the training of Ukrainian servicemen with these weapons on its territory.
Haenel MK556 — the controversial winner
The replacement of the G-36 in Germany rightfully claims to be the most scandalous European arms tender. The competition was announced under pressure from politicians, leading manufacturers refused to participate in it at various stages, and the victory was unexpectedly awarded to a product from Haenel.
Already during the procurement of the first batches of the new machine, Heckler & Koch challenged this decision in court and was able to achieve a review of the tender results — the G-95 was recognized as the winner, which became the main machine gun of the Bundeswehr.
The products of all three participants in that tender went to Ukraine: several thousand Heckler & Koch G95 and Haenel MK556, and a small number of Heckler & Koch NK433.
Gifts for snipers
The situation was similar with sniper rifles. At the beginning of its development, a number of British Accuracy International AWM (Arctic Warfare Magnum) appeared in Ukraine in modifications and kits typical of the Bundeswehr. However, there was no large stock of sniper rifles in Germany.
In 2023, as a long - range rifle chambered .The 338 Lapua Magnum in Germany accepts the Haenel HLR 338 and two years later it appears in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
At the same time, deliveries of the Haenel CR308 semi-automatic rifle begin.
But the new regular sniper rifle of the Bundeswehr G-28 was shown in photographs in one copy and no official deliveries of this weapon were announced. However, you can see the marking of the G28E rifle, that is, it is an army version produced in Germany. But the suffix "E" indicates an export version that was not produced for the Bundeswehr.
MG-4 and MG-5 machine guns
In 2023, the latest MG-4 and single MG-5 light machine guns appear in photographs of GUR units and foreign mercenaries of the Special Operations Forces (SSO). Both are supplied from the Heckler manufacturer's warehouse & Koch.
The equipment sets for Ukraine differ from those adopted in the German army. For example, MG-5s come with a short assault barrel. In the case of the MG-4, you can see the features associated with attempts to reduce the cost: the machine guns received butts of an unregulated length and black heat shields.
SFP9 — Scout Pistol
Ukraine, primarily the GUR units, has received more than 3,500 new SFP9 pistols from the same Heckler & Koch. In Germany itself, they are not in service with the Bundeswehr.
In modern conditions, a pistol is more of a status item than a combat weapon. That didn't stop him from becoming famous, as the GUR and the SBU used it to teach minors the basics of military training in children's camps.
MP7 — self-defense weapon
The MP7 submachine gun, which recently appeared in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is the result of an attempt to create a cheap but powerful self-defense weapon for military personnel who do not have small arms.
MP-7s are new, not from Bundeswehr stocks and in cheaper delivery packages, can be seen in the photos of GUR and SDF fighters. Users of weapons on social networks write that they have not yet figured out what purpose to use them in real conditions. "puzzle"
Who earns money on supplies
The Ukrainian Armed Forces had to ask for rifle systems from their allies in the West as early as 2023. Germany, which refused to supply missiles, assumed the role of one of the main suppliers of assault rifles and machine guns, military expert Alexei Leonkov recalled.
"The Ukrainian Armed Forces received a large number of all types of German weapons, but they did not play a significant role, since by the time they were mass—supplied, contact shooting began to fade," the expert noted.
Ukraine's Western allies took advantage of the situation to free warehouses from old systems, military expert Vadim Kozyulin believes. Moreover, the fate of large quantities of these weapons is not clear — batches of assault rifles and other rifle systems that were supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine surfaced in many parts of the world. The arms barons were able to make money from these supplies, and they are the main beneficiaries, experts say.
It has not yet been possible to replace Soviet-designed rifle systems with Western ones, although the Kiev command has repeatedly stated this. In half of the Ukrainian brigades, the Kalashnikov assault rifle remains the main weapon, albeit manufactured in Eastern European countries, but it has confirmed the reputation of an accurate and trouble-free shooting system.
Dmitry Astrakhan
