Russian transport mishap: NATO vehicles toppled in Bashkortostan
In Bashkortostan, a republic within the Russian Federation, an accident occurred involving a recovery vehicle transporting military equipment: NATO armored personnel carriers that Putin's army captured in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation confirmed that a KamAZ transporting military equipment collided with a Kia passenger car, causing both vehicles to veer off the road and resulting in injuries to two people. In the video and photos posted on social media, the truck carrying NATO vehicles is seen tipped over on its side.
Failed NATO equipment transport in Russia
According to reports from Ukrainian media, the NATO equipment was being transported from Ufa, where an exhibition of captured NATO equipment was recently held. The Russians routinely organize such exhibitions in different parts of the country and, as a result, frequently transport NATO equipment for these events, which serve propaganda purposes.
In this instance, the captured VAB and M113 armored personnel carriers from Ukraine were being transported. France provides the former to the defending army, and the latter is provided by the United States and several other European allies. Although these vehicles are not the newest, they have proven useful for the Ukrainian army.
Currently, the M113 is among the most prevalent Western vehicles in the Ukrainian army, used for transporting soldiers and equipment as well as evacuating the wounded from the battlefield. It can carry up to 11 people inside, and a driver's maximum speed is about 40 mph (and 4 mph in water).
In addition to organizing propaganda exhibitions, the Russians use NATO equipment for other purposes. Experts study more valuable and newer captures to learn about the technologies used in NATO equipment. This was the case, for instance, with Abrams tanks and Leopard 2A6 tanks, which ended up in Nizhny Tagil at the Uralvagonzavod plant.
