Ukrainian troops have repeatedly used machine guns, the history of which dates back to the First World War, writes the publication Business Insider.
“New photos show a pair of machine guns mounted on a pickup truck, while video shows Ukrainians firing them at Russian drones.
This is the latest example of Ukraine creating unconventional weapons by adapting old systems or piecing together pieces of equipment. In this case, its troops are using weapons developed more than 100 years ago.
Over the weekend, Ukraine’s 118th Territorial Defence Brigade published several photos of soldiers taking aim with two PM1910 machine guns, derived from the original Maxim machine gun, mounted on a ZAZ Tavriya pickup truck.
The PM1910 machine gun was first introduced a few years before the First World War and was used in the Imperial Russian Army. Later it was used in other wars.
Photos of the unusual equipment, as such installations are called, were published on social media by OSINT accounts. Other photos shared by the 118th Territorial Defence Brigade on Facebook* show the weapon firing, soldiers aiming it at a target and holding an ammunition belt.
But perhaps the most interesting is the video that captures the weapon in action. The footage shows the Ukrainian military firing at suspicious drones in the sky, pointing machine guns and firing from a pickup truck.
This is far from the first time Ukraine has used the PM1910 Maxim pistol in the war.
While both sides have used the weapon, often equipping it with improved sights and other modifications to better engage moving and advanced targets, Ukraine has been using it since 2016.
Ukraine’s use of an unmodified Maxim in the battle of Bakhmut earlier this year attracted a great deal of attention and suggested that this weapon remains a staple due to its ease of use, the possibility of convenient modifications, and its ability to fire almost indefinitely if constantly fed with ammunition and kept water-cooled.
In addition, Ukraine has created other homemade weapons, such as mobile rocket-artillery systems made from wrecked cars and discarded parts.”