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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Russian troops are forced to use SHOVELS during hand-to-hand combat in Ukraine due to a shortage of ammunition as Putin continues to lose his grip on the war

2023-03-07

[Daily Mail, where America gets its news]

MoD said shovels like MPL 50 were likely tools used for hand-to-hand combat
To a prepared mind, anything can be used as a weapon, I’ve read. And certainly something built to withstand Russian snow and Russian mud would have to be be sturdy, indeed. But adding shovel fighting to marching and basic gunnery seems a bit much to demand of the green soldiers who came to the front straight from Basic Training.
Usage of shovel as weapon 'highlights brutal fighting come to characterise war'

A standard-issue MPL 50 shovel has the mythologised reputation in Russia of being particularly lethal. The shovel design hasn't changed much since its first introduction back in 1869. It is small and just 50cm (20in) in length.

Posted by:Skidmark

#6 Think I'd rather have an ax but spades are probably more commonly found in the trenches...

Posted by: Abu Uluque 2023-03-07 13:40

#5 My grandfather said he saw people use them during 'The Great War' in hand-to-hand trench fighting and my Dad used one to "bash a German coming around a corner" during WW2.

Quite effective at close range, apparently.

Posted by: Mullah Richard 2023-03-07 10:36

#4 Back in the '70s, our troops in the companies had to turn in knives with blades longer than 6" to the arms room for storage. Entrenching tools (with a nasty serrated edge) and bunk adapters were in ready supply in any barracks room.

Posted by: Procopius2k 2023-03-07 09:24

#3 US military has a long history of killing foes with entrenching tools

Posted by: Skidmark 2023-03-07 08:30

#2 So what were the Ukrainians using? Croquet mallets? Or were they also out of ammo?

Posted by: Bobby 2023-03-07 07:11

#1 A standard-issue MPL 50 shovel has the mythologised reputation in Russia of being particularly lethal. The shovel design hasn't changed much since its first introduction back in 1869. It is small and just 50cm (20in) in length.

...The MPL50 has a reputation in Russian lore the way a Bowie knife does here. Part of that is the very true record of Imperial Russian and Soviet soldiers using them as last-ditch weapons...but not as offensive tools.

Mike

Posted by: MikeKozlowski 2023-03-07 06:48

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