Warehouse with Russian ammunition found in Sloviansk

KYIV, July 17 /Ukrinform/. The anti-terrorist operation (ATO) forces have found in Sloviansk a warehouse with Russian-produced ammunition that was abandoned by militants, the press center of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reported.

"In the educational building of the Sloviansk College of the National Aviation University law enforcers have found and defused an ammunition warehouse abandoned by militants from terrorist organizations," SBU said.

In particular, SBU officers seized 24 cases of 37 mm shells, as well as more than a hundred empty boxes of ammunition for various weapons: man-portable air-defense systems, offensive and defensive grenades, etc.

SBU is currently identifying and searching for persons involved in the importation of ammunition into Ukraine.

“...offensive and defensive grenades.” Is there a difference? (I honestly don’t know.)

There is a huge difference. Defensive grenades have a large radius of blast, and can be thrown only from a trench or a similar protected position. Offensive grenades are much weaker, and an unprotected soldier can throw them far enough so that the blast won't harm him.

You cannot go down to the local drug store and buy crates of manpads. These manpads in conjunction with the inscribed origins of the other munitions and equipment found with the manpads indicate the Russian government supplied these weapons to the Russian mercenaries operating in the Ukraine and from Russian territory.

Some pictures, just in case :-)


The F1 was introduced during World War II and subsequently redesigned post-war. It has a steel exterior that is notched to facilitate fragmentation upon detonation and to prevent hands from slipping. The distance the grenade can be thrown is estimated at 30–45 meters. The radius of the shrapnel dispersion is up to 200 meters (effective radius is about 30 meters, by some sources (Russian)). Hence, the grenade has to be deployed from a defensive position to avoid harm.		The grenade is egg-shaped with no external ribbing, except for a lateral ridge where the two halves of the grenade join. The surface has a few small dimples on it with a green or olive drab, paint-scheme. The RGD-5 can be thrown about 35 to 45 metres (115 to 148 ft) by the average male soldier and when thrown, it is possible to hear a loud "pop" as the fuze ignites and begins to burn. The grenade can inflict injuries (e.g. penetrating eye wounds) out to 15 metres (49 ft) from the site of detonation. Victims caught within 3 metres (10 ft) of the detonation site are almost certain to be killed or severely wounded.

These are not the most modern grenades, but there are many of them out there, from old stock. Quite likely that similar grenades were found. They were stockpiled by USSR in millions, and can be found in military depots in all ex-soviet republics.

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