Alas, Ukrainian Forces Use 19th Century Weapons to Defend Bakhmut
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Ukrainian forces used the ancient Maxim weapon in the war against Russia. Photo/vote
BAKHMUT – Ukrainian troops defending the city of Artyomovsk in Donbass or Bakhmut, relying on the Victorian-era Maxim guns.
The news was revealed by the Telegraph on Friday (17/3/2023). Despite receiving tens of billions of dollars in US and NATO aid, Kiev is reportedly struggling with a shortage of weapons and ammunition.
“I have seen the Maxim machine gun on alert many times,” a Ukrainian soldier told a British newspaper.
He explained, “Despite their age, it’s a pretty tough weapon. The main thing is not to forget to add water.”
Invented by Hiram Stevens Maxim in 1884, the Maxim rifle was the world’s first fully automatic machine gun.
Firing 600 rounds per minute, this weapon relied on a heavy water casing around the barrel to prevent overheating.
Sitting on iron wheels and weighing around 30 kilograms before adding water or belt ammunition, it required a crew of four to operate.
Maxim was heavily used by British colonial forces in Africa and by Imperial Russian forces in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
The weapon was rendered obsolete by the First World War, with British troops using the Vickers submachine gun instead.
