Russian Armed Forces hand military gains captured from Ukraine to DPR, LPR

MOSCOW. March 14 (Interfax) - Military hardware and weapons formerly belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ukrainian nationalistic battalions, and territorial defense battalions, which were abandoned, or stored at depots, or were disabled during the special military operation have been transferred by the Russian Armed Forces to the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) militias, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"The Russian Armed Forces have transferred trophy military hardware and weapons to people's militia units of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics," the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

"Both Soviet-made hardware and weapons and those supplied by Western countries have been transferred to units of the people's republics after checking and restoring their technical condition," it said.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on March 11 that captured Ukrainian weapons and hardware, particularly armored vehicles and antitank systems, would be handed to the DPR and LPR forces.