Kids and Kalashnikovs Russia brings pro-war propaganda to life at Army-2022 expo
Russia’s annual Army-2022 exhibition wrapped up on Sunday, after a week of military showmanship aimed not only at international arms buyers, but also the Russian public. The military-technical forum at Patriot Park, a military theme park outside Moscow, included a variety of “family-friendly” exhibits designed to promote the Kremlin’s propaganda narrative about the ongoing war against Ukraine. The expo coincided with Russia’s International Army Games and the Moscow Conference on International Security. Meduza shares a look back at Army-2022, in photos.
A Russian Mi-28 helicopter performs aerobatics and shoots off false heat targets designed to confuse anti-aircraft missiles. Russia is known to have lost at least seven of these helicopters in the war against Ukraine.
Pavel Pavlov / Anadolu Agency / ABACAPRESS / ddp images / Vida Press
Children playing on the wing of a fighter jet. A mockup of an air-to-air missile can be seen underneath the wing.
Meduza
The newest fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft Su-57. Russia’s defense industry was only able to produce a few of these fighters and two were lost during testing. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, these aircraft have “performed excellently” in the war against Ukraine.
Meduza
An aerobatic team of Su-35 fighter jets. Russia is known to have lost at least one of these aircraft in the war against Ukraine.
Pavel Pavlov / Anadolu Agency / ABACAPRESS / ddp images / Vida Press
A boy test drives a training system that simulates a parachute jump.
Meduza
A young boy looks at artillery shells and ammunition for small-caliber automatic cannons and machine guns.
Meduza
A demonstration of a Tyulpan, a 240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar. Russia has made active use of these Soviet-made mortar systems in the war against Ukraine, including during the siege of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.
Maxim Shemetov / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
A stand offering souvenirs for children, including camouflage t-shirts with pro-war symbols.
Meduza
A young boy examines a graphic exhibit dedicated to the military’s medical corps. Visitors were supposed to “help” a mannequin that had lost a foot.
Meduza
Tanks and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) conduct demonstrations at a firing range. Russia is known to have lost at least 968 tanks and 505 IVFs (including reconnaissance vehicles) in the war against Ukraine.
Maxim Shemetov / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
An exhibit made up of the remnants of American M777 howitzers the Russian army captured in Ukraine.
Yuri Kochetkov / EPA / Scanpix / LETA
An exhibit commissioned by the Russian Defense Ministry showing “Nazi education” in Ukraine.
Getty Images
A T-72 tank carrying an Uzbek crew competing in a “Tank Biathlon.”
Maxim Shemetov / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
A teenager has his picture taken with a mockup of a shoulder-fired anti-tank grenade launcher.
Maxim Shipenkov / EPA / Scanpix / LETA
A child gets his photo taken with a machine gun.
Meduza