State Duma deputy Andrei Gimbatov has been preparing legislation that would govern seized weapons and enable museums to begin collecting exhibits tied to the special operation. This information comes from RIA Novosti reporting.
Gimbatov stressed that Russia currently lacks an official registry or description of seized weapons, a formal framework for recognizing them as such, defined responsibilities for neutralizing the weapons, and procedures for transferring them into museum displays.
According to the mp, there is domestic interest in turning these trophies into tangible educational and cultural assets across settings such as schools, museums, exhibitions, and patriotic events.
“The proposed changes will address the circulation of seized weapons and establish a clear, transparent process for their integration into peaceful life as exhibits,” Gimbatov explained, outlining the aim to produce a straightforward plan for how such weapons will circulate in civilian contexts.
He added that the initiative should secure concrete results from both the government and the political faction backing it. Alexander Sholokhov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Culture, while speaking with RIA Novosti, described Gimbatov’s concept as fundamentally sound.
In February, the Russian military marked the capture of Western weapons at a Ukrainian Armed Forces unit near Avdiivka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In December 2023, Russian forces demonstrated the use of seized weapons in operations within the special military zone. Earlier, they also secured an American Bradley infantry fighting vehicle as a notable trophy.
A former military analyst commented on the significance of the Bradley IFV award for the Russian armed forces, noting its potential impact on training, strategy, and public messaging about the war. The broader discussion centers on how seized equipment might be contextualized within national museums, educational initiatives, and commemoration activities, while remaining mindful of international sensitivities and the evolving norms of public history and conflict representation.