Russia and its army. Maybe not as modern as always advertised? At least that's what a photo is supposed to show, showing an outdated MG and a tuk-tuk (three-wheeled motor vehicle, typically used in Asia). What's wrong with this picture?
In the picture we see a person dressed in olive colors holding a rifle. In front of the person there is a vehicle with a gun in the back. The vehicle bears the “Z” marking . The image can be found on various social media platforms, such as Twitter:
Tuk-Tuk and Maxim-MG: The fact check
What exactly do we see in this picture? Everything indicates that it is actually a tuk-tuk tricycle of Chinese origin. It is probably a vehicle from the brand of this tuk-tuk Loncin from China. The name Loncin behind the driver's seat is the crucial clue. The tuk-tuk appears to be a Loncin DBW ( compare ). It is also possible to identify the weapon on the rear shelf using the picture. It is a Maxim MG in the “1910/30, Russia” version ( see HERE ).
The painting of the vehicle certainly suggests the current context of the Ukrainian War. The image has only been available on various search engines since March 22nd. In the picture we see in the foreground on the right a vehicle with a Ukrainian license plate (BT is the abbreviation for Kherson Oblast). In the background we see a bakery that can be found on Google under “Persha Pekarnya Tvoho Mista Oleshky” and can be verified with corresponding photos ( see here ).
Maxim was definitely in use
Even if the MG is outdated, there are various reports that the Maxim MG was still in use just a few years ago. While we don't know the story behind the currently circulating image, we do know that at least in Ukraine this machine gun is still in use. So it wasn't dusted off and dragged out of the museum. It was also used in the Donbass War by both Russians and Ukrainians. The website uofa.ru describes:
“However, this machine gun was actively used and is still used today in many hot spots: especially in the war in Donbass, it is used by both opposing sides mainly as a stationary firing range.”
Other websites also report that this weapon is still used ( compare ).
Picture with the tuk-tuk: What we don't know
However, this photo leaves a few questions unanswered. First the question is whether we really see a Russian soldier at the tuk-tuk there. We don't see any badges and the man isn't wearing a helmet either. We only recognize the white armband (yellow armbands signal Ukrainian [civilian] defense troops ). Affiliation (including paramilitary) is difficult to determine since the white armband is not an official symbol, but in the past white armbands have been assigned to Russian forces ( compare ).

There are now at least two possible options: The tuk-tuk is a so-called “technical”. In other words, a civilian vehicle that was converted into an emergency vehicle using simple means. An article in the Süddeutsche Zeitung describes Technicals:
In military circles, the term “technical” has become established for such converted civilian vehicles. The expression comes from the Somali civil war in the early 1990s. At that time, non-governmental organizations were not allowed to bring their own security guards, which is why they hired locals and equipped them with flatbed trucks - paid for with “technical assistance grants”.
Whether the Russian army is even connected to this remains completely open at this point. A second, entirely plausible, but equally unconfirmed possibility lies in the propaganda representation. It cannot be ruled out that this could be a kind of satirical propaganda on the part of Ukraine to portray the Russian forces as ridiculous and desperate.
That could also be of interest
Manipulated video! Anti-Zelensky protest on Ukrainian television. A woman's "guest appearance" on Ukrainian television has parallels to the anti-war protest on Russian TV. With one difference: the video is manipulated. Continue reading …
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )

