Russian
Combat helmet 6B47, 2021

Drones have become a central means of combat in the war in Ukraine. Both sides are using both military and commercially available civilian drones. In April 2023, Ukrainian soldiers used a privately donated civilian Mavik 3 drone to spot Russian soldiers from the air in Vuhledar, Ukraine. The building was then attacked with two bombs and after a battle, the Ukrainians captured two Russian soldiers. This helmet, which was given to the donor of the drone as a thank-you gift, comes from one of these prisoners.

This helmet is part of the Russian “soldier of the future” system called Ratnik (Russian for “warrior”), which was introduced in 2014 and comprises over 40 elements, such as body armor, communication systems, weapons and ammunition. Armokom developed the 6B47 helmet in 2011 and, for example, added a mount for night vision devices compared to the previous model. The ballistic helmet with a cover in a pixel camouflage pattern weighs 1.2 kg and is designed to protect the wearer against larger fragments and ammunition in calibers up to 9 mm. The last wearer wrote his nickname on the helmet, which translates as “the shaggy one”. Nothing is known about the fate of the Russian soldier.

The former mining town of Vuhledar is located in eastern Ukraine in the Donetsk Oblast and has been heavily contested since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022. Russian troops attempted to take the city several times, using tanks, drones and glide bombs. They suffered heavy human and material losses in the process. Ukrainian troops set up their bases in former coal mines and held the city until October 2024 despite heavy losses. Since their withdrawal, Wuhledar has been under Russian control. Around 100 of the former 15,000 inhabitants were still in the town at the time, and the settlement itself has been almost completely destroyed.

This text was automatically translated using AI.