Quote:
Originally Posted by HorseSoldier
And I don't have any first hand experience with the Soviet and Warsaw Pact MOPP gear but in photos it looks a lot worse than Western stuff to have to work in, and on top of that it doesn't look like it provides the same level of protection and coverage. Much as I hate doing most anything at MOPP 4 in US kit, I'm certain it would be even worse in Russian/etc kit.
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I have once tried East-German MOPP suit. It was made of rubber- very cumbersome and hot gear. But it wasn’t a suit you will you use in battle. It was called “heavy protective gear” – usually used only for NBC decontamination duties. NBC warning usually only ment that we should use gas mask, rain gear and wellington boots.
The soviet way of thinking was somewhat similar. Heavy MOPP suits were only for those whose served in “chemical” units (both defensive and offensive units). Or those men who should handle liquid rocket fuel or other toxic chemicals. Infantry, artillery and armor units would have using rain gear or “light protective clothing” – which was nothing more than pair of good raincoat & pants. Soviet soldier was nothing more than slave in uniform. 10 % casualties in VX barrage would have been problem for day or two… After all German theater of war was all about armored and mechanized warfare in soviet thinking? Life span of soviet infantry man in armor unit was only two weeks in 1944 and 1945 and it wasnt a problem- why it should be problem in 1990s?
Soviets were ready to use both chemical and biological weapons. They even had ICBM with bio warheads.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopreparat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novichok