Why are Ukrainian soldiers purchasing their own weapons to fight Russian forces in Donbas?
They usually don't do this. As it is in most other countries, the military issues you a weapon.
However, there are some cases in Ukraine where soldiers bring their private weapons with them to the frontline:
- Shotguns. They cost only 150 to 200 US Dollars and they are a good weapon against enemy drones. So, of course, a lot of people will not wait until the army gives them a shotgun (which will probably never happen anyway) and buy one instead.
A privately owned shotgun at a shooting range in Ukraine. (Photo by the author)
Sniper rifles: Some soldiers, having invested in high-quality sniper rifles and undergone training long before enlisting, find that the rifles issued by the military are often outperformed by those available on the civilian market. In such cases, it is more practical for these soldiers to continue using their personal sniper rifles.
Pistols: Typically, the military does not issue pistols to soldiers. If a soldier requires one, they are expected to purchase it privately.
More often than soldiers bringing their own firearms to the frontlines, however, is the practice of acquiring a second rifle from a dead or captured Russian soldier. As soldiers do not require two rifles, they may choose to replace their army-issued weapon with the captured one, keeping it as a war trophy.