Central Asian Soldier Kisses Mosin Nagant

A Frontovik ("Front Line Fighter") from a Central Asian republic kisses his Mosin Nagant Model 1938 Carbine after the Battle of Stalingrad. While the Soviets integrated all the various nationalities among their armed forces, officers and especially commanders were white. The Mosin Nagant was first designed in 1891 and equipped Czarist forces during World War I. They were so ubiquitous that "Nagant" became a Russian word for rifle. The Model 1938 Carbine was produced at the Tula and Izhevsk Arsenals from 1938-1945 and over three million were made. Originally for troops that needed a much shorter rifle than the M1907 version, the M1938 performed well and was issued as a general battle rifle. The M1938 fired 7.62mm (.30 caliber) ammunition.