REVIEW: Russian IFAK RATNIK

When it comes down to it, all soldiers are equal. Made of flesh and blood, vulnerable. When things get serious, the first minutes count, which can decide between life and death. Western soldiers have an IFAK with them, but what about in the East? Here we have the Russian equivalent of the IFAK.

In concept, this first aid kit is similar to an IFAK, but it is different. The hose serves as the tourniquet, next to it is the bandage package. There are also two brochures included.

Our kit, which we will then document in a brochure, is not complete. Here is the Russian contents list, sewn into the cap of the trauma kit bag.

The bandage is sewn in a sterile packet, then wrapped in paper, ultimately it is a simple bandage - without compression like the Israeli Bandage.

The tourniquet is a hose about one meter long, which is closed with press studs. Tourniquets are more painful the thinner they are. In that sense, Russian soldiers must endure a lot.

Reading is educating. That comes with the trauma kit.

A kind of packing list.

With confirmation.

And a first aid brochure that explains how to use the trauma kit. If you can read Russian, you can read, but the pictures are interesting for everyone else as well.

The first double page is text...

...and here you can see the kit with its contents. Much more than what we have.

The bandage package...

...and its application. Plus a wipe...

...used for decontamination. Also, special tablets...

...for water purification. The IFAK is also part of the ABC equipment. And you can see a blood coagulant - comparable to western Celox - in use.