Rare WWII artifacts unearthed by Russian search teams now on display in Yekaterinburg

Ural search teams Derzhava and Malachite have uncovered rare World War II artifacts, now displayed in Yekaterinburg. The findings were presented as part of a project marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The exhibition honours both recovered relics and the soldiers identified during expeditions.

Team Derzhava, active since 2014, conducted searches across Tver, Volgograd, Belgorod, and Karelia. In Karelia alone, they retrieved Finnish axes, helmets, and an entrenching tool. Their work also led to the discovery of a crashed Li-2 military transport plane, along with the remains of its crew.

Team *Malachite*, founded in 2020, focused on international expeditions, particularly in Rzhev. There, they recovered the remains of 704 soldiers and identified 12 individuals. Among their contributions to the exhibition were a rare clay child’s whistle and a soldier’s identity medallion. The artifacts now form part of *To Save and Return: The Medical Front of the Great Victory*, hosted at the Historical Multimedia Park *Russia—My History*. Search team members attended the opening, receiving letters of gratitude and a guided tour of the display.

The exhibition brings together wartime relics and personal stories recovered by dedicated search teams. Their efforts have helped preserve history and honour fallen soldiers ahead of the 80th Victory anniversary. The findings remain on public view in Yekaterinburg.