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A typical sniper squad in Limptsi, near Kharkiv. Two snipers, 2 spotters and a security observer. One sniper on the far left has a Desert Tech bullpup. The other sniper, in the center, has an Accuracy International AXSR. Both rifles are likely .338 Lapua. On the far left, the security observer, who's task it is to watch everyone's back while they are laser-focused downrange, carries the anti-drone shotgun over his shoulder in addition to his rifle. Notice the sniper in the center also has an AR slung, for closer in encounters.
Another suppressed Accuracy International AXSR in .338 Lapua, this one deployed near Lyman.
Here is a squad of dudes outside of Ruska Lazova, near Kharkiv. 2 FN/SCAR-Ls, an AK74, a CZ Bren2 and almost hidden by his arms, guy in the back has a 9mm CZ Scorpion EVO 3 SMG. Not often seen in Ukraine, but they are out there.
Notice that the Brit volunteer on the left is holding a shorty PKM. I'm not aware of any such item that was ever made as a production model, so maybe this is just a custom one-off? I don't know. But it has a "flaming pig" type of flash suppressor/cone on the muzzle, since the standard bird cage is likely insufficient, as well as adding some muzzle boost back-pressure to make up for the lost barrel forward of the gas port. It all seems in near new condition, so perhaps a new experimental piece being field-tested in combat trials?
With shotguns for use in anti-drone roles making a return to the modern battlefield, it's only natural that in Ukraine the AK-based 12ga. platform would turn up.
This Ukrainian soldier has a Spanish Z84 9mm SMG made by Star. (Often called the Spanish Uzi.) This is the first I've seen one of these in the theater and it is unclear how many Spain donated. But Spain has indeed sent lots and lots of surplus weaponry. everything from anti-tank C-90 LAWs to plane loads of belt-fed ammunition. Cetme model Ls in 5.56 showed up earlier this year in small quantities for rear echelon duties. The Z84s might have been part of that package.
This one is quite unexpected. Brugger & Thomet is a Swiss company. And the Swiss, famous for their neutrality, have forbidden involvement in the Ukraine war except for providing humanitarian aid and supplies. "Lethal" aid, such as weapons, are verboten to be provided to the conflict. So obviously, this APC-9K buzzgun was not provided directly by B&T or anyone the Swiss have any sway over. However, the U.S. Special Operations Command bought APC-9Ks from B&T after adopting it for their CID and Personnel Protective Service branches. That only came to about 320 guns though, and they were issued with the proprietary B&T magazines. It is reported that the US Army also bought lowers that can be changed out to use SIG320 mags like that used in the M17 and M18 pistols, and also Glock variant lowers as well. But those have not been seen in the hands of US personnel; only the stock B&T mag versions. It seems unlikely to have come from that source. But the APC-9K has been adopted by many countries and police forces, to include Lithuania, Slovakia, Argentina, Brazil and others. It also COULD just be a Ukrainian civilian pistol that has been pressed into service and outfitted as a little carbine. Who knows?
And another odd one; a Desert Tech MDR bullpup. Desert Tech has an established relationship with the Ukrainian police forces, and we have seen photos of their bolt-action precision rifles in theater. I've only previously seen one other MDR. Don't know if these were purchased by police units or maybe even a private weapon. But definitely rare in that location.
As has been mentioned before, to counter drones at close range, shotguns are turning up all over the place in Ukraine, on both sides. Turkish AK-style examples are becoming the most commonly seen. Here we have a fellow with an Armsan RS-S1 12ga.
Remember that the Russians and the Ukrainians are very experienced at cold weather warfare. Just ask the Germans. So sometimes you might see things with them that appear odd, until you realize why. Like furry stocks on an FAL with winter camo. Imagine yourself sitting in a freezing cold trench or bunker, perhaps warming yourself around a camp stove or fire, which is why your balaclava and gloves are off. But suddenly the orcs are storming your line and there's no time to even put those back on while you snatch up your Belgian FAL and snuggle up to that icy cold plastic and steel as you look over your sights downrange for the next few hours. Ever try working with socket wrenches in the snow? That'll turn your hands numb pretty quickly.
We've seen other Beretta ARX rifles in Ukraine before, but they are still not common. Private weapon or donated by Italy? Hard to tell.
Here are some pictures out of Ukraine of a belt-fed M-16 unit that appears to be a variant of the Fightlite MCR. However, while there are components on this sample that are very plainly and definitely of FightLite MCR origin, this does not look like any other variant Fightlite or Ares has ever offered. Is this some sort of special purchase for Ukraine never before advertised or made public? Is it a one-off prototype sent there for combat evaluation? Is it a domestically produced rip-off copy? No can tell.
The .338 sniper weapons deployed in Ukraine have been leaving quite an impression, as they have been throughout NATO, leading to increasing adoption of .338 rifles with NATO and other western countries all over. And those same militaries have been closely watching the U.S. testing and likely soon adopting the SIG MG-338. Anticipating Ukraine might wish for such a weapon, but cheaper, and in a platform their troops are intimately familiar with, CZ just debuted their .338 PKM at this year's Eurosatory. Having sent Bren2s, Scorpions and P10s by the pallet loads to Ukraine, it might be fairly expected we could see some of these deployed there soon for testing on the world's largest current live-fire proving ground.
Realizing that the next generation of high school graduates are likely to be drafted into service, and also since further invasion is not an impossibility, nearly all school kids are getting basic familiarization with their local units and their weapons and gear. Here we have pictures of the 199th Airborne training Center, located near Zhytomyr, doing a youth outreach event at the local school. Kids get basic field stripping of the AK and PKM, as well as exposure to FN2000, FAMAS, M16 and AR15 series rifles, as well as MILKOR 40mm grenade launchers, Barretts, MRADs, Alligators and even mines and anti-tank weapons. After 2.5 years of war, the kids have adjusted from being scared. Now, being exposed to these tools often gives some of them a sense of empowerment over their own destiny and grinds away at the sense of victimhood. Even the mothers show up for familiarization. Most of the fathers are already deployed. It's also part of the education all kids receive now about what items they might find laying about in the fields or rubble that they shouldn't touch. Things like Claymores, grenades and other nasties.
Just when I thought I had seen it all when it comes to surplus guns ending up in Ukraine,...up pops a Madsen LMG. These things are still chugging away in Brazil with the police, converted from .30-06 to fire .308 nowadays. But from as early as 1902, these things have been adopted at some point by nearly everyone and chambered in just about everything. But judging from how relatively straight a curve the magazine has, it is unlikely one of the 7.62x54R versions the Czar bought before WW1. Nor is it likely a .303 or 8mmLebel variant, or 8x50R Mannlicher. If it is one of the ones the Germans pressed into service during their occupation in WW2, then it would perhaps be a captured Danish model in 8x58R Krag. But again, the curvature of the mag is too straight for that. So perhaps one the Germans rechambered in 8mm Mauser? But the new President of Argentina, Javier Milei, also just got on the Ukraine bandwagon, and could have donated all their old Madsens in 7.65x53 that have been lounging around in armories. Who knows?
And then, yet again,...I am surprised at what is continuing to show up.
A rare 7.62x51mm FN/FAL 50.61 rifle made by Fabricaciones Militares in Argentina .
It was likely supplied by Argentina to Croatia during Yugoslav Wars and later obtained by Ukrainian Forces from Croatia. As can be seen, the rifle was also fitted with Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 FFP scope and MDT SCS (Skeleton Carbine Stock).
Not as commonly seen now as earlier in the war, but Belgian FNCs are still out there lighting up the Russians.
And slowly there have been dribs and drabs of small batches of FALs being continuously delivered to Ukraine. These keep being found in various police armories throughout Europe as those forces get updated with 5.56 weapons, and the police FALS get sent to Ukraine. They are proving robust enough to keep on functioning despite high round counts. Back during the cold war when nations were trying to decide between the G3 or the FAL, their quandary was that the FAL cost about double the G3 price, but has a useful service life nearly 3 times as long. Countries with more cash tended to go for the FAL, while those on tighter budgets went with the G3. Most of the surplus G3s donated to Ukraine have already been through at least 1 or 2 arsenal rebuilds in their life, yet most of the FALs have not. Thus, reports on G3 service is Ukraine has been luke warm, while the FAL is prized by those who have been issued them. It also helps that the police rifles never went through as rough a service life and were well cared for.
More FALs, this time, paratrooper models, and designated marksman versions at that. With the long distances involved on the plains in the south, full battle rifles make a difference. So does folding it up to get in and out of vehicles quickly and easily.
And of course, they have to be included in the elementary school familiarization classes.
With the folding stock, this suppressed rifle is not only about as long as a standard rifle while in transit.
Here we have a supplies runner/driver who ferries ammo, food and gear out to various posts. He's got himself a handy little CZ Scorpion Evo 3.
This fellow somehow scored himself an older original Scorpion of the .32acp type. Maybe it's trophy taken off a Donetsk separatist fighter? It looks in too good a condition for that, though. Likely one of the donated ones the Czechs sent.
And speaking of Czech surplus gifts, yes, the VZ58s are still out there rockin.
The Slovaks gave a few of these Zasatava M75 20x110mm cannons. They are clone of the Hispano-Suiza 804. Most of them ended up mounted to trucks.
The donated FN2000s were primarily issued to the Russian Legion (the Russians fighting against Russia for Ukraine behind enemy lines). The reason is that they conceal better for purposes of infiltration and movement in enemy territory. But some are still seen elsewhere in Ukrainian hands.
Most of the M-14 rifles seen in Ukraine were donated by Lithuania and Estonia, mostly as bare stock rifles, which were then fitted with optics to be pressed into the designated marksman role. But it now appears that SOME M-14s are far more recently arrived and direct from Uncle Sam,...such as this Mk 14 Mod.1 EBR.
Here we see a captured specimen of the most recent AK12 variant from 2023. It obviously hasn't seen a whole lot use yet,...and only dropped once. Also, the current owner has a locally made Fort17 in his holster.
This troopie is packing an HK VP9 in his holster and a Daniel Defense DD4v7.
Another Barrett MRAD with thermal optic on what looks like some sort of locally made custom trailer hitch ball mount.
And just yesterday, we see where many of the rest of the donated FAL rifles have gone. Apparently they have been issued to security personnel on merchant vessels with which to engage mines and naval drones. In this screen grab from a video, we see Ukrainian merchant seamen shooting (successfully) at a Houthi maritime drone in the Red Sea seeking to hit their ship. They hit the drone in the nick of time, detonating it, and saving their vessel from being sunk.
We've seen plenty of Daniel Defense AR-type rifles in Ukraine, but now we are seeing the Delta 5 Pro for the first time. Unknown if this one is .308 or 6.5 Creedmore.
Another batch of unissued German Haenel MK556 rifles issued to a trio of newly minted 82nd Separate Air Assault Brigade troopers.
I can't tell if this is a Benelli or a Turknelli,...but another example of shotguns being constant companions of modern troops threatened by small FPV drones.
And among the WW2 Nazi guns turned out from the museums for the defense of Ukraine in the early days of the war is this Polish Radom VIS wz35 9mm handgun. After seizing the factory in Poland, the Germans forced them to continue producing pistols for the Wehrmacht, and these were carried by some German officers throughout the war. I have one myself, and so judging from this picture, I can tell this specimen is from early production shortly after German capture. Later in the war the grips were crude wood and the slide lock/takedown lever was deleted. This particular pistol is close to 85 years old and still popping Russians today.
Thanks xerts 1191, I appreciate that. Here's some more.
And here we see some unusual stuff. Propped up in the corner is an HK416,...but you'll notice no rear stock. It seems someone has modified this one with a folding buffer tube system like the ones made by Sylvan Arms or Primary Arms. You can also see the suppressed Barrett with the Archer TSA-9 thermal optic. But less common than these two is the AR10 on the left. That is a Savage MSR-10. We've seen plenty of Savage bolt-action sniper rifles in Ukraine, since Savage has had a relationship there since at least 2018. And we've seen a few MSR-15s that appear to have been civilian-owned weapons pressed into service. But considering Savage has discontinued this rifle and some of it's unique bolt carrier group parts are no longer available even here,...this is a bit of a unicorn.
The AK12 was introduced right before the 2022 invasion, and then the updated version was introduced last year. Now we see here for the first time a "krinkov" short barrel variant of the newer AK12 that has been liberated by a Ukrainian, who has added the suppressor, SIG Romeo 5 sight and forward pistol grip. Not sure what the new designation is; AKSU-12?
And then I just include this one because it's cool. I mean, who doesn't want to go ATV riding and blowing stuff up. (As long as no one's shooting at you, that is.)
Not your Daddy's AK74. We can see here how many Ukrainians are outfitting their AKs these days to make them more ergonomic. Also of note are the several Magpul mags tucked in his vest. You would think that Ukraine would have a sufficient existing supply of AK74 mags. But stuff gets used up in war and destroyed, as well as factories. I wonder how many Uncle Sam have contracted with Magpul to send over there.
A little old from earlier this year, but here we see an Italian made Vitrix Scorpio in .338 Lapua, slapping sadistic slav schitbags supersonically, stealing soldiers sequestered by surly sergeants sworn to super-stupid strategies. Suck it!
And while they are not as common in Ukraine as one might expect, the RPD is indeed out there. Here are a couple. This first one is from back in early October and looks unissued. Must have been discovered in some dark corner of some forgotten armory.
This one has been well used, judging by how rusty and crusty this one appears to be. Somewhere near the Crimean frontier in late March.
Recent gun images from the Kursk offensive.
Czech Bren 2s
2nd Gen. Milkor 40mm rotary 6-shot grenade-launcher.
FN SCAR-L with ACOG, DBAL and Glock sidearm, and the M4 also sports a DBAL, Surefire can, EO Tech and magnifier. Both are using Magpul mags.
And the Czech PZD556 continues to impress the Ukrainians. They are prized by those who are issued them.
Suck My Glock wrote: ↑August 11th, 2024, 7:29 pm
Not your Daddy's AK74. We can see here how many Ukrainians are outfitting their AKs these days to make them more ergonomic. Also of note are the several Magpul mags tucked in his vest. You would think that Ukraine would have a sufficient existing supply of AK74 mags. But stuff gets used up in war and destroyed, as well as factories. I wonder how many Uncle Sam have contracted with Magpul to send over there.
Loving this guys AK
A couple of Ukrainians behind enemy lines near Kursk. With a sense of irony and history it seems, much of the equipment they have taken on this offensive is German; from the Leopard tanks to the Marder fighting vehicles,...and at least with this unit, Haenel Mk556 rifles.
Ukraine's 242 Training Center shared some great photos of personnel training with Haenel MK556-A2s and HLR338s provided by Germany.
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during Yugoslav Wars and later obtained by Ukrainian Forces from Croatia. As can be seen, the rifle was also fitted with Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 FFP scope and MDT SCS (Skeleton Carbine Stock).
Nice run of pics SMG
