Guns of Ukraine war picture thread

[Suck My Glock]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaCFfcyRWOk

https://twitter.com/historicfirearm/status/1768437482847080710

Ukraine has been buying a lot of AGM Rattler TS35 thermal optics for issue. It has been perhaps the most cost-efficient way to get thermals out into the field. Ukraine's own thermal imager manufacturer, Templovisor, has been making knock-off copies as well. Templovisor finally just came out with an enhanced and improved version, which we see here mounter on a Barret MRAD and a Canadian PGW, both in .338 Lapua. No word on the model designation on these.

https://twitter.com/historicfirearm/status/1770558571911970959

Another Canadian PGW rifle.

 

[Suck My Glock]

https://twitter.com/war_noir/status/1771988420199432691

Anti-drone shotgunner with his sporting piece and his Belgian FN/FAL.

Getting in some practice time with the Polish 40mm 6-gun and packing a Glock.

Showing the appropriate respect for Russian cultural heritage, and holding western weaponry high.

The brand new Beretta CSASS 7.62 marksman rifle based on the ARX200, seen being employed in Ukraine. Unclear how many of these have arrived there. Even Italy's Alpine Regiment is only now also receiving these. Apparently Beretta and Italy are keen to submit a few samples for field testing in the largest ongoing live fire proving ground exercise in Europe.

These are Ukrainian UDT frogmen responsible for so much of the sabotage and mayhem in the Port of Sebastopol and elsewhere on Crimea. UK SBS and German Kampfschwimmers are very proud of these students of theirs. Here, if you look closely, they are armed with at least a couple of APS underwater rifles, probably for use against the trained Dolphins and Sealions Russia is known to use as sentries against combat diver saboteurs.

 

[Suck My Glock]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h-hC6AagYs



Nyet,...AK is fine.
[media]https://www.facebook.com/iwantedanothergunpagesoimadeone/videos/875867767653749[/media]


In an effort to try to give the poor schmucks in the trenches something that can tickle the M2 Bradleys and other armored vehicles, Russia has busted out the old mothballed PTRS-43 rifles in 14.5x114mm. Notice there isn't any kind of optic on that bich, so it ain't for trying to out-snipe the other guys. They actually expect this guy to make a Bradley driver angry and focus on blowing him up.

Here are some photos of some captured Russian air crew gear that didn't get completely destroyed when pulled off a downed pilot. I'm assuming he must have successfully bailed out and been taken alive, otherwise otherwise everything would be mangled and burnt. We see a PP-2000 and a Ledbedev PLK, both chambered in 9x19. Each were taken loaded with 7n21 Armor-Piercing ammunition. The ammo was tested on an American Level IIIA rated piece of body armor, and the 7n21 zipped right on through.

Reports are that the PP-2000 has a tendency to jam. In this photo we can see a failure to extract causing another round to jam in the magazine when firing the 7n21 ammo. Was it merely a bad extractor? Who knows?

 

[Suck My Glock]

A Russian Spetznatz operator posing with a captured Ukrainian M249. Also note the AR15 type rifle at his feet and the FN 40mm launcher nearby.

Brand new Haenel HLR338 on the range in Ukraine, along with a SIG320 and Garmin Xero bullet radar.

More Daniel Defense and Glock

The infamous gooey mud of Ukraine that stalled the Nazis is no joke. Clawing around in that crap trying to not get blasted leads to the worlds greatest mud test for weapons. In typical Slavic fashion, the Ukrainians don't have hours to waste on field stripping weapons after returning from the muck.
[media]https://i.imgur.com/PGeKzuB.mp4[/media]

 

[Suck My Glock]

Serbu RFB50 in Ukrainian service.

Suppressed Snipex Alligator .50BMG

Danish M/95 rifles (Canadian Colt Diamaco C7s)

Another SIG 516, outfitted with Pmags, a Vortex magnifier and an EOTech.

 

[Suck My Glock]

Up close combat with a suppressed Colt M16A4 on the front in Ocheretyne.


https://i.imgur.com/Cci8Ryi.mp4

 

[Suck My Glock]

As I reported back in December, Ukies being trained in Germany were seen being outfitted with Haenel MK556 rifles. After HK successfully lobbied/appealed/bribed the German gov't to cancel the contract with Haenel to make the MK556 Germany's new rifle and redirect the new contract to HK for their HK416,...part of that whole mess was that the German courts ordered ALL Haenel MK556s to be destroyed (supposedly for infringing on HK patents). But there they were, on the range with Ukrainians,...not destroyed and very much functional. The unanswered question was;...were the rifles going to be "destroyed" by putting them through the meat and equipment grinder of the Ukrainian front?
Well, here we finally have our answer, with some maritime raiders from some sneaky peaky un-named unit based near Kherson, with their Haenel MK556s.

Bravo Company CQB 12 KMR-A rifles with Ukrainian frogmen. On BCM's website, these are advertised as being in .300blk caliber. I've not yet received any verifiable intel on the Ukies using .300blk in the war on any sort of company level scale, so I suppose these could just be 5.56 variants. But if you wanted to outfit guys who's job it is to do things quietly and without notice in the dark while snooping and pooping and visiting vengeance on vatnik Vitaliy's very vexing vast vector, victimizing Vlad with vampiric viciousness,...some suppressed .300blk carbines would be pretty ideal.

Getting your dik in the dirt for some DP action.

This is the first SIG Cross I've seen in Ukraine.

 

[Suck My Glock]

Camo painted MG42 (MG3? Beretta MG59?)

Both types of Haenel rifles Germany has donated to the Ukies. The MK556 on the right, and the CR308 on the left, outfitted with Rattler TS25 thermal optic.

Colt M5 donated by Colt Canada

Once very commonly seen in the Balkans in the 90s, but not at all common in Ukraine, a Yugo M72B1 RPK in 7.62x39. Likely donated by Slovenia from old war reserve stocks.

You'll have to look closely to make it out, but the markings on this show it is a Springfield Armory Saint Victor. Even more difficult to make out is whether or not it has a full-auto sear pin,...and I just can't be certain. But it APPEARS to be a civilian semi-auto.

 

[Suck My Glock]

U.S. M16A4 and a Polish GROT in the background.

Another Serbu BFG-50. This one has a muzzle-brake hybrid suppressor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_JEBj1GknA&t

Another FN SCAR-H, this one outfitted with a SIG Tango optic.

Ukraine is still manufacturing Malyuks. This one is a very recent conversion of a well used 7.62 AK, which is evident by how new and unscratched the stock is compared to the signs of wear and use on the bolt carrier and safety lever. Most Malyuks are 5.45 caliber, but the stock is adaptable to either pattern. Look closely and you can see written in English on his holster it says "Plan B".

A soldier of a special forces unit of the Russian Armed Forces with a captured Mk19 grenade launcher. Kharkov region.

The Czech PZD556 S.A.W.s donated to Ukraine back in 2022 have been working out very well and reports back from the field have been positive. The Czechs have in fact supplied another batch recently, as can be seen here in the hands of a troopie with a very recently acquired specimen that has yet to be uglified from heavy use or camo painting.

 

[Suck My Glock]

Here we see a suppressed M249, an AR10 variant and two AK74s. But rather interestingly, despite all the more modern hardware, notice the guy wearing the old TT-33 Tokarov in a polymer holster on his chest. Plenty of Makarovs have been in evidence in Ukraine, but not many Toks.

An FN/FAL with a Rattler TS25 thermal sight in the area around Sumy.

Also in the forests around Sumy we see here a marksman with his suppressed Ruger Precision Rifle, as well as his slung suppressed M4 with ACOG.

This ain't your granddad's AKSU-74. M-LOK free-float handguards and RPK 40-round mag and a red dot. Pretty spiffy.

 

[Suck My Glock]

CZ Bren2 with a Holosun red dot near Lyman.

A captured and newly issued Gen2 AK12 with a 40-round RPK magazine. Apparently Russia has been listening to the troops about their desire for more firepower and have been issuing a lot more of these RPK mags. With so many vatnik slobs getting almost no training and even less support or squad level weapons beyond small arms, it has been a cheap upgrade for the Russians to begin providing more RPK mags. When it comes to defending against your trench being stormed, or you doing it to the other guy,...large capacity mags make a difference. Likewise, Ukrainians also appreciate these and are hip to snag any and all they can scrounge up. But all while looking out for the boobytrapped ones.

If you are concerned about the RF energy your cell phone puts out so close to your head,...you'd absolutely hate being a drone jammer dude. These things emit so much RF, if they really do cause cancer, these guys are so phucked.
"Hey, somebody's talking about me. My ears are burning."
"No, Vitalyi, that's just your microwave oven on your back."

For the first time we see some sort of 9mm M16 in Ukraine with an Aimpoint on top. It seems set up for Glock mags. No brand name or serial number evident on the side facing the camera, but plainly has the 3rd hole and auto sear. Ghost Gun maybe? Local manufacturer Zbroyar played around with making a 9mm version some year ago before the war. Maybe they decided to crank some out? Next to it is a Daniel Defense DD4 Mk18 RIII 10.3in carbine, and CZ Bren2 below that, with a Schmeiser 60-round quad stack mag in it. And of course the popular Czech PZD556 belt-fed in the back.

 

[Suck My Glock]

OK,...I want one. I don't care.
https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/1797776381188710459

Another HK MG5 in theater.

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?

 

[Suck My Glock]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBjiPVAzuls&t

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.

 

[Suck My Glock]

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.

 

[Suck My Glock]

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?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV6GUQ_bRgc

 

[Suck My Glock]

And then, yet again,...I am surprised at what is continuing to show up.

https://twitter.com/war_noir/status/1805393824082182484

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).

https://twitter.com/war_noir/status/1806765754890526783/photo/1

 

[Suck My Glock]

More Haenel MK556 rifles, this time in the hands of special forces riverine infiltrator boatmen.

https://twitter.com/Bricktop_NAFO/status/1808690448313078170

 

[Suck My Glock]

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.

 

[Suck My Glock]

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.

 

[Suck My Glock]

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.