KMG556 – Turkish Minimis in Ukraine

In 2021, Turkish small arms manufacturer Kale Kalıp introduced an FN Minimi clone, the KMG556. The belt-fed 5.56x45mm light machine gun entered production in summer 2023 and in the middle of 2024 the weapons began to appear in Ukraine. Intriguingly, Kale Kalip only announced the delivery of the first batch of serial production guns in late October 2024.

So far the most prevalent Ukrainian use of the KMG556 has been seen with the Lyut Brigade, [United Assault Brigade of the National Police of Ukraine “Lyut” of the Special Purpose Police Department] which formed in January 2023. The light machine guns began appearing in imagery of Lyut Brigade personnel in June 2024. The brigade as a whole appears to use a variety of Turkish-manufactured small arms ranging from Repkon grenade launchers to Canik M2 heavy machine guns.

The KMG556 weighs in at 7.8kg (17.2lbs), has a 16in (406mm) long barrel and has newly designed polymer furniture including a new adjustable butt stock and forend. The KMG556 dispenses with the Minimi’s ability to dual feed using STANAG magazines and feeds only from a standard disintegrating metallic belt.

The first appearance of a KMG556 with Ukrainian troops came in late June 2024 when a video of members of Lyut was shared showing a clearing operation, said to be in Vovchansk. In the video, a machine gunner armed with a KMG556 is seen suppressing suspected Russian positions.

In early July, a promotional video posted on the Brigade’s TikTok featured a squad from the “Tsunami” Assault Regiment with a variety of weapons including M4 carbines, AK-74s and a KMG556, with its markings clearly visible.

In early August, the Brigade’s social media shared a video featuring a patrol from the Enei Battalion clearing a small village near Toretsk. In the video helmet cam footage shows a patrol member firing what appears to be a KMG556. Another post on 4 August, featured a female member of the “Tsunami” Assault Regiment holding a KMG556. On the 24 August, Lyut Brigade shared a video celebrating Ukraine’s independence day. It featured a large number of personnel including an individual armed with what is clearly a KMG556 which has been painted. The video also features a Turkish BMC Kirpi MRAP.

At the beginning of September, a member of the Lyut Brigade’s Safari Assault Regiment shared a montage video on TikTok showing fighting in and around Toretsk. It features several short clips of a KMG556 in action.

On the 10 September, a photograph of personnel from the Brigade’s Luhansk Assault Regiment was shared with a Ukrainian serviceman standing front and centre equipped with a KMG556. The KMG556 was seen again in a short promotional video on one of the Brigade’s associated TikTok accounts.

The following month the Brigade’s social media posted a photograph of a squad of Ukrainian personnel stood in front of a BMC Kirpi, with one of the men equipped with a KMG556. It appears the photograph was taken earlier when the Independence Day video was filmed. On the 7 October, the Brigade’s Tiktok account shared a video showing helmet camera footage from a machine gunner with the Enei Battalion using a KMG556 during fighting in Toretsk.

On 7 November, a video showing more street fighting in Toretsk was posted on Tiktok showing a KMG556 in action, it appears to be mounted with an EOTech HWS 500 series sight. The National Police of Ukraine shared several photographs of Lyut Brigade personnel several days later, on 9 November, including a pair of portraits of brigade members equipped with KMG556s mounted with what appear to be Aimpoint Comp C3 red dot sights. Several days later, on 12 November, the Enei Battalion shared a short video on their TikTok account showcasing a fireteam and their weapons, including: a UAR-10, Repkon RDS-40 and a KMG556. A day later, a video showing a machine gunner from the Safari Regiment at work during fighting in Toretsk featured a KMG556 during an ambush. His KMG556 is mounted with an EOTech 512 or 552 holographic weapon sight. A short clip from this video was previously seen in a video posted on TikTok on 7 November.

A video commemorating 1,000 days since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, posted on 19 November, also featured a KMG556. It appears to be the same fire team seen in the earlier video. On 16 December, a series of portraits of brigade members were shared, including one of a machine gunner armed with a KMG556 mounted with an EOTech HWS 512 or 552, a suppressor and loaded with a belt of M855. The same machine gunner was seen again in a festive photo posted on 31 December. In the same post another KMG556, with what appears to be a magnified optic, was seen, mounted on a MISTA Oncilla armoured car.

On 7 January 2025, a video showing fighting in Toretsk with members of Safari battalion clearing buildings also features a KMG556, with a Holosun 510 red dot optic, being fired from a upper storey window. The date the footage was filmed is unclear but it appears likely it was filmed earlier in 2024. A KMG556 has also been seen in a group photo of members of Lyut Brigade, alongside another Turkish weapon – a Repkon RDS-40 rotary grenade launcher.

At the end of January, a video of a night-time clearing operation, likely in Toretsk, was shared on the Lyut Brigade TikTok page, showing what is likely a KMG556 being used to lay down suppressive fire.

In March the KMG556 was seen a number of times, first in a Lyut Brigade facebook post on the 6 March, which featured a photograph of as KMG556 equipped with a suppressor. The manufacturer’s markings are clearly visible on the side of the receiver. Finally, the KMG556 was most recently seen on 14 March, in a squad photo posted by the Lyut Brigade to celebrate Ukraine’s Volunteers Day.

---

Support Us: If you enjoyed this video and article please consider supporting our work here. We have some great perks available for Patreon Supporters – including early access to custom stickers and early access to videos! You can also find us on the History of Weapons & War app. Thank you for your support!