Tag: International Legion

Rare M60 Appearances in Ukraine

There are a lot of different types of general purpose machine guns in use in Ukraine and one of the most surprising to appear so far is the M60. The first appearance of an M60 in Ukraine came in September 2024, when the 23rd Mechanised Brigade shared an album of training photos which included an individual firing an M60D.

A month later the same brigade shared another photograph of the M60D. The M60D is usually mounted on helicopters as a door gun and as such it has been adapted with no stock or traditional rear sight, instead it has a pair of rear spade grips and a large ring sight. It’s unclear how many M60Ds are in Ukraine or where the guns originated from as a number of potential donor countries operate M60Ds as door guns. It may be the case that a donor nation provided the gun aboard a donated helicopter, we have previously seen French AANF-1 GPMGs appear in Ukraine – likely supplied with VAB APCs. Alternatively, the gun(s) may simply have been provided by a donor for whom it was surplus to requirements and ready for disposal.

Another sighting of an M60D came in May 2025, when the 65th Mechanized Brigade shared a series of photographs of a machine gun team training with one of the guns. Sadly, no markings are visible to confirm if this might be the same gun as previously seen with the 23rd Mechanised Brigade.

The M60D is not the easiest variant to utilise in a ground role with the absence of a stock to shoulder the weapon making it somewhat difficult to aim and keep on target while firing. It does have a folding carry handle but it also had an exposed trigger linkage which is far from ideal for ground use. The best use for this variant would probably be as a pintle-mounted an anti-air gun.

Most recently a new variant of the M60 was seen in a photo posted, on 18 July, by the 20th Separate Regiment of Unmanned Systems “K-2”. The gun appears to be either an M60E3 or an M60E4, with what appears to be a 22 inch barrel, the first ground role variant to be seen in-country. As with the M60Ds it is unclear where this M60 may have originated from, there are only a small number of nations which operate the weapons which may have donated it. Elements of the Czech Republic’s special operations forces operate E4s in small numbers but its unclear if this is the source of the gun seen in the recent photo.

It remains unclear just how many of the various variants of M60 are on the ground in Ukraine and where they came from but it is one of the weapons that I’ll continue to track, if you spot any let me know!

Update 12/10/25:

Serhii Filimonov, a member of the 1st Assault Regiment (Da Vinci Wolves), has shared several photos that appear to include an M60E4.

There is also a short video of him firing the weapon. Below is a still from the video.

Update – 17/11/25:

On 14 November, Raven Group, affiliated with the Ukrainian Directorate of Intelligence, shared a serious of range photos featuring an M60E4 (in what appears to be the Mk43 Mod 0 configuration). [H/t to Praise the Steph].

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!  Thank you for your support!

Sweden’s KSP-58 Machine Guns In Ukraine

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February we’ve seen a number of FN MAG variants appear in use with Ukrainian forces. By far the most common appears to be the US M240 series. However, in recent months we’ve also seen a number of Swedish KSP-58s appear in imagery from the field.

Sweden has long supported the Ukrainian war effort providing a shipment of 5,000 Pansarskott m/86 anti-armour weapons (perhaps better known as the AT4) back in late February. The transfer of an additional batch of 5,000 m/86s was announced on 2 June. Most recently on 30 June it was reported that Sweden would provide a fresh batch of light anti-armour weapons and also machine guns as part of a transfer worth $49 million. When delivery of this aid was made is unconfirmed but the KSP-58s are reported to have been in theatre possibly as early as July – August.

While the type of machine gun was not confirmed, since the beginning of September we’ve seen imagery of a number of KSP-58 GPMGs appear in theatre. Easily identified by their wooden stocks, grey-green-coloured receiver finish and enclosed front sight. Sweden was one of the earliest adopters of the FN MAG and the Kulspruta 58 or KSP-58 entered service with the Swedish armed forces in the late 1950s and was originally chambered in the 6.5×55mm Swedish round. The KSP-58B was introduced following the adoption of 7.62x51mm. The guns were made under license from FN at the Carl Gustav Stads rifle factory in Eskilstuna.

A KSP-58B in use with Ukrainian troops c. September 2022 (via social media)

These have been seen in the hands of International Legion units and also regular Ukrainian Army units centred around Mykolaiv and Kherson. All the the examples of the weapon sighted appear to be KSP-58Bs, none of the guns seen have the Picatinny rails seen in the KSP-58F. 

Speaking to Kaiser [frontline_view_kaiser] a German volunteer with the Ukrainian Army, he said his unit encountered a “a brand-new, never used KSP with original factory delivered Box and all accessories untouched”. His colleague Yuri [nucking_futs_yuri] has shared some videos filmed in late-August, during a training session he ran on FN MAG variants for various Ukrainian units. Yuri said their were about 20 guns on the range during the training session, with the majority being KSP-58s. Yuri shared a video in mid-September firing a through a KSP-58B, from the hip, filmed after the training session had been completed. 

Yuri with a KSP-58B c. September 2022 (nucking_futs_yuri)

While we can’t confirm that the KSP-58s came directly from Sweden it seems likely. Another potential origin for the weapons may be the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). Sweden gifted an unconfirmed number of KSP-58s to the Baltic States in the 1990s. Today, the guns remain in service with the Latvian Army and National Guard, the Estonian Army and Estonian Defence League and the Lithuanian Army and National Defence Volunteer Force. Both Estonia and Lithuania began searching for a replacement for the KSP-58 in mid-2021. Given the Baltic states’ support for Ukraine the guns may potentially have originated from there, rather than Sweden itself. We have already seen the Baltic States have transferred former Swedish equipment including the PV-1110 recoilless anti-tank gun which were given to the Baltic states in the early 1990s.

It remains to be seen if we’ll see more of the KSP-58s in the field but in future articles/videos we’ll look at other FN MAG variants are in use in Ukraine.

Update 16/1/24: A maritime element of Ukraine’s Border Guards shared photos of them familiarising with what appears to be a KSP-58.

Update – 5/6/24:

Update – 15/10/24: A video of a KSP-58 in action somewhere in Ukraine, date unknown, recently shared online.

If you enjoyed this video and article please consider supporting our work here. We have some great perks available for Patreon Supporters – including custom stickers and early access to videos! Thank you for your support!

Bibliography:

Thank you to Kaiser and Yuri for their input – definitely check them out on their social media!

Kulspruta 58, Forsvarsmakten, (source)

KSP-58, Soldf.com, (source)

Sweden to boost military aid to Ukraine, Politico, 29 Aug. 2022, (source)

Sweden to send military aid to Ukraine, Reuters, 27 Feb. 2022, (source)

Sweden assists Ukraine with the Robot 17, SVt.se, 2 June 2022, (source)

Sweden to send more anti-tank weapons and machine guns to Ukraine, Reuters, 30 June 2022, (source)

Estonia to acquire new weapons for EDF, Defense League, ERR, 18 Nov. 2022, (source)

Lithuania buys machine guns for EUR 34 million, Defence 24, 20 Aug. 2022, (source)

Accuracy International Rifles in Ukraine

In this article/video we’ll examine the use of Accuracy International rifles in Ukraine. This was prompted by an interesting video that was shared by the Belorussian Kastus Kalinoukski volunteer regiment a few days ago. They explain some of the rifles characteristics and how they employ it. 

The rifle shown in the Kalinouski Regiment’s video is described as an Arctic Warfare (AW) model or L118A1 (the British service designation for the rifle) but in the video the sniper mentions it is chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, meaning its actually an Arctic Warfare Magnum (AWM). It’s fitted with a Schmidt & Bender 5-25×56 PM II optic with a P4FL reticle.

Ukrainian sniper with an AXMC mounted with an Archer TSA-9 , March 2022, (via Social Media)

Our first sighting on an Accuracy International rifle in the field came around the end of March when a Ukrainian sniper was pictured with an AXMC mounted with an Archer TSA-9 thermal scope. A week or so later on the 11 April, members of the Georgian Legion were seen with an AWM. 

In a video from the 17 April another AWM can be seen in a video filmed by a member of the Georgian Legion. On the 21 April a photo of international legion volunteers training included another AWM. At the very end of the month a well equipped Ukrainian Territorial Defence Force unit, reportedly made up of international volunteers featured another AWM.

Member of the Kalinouski Regiment with AWM, September 2022, (Kalinowski Regiment)

At the beginning of May a volunteer was seen in a number of photos, first posed with a French flag holding an AT308 (Accuracy Tactical), the latest evolution of the AW. On around the 4 May another photo of a TDF unit included the same sniper and rifle – in this photograph the bolt handle and action is more visible and its profile and the presence of an AICS (Accuracy International Chassis System) PMAG suggest the rifle may be a Remington 700 in an Accuracy International chassis. Finally, on 17 May, a short clip of a  sniper in a hide position. He’s armed with a rifle which looks to be the same as seen in the earlier photographs. 

A member of the Kalinowkski Regiment with an AWM (via Social Media)

On the 19th May a photo of a member of the Kalinoukski Regiment was shared holding an AWM in a black stock. Several weeks later on 26 June, snipers of the Georgian volunteer unit posed, with one armed with what appears from the stock shape to be an AWM. On 17 September Russian telegram channels began sharing a photo of a Ukrainian sniper’s AW rifle captured in the Bakhmut area.

a Ukrainian sniper with a suppressed AX308, May 2022, (via Social Media)

Other Accuracy International rifles have also been sighted, in April 2022 Chechens were pictured with a captured AXMC and a photo of a Ukrainian sniper with a suppressed AX308 with a NightForce optic was shared in late May.

In terms of where the rifles originated from the only confirmed source for at least some of the rifles is a reported transfer of rifles from the Dutch military. From the limited data set available we can see that the AWM are the most commonly seen in the field. But as with any survey which relies on open source intelligence this isn’t an exhaustive look at where the rifles are being used and which units have them. 

Check out our earlier article/video on the use of Savage Arms rifles in Ukraine.

If you enjoyed this video and article please consider supporting our work here. We have some great perks available for Patreon Supporters – including custom stickers and early access to videos! Thank you for your support!