There are a significant number of different large calibre anti-materiel rifles in use in Ukraine. One of the largest is the Monomakh, a 14.5×114mm semi-automatic, box magazine-fed anti-materiel rifle from the Ukrainian company Snipex. Snipex is a subsidiary of the XADO Chemical Group.
Snipex are well known for their series of precision anti-materiel rifles which includes the M100, T-Rex and Alligator. The Monomakh, introduced in 2021, is the company’s first semi-automatic rifle. It is recoil operated and feeds from a 5-round box magazine. It has a barrel 1,200mm [47.2in] long and an overall length of 2,050mm [6.7 feet], Snipex list its weight without a magazine as 25kg [55lbs]. The rifle has a listed muzzle velocity of 950 to 980 m/s and an effective range of just under 2,000 metres [1.2 miles]. The weapon is fired from a bipod with a monopod supporting the butt of the rifle. It’s key feature is its reciprocating barrel which helps soak up the recoil from the 14.5mm cartridge.
A scopeless Monomakh at the range (via social media)
The Monomakh appears in imagery from Ukraine fairly infrequently, the earliest sighting of one of the rifles I could find was a photograph posted by a GUR member in late April 2022. Subsequently a number of videos of the weapon being fired at ranges by Ukrainian combatants was published in the Summer of 2022. The first posted on 7 August, shows a magazine being loaded into the rifle and the weapon chambering a round. Later that month a short video of a Monomakh firing at a range was published.
Snipex Monomakh (Snipex)
The earliest photograph of one of the guns I could find in 2023 was shared by a Ukrainian combatant in mid-July. Several months later, in September 2023, another Ukrainian combatant shared a photograph of himself holding up a Monomakh at a range. The same combatant also shared a short clip of himself firing the rifle, again at the range. In the clip he appears to be firing the rifle without sights or an optic. He is also seen helping the bolt into battery after each shot, the bushing which guides the barrel as it recoils into the receiver appears to have come loose. The rifles are typically paired with substantial optics, Snipex offer two of their own 6–24×56 scopes, the Jove 50 and the Galaxy G50. In late October, a female sniper with the 3rd Shock Brigade, posted several photographs and a video of herself firing a Monomakh from a position inside a building.
A Ukrainian combatant holds up a Monomakh (via social media)
The large size and hefty weight of the Monomakh limits it applications somewhat but the 14.5mm round is useful against light armoured vehicles, buildings and field fortifications – the main limitation is getting it in, and out, of position to engage targets. There are videos of it taking two men to move the similarly heavy T-Rex and Alligator rifles. From the limited sample of imagery of the Monomakh in theatre it is difficult to gauge how widespread its use actually is. The simpler to manufacture bolt action Snipex rifles are seen more frequently.
My thanks to Cloooud and AbraxasSpa for help sourcing some of the imagery used in this article/video.
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A dozen different types of light and general purpose machine guns are in use in Ukraine, one of the newest is the Heckler & Koch MG5.
In May 2023, the German government announced a package of aid which would include 100 HK MG5 7.62x51mm general purpose machine guns. In September, evidence of their arrival in theatre began to surface with Ukrainian combatants sharing imagery of the brand new weapons.
The transfer of MG5s by the German government is interesting as the Bundeswehr themselves have only recently begun to receive the guns. The MG5 officially entered German service in 2015 but procurement has only recently ramped up with around 10,000 currently estimated to be in inventory. The MG5 is a gas-operated 7.62x51mm general purpose machine gun with a variable rate of fire and is intended to replace the MG3. It fires from an open bolt and it’s action is locked by a rotating bolt head. The guns themselves are listed on the German government’s aid-tracking page as “being deliveries from industry stocks financed by German funds for security capacity building.” This indicates that the transfer was probably not made direct from Bundeswehr stores.
Jurado posted the first photo of an MG5 in Ukraine (via Social Media)
On 20 September, Jurado – a Spanish member of the International Legion, shared the first photograph of an MG5 in Ukraine. Several days later on 22 September, omega_team_gurshared another photograph of the MG5 at the range. According to Jurado his unit received three of the guns.
A week later Greek International Legion members shared the first video of one of the guns mounted on a Lafette tripod. Through discussions with some of the combatants whose units have received the MG5s not all the guns came with tripods. A member of a Ukrainian Military Intelligence Directorate, the GUR, team told us that the guns came in bags with accessories including an optic, bipod, cleaning kit, manual and spare barrel.
An MG5 in its transport bag (via Social Media)
A member of the GUR, callsign Shock, shared a photo with an MG5 on 28 September, and several more the next day. Shock told TAB that his unit had received two of the MG5s and that while they’re cool pieces of kit the are heavy “13+ kg without ammunition” [HK lists the MG5A2’s weight as 11.5kg or 25lbs]. Shock’s team appears to be one of the few GUR teams not made up of international volunteers to receive the guns. He also shared a photograph of two MG5s sat in their transport bags.
On the 30th September Omega Team shared another group photograph featuring an MG5 and several days later on 2 October, a member of the GUR’s Shaman battalion, shared a photograph of himself holding a new MG5. Another member of the Shaman battalion also shared a photograph of an MG5 in its transit case/bag. It can seen fitted with a Hensoldt 4x30i optic and a cleaning kit and a number of belt pouches can be seen in the case. Knights, another GUR team, shared a photograph featuring an MG5 on 6 October. This was followed on the 10 October by a unit photograph with an MG5 seen at the back of the group. During the same week, another SOF group made up of international volunteers, Black Maple, also shared a photograph featuring an MG5.
An MG5 mounted in a Lafette tripod at the range (via Social Media)
Another team, Operation 21 Group, posted a photograph on 16 October of an MG5 mounted on a Lafette tripod at the range. The gun is again paired with the Hensoldt optic. On around the 17 October, a member of the Kraken Regiment, also part of the GUR, posted a photograph holding one of the MG5s. Several days later the first glimpse of an MG5 being used in combat was shared by a GUR team, the MG5 can be heard firing and is just visible though the foliage.
On the 22 October the GUR’s Stugna Battalion also shared a promotional video featuring one of the MG5s. On 24 October imagery from a number of photographers showed members of the International Legion’s new Siberian Battalion training. Amongst an interesting array of small arms the battalion’s trainees also appeared to have a single MG5.
The team at GRaft, a Ukrainian company which fabricates ammunition boxes for machine guns, shared some video of testing of one of their boxes with an MG5 in late October. At the beginning of November Tactical Group Athena, another GUR team, shared a team photograph featuring not one but two MG5s.
Later in November, the Knights shared a series of photographs and clips featuring the MG5. The first was posted on 4 November, showing the gun in a fighting position. This was followed on the 13 November, by a short video of an MG5 firing from its bipod in a frontline position in the trenches feeding from a British 7.62x51mm ammunition box. I spoke to one of the members of Knights about the MG5 and they described it as ‘a fantastic weapon’ and while “a bit on the heavy side [it’s] still a good weapon system and we love to use it!”
A member of Rogue Team holds an MG5 in a frontline trench (via Social Media)
Omega team shared another group photo featuring an MG5 on 12 November. Later that week Rogue Team posted a photograph of two combatants in a frontline trench, one is seated holding an MG5. A week later the GUR shared a video on their YouTube channel about their amphibious operations in Crimea, on 16 November, with an MG5 briefly appearing in part of the sequence. Towards the end of November a video from the Knights team thanking people for kit donations also featured an MG5. On the 14 November, an element of the Kraken Regiment, Special Assault Company, shared a promotional video featuring a drive by with an MG5 being fired out the window of a vehicle at a range. On the 19 November Rogue Team shared a team photograph, with one combatant holding an MG5, a day later a member of the team shared a short clip from the range showing the MG5 in action with the caption ‘I love MG5’. Finally, on the 26 November another MG5 was seen in a photograph of members of Kraken.
All of the guns appear to have HK’s RAL 8000 (FDE-ish) finish and are of the MG5 A2 configuration with the shorter 460mm (18in) barrel. The guns also appear to have been provided with Hensoldt 4x30i ‘intermediate range targeting optics’. From the imagery which has surfaced so far we can see that the MG5s have predominantly been issued to special operations forces including teams from the GUR and possibly the SSO. Despite the small number of guns officially confirmed to have been transferred they have been widely photographed in theatre and when asked by TAB comments from combatants using them have largely been positive. It is unknown what quantity of spares were provided with the guns or if more may be provided by Germany in the future.
Thank you to friends at Cloooud and at StreakingDelilah for their help gathering imagery for this video.
Update – 2/12/23:
Ukrainian combatant, Valgear, shared a photo of an MG5 in a Lafette tripod fitted with a thermal optic. Both the gun and optic have apparently been damaged by shrapnel.
Update – 03/12/23:
Machine gun training (Bundeswehr/KSK)
The Bundeswehr issued a statement on training Ukrainians SOF members and shared a photograph of Ukrainians training on MG3 and MG5 machine guns. Unlike the guns seen in Ukraine the MG5s have 550mm (22in) barrels.
Update – 9/12/23:
Another GUR team, Stugna, have shared photos of an HK MG5 in recent weeks.
Stugna, another GUR team, have shared a few photos of their HK MG5. One in a group photo (h/T @war_noir) and a second from a range day when volunteer fundraiser group Peace For The Future visited the to present a vehicle.
— Matthew Moss | Historical Firearms (@historicfirearm) December 9, 2023
Update – 13/12/23: The recently formed Sibir Battalion were photographed again training with an MG5.
Very recent training with German-delivered MG5s by the Sibir Battalion, which consists only of Russian nationals, who want to fight against the Russian armed forces. pic.twitter.com/SQGI5os4HJ
— Matthew Moss | Historical Firearms (@historicfirearm) April 16, 2024
Update – 7/6/24: Rogue, a GUR direct action team, shared some video of their machine gun team in action near Kupyansk in November 2023. It gives a great look at the MG5 in action and also features a brief glimpse of the gun’s spare barrel and it’s reload drills.
Some stills from a video filmed by Rogue, a GUR direct action team, operating in Kupyansk in Nov. 2023. Great look at the HK MG5 in action, reloading and it's spare barrel.
— Matthew Moss | Historical Firearms (@historicfirearm) June 7, 2024
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Bibliography:
Military Support for Ukraine, Bundesregierung, (source)
A Ukrainian engineer and fabricator, Іван Савельєв/Ivan Saveliev, has designed and built an interesting wheeled mount for the Mk19 automatic grenade launcher. The mount was recently seen in a video posted to TikTok by a member of 4th Rapid Reaction Rubizh Brigade’s 3rd Battalion Svoboda. The video was posted on the 10 November and shows the mount being demonstrated in camp. There’s a long history of Russian machine guns like the Maxim PM1910, SG-43 and DShK having wheeled mounts or carriages. The new mount for the Mk19 could be seen as a descendent of these.
A Mk19 on the wheeled mount (via social media)
The first MK19 Mod IIIs arrived from the US in late January 2022, as it looked increasingly likely that Russia would invade. Since then they have proliferated and are widely used by the Ukrainian armed forces.
A Mk19 on the mount with wheels removed (via social media)
Saveliev has developed a range of mounts for various support weapons including machine guns, auto-cannons and mortars. He first shared imagery of the wheeled mount for the Mk19 in mid-June posting a photograph showing a Mk19 elevated on one of the mounts. Five months later, on 23 October, Saveliev shared a series of detailed photos of the mount. He noted that the mount could allow the Mk19 to be fired at ‘increased vertical angles’. This is very useful for long range, indirect fire. The M2 heavy machine gun could also be used with the wheeled mount as the mount mimics the mounting points of the M3 tripod, which both the Mk19 and M2 are used with.
Above & Below: Close-ups of the mount (via social media)
The mount has a pair of handles at the muzzle end to allow the weapon to be pulled by two men. The elevation of the Mk19 can be adjusted by an elevation wheel which uses a long threaded bar (or worm pinion/screw) to move the mounting arm forward and back, lowering and raising the weapon. In the video posted by members of the 3rd Battalion Svoboda it is suggested that elevations of 60 or more degrees is possible. Windage can be adjusted by a pair of wheels either side of the rear of the mount.
The mount has a pair of wheels with pneumatic tires which can be removed allowing the weapon to be grounded in the mount. However, this looks to be a fairly unstable firing platform due to the narrow base the mount offers compared to the Mk19’s standard tripod. Despite the Mk19’s relatively low recoil the mount would probably have to be well bedded in to achieve accurate fire and prevent it from potentially toppling. There is no mount for the weapon’s belt box.
According to various comments on Saveliev’s posts about the mount individuals from a number of Ukrainian brigades including the 47th Mechanised and 5th Assault brigades are reportedly interested in the mount.
I haven’t yet been able to find any imagery of the mount being used in the field or of a Mk19 being fired from one so its difficult to know how useful it is in battlefield conditions. The major benefit, however, is increasing the Mk19’s portability. Weighing in at 77.6 lbs (35.2 kg) the Mk19 (without the M3 tripod which adds 44 lbs (20 kg)) is heavier than its Russian counter-part, the AGS-17. This makes moving it across broken terrain a difficult task, the wheels might help
Special thanks to Weapons Illustrated who has been tracking this mount and assisted with this video/article.
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On 6 November, the French arms manufacturer Verney-Carron, through its defence brand Lebel, announced the signing of a framework contract with Ukrspecexport, a Ukrainian state-owned arms trading company which is part of Ukroboronprom. The contract covers the production of a substantial number of small arms including carbines, precision rifles and 40mm grenade launchers.
VDC15 (Lebel)
The contract is worth 36 million Euros ($38.5 million) and includes 10,000 assault rifles, 2,000 precision rifles and 400 grenade launchers. The contract will need to be funded from Ukrainian and French sources with initial delivery scheduled for early 2024, with delivery to be spread over the next 10 months. The announcement makes no mention of spare parts or support as part of the contract.
The contract will likely see the delivery of Verney-Carron’s VCD15, an AR-15 pattern rifle available in various configurations but chambered in 5.56x45mm or .300 BLK and based on Stoner’s internal gas system. The 2,000 precision rifles are probably Lebel’s VCD10, which was introduced in 2018 and is a precision AR-10 pattern rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm or .260 Remington. The 400 grenade launchers will likely be the compact LP40, a 40x46mm standalone launcher, which weighs 1.3kg, has a removable stock and a folding front pistol grip.
LP40 (Lebel)
It’s unclear which branch of the Ukrainian Armed forces the small arms will be destined for but they represent a substantial number, enough to equip a brigade or two. In terms of aid France has already provided a wide range of weapon systems and military equipment including self-propelled artillery, armoured personnel carriers, mines, anti-tank guided missiles, small arms, hand grenades and air defence systems.
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On 2 October, Ukraine’s 28th Mechanised Brigade posted a video on their social media showing an RPG team firing an RPG-7 during a firefight. The warheads being fired from the RPG-7 were all outfitted with homemade fragmentation sleeves.
A fragmentation sleeve fits over a warhead and breaks apart when the warhead detonates. The explosion spreads the fragments increasing the warheads anti-personnel effect. The sleeve seen in the video appears to be made from a sheet of rolled metal with a base ring. Their design and construction appears to be quite uniform and similar examples of the fragmentation sleeves have been seen on several earlier occasions. The sheet appears to be several millimetres thick with a grid of cuts creating weaknesses for along which the metal can fragment.
PG-7 warheads with uniform fragmentation sleeves, in a video posted by the 28th Mechanised Brigade (Ukrainian Army)
Back in April a photograph featuring similar sleeves was shared, one PG-7 warhead has a sleeve running between the venturi/rocket nozzles and the base of warhead’s shaped charge while the other appears to have a sleeve which is wrapped around the lower part of the warhead. The venturi of this warhead isn’t visible.
[Correction/Update – 11/11/23: The rocket is in fact a PG-9/16 which is fired from SPG-9 recoilless guns. This suggests that fragmentation sleeves are also in use with the widely used SPG-9. See image below. – Thank you to Michael Crenshaw for his help IDing this munition.]
Top: PG-9/16 with frag sleeve Bottom: PG-7 with frag sleeve (via social media)
A Ukrainian combatant shared a short video featuring a PG-7 warhead with a fragmentation sleeve on 4 May. On 21 June, Ukrainian news outlet Новинарняpublished a video report featuring the 67th Mechanised Brigade in action near Kreminna. Members of the brigade’s 2nd mechanised battalion are seen with numerous PG-7s with fragmentation sleeves in the report. One Ukrainian combatant is seen preparing them for launch, attaching boosters to the rockets.
It would appear that the design of the sleeves has been shared between a number of fabricators as they have appeared in a number of areas and appear to a fairly standardised design. Images from the summer of 2023 show the sleeves added to a variety of different PG-7 warheads including a crate of six PG-7VLs.
A number of PG-7V with frag sleeves (via social media)
In August, a Ukrainian individual made a call on social media for fabricators to produce base rings for sleeves. The post included a photograph of six PG-7M warheads with fragmentation sleeves.
The October video posted by the 28th Mechanised Brigade shows the rockets being fired at unseen targets in the distance. The RPG-gunner appears to be using the tactic of using the warhead’s maximum range self-destruct feature to detonate the warheads above Russian positions.
The warheads are fitted point-initiating base detonating fuzes which contain a pyrotechnic-based self-destruct mechanism which causes the warhead to detonate at its maximum range of approximately 950 metres. When the warhead detonates at the end of its flight it will shower what is below it with fragments from both the warhead and the fragmentation sleeve.
A crate of 6 PG-7VLs with slightly rusty frag sleeves (via social media)
On 30 September, a PG-7 with a fragmentation sleeve was seen at the beginning of a video shared by the ‘Omega’, the Special Purpose Center of Ukraine’s National Guard. The characteristic shape of a sleved warhead can be seen just before a member of ‘Omega’ fired the RPG-7.
On 4 October, a Ukrainian combatant shared a photograph of a PG-7VL warhead with a fragmentation sleeve. The photo was shared in response to the earlier August photograph. This example, however, appears to be made from a mosaic of small metal squares rather than from a scored sheet of metal.
An RPG-7 with a fragmentation sleeve, 67th Mechanised Brigade (Новинарня)
In terms of effectiveness the sleeves probably do not fragment uniformly along the cuts in the outer surface. However, the fragmentation effect of the sleeve is probably good enough for it’s intended purpose. It also remains unclear if the added mass and likely shifting of the warheads’ centre of gravity negatively effects its range and accuracy.
Fragmentation sleeves are definitely not a new innovation but they are a simple adaptation which can be made to PG-7 pattern warheads, which are predominantly designed for anti-armour roles, to improve their effectiveness against enemy personnel. While there are a number of warheads designed specifically for use against personnel these may not be as commonly available and as a result the Ukrainians have taken to improvising. We have already seen makeshift anti-personnel warheads made from fire extinguishers packed with explosive and the practice of simply taping shrapnel to the sides of standard PG-7 warheads.
06/11/23 – Update: An additional video featuring a PG-7VL warhead with a frag sleeve being used to tamp down a sandbag.
Update – 14/12/23: A video showing manufacture of various patterns of drone munitions was shown in a video posted by Ukrainian combatants. In it a munition with frag sleeve is seen.
Update – 15/1/24: Video dating from Spring 2023 shows members of the 28th Mechanised Brigade operating what appears to be a fragmentation sleeve (or perhaps an improvised warhead) being fired from m RPG-7.
Kurt & Company Group, a unit of #Ukraine's 28th Mechanized Brigade, firing what appear to be either improvised RPG rounds or PG-7 rounds which have been augmented with fragmentation sleeves.
— Matthew Moss | The Armourer's Bench (@historicfirearm) January 16, 2024
Update – 25/03/24: A look at how some of the frag sleeves may be manufactured.
Steel pipe is machined into grooved fragmentation jackets. These will be fitted over RPG-7 warheads. The segmented squares will separate into deadly pieces upon detonation, increasing the destructiveness of the rocket. pic.twitter.com/nLPQOjkPLL
The sleeves seen in the post above were sold by a company called ‘FixeStop‘ and are euphemistically marketed as ‘Men’s metal massage rollers: – for feet; – for legs’. Various sises between 100mm and 200mm of various weights are offered at prices ranging between 300 to 950 UAH.
Update – 16/7/24: An improvised drone dropped munition with a 3D printed tail tube and cone with a frag sleeve.
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On 17 October, a Ukrainian combatant shared a short video on his TikTok channel demonstrating a new piece of ordnance – the RPG Shovel. Earlier the same combatant had joked by sliding an entrenching shovel into the barrel of the RPG-7. Several other combatants have been seen to do this during the ongoing war in Ukraine but this combatant decided to make the joke a reality.
Ukrainian combatant with shovel slid into RPG-7 (date, location unknown)
Culturally, the RPG Shovel isn’t a new thing having been seen in photograph of soldiers from other countries messing around over the years and even appearing in the 2018 video game Far Cry 5. Before that, in 2016, it was added as a mod for the game Insurgency using an old photograph of Russian troops as reference. Whether this influenced the Ukrainian combatant to create his RPG-Shovel is unknown.
Far Cry 5’s RPG-Shovel
In the Ukrainian combatant’s video he shows how an adapter has been attached to the wooden handle of the shovel and to a threaded cap which allows the shovel to be screwed onto a PG-7S motor. The shovel itself appears to be an MPL-50 pattern shovel. The combatant then fits a booster onto the motor and takes the RPG-Shovel outside to be fired. It can also be seen that they have written a suitably derogatory message to the Russians on the shovel’s handle.
Homemade adapter& launch
The Ukrainian combatant then launches the RPG-Shovel at a high-angle. Its unclear what sort of range was achieved with the shovel’s aerodynamics being terrible. Sadly, the camera operator’s reasonable caution means that the actual launch is partially obscured but just enough is visible. It’s probably not the first time a shovel has been launched from an RPG, but it is probably the best in terms of close-ups and detail. Regardless, its seems to be a great example of bored soldiers finding amusing, ‘productive’ ways of occupying their time.
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In June we looked at MT-LB adaptations which have been pressed into service by both sides. Check out that video/article here. In recent weeks there have been more sightings of some of these adapted vehicles.
On 3 September, the first video of one of Russia’s MT-LBs fitted with a 2M-3 twin 25mm naval gun turret was shared online. The turret appears to be extremely unstable, shaking violently, its hard to imagine this weapon system being useful for anything beyond suppression.
A Russian MT-LB mounted with a 2M-3 turret (via IZ)
A week later on 10 September a short clip of another Russian MT-LB with a 2M-3 turret was published by Russian news outlet Izvestia. Again the turret seen firing appears to be very unstable with not only the vehicle rocking on its suspension but also the turret bouncing in its mount.
Intriguingly both of these MT-LBs appear to have the 2M-3 turrets mounted much lower than the vehicles seen earlier. The MT-LBs seen earlier appear to have the turrets mounted higher in tower-like structures.
An S-60 MT-LB during an exercise in Russia (via social media)
Another adaptation not covered in our earlier video/article is the mounting of 57mm S-60 anti-aircraft guns on MT-LBs. These have been seen somewhat regularly and most recently shared via Russian telegram channels shared video of S-60-armed MT-LB training with a newly mobilised, but unnamed, unit in Russia’s central military district. These vehicles typically provide direct fire support against ground targets.
An MT-LBu fitted with a 14.5mm KPVT in a RWS (via 42nd Separate Mechanised Brigade)
In terms of Ukrainian adaptations there have been further sightings of one of the vehicles we looked at last time, an MT-LBu variant which has been upgraded with additional armour and a remote weapon station mounting a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun. These are believed to be in service with the 42nd Separate Mechanised Brigade and some sources have described them using the designation BMP-1LB.
A brief clip from a mid-June report published by Новинарня which shows one of the 42 OMBr's upgraded MT-LBu, with a KPVT RWS, abandoned near Kreminnaya.
— Matthew Moss | Historical Firearms (@historicfirearm) October 31, 2023
A video showing several of the adapted MT-LBus was shared on 7 September, showing four of the vehicles. On 13 September the 42nd Separate Mechanised Brigade shared a series of photographs featuring the vehicles. There hasn’t yet been any video of these vehicle’s remote weapon stations being fired so it is unclear if they have been stabilised better than their Russian counterparts.
MT-LB with a BM-7 Parus turret (via social media)
One adaptation which was not mentioned in our earlier video/article was the combining of an MT-LB with a BM-7 ‘Parus’ weapon module. The BM-7 normally comprises a 30mm ZTM-1 auto cannon, a coaxial PKT machine gun, a 30mm automatic grenade launcher and several anti-tank guided missiles. These are typically paired with the BTR-4. MT-LBs mounted with the BM-7 don’t appear to have the ATGMs fitted. These MT-LBs were first seen in July, with a video of two of the vehicles on the move shared on 21 July. Another video showing one of the vehicles firing has also been shared.
Russian marines of the 155th Guards Brigade operate an MT-LB with a 2M-3M twin mount.
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In a recent article/video we looked at the UK’s newly selected Alternative Individual Weapon system, the L403A1. The Knight’s Armament KS-1 was selected as the new rifle for the Ranger Regiments of the Army Special Operations Brigade and for elements of the Royal Marines Commandos.
One question which frequently appeared in the comments was “can it fit a bayonet?” This is a good question because the British Army is known to be a proponent of bayonet use with a long history of using it to great effect from the 1600s right through to recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron member with new L403A1 (Royal Marines Commandos)
The short answer to the question is – yes. The longer answer is a bit more complex. Just a week after the selection of the new rifle was announced Knights Armament displayed one of the rifles with a bayonet fixed at the DSEI 2023 exposition in London. This naturally caught some attention.
L403A1/KS-1 with a bayonet seen as DSEI 2023 (via social media)
However, when the selection of the L403A1 was initially announced a breakdown of the Alternative Individual Weapon system’s accessories and ancillaries was released. This included: a Vortex 1-10x LVPO, an Aimpoint ACRO and a QDC/MCQ-PRT [Quick Detach Coupling/Mini Close Quarters–Pressure Reduction Technology] suppressor along with a sling, a vertical front grip, and a Surefire weapon light but noticeably it did not include a bayonet.
Breakdown of the parts and accessories adopted with the L403A1 (Edgar Brothers)
The ability to fix a bayonet was not part of the weapon’s original requirements and it was not stipulated by the Rangers or Commandos. Instead, Knight’s Armament developed the capability themselves, perhaps recognising the UK’s fondness for the bayonet and the British Army’s long history of its use as both a training aid and as a weapon of war.
KAC’s 1st bayonet design with QDC attachment mechanism (courtesy of Gregory Knowles)
TAB reached out to Knight’s Armament about the bayonet and they confirmed that “the bayonet was designed in anticipation of a potential need, though not required as part of the contract.” The bayonet seen fixed to the rifle at DSEI was apparently the first iteration of the design which according to Knight’s Armament “used the same mounting mechanism as the suppressors” but a new “revised design uses an attachment mechanism that is more similar to the SA-80 bayonet attachment/retention design.”
Essentially, rather than using the suppressor’s ‘Quick Detach Coupling’ system the newer iteration of the bayonet uses a pivoting catch. The quick-detach method used by the suppressor involves the suppressor being rolled one way until the index pin seats in a notch before tightening it by twisting it the other direction.
Photos of 2nd bayonet design (Knight’s Armament Company)
The new iteration of the bayonet fits over the rifle’s 3-prong QDC muzzle device and uses the same style of catch system as the SA80. Knight’s Armament explained that “the redesign was a refinement of an initial concept after some basic testing and feasibility evaluation.” The bayonet haven’t undergone any serious testing as they’re still in the development phase. A chromed version of the latest iteration of the bayonet was also displayed at DSEI and has a removable pommel piece that can act as a small storage space and makes the bayonet more comfortable for use as a knife.
The bayonet’s blade is offset to the left side with a corresponding hole which lines up with the muzzle.
While bayonets aren’t currently planned to be issued with the rifles, the requirement might develop once they enter service. If, in the future, the UK Ministry of Defence requested a bayonet for the new rifles it seems that Knight’s Armament could be able to oblige.
On 5 October, a combatant in Ukraine shared photograph of himself with a French FR F2 sniper rifle. The 7.62x51mm rifles have only been sighted in theatre once before in March 2022, when a single F2 was seen. The origins of that rifle are unclear as no further rifles were subsequently seen. The rifle may have been acquired as surplus or another potential origin for the rifle is as aid from either Estonia or Lithuania who previously issued the rifle.
Most recently, on 5 October, Ukrainian outlet Tysk shared three photographs, provided by one of their subscribers, featuring another FR F2. The photographs featured a rifle and a SAGEM Sword Sniper 3-in-1 optic (a telescopic sight, thermal weapon sight, and laser rangefinder) which is part of the FELIN System. The presence of the SAGEM Sword optics may suggest that France have provided a batch of the rifles and accompanying optics.
The rifle appears to be mounted with a SCROME J8 scope which the rifle is typically paired with in French service. The FR F2 is being replaced in French service by the FN SCAR-H PR which may mean that France can pass on its surplus F2s to Ukraine.
It remains to be seen if further examples of the FR F2s will be seen. If a substantial number have been transferred by France then further examples will likely be sighted in the future.
France has also transferred a considerable number of armoured vehicles and a unknown quantity of general purpose machine guns including AANF1s and FN MAGs. Most recently, on 13 September, a FAMAS with the Valorisé upgrade, which adds rails, was seen in a range video posted by a Ukrainian combatant. There has been no further sightings of FAMAS in theatre to date. Individual sightings can’t be considered representative of wider use or considerable transfers of weapons until further examples are seen in theatre.
Some very intriguing footage from #Ukraine featuring a French FAMAS with Valorisé upgrade (Picatinny rails added & position/style of the bipod altered). First such sighting of a FAMAS. France does have stocks to spare now the HK416F is entering service.#SALW#UkraineRussiaWar️pic.twitter.com/8ORtJNRO4W
— Matthew Moss | Historical Firearms (@historicfirearm) September 13, 2023
Update – 1/12/23: The French Assemblee Nationale has published a document which outlines the equipment, but not quantities, provided to Ukraine by France. It confirms the provision of both FAMAS, various calibres of machine gun and precision rifles.
Update – 14/12/23:
Interesting to see a French FAMAS F1 Valorise in #Ukraine, with 54 ORB. We've seen some evidence of FAMAS in Ukraine previously and the French govt also recently confirmed an undisclosed number had been transferred.#UkraineWar#SALWpic.twitter.com/3Pb7a7JjMR
— Matthew Moss | Historical Firearms (@historicfirearm) December 14, 2023
Update – 10/3/24: The French government has released an updated document listing the equipment and some of the quantities provided to Ukraine. The document states that 30 ‘Fusil de precision’ (precision rifles) have been provided between 1 March, 2022 and 1 May, 2024.
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On 29 September delegations from the defence departments of member states of the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States were shown around the JSC Instrument Design Bureau in Tula. During the tour Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu demonstrated a PP-2000 submachine gun. Also present was Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces Yuri Grekhov who explained that the PP-2000 is now part of the emergency kit stored under Russian aircrew seats.
Grekhov’s statement confirms what has been anticipated for a while. Back in June, TASSreported that during the International Naval Show (IMMS-2023) Rostec/High-Precision Complexes (the parent company which offers the PP-2000) had confirmed that the weapon was “currently undergoing trials in the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of the Russian Federation.” This was confirmed by a post on Rostec’s website on 19 June.
A PP-2000 and a new PLK pistol at the range for testing (via FighterBomber)
The PP-2000 is a compact submachine gun, designed at the Instrument Design Bureau in Tula in the 1990s. The weapon is a conventional blowback which feeds from 20 or extended 44 round magazines which are loaded into the pistol grip. It is chambered in 9x19mm and can fire Russia’s standard 9mm ammunition or the armour piercing 7N21 and 7N31 rounds. It has a reciprocating charging handle which runs parallel over the barrel. It is characterised by its front grip which connects to the pistol grip to act as a large trigger guard. It can be fitted with a suppressor and has a side folding stock and a small length of rail on the top of the receiver for mounting optics. Other accessories such as lights or lasers can be attached to the base of the front grip. According to Rosoboronexport the weapon weighs 1.4kg (or just over 3lbs) unloaded and with the stock folded is 35cm (13.7in) in length.
Typically, aircrew have carried Makarov or Stechkin pistols but better equipping Russian pilots has long been a consideration with not all aircraft able to fit larger weapons such as rifle or carbines. This has reportedly been driven by experiences in Syria and more recently in Ukraine. During the battle of Hostomel airport in March 2022, a damaged KA-52 attack helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing. It’s crew were able to dismount and take up positions and await retrieval. They were armed with AK-74Ms, however, the confines of other Russian aircraft do not allow rifles to be carried.
PP-2000 (Rosoboronexport)
In a December 2019 interview with Lt.Gen. Nikolai Gostev, commander of the 4th Air and Air Defence Forces Army, Interfax asked if PP-2000s will be fielded. Gostev replied [machine translated]: “Currently, several promising samples of portable emergency supplies for flight personnel are being tested, which also include promising samples of small arms. The tests are carried out by specialists from the Gromov Flight Research Institute, and after their completion it will be decided which portable emergency supplies will be put into service.”
In May 2021, it was reported that Shoigu had directed the process for a compact personal defence weapon to be added to aircrew’s survival kits to be expedited. At the same time the PPK-20, from Kalashnikov Concern was also suggested as an option. Russian news reports noted that personal defence weapons would be added to the emergency kits aboard Su-27, Su-30SM, Su-35, Su-57, MiG-29 and MiG-35 as well as Su-24 and Su-34s.
Russian pilot demonstrating a PP-2000 during a Zvezda news report (Zvezda)
On 23 June 2023, during the failed Wagner advance on Moscow, General Sergey Surovikin, then Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, appeared in a video calling on Wagner to stand down. In his hand could be seen a PP-2000 outfitted with an optic, light and suppressor.
Surovikin with PP-2000 (Russian MoD)
In September 2022, the Fighterbomber telegram channel shared a post lobbying for the AM-17 rather than the PP-2000, rightly arguing a pistol calibre submachine gun is next to useless against combatants wearing body armour. Another major Russian telegram channel, Повёрнутые на Z войне, welcomed the wider issue of the PP-2000 in a post from late December 2022, sharing a photo of a PP-2000. The post also suggested that until then only Guards Aviation units had been issued them.
In January 2023, Fighterbomber began to report on the apparent testing of the PP-2000 and the PLK pistol, claiming that despite the order for three months testing positive reports from those involved had already been ordered.
A PP-2000 belonging to crew of a in an MI-8amtsh cargo helicopter, December 2022 (via @nrxnb)
In April 2023, Fighterbomberposted a review of the new PP-2000 and PLK. The post described the PLK as “a great gun. Powerful, comfortable and precise.” Praise for the PP-2000 was less forthcoming with the post noting: “PP-2000 is still jamming every now and then… still need 44-round magazines and a 7N31 cartridge for the PP.”
A new PLK pistol (via FighterBomber)
On 2 October, following Shoigu and Grekhov’s comments at Tula, Zvezdapublished a short report from a survival training centre. During the clip an Su-30SM pilot explains that “particular attention was paid to tactical shooting, survival in extreme conditions and tactical medicine.” The video shows pilots training in escape and evasion skills and sees them deploy their new PP-2000s. The video concludes with the two air crew firing both the PP-2000 and the PLK at the range.
The PLK pistols, from Kalashnikov Concern, are the latest iteration of the Lebedev pistol introduced in 2015 as the PL-14. The PLK was reportedly adopted by Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs in October 2021 but sightings with Russian pilots are the first sightings of regular Russian military use. If more of the PLKs appear in use they’ll be a topic for a future article/video.
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The Armourers Bench 