Every AK the UK Procured To Train Ukrainian Troops

The UK began a training initiative with Ukraine in early 2015 with the launch of Operation Orbital. Orbital provided training in Ukraine to more than 20,000 Ukrainian personnel over eight years. Op Orbital ended in February 2022 with Russia’s full-scale invasion. In July 2022 a successor programme, Operation Interflex was launched. Interflex involves a larger, British-led multinational training programme, with training provided in the UK. It was established with the aim of training up to 10,000 Ukrainians every 120 days.

Interflex provides a variety of different specialist training elements but the primary focus is on providing Ukrainian infantry with essential soldier skills. By the summer of 2025, more than 56,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been trained by the UK and partner nations. To carry out basic infantry courses a large number of rifles which were similar to those that Ukrainian troops would be using operationally were needed.

*Ukrainian troops training with Arsenal AR-M9Fs (UK MoD / Crown Copyright)*

International partners from Australia and New Zealand are working with the British Army, in training scenarios with Ukrainian Forces, including Medical (involving simulated casualties) and patrolling.

Operation INTERFLEX is the UK led training programme for Ukrainian recruits. The training is for new volunteer recruits who have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with little to no previous military experience to teach them the skills required to survive and be effective in frontline combat.

The UK-led programme trains and drills the Armed Forces of Ukraine using battle-proven British Army expertise, allowing them to accelerate their deployment, rebuild their forces, and scale-up their resistance as they continue to defend their nations sovereignty against Russian invaders.

The previous Operation Orbital saw the UK train more than 22,000 Ukrainian personnel from 2015 until the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The new programme would train forces outside of the country.

This led to a major procurement of AK-pattern rifles. The number of rifles procured and the sources they were procured from remains unclear. We have some clue as to the number of rifles initially acquired from a 9 July 2022 press release, in which the UK government confirmed:

“The Government has rapidly procured AK variant assault rifles for the training programme, meaning Ukrainian soldiers can train on the weapons they will be using on the front line. This effort was supported by the Welsh Guards, who tested more than 2,400 such rifles in 17 days to ensure they were ready for the Ukrainians to commence their training.”

*Ukrainian soldier at the range July 2022 (UK MoD / Crown Copyright)*

The types of AK-pattern rifles procured was not announced but from the photographs released it is clear that they include:

Serbian-produced Zastava M70, M70B, M70A and M70AB2
East German-produced MPi KMS-72
Hungarian-produced FEG AK63D

All of the above rifles are chambered in 7.62x39mm. The reasoning behind the procurement of rifles chambered in 7.62x39mm rather than the more regularly issued 5.45x39mm AK-74 pattern rifles is also unclear. Perhaps this was due to weapon availability and regardless of calibre the manuals of arms remains the same.

At the time when approached for comment on the sources and types of AK rifles procured, the Ministry of Defence told The Armourer’s Bench:

“The Government has rapidly procured AK variant assault rifles through a combination of international donations and private purchase, meaning Ukrainian soldiers can train on the type of weapons they will be using on the front line. All weapons were tested in accordance with UK legislative and safe working practices.”

In September 2022, Chinese-manufactured Type 56-1 rifles were seen in Op Interflex imagery for the first time. The Type 56-1 has an under-folding stock, stamped receiver, and enclosed front sights.

By early February 2023, the assorted various types of 7.62x39mm-chambered AK-pattern rifles were either replaced or supplemented with Bulgarian Arsenal AKs. The rifles seen in all of the available photographs appear to be basic model rifles, none of the weapons have railed handguards or Picatinny on the receiver cover for mounting optics. This suggests that they are either AR-M9Fs or AR-M14Fs (at least according to Arsenal’s website). The ‘F’ refers to the folding tube metal stock which helps identify the rifles as Arsenal-made AKs. The characteristic flash hider and furniture also identify them as Arsenal rifles.

*Ukrainian soldiers during FIBUA training, c.2024 (UK MoD / Crown Copyright)*

From the rifles’ handguard design it appears that the rifles are AR-M9Fs, chambered in 5.56x45mm. This chambering in theory simplified logistics, removing the need to procure 7.62x39mm ammunition. The AR-M9Fs also have a blank firing adaptor which allowed Ukrainian troops to train with AK-pattern rifles rather than SA80-series rifles when blank firing was needed. The UK has the capability to manufacture 5.56x45mm ball and blank making training simpler and cheaper. According to information shared with TAB by the UK MoD approximately 7,500 AR-M9Fs were acquired for Op Interflex.

Finally, in May 2025, the UK appears to have procured Israeli-manufactured IWI Galil ACE rifles in 5.56x45mm. When approached for comment on the procurement of the rifles the UK MoD told TAB that approximately 4,500 ACE-23 rifles had been procured. They also noted that the transition to the IWI Galil ACE 23 began in around mid-2024 and that the switch to Galil ACE rifles was made to ‘better align the weapon system used during UK-based training with equipment Ukrainian troops were using in theatre.’ This, however, seems unlikely as the Arsenal is more analogous with the AK-74 than the ACE 23. While the Galil ACE shares very few handling characteristics with AK-pattern rifles, with the exception of the magazine release location, its updated safety lever is also less akin to the AK’s. It’s action and disassembly procedure are functionally the same as an AK, however, the Galil, at 3.6kg unloaded, is somewhat heavier than an AK-74.

*Ukrainian soldier with a IWI Galil ACE 23 (Danish Ministry of Defense)*

Perhaps the Galil ACE 23s function better when using blank, perhaps extensive use during numerous training cycles led to issues with the AR-M9Fs. No further comment was provided on why the Galil ACE replaced the Arsenal rifles or why fewer rifles were procured. This may be explained by recent changes to the aims of Interflex as in June it was reported that the programme’s focus would shifting away from basic infantry training to more leadership and specialised training.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson concluded by telling TAB that: “We are proud that Interflex has grown to be one of the biggest training programmes of its kind, equipping Ukrainian recruits with the basic combat skills they need to defend their country against Putin’s illegal invasion.”

I thought it was worth collating all of the information available on the various rifles used to train Ukrainian troops in the UK into one place. For more detail on each of the different types of rifle used, check out my earlier article/videos on each rifle.

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Chinese MANPADS In Ukraine

While officially China has no involvement in the ongoing war in Ukraine a substantial number of their weapon systems have been seen in theatre. Setting aside the tens of thousands of Chinese manufacturer commercial drones which have been used during the conflict we’ve also seen Chinese RPGs, rifles and heavy machine guns. In the past six months, however, there have been a number of sightings of much more complex Chinese weapons; FN-series man portable air defence systems (MANPADS).

The first sighting of a Chinese-manufactured MANPADS came in mid-November 2025. On 19 November, the 143rd United Educational and Training Center shared a post, including photographs and video, of an engagement of a Russian Kalibr missile by an air defence team armed with a Chinese FN-6. The Kalibr cruise missile was engaged by a four-man mobile air defence team, in a video of the engagement the FN-6’s transit case can be seen next to the operator.

*Air defence team of the 143rd United Educational and Training Center with an FN-6 (Ukrainian Armed Forces)*

Operation of the Chinese MANPADS is not dissimilar to that of Russian-manufactured MANPADS, like the 9K32 Strela-2 , that Ukrainian personnel would be familiar with. To ready the FN-6 for action the rear exhaust cover and the front sensor cover must be removed. A gas coolant cartridge must also be inserted, this is needed for the IR seeker. Finally, iron sights must be flipped up for aiming, the battery is activated as the operator depresses the trigger and once the weapon is on target it can be fired.

The HY-6 was developed in the early 1990s and has since seen service with elements of the Chinese armed forces. It is a passive infrared homing (IR) MANPADS and has been exported to around a dozen countries as the FN-6 (飞弩-6) including Cambodia, Malaysia, Sudan and Pakistan.

The FN-6 is a fire-and-forget system as it utilises a passive infrared pyramidal nose-mounted seeker. Once fired the missile is guided by proportional navigation to an optimal point of impact. It has a maximum range of 5.5km with an maximum altitude of 3.8km. The FN-6 utilises a high explosive-fragmentation warhead with either an impact or laser-proximity fuze.

On 13 May 2026, the 160th Separate Mechanized Brigade shared a post highlighting the work of its air defence units which included an number of photographs including two which showed a different kind of Chinese MANPADS, an FN-16.

The FN-16 is an evolution of the FN-6. It is believed to primarily be an export weapon and is reportedly in service with Cambodia, Cameroon and Pakistan. The more advanced FN-16 uses an infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) [two-colour rosette-scan quasi-imaging] seeker which scans for its target’s outline using multi-spectral sensing. It has a maximum engagement range of 6km and a maximum altitude of 4km. Like the FN-6 it uses a high explosive-fragmentation warhead with either an impact or proximity fuse.

*Member of 160th Separate Mechanized Brigade with an FN-16 (Ukrainian Armed Forces)*

Also in May, the 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade shared photographs of a member of one of the brigade’s air defence units holding an FN-6 missile [17 May / 19 May]. The seeker cover is in place and the gripstock is not fitted.

So how did these Chinese MANPADS come to be in Ukraine? The most likely potential answers to that question include: the transfer of seized weapons – we’ve already seen other Chinese smalls arms procured by Iran for the Houthis which were seized an subsequently supplied to Ukraine. Another possibility is that they are third-party purchases; with the MANPADS bought from countries that have already procured (and use) them. Similarly, they could have been procured via non-state intermediaries though its unclear how interested in this China would be given its public position on involvement in the conflict.

From the available imagery it appears that a variety of units have been issued Chinese MANPADS with units from both the Ukrainian regular Army and Territorial Defence Force both seen with the weapons. It remains unclear just how many of the MANPADS Ukraine might have.

Update 19/06/26:

Another sighting of the Chinese FN-16 MANPADS with a Ukrainian anti-aircraft team from the 160th Mechanized Brigade.

Full article/video on these linked below 👇 #UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar #MANPADS #SALW pic.twitter.com/SgNoGXeoM1
— Matthew Moss | The Armourer's Bench (@historicfirearm) June 19, 2026

Kalashnikov Concerns Folding Single-shot Anti-Drone Shotgun

Kalashnikov Concern’s press office announced that specialists from the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (JSC TsNIITochMash) Research Center for Small Arms Systems and Combat Equipment were awarded gold medals at the 2026 N. G. Slavyanov International Exhibition of Inventions and Innovations for a number of counter-drone designs. JSC TsNIITochMash is a part of Russia’s Rostec State Corporation, and which is managed by JSC Kalashnikov Concern.

One of the designs was described as a “compact, single-shot shotgun chambered for 12x70mm [12 gauge] cartridges is designed to engage small, low-flying UAVs. The weapon’s main advantage is its compact size and light weight, weighing only 1.8 kg.” The weapon essentially appears to be a linear tube capable of being folding in two for transport. The ergonomics are limited and the barrel is relatively short.

*Folding 12ga C-UAS shotgun (Kalashnikov Concern)*

From the limited information available and the single image which has been shared of the shotguns it appears that the weapon may break just behind the trigger guard and hinges back so the two halves run perpendicular. The muzzle appears to clip into the buttstock. The trigger guard incorporates a trigger block safety but the hypothesised folding design would mean the trigger and trigger guard would have to recess into the body of the weapon or to the side of the tube. The shotgun has a pair of folding iron sights.

The weapon perhaps loads when the two halves are broken but this would mean there is either a method of retaining the cartridge in the weapon or it has to be carried unloaded which would defeat the purpose of a compact anti-drone personal defence shotgun. Until additional imagery of the weapon appears these characteristics remain hypothetical and largely unconfirmed.

*Duplex C-UAS ammunition (Kalashnikov Concern)*

Also said to have won the award is a triplex-style rifle round with a three projectiles. These have been developed to match the form factors of conventional 5.45x39mm and 7.62x54mmR ammunition. The press release stated that the “multi-bullet cartridges are designed for individual small arms and contain a multi-element projectile that significantly increases the probability of engaging UAVs. This design solution ensures that the cartridge’s components separate orderly upon exiting the barrel, improving the stability of external ballistic characteristics while maintaining the weapon’s reliable operation.” This ammunition development revisits a concept which has been explored in the past. Through industrial manufacture, with proper quality control and materials, it may offer some benefits over the ad-hoc AK-buckshot rounds which have evolved.

It’s unclear if Kalashnikov have plans to put the new shotgun into production or if it simply represents the latest experimental efforts to provide individual soldiers with a weapon which can provide some counter to the pervasive threat of FPV drones. Full details on the design are not yet available and its utility remains debatable as while the shotgun is said to be relatively light it still represents 1.8 kg or 4lbs of extra kit a soldier would have to carry. The weapon has to be deployed and only offers one chance to engage the drone threat before having to be reloaded.

Australian F1 Grenades in Ukraine

We recently looked at a pair of extremely rare hand grenades which have been seen in use in Ukraine – the Nammo Scalable Offensive Hand Grenade and Mk 14 Mod 0 Anti-Structural Munition Hand Grenade. Today, we’ll take a look at another rare grenade that has been seen in the Ukrainian armed forces – the Australian F1.

Developed by Australian Defence Industries (now Thales Australia), the F1 is a fragmentation grenade. Introduced in the late 1990s, the F1 has a filling of 30g of RDX and approximately 4,000 2.4mm steel balls. It has an aluminium body and a total weight of 375g. The F1 uses a 5 second delay fuze and has a stated lethal radius of 6 metres.

The first sighting of one of the grenades I’ve come across dates to late April 2023 but their presence in-country likely dates back further. An F1 was seen alongside a collection of NATO and Russian designs in a short video posted by a Ukrainian combatant.

*Member of 47th Mechanised Brigade with F1 grenade, 2023 (via social media)*

In early November 2023, a photograph of a member of 47th Mechanised Brigade featured an Australian F1 on his vest. Several weeks later a photo of various patterns of grenade was posted by the 108th Territorial Defence Forces brigade on 17 November. The photo was taken during a familiarisation training session and features various types of grenade including an Australian F1. A short video from a Ukrainian combatant showing an F1 was shared online in early December, it is marked ‘0135 ADI 18’. This is the typical marking for all of the F1s seen in Ukraine.

The next sighting I’ve come across is a captured example featuring in a video from the Russian Крупнокалиберный Переполох youtube channel. The video, posted on 10 May 2024, features several captured F1s and shows the grenade being tested. He likens it to a Christmas tree decoration in shape and after testing a grenade on a collection of steel barrels he found the lethality of the grenade unimpressive with limited penetration shown on barrels within 4 metres of the detonation.

Until early 2025, sightings were sparse, on 14 March, personnel with the 14th Regiment of Unmanned Systems Forces shared a photo of kit and equipment, one of the grenades visible is an F1. On 25 March, a Russian sapper telegram page shared photographs of a captured F1. Additional images of a captured F1 were posted on another, now defunct Russian sapper telegram page, along with comments hypothesising that the grenade’s small fragmentation balls wouldn’t retain kinetic energy over distance.

*Various Western and Combloc grenades, including an Australian F1 (Ukrainian Armed Forces)*

In August a combatant with Ukraines airborne forces shared a photograph of an impressive collection of grenades, collected for familisation purposes. Tucked in on the left of the collection is an Australian F1. In mid-October, combatant with Ukraine’s special operations forces shared a photograph of an F1 alongside some UDZ-pattern fuzes.

At the end of 2025 a number of F1 grenades appeared on the auction site Reibert.info. The earliest listing, however, dates to late January 2025 when a demiled example was sold for 3900 UAH ($88). From December 2025 to February 2026, a number of other grenades (with their explosive elements removed) were sold for between 4000 UAH ($90) and 8201 UAH ($185).

*Demiled F1 grenade disassembled (via social media)*

In January 2026, another Russian sapper telgeram shared a photo of a captured F1, showing the grenade disassembled. Most recently, on 20 February, Russian journalist Dmitry Kulko shared a series of photos from the Russian 810th Brigade’s collection of captured Ukrainian weapons and kit. The post included an example of an Australian F1.

While its unclear when the grenades arrived in Ukraine, the Australian National Audit Office confirmed that grenades were part of lethal aid provided before February 2023. It’s also unknown how many of the grenades have been provided but from the available imagery they have been seen with units across Ukraine’s armed forces.

Special thanks to ReconUAV, AbraxasSpa, Weapon Illustrated, Ukraine Weapons Warfare.

HK MP7s in Ukraine

We’ve seen a number of submachine guns appear in Ukraine over the last 3 years, MP5s, B&T APC-9s, Ukraine’s own Fort 320 and classics like the Carl Gustaf M/45 but one of the rarer to appear is Heckler & Koch’s MP7. Sightings of these began in early 2025. In this article/video we’ll survey some of the sightings, examine how the guns have been set up and I’ll share some opinions and insights shared by Ukrainian soldiers who have experience with the MP7.

If you’re unfamiliar with the HK MP7, its a personal defence weapon chambered in the proprietary 4.6x30mm round. It uses a gas-operated, short stroke piston action and weighs around 1.8kg (4lbs) unloaded and without accessories. It was introduced in the early 2000s and is in use with a number of militaries and law enforcement agencies around the world. It is typically used as a PDW for personnel who don’t need a full-size rifle, for close quarter tasks by special forces and as a concealable carbine for personal protection details.

The earliest photograph of an MP7 I have come across dates to February 2025 when a member of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (the GUR/HUR)’s Kraken Regiment posted an image of a black MP7A2 with an Aimpoint Micro T-1 red dot and a Finnish Ase Utra S Series SL4i SMG-MP7 suppressor. Colleagues at StreakingDelilah report that the individual noted that Kraken had received a small number of the weapons (between 5-7) and that they were brought out for some training sessions but have not yet seen action “in the field”.

The next sighting came in August 2025, when a member of the HUR Tymur Special Unit shared a photo posing with an MP7A2 in HK’s favoured RAL 8000 colour. It appears to have been fitted with an Aimpoint Acro red dot on an Eratac mount and an Ase Utra S Series SL4i SMG-MP7 suppressor.

At the beginning of Septmber a member of the Special Operations Center “South” (formerly the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center) posted a short clip showing an operator equipped with what appears to be an MP7 but is in fact a licensed airsoft copy from Umarex. We can identify this from the white license markings on the right side of the receiver. It’s complete with an Umarex H&K QD Suppressor and a PEQ-15. Its unclear if an airsoft clone is being use for training because the actual weapons are in the SSO’s inventory.

Potential Airsoft – On 11 September 2025 an Instagram account affiliated with the Ukrainian Army’s Air Assault forces shared a photo of an individual posing with a black MP7A2, The MP7 has a 30 round magazine, an Ase Utra suppressor and an Aimpoint Micro T-2 red dot optic. It’s unclear if elements of Ukraine’s Air Assault forces have also received MP7, this is the only photograph of a combatant from that formation holding one of the weapons I’ve come across so far.

In November and December two additional images of black MP7A2s were shared by combatants with HUR units. The gun is seen with an Ase Utra suppressor and an Aimpoint Micro T-2 red dot optic.

The first sighting of the MP7s in 2026 came in February, with several posts about the weapons on Telegram. On 6 February, a telegram channel affiliated from individuals from Ukraine SOF community posted a series of photographs of a brand new RAL 8000 MP7A2, with Ase Utra suppressor and Acro red dot on an Eratac USL mount. The caption praised the weapons “compactness, low weight, and practically no recoil” but noted that it has a short effective range, unique ergonomics and uncommon ammunition. The post went on to suggest that its best use would be as a PDW for snipers.

Another Telegram post, on 9 February, by Про Зброю, which has been described as a shooting instructor serving in the Ukrainian Army, described the MP7 as “extremely convenient, very compact and lightweight, a highly maneuverable weapon that allows for surprisingly controlled automatic fire against a “silhouette” target at distances of up to 100 meters and beyond. There’s practically no recoil or barrel flip when firing. A long burst can be completely placed in the target! The accuracy, thanks to the collimator sight, is excellent! And the sound of the shot is well muffled by the compact sound moderator.” The author’s primary complaint, however, was that 4.6x30mm ammunition is exotic and rarely available in Ukraine. It’s unclear how much ammunition has been supplied for the weapons. The earlier post included a photo of Fiocchi 4.6mm copper plated steel black tip ammunition.

At the beginning of April a combatant with an HUR team shared a photo posing with an MP7A2 during a range trip. The individual shared some thoughts on the MP7 with me, he noted that it’s a “weapon more for bodyguards” and that while “the weapon is very cool” its best suited to specific roles. He noted that .300BLK is preferred for operational roles that require a quiet weapon. He also noted that the accuracy of the MP7 wasn’t as good as he’d expected. It’s unknown what sort of ammunition he used while testing the MP7. Again the weapon has the standard Ase Utra suppressor and an Aimpoint Acro red dot sight on an Eratac USL mount.

Most recently on 24 April 2026, ‘Explosive Department’ an instagram account affiliated with an element of the HUR’s Kraken Regiment shared a photograph of a RAL 8000 MP7A2 with an FDE Aimpoint Acro and an Ase Utra S Series suppressor.

From discussions with sources its possible to confirm that these weapons, along with HK416A8s and MG4 and MG5s, have been provided to Ukraine by Heckler & Koch as part of German aid to Ukraine. They appear to have common accessory configurations including Ase Utra S Series suppressors and Acros on Eratac USL mounts. Imagery shows a mixture of 20- and 30- round magazines.

Thank you to colleagues at StreakingDelilah, MilitaryLand and to Mathias for their help with various elements of this article/video.

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Rare Mk14 Anti-Structure Grenades & Scalable Offensive Hand Grenade In Ukraine

One of the rarer hand grenades to surface in Ukraine is the US Mk14 Anti-Structure grenade. These were developed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, back in the 2000s.

The Mk 14 Mod 0 Anti-Structural Munition Hand Grenade has been primarily used by USSOCOM. It is reportedly a Thermobaric Fuel-Air-Explosive Blast (FAE-Blast), hand grenade with a longer duration HE-Blast pressure curve.

The ASM has a thin-walled aluminium body with a main charge filler of PBXN-109 and a PBXN-114 booster. The grenade body is black with three knurled bands with a yellow band at the top and two sticker labels which read: “HE Overpressure Grenade, NEW 0.88 lbs. Fuze 4.5 sec”.

*Mk 14 Mod 0 Anti-Structural Munition Hand Grenade (via Social Media)*

Using the principle of overpressure the ASM, much like the US Army’s new M111 grenade, reduces the risk of friendly casualties due to fragmentation during close combat. In enclosed areas the grenade creates concussion effects and can be used for for blast or demolition tasks. It has a M213-type fuze with a 3-5 second delay, though the stickers seen on the grenades state 4.5 seconds

The available evidence of Mk14 ASM presence in Ukraine is extremely slim. To date, I have only come across a handful of images of the grenades, which were reportedly taken in Ukraine. The individuals who have shared imagery of the grenades have predominantly been associated with Ukrainian special operations units.

Another extremely rare offensive hand grenade seen in Ukraine is the Nammo Scalable Offensive Hand Grenade (SOHG – HGO115M-3.5). The SOHG is a modular grenade with a plastic body packed with either Comp B filling (115g) or PBXN-11 filling (130g). It has a male-female screw interface moulded into the body that allows up to three modules (which can all be used individually) to be screwed together. This allows the system to be scaled to the target its engaging or the space its being used in – Nammo say one equals a concussion grenade, two creates enough overpressure to kill anyone in a average space and the cumulative effect of three modules provides a small scale anti-structure capability. According to Nammo the SOHG modules with a fuze weigh 230g while the modules without fuze weight 190g.

*Nammo Scalable Offensive Hand Grenade (via Social Media)*

Designated the MK21 Mod 0 in US service, SOCOM have been using them since 2010 and the US Marine Corps purchased some in 2024. Unlike the Mk 14 Mod 0 it is not a thermobaric grenade. The first sighting of them in Ukraine came in July 2024, when a Russian telegram channel posted a short video showing some of the weapons captured from Ukrainian units by a reconnaissance unit with Russia’s Tsentr (Center) battlegroup.

In November 2024, when a Russian telegram channel focused on Sapper and EOD activities shared photos of a base unit and an additional module. It’s unclear if these are captured examples or they are images pulled from the internet to illustrate the post.

Most recently, in May 2025, a pair of SOHGs were captured by Russian forces, each was captured with its own fuze, configured for individual use. All of the grenades seen in the imagery have the lot number VR123L001-002 and an NSN which denotes they are filled with Composition B. Given the presence of the Finnish National Codification Bureau number, ’58’, in the NSN, the grenades were likely provided by Finland.

Thanks to AbraxasSpa and Helvegen29 for thier help collecting imagery.

TCEs in Ukraine

Over the last 4 years I’ve spent a huge amount of time studying imagery from the war in Ukraine, examining the types of weapon systems and equipment in use. You quickly noticed how soldiers try to display their individuality through their kit, be it patches (some good some bad) or a FN FAL covered in faux fur. Another critical bit of kit I’ve seen more than a few soldiers with over the last few years is sets of tactical cat ears.

Troops from all manner of units, on both sides, have been spotted sporting tactical cat ears over the last couple of years. Before we dive into an examination of some examples of their employment its worth touching on their origins and history. From what I can dig up, they began to appear in the late 2010s, initially popular with the airsoft and LARP communities and after Russia’s February 2022 invasion and Ukraine’s mass mobilisation, they subsequently bled over into the kit of serving soldiers. China-based gear companies have long offered the velcro tactical cat ears (TCE), but as they increased in popularity, Ukrainian companies have also offered locally-produced versions. Companies like TUR Gear or Balistyka offer a range of styles and soft hats with TCEs. They appear to be priced around 200 to 300 Hryvnia or $5-8.

Ukraine’s female soldiers, mostly drone operators and medics, are one of the largest groups identified who utilise tactical cat ears. In March 2024, Ukraine’s State Border Guards shared a photo of a soldier attached to a Shahed hunting anti-aircraft team. Her helmet features some prominent TCEs. TCEs found their way to Sudzha during the Kursk offensive in Summer 2024.

Ukraine’s Liut Police Brigade shared a photo of a female combatant with TCEs in March 2025. Later the same month photo of a drone operator with the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade with TCE was shared by the bridges official social media. .

A memorial post for a combat medic with the 71st Separate Brigade, killed in November 2025, featured her in a set of TCEs. In February 2026, April Huggett, a medic with the Alcatraz Battalion of the 93rd Brigade shared a photo showing her helmet equipped with TCEs.

It is by no means just female soldiers who employ TCEs they’re regularly seen atop the helmets of hardened operators too. In January 2023, a Ukrainian combatant, callside Burger, was photographed near Bakhmut with a set of TCEs. An individual with an International Legion unit [2nd battalion] was seen with TCEs in an April 2024 team photo.

In May 2023, Anna Filipova a volunteer who provides kit to Ukrainian medics, gave a medic her TCEs and vowed to giveaway more. The Liut Police Brigade also has some male TCE users, with a combatant featured in a team photo shared on the brigade’s social media in December 2024. This footage from an Azov Brigade reconnaissance team clearing a hamlet, in Spring 2025, features an individual wearing a set of TCEs.

In May 2025, a member of the Ukrainian National Guard’s 1st Presidential Brigade was filmed firing an AT-4 during fighting in the Kharkiv oblast. In July 2025, the Ukrainian National Guard’s Khartiia Corps shared a photo of a member with a set of TCEs. In early December 2025, the 144th Centre of Special Operations Forces shared a photograph of an operator with TCEs and a Colt Model 933 carbine.

There’s also some variation amongst TCEs with camouflage patterns and cuts varying, but it also appears there are also TDE or tactical devil/demon ears or horns – TDHs. A combatant with the Black Beard Group, part of the Ukrainian National Guard’s 27th Brigade, is frequently seen sporting TDE.

I will note that I only really started tracking Tactical Cat Ear usage in 2023 at the suggestion of user: I Saw A Bear so I’m sure there’s plenty of earlier examples I’ve missed too. Thanks to I Saw A Bear for the suggestion and the support, occasionally sending me new sightings and reminding me to put this video/article together. War is a serious business but sometimes small things like some multi-cam cat ears can remind us its humans fighting it.

While this definitely isn’t an April Fool, I did think it would be good to put something a little less serious than my usual content out today.

Update: 14/5/26:

Recent photos of a soldier with the 93rd Mechanized Brigade sporting Tactical Cat Ears on his helmet.

I have an in-depth video on these, linked below! #Ukraine #TCEs #UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/IlpmEo0wJx
— Matthew Moss | The Armourer's Bench (@historicfirearm) May 14, 2026

Vintage Weapons in a Modern War: Browning Hi-Power In Ukraine

Canada confirmed in September 2024 that it would be supplying Ukraine with “10,500 surplus 9mm pistols from our inventory.” These pistols would be the long-serving Inglis-manufactured Hi-Powers, which Canada is replacing with SIG Sauer P320s, designated as the C22. Only recently has imagery of the Canadian Hi-Powers in Ukraine appeared.

Canadian manufacturer Inglis produced the Hi-Power under license during the Second World War. Just over 150,000 pistols are believed to have been manufactured from 1944 to October 1945. These include two major variants the No.1 and the No.2 (Mk1 and Mk1*). The No.1 had a rear tangent sight and a mounting slot for a holster-stock (features requested by the Chinese government who made the initial order for the pistols). The No.2 pistols had a fixed rear sight, mounted on a slight, curved rise at the rear of the slide. They also lacked the holster-stock slot. The No.2 pistols were subsequently adopted by the Canadian and UK militaries. The No.2 Mk1* pistols are currently being replaced by the P320 after a remarkable 80 years in service.

In July, a Browning Hi-Power was seen in a training range photo was shared by the Deputy Commander of the 411th Separate Regiment of the Unmanned Systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The profile of the Hi-Power is unmistakable, but the resolution makes it difficult to confirm the variant; it does not appear to be a Canadian-made pistol. The style of the rear sight doesn’t match that of an Inglis-manufactured pistol.

Later in July, another image of the Hi-Power was used as a cover image for a video clip of an interview with the 411th’s Deputy Commander.

At the time, these two photos represented the only imagery that suggested operational use of Browning Hi-Powers in Ukraine. While there were one or two other photos reportedly from Ukraine they were more likely collectors’ pieces.

In early November, Іван Савельєв, an armourer affiliated with the 3rd Assault Brigade, shared a photograph of a Canadian Hi-Power, which was provided to another Ukrainian unit. The serial number of the pistol, beginning ‘6T60XX’, dates its production to sometime between August and October 1945, when Hi-Power production at Inglis ceased.

He subsequently shared a video shooting a Canadian Hi-Power at the range. It’s unclear whether this pistol is one which has been delivered to his or another unit.

On 18 November, another photo of an Inglis Hi-Power was shared by another member of the 3rd Assault Brigade. The serial number is not visible but the pistol’s slide is unmistakably marked No.2 Mk1* and Inglis.

The condition of the Inglis pistols transferred to Ukraine is unclear. The pistols in the Canadian armed forces’ inventory were reportedly highly worn with suggestions that in recent years pistols had been cannibalised for parts. This is to be expected from pistols that were manufactured 80 years ago though it’s unclear if the 10,500 pistols announced by the Canadian government were pistols which were in Canadian armed forces’ regular inventory. While the amount of imagery of these pistols in Ukraine remains comparatively small, the numerous sightings confirm that Inglis-made Canadian Hi-Powers are in active service with the Ukrainian armed forces. While the pistols may have been produced some 80 years ago and are arguably obsolescent the Hi-Power’s influential design and its decent magazine capacity mean that it is still useful today.

Special thanks to Druzhe Orest for assistance.

APILAS in Ukraine

The APILAS or Armour-Piercing Infantry Light Arm System, developed by France’s GIAT Industries in the early 1980s, is perhaps one of the rarest shoulder-fired anti-armour weapon systems to appear in Ukraine. APILAS is a 112mm anti-armour weapon with a 1.5kg shaped charge warhead capable of penetrating more than 750mm or rolled homogeneous armour.

The APILAS seen in Ukraine are most likely to have originated from either France or Finland, with Finland being the more likely.

In late February 2022, with Russian forces massed on Ukraine’s borders, the Finnish government made a rare public declaration of military aid to Ukraine. This included figures for a number of different weapon systems. The announcement stated: “Finland will deliver 2,500 assault rifles, 150,000 cartridges for the assault rifles, 1,500 single-shot anti-tank weapons.” The announcement didn’t specify the type of anti-tank weapons to be sent; however, and from Finish inventory these may have included APILAS, M72 LAWs or even NLAWs.

An APILAS seen in a video dating from 2021, filmed during fighting on the Donbas line of contact *(via social media)*

APILAS have been seen in Ukraine before Russia’s invasion in 2022, one was seen in a video dating from November 2021. It is unclear when the first APILAS were first transferred to Ukraine, and the weapons seen subsequently may originate from an earlier, pre-2022 invasion transfer.

APILAS in a Ukrainian armoury, c.2023 *(via social media)*

In April 2023 a photo of an APILAS in a Ukrainian armoury surfaced, sadly no markings are visible in the image. Several months later, on 19 and 20 June, Red Line Team, a unit affiliated with the Ukrainian security services special forces unit, SBU-Alpha, shared imagery from a range trip where a wide variety of anti-armour systems were fired. One of the weapons featured in the video was an APILAS.

APILAS have also been seen with the Assault Bastards, a unit believed to be part of the Kraken Regiment’s 2nd Assault Company, which is part of the Department of Active Operations of Ukraine’s Intelligence Directorate (the GUR). On 13 May, the unit shared a group photo which also featured three APILAS.

Most recently Shybenyk.Squad, another unit with Kraken’s 2nd Assault Company, shared a photo of an APILAS. This photo also appears to have possibly been taken at a range rather than in the field. Speaking to Shybenyk.Squad they explained that they have a decent number of APILAS in store and have used them operationally.

APILAS has a reputation for having considerable concussive force when firing but Shybenyk.Squad noted that it’s blast isn’t that bad comparatively, describing it as ‘not critical’, during a recent trip to the training range the unit test fired 6 APILAS.

While APILAS are rarely seen in imagery from the conflict Shybenyk.Squad noted that they have a significant number of them in stores. They favour them for operations where more expensive complex systems, like NLAW or Javelin, may be lost. Shybenyk.Squad explained that “they can definitely be useful in certain situations… [systems such as] NLAW are much more expensive, high-tech, more effective, but losing it is much more problematic and in some risky tasks it is better to take a less expensive weapon.” In general they noted that they favour the AT4 and RGW-90 Matador “due to the weight to the corresponding firepower and ease of use.”

Operationally they favour the APILAS’ for its penetration capabilities, with sources suggesting it can penetrate around 2 metres of concrete, making it is an excellent weapon for mouse-holing – breaching structures. Shybenyk.Squad explained that they “once used it to break through a small wall to storm a building from a blind side not protected by the enemy.”

APILAS is one of the most rarely seen anti-armour weapons currently being fielded in Ukraine so I’m pleased to be able to share some good first hand imagery and feedback on its capabilities.

Special thanks to Shybenyk.Squad for sharing additional imagery and sharing their thoughts on APILAS.

HK SFP9 Pistols In Ukraine

While pistols may not feature heavily on combat footage from the ongoing war in Ukraine, sidearms continue to be a key piece of equipment for many combatants. Many different types of pistol are in use in Ukraine, everything from the venerable TT-33 and Makarov to Glock 19s and Ukrainian-made Forts. Many nations supporting Ukraine have provided pistols as aid, one of these is Germany, in this article/video we’ll look at the supply and issuing of the Heckler & Koch SFP9.

Introduced in 2014, the SFP9, or VP9 as its known in the US, is a 9x19mm striker-fired polymer-framed pistol. It uses the ubiquitous short recoil, tilting barrel action and feeds from 15, 17 or 20 round magazines and is in service with numerous law enforcement agencies and the Lithuanian armed forces. Before we examine some of the sighting of the pistols in Ukraine it’s also worth noting that HK pistols, though rare, have been commercially available in Ukraine for some time and some of the SFP9s we’ll discuss in this article/video may have been procured privately by combatants.

As early as March 2023, the German government announced its intentions to provide Ukraine with 500 HK SFP9 pistols. The delivery of this first batch of pistols was announced on 16 March. Despite this I haven’t been able to find visual evidence of the pistols presence in Ukraine until February 2024, when a photo of a SFP9 OR – or ‘optics ready’ pistol was shared by a combatant. The pistol has an Olight weapon light and a red dot.

In July 2024, a Ukrainian combatant, believed to be attached to the SSO’s 73rd Naval Special Operations Center, shared a photograph showing him carrying a SFP9 as well as a Daniel Defense carbine.

In October 2024, the confirmed number of pistols provided to Ukraine jumped significantly to 3,500, indicating significant transfers of SFP9s to Ukraine. Following this the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR MO)’s Revanche International unit, subordinate to Revanche Tactical Group shared an instagram story on 9 November, showing one of the pistols at a range. The pistol, however, is marked VP9 rather than SFP9. VP9 is the US commercial name for the pistol.

On 11 November a member of the HUR’s Kraken Regiment shared a photo of another VP9 mounted with a Veridian X5L weapon light. A month later on 19 December, another Ukrainian combatant shared a range photo of a trio of pistols including a Russian MP-443 ‘Grach’, a Glock 17 Gen 4 and a new SFP9.

On 25 January 2025, ORKOVNET, the YouTube channel of the Ukrainian Orkov gunstore, shared a short range video of a VP9 marked pistol noting that the pistols were now in Ukrainian service.

An Instagram page affiliated with the HUR’s Special Purpose Unit “Timur” shared a series of photos from a range session on 3 February. One of the photos included an SFP9 SD with a threaded suppressor-ready barrel.

On 19 March a combatant with a reconnaissance and UAV team within the Special Operations Forces of the HUR MO shared a photo of a holstered SFP9 alongside a SIG P320.

A member of HUR MO Timur’s Spectre 33 unit posted several photos in early Spring 2025 featuring an SFP9 OR, with one photo showing mounted with a A-Tec PMM6 suppressor.

In April, a Japanese volunteer with one of the HUR International Legion teams shared photos of a new VP9-marked pistol. He noted that while he liked the pistol he preferred Glock triggers and he confirmed that his pistol was shipped with 17 round magazines.

On 6 April, a member of the GUR’s Revanche Tactical Group / Advanced Combat Group shared a photo showcasing a host of small arms from their armoury including new HK433s, HK416s, a UAR-10, CZ and Glock pistols and a pair of HK SFP9s.

A week later DW News shared a report on a Ukrainian camp where adolescents can receive training. From the small arms seen in the short report, including an HK416A8 and an SFP9 indicate the camp may have been run by HUR personnel.

Later in April an Instagram page affiliated with the Revanche Tactical Group shared a photo of a holstered SFP9 and another photo of one of the pistols at the range alongside a Daniel Defense carbine was shared on 23 April by the unit’s medical team.

Another probable SFP9 can be seen in a photo, posted on 6 May, by a volunteer aid organisation, in the photo members of a HUR MO International Legion unit receive gas masks somewhere in the
Zaporizhzhia region. Most recently, the pistols featured in a HUR MO International Legion training video posted on 10 May. The video shows a pair of combatants firing SFP9s at the range.

Iin mid-July, members of the 6th Separate SSO Ranger Regiment were photographed training with what appear to be SFP9s. At the end of July, a member of the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center shared a video and several photos of a brand new 2025-production SFP9 OR with a threaded barrel and suppressor-height sights. Unlike the other pistols seen so far, this SFP9 appears to have an OD green frame. From the video, it seems the pistol shipped with a 17 and a 20-round magazine as well as an Aimpoint ACRO P2 and a Streamlight TLR-8X. Several days later this was followed by a photo from another member of the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center who shared a photo of a pair of OD Green SFP9 ORs both with Aimpoint ACROs and one with a Streamlight (possibly the pistol seen earlier).

The pistols were not taken from German military stores, instead the deliveries were drawn from industry stocks and financed by German government funds. This is supported by the presence of VP9-marked pistols which indicate some of the pistols shipped were pulled from HK production that was planned for the US market. On the 17 April, the German government announce it would no longer be publicly updating its list of aid to Ukraine. As of April 2025, Germany has provided 3,500 HK SFP9s to Ukraine.

It appears from the available visual evidence that at least a portion of the 3,500 HK pistols have been provided to Ukraine’s HUR MO direct action teams with some also appearing in the hands of elements of the SSO. Both VP9 and SFP9-marked guns have been seen in-country with at least a portion of them being SFP9 ORs, with slides cut for mounting optics. Given the very infrequent imagery of operational pistol use it is difficult to confirm uses of the SFP9s in the field with the majority of imagery available stemming from training sessions.

Special thanks to Mathias, Hao, deaidua.org, & Dikobraz for their help with this video.