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Ukrainian special forces have released extraordinary footage that claims to show an elite sniper hitting two Russian troops with just a single shot.
Including the astonishing shot from distance, the sniper was able to take out five of Putin’s troops within just five minutes.
The Special Operations Forces of Ukraine claimed three Russians were killed and two were wounded in the engagement.
The shots are thought to have been taken at a distance of nearly 4,000ft – another long-distance strike just days after a Ukrainian marksman claimed to have executed the second-longest combat kill in history.
The extraordinary footage of the shot claims to look down the sniper’s scope as Russian troops, looking like distant blobs, enter into the sniper’s firing line.
Ukrainian military have claimed one of their snipers killed five Russian soldiers within five minutes this morning, firing towards the Donetsk region
The extraordinary footage of the shot claims to look down the sniper’s scope as Russian troops, looking like distant blobs, enter into the sniper’s firing line
The Special Operations Forces of Ukraine claimed three Russians were killed and two were wounded in the engagement
Ukrainian special forces released extraordinary footage claim to show an elite sniper taking out two Russian troops with just a single shot
The scope then jumps upwards and momentarily goes blank, indicating the rifle has been fired, before the figures drop to the ground shortly after.
The video that claims to show the incredible display of marksmanship is thought to be from the 3rd Special Purpose Regiment of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine earlier this morning. They had been patrolling in the Donetsk region.
Translated from the original Ukrainian, the 3rd Special Purpose Regiment said: ‘Five minutes – five hits. With such a result, one of the snipers of the [Special Operations Forces] of Ukraine worked against the Russian occupiers.
‘It happened in the Donetsk direction. As a result, three Russians were killed and two were wounded. During work, it was possible to hit two enemies at once with one shot.
‘For your attention – a fragment of the work of our soldier, captured on camera.’
The Ukrainian military gave no further details about the sniper killing, such as the distance, weapon, or ammunition used.
Ukraine is known to be using the Snipex Alligator rifle, which is larger and has a longer range than its more-famous Barrett .50 calibre cousin, meaning it is certainly possibly for one of Kyiv’s troops to notch a record kill
Ukraine’s military has become known for its use of snipers during the war. They also possess several sharpshooters within their ranks that use one of the most powerful sniper firearms, the Snipex Alligator.
This is a larger weapon with a heavier bullet than its more-famous US equivalent, the Barrett .50 calibre rifle. The Snipex Alligator has an effective range of 6,600ft but a maximum of 23,000ft.
Today marks the 267th day since Russia invaded Ukraine.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine claim that since then, Russia has lost about 83,110 personnel. They also claim Putin has lost 2,878 tanks, 5,804 armoured combat vehicles, 1,860 artillery units, and hundreds of other vehicles and combat machinery.
This is also not the first time the Ukrainian military has claimed one of its snipers to have made an incredible shot.
In an astonishing display of marksmanship, a Ukrainian sniper claimed to have executed the second-longest combat kill in history from a distance of 2,710m – around 1.7miles – earlier this week.
Ukraine claims one of its snipers has taken out a Russian solider at 2,710m earlier this week, which would be the second-longest ranged kill in combat if it is confirmed
The Ukrainian military published what it claimed was footage of the shot looking down the sniper’s scope.
The video of the scope shows a man moving among trees before the shooter centres their crosshairs on his chest.
The rifle is then fired, before the figure drops to the ground around three seconds later.
A second figure then comes running over to the first in an apparent attempt to help his wounded comrade, before the sniper fires a second time. Both figures then slump to the floor.
Some internet users disputed the footage, suggesting that most thermal scopes would not have been able to spot the Russian soldiers at that distance.
Others suggested the time was too short between the rifle firing and the Russian troops falling to the ground for the bullet to travel.
When the Canadian sniper made his record-breaking kill in 2017, the military said it took around 10 seconds for the bullet to hit its target.
Ukraine claimed the second-longest ranged sniper kill on record, saying one of its sharpshooters took out a Russian soldier at 8,891ft – beating Briton Craig Harrison but still well behind an unnamed Canadian who managed 11,319ft
A Canadian sniper holds the record for the longest sniper kill on record at 11,614ft – while Briton Craig Harrison holds the official second-place spot
Confirming military kills is notoriously difficult to validate as it relies on self-reporting from soldiers and confirming information from behind enemy lines.
Over-reporting of casualties has been common throughout history.
Adolf Hitler was said to have miscalculated the strength of the RAF during the Battle of Britain because the Luftwaffe exaggerated their kills by a factor of seven during the early weeks of fighting.
The RAF was later found to have over-counted their own kills by a factor of two.
In the case of Briton Craig Harrison, the sniper who had the second furthest kill on record, the Afghan National Police confirmed he had killed two Taliban fighters when they visited the site of the shooting shortly afterwards to try and retrieve the militants’ weapons in 2009.