A Ukrainian sniper fired a series of precise shots from a 12.7×99 mm (.50 BMG) anti-materiel rifle at a Russian armored personnel carrier (APC) advancing under cover during an assault. The sniper engaged from a distance of 1,700 meters, an uncomfortable position and in poor visibility, according to Militarnyi.
Ukrainian snipers have set multiple battlefield records since 2022. For instance, in 2024, a Ukrainian operator with the call sign “Lecturer” eliminated a Russian soldier at 2,069 meters using a 338 Lapua Magnum round.
According to Ukrainian soldiers, after one of the rounds hit, the vehicle stopped cold, and Russian radio chatter erupted in panic: “The driver’s head is gone — shock.”
Even the sniper himself struggled to believe the result — it seemed too incredible to be real.
It was difficult to visually confirm the crew hit. The APC was fitted with an anti-drone superstructure made of rubber sheets that completely covered the cabin. However, the fact that the vehicle stopped points to a critical hit on either a crew member or a vital system.
Rifles of this caliber are classified as anti-materiel weapons, capable of destroying not only personnel but also light armored vehicles. Their armor-piercing and incendiary rounds can penetrate up to 22 mm of steel, enabling the destruction of even fortified targets at long range.
This is yet another proof that Ukraine’s technological edge and battlefield experience are reshaping the rules of war.
