How a Ukrainian Sniper Broke the World Record for the Longest Sniper Kill

It all happened on November 18th, 2023 when in less than 10 seconds the Ukrainian sniper fired his rifle and broke the world record for the world's longest confirmed sniper kill. 

The man who did it is a 58 year old former businessman by the name of  Vyacheslav Kovalskiy. He was not a professional soldier, just an ordinary citizen who enlisted in the military as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion. “I was thinking that Russians would now know that is what Ukrainians are capable of,” he said.

Initially Kovalskiy and his “spotter” located a group of Russian soldiers along the frontline chopping wood in what appears to be a snowy forest-like setting, according to video footage. Deciding their ammunition was not worth being wasted on one of the low ranking soldiers, the two men set their sights on a higher value target. They spotted a Russian Officer giving orders to a group of men near the cluster of soldiers. They had found their target but Kovalskiy waited several hours to shoot. 

Using special software Kovalskiy prepared for the strike. He measured his exact distance from the target as well as the direction and speed of the wind, the temperature of the air, the level of humidity and even took into account the curvature of the earth, which was necessary given the distance of the shot. 

First, he fired a test round and realized he had miscalculated the wind speed. After making the proper adjustments Kovalskiy fired again—this time he was successful. His shot had just set the bar for a new world record and successfully eliminated a target 12,468 feet away—the distance of over 42 football fields. 

Despite many who doubted such a shot was possible, footage of the shot was released on “X”. The video, confirmed by the Wall Street Journal, shows the Russian officer falling to the ground after the sound of the rifle firing. If one thing is clear it's that these Russian forces did not see it coming, “Let them sit at home and be afraid,” Kovalskiy told the Wall Street Journal. 

“Horizons Lord” the Ukrainian-made rifle that took the shot    

The Ukrainian-made weapon is known as “Horizons Lord” and it was buzz-worthy among weapons-makers even before it broke the world record. The Ukrainian company who makes it, called MAYAK, claims that a “good” sniper when using the weapon can reach targets at a range of approximately 8,202 meters. By comparison the MacMillan Tac-50, which was used by the previous record holder in Iraq, had a range of 5,905 meters. Both guns fall under the category of anti material rifle (AMR) which were first designed to hit tanks in the First World War before being reinvented for modern warfare. 

The success of the shot has as much to do with the gun as it does the ammunition. The ammunition used by Kovalskiy was approximately 6.2 inches long. Such a size is considered extremely large for sniper shot. Its size is halfway between a 50 caliber and a 20 mm cannon round. This type of custom manufactured ammunition made by Ukraine specifically to travel long distances is an example of how Ukrainian ingenuity has helped them achieve success on the battlefield. 

What does it mean for Ukraine? 

A shot like Kovalskiy’s requires a certain amount of je ne sais quoi. The skill of the sniper, the capability of the rifle and the type of ammunition all factor into the success rate of the kill, but there is also a bit of luck involved. Without venturing too far into the intangible one could almost say that Ukrainians “have God on their side” considering all of the individual and environmental factors that had to go right for such a feat to be achieved. 

An achievement such as Kovalskiys’ is yet another tool in Ukraine’s arsenal and should serve as a huge morale boost to members of the armed forces. As the sniper himself alluded, the nature and distance of the kill is one that penetrates the Russian psyche. If Ukrainian snipers can hit a target from such a distance as Kovalskiys’ with sniper-precision, what else can they hit? 

In a broader sense, this new world record by Ukraine is important for its domestic arms manufacturing. The “Horizons Lord” could meet the specifications of a proposed rifle that the United States military is currently looking to acquire, according to the Defense Post. If MAYAK won such a contract it would signal to the world that Ukraine is open for business as the country moves towards self-sufficiency in arms production.