KYIV, Ukraine (BN24) — A Ukrainian sniper has set a new world record for the longest confirmed kill shot in military history, targeting Russian forces from a staggering distance of more than 13,000 feet during combat operations near the embattled town of Pokrovsk.
Military officials reported that the unprecedented shot was carried out on August 14 by an elite Ukrainian sniper unit using a domestically manufactured 14.5 mm “Alligator” rifle. The precision strike, which reportedly relied on artificial intelligence and drone-assisted targeting, resulted in the deaths of two Russian soldiers. The operation unfolded as Russian troops intensified their offensive around Pokrovsk, a city that once housed more than 60,000 residents but has suffered heavily under repeated attacks.
The sniper’s feat surpasses the previous world record of approximately 12,400 feet, also held by a Ukrainian marksman who used a high-powered rifle known as “Horizon’s Lord” during earlier phases of the conflict.
The record-breaking engagement came just one day ahead of a highly anticipated summit in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a meeting likely to underscore tensions surrounding Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to travel to Washington, D.C., on Monday for talks with President Trump. Their upcoming discussions are expected to focus on defense coordination and potential strategies to bring an end to the war.
As Ukraine continues to resist Russian advances, the sniper’s milestone has become a symbol of both the country’s evolving military capabilities and the high-stakes nature of the conflict that has entered its third year.
