Scopes & Optics
Longest Sniper Shot: Ukrainian Sniper’s Record-Breaking Feat
Longest Sniper Shot: Ukrainian Sniper’s Record-Breaking Feat
Hey there, GunsandGadgetsdaily.com readers! Ready for an epic tale? We’re diving into the longest sniper shot ever recorded – a stunning 4,000-meter kill by a Ukrainian marksman in the Russia-Ukraine war. We’ll cover the Snipex Alligator rifle, the intense battlefield setting, and wild ballistic facts like how long the bullet flew. Plus, we’ll look at past record holders to see how this shot compares. Let’s jump in!
The Longest Sniper Shot at 4,000 Meters: Battlefield Details
On August 14, 2025, near Pokrovsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, a sniper from the “Pryvyd” (Ghost) unit of the 108th Territorial Defense Brigade made history. Spotting two Russian soldiers behind a window, 4,000 meters away (4,374 yards or 2.5 miles), he fired one bullet that took them both out. This record-breaking shot, set in the chaos of the Russia-Ukraine war, redefined precision.

A Snipex Alligator rifle like this was used in the longest sniper shot by a Ukrainian marksman
Gear Behind the Record: Snipex Alligator
The weapon powering this longest sniper shot? The Ukrainian-made Snipex Alligator, a 14.5×114mm anti-materiel rifle. At 25 kg (55 lbs) with a 1,200 mm (47-inch) barrel and 2,000 mm (79 inches) long, it’s built by XADO-Holding to disable vehicles at 2,000 meters. Muzzle velocity is 980-1,000 m/s (3,215-3,281 ft/s). Using AI guidance and drones, the sniper adjusted for wind and humidity to hit 4,000 meters – beyond the effective range but within its 7,000-meter max. Ballistic Fact: For this 4,000-meter shot, the bullet was airborne for 9-10 seconds. Gravity pulled it down 400-450 meters, so the shooter aimed a football field above the target!
Past Record Holders of the Longest Sniper Shot
Ukraine’s Sniper Legacy
Ukraine’s been killing it with long-range records. In November 2023, Viacheslav Kovalskyi, a 58-year-old SBU sniper, hit 3,800 meters in Kherson with a “Horizon’s Lord” rifle in 12.7×114mm HL. This 15-17 kg rifle used a laser rangefinder and test shot to adjust for a 400-meter drop. Another Ukrainian hit 2,710 meters in 2022 with a Snipex Alligator.
Global Sniper Records
Before Ukraine, a Canadian sniper scored a 3,540-meter kill in Iraq in 2017 using a McMillan TAC-50 (.50 BMG), with a 7-8 second flight and 200-300-meter drop. In 2012, an Australian commando hit 2,815 meters in Afghanistan with a Barrett M82A1 (.50 BMG, Raufoss Mk 211). In 2009, British Corporal Craig Harrison set a 2,475-meter record in Afghanistan with an Accuracy International L115A3 (.338 Lapua Magnum), adjusting for a 150-meter drop over 6 seconds.
These sniper records highlight skill and tech like AI and drones pushing limits. From the TAC-50 to Ukraine’s Snipex Alligator, it’s an incredible evolution. Think we’ll see a 5,000-meter shot next? Share in the comments and stay tuned to GunsandGadgetsdaily.com, and shoot safe!
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TMZ
August 20, 2025 at 9:32 pm
I am very skeptical about this. The article doesn’t say what ammunition was being used, but there usually isn’t match quality ammo available for this, or consistently high quality barrels. Doing some VERY rough calculations, and giving the benefit of the doubt on ballistic coefficient, it would be about 68 MILS, or 233 MOA, of elevation. If you had a very good optic, you would run out of internal adjustment for elevation, and still have to hold over another 20 odd MILS. You would have to allow roughly 20 MILS of windage, just for spin drift, and this is before coriolis and environmental factors. The bullet goes subsonic at 3000 yards (2743 meters), which adds an unknown variable of predictability, and since this is essentially machine gun quality ammunition, there isn’t enough consistency that test shots would even get you on target. Is it possible? Well, it isn’t impossible. Assuming a really good shooter, with a really good barrel, really good hand loads (if that even exists), really good DOPE, really good data, and a whole lot of luck, maybe. Stranger things have happened. But, I would say that it’s very unlikely with this weapon system.
J/R
August 20, 2025 at 6:29 pm
This has to be another piece of Ukrainian propaganda.