Sniper who gunned down Russian soldier from 2.3 miles away sends deadly message

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    A sniper who gunned down a Russian soldier from 2.3 miles away has declared the long-distance shot "what Ukrainians are capable of".

    Vyacheslav Kovalskiy's shot has solidified the resolve of the ex-businessman, who had begun packing up his rifle by the time the bullet hit the target. The 58-year-old believes it showcases the strength of the Ukrainian military following Russia's invasion.

    The 12,468-foot shot came as Kovalskiy and his spotter lay in freezing temperatures for hours before being given the clearance to take a shot at the Russians two-and-a-half miles away.

    READ MORE: Putin's armed forces 'tying war refuseniks to trees all night' to break spirits

    For the latest news and updates on the war in Ukraine, click here.

    Sniper Kovalskiy has since said the shot needed to be taken "immediately" due to factors he and the spotter could not control, such as the wind speeds and movement of their target.

    He said: "I was thinking that Russians would now know that is what Ukrainians are capable of. Let them sit at home and be afraid. You have to [shoot] immediately because the wind changes constantly."

    A test shot around 1,000 feet to the side of the target was carried out to test the carry of the bullet which revealed they had the wrong wind speed. A second shot left the Russian dead and a record for Ukrainian rifle shots broken, the New York Post reported.

    The previous record of a kill shot was 850ft, and now stands at 12,468ft. But Kovalskiy was not wanting to stick around after taking the shot, instead packing up his rifle, named "Horizon's Lord".

    Steve Walsh, a former US Marines sniper instructor, said: "For conventional sniping, there are so many variables that are hard to quantify, so the reality is anything over about 1,300 meters [about 4,265 feet] can be more luck than skill."

    Despite not sticking around to see the impact of his shot, Kovalskiy is convinced his target was killed. He said: "There is no chance he survived."

    Footage of the shot shows a man struck in his torso, with the sniper now doubling down on efforts against Russia's invasion. Kovalskiy signed up for armed combat the day Russia invaded, as killing Kremlin fighters "doesn't worry me a gram".

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    • Russia
    • Russia Ukraine war
    • Shooting
    • Military

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