Watch: Russian live-fire exercise goes wrong as soldier loses control of machine gun
A viral video shows a Russian soldier losing control of a heavy machine gun during a training exercise, causing the weapon to spin unpredictably. The incident highlights potential safety issues with using aerial-mounted weaponry in ground-based configurations.
Why it matters
The footage provides a rare look at military training mishaps during a period of heightened conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
A video showing a Russian anti-aircraft gunner losing control of a powerful YakB-12.7 heavy machine gun during what appears to be a training exercise has gone viral.The footage shows the weapon suddenly spinning out of control after being fired, forcing nearby troops to dive for cover as rounds appeared to spray unpredictably across the range. There have been no reports of casualties, and the location and date of the incident have not been independently verified.The YakB-12.7 is a four-barrel, 12.7mm rotary machine gun originally developed for the Mil Mi-24 'Hind' attack helicopter. It serves as the primary weapon of the helicopter's USPU-24 gun turret and is designed for aerial use rather than ground-based firing.Several posts suggested the machine gun, which generates around 1,400 kilogram-force (kgf) of recoil, had been fitted to a rotating turret with its barrel offset from the turret's axis of rotation.
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