The Russian-Ukrainian war that began six days ago has left thousands of images of all kinds, among them those of aerial bombardments and also of the weapons that are being used massively by both sides. Among all those that have been distributed and mobilized, the assault rifles that the two contenders have distributed to their troops stand out. Both the Ukrainian armed forces and militias and the Russian army have equipped their fighters with Ak-74 assault rifles..
This assault rifle was designed by the Soviet authorities in the 1970s. At that time the Red Army and other socialist bloc forces were equipped with the famous Ak-47 and 7.62 caliber AKM. It was then that a new smaller caliber and lighter AK was introduced. This new rifle used a 5.45mm cartridge. in imitation of the cartridge used by the United States at the time, the 5.56 mm. of the M-16 rifle.
Ukrainian authorities in Kiev are distributing Kalashnikov AK-74 weapons to civilians. the only thing they ask for is identification, they call civilian volunteers from the Territorial Defense Units to take up arms pic.twitter.com/0cLTX6OM0L
— Oaxaca Digital (@Oaxaca_Digital) February 25, 2022
Today the Ak-74 is the standard weapon of many armies in Central and Eastern Europe.. In more or less modernized versions. The war that is being fought in Ukraine right now has seen large numbers of this weapon in its different versions (for paratroopers, police and special forces).