Ukrainian sniper ‘breaks world record after killing Russian soldier nearly 2.5 miles away’

The record was previously held by a Canadian sniper after a shot taken in Iraq in 2017

A Ukrainian sniper claims to have broken the world record by killing a Russian soldier almost 2.5 miles away, with a custom rifle called ‘Lord of the Horizon’.

The previous record was held by a Canadian special operations sniper at a distance of 2.2 miles in Iraq in 2017.

In a press statement, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said: “The SBU sniper set a world record for a successful shot.

“He hit a Russian soldier from an incredible distance.

“SBU snipers are changing the rules of world sniping, demonstrating the ability to work effectively at fantastic distances.”

Video footage apparently capturing the shot was shared on various Ukrainian media outlets, which appears to show the target falling several seconds after the sniper fires his weapon.

The weapon used was developed and made by MAYAK and is said to fire bullets that travel faster than the speed of sound for nearly 10,000ft if used with the correct ammunition.

The world record was once held by British sniper Craig Harrison, after he killed  Taliban fighter in Afghanistan in 2009 from a distance of 1.54 miles.

A separate record is held by another British sniper who killed six Taliban fighters with one shot after it triggered the suicide vest one of them was wearing.

The world-record comes just a year after Ukraine almost broke the record when one of its snipers shot a Russian soldier from 1.7miles away, thought the be the world’s second-longest combat kill.

Over the weekend, Ukrainian soldiers have been using high-speed jet skis to conduct attacks, with the country saying they will continue to use them as weapons to combat Putin’s troops in occupied Crimea.