A Russian soldier sent nearby colleagues scrambling for cover after a rotary machine gun spun out of control during a military training exercise, according to dramatic footage circulating online. The video appears to show a soldier firing a mounted YakB-12.7 machine gun before it begins to rotate violently and overwhelms its mounting system.
Runaway weapon throws soldier into the air
Despite desperately trying to hold on, the soldier gets dragged by the weapon as it spins faster and faster. Eventually, he gets thrown into the air and flung over a nearby barrier. Meanwhile, other troops nearby can be seen ducking to avoid bullets that spray across the training range.
To stop the weapon from continuing to spin, another soldier steps in to try to help. As the weapon seems to slow down, the soldier crouches underneath to slow it using his hand. However, after touching the weapon towards the end of the clip, he appears to recoil from how hot it has become.
Footage widely shared but unverified
The footage has been widely shared online, with many describing it as a disastrous training exercise. However, the video has not been independently verified, and it is unclear when or where it was filmed. Online posts claim it shows a Russian mobile fire group using a YakB-12.7 rotary machine gun, a four-barrel weapon originally developed for the Mil Mi-24 ‘Hind’ attack helicopter rather than ground-based firing. It is also not yet known whether anyone was injured during the incident.
Social media users were quick to speculate about what caused the apparent malfunction, with several suggesting the weapon may have been mounted incorrectly.
Context of Russian military incidents
This comes after images were released showing that Ukraine had destroyed 49 of Russia’s shadow fleet ships in a series of crippling strikes. Vladimir Putin’s fleet was rocked by 14 new attacks last month as chaos at Russia’s petrol stations deepened. The total number of vessels lost reached nearly 50, with almost all of them oil tankers supplying fuel to Crimea and other Ukrainian territory annexed by the Kremlin. The crisis was described as ‘catastrophic,’ with the Kremlin scrambling to hide the consequences, one report warned.
