Ukraine sniper claims 2.5 mile shot using AI drone spotting

Ukraine may have just claimed a new world record for the longest successful sniper shot — and the feat came with a deadly twist. On Aug. 14, members of Ukraine’s combined ”Pryvyd,” or ”Ghost,” sniper unit reportedly killed two Russian soldiers with a single round from an extreme distance of 4,000 meters, or roughly 13,123 feet.

The shot, believed to be the longest of its kind, was documented on video and shared by Ukrainian journalist and war reporter Yuriy Butusov. His footage shows the Ghost snipers firing multiple rounds with an Alligator anti-material rifle, while an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with artificial intelligence assisted in both tracking and confirming the strike.

The challenges of extreme-range sniping

At a distance of two and a half miles, the Ukrainian shooters faced a list of challenges that went far beyond traditional sniper tactics. Wind, humidity, the Earth’s curvature, and target movement all factored into the calculation. Unlike the “one shot, one kill” mantra often associated with snipers, the video shows the Ghost unit taking numerous shots before scoring the decisive hit.

Defense Express noted that the 14.5x114mm round fired by the Alligator has a standard dispersion, meaning normal wandering of the round off target after it’s fired, of about one meter at 1.5 kilometers. At 4 kilometers, such precision requires multiple attempts, rapid follow-up shots, and near-perfect coordination between the shooter and spotters.

The Alligator: A beast in the form of a rifle

The rifle responsible for the record-breaking shot is the Ukrainian-made Snipex Alligator, developed by XADO Industrial. Standing six and a half feet tall and weighing around 55 pounds, the weapon was originally designed as an anti-material rifle to take out armored vehicles and fortified positions.

The Alligator fires massive 14.5x114mm rounds, the same caliber once used in Soviet anti-aircraft guns. According to Defense Express, the bullet travels at nearly 1,000 meters per second and can penetrate 20 millimeters of armored steel at 800 meters. Its maximum effective range is estimated at seven kilometers, or a little more than four miles. The Alligator was never originally intended for precision shooting at living targets over such extreme distances.

Ukraine’s record of long-range sniping

This is not Ukraine’s first time at the top of the record books. The previous world record for the longest sniper shot — 3,800 meters — also belonged to a Ukrainian marksman. In that case, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) sniper Vyacheslav Kovalsky used a “Lord of the Horizon” rifle to eliminate an enemy target.

Now, with the Ghost unit’s Aug. 14 strike, Ukraine extended that record by an additional 200 meters.

Context on the battlefield

The shot happened during heavy fighting in the Pokrovsk sector, where Russian forces have concentrated significant manpower. Ukrainian officials acknowledged intensified attacks but insisted the frontline situation remained under control.

While the record highlights Ukraine’s growing reputation for precision long-range shooting, it also underscores the evolving role of anti-material rifles in modern warfare. Designed for armored targets, weapons like the Alligator are increasingly being turned against personnel in Ukraine’s grinding battles with Russia.