Ukraine’s Special Forces are claiming the world’s longest sniper kill, with a Ukrainian soldier taking out a Russian combatant from 2.36 miles away. The shot was taken using the Ukraine-made Volodar Obriyu rifle, according to Interfax-Ukraine. However, there is no universally verified list of longest sniper kills, and it is not possible to verify this claim from the shared footage.

There have been several generally accepted contenders for the longest sniper kill in history, but if confirmed, this latest shot would be roughly 0.2 miles further than the previously claimed record. In 2017, an unnamed Canadian soldier was credited with taking a shot from Iraq that was nearly as long as this one. Another Ukrainian soldier was credited with the world’s second-longest kill in 2022, from almost 1.7 miles away from their target.

Ukrainian snipers have gained an almost mythical status since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2014, with one unit taking on the nickname “the Ghosts of Bakhmut.” Their commander claims responsibility for 113 of their 558 claimed kills over nine months, despite grueling work and long wait times that require patience and skill beyond just taking aim at a target. It is important to note that while snipers play a crucial role in battlefield operations, their work should be understood and appreciated realistically rather than romanticized in popular culture or media portrayals.