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Russian military test of modified heavy machine gun goes awry, narrowly missing instructor

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • A Russian military unit modified a Yak-B 12.7mm heavy machine gun from a Mi-24 helicopter for ground testing.
  • During the test, the weapon malfunctioned, spinning uncontrollably and firing, narrowly missing a nearby instructor.
  • The incident, captured on video, has circulated widely on social media, with viewers expressing shock at the near-fatal accident.

A video circulating on social media shows a Russian military test of a modified Yak-B 12.7mm heavy machine gun, originally from a Mi-24 helicopter. The weapon was set up for ground firing, but during the test, it began to spin uncontrollably while firing.

This instructor almost burst

— NetizenComment on social media reacting to the video of the weapon malfunction.

The footage shows the immense recoil of the heavy machine gun, which threw the soldier operating it backward. As the gun continued to fire, its muzzle swung around, narrowly missing an instructor standing behind.

The instructor almost died

— NetizenComment on social media reacting to the video of the weapon malfunction.

Fortunately, the instructor reacted quickly, ducking to avoid being hit. The weapon eventually stopped firing after about one and a half rotations, but continued to spin. The shaken instructor cautiously approached the weapon once it stabilized.

If he had been distracted, he would have been shot dead directly

— NetizenComment on social media reacting to the video of the weapon malfunction.

Online viewers expressed their alarm at the near-fatal incident. Comments on platforms like X, Weibo, and PTT highlighted the danger, with many noting how close the instructor came to serious injury or death. The powerful recoil and the weapon's malfunction have sparked widespread discussion about safety protocols during such tests.

Brushed shoulders with death

— NetizenComment on social media reacting to the video of the weapon malfunction.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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