The sniper rifle wanted by both sides of the Ukraine war

A sniper rifle has proven so effective on the battlefield in Ukraine that it has become highly sought after by soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

The Ukrainian military claims the UAR-10 can hit targets 1200 metres away – more than the 800-metre range of the Russian Dragunov or SVD the Ukrainians were using previously.

In the video above, a Ukrainian Army marksman, nicknamed the Frenchman, shows off his UAR-10 rifle, which he claims he has used to kill 100 Russian soldiers.

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It weighs five kilograms and fires the the same calibre 7.62 ammunition as other Nato sniper rifles, rather than the Russian rimmed rounds used in the Dragunov. 

Ukrainian troops began using the UAR-10 in 2018 - four years before the start of the Russian invasion.

It is manufactured by Ukrainian firm Zbroyar.