Drone video released by Ukrainian sources captures the moment a Russian Soldier takes a point-blank rifle shot to the top of the head while maneuvering near Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainian troops back away as soon as they take the shot, giving the Russian the required time to regain his composure and retreat from the area.

There are very few rifle rated helmets in existence today. What you're seeing in this video is one of the rare instances of ballistics, geometry, and luck culminating in an event that allowed the shot Soldier to survive a kinetic impact that absolutely should have killed him.

I am willing to bet money that if we took a look at the inside of this Russian Soldier's helmet, we would see that the round pierced through the crown of the shell and rode around the inside of the helmet, tearing the padding system (along with his scalp) and exiting out the bottom of the helmet without hitting him at all. Still, the kinetic impact of the round to the top of the helmet likely caused a serious concussion to the Soldier, and the only thing that kept him moving was the pure amount of adrenaline running through his system.

If the Russian had been looking forward instead of down, this video would have a NSFW label on it, and would end with the Ukrainians standing over his dead body.

About the Author

Josh Brooks

Josh is an American writer and former USMC machine gunner with eight years of experience in ground combat arms throughout the GWOT. He is currently based in Texas and specializes in combat footage analysis and digital marketing.Follow Josh at OfficialJoshBrooks.com