Cell phone video released to TikTok shows a small team of Ukrainian heavy machine gunners wheeling up a World War 2 era Soviet KPV Heavy Machine Gun to their fighting position and engaging towards Russian positions.

The KPV was first developed by S. V. Vladimirov in 1944 as an wheeled heavy machine gun for infantry use against lightly armored targets. The aim of the weapon system was to give infantrymen the fire rate of a machinegun with the armor piercing capabilities of anti-tank rifles of a similar caliber. It wasn't initially adopted until 1949 by the Soviet Military, and it was quickly pulled from service in 1960 as an infantry weapon system due to it's cumbersome size and the weight of its 14.5×114mm M41 cartridges. It was later repurposed specifically as a static defense system for anti-aircraft purposes.

It appears as if at least one of the weapon systems survived 80 years of service, and is still being used by the infantry today in Ukraine.

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