Viacheslav Kovalskyi’s Shot Breaks World Record
Viacheslav Kovalskyi, a Ukrainian sniper, shattered the world record last month after hitting a Russian soldier at a distance estimated to be 3,800 meters. On Wednesday, US-based media house the Wall Street Journal interviewed the serviceman.
Kovalskyi revealed he was a businessman before joining the Security Service of Ukraine. The 58-year-old sniper took his shot on the morning of November 18. He did not do it alone. He told the Wall Street Journal that he worked with his partner, who helped him calculate wind speed, the distance, and other parameters necessary for executing an accurate shot.
Kovalskyi and his partner were positioned near the Dnipro River in Kherson, a few kilometres from the Russian soldiers, who were cutting down trees. The two first thought it was impossible to shoot at those soldiers. However, Kovalskyi said he decided to shoot after noticing the arrival of the officer in charge of the group of Russian soldiers.
When asked how he knew the Russian soldier who arrived was the group’s head, the Ukrainian sniper said it was because other soldiers gathered around him to receive instructions.
How Kovalskyi Executed the Record-Breaking Shot
Kovalskyi then made the officer in charge his target. His partner measured the distance to the target, temperature, air humidity, and other parameters that would affect the bullet’s speed. Using those parameters, the Ukrainian sniper fired a 300-meter test shot toward his target. However, his partner told him the bullet had been blown by wind about 55 meters away.
Kovalskyi reloaded his rifle quickly and fired the second shot. Per the video shared by the sniper, it took 9 seconds for the bullet to reach the target. Kovalyski explained that before the bullet hit the Russian soldier, it flew nearly 100 meters above him, but gravity pulled it to its level.
Kovalskyi Believes Targeted Russian Soldier Died
Meanwhile, he says he’s certain that his target passed away after hitting him on his abdomen. Kovalskyi argues that the bullet he used was big and traveled relatively fast, making it impossible for the target to survive.
