MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday showed off hismarksmanship by testing out a new Kalashnikov sniper rifle and hitting thetarget more than half the time.
Russian state television showed Putin in goggles and earphones crouching ashe fired the silver rifle at the Kalashnikov company’s shooting rangeoutside Moscow.
“The target is set up practically at the maximum distance,” Rossiya 24television reported, saying that Putin appeared to be pressing the triggerwhile holding his breath and between heartbeats as professional snipers aresupposed to do.
Putin “shot five times and hit the target more than half the time” thetelevision channel reported. Russian defence ministry channel TV Zvezdareported the semi-automatic weapon Putin fired is “an ultra-modern riflefor Russian snipers”.
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Putin was visiting a military-themed park called Patriot in the Moscowregion where he laid the foundation stone for a Russian Orthodox Church.
Kalashnikov, known for the iconic AK-47 assault rifle, last month surprisedobservers by unveiling the prototype for a retro-styled electric car. -APP/AFP
