In this video we take a look at two MT-LB adaptations; one Russia, one Ukrainian. The MT-LB offers an extremely versatile platform for mounting a variety of weapons. Everything from anti-tank guns to heavy machine guns have been mounted on them by combatants.

Be sure to check out our accompanyi...

In 2008 Ukrainian state enterprise RPC Fort entered into a partnership with Israel's IWI to offer Tavor rifles - the Fort-221 and Fort-224 have since been seen during the fighting. Usual caveat that I'm terrible at pronouncing things applies! Be sure to check out our accompanying article for this...

Grenades are an often overlooked infantry weapon and they aren't regularly seen in Ukraine (as they're normally carried in pouches out of sight). In this video we look at one of the most prevalent Western hand grenades seen in Ukraine - the M67. Be sure to check out our accompanying article for t...

With less than 2,000 reportedly built the Swedish PV-1110 is possibly the rarest anti-tank weapon to have surfaced in Ukraine. Be sure to check out our accompanying article for this video here - https://armourersbench.com/ If you enjoy our work please consider supporting us via Patreon, TAB is a ...

The M141 Bunker Defeat Munition (or SMAW-D) anti-structure weapons have arrived in Ukraine as part of the ongoing US military aid shipments. There has been some confusion over what the SMAW-D is capable of and even over what it looks like, with some confusing it with the AT-4 and even the M72. So...

Since the war in Ukraine began on 24 February the Ukrainian armed forces have been hastily putting together and sharing training films for various weapon systems. The first of these we’ll be sharing is a training video made by the Command of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Uk...

In this video we'll look at the first sightings of the Mk153 SMAW in Ukraine. We'll explore what the SMAW is capable of and examine the first footage of the weapons in theatre. Small correction: I misspoke at 3:30 — 68th, not 66th, Jaeger Bridge. Be sure to check out our accompanying article for ...

This is the first of a series of videos looking at the older weapons in use in the war in Ukraine. In future instalments we'll look at Maxims, Mosin-Nagants and DPs but in this first video we'll examine use of the Fedor Tokarev-designed TT-33. Be sure to check out our accompanying article for thi...

A look at the German SMArt 155, a Sensor Fuzed Munition, currently in use in Ukraine. It releases a pair of fire-and-forget top-attack submunitions. The submunitions use a ballute and parachute to slow their descent and allow the onboard infrared sensor and millimeter wave radar to locate its tar...

In April a Ukrainian unit shared an intriguing video of a small mortar that fired 40mm grenades. Be sure to check out our accompanying article for this video here - http://armourersbench.com/2023/05/28/40mm-grenade-mortar/ If you enjoy our work please consider supporting us via Patreon, TAB is a ...

On 11 May the UK confirmed the transfer of Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine. The evidence of their first use against a target in Luhansk has now emerged. In this video we take a look at Storm Shadow's capabilities and the evidence of its first operational use in Ukraine. Be sure to check o...

Ukrainian troops are in the UK training as part of an agreement with the British government. The UK has procured an interesting assortment of AK pattern rifles for the Ukrainian personnel to train with. In this video we look at what rifles are in use and some of the challenges of procuring them. ...

At the beginning of May 2023, Russian media shared a flurry of videos from salt mines near Soledar. The videos showcased a captured weapons storage depot said to be inside part of the mine complex which was recently captured by Russian private military contractor unit Wagner. In this video we'll ...

We previously looked at Ukrainian company Black Storm's bullpup conversion kit. Black Storm have also developed a kit to adapt the GP-25 into a stand alone grenade launcher. Be sure to check out our accompanying article for this video here - https://armourersbench.com/2023/03/05/black-storm-defen...

As the proliferation of 5.56x45mm rifles in Ukraine continues the latest rifle to begin to be seen in use is the Heckler & Koch HK416. Small numbers of the rifle have been seen in use with Ukrainian special operations forces so far.

Be sure to check out our accompanying article for this video h...

There have been a considerable number of sightings of the MP-443 pistols in Ukraine over the past two months, unsurprising as it is the Russian armed forces issue sidearm. In this video we look at the pistol's history, design and use in Ukraine. Thanks to Cold War Collectables for letting us film...

Ukrainian company Black Storm have developed a series of kits to allow AK pattern rifles to be converted into bullpups without tools and without physically adapting the base rifle. These bullpup kit AKs have now been seen in use with Ukrainian soldiers.

Be sure to check out our accompanying arti...

I have had several people send me this video, showing a Ukrainian shop converting PKT machine guns to an infantry configuration. The PK machine gun is used in a lot of Russian armored vehicles, but in vehicular form it uses a solenoid trigger, and doesn't have a pistol grip or shoulder stock. The...

Some collectors hunt for firearms which look perfectly new form the factory, and others prefer arms that show lots of evidence of use and history. Well, this is definitely one of the latter type - this 1943 production MP40 submachine gun has a terrible finish, most likely as a result of being bur...

I'm excited today to speak with Neil Vermillion, a US Army veteran (2002-2006) who served contracts in Kurdistan (2016) and Ukraine (2022) for the nonprofit PMC Sons of Liberty International. In Kurdistan he was a volunteer training and fighting with a group of Kurds around Erbil and Mosul. In Uk...

One of the interesting implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is the potential for expanded legal civilian ownership of firearms, particularly rifles, in many of the smaller countries in Europe. We saw the Ukrainian government jump to legalize civilian arms ownership immediately after th...

Note: The combat zone photos are from 2017, not 2015.

Footage published by US DoD, from training exercises in September 2017 and February 2018. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Note: Some explicit language in this video.

I am honored today to have a chance to interview Neil Vermillion about his experiences in Iraq, Kurdistan, and Ukraine. Neil is a US Army veteran (2002-2006) who served contracts in Kurdistan (2016) and Ukraine (2022) for the nonprofit PMC Sons of Li...

I have been reading about the Winter War in past few months as part of my work on a book about Finnish small arms, and I have been really struck by the similarity in images of that fighting and the current war in Ukraine. I'd like to take a few minutes today to talk about the similarities - and d...