An elite Ukrainian sniper took out a Russian soldier from more than 2,000 metres.
The sharpshooter, known as ‘Lektor’ or lecturer, eliminated his foe from a staggering 2,069m away, making it one of the longest ever confirmed kills.
Speaking this week, the ex-gamekeeper said: ‘Shots like that are rare, especially in real combat conditions, especially with this calibre.
‘The hit probability was extremely low, but I took the shot, and it worked.’
The gunman said the ‘extremely difficult’ shot last December was a record with the 338 Lapua Magnum-calibre rifle.
Wearing a mask to protect his identity, he told the Kyiv Post: ‘Pulling the trigger is all about pure shooting skills and you don’t think about anything else.
‘There is no room for error – you twitch, and a drone will shoot you.’
The longest recorded kill shot in history is believed to have been made by his compatriot, Viacheslav Kovalskyi, who eliminated a Russian soldier from more than 3,800m away.
Ukraine’s spymaster Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov hailed Lektor’s feat, saying: ‘This will go down in the history of our fight for freedom.
‘Our snipers are a model of professionalism and focus.’
Lektor serves alongside his son, with the pair enlisting on the same day and serving side by side since.
Ukraine’s air force said it destroyed 130 Russian drones overnight.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has signalled his support for a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire.
Vladimir Putin has said that while he supports the ‘idea’ of a ceasefire, he would only agree to one on his terms.
Sir Keir Starmer will host further talks on a peacekeeping force for Ukraine today after warning Putin not to play games with a proposed truce.
The Prime Minister is expected to hold a video call with as many as 25 potential members of the ‘coalition of the willing’, nations that could take part in any peacekeeping operation.
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