Russian soldier thrown by malfunctioning anti-drone gun

A Russian soldier was violently thrown from his position after a heavy machine gun spun out of control during a military training exercise, according to widely circulated video footage. The incident, which occurred during an anti-drone drill, shows the soldier being hurled into the air as the weapon fired erratically, forcing nearby troops to scramble for cover. The video, which has garnered millions of views online since surfacing around July 12, 2026, has not been independently verified, and Russian authorities have not publicly commented on it.

The footage depicts troops from a Russian mobile fire unit testing a YakB-12.7mm rotary machine gun, a four-barrel weapon originally designed for Mi-24 attack helicopters, which had been mounted on the back of a military truck. During the exercise, the immense recoil from the weapon reportedly overpowered its makeshift mounting system. The primary gunner lost control, and the gun began rotating violently, discharging rounds across the training ground. The soldier was pulled from his feet and thrown over a nearby barrier.

A second soldier, who was briefly in the line of fire, managed to duck under a burst of gunfire before wrestling the...