MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. Government contracts for the supply of sniper rifles from the Kalashnikov Concern increased eightfold in 2023, the company’s press service reported.

"In 2023, the state defense order for the supply of sniper rifles produced by the Kalashnikov Concern increased eight times compared to 2022. In addition to the Chukavin sniper rifle (SVCh) and the Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD), Kalashnikov continues to supply 7.62-mm Dragunov sniper rifles with a folding stock along with 7.62 mm SV-98 sniper rifles," the press service said.

In late December, the small arms manufacturer announced that the SVCh-rifle had been successfully certified and supplied the first batch of these weapons to the customer.

The Chukavin sniper rifle (SVCh) is a semi-automatic sniper rifle, has a caliber of 7.62x54 mm, and is compatible with magazines from the Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD). As Chukavin himself noted in an interview with TASS, the new rifle surpasses its predecessor in terms of shooting accuracy by 25-30%. The weight of the SVCh rifle without a magazine is 4.8 kg, and its total length with the unfolded gun-butt and flash suppressor is 1,170 mm, with a barrel length of 620 mm.

Kalashnikov is the flagship of the Russian weapons industry, producing about 95% of all small arms in the country. Kalashnikov Group produces not only small arms, but also specialized military and civilian transport and equipment, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, high-speed transport and assault boats for special operations forces, and high-precision missile weapons. Kalashnikov Group exports its products to more than 27 countries around the world.