MINSK, February 17. /TASS/. The VSK-100 assault rifle could enter mass production in Belarus by the end of this year, State Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council Alexander Volfovich said on Monday.

"The VSK-100 is a modern Belarusian assault rifle, 100% locally manufactured, which, I believe, will enter mass production by the end of this year and will be supplied to the armed forces and other security services," he said in an interview with the FIRST News Channel. The State Secretary added that the assault rifle has already been accepted by the army.

According to him, Belarusian-made weapons are in demand abroad. Electronic warfare systems and optical sights are of particular interest there, Volfovich noted. "The T-72B3 tanks are equipped with new, advanced Sosna sights. Various sight modifications are currently on par with internationally available counterparts and armored vehicle targeting systems. Thanks to these sights, they are now among the top armored vehicles in the world," the Security Council Secretary added.

The VSK-100 is comparable in size to the AK-74, measuring 915 mm in length, 265 mm in height, and 6.5 mm in width. It weighs 4.3 kg without a magazine. The Belarusian assault rifle is chambered for 7.62x39 mm rounds. The magazine capacity is 30 rounds. The weapon features single-shot or automatic fire modes and has a rotary locking mechanism with a lateral gas actuator. The VSK-100 assault rifle is assembled at the BSVT-New Technologies production facilities in Stankovo.