11 weapons used by Russia's elite Spetsnaz operators

The elite Russian force known as the Spetsnaz hasa long history going back to theRed Bolshevik Guard, but little is known about them because of the unit'ssecretive nature.Numbering around 15,000-17,000,most Spetsnaz are comparable toUS Army Rangers, according to thebook "Spetsnaz: Russia's Special Forces" by Mark Galeotti. About 1,000 of them, however, are on par with the US Army's Delta Force or Navy SEALs.The Spetsnaz are also organized differently than US special operations forces in that they have units in multiple military branches, all with their own specialized training.The Spetsnaz are also afforded the opportunity, according to Galeotti, to usually "get the first pick of new types [of weapons], and also enjoy much greater freedom to customize and "mix and match"" their weapons.Beloware 11of the most commonly used Spetsnaz weapons, according to Galeotti.The standard Spetsnaz weapon, according to Galeotti, is some version of the 5.45mm AK-74 rifle. Seen here is the AK-74M, which is also the standard issue for much of the Russian Army. It weighs about 8 pounds and has a 30 round magazine capacity.Moscow has repeatedly said that they would replace the AK-74 with the AN-94 or the AK-12, which would provide better long-range accuracy, according to Galeotti. The Spetsnaz have used these weapons sparingly, but budget constraints have set this plan back.Another AK-74 model that the Spetsnaz use is the short-barreled AKS-74U carbine. Also known as the "Krink", it was originally developed for the Spetsnaz in the mid-1970s and has a nifty side-folding stock, according to The Firearm Blog.Some Spetsnaz operators sport a slightly different AKM fitted with a GP-25 grenade launcher. The AKM, which is a modernized version of the AK-47, fires 7.62 mm rounds up to 383 yards.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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