Screenshot

A Russian soldier narrowly escaped being killed after an improvised anti-drone weapon malfunctioned during a live-fire test, sending thousands of rounds spraying across a military training ground.

Footage circulating widely on social media shows troops testing a Yak-B 12.7mm rotary machine gun, originally designed for Mi-24 attack helicopters, mounted on the back of a military flatbed truck.

Moments after the gunner opened fire, the weapon violently spun out of control.

The recoil threw the operator from his position as the gun continued firing uncontrollably, peppering the training area with live ammunition.

A second soldier standing in the truck narrowly avoided being struck as the rotating barrels passed within feet of him.

After several attempts, he managed to wrestle the weapon under control and halt the firing.

Watch the clip below:

INSANE FOOTAGE: Russian troops mounted a YakB-12.7 helicopter machine gun on a fixed stand for training, but the exercise quickly went wrong. pic.twitter.com/MDbuG1C1eJ

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 12, 2026

The incident highlights the increasingly improvised methods Russia has adopted to defend supply convoys from Ukrainian drones.

Military units have begun creating so-called “mobile fire units,” mounting heavy weapons on trucks to shoot down incoming unmanned aircraft before they reach fuel and ammunition convoys.

The Yak-B is capable of firing thousands of rounds per minute and was engineered for heavily reinforced helicopter mounts designed to absorb its enormous recoil

However, mounted on a lightly modified truck, the weapon proved difficult to control.

The footage has prompted fresh scrutiny of Russia’s frontline improvisation as Ukrainian drone strikes continue to target logistics hubs, supply routes, and military infrastructure deep behind the front lines.

Ukraine’s drone strikes on oil refineries across Russia have triggered a widespread fuel crisis, with petrol shortages and rationing leaving motorists waiting for hours to fill their tanks.

Moscow has responded by intensifying its bombardment on Kyiv and other cities. pic.twitter.com/KfeCTICYFQ

— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 10, 2026

It remains unclear whether the military will continue using the helicopter-mounted weapon in its anti-drone units.

Ben Kew is a writer and editor. Originally from the UK, he moved to the U.S. to cover Congress for Breitbart News and has since gone on to editorial roles at Human Events, Townhall Media, and Americano Media. He has also written for The Epoch Times, The Western Journal, and The Spectator.

You can email Ben Kew here, and read more of Ben Kew's articles here.

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