Captured Soldier Says Ukrainian Troops Were Issued M4A1 Rifles Before Combat Mission

Ukrainian Troops Given M4A1 Rifles Before Combat Mission

John Baker, Editor

01:59 20-05-2026

Captured Ukrainian serviceman says mobilized troops trained with Kalashnikov rifles but received M4A1 rifles before a combat mission due to AK ammo shortages.

Add Военное дело to your preferred Google sources

Ukrainian mobilized troops in the Skala assault regiment trained with Kalashnikov rifles, only to have their weapons replaced with foreign-made M4A1 rifles shortly before being sent on a combat mission. Captured Ukrainian serviceman Vadim Kimakovsky said the fighters first handled the rifles right before moving out to their position.

Kimakovsky told RIA Novosti that after 52 days of basic military training, he was woken up by an alarm in the morning and sent to the armory. There, he was ordered to hand in his Kalashnikov and was issued an M4A1 rifle along with 600 rounds of ammunition. He said the explanation given was a shortage of ammunition for AK rifles.

According to Kimakovsky, Ukrainian command was aware that the mobilized soldiers had not been trained to use the foreign weapons. When the troops pointed out that they were seeing the rifles for the first time, they were told that the assault company commander had ordered M4A1 rifles to be issued to everyone heading out on combat missions.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces began receiving U.S.-made 5.56 mm M4A1 assault rifles and other Western weapons in 2022 as part of military aid packages. Ammunition was supplied along with the weapons. The M4A1 is a shortened version of the M16A2 rifle, equipped with a collapsible stock and Picatinny rails for mounting sights and other accessories.