Analysis : Russian units spotted with a new NATO Made long distance rifle.

Russian soldiers have been spotted with a new sniper rifle since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, both on the front lines and within Russia by internal security forces, the SSG08 is now documented in service. It has been seen in numerous locations on the front, most often used by VDV units known for the assault on Hostomel Airport in April 2022. We know that the rifle from the Austrian manufacturer is used at various levels by the Russian army because in 2010 an SSG 04 was tested in the presence of Dmitri Anatolyevich Medvedev when he was President of the Russian Federation in Solnechnogorsk, 2010. Therefore, we can take an interest in this weapon with a rather interesting presence.
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Sniper of Russian national security forces during 9 may parade in moscow , 2022. (Picture source: Russian security forces )

Like many weapons, the SSG 08 is the development of another system and has a long history of service in armies around the world.
The predecessor to Steyr-Mannlicher's SSG (Scharfschützengewehr, literally translated as sniper rifle) series rifles was the SSG 69. In the 1960s, the Austrian army was still using weapons from World War II. Some came from the Germans, others from the Soviet army, and still others from the United States.

History of the development of the SSG 08

By the late 1960s, they decided to replace the variety of already quite obsolete small arms. The new army sniper rifle had very strict requirements. These included compactness, low weight, reliability, and good accuracy.
And the heirs of the Austro-Hungarian weapons school at Steyr-Mannlicher did an excellent job. The rifle weighed 4 kg, was 1140 centimeters long, and the rotary magazine held 5 cartridges without exceeding the dimensions of the weapon's stock. The stock itself was also quite innovative compared to the standards of the time, as it was made of polymer.
The bolt with three pairs of locking lugs in its rear part and the barrel, made by cold forging, made the rifle particularly durable and reliable.

The rifle began to enter service in the Austrian army and police, as well as the Dutch navy. In 1970, a civilian model appeared. And the weapon simply exploded the arms market, becoming a real success. It was used by various law enforcement agencies in over twenty countries, and the production of the civilian version was not discontinued until 2015.

In 2004, another sniper rifle intended for the military and police, the Steyr-Mannlicher SSG 04, was launched. It became heavier and longer, as the requirements for range and accuracy had changed in nearly 40 years, but the essence remained unchanged: the focus was on high performance and reliability. And the dimensions, compared to the standards of the early 2000s, were still quite modest.

The designers introduced the patented Safe Bolt System (SBS) into the rifle, which was tested to enhance reliability.

SSG 08 with folded stock after shooting competition in North military region  (Picture source: Russian Army )

The 2004 model represented a major advancement in the field of modern sniper rifles. The concept was tested, deemed a success, and four years later, it was developed into the next model - the Steyr-Mannlicher SSG 08.

This rifle once again became a success among Austrian gunsmiths. It was adopted by the Austrian special forces themselves, as well as by law enforcement and military units in over a dozen countries.

The main difference from the previous model was the presence of a folding stock. The rifle grew in length, but the Austrians still aimed to make their weapons compact. At least in transport position, they decided to be more compact than all their competitors. With the stock folded, the rifle has a length of just under one meter.

Austrian rifles have long and firmly established their place in the arsenals of various national special forces. In fact, photos of Russian security service specialists on Red Square with the Steyr-Mannlicher SSG 08 have already been published, and there were many other sources of information about this weapon.

These rifles are solidly embedded not only in the arsenal of the FSO, but also in the Airborne Forces, Marine Corps, and Special Forces. For snipers and reconnaissance paratroopers, it is a proven and long-appreciated system.

Austrian sniper rifles were purchased both before and after the events of 2014. Several Western publications lamented at one point that after 2014, Western sanctions did not prevent the Russian army from purchasing Austrian weapons.

Currently, the SSG rifles are actively used by Russian fighters in the northern zone of the Ukrainian front and are chambered in .300 Win Mag. The SSG 08 can effectively reach targets at distances typically up to 1,200 meters (1,312 yards), and with precision shooting techniques and optimal conditions, it can even extend beyond this range.

Airborne troops soldier who participated in the assault on Hostomel Airport, with his Steyr SSG 08 sniper rifle, photo taken at an unknown date before the airport assault. (Picture source :  Osint sources)