Profile
- Type
- Assault rifle
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Service note
- Standard Soviet-pattern small arm
Infantry Weapons
AK-74
A 5.45 mm assault rifle family that remains a common Ukrainian service weapon. It appears in many variants, including folding-stock and modernized configurations.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built by
- IzhmashKalashnikov Concern
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
Service History
- Used by
- Ukrainian Armed Forces
Production History
- Built by
- IzhmashKalashnikov Concern
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
Specifications
- Operator
- 1
- Caliber
- 5.45x39 mm
- Dimensions
- About 940 mm length; 415 mm barrel
- Weight
- About 3.07 kg empty for AK-74; AK-74M about 3.4-3.6 kg depending source/configuration
- Performance
- About 600-650 rpm cyclic rate; effective range about 500 m point target
- Feed
- Standard 30-round detachable box magazine
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Used by Ukrainian forces as a common 5.45 mm service rifle family, including folding-stock and modernized variants.
AK-74 Images
Related Weapon Systems
MalyukBullpup assault rifleA Ukrainian bullpup rifle derived from Kalashnikov-pattern mechanics. It is associated with special operations and domestic small-arms development.
BrimstoneAnti-tank guided missileBrimstone is a British MBDA precision-guided anti-armor missile built around millimetric-wave radar guidance, with later variants adding semi-active laser and inertial navigation options. In Ukraine it has been adapted from its original air-launched role into a donated ground-launched anti-tank capability for striking Russian armor and formations.
FGM-148 JavelinAnti-tank guided missileA portable anti-armor missile known for top-attack profiles and fire-and-forget guidance. It became a symbol of early international military support to Ukraine.
NLAWShort-range anti-tank weaponA shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon supplied in large numbers before and after the 2022 full-scale invasion. Its simple employment made it valuable for infantry ambushes.
2S1 Gvozdika122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S1 Gvozdika is a Soviet 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built around the 2A31 gun on an amphibious armored chassis derived from the MT-LB family. In the Russia-Ukraine War it remains a common short-to-medium-range artillery system for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, combining mobility, indirect fire, and widespread 122 mm ammunition compatibility.
9K720 IskanderRoad-mobile tactical ballistic and cruise missile systemThe 9K720 Iskander is a Russian road-mobile tactical missile system that launches short-range ballistic missiles and, in Iskander-K configuration, ground-launched cruise missiles. In the Russia-Ukraine War it has served as one of Russia's principal precision-strike systems for attacks beyond the immediate front line.Sources
AK-74M SpecificationsPublisher: Kalashnikov Concern | Note: Supports general system specifications and background. | Accessed: 2026-06-19AK-74 / AK-74M RiflePublisher: Modern Firearms | Note: Supports additional system background. | Accessed: 2026-06-19The Mainstay Assault Rifle of Both Sides in the Russia-Ukraine WarPublisher: HistoryNet | Note: Supports Russia-Ukraine War operator context for AK-74 rifles used by Ukrainian forces. | Accessed: 2026-06-19