The Longest Sniper Kills in History

The sniper plays a specialized role on the battlefield. Snipers are often sent to eliminate enemy combatants from afar while remaining far away from any direct danger. Snipers usually strike from positions that give them a long field of view and offer some concealment.

The use of snipers dates back to the time of black powder weapons, but the modern sniper really took form during the First World War. In modern combat, militaries from around the world spend millions of dollars training their snipers to be the best in the world. The ranges in which some snipers are able to engage targets are hard to fathom. The longest sniper kill belongs to a Ukrainian sniper who killed his target at 3,800 m (4,156 yd). In second place is a Canadian sniper who took out a target at 3,540 m (3,871 yd). Third, an Australian sniper achieved a kill of 2,815 m (3,079 yd).

Top 10 Longest Sniper Kills In History

1. Viacheslav Kovalskyi - November 2023, War In Ukraine

The longest sniper kills ever recorded only took place last year during the ongoing War in Ukraine. The sniper, Viacheslav Kovalskyi, is a part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and killed a Russian soldier more than 3.5 kilometers away.

Kovalskyi is not a typical soldier. He is 58 years old and had previously built a career as a businessman before the war erupted in early 2022. Kovalskyi sat for hours in freezing temperatures before he eventually took that shot that eliminated a Russian officer.

Kovalskyi was using the Ukrainian-made Volodar Obriyu (Horizon's Lord). This is an anti-material rifle that can use various types of ammunition. In this particular case, the Ukrainian sniper was using a 12.7x114 mm round which granted him improved velocity and accuracy at such a long range.

2. Canadian Armed Forces - May 2017, Iraqi Civil War

JTF2 (Joint Task Force 2) acts as the special forces of the Canadian military. During the fighting in Iraq between ISIS and government forces, the JTF2 was deployed to train Iraqi soldiers and support their push to help eliminate the terrorist group.

In May 2017, Mosul remained one of the last few ISIS strongholds in Iraq. As the Iraqi army and other friendly militias assaulted the city, a JTF2 sniper team was providing overwatch for the attack. It was during the Battle of Mosul that a member of this sniper team shot and killed an ISIS fighter from a distance of 3,540 m (3,871 yd).

The name of the sniper who took the shot remains a mystery as the JTF2, in line with other special forces, are extremely secretive about the identities of their members. In 2023, Dallas Alexander, a former member of the unit and the sniper team who took the famous shot, released a video of the kill to the media.

3. Australian Defense Force - April 2012, War In Afghanistan

In 2012, during the War In Afghanistan, a member of the Australian Defense Force killed a Taliban fighter from 2,815 m (3,079 yd) away. The sniper's name remains hidden, but we do know that they belonged to the 2nd Commando Regiment.

The sniper was a part of the team who was operating in the Kajaki district of Afghanistan's Helmand Province. Little else is known about how the shot was taken or what took place beforehand, but judging from the distance, it is likely that the Australian sniper team was monitoring the enemy position for a while.

The sniper was using an American-made Barrett M82A1, a semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle. The rounds this rifle is able to use allows snipers to reach targets at a distance that would otherwise not be possible. This unknown Australian held the record for five years until it was broken by the Canadians in 2017.

4. Ukrainian National Guard - November 2022, War In Ukraine

Another long-distance kill from the War In Ukraine took place in November 2022. The name of this particular Ukrainian soldier has been kept secret, but their efforts served as a much-needed morale boost for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the early stages of the conflict.

The sniper was using a Ukrainian-made Snipex Alligator anti-material rife that is made to engage targets at approximately 1,500 m (1,600 yd). Just like the Volodar Obriyu it is chambered in 14.5×114 mm.

The Snipex Alligator was first adopted by the Ukrainian military in 2020 and has seen considerable use throughout the current war. It is a favorite of Ukrainian soldiers and special forces as well.

5. Craig Harrison - November 2009, War in Afghanistan

Craig Harrison was a member of the Blues and Royals, a cavalry regiment within the British military. In 2009, Harrison struck and killed two Taliban machine gunners near Musa Qala in Helmand Province in Afghanistan at a range of 2,475 m (2,707 yd).

Harrison has been quite public about sharing his experience in the British military along with the inner details of his record-breaking kill. According to Harrison, it took him around 9 consecutive shots before he was able to line up the killing blow.

Harrison was using the British L115A3 sniper rifle. Chambered in a .338 Lapua Magnum, it can reach incredible distances. Since he retired from the armed forces, Harrison has taken up the role of an advocate for veterans struggling with PTSD and mental illness.

6. Rob Furlong - March 2002, War In Afghanistan

Rob Furlong was a part of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry between 1997-2004. Furlong was first deployed to Bosnia as a peacekeeper in 1999 but it is unclear if he was ever involved in any kind of combat.

In 2002, Furlong, along with Arron Perry, another Canadian sniper, took part in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Operation Anaconda was tasked with destroying key Al-Qaeda and Taliban strongholds across the country.

Furlong engaged a group of Al-Qaeda fighters at a distance of 2,430 m (2,657 yd). Furlong missed his first two shots as he attempted to eliminate a combatant who was carrying a large machine gun. His first shot missed, the second hit the enemy's backpack, and the third landed center mass, killing them.

7. Arron Perry - March 2002, War In Afghanistan

Arron Perry was another Canadian sniper who took part in Operation Anaconda in 2002. Perry, of the Princess Patricia 3rd Battalion, was working closely with Rob Furlong and ended up breaking the world record for the longest shot only a few days before Furlong broke Perry's record.

Perry's record-breaking shot was taken 2,310 m (2,526 yd) away from its target. Perry (as well as Furlong) used the American-made McMillan TAC-50. This rifle is used across the Canadian Armed Forces and is praised for its high quality and accuracy at long range.

During the operation, both Perry and Furlong worked closely with elements of the American military and were applauded for their effectiveness. Both were given the United States Bronze Star Medal in 2003 for their efforts.

8. Brian Kremer - October 2004, Iraq War

Brian Kremer, a member of the US Army, was credited for killing an Iraqi insurgent at 2,300 m (2,515 yd). Kremer was the first American soldier to break the legendary record of Carlos Hathcock, who served in the Vietnam War.

The exact details of the event are still quite secretive to this day. All that is known is Kremer was using the Barrett M82A1, the same weapon used by the Australian soldier who holds the record for the third-longest shot.

At the time of writing this article, Kremer still holds the record for having the longest sniper kill by any American soldier.

9. Carlos Hathcock - February 1967, Vietnam War

Carlos Hathcock has ascended to somewhat of an urban myth within the American military. Often regarded as the greatest American sniper in history, Hathcock was a force to be reckoned with during the Vietnam War.

Hathock is credited with 93 confirmed kills, while he claims that he could have killed around 300 - 400 enemy combatants. Confirming kills during the Vietnam War needed to be done by both a spotter and an officer, and considering Hathcock was often behind enemy lines, it is impossible to verify his claims.

Hathcock's longest kill was 2,286 m (2,500 yd). Hathcock had become such a nuisance to the North Vietnamese that a $30,000 bounty was placed on his head. All attempts to kill Hathcock failed, and he returned to the United States in 1969.

10. South African Special Forces - August 2013, UN Mission In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo

In 2009, a group of rebels called M23 were committing atrocities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Events escalated to such a point that the United Nations authorized a security force to be sent in to stabilize the situation.

In 2013, a sniper with the South African Special Forces was credited with killing a rebel from a distance of 2,125 m (2,324 yd). The name of the person who took the shot has never been released, but we do know that they had previous experience in places like Sudan and Haiti.

The exact details of this incident are also somewhat hazy. We do know that the sniper used the South African anti-material rifle, the Denel NTW-14.5, to achieve the impressive shot.

Final Thoughts

In the 21st century, it has become apparent to militaries around the world how impactful a well-trained sniper can be in combat. With a relatively small material cost, a single sniper can kill a high-priority target and have a devastating effect on the enemy.