Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Approves Use of Chukavin Sniper Rifle

JAKARTA - The Russian Ministry of the Interior has approved the use of the Chukavin sniper rifle from the Kalashnikov Group, according to confirmation from the famous weapons manufacturer.

"In accordance with the Russian government decree, the Chukavin (SVCh) 7.62 mm caliber sniper rifle produced by the Kalashnikov Group has been accepted for use by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs," the company said, as reported by TASS (3/3).

"The SVCh is designed to attack enemy personnel, equipment, and unarmored vehicles at distances of up to 1,000 meters," the company explained.

This rifle weighs 4.8 kg without a magazine, and its caliber is 7.62 mm. The overall length of the rifle (with the butt and flash suppressor folded) is 1,170 mm, and the length of the barrel is 620 mm.

Previously, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs used a 9 mm caliber Kalashnikov PPK-20 light machine gun.

Kalashnikov is producing the first serial batch of SVCh 7.62 mm rifles in December 2023. Since 2024, the group has increased production of SVCh rifles due to their high demand in special military operation zones.

"The state contract portfolio and exports for 2026 show significant order growth for these weapons," the weapons manufacturer added.

In 2025, the team that developed the Chukavin sniper rifle won the Udmurtia State Award in the field of science and technology, as well as the S.I. Mosin Award, which honors scientific and technical research and development for the benefit of defense and national security.

The SVCh sniper rifle was first introduced at the 2017 Army forum, where Russian President Vladimir Putin fired several shots with it. Since then, the rifle has been tested by various branches of the Russian Armed Forces in the framework of the state homologation process, which it successfully passed.

Snaiperskaya Vintovka Chuvakin alias SVCh or simply Chukavin is known to be prepared to replace the legendary sniper rifle, Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova (SVD) or Dragunov, quoted from Sputnik.

The only similarity between these two sniper rifles is the cartridge that uses the typical Soviet size of 7.62x51 mm. There is also a rifle version that can fire NATO standard 7.62x51mm caliber bullets, but in this case the magazine is different. While for the magazine it is available in capacities of 10, 15 or 20 bullets.

The barrel is produced with the so-called radial pressure method, which allows for superior precision and quality. In addition, all moving parts are positioned in such a way that they are on the same line, thus reducing lateral movement that can affect the accuracy of your shots.

In addition, unlike the SVD, the SVCh is equipped with a Picatinny rail, which makes it possible to use a wider variety of accessories and equipment. Not least, its safety trigger is completely different: it is now operated by the thumb in a completely ergonomic way.