Malyuk

According to IPI Vice CEO Serhiy Luhovskyy, development of the Malyuk started in 2005. The development was based on a contract placed by the Security Service of Ukraine with prototype rifles provided before inquiries were made by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence in 2008. In February 2015, feedback was provided by then president Petro Poroshenko and the Department of State Security Guard. The Malyuk debuted in 2015 at the Arms & Security Expo in Kyiv in 2015. The rifle was first seen in public outside of Ukraine at the International Defence Industry Fair in May 2015 at Istanbul, Turkey and at the Azerbaijan International Defence Exhibition in September 2016 at Baku, Azerbaijan. ==Design==

The Malyuk is a further development of the Soviet Kalashnikov assault rifle, reconfigured into a bullpup layout. It is also based on the Vepr and the mistakes made with it. The Malyuk is made from polymer materials and is chambered in 7.62×39mm, 5.45×39mm and 5.56×45mm NATO ammo and has an AK-74-type flash hider. Malyuks chambered in 7.62×39mm and 5.45×39mm use AK-47/AKM/RPK and AK-74-based magazines at a rate of 660 rounds per minute. The magazine release button is located next to the trigger. As the magazine well is specifically designed to facilitate better loading, it allows the magazine to drop by itself. To solve the problem of excessive gas emissions, a deflector shield is placed over the ejection port. It is possible to mount an underbarrel grenade launcher. Left or right-handed shooters can easily use the Malyuk as it is ambidextrous. == Variants ==

A commercial version of the Malyuk was developed at the Krasyliv Assembly Manufacturing Plant in cooperation with Electron Corporation. • Shepit – Meaning "whisper" in Ukrainian; Malyuk built with a long barrel, bipod, and suppressor • Riff – Man-portable anti-drone weapon powered by a 100-watt portable battery == Deployment ==

Ukraine The Malyuk has been used by Ukrainian special forces since 2017, sometimes referring it to the Vulcan () rifle International The weapon has been demonstrated in Indonesia and Sri Lanka for potential contracts. == Users ==

• • Ukrainian Army • Special forces of Ukraine • National Guard of Ukraine • Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces == Incidents ==

On February 27, 2022, an alleged saboteur was arrested in Odesa by the State Border Guard Service and the National Police of Ukraine in a joint operation. Among the items confiscated included a loaded Malyuk rifle with a Makarov PM, an RPG-22 and two T-62M anti-tank mines. ==References==