Snipers of the Soviet Union played an important role mainly on the Eastern Front of World War II, apart from other preceding and subsequent conflicts. In World War II, Soviet snipers used the 7.62x54R riflecartridge with light, heavy, armour-piercing (B-30), armour-piercing-incendiary (B-32), zeroing-and-incendiary (P3), and tracer bullets. Most Soviet World War II snipers carried a combat load of 120 rifle cartridges in the field.[2] Unlike the militaries of other nations, these snipers could be men or women. In 1943, there were over 2,000 women functioning in this role.[3]
History
In 1932, the "sharpshooters' movement" started under the supervision of theKliment Voroshilov.
In 1938, Red Army snipers took part in theBattle of Lake Khasan against troops of the Imperial Japanese Army[4]
The most successful Soviet use of snipers during the second world war was during their defensive stages (1941–1943)[citation needed], after which the advantage of defense shifted to the German side and German snipers became a real danger to the advancing Soviets.