Add The New York Post on Google A bumbling Russian rookie nearly blew himself to bits after struggling to aim a rocket launcher and firing the projectile at his own feet, according to wild video of the training session.
The arms drill, uploaded to a Ukrainian Telegram channel on Monday, showed the hapless trainee standing in a clear field as he armed the RPG launcher.
The man struggled to balance the weapon on his shoulder, leading it to slide forward and escape his grasp as the rocket fired into the ground just inches from him.
A Russian trainee nearly blows himself up after firing an RPG at his own feet. karymat/telegram Fortunately for him, the rocket did not detonate and burrowed into the ground, sending dust and dirt flying at the humiliated soldier.
The man and the person filming the training session then immediately fled in fear of the smoking missile, which are normally not designed to detonate until after they reach a certain distance after being fired.
A man could be heard berating the stunned trainee with Russian expletives from out of the frame over the fumble, all while the embarrassed rookie sheepishly readjusted his helmet.
It remains unclear exactly when and where the incident took place.
The trainee could only look embarrassed and scared as he was berated over the fumble. karymat/telegram The failures of Russian newbies have gone viral since the war with Ukraine began, with a similar video uploaded to social media last month of a trooper losing control of a machine gun turret that flung him off a platform.
Much like with the RPG training session fumble, the tossed rookie nearly killed his instructor with the out-of-control weapon.
Russia has been losing more than 30,000 troops per month this year, surging past Moscow’s monthly recruitment rate of 27,000, according to the Center for Strategic International Studies think tank.
