Russia has begun manufacturing sniper rounds using bullets from the U.S. and Finland
The Russian factory “Promtechnologia,” which manufactures weapons and ammunition under the ORSIS brand, has begun supplying the Russian military with sniper rounds containing American and Finnish bullets. Journalists have found that since the start of the full-scale war, more than 10 million bullets manufactured in NATO countries have been imported into Russia. Some of the American ammunition may have been delivered via EU countries.
The Russian arms manufacturer Promtechnologia began using American and Finnish high-precision bullets to produce sniper rounds. The company manufactures sniper rifles and ammunition under the ORSIS brand. Journalists investigated ammunition shipments to Russia and found that, following the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia received significant shipments of bullets manufactured by NATO countries.
Over 10 million bullets were shipped to Russia
According to the journalists, from March 2022 to February 2024, more than 10 million bullets manufactured in NATO countries were shipped to Russia. Among them were high-precision bullets used for long-range shooting. Specifically, these include ammunition in the .338 Lapua Magnum and .375 CheyTac calibers.
These calibers are used in specialized sniper rifles. That is why such bullets are of particular importance to the Russian military, which uses long-range sniper weapons. The Insider also noted indirect evidence that some of the American bullets may have reached Russia via the European Union.
Traces of American bullets were found in documents
One example involves the Russian company IF “Tethys” LLC. On June 8, 2022, it received a declaration of conformity for a batch of American Hornady bullets. The document listed the test materials for this ammunition. The documentation for the bullets was prepared on April 28, 2022, at the Lapua Test Shooting Lab in Finland.
The test report bore the number 393/16. By itself, this document does not prove the entire route of delivery of the American bullets to Russia. However, according to journalists, it is one of the indications that certain batches of ammunition may have passed through European countries.
Russians Faced a Shortage of American Bullets
Previously, “Promtechnologia” had faced problems with the supply of American bullets. As a result, the Russian company began using Finnish ammunition. Specifically, these are high-precision Lapua bullets. They are also used in sniper rounds for long-range shooting. However, judging by the latest data, the Russian company has managed to partially resolve the problem with access to American components.
Russian military receives ammunition from Hornady
In April 2026, Russian “military correspondents” reported that snipers in the Russian Armed Forces had begun receiving ammunition for ORSIS rifles from the Russian Ministry of Defense. What makes these rounds unique is that they consist of American Peterson cartridge cases and American Hornady bullets. In other words, a Russian factory is effectively using foreign components to produce ammunition for its own army.
Reports of Hornady cartridges being supplied to the Russian military have surfaced before. Specifically, such reports appeared in January 2026. However, the question remains as to exactly how these American components are making their way to Russia and who is facilitating their supply. Journalists emphasize that a significant portion of these shipments took place after the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. This means that despite sanctions and export restrictions, the Russian defense industry continues to gain access to Western components for the production of weapons and ammunition. This is reported by The Insider.
