These appear to be protesters. A pellet rifle might be all they can get. Though today they were parading 67 captured police through one encampment so may have picked up a few more "real" guns. This is like in the Baltic states where freedom fighters had mainly just the .22 match rifles they were allowed in those easy fire arms owning (by Soviet standards) countries. I note that today there is news of Ukrainian Police using snipers and shooting protesters in larger numbers than in weeks past. I suspect if the pictured protester/sniper were viewed through a PSO series scope on an SVD by security forces he would be among those numbered among this weeks 70 plus dead.
I heard reports of youths in Czech and Hungarian uprisings in the old Soviet days using break action springers to harass Soviet troops. One report being they were used to encourage armored vehicle crews to button up.
Now rc can tell you what a buttoned up tank in a city is to a light weapons Infantryman with any preparation and even a little training.......think Shake and Bake ( and I helped)
Or break a window pane so your buddy can throw something in.
Or take out some yappy guard dog.
In a wild and wooly scenario like that, you can be free to use your imagination. There could be any number of reasons to use a pellet gun to distract or hinder your oponent and remain hidden.
I've read several reports where governments have used air guns during civil unrest. One report mentioned that shooters were instructed to shoot for the genitalia. That would keep me home.
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