PP-19-01 Vityaz

The PP-19 Vityaz submachine gun, also designated PP-19-01 "Vityaz-SN", was developed in 2004 by the Russian small arms manufacturer Izhmash, which later became part of Kalashnikov Concern. The design of the firearm is directly derived from the earlier PP-19 Bizon submachine gun. The name "Vityaz" translates from Russian as "brave warrior" or "knight."

The firearm utilizes a straight blowback, closed-bolt operating system with selective-fire capability. Built with high parts commonality to the AK-74, it lacks a gas system. The bolt carrier resembles the AK design but omits the rotary bolt and piston rod, instead utilizing a weighted bolt that extends into the original gas tube. It retains an AK-style return spring, guide rod, and trigger mechanism. The safety lever is located on the right side of the receiver, offering safe, fully automatic, and semi-automatic settings. The receiver features a left-folding shoulder stock derived from the AKS-74 and a pistol grip constructed from fiberglass-reinforced polyamide 6. For optics and accessories, the weapon is equipped with either a receiver-top Picatinny rail or a side-mounted dove-tail rail, alongside standard iron sights, while the handguard provides mounting points for lights, lasers, and grips. The muzzle brake features three ports on each side to protect the muzzle and manage muzzle rise. It feeds from detachable box magazines that can be coupled using a specialized fastening device.

Adopted by the Russian Interior Ministry in 2005, the weapon entered active service in 2008. It is utilized by Russian domestic agencies, including the Federal Security Service, the Federal Guard Service, and various Spetsnaz units. Internationally, the firearm is used by the National Guard of Kazakhstan, the Syrian Army, the Namibian Marines, and police forces in Uruguay. Variants include the original Vityaz with a side rail, the Vityaz-SN with a railed dust cover, and the civilian-market Saiga-9 semi-automatic carbine. In the United States, Kalashnikov USA manufactures the KP-9 and KR-9 clones. The PPK-20 variant, which entered serial production after completing state trials in 2020, introduces an AK-19 telescopic stock, ambidextrous controls, an M-LOK handguard, and a lighter design. This modernized variant is mass-produced for export and domestic security, and has been integrated into the survival kits of Russian Aerospace Forces pilots.