An American veteran fighting in Ukraine said soldiers in his unit prefer to use Soviet-era rifles over modern ones because it's easier to find ammunition, including by taking it from the Russians.
Jonathan Poquette is currently serving as a sniper in Ukraine, and he said that his unit prefers AK-74 rifles, which are chambered for 5.45×39mm rounds.
"The reason why our unit in particular preferred the AK-74 platforms is because that weapon system is plentiful for the Ukrainians and Russians."
He said that when you go to a Ukrainian position, they are more likely to have that type of bullet available as many Ukrainians fight with that rifle. Ukraine, once a part of the Soviet Union, fights with a lot of Soviet-era weaponry that has long been in the country.
There are, of course, other ways to get the necessary rifle ammo as well, Poquette said, noting that "if you go and you attack a Russian position and you need to resupply, the Russians are usually going to have 5.45."
The Kalashnikov AK-74 was first designed in the 1970s, and an updated version, the AK-74M, was first adopted by the Russian army in 1991.
Per the weapon's manufacturer, the latter is still widely used across the Russian military as a standard service rifle.
Apparently they're pretty rugged, too!