The ShAK-12, (Russian: ШАК-12) originally under the name ASh-12.7 (АШ-12.7, which stands for "Автомат штурмовой 12.7мм" or "automatic assault carbine 12.7mm") battle rifle is a dedicated CQB/Urban Operations weapon, developed by TsKIB SOO ("Central Design and Research Bureau of Sporting and Hunting Arms"),[2] a subsidiary of the KBP Instrument Design Bureau of Tula, Russia, by request from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).

[citation needed] The ShAK-12 is a dedicated "Close/Urban combat" weapon for high-risk law enforcement operations, which must combine high stopping power with limited penetration and a short 'dangerous range', to avoid collateral damage to innocent bystanders or hostages.

[3] Standard loading for the ShAK-12 is a lightweight, subsonic ammunition with an aluminium core, exposed at the front and hollowed at the rear and partially enclosed into a bi-metal jacket.

It utilizes a short recoil operating system, which means that after it fires the round the barrel slides backwards with the bolt for a short distance, utilizing the recoil of the cartridge, while the bolt keeps traveling backwards fully to eject the spent shell casing without redirecting gasses.

[citation needed] The Russian Federal Security Service has adopted the ShAK-12 in small numbers, with other designs such as the Dragunov sniper rifle and Heckler & Koch MR308 remaining more common.