370 separate special forces detachment. Roman Alekhine airborne troops history of the Russian landing. commanded a separate detachment of Special Forces
Special forces in Afghanistan
"Muslim Battalion" begins to operate
On July 5, 1979, a group of state security officers from the special reservists KUOS (Officer Advanced Courses) with special reconnaissance and sabotage training was sent to Kabul. At the head of the group, called “Zenith,” was the head of the KUOS, Colonel G.I. Boyarinov. In the same month, a battalion from the 345th separate parachute regiment was transferred from Fergana to Bagram, according to an official agreement between Moscow and Kabul. According to legend, the paratroopers were supposed to be engaged in the reconstruction and protection of the Afghan air base. At the end of September, a group of senior officers of the airborne troops, headed by Deputy Commander of the Airborne Forces, Lieutenant General N.N., flew to Afghanistan under the guise of civilian specialists. Guskov.
In early November 1979, at Amin’s request to strengthen his security by Soviet military personnel, a “Muslim battalion” - the 154th separate GRU special forces detachment - arrived in Kabul. It was formed in the summer of 1979 in the 15th separate special forces brigade of the Turkestan Military District under the leadership of senior GRU officer Lieutenant Colonel V.V. Kolesnik. The battalion's personnel numbered 538 people; it was armed with military equipment: 50 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, several self-propelled anti-aircraft guns - ZSU-23-4 "Shilka", rocket infantry flamethrowers "Lynx", etc. The detachment consisted of four companies. It also included separate communications platoons, Shilka self-propelled guns, automobile and software platoons. The special forces had never had such weapons and such personnel before. Those who served in the detachment, including officers, were exclusively indigenous residents of Central Asia - Uzbeks, Turkmen and Tajiks. Almost all of them spoke Farsi, one of the main languages in Afghanistan. They were given Afghan Army uniforms because they were supposed to be guarding the Afghan leader Taraki, dressed in Afghan Army uniforms (before he was overthrown and killed by Amin in September 1979). The detachment was commanded by Major Kh.T. Khalabayev, an experienced officer, an Uzbek by nationality, who served in the 15th brigade as deputy commander of one of the special forces units for airborne training. In order to lead the battalion, he was specially recalled from the Shot officer course.
As the most trained, the GRU special forces and the KGB groups “Zenit” and “Grom” were given the task of storming Amin’s palace in Kabul. Just before the operation they were reinforced with two airborne companies. They were opposed by three motorized infantry and one tank battalion of the Afghan security brigade, numbering about 2.5 thousand people. The balance of forces was 1:4 in favor of Amin's guard.
The operation began at 19:30 on the signal “Storm-333”, transmitted by radio, with an explosion at the central telegraph office, which destroyed all cable lines, including international ones, leaving Kabul without communications. The main centers of hostilities were Amin's palace, the complex of general headquarters buildings, radio and television buildings in Kabul, the headquarters of the army corps, the prison in Puli-Charkhi, and the anti-aircraft and aviation garrisons in Bagram.
The operation to seize Amin's palace was led by KGB Colonel G.I. Boyarinov. Subordinate to him were the special groups "Zenit" and "Thunder" with a total number of 52 people, the 9th company of paratroopers, the "Muslim battalion" of Major Kh.T. Halabaeva. The Soviet units were opposed by 4 battalions of the palace guard and Amin’s personal guard - about 1.5 thousand Mujahideen. During the storming of the palace, 12 people died, among them “Zenit” G.I. Boyarinov and B. Suvorov, four paratroopers and six special forces from the “Muslim battalion”, 38 people were injured. The operation, by the standards of professionals, was carried out unique - fleeting, daring, clearly planned, without the involvement of a large amount of manpower and military equipment.
According to the future commander of the “Muslim Battalion” (1984–1986), Alexei Dementyev, “the main burden of conducting the battle during the storming of the palace fell on the shoulders of the soldiers and officers of the 154th separate special forces detachment. Yes, KGB officers acted as part of the detachment, but their role was to coordinate the actions of the detachment’s units, the need to arrest President Amin, members of his family and associates.”
On January 2, the “Muslim battalion” was withdrawn to Tashkent. But not for long. After being re-equipped, he was again sent to Afghanistan in the same 1980.
Participation in hostilities
At the initial stage of hostilities, reconnaissance units of the Airborne Forces were part of the 40th Soviet Army from the special forces. However, experience showed that they, like the army as a whole, were not ready for an anti-partisan war, and in the fall of 1980 the special forces of the 40th Army began to be strengthened. One of the main tasks was the search and destruction of Dushman caravans that delivered weapons and military equipment from neighboring states. Various combat units were used for this purpose, but the main role was given to the GRU special forces.
Back in December 1979, in Chirchik (Uzbekistan), the 469th separate special purpose company was formed. She arrived in Afghanistan in February 1980. Until the spring of 1984, the company conducted combat operations alone, from time to time it was involved in carrying out individual tasks. The company was in Kabul until August 15, 1988.
At the end of 1981, the 154th (1st battalion, former “Muslim”) and 177th (2nd battalion) separate special forces units were transferred to the northern provinces of Afghanistan. For camouflage purposes, they were called “separate motorized rifle battalions” - the 1st and 2nd. The 154th detachment was stationed in the city of Akcha in northern Afghanistan, and in August 1982 it was transferred to the city of Aibak in the neighboring province of Samangan. His first commander in Afghanistan was Major I.Yu. Stoderevskikh. The 177th detachment was formed in February 1980 from reconnaissance officers of the Chuchkovsky 16th Special Forces Brigade (MVO) and the Kapchagai 22nd Brigade (SAVO), commander - Lieutenant Colonel B.T. Kerimbaev. The detachment crossed the border in September 1981, and a week later entered battle.
By the beginning of 1985, new units were introduced into Afghanistan - the 173, 688, 334, 370 and 186th separate special forces units (OO SpN), who arrived from Ukraine, from the Belarusian, Moscow and Carpathian military districts. One detachment - the 411th special forces unit - was formed on the spot, in Farah. The total number of detachments was more than 4 thousand people; They were armed with 96BMP-2, 256 BTR-70/80, 32ZSU-23-4 Shilka, etc. Then the staff, structure and armament of the units were changed; heavy weapons were taken from them. Until 1984, the detachments were primarily engaged in the protection of pipelines and mountain passes, which, although an important task, did not correspond to their combat mission. But when the Mujahideen began to receive regular and increasing assistance from Iran and Pakistan, the Soviet command decided to more actively use special forces in Afghanistan.
The detachments were consolidated into two brigades - the 15th and 22nd special forces, with headquarters in Jalalabad and Lashkar Gah. The brigade included four battalion detachments. Each had a strength of up to 500 people, in total there were about 4,000 fighters in both brigades. At army headquarters, the general management of the special forces was carried out by the Ekran operational group.
The main tasks of the special forces were:
exploration and additional exploration;
destruction of Mujahideen formations and caravans;
opening and destruction of bases and warehouses;
capture of prisoners;
conducting helicopter reconnaissance of caravan routes and inspection of caravans;
mining caravan routes and installing reconnaissance and signaling equipment on them;
identifying areas where Mujahideen are concentrated, weapons and ammunition depots, caravan camp sites and targeting them with aircraft (with subsequent verification of the results of air strikes).
The combat capabilities of special forces are evidenced by the fact that about 80 thousand ordinary soldiers were required to complete the tasks of blocking the border, which were handled by special forces brigades.
In the publication “Afghanistan. Intelligence War" regarding the actions of special forces in Afghanistan, the following is said:
“The available data on the 186th detachment (part of the 22nd separate brigade of the SPN. - Author's note) allow us to evaluate its combat work: by the end of 1985, in a little more than 200 days, its fighters completed 202 combat missions and 45 security flights. The predominant actions of reconnaissance groups (200 exits) in ambushes, and only twice were the forces of the entire detachment involved in raids on Dushman bases. There were 36 successful ambushes (18%), in which 370 dushmans, 34 vehicles and a lot of ammunition were destroyed, 15 prisoners and 98 weapons were taken. Losses amounted to 12 killed, including two officers."
And further: “The most combat-ready special forces units in the entire 40th Army received the latest equipment and weapons, including special ones - communications, surveillance and alarms, silent shooting and explosive equipment. They were equipped and supplied better than others, albeit with allowance for the well-known sluggishness of the rear services. Until the very end of the war, the army never received modern mountain equipment and appropriate uniforms; camouflage equipment and heavy body armor left much to be desired. The few experimental samples of workwear, overalls, capes and equipment remained isolated. There were especially many complaints about medical supplies, unsuitable shoes and low-calorie food rations, which forced them to improve their supplies from trophies, buy and make their own the most necessary items of equipment - backpacks, unloading vests, pouches and satchels. Battalion commander Major I.V. Solonik characterized the equipment as follows: “Basically, all soldiers and officers altered their equipment and uniforms, as it restricted movement and was inconvenient. No one wore army boots to ambushes. In the mountains it was inconvenient and heavy, and from its tracks the enemy could easily determine the location of the ambush.” In the 177th (OO Special Forces of the 15th Special Forces Brigade. - Author's note), the personnel “dropped off” money in order to order 200–300 sets of necessary ammunition at home in a sewing cooperative with vacationers. In the destroyed caravans, boots, the same “bras,” camouflage, sleeping bags, and especially high-quality medicines, painkillers, blood substitutes, disposable syringes, tourniquets and splints were in great demand.”
In the second half of the Afghan war, “typical equipment for 3–4 days of independent work was determined as follows: 2–3 sets of ammunition for personal weapons, 4 hand grenades, one RPG-18 grenade for two, two 200-g TNT bombs, 5 smoke bombs and 5 signal rocket cartridges, 4 mines for an 82-mm mortar (if you took one with you) or a drum with tape for the AGS-17, a supply of food for 3-5 days, 2-3 flasks of water or tea, a raincoat and a blanket. In winter and in the mountains, warm clothes, pea coats and sleeping bags were added. Massive AGS-17, mortars and machine guns were disassembled into “lifting” parts of 15–20 kg. The fighter’s overall equipment weighed, at best and in the “summer” version, 35–40 kg, and the bare essentials.” Let us note that the image of a mighty two-meter-tall paratrooper, so dear to the filmmaker’s heart, is nothing more than an artistic fantasy: combat with such a load was carried out by people of ordinary build, but “special forces” trained.
The detachments worked in small groups of 7–10 people, who moved in armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles or Ural vehicles along caravan routes. They acted autonomously, relying only on their own strength. “Special forces groups were sent to check intelligence, seize weapons and prisoners, detect camps, caravans, warehouses and gangs, installed reconnaissance and signal equipment and mined paths...”
Later, the number of fighters in groups and their tactics changed. “The group preparing to leave consisted of 10 to 25 people and, in addition to the obligatory sniper, grenade launcher and signalman, could include grenade launchers from the AGS-17, an artillery spotter and an aircraft controller, miners and flamethrowers from chemical troops units. The group was divided into capture, fire and cover units, the actions of which were coordinated and practiced in advance, specifying the balance of forces and mutual support on the spot. The basis was troikas, seniority in which was assigned not always by rank, but by experience. And a young officer could easily fall under the command of a knowledgeable sergeant.”
The former commander of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade D.M. talks about how the special forces units operated. Gerasimov:
“The first combat exit took place somewhere at the end of April 1985. The combat group was headed by deputy brigade commander Mikhail Petrovich Masalitin. According to information received, in the area north of Girishk there was a school for training grenade launchers. The battle turned out to be fierce. While crossing the ditch, an infantry fighting vehicle was hit (though it was pulled out), and there were several wounded. But we inflicted significant damage on the enemy, destroying, according to human intelligence, about 30 dushmans, the school actually ceased to exist.
Then we learned to fight normally. It was most difficult for those who came to the brigade from other units. Since it was formed in a hurry, it was necessary to take both motorized riflemen and representatives of other military specialties. Naturally, they did not have the skills to operate as part of special forces groups and were not psychologically prepared for the fact that several people were thrown 100 kilometers from their place of deployment, surrounded by foreign territory, enemies, and they had to fight with them. But we gradually got used to it, especially since we planned all the military operations very carefully. Before any exit, the groups made mock-ups of the area, on which they played out possible episodes, worked out options for action together with helicopter pilots and other attached units. We studied the reconnaissance experience of motorized rifle units.
The dushmans also conducted reconnaissance against us; they even knew the range of our helicopters, which at that time was 120 kilometers from the airfield. By order of the commander of the 40th Army Air Force at that time, additional tanks were removed from the Mi-8, since they increased the likelihood of being hit by helicopters. But then the Mi-8 was replaced by the Mi-8MT with an enlarged tank, where a polyurethane filler was provided, and fuel no longer spilled out through the hole. These helicopters were more powerful, had an improved system against MANPADS and could fly over distances of up to 180 km. The Dushmans knew this well too.
In order to confuse the Dushman leaders, the commander of the 6th battalion, Ivan Mikhailovich Krot, and I decided to send a reinforced armored group with tankers to the desert at a distance of 120 km from their permanent location. The helicopters took off from the airfield, landed on a prepared site, refueled their tanks, and from there even went out to the Pakistani or Iranian border zone. This way we managed to achieve very serious results: we destroyed four ammunition depots in open areas. At least according to reports, these warehouses burned for half a month. By order of Hekmatyar (the head of the armed Afghan opposition - author's note), who was in Pakistan at that time, 6 people were shot, whom he considered guilty of such large losses.
I remember another episode when we took 14 tons of raw opium. When the inspection team flew out to inspect the desert, they saw that a convoy was coming. The helicopters made an approach, and the cars began to drive away in different directions. The helicopter pilots stopped them with fire, landed and disembarked inspection teams. It turned out that all 8 cars were loaded to capacity with raw opium. They were taken to the unit, and when the “find” was reported to the chief of staff of the 40th Army, Major General Sergeev, he did not believe it. He sent an An-24 plane (by that time we had already built a dirt runway), took samples and took them to Kabul. They checked it, and indeed it turned out to be raw opium, and of very high quality. But they didn’t know what to do with it: the Soviet Union did not have factories for processing it for useful purposes. We were ordered to destroy the drug. We took it to the shore of Helmand, covered it with stingrays, doused it with gasoline and set it on fire. Part of the unburned mass had to be pushed into the river with a tractor.
One day, the inspection team of the 6th battalion seized two bags of money. As it turned out later, there were more than 2 million Afghanis, which were intended for settlements with dushmans. They brought the bags to the unit and counted the money in the presence of the head of the special department, Lieutenant Colonel Pyotr Oleksenko. Then they were transferred to a field bank in Kandahar.
There are many episodes of hostilities that can be cited. By that time, I had my own agents even on the territory of Pakistan, in particular, one Baloch, whom we were allowed to be financially interested in, worked very successfully for us. The condition was this: he rents out five caravans to us and takes the best car from the last one for himself. Everything in it becomes his property, with the exception of weapons and ammunition. And he took a very careful approach to the formation and escort of this last “convoy” from the territory of Pakistan. Once, when the caravan was leaving, I even helped in detaining it. Many other agents also worked due to financial interests.
The operation carried out by the 3rd Special Forces Battalion in the area of the Arghandab Reservoir, where the American military adviser Thornson, who was part of a large caravan from Pakistani territory, was killed was very effective. We found him following a trail of blood: he crawled about four hundred meters, trying to hide in the low rye. He was found to have detailed notes, including a description of the route they took. As it turned out later, they entered Kandahar, rising from south to north. They came from the north, ascended to the south, and then descended to Kandahar. After this we were able to completely block the route.
The brigade was successful in capturing the first captured Stinger. The command paid a lot of attention to this task and promised to award the title of Hero of the Soviet Union to the one who would do this. The inspection team led by the deputy commander of the 7th detachment, Major Sergeev, completed the task. True, he received a much more modest award - the Order of the Red Star.
As events unfolded, the brigade not only conducted reconnaissance and search operations, but also participated in large-scale combat operations. In particular, the 3rd battalion, together with the 70th motorized rifle brigade, took a powerful fortified area in the mountains. The operation was led by the chief of staff of the Turkestan Military District, Lieutenant General Gusev. There were huge caches of weapons in natural caves. 1,100 rockets alone were removed from there. On the third day, the dushmans began active hostilities, shelled the area, so they had to call in an engineering company, which mined and blew up everything there. The base was on fire for almost a month. The damage to the dushmans was enormous."
Special forces were no longer used as fighters in conventional rifle units. Moreover, during the raid on the fortified area near Asadabad in March 1986, when the special forces suffered serious losses (8 dead, 2 missing and about 20 wounded), one of the reasons was recognized as the incorrect use of the special forces sent to storm the fortified area. For this operation, the commander of the 15th Special Forces Brigade was removed from his post, and such operations are prohibited.
At the end of 1985, each of the special forces brigades was assigned a separate helicopter squadron, which made it possible to solve many problems of interaction between pilots and saboteurs. Previously, special forces were significantly hampered by different subordination and pilots’ ignorance of the specifics of sabotage work. The squadrons were equipped with modern Mi-8MT and Mi-24 helicopters of the “B” (machine gun) and “P” (cannon) modifications. And soon an order was received to use only powerful helicopters with guns in the arsenal of the squadrons working with special forces. Helicopters were used to carry out ambushes. Usually two Mi-8 helicopters went on missions, so that if one of them malfunctioned, the second helicopter could take people out. The flights were carried out at a minimum altitude, with maneuvers and false landings. Moreover, even the pilots did not always notice when the scouts left the car. From the air, helicopters with paratroopers provided cover for powerfully armed Mi-24s. During serious battles, bomb support aircraft were also called in if necessary. Helicopters were widely used for reconnaissance and interception.
Soon they began to be used when inspecting caravans. “Having discovered a caravan or car, they were stopped by warning fire from the air. Having flown around and looked around, the crew landed the helicopter nearby (the instructions specified a minimum distance of 800–1000 and no closer than 3000 m from the villages), where some of the landing scouts took up a position, holding the caravan at gunpoint and preparing to cover the inspection team moving towards the target. The helicopter was ordered to be immediately lifted into the air, kept nearby in readiness. The situation, as a rule, was determined immediately: if the caravanners tried to run away or shots were fired, their fate was decided by landing fire and an air strike. Packs with cargo and car bodies were checked with probes and mine detectors and, having found something forbidden, they were taken on board a helicopter or burned and blown up on the spot along with the cars. The pack transport and those who offered resistance were immediately destroyed.
In practice, the points of the instructions were not followed canonically, only outlining the safety framework. People with weapons or those trying to escape were definitely recognized as the enemy. In this case, the matter was resolved even without landing, for which all “special forces” Mi-8s were ordered to be equipped, in addition to machine guns, with a pair of missile pods. The landing was carried out closer than indicated, at 200–300 m, so that the rush to the caravan of a group hung with weapons would tire the fighters less. If the behavior of the caravan leaders did not inspire suspicion, the helicopter on the ground waited for their return, but without turning off the engines.”
The new method has proven its effectiveness. Thus, in the 186th detachment in 1986, the number of such searches quadrupled, to 168. The following year, 238 of them were carried out.
Among the unfulfilled tasks was an order to capture alive at least one foreign military adviser.
The 22nd Brigade was withdrawn from Afghanistan in August 1988. Units of the 15th Brigade were the last to reach the Soviet-Afghan border, on February 15, 1989, in the rearguard of the 40th Army. After returning, the 15th brigade was withdrawn to its previous location in the city of Chirchik.
Formations, units and units lost more than 800 people in Afghanistan, 11 people were missing.
“The only Soviet troops that fought successfully were the special forces,” this is how the Americans assessed the combat activities of our special forces in Afghanistan.
Special Forces in Afghanistan
A separate special forces detachment included:
squad management;
special forces company, BMP-2, four groups;
special forces company, BTR-70/80, four groups;
mining company (in 1984–1985 – mining group);
support company, two platoons;
communication group;
anti-aircraft artillery group.
Staffing structure of the special forces group
It included a group commander (captain) and three squads.
1st department:
squad leader - sergeant,
senior reconnaissance machine gunner - corporal,
scout - private;
reconnaissance orderly - private;
reconnaissance sniper - private;
senior driver (BTR) / senior driver mechanic (BMP) - corporal.
2nd department:
squad leader - sergeant;
reconnaissance machine gunner - private;
scout - private;
reconnaissance orderly - private;
3rd department:
squad leader - sergeant;
senior reconnaissance machine gunner - corporal;
reconnaissance machine gunner - private;
scout - private;
reconnaissance orderly - private;
driver (armored personnel carrier) / driver mechanic (infantry fighting vehicle) - private.
Summary table of special forces losses
Places and times of deployment of special forces (1981–1989)
Directorate of the 15th separate special forces brigade (1st separate motorized rifle brigade - “Jalalabad”)
Location: Jalalabad, Nangarhar province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: March 1985 – May 1988.
Directorate of the 22nd separate special forces brigade (2nd separate motorized rifle brigade - “Kandahar”)
154th separate special forces detachment (“Jalalabad”) (1st separate motorized rifle battalion)
In pursuance of General Staff Directive No. 314/2/0061 of April 26, 1979, Commander Turkvo No. 21/00755 of May 4, 1979 included a separate special forces detachment of 538 people in the staff of the 15th Special Forces Regiment. Directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces No. 4/372-NSh of October 21, 1981 - 154th Special Forces. An annual holiday was determined - April 26 by General Staff Directive No. 314/2/0061.
Time spent in Afghanistan: November 1979 – May 1988.
Locations: Bagram-Kabul, Akcha-Aybak, Jalalabad, Nangarhar province.
Commanders:
Major Kholbaev Kh. T.;
Major Kostenko;
Major Stoderevsky I.Yu. (10.1981–10.1983);
Major Oleksenko V.I. (10.1983–02.1984);
Major Portnyagin V.P. (02.1984–10.1984);
captain, major Dementiev A.M. (10.1984–08.1984);
captain Abzalimov R.K. (08.1985–10.1986);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel Giluch V.P. (10.1986–11.1987);
Major Vorobiev V.F. (11.1987–05.1988).
Squad structure:
detachment headquarters;
1st special forces company on BMP-1 (6 groups);
2nd special purpose company on BTR-60pb (6 groups);
3rd special purpose company on BTR-60pb (6 groups);
The 4th heavy weapons company consisted of an AGS-17 platoon, an RPO “Lynx” platoon, and an engineer platoon;
communications platoon;
platoon of ZSU "Shilka" (4 "Shilka");
automobile platoon;
logistics platoon.
177th separate special forces detachment (“Ghazni”) (2nd separate motorized rifle battalion)
Formed in February 1980 from the troops of the North Caucasian Military District and the Moscow Military District in the city of Kapchagay.
Location: Ghazni, since May 1988 - Kabul.
Time spent in Afghanistan: September 1981 – February 1989.
Commanders:
captain, major Kerimbaev B.T. (10.1981–10.1983);
Lieutenant Colonel V.V. Kvachkov (10.1983–02.1984);
Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Gryaznov (02.1984–05.1984);
captain Kastykpaev B.M. (05.1984–11.1984);
Major Yudaev V.V. (11.1984–07.1985);
Major Popovich A.M. (07.1985–10.1986);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel Blazhko A.A. (10.1986–02.1989) .
173rd separate special forces detachment (3rd separate motorized rifle battalion - “Kandahar”)
Location: Kandahar.
Time spent in Afghanistan: February 1984 – August 1986.
Commanders:
Major Rudykh G.L. (02.1984–08.1984);
captain Syulgin A.V. (08.1984–11.1984);
captain, major Mursalov T.Ya. (11.1984–03.1986);
Captain, Major Bokhan S.K. (03.1986–06.1987);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Goratenkov (06.1987–06.1988);
captain Breslavsky S.V. (06.1988–08.1988).
The structure of the detachment in March 1980:
squad management;
separate communication group;
anti-aircraft artillery group (four Shilkas);
1st reconnaissance company on BMP-1 (9 BMP-1 and 1 BRM-1K);
2nd reconnaissance company on BMP-1 (9 BMP-1 and 1 BRM-1K);
3rd reconnaissance and landing company on BMD-1 (10 BMD-1);
4th company AGS-17 (three fire platoons of three sections - 18 AGS-17, 10 BTR-70);
5th special weapons company (RPO “Lynx” flamethrower group, mining group on BTR-70);
6th company – transport.
Each of the combat (1st–3rd) companies, in addition to the commander, political officer, deputy for technical affairs, senior mechanic, BRM gunner-operator, foreman and clerk, included three special forces groups.
The group consisted of three squads, each of which consisted of a squad commander, a senior reconnaissance officer, a driver, a gunner-operator, a sniper, a reconnaissance corpsman and two machine gunners.
668th separate special forces detachment (4th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Barakinsky”)
The detachment was formed on August 21, 1984 in Kirovograd on the basis of the 9th Special Forces Brigade. On September 15, 1984, he was transferred to the subordination of Turkvo and introduced into Afghanistan in the present day. p. Kalagulai. In March 1985, he became part of the 15th Special Forces Brigade in the village of Sufla. The battle flag was presented on March 28, 1987. Released to the USSR on February 6, 1989.
Location: Sufla, Baraki district, Logar province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: February 1985 – February 1989.
Commanders:
Lieutenant Colonel Yurin I.S. (09.1984–08.1985);
Lieutenant Colonel Ryzhik M.I. (08.1985–11.1985);
Major Reznik E.A. (11.1985–08.1986);
Major Udovichenko V.M. (08.1986–04.1987);
Major Korchagin A.V. (04.1987–06.1988);
Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Goratenkov (06.1988–02.1989).
334th separate special forces detachment (5th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Asadabad”)
The detachment was formed from December 25, 1984 to January 8, 1985 in Maryina Gorka from the troops of the BVO, DVO, Lenvo, Prikvo, Savo; transferred to Turkvo on January 13, 1985. On March 11, 1985, it was transferred to the 40th Army.
Location: Asadabad, Kunar province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: February 1985 – May 1988.
Squad leaders:
Major Terentyev V.Ya. (03.1985–05.1985);
captain, major Bykov G.V. (05.1985–05.1987);
Lieutenant Colonel Klochkov A.B. (05.1987–11.1987);
Lieutenant Colonel Giluch V.P. (11.1987–05.1988).
370th separate special forces detachment (6th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Lashkarevsky”)
Location: Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: February 1984 – August 1988.
Squad leaders:
Major Krot I.M. (03.1985–08.1986);
captain Fomin A.M. (08.1986–05.1987);
Major Eremeev V.V. (05.1987–08.1988).
186th separate special forces detachment (7th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Shahjoysky”)
Location: Shahjoy, Zabol province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: April 1985 – May 1988.
Squad leaders:
Lieutenant Colonel Fedorov K.K. (04.1985–05.1985);
captain, major Likhidchenko A.I. (05.1985–03.1986);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel Nechitailo A.I. (03.1986–04.1988);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel Borisov A.E. (04.1988–05.1988).
411th separate special forces detachment (8th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Farakh”)
Location: Farah, Farah province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: December 1985 – August 1988.
Commanders:
captain Fomin A.G. (10.1985–08.1986);
Major Krot I.M. (08.1986–12.1986);
Major Yurchenko A.E. (12.1986–04.1987);
Major Khudyakov A.N. (04.1987–08.1988).
459th separate special forces company (“Kabul company”)
Stationed in Kabul.
Formed in December 1979 on the basis of a special forces training regiment in the city of Chirchik. Introduced into Afghanistan in February 1980.
During the hostilities, the company's personnel took part in more than six hundred combat missions.
Withdrew from Afghanistan in August 1988.
Biographies of Heroes of the Soviet Union - participants in the war in Afghanistan
ARSENOV Valery Viktorovich
Private, senior reconnaissance-grenade launcher of the 173rd separate special forces detachment, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on June 24, 1966 in the regional center of the Donetsk region of Ukraine, the city of Donetsk, in a working-class family.
From fourth to eighth grade he studied at a boarding school.
From 1982 to 1985 he studied at the Donetsk Construction Vocational School. After graduation, he worked as a metalwork assembler at one of the factories in Donetsk.
Since October 1985 in the ranks of the Soviet Army. He served as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan. Participated in 15 combat missions.
On February 28, 1986, while participating in a battle with superior enemy forces 80 kilometers east of Kandahar, the senior reconnaissance grenade launcher, being seriously wounded, continued to fire. At the critical moment of the battle, the brave warrior, at the cost of his life, shielded the company commander from enemy bullets and saved his life. He died from his wounds on the battlefield.
GOROSHKO Yaroslav Pavlovich
Captain, company commander of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on October 4, 1957 in the village of Borshchevka, Lanovets district, Ternopil region of Ukraine, in a working-class family.
In 1974 he graduated from 10th grade and worked at an electrical repair plant.
Since 1976 - in the Soviet Army.
In 1981 he graduated from the Khmelnytsky Higher Military Artillery Command School.
From September 1981 to November 1983, he served in Afghanistan as commander of a mortar platoon and air assault company.
After returning to the USSR, he served in one of the special forces formations.
In 1986, at his personal request, he was sent to Afghanistan.
On October 31, 1987, a group under his command left to help the group of Senior Lieutenant O.P. Onishchuk. As a result of the battle, 18 Mujahideen were killed. Scouts from the group Goroshko Ya.P. picked up the bodies of the dead scouts from O.P. Onishchuk’s group. and under enemy fire they were carried to the evacuation site.
In 1988 he became a student at the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze, and after graduation he continued to serve as deputy commander of the 8th separate special forces brigade, stationed in the city of Izyaslav, Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine.
After the collapse of the USSR since 1992, Y.P. Goroshko stood at the origins of the creation of military intelligence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 1464th special forces regiment of the Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet.
June 8, 1994 Major Ya.P. Goroshko died while testing new technology (drowned in the Dnieper).
ISLAMOV Yuri Verikovich
Junior sergeant, soldier of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on April 5, 1968 in the village of Arslanbob, Bazar-Korgon district, Osh region of Kyrgyzstan, in the family of a forester.
After graduating from primary school, he moved to the city of Talitsa, Sverdlovsk region, where in 1985 he graduated from 10th grade.
In 1986, he graduated from the 1st year of the Sverdlovsk Forestry Engineering Institute and took a course in the parachute section.
Since October 1986 in the Soviet Army.
Since May 1987, he served as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan as a squad commander in one of the special forces units.
On October 31, 1987, the group he was part of entered into battle with superior enemy forces near the village of Duri in Zabol province, near the border with Pakistan. He volunteered to cover the retreat of his comrades. During the battle he was wounded twice. Despite this, he continued to fight until the last bullet. He entered into hand-to-hand combat with the enemy and blew himself up along with six Mujahideen.
KOLESNIK Vasily Vasilievich
Major General, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on December 13, 1935 in the village of Slavyanskaya (now the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban) of the Slavyansk region of the Krasnodar Territory in a family of employees - a chief agronomist and a teacher (taught Russian language and literature). My father studied rice farming in China and Korea for more than five years. Fluent in Chinese and Korean. In 1934, after finishing his studies abroad, he began making the first checks for rice cultivation in the Kuban.
In 1939, my father was sent to work in Ukraine, in the Mirgorod district of the Poltava region, so that he could organize the cultivation of rice. Here the family was caught up in the war. Father and mother went to the partisan detachment, leaving four children in the arms of their grandparents.
On November 6, 1941, having come to the village to visit the children, the parents and another partisan were betrayed by a traitor and fell into the hands of the Germans. The next day they were shot in front of their children. Four children were left in the care of their grandparents. The family survived during the occupation thanks to the grandmother, who was knowledgeable in traditional medicine and treated the village residents. People paid for her services in products.
In 1943, when the Mirgorod region was liberated, Vasily’s two sisters were taken in by their mother’s middle sister, and little Vasya and his brother were taken by the youngest. My sister's husband was the deputy head of the Armavir Flight School. In 1944 he was transferred to Maykop.
In 1945 he entered the Krasnodar Suvorov Military School (Maykop), and graduated from the Caucasus Suvorov Military School in 1953 (transferred to the city of Ordzhonikidze in 1947).
In 1956, after graduating from the Caucasian Red Banner Suvorov Officer School, he linked his fate with the special forces. He served as commander of the 1st (reconnaissance) platoon of the 92nd separate special forces company of the 25th Army (Far Eastern Military District), company commander of the 27th separate special forces battalion in Poland (Northern Group of Forces).
In 1966, after graduating from the Academy. M.V. Frunze, successively held the positions of chief of intelligence of the brigade, head of the operational intelligence department and chief of staff of the brigade (Far Eastern Military District, Turkestan Military District).
Since 1975, he was commander of a special forces brigade, and subsequently served in the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces.
With the introduction of a limited contingent of Soviet troops into Afghanistan in 1979, it was in the combat area. On December 27, 1979, a battalion of more than 500 people, formed and trained by him according to a special program, took direct part in the assault on Amin’s palace. Despite the fivefold numerical superiority of the palace security brigade, the battalion under the command of V.V. Kolesnika captured the palace in just 15 minutes. For the preparation and exemplary execution of a special task - Operation Storm-333 - and the courage and bravery shown by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 28, 1980, he, one of the first “Afghans”, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, “For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR” 3rd degree, medals, as well as the Order of the Red Banner and two medals of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He had 349 parachute jumps to his credit.
In 1982 he graduated from the Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR. Under the leadership of V.V. Kolesnik consistently and purposefully improved the organizational structure and combat training system of military units and special forces formations.
While in the reserve, until the last days of his life he was the chairman of the Council of Special Forces Veterans. He took an active part in the patriotic education of Suvorov students of the newly created North Caucasus Suvorov Military School in the city of Vladikavkaz.
KUZNETSOV Nikolay Anatolievich
Guard lieutenant, serviceman of the 15th separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on June 29, 1962 in the village of 1st Piterka, Morshansky district, Tambov region. After the death of their parents, my four-year-old sister and I were left to be raised by our grandmother.
In 1976 he entered the Leningrad Suvorov Military School.
In 1979 he graduated from college with a diploma of commendation.
In 1983 he graduated from the Higher Combined Arms Command School named after. Kirov with a gold medal.
After graduating from college, Lieutenant N. Kuznetsov was sent to the airborne division in the city of Pskov as commander of a special forces group. He repeatedly asked to be sent to a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan.
In 1984 he was sent to Afghanistan.
On April 23, 1985, the platoon of Lieutenant Kuznetsov N.A. received the task - as part of a company, to scout out the location and destroy a gang of Mujahideen settled in one of the villages of Kunar province.
In the course of carrying out the assigned task, Lieutenant Kuznetsov's platoon was cut off from the main forces of the company. A fight ensued. Having ordered the platoon to make its way to its own, Lieutenant Kuznetsov N.A. Together with the rear patrol, he remained to ensure the withdrawal. Left alone with the dushmans, Lieutenant Kuznetsov N.A. fought to the last bullet. With the last, sixth grenade, letting the dushmans get closer, Lieutenant N.A. Kuznetsov blew them up along with himself.
MIROLYUBOV Yuri Nikolaevich
Private, BMP-70 driver of the 667th separate special forces detachment of the 15th separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union
Born on May 8, 1967 in the village of Ryadovichi, Shablykinsky district, Oryol region, into a peasant family.
In 1984, he graduated from high school in the village of Chistopolsky, Saratov region, and worked as a driver at the Krasnoye Znamya state farm in the Krasnopartisan district.
In the Soviet Army since the fall of 1985. He served as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan. He took part in many military operations; was wounded in one of the battles, but remained in service, successfully completing the combat mission.
During the execution of combat missions, he destroyed ten Mujahideen.
In one of the battles, risking his life, he carried the wounded chief of staff of one of the special forces units out from under enemy fire.
In one of the combat exits, he bypassed the enemy caravan and thereby cut off the escape route. During the ensuing battle, he replaced the wounded machine gunner and suppressed the resistance of the Mujahideen with fire.
In 1987 he was demobilized. He worked as a driver on a state farm. Lived in the village of Chistopolsky, Krasnopartisan district, Saratov region.
ONISCHUK Oleg Petrovich
Senior lieutenant, deputy company commander of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on August 12, 1961 in the village of Putrintsy, Izyaslavsky district, Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine, in a working-class family.
Graduated from 10th grade.
Since 1978 - in the Soviet Army.
In 1982 he graduated from the Kiev Higher Combined Arms Command School named after M.V. Frunze.
Since April 1987 - in Afghanistan.
“Deputy company commander, candidate member of the CPSU, senior lieutenant Oleg Onishchuk, leading a reconnaissance group, successfully completing tasks to provide international assistance to the Republic of Afghanistan, showing courage and heroism, died a heroic death in battle on October 31, 1987 near the village of Duri in the province of Zabol, near the border with Pakistan..." is the official description of the cause of his death.
Everything in life was more complicated. Oleg Onishchuk’s group sat in ambush for several days, waiting for a caravan. Finally, late in the evening of October 30, 1987, three cars appeared. The driver was the first to be eliminated by the group commander from a distance of 700 meters, the other two cars disappeared. The escort and cover group for the caravan, which tried to recapture the car, was scattered with the help of two Mi-24 helicopters that arrived. At half past five in the morning on October 31, in violation of the command’s order, Oleg Onishchuk decided to inspect the truck on his own, without waiting for the arrival of helicopters with an inspection team. At six in the morning, he and part of the group went out to the truck and were attacked by more than two hundred Mujahideen. According to the testimony of the special forces survivors in that battle, the “inspection” group died within fifteen minutes. It is impossible to fight in open areas against an anti-aircraft gun and a heavy machine gun (located in the village of Dari). According to the hero’s colleagues, in that situation early in the morning the group had to take the fight, even if Onishchenko had not begun inspecting the truck. More than two thousand Mujahideen were stationed in this area. Although the losses would have been significantly less. Their colleagues place the main blame for the death of the special forces soldiers on the command. By six in the morning an armored group was supposed to arrive and helicopters were supposed to fly in. The convoy with equipment did not arrive at all, and the helicopters arrived only at 6:45 am.
On May 5, 1988, Oleg Onishchenko was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously).
Special forces formations and military units (1955–1991)
By 1991, the special forces of the USSR Armed Forces included:
fourteen separate special-purpose brigades (Special Forces brigade), two separate training regiments, separate detachments (Special Forces, corresponding to a battalion in other branches of the military) and Special Forces companies of the ground forces;
one separate special-purpose brigade (former SpN) and four naval reconnaissance points (MRP) of the Navy.
2nd separate special forces brigade of the Leningrad Military District (2nd brigade of the Leningrad Military District)
The brigade was formed from September 17, 1962 to March 1, 1963 in the Leningrad Military District. The brigade was of a shortened nature. Stationed in the city of Pskov.
Unit commanders:
Colonel A.N. Grishakov (1962–1966);
Colonel I.V. Krekhovsky (1966–1974);
Colonel O.M. Zharov (1974–1975);
Colonel Yu.Ya. Golousenko (1975–1979);
Colonel V.A. Nail (1979–1987);
Colonel A.I. Bezruchko (1987–1989);
Colonel A.A. Blazhko (since November 1997);
Colonel G.K. Sidorov (1989–1997);
Colonel A.A. Blazhko (since November 1997).
In February 1985, servicemen of the 2nd Special Forces brigade were sent to staff special forces units and the headquarters of the 186th separate special forces detachment (186th oo Special Forces), which was preparing to be sent to Afghanistan.
In 1985–1989, the 177th Special Forces Unit, formed in the 2nd Special Forces Regiment, as part of the 15 Special Forces Regiment, took part in combat operations in Afghanistan. Dislocation – Ghazni. For the courage and valor shown in the performance of military duty in the Republic of Afghanistan, the 177th Special Forces Special Forces was awarded the Honorary Badge of the Komsomol Central Committee “Military Valor” and the Honorary Red Banner of the PDPA.
In 1989, the 2nd Special Forces Regiment included the 15th Special Forces Regiment, withdrawn from Afghanistan, from Afghanistan. Stationed in the Murmansk region.
3rd Guards Warsaw-Berlin Red Banner Order of Suvorov 3rd degree special purpose brigade Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (after its liquidation - Volga-Ural Military District) (3rd Guards Special Forces Regiment GSVG - 3rd Guards Special Forces Regiment PrUrVO)
The brigade was formed in 1966 in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSVG).
The formation was formed on the basis of the 26th about Special Forces (26th separate special forces battalion) with the participation of personnel from the 27th about Special Forces of the Northern Group of Forces, the 48th and 166th orb (separate reconnaissance battalions) of the GSVG. The brigade began to be formed by Guard Lieutenant Colonel R.P. Mosolov.
Unit commanders:
Guard Colonel A.N. Grishakov (1966–1971);
Guard Colonel N.M. Yatchenko (1971–1975);
Guard Colonel O.M. Zharov (1975–1978);
Guard Colonel V.I. Bolshakov (1978–1983);
Guard Colonel Yu.T. Starov (1983–1986);
Guard Colonel V.A. Manchenko (1986–1988);
Guard Colonel A.S. Ilyin (1988–1992);
Guard Colonel A.A. Chernetsky (1992–1995);
Guard Colonel V.A. Kozlov (since September 1995).
Connection Rewards:
Order of the Red Banner;
Order of Suvorov, 3rd degree.
4th separate special forces brigade of the Baltic Military District (4th brigade of the Special Forces of the PribVO)
The brigade was formed in 1962 in the Baltic Military District (BMD). Initially stationed in Riga, then in the city of Viljandi, Estonian SSR.
Unit commanders:
Colonel A.S. Zhizhin (1962–1968);
Colonel N.M. Yatchenko (1968–1971);
Colonel N.V. Boryakov (1971–1975);
Colonel V.N. Tyukhov (1975–1984);
Colonel A.Yu. Zavyalov (1984–1987);
Colonel P.A. Davidyuk (1987–1992).
In February 1985, servicemen of the 4th Special Forces brigade were sent to staff special forces units and the headquarters of the 186th separate special forces detachment (186th oo Special Forces), which was preparing to be sent to Afghanistan.
In the early nineties, the brigade was transferred to Russian territory.
In October 1992, the 4th Special Forces Brigade was disbanded.
5th separate special forces brigade of the Belarusian Military District (5th brigade of the Special Forces of the BVO)
The brigade was formed in 1962 in the Belarusian Military District (BVO). Stationed in n. Maryina Gorka village, Belarusian SSR.
Unit commanders:
Colonel I.I. Kovalevsky (1962–1966);
Colonel I.A. Kovalenko (1966–1968);
Colonel G.P. Yevtushenko (1969–1972);
Colonel V.A. Kartashov (1973–1976);
Colonel E.A. Faleev (1976–1979);
ladle G.A. Kolb (1979–1982);
Colonel E.M. Ivanov (1982–1984);
Colonel Yu.A. Sapalov (1984–1987);
Colonel D.M. Gerasimov (1987–1988);
Colonel V.V. Bearded Man (1988–1991).
In 1985, on the basis of the 5th Special Forces brigade, the 334th separate special forces detachment (334th OO Special Forces) was formed. At the end of March 1985, the detachment was sent to Afghanistan, where it organizationally became part of the 15th Special Forces Brigade and was stationed in Asadabad.
In 1988, the 334th special forces unit was withdrawn to the Soviet Union and returned to the 5th special forces regiment.
In the early nineties of the last century, the 5th Special Forces Brigade became part of the Armed Forces of Belarus.
6th Marine Reconnaissance Point of the Black Sea Fleet (6th MRI Black Sea Fleet)
Created in June 1953 on the Black Sea. Acquisition was completed in October 1953.
MCI commanders:
Captain 1st Rank Yakovlev E.V. (1953–1956);
captain 1st rank Alekseev A.A (1957–1968).
In 1968, the 6th MCI of the Black Sea Fleet was transformed into the 17th Brigade of the Special Forces of the Black Sea Fleet.
8th separate special forces brigade of the Carpathian Military District (8th brigade of the Special Forces of the PrikVO)
Unit commanders:
Colonel P.S. Average;
Colonel P.P. Belyatko;
Colonel E.S. Ivanov;
Colonel G.G. Lukyanets;
Colonel A.N. Kovalev;
Colonel L.L. Polyakov;
Colonel A.P. Davydyuk;
Colonel A.P. Predchuk;
Colonel A.G. Shelikh.
In the period from January 22 to September 6, 1968, the brigade personnel took part in Operation Danube (the entry of troops of the Warsaw Pact countries (USSR, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany and Poland) into Czechoslovakia in 1968).
In February 1985, on the basis of the brigade, the 186th separate special forces detachment (186th special forces unit) was formed to participate in combat operations in Afghanistan. Three servicemen of the detachment were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 84 soldiers and officers were awarded orders and medals.
Stationed in Izyaslavl.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it became part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was reduced to a regiment.
9th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Kyiv Military District (9th Special Forces Brigade KVO)
In 1963, the Battle Banner was awarded.
Unit commanders:
Lieutenant Colonel E.S. Egorov (1962–1966);
Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Pavlov (1966–1968);
Colonel V.I. Arkhireev (1968–1971);
Colonel A.M. Grishakov (1971–1976);
Colonel A.A. Zabolotny (1976–1981);
Colonel A.F. Chmutin (1981–1986);
Colonel Yu.A. Voronov (1988–1994).
Stationed in Kirovograd.
In 1984, a separate special forces detachment was formed and sent to Afghanistan.
Squad leaders:
Lieutenant Colonel I.S. Yurin (September 1984 – April 1985);
Lieutenant Colonel M.I. Ryzhik (April 1985 – June 1986);
Major E.A. Reznik (June 1986 – December 1986);
Major V.N. Udovichenko (December 1986 – October 1987);
Major A.I. Korchagin (October 1987 – June 1988);
Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Garatenkov (June 1988 - February 1989).
In March 1996, the 9th Special Forces Brigade was renamed the 50th Special Training Center of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine.
10th separate special forces brigade of the Odessa Military District (10th brigade of the Special Forces of the OdVO)
Formed in October 1962.
According to the order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 005 dated April 23, 1963, the day of the unit was set as October 4, 1962.
Two of its detachments were located in the city of Feodosia, and the remaining units and the brigade headquarters were located near the village of Pervomaiskoye.
Unit commanders:
Colonel A.M. Popov (1963–1965);
Colonel N.Ya. Kochetkov (1965–1971);
Lieutenant Colonel V.P. Tishkevich (1971–1973);
Lieutenant Colonel N.I. Eremenko (1973–1978);
Colonel Yu.T. Starov (1978–1983);
Colonel A.S. Ilyin (1983–1988);
Colonel Yu.M. Rendell (1988–1992).
On October 11, 1991, the brigade became part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In June 1998, it was reorganized into the 1st separate special forces regiment.
12th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Transcaucasian Military District (12th Special Forces Brigade of the Transcaucasian Military District)
The brigade was formed in 1962 in the Transcaucasian Military District.
Stationed in Lagodekhi, Georgian SSR.
Unit commanders:
Colonel I.I. Helever;
Colonel N.E. Makarkin;
Colonel V.Ya. Yarosh;
Colonel A.I. Fisyuk;
Lieutenant Colonel V.G. Miroshnikov;
Colonel A.V. Novoselov;
Colonel M.P. Masalitin;
Colonel I.B. Murskov;
Colonel V.V. Eremeev.
In January 1984, on the basis of the 12th Special Forces brigade, the 173rd separate special forces detachment (173rd Special Forces oo) was formed. It had a staffing structure similar to the 154th special forces unit (“Muslim battalion”). Before being sent to Afghanistan, the detachment was supplemented with officers from the brigade.
In February 1984, the 173rd special forces unit was introduced into Afghanistan, where it became part of the 22nd special forces formation.
In 1988–1991, three battalions of the 12th Special Forces Brigade participated in the restoration of constitutional order in Georgia (Tbilisi), Azerbaijan (Zakatala), and in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia.
14th separate special forces brigade of the Far Eastern Military District (14th brigade of the Special Forces Far Eastern Military District)
The brigade was formed in 1963 in the Far Eastern Military District. She was stationed in the city of Ussuriysk, Primorsky Territory.
Unit commanders:
Colonel P.N. Rymin (1963–1970);
Colonel A.A. Drozdov (1970–1973);
Colonel N.A. Demchenko (1973–1975);
Colonel A.M. Baglay (1975–1978);
Colonel V.F. Grishmanovsky (1978–1980);
Colonel V.A. Onatsky (1980–1987);
Colonel Y.A. Kurys (1987–1992);
Colonel A.I. Likhidchenko (1992–1997);
Colonel A.M. Rumyankov (1997–1999);
Major General S.P. Degtyarev (since 1999).
Connection Rewards:
Commemorative Banner of the CPSU Central Committee (1967);
Honorary Badge of the Council of Ministers of the USSR (1972);
Challenge Red Banner of the Far Eastern Branch (1975).
In the period 1979–1989, over 200 servicemen from the brigade took part in combat operations in Afghanistan as part of separate special forces units. During the Afghan War, 12 officers, 36 sergeants and privates from the 14th Special Forces Regiment were killed.
In 1988, a group of brigade soldiers was sent to Alaska, where joint exercises took place with their American colleagues.
15th separate special forces brigade of the Turkestan Military District (15th brigade of the Special Forces of TurkVO)
The brigade was formed in 1963 in the Turkestan Military District.
It was stationed in the city of Chirchik, Uzbek SSR.
Unit commanders:
Colonel N.N. Lutsev (1963–1967);
Colonel R.P. Mosolov (1968–1975);
Colonel V.V. Kolesnik (1975–1977);
Colonel A.A. Ovcharov (1977–1980);
Colonel A.M. Stekolnikov (1980–1984);
Colonel V.M. Babushkin (1984–1986);
Colonel Yu.T. Starov (1986–1990);
Colonel V.V. Kvachkov (1990–1994);
Colonel S.K. Zolotarev (1994).
The brigade and its units were repeatedly awarded the pennants of the USSR Ministry of Defense “For courage and military valor”, the honorary badge of the Komsomol Central Committee “Military valor”, the honorary Banners of the union republics and the Red Banner of the DRA government.
In the sixties and seventies of the last century, brigade personnel were involved in carrying out tasks in emergency zones.
1966 - earthquake in Tashkent. A natural disaster occurred in the early morning of April 26, 1966. Over two million square meters were destroyed. m of living space, 236 administrative buildings, about 700 retail and public catering facilities, 26 public utilities, 181 educational institutions, including schools with 8 thousand places, 36 cultural institutions, 185 medical and 245 industrial buildings. More than 78 thousand families, or over 300 thousand people, were left homeless. Eight deaths were reported and about 150 people were hospitalized. Participation of brigade soldiers: clearing debris, fighting looters, maintaining public order.
1970 – cholera epidemic in the Astrakhan region. Then the infection affected one percent of the region's population. Military personnel of the brigade participated in quarantine measures - preventing attempts of unauthorized exit and entry into territories where this disease was rampant.
In September - October 1971, the 2nd separate detachment of the 15th Special Forces Brigade carried out a particularly important government task in the epicenter of the black smallpox epidemic in the city of Aralsk, Kazakh SSR.
In May - June 1979, on the basis of the 15th Special Forces Brigade, the “Muslim Battalion” was formed - a special forces detachment of the GRU General Staff. The detachment consisted of control, headquarters and four companies (total strength - 520 people).
In December 1979, the Muslim Battalion was introduced into Afghanistan, where it took part in Operation Storm 333 to overthrow the Amin regime.
In January 1980, the “Muslim Battalion” was withdrawn back to TurkVO. It was included in the 15th Special Forces Brigade as the 154th separate special forces detachment (154th oo Special Forces). But soon the detachment was supplemented with personnel and reintroduced to Afghanistan, where it controlled the entrance to the Panjshir Gorge in the area of the village of Rukha and guarded the pipeline.
In 1984, the 154th special forces unit was transferred to the city of Jalalabad and began performing special tasks in its area of responsibility.
In 1985, the headquarters of the 15th Special Forces Brigade was relocated to Afghanistan. Organizationally, the brigade included the 177th, 334th and 668th Special Forces.
In August 1988, the brigade headquarters was transferred to the territory of the Soviet Union. The 177th and 668th special forces units were transferred to Kabul, where they remained until the final withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The 154th special forces unit remained in the brigade.
For the courage and bravery shown in the Afghan war, more than four thousand servicemen of the brigade were awarded orders and medals. Colonel V. Kolesnik, Sergeant Yu. Mirolyubov and Lieutenant N. Kuznetsov (posthumously) became Heroes of the Soviet Union.
In 1994, the brigade, as well as the 459th special forces unit (a separate special forces detachment was formed on its basis) and a special forces training regiment, which trained personnel for the warring units during the Afghan war, became part of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan.
16th separate special forces brigade of the Moscow Military District (16th brigade of the Special Forces of the Moscow Military District)
The brigade was formed in 1963 in the Moscow Military District. Stationed in n. Chuchkovo village, Moscow region.
Unit commanders:
Colonel A.V. Shipka (1963–1967);
Colonel G.Ya. Fadeev (1967–1971);
Colonel E.F. Chuprakov (1971–1973);
Colonel S.M. Tarasov (1973–1980);
Colonel A.A. Ovcharov (1980–1985);
Colonel A.A. Nedelko (1985–1989);
Colonel A.M. Dementyev (1989–1991);
Colonel E.V. Tishin (1992–1993);
Colonel V.L. Korunov (1993);
Colonel A.G. Fomin (1993–1997).
Connection Rewards:
Certificate of honor from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (1972);
Challenge Red Banner of the Moscow Military District (1984).
In the summer of 1972, units of the 16th Special Forces Brigade participated in eliminating severe forest fires in the Moscow, Vladimir, Ryazan and Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod) regions of the RSFSR.
In December 1984, on the basis of the brigade, the 370th separate special forces detachment (370th OO Special Forces) was formed. In March 1985, the detachment was introduced into Afghanistan, where it organizationally became part of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade. In August 1988, the 370th Special Forces was withdrawn to the Soviet Union and returned to the 16th Special Forces.
17th separate special forces brigade of the Black Sea Fleet (17th brigade of the Black Sea Fleet Special Forces)
Military unit 34391 was formed from September to October 1953 in Sevastopol on the basis of the 6th maritime reconnaissance point of the Black Sea Fleet (6th MRP of the Black Sea Fleet).
In March 1961, the unit was redeployed to the Nikolaev region city of Ochakovo (Pervomaisky Island).
In August 1968, it was reorganized into the 17th Special Forces Brigade of the General Staff of the Navy.
Unit commanders:
Captain 1st Rank Alekseev I.A. (1968–1972);
captain 2nd rank Popov B.A. (1973–1974);
Captain 1st Rank V.I. Kryzhanovsky (1974–1977);
Captain 1st Rank Kochetygov V.S. (1977–1983);
Captain 1st Rank Larin V.S. (1983–1988);
Captain 1st Rank Karpenko A.L. (1988–1998).
In January 1990, the 17th Special Forces Brigade was reorganized into the 1464th Special Forces MCI.
In April 1992, it became part of the Ukrainian Navy.
During its existence as part of the USSR Navy, military personnel of the formation participated in special missions:
Mediterranean Sea - 1967–1990;
Cuba - 1975;
Arab Republic of Egypt - 1975;
Novorossiysk (“Admiral Nakhimov”) - 1986;
Tbilisi - 1991;
Poti - 1992.
22nd Guards Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Transcaucasian Military District (22nd Guards Special Forces Brigade ZakVO) - 22nd Guards Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Central Asian Military District (22nd Guards Special Forces Brigade SAVO)
The brigade was formed in 1976 in the Central Asian Military District (SAVO). Stationed in the city of Kapchagai, Kazakh SSR.
Unit commanders:
Colonel I.K. Frost (1976–1979);
Colonel S.I. Gruzdev (1979–1983);
Colonel D.M. Gerasimov (1983–1987);
Lieutenant Colonel Yu.A. Sapalov (1987–1988);
Colonel A.T. Gordeev (1988–1994).
Colonel S.V. Breslavsky (1994–1995);
Colonel A.M. Popovich (1995–1997).
Connection Rewards:
Challenge Banner of the Military Council of the KSAVO (1980);
pennant of the USSR Ministry of Defense “For courage and military valor” (1987).
In January 1980, on the basis of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade, the 177th Separate Special Forces Detachment (177th oo Special Forces) was formed. During the formation, the same principle was used as during the formation of the “Muslim Battalion”. In October 1981, the detachment was introduced into the DRA. Until 1984, the 177th Special Forces Unit guarded the entrance to the Panjshir gorge in the area of the village. n. Rukha, and then organizationally became part of the 15th Special Forces Brigade.
In 1985, the headquarters of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade was introduced into Afghanistan. Organizationally, the brigade included three separate special forces detachments: 173, 186, 370th Special Forces. The brigade's area of responsibility became the south of Afghanistan. It was a hot destination not only in geographical terms. The most trained and irreconcilable detachments of the Mujahideen fought here.
The brigade's management exercised direct control over the Special Forces detachments, organized the supply of all types of food, interaction with assigned aviation, fire support equipment and between detachments in zones of combat activity. Individual Special Forces detachments were the main combat units that were part of the Special Forces brigades, in which all combat and political training of intelligence officers was carried out and reconnaissance and combat work was organized.
At the end of 1985, on the basis of the 5th motorized rifle division stationed in Shindand, the 411th special forces unit was formed. The place of his deployment was the city of Farahrud. Captain A.G. was appointed to the position of detachment commander. Fomin, who was previously the chief of staff of the 186th special forces unit.
At the beginning of 1987, the brigade was assigned the 295th separate helicopter squadron. Thus, for the first time, special forces had their own aviation.
The detachments of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, called in Afghanistan in all governing documents for the purpose of maintaining secrecy the 2nd separate motorized rifle brigade (2nd Omsbr), acted very effectively. They captured and destroyed weapons and ammunition delivered along caravan routes, and destroyed the base areas of the Mujahideen, equipped with the help of foreign advisers according to all the rules of fortification. Detachments of the 22nd Brigade captured and destroyed a number of advisers from France, Germany and the United States. They were the first to capture the American Stinger MANPADS, secretly supplied by the Americans to the Mujahideen. In addition to the MANPADS itself, all the technical documentation for it was captured, as well as a contract that confirmed the direct participation of the Americans in these deliveries.
For the courage and heroism shown by the servicemen of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade on the territory of the Republic of Afghanistan, 3,196 people were awarded state awards, of which four were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
In August 1988, the 22nd Special Forces brigade was transferred to the territory of the Soviet Union to the village of Perepeshkul (Azerbaijan). It included the 173rd and 411th separate special forces units. The 370th separate Special Forces detachment returned to Chuchkovo (Moscow Military District), and the 186th separate Special Forces detachment returned to Izyaslavl.
In 1988–1989, units of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade were involved in carrying out tasks to maintain constitutional order in the city of Baku (173rd Special Forces Brigade), as well as North Ossetia (Alania) and Ingushetia.
In the period from April to June 1990 and from May to July 1991, the 173rd special forces unit took part in resolving the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Groups of the detachment, operating on the territory of Armenia in the area of the settlements of Nayamberyan and Shavar Shavan, destroyed 19 hail-breaking guns that were shelling the settlements of Azerbaijan.
After the collapse of the USSR in 1992, the brigade was transferred to the North Caucasus Military District.
Government awards of the USSR were awarded to 3,762 people, including four who became Heroes of the Soviet Union - private Arsenov Valery Viktorovich (posthumously), junior sergeant Islamov Yurik Verikovich (posthumously), senior lieutenant Onishchuk Oleg Petrovich (posthumously) and captain Goroshko Yaroslav Pavlovich.
24th separate special forces brigade of the Trans-Baikal Military District (24th brigade of the Special Forces of the ZabVO)
The brigade was formed in 1977 on the basis of the 18th separate special forces company in the Trans-Baikal Military District.
Unit commanders:
Colonel E.M. Ivanov (1977–1982);
Colonel G.A. Kolb (1982–1986);
Colonel V.I. Kuzmin (1986–1990);
Colonel A.M. Boyko (1990–1992);
Colonel V.I. Rogov (1992–1994);
Colonel P.S. Lipiev (1994–1997);
Colonel A.A. Platonov (1997–1999);
Colonel A.I. Zhukov (since 1999).
In the period 1979–1989, servicemen of the 24th Special Forces Brigade took part in combat operations in Afghanistan as part of separate special forces units.
In the late eighties and early nineties of the last century, the brigade’s personnel performed special tasks in the “hot spots” of the Soviet Union.
Among the personnel of the brigade, 121 people were awarded the Orders of the Red Banner, Red Star, “For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR”, “Courage” and “For Military Merit”. 163 servicemen of the 24th Special Forces brigade were nominated for award with medals “For Military Merit”, “For Courage” and “For Merit to the Fatherland” of the 2nd degree.
26th separate special forces battalion of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (26th Special Forces GSVG)
Formed in 1957 in the GSVG (Group of Soviet Forces in Germany).
Commander - Lieutenant Colonel R.P. Mosolov
27th separate special forces battalion of the Northern Group of Forces (27th Special Forces Special Forces SVG)
Formed in 1957 in the Northern Group of Forces (Poland).
Commander - Lieutenant Colonel Pashkov M.P.
36th separate special forces battalion of the Carpathian Military District (36th about Special Forces PrikVO)
Formed in 1957 in the Carpathian Military District.
The commander is Lieutenant Colonel Shapovalov.
42nd maritime reconnaissance point of the Pacific Fleet (42nd MCI Pacific Fleet)
In 1995, a group of special forces carried out combat missions as part of the Pacific Fleet Marine Regiment in the Chechen Republic. The special forces lost five comrades in that war. Posthumously, four of them were awarded orders, and warrant officer Dneprovsky A.V. posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
MCI commanders:
captain 1st rank Kovalenko P.P. (1955–1959);
Captain 1st Rank Guryanov V.N. (1959–1961);
Captain 1st Rank Konnov V.I. (1961–1966);
captain 1st rank Klimenko V.N. (1966–1972);
captain 1st rank Minkin Yu.A. (1972–1976);
Captain 1st Rank Zharkov A.V. (1976–1981);
Captain 1st Rank Yakovlev Yu.M. (1981–1983);
Lieutenant Colonel Evsyukov V.I. (1983–1988);
Captain 1st Rank Omsharuk V.V. (1988–1995);
Lieutenant Colonel Gritsai V.G. (1995–1997);
Captain 1st Rank Kurochkin S.V. (1997–2000)
43rd separate special forces battalion of the Transcaucasian Military District (43rd Special Forces Division of the Transcaucasian Military District)
Formed in 1957 in the Transcaucasian Military District.
Commander - Colonel Geleverya I.I.
45th separate reconnaissance regiment of the Airborne Forces (45th special forces regiment of the Airborne Forces) - operational subordination of the General Staff of the Airborne Forces
The regiment was formed on the basis of two separate airborne battalions:
– 901st separate air assault battalion (locations: 1979 – Czechoslovakia, 1989 – Latvia (Baltic Military District), 1991 – Sukhumi (Transcaucasian Military District). Later – as part of the 7th Guards Airborne Division (North Caucasus Military District);
– 218th separate airborne special forces battalion (June – August 1992 – Transnistria, September – November 1992 – North Ossetia, December 1992 – Abkhazia).
From December 12, 1994 to January 25, 1995, the regiment took part in hostilities in Chechnya (the settlements of Dolinsky, Oktyabrsky, Grozny, Argun). 15 servicemen were killed, 27 were wounded.
The regiment commander is Colonel Viktor Dmitrievich Kolygin.
61st separate special forces battalion of the Turkestan Military District (61st about Special Forces TurkVO)
Formed in 1957.
67th separate special forces brigade of the Siberian Military District (67th brigade of the Special Forces of the Siberian Military District)
The brigade was formed in 1984 on the basis of the 791st separate special forces company. It was stationed on the territory of the Siberian Military District.
Unit commanders:
Lieutenant Colonel L.V. Agaponov (1984–1990);
Colonel A.G. Tarasovsky (1990–1992);
Colonel L.L. Polyakov (1992–1999);
Colonel Yu.A. Mokrov (since 1999).
137th naval reconnaissance point of the Red Banner Caspian Flotilla (137th MCI KKF)
Formed in 1969 by Directive of the General Staff of the Navy No. 701–2/2/0012ss with a strength of 47 people.
Until 1992, the military unit, in addition to conducting intensive combat training, tested new underwater propulsion vehicles and provided training for special contingents of friendly countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
On June 1, 1992, the military unit was redeployed to the village of Vladimirovka, Priozersky district, Leningrad region.
In September 1997, the military unit was redeployed to the Black Sea Fleet.
On May 31, 1995, the commander of the 137th MRP SNP group, senior lieutenant Sergei Anatolyevich Stabetsky, died in Chechnya. Posthumously awarded the Order of Courage.
MCI commanders:
captain 1st rank Pashits V.G. (1969–1982);
Captain 1st Rank Kantsedal V.P. (1982–1986);
captain 1st rank Nefedov A.A. (1986–1997);
captain 2nd rank Khristichenko I.A. (1997–2000);
Colonel Maksimov A.N. (2000–2004).
154th separate special forces detachment of the Turkestan Military District (154th Special Forces Special Forces TurkVO) (“Muslim battalion”)
Formed on the basis of the 15th separate special forces brigade in April - May 1979.
Its staff included military equipment, and the total number of soldiers and officers was five hundred and twenty people. There were neither such weapons nor such personnel in the special forces before. In addition to management and headquarters, the detachment consisted of four companies. The first company was armed with the BMP-1, the second and third - the BTR-60pb. The fourth company was an weapons company, which consisted of an AGS-17 platoon, a platoon of Lynx rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers, and a platoon of sappers. The detachment also included separate platoons: communications, Shilka self-propelled gun, automobile and material support. Each company had a translator, a cadet from the Military Institute of Foreign Languages, sent for an internship.
The entire personnel of the “Muslim Battalion” in Moscow received Afghan Army uniforms, and also prepared standard legalization documents in the Afghan language. At the same time, the servicemen did not have to change their names, because all of them were representatives of three nationalities: Uzbeks, Tajiks and Turkmens.
The first special forces unit introduced into Afghanistan in November 1979. He took part in Operation Storm-333. Troop losses: 5 killed and 35 wounded. On January 2, 1980, it was withdrawn to the USSR.
That same year, the detachment was replenished with officers and equipment and reintroduced to Afghanistan.
173rd separate special forces detachment of the Transcaucasian Military District (173rd Special Forces Special Forces ZakVO)
Initially, the 173rd separate special forces detachment was stationed in Georgia, in the city of Lagodekhi. The goals and objectives of the newly created unit also explain its somewhat unusual staffing structure. At that time, the detachment consisted of a control and headquarters, a separate communications group and an anti-aircraft artillery group, as well as six companies.
The first and second were considered reconnaissance, and the third - reconnaissance and landing. Each of these companies included three special forces groups. The fourth company - automatic grenade launchers - consisted of three fire platoons, the fifth company - from a flamethrower group and a mining group, the sixth company was a transport one. In addition to conventional small arms, the detachment was armed with the Shilka ZSU, AGS-17, and RPO Lynx. The scouts moved on BMP-1, BRM-1 and BMD-1.
On the night of April 13-14, 1984, a reconnaissance group under the command of Lieutenant Kozlov, dressed in Afghan national clothes, conducted an ambush on the rebel caravan route in the area of marker 1.379 and destroyed four Simurg vehicles and 47 “spirits”, and also captured one vehicle and a large number of weapons and ammunition. Among the special forces' loot were valuable documents. Having fought for five hours surrounded by an enemy superior in numbers, the group completed the mission without losses. For a long time, this result was something of a record in the 40th Army.
In May 1984, the detachment was reorganized. The position of translator was introduced in the companies. The 4th and 5th companies were disbanded, and weapons groups were formed from their personnel in the first three. The first company moved to the BMP-2, and the second and third - to the BTR-70. The mining group became separate.
In 1985, an engineer platoon was added to the detachment’s staff and the 4th company was deployed on the basis of it and the mining group.
In the spring of 1985, with the introduction of two separate special forces detachments and the headquarters of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade into Afghanistan, the 173rd detachment became part of this brigade.
In April 1986, the detachment used a new method of fighting rebel caravans. A reconnaissance group led by Lieutenant Beskrovny established an observation post at a dominant height with a mark of 2.014. Having discovered the movement of a Mujahideen convoy at night, the scouts directed fire support helicopters at it, and after their attack, the detachment’s armored groups quickly entered the area, blocking the enemy. So, in fact, without risk to the lives of soldiers and officers, 6 Simurg vehicles and a large amount of weapons and ammunition were captured. This method was successfully used several times in the future.
In 1988, the detachment ensured the withdrawal of units from the “South” zone of responsibility, being in the rearguard, and was the last to leave Afghanistan, in August.
186th separate special forces detachment of the Carpathian Military District (186th OO Special Forces PrikVO)
It was formed in the winter of 1985 in the city of Izyaslav PrikVO on the basis of the 8th separate special forces brigade. Officers and soldiers from the 10th, 2nd and 4th separate special forces brigades were recruited to staff the detachment.
In April 1985, the detachment entered Afghanistan and arrived in Sharjah on its own through Puli-Khumri, Salang, Kabul, and Ghazni.
On June 22, 1988, the detachment became part of the 8th separate special forces brigade of the Carpathian Military District.
304th Marine Reconnaissance Point of the Northern Fleet (304th MCI Northern Fleet)
It began to be formed on November 26, 1957 by directive of the General Staff of the Navy No. OMU/1/30409ss with a strength of 122 people.
MCI commander: Lieutenant Colonel E.M. Belyak
In April 1960, due to the reduction of the Armed Forces of the USSR, the 304th MCI Northern Fleet was disbanded.
334th separate special forces detachment (334th OO Special Forces)
It was formed on the basis of the 5th Special Forces Brigade in the village of Maryina Gorka (BSSR). The first commander of the detachment was Major Terentyev.
At the end of March 1985, he was introduced into Afghanistan and replenished the 15th Special Forces. The city of Asadabad became its location. Due to the fact that the Kunar province was located in the highlands and almost all caravan routes passed through a kind of chain of fortified areas of the Mujahideen, the detachment used tactics unique to it. Under the leadership of Captain G. Bykov, who led the detachment in 1985, the fighters worked out the tactics of assault operations and surprise raids on fortified areas and their individual elements.
In 1988, the detachment was withdrawn to the Union and again became part of the 5th Special Forces Brigade.
370th separate special forces detachment (370th OO Special Forces)
It was formed in 1980 on the basis of the 16th separate special forces brigade of the Moscow Military District in Chuchkovo, Ryazan region for entry into Afghanistan.
From the fall of 1984 to 1988, he fought in Afghanistan. The 370th special forces unit was part of the 22nd separate special forces brigade and was stationed in the city of Lashkar Gah (Helmand province).
The detachment's area of responsibility is the Registan and Dashti-Margo deserts.
During this period, 47 officers, warrant officers, sergeants and soldiers died in the detachment.
In 1988, the detachment was expelled from the brigade and returned to the 16th separate special forces brigade.
By August 15, 1988, the detachment was withdrawn to the territory of the USSR and became part of the 16th separate special forces brigade of the Moscow Military District.
420th Marine Reconnaissance Point of the Northern Fleet (420th MCI Northern Fleet)
Formed in 1983.
The main task of this unit is the destruction of coastal acoustic stations, which were components of the American SOSUS system. The latter was intended to track the movement of Soviet submarines in the World Ocean. The system was a network of electrical cables that covered the bottom of the Norwegian Sea and recorded the location of each submarine in one or another square of this gigantic network. The system provided the Americans with information about all the movements of Soviet submarines in the area and made it possible to launch a preventive nuclear strike on them during a threatened period even before the departure of the American convoy.
In 1985, the formation of the 420th MCI of the Northern Fleet began. The staff was approved - a total of 185 military personnel. When recruiting the unit, preference was given to residents of the Murmansk region and military personnel of the Northern Fleet (including the Marine Corps and Naval Aviation), because they were already adapted to service in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. So, in summer the water temperature does not rise above +6 degrees, and in winter, due to increased salinity, it did not freeze even at -2.
The MRP included two combat detachments - reconnaissance divers and radio and electronic reconnaissance (RRTR). According to the state, each detachment had three groups, but in reality there was only one. Subsequently, the staff of the point was changed and numbered about three hundred people.
The 1st detachment worked against BGAS. The 2nd detachment operated against NATO aircraft, which were based at airfields in Northern Norway. The object of the RRTR detachment was also a long-range radar warning post, also located in Northern Norway.
MCI commanders:
captain 1st rank Zakharov G.I (1983–1986).
Captain 1st Rank Nokai P.D. (1986–1990).
Captain 1st Rank Chemakin S.M. (1990–1996)
441st separate special forces detachment (411th OO Special Forces)
It was formed as part of the 22nd separate special forces brigade in the city of Shindand.
The officers and soldiers who comprised it had combat experience.
All positions of commanders of companies, groups, and sections were filled by people from the detachments of the 22nd separate brigade of the Special Forces operating in Afghanistan at that time. All other positions were filled by officers, warrant officers and personnel from units of the 5th Guards Motorized Rifle Division stationed in Shindand.
In the last days of December 1985, the entire detachment on military equipment made a 100-kilometer march to the permanent deployment point in the city of Farahrud, where they celebrated the New Year 1986.
459th separate special purpose company (459th Special Forces Org) (“Kabul Company”)
The company was formed in December 1979 on the basis of the training regiment of the Special Forces of the Turkestan Military District (TurkVO) in the city of Chirchik, Uzbek SSR.
Introduced into Afghanistan in February 1980. The first company commander is Captain R.R. Latypov.
The 459th Special Forces Regiment is the first full-time army special forces unit within the 40th Combined Arms Army in Afghanistan.
Since February 1980, the unit was stationed in Kabul, receiving the popular name “Kabul Company”. The company included four reconnaissance groups and a communications group (in December 1980, 11 BMP-1s appeared in service with the unit). According to the staffing table, the company consisted of 112 people.
The tasks of the 459th Special Forces Ordnance are reconnaissance, additional reconnaissance to verify information, capture prisoners, and destroy Mujahideen leaders and field commanders.
In 1980–1984, the 459th Special Forces Regiment carried out combat missions throughout Afghanistan.
Since 1985, the company's area of operations has been limited to Kabul province. During their stay in Afghanistan, the personnel of the 459th Special Forces Regiment conducted more than 600 combat missions.
The successful actions of the “Kabul Company” allowed us to accumulate experience in the use of special forces in Afghanistan. It was decided to strengthen the special forces of the 40th Army.
On August 15, 1988, the “Kabul Company” under the command of Captain N.P. Khorshunova was taken to the territory of the Soviet Union. Over 800 servicemen of the company were awarded orders and medals.
Before the collapse of the USSR, the company was stationed in the city of Samarkand, Uzbek SSR.
Currently, the 459th Special Forces Regiment has been reorganized into a separate special forces detachment and is part of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan.
467th separate special purpose training regiment (467th Special Purpose Special Purpose Training Regiment)
Formed in March 1985 in the city of Chirchik.
Regimental commanders:
Colonel Kh. Khalbaev (1985–1987);
Lieutenant Colonel I.M. Mole (1987–1990);
Colonel E.V. Tishin (1990–1992).
561st Marine Reconnaissance Point of the Baltic Fleet (561st MRI Baltic Fleet)
Located on the Baltic Sea.
In 1983, a detachment was formed at its base, which was supposed to train reconnaissance divers specifically for the Northern Fleet and, during a period of threat, was transferred to the operational subordination of the North Sea headquarters. True, it soon became clear that most of the special-purpose reconnaissance officers trained in the Baltic Sea could not be used beyond the Arctic Circle due to problems with acclimatization. Therefore, the detachment was disbanded.
MCI commanders:
Colonel Potekhin G.V. (1954–1961);
Captain 1st Rank Domyslovsky V.A. (1961–1965);
captain 1st rank Fedorov A.I. (1965–1968);
captain 1st rank Smirnov V.A. (1969–1975);
Captain 1st Rank Skorokhodov V.S. (1975–1978);
captain 1st rank Zakharov G.I. (1978–1983);
Captain 2nd Rank Klimenko I.P. (1983–1987);
Captain 1st Rank Polenok M.D. (1987–1992);
Colonel Mikhailov Yu.V. (1992–1994);
Captain 1st Rank Karpovich A.P. (1994–2003)
670th separate special forces company of the Central Group of Forces (670th Special Forces Org TsGV)
A special forces company was created for the Central Group of Forces (CGV) in 1981. Initially based in Lushtenica, then in Lazne Bogdanec (Czechoslovakia).
In April 1991, it was withdrawn to the USSR and became part of the 16th Special Forces Brigade of the Moscow Military District.
1071st separate special purpose training regiment (1071st special forces unit)
Formed in 1973.
Commanders:
Colonel V.I. Bolshakov (1973–1978);
Colonel A.N. Grishchenko (1978–1982);
Colonel V.A. Morozov (1982–1988);
Colonel L.L. Polyakov (1988–1991).
In February 1992, it was transferred to the jurisdiction of Uzbekistan.
"Muslim Battalion" Special purpose detachment "Muslim battalion" of the Turkestan Military District
Formed in May - June 1979 in the 15th Special Forces Regiment of the Turkestan Military District.
The formation of the detachment was led by Colonel of the GRU General Staff V.V. Kolesnik.
The first commander is Major Kh. Khalbaev.
The detachment consisted of a control, headquarters and four companies (the companies were armed with BMP-1, BTR-60pb; the fourth - the weapons company - consisted of an AGS-17 platoon, a platoon of rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers "Lynx", a platoon of sappers), as well as individual platoons : communications, Shilka self-propelled gun, automotive, support. The total number of the detachment was 520 people.
The officer and rank and file of the detachment was formed from representatives of the Central Asian republics - Uzbeks, Tajiks, Turkmens, with the exception of the anti-aircraft gunners of the Shilka complex, who were recruited from Ukrainians.
The main task of the detachment is to carry out a special mission in Afghanistan.
In 1979, the “Muslim Battalion” took part in Operation Storm-333 to overthrow the regime of H. Amin in Afghanistan. On November 19–20, using requests from the Afghan government to strengthen its security with Soviet soldiers, the “Muslim Battalion” was transferred by transport planes to Bagram airbase. On December 15, the detachment redeployed to Kabul and joined the brigade guarding Amin’s residence, the Taj Beg Palace. On December 27, a battalion group of about 50 people under the command of Art. Lt. V.S. Sharipov and Lt. R. Tursunkulova, together with KGB special forces, participated in the storming of the Taj Beg Palace. The remaining units of the “Muslim Battalion” supported the assault group with fire and neutralized the actions of the Afghan security brigade.
On January 8, 1980, the battalion was redeployed to the city of Chirchik, Uzbek SSR, and joined the 15th Special Forces Brigade as the 154th separate special forces detachment (154th oo Special Forces).
In April 1980, a group of participants in Operation Storm-333 were nominated for government awards.
Separate special forces battalions of military districts
They began to form by order of the USSR Minister of Defense, Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov in August 1957.
Led special forces units and units:
Major General I.N. Banov (1953–1957);
Major General N.K. Patrahaltsev (1958–1968).
In military districts and groups of troops, on the basis of 8 separate special-purpose companies, 5 battalions were formed, intended for operations behind enemy lines:
26th about Special Forces (commander - Lieutenant Colonel R.P. Mosolov);
27th about Special Forces (commander - Lieutenant Colonel M.P. Pashkov);
36th about Special Forces (commander - Lieutenant Colonel Shapovalov);
43rd about Special Forces (commander - Colonel I.I. Geleverya);
61st about Special Forces (no data).
The 26th battalion was part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSVG), the 27th was in the Northern Group of Forces (SGV). The 36th battalion was stationed in the Carpathian Military District, the 43rd in the Transcaucasian and 61st in the Turkestan military districts.
The battalions consisted of a command, a headquarters, three special forces companies, a special communications company, a training platoon and other service and support units.
The 75th, 77th and 78th Special Forces regiments stationed in the Southern Group of Forces (SGV), the Carpathian and Odessa military districts were transferred to the new organizational structure.
Separate special purpose brigades (Special Forces) of military districts
They began to take shape after the Resolution of the CPSU Central Committee “On the training of personnel and the development of special equipment for organizing and equipping partisan detachments” of June 20, 1961.
In accordance with this resolution, the leadership of the USSR Ministry of Defense decided to form special-purpose formations for the front-line (district) level. For the army level, the previous special forces units were approved.
On February 5, 1962, the General Staff issued a directive obliging military district commanders to organize courses for training officers for special forces units. The same directive ordered the commanders to select 1,700 reserve military personnel, bring them into a brigade and conduct monthly training sessions with them. Military personnel who completed training were assigned new military specialties.
In March 1962, the General Staff developed draft staffing of individual special forces brigades for peacetime and wartime. The organizational structure of the new special forces units was created quite flexible, allowing their use in a wide variety of options: groups of 3–10 people, detachments from 25 to 50 people, entire units from 50 to 200 people. and larger formations. The brigades were armed with light small arms and special weapons, mine explosives and blasting accessories, VHF and HF radio stations, and parachute equipment. The staffing of brigades with officers was carried out in compliance with the principle of individual selection and voluntary consent. All personnel of the brigades, due to health reasons, had to meet the fitness requirements for service in military units of the Airborne Forces.
In the fall of 1962, an experimental exercise on the use of a special-purpose brigade in a front-line offensive operation was conducted for the first time on the territory of the Leningrad and Baltic military districts. The head of the exercise was appointed deputy. Chief of the GRU General Staff Colonel General H.-U.D. Mamsurov. The development of the exercise was carried out by GRU officer P.A. Golitsyn and the head of the special intelligence department of the Leningrad Military District, Colonel V.S. Likhanov.
Intelligence chiefs and heads of special intelligence departments of the country's military districts were called to the exercise. During the exercise, the following questions were worked out:
decision-making by the head of front intelligence on the combat use of a special forces brigade;
issuing combat orders;
training of reconnaissance and sabotage groups;
assigning tasks to groups;
bringing groups to take-off airfields;
landing of groups;
carrying out reconnaissance and sabotage tasks by groups;
radio reports from groups on the completion of tasks;
redirecting groups during an operation to new targets;
relocation of the headquarters of a special forces brigade during a front-line operation.
Documents on the teaching were published in a separate volume and sent to military districts and military academies. Before the development of guidelines for the combat use of special forces units in the districts, they were guided by this volume.
By the end of 1962, special-purpose brigades were formed in the Belarusian, Far Eastern, Transcaucasian, Kiev, Leningrad, Moscow, Odessa, Baltic, Carpathian and Turkestan military districts. This meant that part of the brigade, some of the units were deployed in peacetime states, but in the event of a threat of war, they could be supplemented with assigned personnel. A number of brigade units had only commanders; all other military personnel were in reserve.
In 1963, large-scale exercises were held on the territory of the Belarusian, Baltic and Leningrad military districts, in which separate brigades and special forces companies participated. The development of these important exercises was carried out by generals and officers of the GRU General Staff, Lieutenant General K.N. Tkachenko, Major General P.A. Golitsyn, T.P. Isachenko and others. The exercise was led by Colonel General H.-U.D. Mamsurov. 42 RG SpN (special forces reconnaissance group) were deployed behind enemy lines, including two groups underwater. The special forces completed almost all assigned tasks successfully.
The experience of the exercises was generalized and sent to all units and special forces units, and a training film was created on the basis of one of the brigades.
By January 1964, the army special forces group included ten separate brigades (special forces), five separate battalions (special forces) and twelve separate companies (special forces). By the end of the year, as a result of another reorganization, the personnel formations were strengthened, three special forces and six special forces were disbanded. Now in the group there were twelve special forces, two special special forces and six special special forces.
In August 1965, the GRU General Staff developed and approved the documents “Manual on the combat use of special forces units” and “Organization and tactics of guerrilla warfare.” They outlined the basic concept of the combat use of special forces units, their main tasks, and a set of issues related to preparing for actions behind enemy lines.
The “Manual on the combat use of special forces units” was used as a guiding document. With the receipt of instructions from the troops in the units, more persistent training of reconnaissance officers, reconnaissance groups and units as a whole began. According to the provisions set out in the document, field training and exercises with practical landings began, with special attention paid to reconnaissance of weapons of mass destruction.
New types of special equipment were tested and put into service: mine-explosive and incendiary weapons, silent weapons, radio stations, devices for electronic reconnaissance, for taking the coordinates of identified targets, etc.
Summer and winter special forces uniforms were developed and manufactured. The color of the uniform was made taking into account the actions in various theaters of war. To supply special forces, a small-sized, high-calorie food ration was developed and adopted.
By 1979, the army special forces group consisted of 14 brigades of district subordination and about 30 separate units within armies and groups of forces.
Separate special forces companies of military districts and armies (or Spetsnaz)
They began to take shape based on the directive of the USSR Minister of War, Marshal of the Soviet Union A.M. Vasilevsky No. ORG /2/395/832 dated October 24, 1950
The formation of the companies took place under the general leadership of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff.
To manage the units being formed, a special direction for the management of army special forces was created under the 2nd Main Directorate of the General Staff.
Heads of the department:
Colonel P.I. Stepanov (1950–1953);
Major General I.N. Banov (1953–1957).
Short-term courses for special forces officers were opened in the Moscow region (Zagoryanka village). The main subjects of training were: special tactical, airborne and mine demolition training. Lectures on the use of army special forces in army and front-line operations were given by Colonel General H.-U.D. Mamsurov, Rogov. Practical training in tactical and special training was conducted by Colonels N.K. Patrahaltsev, I.N. Banov. Airborne training was taught by masters of sports, Colonels S. Silaev, A. Doronin, S. Rudenko and others. Mine demolition training took place under the leadership of Colonel I.G. Starinova.
Before May 1, 1951, 46 special forces units were formed in the combined arms and tank armies, as well as in a number of military districts, intended for operations behind enemy lines.
Each company had 120 personnel. Organizationally, it consisted of four platoons: three special purpose and one special radio communications.
To carry out tasks, the company was able to allocate intelligence agencies:
special purpose reconnaissance groups (RG SpN) on the basis of a regular department, and one or two radio operators from the special radio communications platoon;
at the expense of regular groups - three special-purpose reconnaissance detachments (RO SpN) and two to four radio operators in each detachment.
The company's radio communications equipment included short-wave radio stations. The platoons were armed with machine guns, pistols, including those with devices for silent and flameless shooting, grenade launchers, hand grenades, airborne knives, and bayonet knives. Mine-explosive barriers and mining equipment (anti-personnel, anti-tank mines, standard explosives, mine detectors). Means of landing behind enemy lines (parachutes, landing backpacks, containers for radio stations and batteries for them, cargo parachute bags).
The basis of combat training for personnel was: special tactical training, mine demolition, fire, physical, parachute and radio training. For training in parachute jumping, balloons, Mi-8TM helicopters and Li-2, An-2, An-12, An-8 aircraft were used.
In 1953, with the reduction of the Armed Forces of the USSR, thirty-five special forces units were disbanded. The personnel were transferred to serve in other units or transferred to the reserve.
Eleven special forces companies continued to improve their combat training. It happened that company personnel were involved in performing tasks unusual for special forces. Thus, in the summer of 1955 in Kaliningrad, 40 armed soldiers of the 77th Special Forces Brigade took part in protecting the USSR government delegation led by N.S. Khrushchev, secretly located in places designated by him by KGB officers.
Special forces also took an active part in the Afghan events of 1979–1989. If in 1979, as part of the 40th Army, special forces were only a separate special forces company, then already in 1986, the grouping of special forces formations and units consisted of two separate special forces brigades of four separate special forces detachments and a separate special forces company, which amounted to thirteen special forces companies.
“In 1987 alone, special forces units intercepted and destroyed 332 caravans with weapons and ammunition, which did not allow the rebel leadership to supply more than 290 units of heavy weapons, 80 MANPADS, 30 NURS, more than 15 thousand anti-tank missiles and anti-tank missiles, 8 million ammunition to the internal provinces of Afghanistan. small arms. They captured a large number of weapons and ammunition. Thus, every fifth mortar and DShK, every fourth small arms, every third RPG, every second recoilless rifle was taken in battle by reconnaissance officers...” (From the order of the headquarters of the 40th Army)
Tests strength, endurance and precision of every movement. Participants in large-scale competitions had to not only shoot accurately or defuse mines, but also hit a needle with a thread.
Special forces teams are detaining criminals, examining house by house. One wrong move and the tripwire is triggered. Everything here is as close as possible to combat conditions. Now the team needs to urgently provide medical assistance to the wounded.
Competitions of special forces of the Russian Guard are held in the Smolensk region, models of settlements are built here - a small village or a high-rise building. In their work, special forces must quickly make decisions and adapt to any situation. Competitions of this scale are being held for the first time; SOBR and OMON soldiers take part in them together with military special forces units.
“We, SOBR officers, are at such competitions for the first time, we take something for ourselves from these competitions, share with others, for example, in storming buildings, we met with many of our comrades with whom we served before, but our paths diverged to different structures, in different units,” says a SOBR employee.
Every day of competition there are new challenges. The obstacle course is being replaced by another new feature - the Guards Biathlon. The team runs the distance at speed, and at the same time fires from different weapons - from a pistol to a grenade launcher.
“This is exactly the composition of the unit that is going on a combat mission. A full-fledged squad that can be used to work for a week, two weeks, a month, or for detention. There are specialists, a sniper, a machine gunner, a grenade launcher, all the rest are shooters with machine guns,” says a SOBR employee.
They need to hit the target and run as fast as possible, but the finish line is another test, and perhaps the most difficult one. The fighters must try to thread the needle.
At first glance, nothing special, but not after you’ve made a forced march in full gear, fired off a magazine, or ran in a gas mask. The test of the needle seems to remind us that even in the midst of the most intense battle, there are moments when a fighter must calm down, pull himself together and be as focused as possible.
This is how strength and endurance are tested: first you need to carry giant logs, then these wheels, 300 kilograms each - inhuman loads, but then more - the soldiers push a 14-ton armored personnel carrier, and immediately after that they must make a forced march of 5 kilometers.
“Technique plays more of a role than strength. If you approach this question technically correctly, in principle there was nothing complicated. The unit was much smaller in height and weight than the rest, but they managed it quite quickly because they knew how and what,” says an employee of a separate special forces unit.
The Russian National Guard says that this is not just a competition, but also a large-scale exercise that will help all special forces employees in the future.
“A fairly serious headquarters has been created here, which summarizes the results of these competitions, which summarizes the methods used by the unit in solving training problems. And based on these methods, a unified concept for the training of these units will be developed,” explains Sergei Melikov, First Deputy Director of the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation.
The competition lasted a week, and every day the standings changed, someone lost ground, and someone took the lead. As a result, the military special forces of the central district, a detachment based in Smolensk, were declared the winner.
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Directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces 314/2/0061 dated April 26, 1979, served as the basis for the order of the commander of the TURKVO troops 21/4/00755 dated May 4, 1979 on the formation of a separate special forces detachment of 538 people in the staff of the 15th Special Forces Special Forces, which included into the history of our Fatherland as the “Muslim Battalion”.
Historical reference
On March 18, 1979, the 1st General Secretary of the PDPA Central Committee, Nur Mohammad Taraki, called the Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, Alexei Kosygin, and asked to send soldiers, indigenous residents of the Asian republics of the USSR, to destroy a four-thousand-strong detachment of Iranian soldiers dressed in civilian clothes who had entered the city of Herat.
“We want Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmen to be sent to us so that they can drive tanks, since all these nationalities are in Afghanistan,” the Afghan leader convinced the Soviet prime minister. “Let them put on Afghan clothes, Afghan badges, and no one will recognize them.” This is a very easy job, in our opinion. The experience of Iran and Pakistan shows that this work is easy to do. They provide a model."
Despite the fact that Kosygin expressed doubts about this proposal, on April 26, 1979, the General Staff of the USSR Ministry of Defense issued special directive No. 314/2/0061 on the formation of a GRU special forces detachment, which later became known as the “Muslim battalion.”
They were involved in its formation Colonels Kolesnik V.V., Shvets O.U., Lavrenev N.N. and Blokhin A.P., as well as the head of intelligence of the TurkVO, Colonel Dunets V.V.
In order to maintain secrecy, it was decided to resettle the detachment from the brigade’s military camp, by economically repairing the abandoned camp of the engineering battalion.
To the commander of the 2nd detachment of the 15th Special Operations Brigade, Major I.Yu. Stoderevsky. assigned to supervise the construction of the town. He received under his command a company of military builders, several dozen civilian builders from all the KECs in the district, and two hundred personnel from the brigade as auxiliary workers. In 2 months, the renovation of the town was completed.
The recruitment of a new battalion began at a rapid pace, exclusively from individuals of Central Asian nationalities. Personnel arrived from all districts. Mainly from airborne divisions and to a lesser extent from motorized rifle units.
Command staff of the 154th special forces unit of the first formation
The detachment commander was appointed Major Kholbaev Khabib Tadzhibaevich, born in 1947. Graduate of Tashkent Higher Educational Institution named after. Lenin. Since 1969, he served in the 15th Special Operations Brigade as a group commander, a Special Forces company commander, and a deputy commander of a Special Forces detachment for airborne forces. Captains M.T. Sakhatov were appointed deputy detachment commanders, according to the TurkVO personnel department. (deputy), Ashurov A.M. (chief of staff), Sattarov A.S. (political officer), Ibragimov E.N. (deputy for fun), Major D. Jalilov (deputy for logistics). The companies were commanded by senior lieutenants: Amangeldyev K.M., Sharipov V.S., Miryusupov M.M., and captain Kudratov I.S. Senior Lieutenant V.M. Prout was appointed commander of the anti-aircraft artillery group... Captain Nikonov was appointed commander of the ORNO. The deputy commander of the ZAG, ensign Neverov Yu... Young graduates of combined arms schools were appointed commanders of the special forces groups, among them two lieutenants (Tursunkulov R.T. and Abzalimov R.K.) were graduates of the RVVDKU. Separate communications and support platoons were commanded by senior lieutenant Mirsaatov Yu.M. and senior warrant officer Rakhimov A.
American military expert Jesy Hou (JIAYI ZHOU) dedicated a special book to the Soviet Muslim battalion, starting it with the fact that he applauded the national policy in the USSR when he studied archival materials regarding this unit. Interestingly, his research was funded by the RAND Corporation, which is considered the “thought factory” of American strategists. “The USSR has developed a unique Soviet identity that cannot be explained by traditional values – national or religious,” writes Jesy Howe. According to him, 538 people under the command of Major Khabibdzhan Kholbaev were united by the idea of their socialist mission in Afghanistan. This was the 154th separate special forces detachment of the GRU, consisting exclusively of Uzbeks, Tajiks and Turkmens. In total, more than five thousand military personnel passed through the sieve of the special commission.
The training of the soldiers of the 154th detachment was quite typical for the Soviet army - typically good. In the presence Chief of Staff of TURKVO, Lieutenant General G.F. Krivosheeva in the summer of 1979, the “Muslims” conducted tactical exercises “to seize a separate building” and “fights in the city.” In particular, grenade launchers were required to hit targets by noise through a smoke screen. Shooting accurately on the run and mastering sambo techniques was taken for granted.
Particular attention was paid to the coordination of companies and platoons through radio communications, for which senior lieutenant Yu.M. Mirsaatov was responsible. Writer Eduard Belyaev, who studied the training documents of the 154th detachment, as well as other soldiers sent to Afghanistan, writes that the stereotypes that appeared after the release of the film “9th Company” do not correspond to reality.
Combat formation of detachment units
By June 1, 1979, out of a thousand candidates submitted, the detachment was fully staffed to 532 people. In a month and a half, the detachment, completely freed from outfits, guards and extraneous work, completed a year-long combat training program. The entire detachment personnel made parachute jumps. Combat coordination of the formed units was carried out.
Shooting and driving tests were taken at the training grounds of general arms and tank schools. There were no limits on fuel and ammunition. The grenade launchers fired at range, for time, at noise through smoke, at minimum distances. Who is supposed to take practical tasks in mine demolition. All were tested for physical endurance during forced marches of 30 kilometers. During the entire inspection, specialist translators monitored the personnel’s assimilation of commands in Farsi and knowledge of Arabic writing. As a result, the commission assessed the results of the audit as good.
There was a lull. Soldiers began to be recruited for guard duty and for various chores.
Despite the fact that the fighters of the “Muslim battalion”, in full combat readiness, regularly went to the Tuzel airfield (Tashkent) to be sent to Afghanistan, the departure was postponed every time.
Reconnaissance on the ground
By order of the head of the GRU, the detachment commander, Major Kholbaev, and the deputy commanders of the 15th brigade, Majors Gruzdev and Turbulanov, flew to Kabul to reconnoiter the presidential palace, as well as the renovated Taj Beg Palace in Duralaman, where Amin soon moved.
Telegram to the Chief of the General Staff Ogarkov
“In the period from July 11 to July 17, 1979, a reconnaissance was carried out in the city of Kabul with the aim of the possible use of the 15th TURKVO special forces brigade. According to the Soviet ambassador and heads of intelligence services, the greatest intensification of rebels in the periphery and the city of Kabul is expected in August. In this regard, the ambassador asks: to transfer the detachment to Kabul before August 10. The development of the implementation of transfer measures will be entrusted to the Air Force Commander-in-Chief and the TURKVO commander.”
Army General Ivashutin
However, the transfer of the detachment was delayed. In mid-October, the “Muslim” battalion again began intensive combat training under the “Capture of Objects” program. AKM and AKMS assault rifles, RPK machine guns and TT system pistols received from warehouses were targeted. At the end of November, another check of combat training took place, to which the authorities came from Moscow. “There were several options for transferring to Afghanistan. - Kholbaev said. “In addition to the flight, a march under our own power to Kabul was also considered.”
However, after the officers of the head of the Afghan presidential guard, Major Jandad, strangled Taraki, on December 4, 1979, Yu. Andropov and N. Ogarkov sent the now well-known note 312/2/0073 to the CPSU Central Committee:
“Taking into account the current situation and at the request of Kh. Amin, we consider it advisable to send to Afghanistan a detachment of the GRU of the General Staff, trained for these purposes, with a total number of 500 people in a uniform that does not reveal its affiliation with the Armed Forces of the USSR.” .
First entry into Afghanistan
On the night of December 5, from the Chirchik airfield, the first group from the 3rd special forces company under the command of the deputy detachment commander, Captain M.T. Sakhatov, left for Afghanistan on an AN-12 plane. The transfer of all battalion personnel was carried out on the night of December 9-10, from two airfields, in Chirchik and Tashkent (Tuzel), by AN-12, AN-22, and Il-76 aircraft. Each flight took 45 minutes to depart. The interval between flights was no more than two hours. The departure was carried out in three flights of seven aircraft each to Bagram airfield. To accommodate the battalion at the Bagram airbase, Captain Sakhatov’s group prepared CSS tents at the rate of one for each company and for headquarters.
Subsequently, the detachment was redeployed southwest of Kabul to the Dar-ul Aman area to strengthen the security of the Taj Beg presidential palace.
On 12/27/1979 at 19.00 the assault on the Taj Beg Palace began, the operation ended at 23.00. Quite a lot has been written about how the “Muslim battalion” stormed this palace, and those who study or are simply interested in this topic have practically no questions left.
Only one thing should be added, the losses of the personnel of the “Muslim battalion” during the fighting during the storming of the Taj Beg Palace amounted to: 7 people killed (in addition, 5 KGB officers from the operational combat groups “Grom” and “Zenith” were killed, as well as 2 soldiers from the 345th airborne assault division attached to the detachment 9 (company commander, senior lieutenant V. Vostrotin).
During Operation Storm 333, 67 servicemen of the Special Forces detachment were injured of varying severity.
In April 1980, a Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was signed on awarding 370 military personnel of the 15th Special Operations Division, participants in Operation Storm-333, with orders and medals of the USSR. Awards were also received 400 employees of the KGB of the USSR.
At the end of 1981, efforts were made to increase the number of intelligence agencies. Two separate GRU special forces detachments are being introduced into Afghanistan for operations in the northern regions of the country. One of these battalions was 154 ooSpN.
By that time, on May 7, 1981, 154 special forces were awarded the Battle Banner of the unit. The unit's holiday was determined to be April 26 (1979). By directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces 4/372 dated October 21, 1981, 154 special forces were planned for introduction into the DRA on October 26, 1981.
Second deployment of 154 special forces to Afghanistan
The detachment, after reorganization, without conducting combat coordination, under the command of Major I.Yu. Stoderevsky, on the night of October 29-30, 1981, crossed the state border with Afghanistan in the Termez region. 154 ooSpN for the period of hostilities received an open name - 1st separate motorized rifle battalion(military unit field mail 35651, call sign "Amur-35").
From October 30, 1981 to May 15, 1988 Detachment 154 took part in continuous hostilities with rebel armed forces. Destroying Mujahideen manpower through raids and ambushes, destroying enemy fortified areas (UR), front headquarters, Islamic committees, training centers, weapons and ammunition warehouses, participating in inspections of caravans and conducting aerial reconnaissance in the area of responsibility.
The most famous combat operations of the detachment, after Storm 333, were:
- capture of rebel bases in Jar-Kuduk (Jawzjan province, December 1981),
- capture of rebel bases in Darzab (Fariab province, January 1982),
- lifting the blockade of Sancharak (Jawzjan province, April 1982).
- destruction of 2 gangs in Kuli-Ishan (Samangan province, October 1982),
- capture of rebel bases in the Marmol Gorge (Balkh province, March 1983),
— assault on the Goshta missile launcher and the Karera missile launcher
- operations in the provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar near Kulala, Bar-Koshmund, Bagicha, Loy-Termai, in the Black Mountains, near Shahidan, Mangwal, Sarband, army operation “Vostok-88” and others.
By combat order of the commander of 40 OA 01 dated March 13, 1988, the withdrawal of 154 Special Forces was determined by the first column from Jalalabad on May 15, 1988.
228 units of military equipment in one column completed the Jalalabad - Kabul - Puli-Khumri - Hairatan march in three days.
On May 20, 1988, by rail, we completed access to the place of permanent deployment in the city of Chirchik, USSR.
The 154th separate special forces detachment was commanded by:
Major Kholbaev Khabibdzhan Tadzhibaevich from 5.1979 to 8.1981.
Major Kosteniuk Nikolai Mikhailovich from 8.1981 to 10.1981.
Major Stoderevsky Igor Yurievich from 10.1981 to 11.1983.
Major Olekseenko Vasily Ivanovich from 11.1983 to 2.1984.
Major Portnyagin Vladimir Pavlovich from 2.1984 to 11.1984.
Major Dementyev Alexey Mikhailovich from 11.1984 to 8.1985.
Major Abzalimov Ramil Karimovich from 08.1985 to 10.1986.
Major Giluch Vladislav Petrovich from 10.1986 to 11.1987.
Captain Vorobyov Vladimir Fedorovich from 11.1987 to 6.1988.
Major Kozlov Yuri Vsevolodovich from 6.1988 to 9.1990.
Major Efimenko Anatoly Nikolaevich from 9.1990 to 9.1991.
Lieutenant Colonel Svirin Valery Mikhailovich from 9.1991 to 9.1992.
Major Vorontsov Sergey Anatolyevich from 9.1992 to 12.1994.
The special forces caused significant damage to the Islamic opposition, so according to the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces, the special forces of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces destroyed 17,000 rebels, 990 caravans and 332 warehouses, and captured 825 prisoners.
Results of reconnaissance and combat activities of 154 special forces as of May 1, 1983:
Operations performed - 248
Rebels destroyed - 955 people.
Captured - 452 people.
Small arms captured - 566 units.
DShK machine guns - 2 units.
Ammunition captured
Cartridges - more than 100,000 pcs.
Mines - 237 pcs.
Grenades - 228 pcs.
RPG shots - 183 pcs.
Electric detonators - 5200 pcs.
Detonator capsules - 8000 pcs.
Mines for 60 mm mortar - 235 pcs.
16 cavalry horses captured
Vehicles captured - 12 units. and BRDM-1
Islamic committees destroyed - 9
The situation in the areas of responsibility of Jawzjan Province and Samangan Province has been stabilized
Our losses
Killed - 34 people.
Missing - 1 person.
Change of squad location:
June 1979-December 1979 - Chirchik, Tashkent region, USSR;
December 1979-January 1980 - Bagram, Kabul, Afghanistan;
February 1980-October 1981 - Chirchik, Tashkent region, USSR;
October 1981-July 1982 - Akcha, Jawzjan province, Afghanistan;
August 1982-February 1984 - Aybak, Samangan province, Afghanistan;
February 1984 - May 1988 - Jalalabad (Shamarheil), Nangarhar province, Afghanistan;
May 20, 1988 - May 1990 - Chirchik, Tashkent region, USSR, Uzbekistan.
June 1990 - 1994 - Azadbash, Bastanlyk district, Tashkent region, USSR;
December 1994 - 2000 transferred to the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan, renamed into the 28th separate reconnaissance battalion of the Armed Forces of the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan.
2000 - Disbanded.
Awards 154 ooSpN
Pennant of the USSR Minister of Defense “For courage and military valor” by order of the SSR Ministry of Defense 273 of December 1, 1985.
Honorary Red Banner of the People's Democratic Party of the Republic of Afghanistan 04/26/1988
Certificate of awarding of personnel of 154 ooSpN (data as of May 15, 1988):
Order of Lenin - 8 officers;
Order of the Red Banner - 53 (of which 31 are officers, 13 sergeants, 9 soldiers)
Order of the Red Star - 423 (of which 132 officers, 32 warrant officers, 127 sergeants, 112 soldiers)
Order “For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces” - 25 (of which 24 were officers and warrant officers, 1 was a soldier);
Medal "For Courage" - 623 (12 officers, 15 warrant officers, 205 sergeants, 391 soldiers)
Medal "For Military Merit" - 247 (11 officers, 24 warrant officers, 102 sergeants, 110 soldiers);
Medal of the USSR Ministry of Defense “For Distinction in Military Service” - 118 people.
Personnel losses 154 ooSpN from 12/27/1979 to 05/15/1988. amounted to 186 people.
Killed in battle or died from wounds - 177 military personnel; 9 servicemen went missing.
Losses of the 154th separate special forces detachment of the GRU General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces
Losses of 154 ooSpN during the period 12/5/1979 - 1/10/1980. ("Muslim battalion")
1979
1980
Losses of 154 ooSpN during the period 10/29/1981 - 1985. ("1st motorized rifle battalion")
1981
| 1. Senior Lieutenant Mikhalev Vladimir Nikolaevich | pom. beginning detachment headquarters died on November 1 as a result of an accident - shot by a sentry while patrolling posts |
| 2. Private Gorbunov Evgeniy Aleksandrovich | went missing on November 7 in the province of Dzauzjan - actually captured in battle and died, but the body was not found |
| 3. Lieutenant Sleptsov Andrey Aleksandrovich - commander of the flamethrower group | died in battle on November 20 |
| 4. Sergeant Shivarev Alexander Fedorovich | |
| 5. Private Bobiev Khayridin Teshaevich | |
| 6. Private Milibayev Bakhodir Patidinovich | |
| 7. Private Chegodaev Viktor Anatolyevich | |
| 8. Private Eshonov Shavkat Abduraimovich | |
| 9. Junior Sergeant Kalinin Mikhail Valentinovich | died in battle on December 7 |
| 10. Junior Sergeant Rakhmatulin Rashid Shavkatovich | |
| 11. Junior Sergeant Shchegolev Leonid Yurievich |
1982
| 1. Private Gavrilov Sergei Gennadievich | died on January 4 from wounds received in battle |
| 2. Private Yuldashev Akhatkul Rakhmanovich | seriously wounded as a result of a mine explosion and died in hospital on January 24, 1982. |
| 3. Private Babaev Norbobo Manonovich | died on January 16 as a result of an accident |
| 4. Junior Sergeant Khairullin Farit Nagimovich | killed in action on January 29 |
| 5. Private Shadmanov Giyas Irgashevich | killed in action on February 19 |
| 6. Private Shirokikh Viktor Valentinovich | seriously wounded in battle on February 21 and died on April 12, 1982. |
| 7. Senior Lieutenant Statkevich Vladimir Vladimirovich - deputy commander of the 2nd company for political affairs | killed in action on April 4 |
| 8. Private Pavlenkov Sergei Vladimirovich | died on May 18 in an accident |
| 9. Corporal Viktor Ivanovich Shkolin | killed in action on May 28 |
| 10. Lieutenant Kalmykov Sergey Nikolaevich | died in battle on June 6 |
| 11. Sergeant Gimranov Anvar Nailovich | |
| 12. Sergeant Shvornev Mikhail Alexandrovich | |
| 13. Junior Sergeant Shabakaev Mars Oktyabrisovich | |
| 14. Corporal Antsiferov Igor Mikhailovich | |
| 15. Private Aliberdyev Kabul Karimovich | |
| 16. Private Vashchebrovich Alexander Ivanovich | |
| 17. ml. Sergeant Maurin German Alekseevich | seriously wounded in battle on June 6 and died on June 10, 1982. |
| 18. Private Mordovin Yuri Vasilievich | died of wounds on June 29 |
| 19. Private Vafin Damir Munnulovich | killed in action on July 5 |
| 20. Private Kapustin Viktor Vladimirovich | killed in action on August 28 |
| 21. Junior Sergeant Shapovalov Igor Nikolaevich | killed in action on October 11 |
| 22. Sergeant Gerasimov Alexander Yurievich | killed in action on November 3 |
| 23. Private Balybin Dmitry Valentinovich | died on November 16 in an accident |
1983
| 1. Private Sorokin Alexander Vasilievich | killed in action on May 3 |
| 2. Private Melnik Viktor Vladimirovich | died on July 29 from injuries received in an accident |
| 3. Private Skvortsov Yuri Sergeevich | died on August 6 in an accident |
| 4. Private Podzerey Boris Vladimirovich | died in battle on August 28 |
| 5. Private Korkin Viktor Alekseevich | |
| 6. Junior Sergeant Kislitsyn Sergey Gennadievich | died on September 5 when an armored personnel carrier exploded on a mine |
| 7. Senior Lieutenant of the Medical Service Begishev Elgizer Fedorovich | died on September 6 when a medical MTLB was detonated by a landmine |
| 8. Lieutenant of the medical service Kryshtal Igor Nikolaevich | |
| 9. Corporal Trofimov Ivan Mikhailovich - sanitary instructor | |
| 10. Corporal Terekhov Sergey Vladimirovich | killed in action on September 19 |
| 11. Senior Lieutenant Domanin Vladimir Vladimirovich | killed in action on September 23 |
| 12. Private Vysotin Igor Alexandrovich | died of illness on October 2 |
1984
| 1. Private Belikov Valery Vladimirovich | died on January 12 as a result of an accident |
| 2. Private Karimov Eldar Zakirovich | died on February 6 in an accident |
| 3. Private Koyali Mikhail Vadimovich | |
| 4. Private Stadnik Sergei Grigorievich | |
| 5. Private Obukhov Sergei Mikhailovich | seriously injured on February 6 as a result of an accident and died on February 7, 1984. |
| 6. Private Malygin Alexander Vladimirovich | seriously wounded in battle on March 12 and died on April 17, 1984. |
| 7. Lieutenant Ovcharenko Sergey Vasilievich | died on March 23 as a result of an accident - they drowned while crossing, but are officially listed as “missing” since their bodies were not found |
| 8. Junior Sergeant Olennikov Yuri Nikolaevich | |
| 9. Private Belitsky Viktor Pavlovich | |
| 10. Private Kazanev Andrey Yurievich | died on March 23 as a result of an accident - drowned while crossing |
| 11. Private Mokrov Alexander Mikhailovich | |
| 12. Private Yurchenko Mikhail Ivanovich |
| 13. Lieutenant Skuridin Oleg Viktorovich | died in battle on April 8, according to the CPSU they died on April 7, 1984. |
| 14. Junior Sergeant Malyuta Ivan Ivanovich | |
| 15. Private Asanov Eldar Ferdausovich | died in battle on April 8, according to the CPSU he died on April 11, 1984. |
| 16. Private Uchanin Andrey Nikolaevich - driver | killed in action on April 8 |
| 17. Sergeant Borets Alexander Nikolaevich | seriously wounded in battle on April 8 and died on April 11, 1984; according to the CPSU, seriously wounded on April 7, 1984. |
| 18. Private Katsov Valery Vasilievich | died in battle on April 9 |
| 19. Private Popov Igor Alexandrovich | |
| 20. Private Dresvyannikov Alexander Gennadievich | killed in action on April 21 |
| 21. Private Sadikov Gulamjon Galievich | killed in action on May 23 |
| 22. Junior Sergeant Melentiy Ivan Mikhailovich | died in battle on June 1 |
| 23. Junior Sergeant Rudenko Nikolai Vasilievich | |
| 24. Private Dadaev Nugman Kambarovich | |
| 25. Private Kryzhanovsky Pyotr Andreevich | |
| 26. Private Kydyrmanov Ermek Kasenovich | |
| 27. Private Golubev Valery Vladimirovich | killed in action on June 3 |
| 28. Sergeant Zhigalo Valery Viktorovich | died on June 26 from heatstroke on a combat mission |
| 29. Captain Babko Valery Vladimirovich | killed in action on July 10 |
| 30. Sergeant Korolev Nikolai Vasilievich | died of illness on July 22 |
| 31. Lieutenant Nafikov Khamit Muginovich | died in battle on August 15 |
| 32. Junior Sergeant Magomedov Usman Magomedalievich | |
| 33. Corporal Kharitonov Andrey Ivanovich | |
| 34. Sergeant Pikhur Vasily Viktorovich | died on September 8 in an accident |
| 35. Private Monastyrsky Vitaly Stepanovich | |
| 36. Junior Sergeant Kudyma Oleg Evgenievich | seriously wounded in battle on September 24 and died on September 25, 1984. |
| 37. Junior Sergeant Tokmakov Sergey Nikolaevich | killed in action on September 24 |
| 38. Junior Sergeant Vorobyov Gennady Valentinovich | died on November 4 in a mine explosion |
| 39. Private Matevosyan Matevos Samsonovich | died in battle on June 1 |
| 40. Private Mukhin Alexey Viktorovich | |
| 41. Senior Sergeant Pirozhkov Vladimir Mikhailovich | died in battle on December 4 |
| 42. Junior Sergeant Pekshin Igor Evgenievich | |
| 43. Private Dodomatov Mashakir Masharifovich | |
| 44. Private Dyldin Vasily Sergeevich | |
| 45. Private Ibragimov Tofik Ziyaddin-ogly | |
| 46. Private Levshchanov Nikolai Vladimirovich | |
| 47. Private Moiseev Sergei Vladimirovich | |
| 48. Junior Sergeant Dzhimkhaev Musa Usmanovich | seriously wounded in battle on December 4 and died on December 5, 1984. |
Losses of 154 ooSpN in the period from 1985 to May 18, 1988. as part of the 15th separate special forces brigade
1985
| 1. Senior Lieutenant Turusumbaev Igor Vladimirovich | died on February 11 as a result of an accident - drowned while crossing |
| 2. Lieutenant Lemishko Sergey Nikolaevich | |
| 3. Sergeant Kuramagomedov Mukhtarakhmed Zagirovich | |
| 4. Junior Sergeant Kolyanichenko Konstantin Nikolaevich | |
| 5. Private Abdualimov Ravshan Kuchkarovich | |
| 6. Private Makarchuk Arkady Stepanovich | |
| 7. Private Stela Sergei Vasilievich | |
| 8. Junior Sergeant Zhitnyakovsky Viktor Yulyanovich | died on February 11 as a result of an accident - drowned while crossing - officially listed as missing, since their bodies were not found |
| 9. Private Naumov Pavel Mikhailovich | |
| 10. Private Sitnikov Gennady Yakovlevich | |
| 11. Junior Sergeant Matniyazov Bakhtier Sultanovich | died on February 11 as a result of an accident - drowned while crossing (in the All-Union Communist Party the cause of death was “killed in battle” with the date 12.2.1985) |
| 12. Private Smykov Vladimir Leonidovich | killed in action on March 19 |
| 13. Sergeant Plotnikov Sergey Alexandrovich | died on March 23 in an accident |
| 14. Junior Sergeant Korkin Mikhail Valentinovich | killed in action on April 4 |
| 15. Private Davidenko Nikolai Ivanovich | died in battle on July 22 |
| 16. Private Lyazin Pavel Vasilievich | |
| 17. Private Kuznetsov Sergei Nikolaevich | killed in action on July 24 |
| 18. Private Glinov Alexander Alexandrovich | died on August 13 in an accident |
| 19. Lieutenant Samoilov Vasily Petrovich | died of illness on August 10 |
| 20. Junior Sergeant Yuldashev Khikmatulla Rakhmatulaevich | killed in action on August 25 |
| 21. Captain Turkov Alexey Valentinovich | died in battle on September 19 |
| 22. Lieutenant Ovsyannikov Evgeniy Ivanovich | |
| 23. Private Orujov Hamlet Khanali-ogly | killed in action on October 4 |
| 24. Senior Lieutenant Pedko Alexander Yurievich | died in battle on October 30 |
| 25. Corporal Shcherba Alexander Vladimirovich | |
| 26. Private Dzhanzakov Daniyar Sabdenovich |
1986
| 1. Private Lobanov Alexey Mikhailovich | killed in action on January 5 |
| 2. Private Nesterov Anatoly Vladimirovich | killed in action on February 9 |
| 3. Private Pokhodzilo Oleg Nikolaevich | killed in action on February 11 |
| 4. Lieutenant Krasilnikov Viktor Ivanovich | seriously wounded in battle on March 19 and died in hospital on March 22, 1986. |
| 5. Sergeant Kovalenko Vasily Vladimirovich | died in battle on March 19 |
| 6. Junior Sergeant Pavel Pavlovich Rozhnovsky | |
| 7. Private Kushnirov Anatoly Stepanovich | |
| 8. Private Mochernyuk Mikhail Ivanovich | |
| 9. Private Osipov Vladimir Alexandrovich | |
| 10. Major Petunin Anatoly Anatolyevich | seriously wounded on March 30 and died from the consequences of his wound in December 1989. |
| 11. Senior Lieutenant Rozykov Kholmukhamad Dzhuraevich - detachment translator | died in battle on March 30 |
| 12. Junior Sergeant Razlivaev Mikhail Nikolaevich | |
| 13. Corporal Kosichkin Sergey Vladimirovich | |
| 14. Private Veliky Vladimir Mikhailovich | |
| 15. Private Egorov Alexander Vasilievich | |
| 16. Private Podolyan Alexander Viktorovich | |
| 17. Private Einoris Viktor Bronislavovich | |
| 18. Private Yakuta Vitaly Vladimirovich | |
| 19. Private Buza Alexander Nikolaevich | died in battle on March 30 - officially listed as “missing in action” due to the fact that their bodies remained on enemy territory |
| 20. Private Moskvinov Dmiry Vladimirovich | |
| 21. Private Usachev Andrey Viktorovich | died on May 28 in an accident |
| 22. Private Zazimko Viktor Borisovich | died of illness on July 16 |
| 23. Private Kukuruza Alexander Pavlovich | died on July 28 from heatstroke while performing a combat mission |
| 24. Sergeant Ibadov Shukhrat Inoyatullaevich | died in battle on August 7 |
| 25. Junior Sergeant Kobylchenko Andrey Grigorievich | |
| 26. Private Vares Urmas Olevovich | |
| 27. Private Fursov Yuri Vladimirovich | |
| 28. Sergeant Yarmosh Vladimir Vasilievich | died on September 16 while performing a combat mission as a result of an accident - drowned while crossing |
| 29. Private Semenyuk Vasily Ivanovich | |
| 30. Private Miroshnichenko Anatoly Alexandrovich | |
| 31. Lieutenant Bondarev Valery Evgenievich | died on November 29 on board a downed plane |
| 32. Lieutenant Cherny Sergey Pavlovich |
1987
| 1. Private Rajapov Sadula Kuchkaevich | died on January 13 as a result of an accident |
| 2. Private Chegor Andrey Borisovich | |
| 3. Lieutenant Semin Igor Lvovich | died on January 17 from a fragment of an exploding mine |
| 4. Private Kabanov Vasily Anatolyevich | died on January 17 while clearing mines |
| 5. Lieutenant Zlunitsyn Oleg Igorevich | died in battle on January 27 |
| 6. Sergeant Yatskovsky Sergey Vladimirovich | |
| 7. Private Kuchkinov Ibrahim Uktamovich | |
| 8. Private Ovdienko Nikolai Nikolaevich | |
| 9. Lieutenant Chikhirev Alexander Vasilievich | died in battle on March 4 |
| 10. Lieutenant Khamalko Yuri Mikhailovich | |
| 11. Private Zhuraev Khasan Izabekovich | |
| 12. Private Belykh Dmitry Mikhailovich | seriously wounded in battle on March 4 and died on May 14, 1987. |
| 13. Junior Sergeant Tyufyakov Alexander Vasilievich | died on May 25 from wounds received in battle |
| 14. Private Yolkin Alexey Eduardovich | died of wounds on June 8 |
| 15. Private Mikhail Alekseevich Govenko | died on July 2 when an armored personnel carrier exploded on a mine |
| 16. Junior Sergeant Soldatenko Alexander Nikolaevich | died on July 8 when an armored personnel carrier exploded on a mine |
| 17. Private Yakhyaev Fakhriddin Khairutdinovich | |
| 18. Private Atalov Chingiz Siyavush-ogly | died in battle on July 8 |
| 19. Private Novikov Yuri Vasilievich | |
| 20. Private Kaydalin Yakov Vsevolodovich | died on July 24 from wounds received as a result of suicide |
| 21. Private Findyukevich Nikolai Vladimirovich | died tragically on November 30 - suicide |
1988
Total irretrievable losses of 154 special forces for the entire period of stay in Afghanistan
amounted to 186 people killed and killed*, including 24 officers
* - including missing persons - actually dead
combat losses - 137
non-combat losses in combat situations - 6
non-combat losses - 44
Losses during periods of combat activity of the detachment -
"Muslim Battalion" - 8
"1 motorized rifle battalion" - 95
Composed of 15 obrSpN - 83*
Total - 186
* - including 1 who died from the consequences of injury after the withdrawal of troops
Details about the losses of the detachment in the period from October 1981 to October 1983 can be read in the memoirs of the detachment commander, Major Igor Yuryevich Stoderevsky, “Notes of a GRU special forces officer” at this link:
http://www.k-istine.ru/patriotism/patriotism_stoderevskiy.htm — link
The explosion of the MTLB and the death of Art. lieutenant m/s, doctor 154 Special Operations Special Forces Begishev Elgizer Fedorovich here:
http://artofwar.ru/k/karelin_a_p/karelin2.shtml — link
Missing
1. Private Gorbunov Evgeniy Aleksandrovich, born on November 7, 1981, the unit was stationed in Agche, called up from the Irkutsk region.
2. junior sergeant Oleynikov Yuri Nikolaevich, born March 23, 1984, died on March 23 as a result of an accident - drowned while crossing 3.84, part in Jalalabad, called up from Buryatia.
3. Lieutenant Ovcharenko Sergei Vasilievich, 03/23/84, unit in Jalalabad, called up from the Rostov region.
4. Private Viktor Pavlovich Belitsky, 03/24/84, unit in Jalalabad, drafted from Belarus.
5. Private Naumov Pavel Mikhailovich, 02/11/85, unit in Jalalabad, called up from the Moscow region.
6. Private Sitnikov Gennady Yakovlevich, 02/11/85, unit in Jalalabad, called up from the Sverdlovsk region.
7. Junior Sergeant Zhitnyakovsky Viktor Yulyanovich, 02/11/85, unit in Jalalabad, called up from Ukraine.
8. Private Buza Alexander Mikhailovich, 03/29/86, unit in Jalalabad, drafted from Belarus.
9. Private Dmitry Vladimirovich Moskvinov, 03/29/86, unit in Jalalabad, called up from Moscow.
IN MEMORY of the special forces soldiers of the 370th detachment.... On January 24, 1995, forty-eight intelligence officers of the 16th GRU special forces brigade died at once. Special reconnaissance units did not suffer such losses either before or after that fateful day. On January 13-15, 1995, a detachment (370 ooSpN formed on the basis of 16 ObrSpn for operations as part of VOGOiP) consisting of 250 people marched along the Mozdok-Beslan-Samashki-Grozny route. The detachment suffered its first losses on January 23 in the area of the Chernorechensky bridge over the Sunzha - Lieutenant Vyacheslav Litvinov and Private Alexey Zernov died. And the next day, in the building where the special forces were stationed, an explosion occurred, which killed more than 40 people: Major Bobko Alexander Ivanovich Major Peremitin Andrey Ivanovich Major Petryakov Igor Vladimirovich Major Sanin Vitaly Nikolaevich Major Frolov Alexander Vladimirovich Captain Kozlov Valery Ivanovich Captain Kuzmin Viktor Valerievich captain Laptev Vladimir Nikolaevich captain Samsonenko Sergei Alexandrovich captain Filatov Alexey Stepanovich captain Chunkov Andrey Ivanovich captain Shapovalov Oktavian Viktorovich senior warrant officer Mishin Anatoly Borisovich warrant officer Komov Ruslan Mikhailovich junior sergeant Illarionov Pavel Vladimirovich junior sergeant Korablev Alexey Anatolyevich (04/08/1995) ml .Sergeant Khokhlov Alexey Alekseevich Corporal Borisov Igor Valentinovich Corporal Denisenkov Kirill Valerievich Corporal Popov Vladimir Viktorovich Private Abubakrov Roman Abudovich Private Bakanov Sergei Vasilyevich Private Bobuchenko Eduard Robertovich (02/08/1995) Private Bokov Dmitry Gennadievich Private Volkov Vladimir Alekseevich Private Voron ov Sergey Alekseevich Private Goncharov Vladimir Vladimirovich Private Gornoyashchenko Vladimir Yuryevich Private Grebennikov Nikolai Fedorovich Private Davydov Vasily Borisovich Private Demut Edvin Yanisovich Private Zavgorodny Andrey Alexandrovich Private Katunin Andrey Vladimirovich Private Lukashevich Pavel Vladimirovich Private Mukovnikov Andrey Viktorovich Private Mytarev Alexey Nikolaevich Private Pionkov Alexey Nikolaevich Private Rybakov Alexey Alexandrovich Private Skrobotov Alexander Alexandrovich Private Tsukanov Mikhail Vladimirovich private Shapochkin Anatoly Vladimirovich Private Shestak Nikolai Petrovich Private Shpachenko Pavel Vasilyevich Private Yablokov Igor Lvovich Private Yatsuk Sergei Vladimirovich Special Forces at that time worked “both for themselves and for all those guys” who, although they wore military uniforms, did not know how to fight. Sometimes the impossible was demanded from the Main Intelligence Directorate, and the special forces solved these impossible tasks. But these were not their tasks! Special intelligence was created and always prepared to act only outside the borders of its state in the conditions of a global war. But not on their own territory... Finding themselves in Chechnya at the end of 1994, the special forces perceived the territory of this rebellious republic as part of their united Motherland, and not as the territory of an enemy state, where the intelligence officer acts according to the laws of self-preservation, and not according to criminal and civil codes. They could not even imagine that they would be greeted as occupiers, and not as liberators from bandit lawlessness. For this, one might say, naivety, they often paid with their lives. Much later, they managed to rebuild their consciousness and began to fight as they should fight behind enemy lines. Enemy! And they paid again. The Ulman case left a stain on the GRU, and it is still unclear to many whether it is a white spot or a black one. On the night of January 23-24, the special forces battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Evgeny Sergeev, provided access to the intended line of the marine battalion. In addition, reconnaissance groups took part in clashes with militants and suffered their first losses. We returned to the location exhausted and tired. The battalion was located in a good-quality brick building of a former school on the outskirts of Grozny. The commander gathered the officers for a meeting. One very fundamental issue had to be resolved. Sergeev stated his position, invited the officers to discuss all the details without him and make the decision that the officer team considered necessary. In order not to put pressure on his subordinates with his authority, the battalion commander left the building and went outside. And at that moment a terrible explosion thundered. Under the rubble of the collapsed part of the building, everyone who was there at that time died. Sergeev himself received a terrible concussion from which he never recovered. Various versions of the explosion have been put forward. Many were inclined to believe that the school had been mined and blown up by Chechen militants in advance. However, the battalion commander was a professional among professionals in reconnaissance and sabotage activities with extensive experience of the war in Afghanistan. And before placing his battalion in the school building, he personally examined it very carefully. I didn't find any signs of mining. However, the building could have been mined very secretly in the expectation that some military headquarters or an entire unit would be stationed in the surviving school. And then, after waiting for the right moment, detonate it using a radio signal. However, in this case, the entire building would have collapsed, and on January 24, only the part where the special forces were located collapsed. A more thorough analysis of the nature of the destruction clearly indicated that a stray shell hit the school building. Alas, there were many such cases during the first Chechen campaign. Artillerymen often hit the white light according to the principle: whoever God sends to. Not much less people died from “friendly” fire from Russian soldiers than from militant fire. And there’s nothing to say about civilians...
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Special Forces in Afghanistan
A separate special forces detachment included:
squad management;
special forces company, BMP-2, four groups;
special forces company, BTR-70/80, four groups;
mining company (in 1984–1985 – mining group);
support company, two platoons;
communication group;
anti-aircraft artillery group.
Staffing structure of the special forces group
It included a group commander (captain) and three squads.
1st department:
squad leader - sergeant,
senior reconnaissance machine gunner - corporal,
scout - private;
reconnaissance orderly - private;
reconnaissance sniper - private;
senior driver (BTR) / senior driver mechanic (BMP) - corporal.
2nd department:
squad leader - sergeant;
reconnaissance machine gunner - private;
scout - private;
reconnaissance orderly - private;
3rd department:
squad leader - sergeant;
senior reconnaissance machine gunner - corporal;
reconnaissance machine gunner - private;
scout - private;
reconnaissance orderly - private;
driver (armored personnel carrier) / driver mechanic (infantry fighting vehicle) - private.
Summary table of special forces losses
Places and times of deployment of special forces (1981–1989)
Directorate of the 15th separate special forces brigade (1st separate motorized rifle brigade - “Jalalabad”)
Location: Jalalabad, Nangarhar province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: March 1985 – May 1988.
Directorate of the 22nd separate special forces brigade (2nd separate motorized rifle brigade - “Kandahar”)
154th separate special forces detachment (“Jalalabad”) (1st separate motorized rifle battalion)
In pursuance of General Staff Directive No. 314/2/0061 of April 26, 1979, Commander Turkvo No. 21/00755 of May 4, 1979 included a separate special forces detachment of 538 people in the staff of the 15th Special Forces Regiment. Directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces No. 4/372-NSh of October 21, 1981 - 154th Special Forces. An annual holiday was determined - April 26 by General Staff Directive No. 314/2/0061.
Time spent in Afghanistan: November 1979 – May 1988.
Locations: Bagram-Kabul, Akcha-Aybak, Jalalabad, Nangarhar province.
Commanders:
Major Kholbaev Kh. T.;
Major Kostenko;
Major Stoderevsky I.Yu. (10.1981–10.1983);
Major Oleksenko V.I. (10.1983–02.1984);
Major Portnyagin V.P. (02.1984–10.1984);
captain, major Dementiev A.M. (10.1984–08.1984);
captain Abzalimov R.K. (08.1985–10.1986);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel Giluch V.P. (10.1986–11.1987);
Major Vorobiev V.F. (11.1987–05.1988).
Squad structure:
detachment headquarters;
1st special forces company on BMP-1 (6 groups);
2nd special purpose company on BTR-60pb (6 groups);
3rd special purpose company on BTR-60pb (6 groups);
The 4th heavy weapons company consisted of an AGS-17 platoon, an RPO “Lynx” platoon, and an engineer platoon;
communications platoon;
platoon of ZSU "Shilka" (4 "Shilka");
automobile platoon;
logistics platoon.
177th separate special forces detachment (“Ghazni”) (2nd separate motorized rifle battalion)
Formed in February 1980 from the troops of the North Caucasian Military District and the Moscow Military District in the city of Kapchagay.
Location: Ghazni, since May 1988 - Kabul.
Time spent in Afghanistan: September 1981 – February 1989.
Commanders:
captain, major Kerimbaev B.T. (10.1981–10.1983);
Lieutenant Colonel V.V. Kvachkov (10.1983–02.1984);
Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Gryaznov (02.1984–05.1984);
captain Kastykpaev B.M. (05.1984–11.1984);
Major Yudaev V.V. (11.1984–07.1985);
Major Popovich A.M. (07.1985–10.1986);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel Blazhko A.A. (10.1986–02.1989) .
173rd separate special forces detachment (3rd separate motorized rifle battalion - “Kandahar”)
Location: Kandahar.
Time spent in Afghanistan: February 1984 – August 1986.
Commanders:
Major Rudykh G.L. (02.1984–08.1984);
captain Syulgin A.V. (08.1984–11.1984);
captain, major Mursalov T.Ya. (11.1984–03.1986);
Captain, Major Bokhan S.K. (03.1986–06.1987);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Goratenkov (06.1987–06.1988);
captain Breslavsky S.V. (06.1988–08.1988).
The structure of the detachment in March 1980:
squad management;
separate communication group;
anti-aircraft artillery group (four Shilkas);
1st reconnaissance company on BMP-1 (9 BMP-1 and 1 BRM-1K);
2nd reconnaissance company on BMP-1 (9 BMP-1 and 1 BRM-1K);
3rd reconnaissance and landing company on BMD-1 (10 BMD-1);
4th company AGS-17 (three fire platoons of three sections - 18 AGS-17, 10 BTR-70);
5th special weapons company (RPO “Lynx” flamethrower group, mining group on BTR-70);
6th company – transport.
Each of the combat (1st–3rd) companies, in addition to the commander, political officer, deputy for technical affairs, senior mechanic, BRM gunner-operator, foreman and clerk, included three special forces groups.
The group consisted of three squads, each of which consisted of a squad commander, a senior reconnaissance officer, a driver, a gunner-operator, a sniper, a reconnaissance corpsman and two machine gunners.
668th separate special forces detachment (4th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Barakinsky”)
The detachment was formed on August 21, 1984 in Kirovograd on the basis of the 9th Special Forces Brigade. On September 15, 1984, he was transferred to the subordination of Turkvo and introduced into Afghanistan in the present day. p. Kalagulai. In March 1985, he became part of the 15th Special Forces Brigade in the village of Sufla. The battle flag was presented on March 28, 1987. Released to the USSR on February 6, 1989.
Location: Sufla, Baraki district, Logar province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: February 1985 – February 1989.
Commanders:
Lieutenant Colonel Yurin I.S. (09.1984–08.1985);
Lieutenant Colonel Ryzhik M.I. (08.1985–11.1985);
Major Reznik E.A. (11.1985–08.1986);
Major Udovichenko V.M. (08.1986–04.1987);
Major Korchagin A.V. (04.1987–06.1988);
Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Goratenkov (06.1988–02.1989).
334th separate special forces detachment (5th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Asadabad”)
The detachment was formed from December 25, 1984 to January 8, 1985 in Maryina Gorka from the troops of the BVO, DVO, Lenvo, Prikvo, Savo; transferred to Turkvo on January 13, 1985. On March 11, 1985, it was transferred to the 40th Army.
Location: Asadabad, Kunar province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: February 1985 – May 1988.
Squad leaders:
Major Terentyev V.Ya. (03.1985–05.1985);
captain, major Bykov G.V. (05.1985–05.1987);
Lieutenant Colonel Klochkov A.B. (05.1987–11.1987);
Lieutenant Colonel Giluch V.P. (11.1987–05.1988).
370th separate special forces detachment (6th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Lashkarevsky”)
Location: Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: February 1984 – August 1988.
Squad leaders:
Major Krot I.M. (03.1985–08.1986);
captain Fomin A.M. (08.1986–05.1987);
Major Eremeev V.V. (05.1987–08.1988).
186th separate special forces detachment (7th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Shahjoysky”)
Location: Shahjoy, Zabol province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: April 1985 – May 1988.
Squad leaders:
Lieutenant Colonel Fedorov K.K. (04.1985–05.1985);
captain, major Likhidchenko A.I. (05.1985–03.1986);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel Nechitailo A.I. (03.1986–04.1988);
Major, Lieutenant Colonel Borisov A.E. (04.1988–05.1988).
411th separate special forces detachment (8th separate motorized rifle battalion - “Farakh”)
Location: Farah, Farah province.
Time spent in Afghanistan: December 1985 – August 1988.
Commanders:
captain Fomin A.G. (10.1985–08.1986);
Major Krot I.M. (08.1986–12.1986);
Major Yurchenko A.E. (12.1986–04.1987);
Major Khudyakov A.N. (04.1987–08.1988).
459th separate special forces company (“Kabul company”)
Stationed in Kabul.
Formed in December 1979 on the basis of a special forces training regiment in the city of Chirchik. Introduced into Afghanistan in February 1980.
During the hostilities, the company's personnel took part in more than six hundred combat missions.
Withdrew from Afghanistan in August 1988.
Biographies of Heroes of the Soviet Union - participants in the war in Afghanistan
ARSENOV Valery Viktorovich
Private, senior reconnaissance-grenade launcher of the 173rd separate special forces detachment, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on June 24, 1966 in the regional center of the Donetsk region of Ukraine, the city of Donetsk, in a working-class family.
From fourth to eighth grade he studied at a boarding school.
From 1982 to 1985 he studied at the Donetsk Construction Vocational School. After graduation, he worked as a metalwork assembler at one of the factories in Donetsk.
Since October 1985 in the ranks of the Soviet Army. He served as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan. Participated in 15 combat missions.
On February 28, 1986, while participating in a battle with superior enemy forces 80 kilometers east of Kandahar, the senior reconnaissance grenade launcher, being seriously wounded, continued to fire. At the critical moment of the battle, the brave warrior, at the cost of his life, shielded the company commander from enemy bullets and saved his life. He died from his wounds on the battlefield.
GOROSHKO Yaroslav Pavlovich
Captain, company commander of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on October 4, 1957 in the village of Borshchevka, Lanovets district, Ternopil region of Ukraine, in a working-class family.
In 1974 he graduated from 10th grade and worked at an electrical repair plant.
Since 1976 - in the Soviet Army.
In 1981 he graduated from the Khmelnytsky Higher Military Artillery Command School.
From September 1981 to November 1983, he served in Afghanistan as commander of a mortar platoon and air assault company.
After returning to the USSR, he served in one of the special forces formations.
In 1986, at his personal request, he was sent to Afghanistan.
On October 31, 1987, a group under his command left to help the group of Senior Lieutenant O.P. Onishchuk. As a result of the battle, 18 Mujahideen were killed. Scouts from the group Goroshko Ya.P. picked up the bodies of the dead scouts from O.P. Onishchuk’s group. and under enemy fire they were carried to the evacuation site.
In 1988 he became a student at the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze, and after graduation he continued to serve as deputy commander of the 8th separate special forces brigade, stationed in the city of Izyaslav, Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine.
After the collapse of the USSR since 1992, Y.P. Goroshko stood at the origins of the creation of military intelligence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in the 1464th special forces regiment of the Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet.
ISLAMOV Yuri Verikovich
Junior sergeant, soldier of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on April 5, 1968 in the village of Arslanbob, Bazar-Korgon district, Osh region of Kyrgyzstan, in the family of a forester.
After graduating from primary school, he moved to the city of Talitsa, Sverdlovsk region, where in 1985 he graduated from 10th grade.
In 1986, he graduated from the 1st year of the Sverdlovsk Forestry Engineering Institute and took a course in the parachute section.
Since October 1986 in the Soviet Army.
Since May 1987, he served as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan as a squad commander in one of the special forces units.
On October 31, 1987, the group he was part of entered into battle with superior enemy forces near the village of Duri in Zabol province, near the border with Pakistan. He volunteered to cover the retreat of his comrades. During the battle he was wounded twice. Despite this, he continued to fight until the last bullet. He entered into hand-to-hand combat with the enemy and blew himself up along with six Mujahideen.
KOLESNIK Vasily Vasilievich
Major General, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on December 13, 1935 in the village of Slavyanskaya (now the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban) of the Slavyansk region of the Krasnodar Territory in a family of employees - a chief agronomist and a teacher (taught Russian language and literature). My father studied rice farming in China and Korea for more than five years. Fluent in Chinese and Korean. In 1934, after finishing his studies abroad, he began making the first checks for rice cultivation in the Kuban.
In 1939, my father was sent to work in Ukraine, in the Mirgorod district of the Poltava region, so that he could organize the cultivation of rice. Here the family was caught up in the war. Father and mother went to the partisan detachment, leaving four children in the arms of their grandparents.
On November 6, 1941, having come to the village to visit the children, the parents and another partisan were betrayed by a traitor and fell into the hands of the Germans. The next day they were shot in front of their children. Four children were left in the care of their grandparents. The family survived during the occupation thanks to the grandmother, who was knowledgeable in traditional medicine and treated the village residents. People paid for her services in products.
In 1943, when the Mirgorod region was liberated, Vasily’s two sisters were taken in by their mother’s middle sister, and little Vasya and his brother were taken by the youngest. My sister's husband was the deputy head of the Armavir Flight School. In 1944 he was transferred to Maykop.
In 1945 he entered the Krasnodar Suvorov Military School (Maykop), and graduated from the Caucasus Suvorov Military School in 1953 (transferred to the city of Ordzhonikidze in 1947).
In 1956, after graduating from the Caucasian Red Banner Suvorov Officer School, he linked his fate with the special forces. He served as commander of the 1st (reconnaissance) platoon of the 92nd separate special forces company of the 25th Army (Far Eastern Military District), company commander of the 27th separate special forces battalion in Poland (Northern Group of Forces).
In 1966, after graduating from the Academy. M.V. Frunze, successively held the positions of chief of intelligence of the brigade, head of the operational intelligence department and chief of staff of the brigade (Far Eastern Military District, Turkestan Military District).
Since 1975, he was commander of a special forces brigade, and subsequently served in the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces.
With the introduction of a limited contingent of Soviet troops into Afghanistan in 1979, it was in the combat area. On December 27, 1979, a battalion of more than 500 people, formed and trained by him according to a special program, took direct part in the assault on Amin’s palace. Despite the fivefold numerical superiority of the palace security brigade, the battalion under the command of V.V. Kolesnika captured the palace in just 15 minutes. For the preparation and exemplary execution of a special task - Operation Storm-333 - and the courage and bravery shown by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 28, 1980, he, one of the first “Afghans”, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, “For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR” 3rd degree, medals, as well as the Order of the Red Banner and two medals of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He had 349 parachute jumps to his credit.
In 1982 he graduated from the Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR. Under the leadership of V.V. Kolesnik consistently and purposefully improved the organizational structure and combat training system of military units and special forces formations.
While in the reserve, until the last days of his life he was the chairman of the Council of Special Forces Veterans. He took an active part in the patriotic education of Suvorov students of the newly created North Caucasus Suvorov Military School in the city of Vladikavkaz.
KUZNETSOV Nikolay Anatolievich
Guard lieutenant, serviceman of the 15th separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on June 29, 1962 in the village of 1st Piterka, Morshansky district, Tambov region. After the death of their parents, my four-year-old sister and I were left to be raised by our grandmother.
In 1976 he entered the Leningrad Suvorov Military School.
In 1979 he graduated from college with a diploma of commendation.
In 1983 he graduated from the Higher Combined Arms Command School named after. Kirov with a gold medal.
After graduating from college, Lieutenant N. Kuznetsov was sent to the airborne division in the city of Pskov as commander of a special forces group. He repeatedly asked to be sent to a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan.
In 1984 he was sent to Afghanistan.
On April 23, 1985, the platoon of Lieutenant Kuznetsov N.A. received the task - as part of a company, to scout out the location and destroy a gang of Mujahideen settled in one of the villages of Kunar province.
In the course of carrying out the assigned task, Lieutenant Kuznetsov's platoon was cut off from the main forces of the company. A fight ensued. Having ordered the platoon to make its way to its own, Lieutenant Kuznetsov N.A. Together with the rear patrol, he remained to ensure the withdrawal. Left alone with the dushmans, Lieutenant Kuznetsov N.A. fought to the last bullet. With the last, sixth grenade, letting the dushmans get closer, Lieutenant N.A. Kuznetsov blew them up along with himself.
MIROLYUBOV Yuri Nikolaevich
Private, BMP-70 driver of the 667th separate special forces detachment of the 15th separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union
Born on May 8, 1967 in the village of Ryadovichi, Shablykinsky district, Oryol region, into a peasant family.
In 1984, he graduated from high school in the village of Chistopolsky, Saratov region, and worked as a driver at the Krasnoye Znamya state farm in the Krasnopartisan district.
In the Soviet Army since the fall of 1985. He served as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan. He took part in many military operations; was wounded in one of the battles, but remained in service, successfully completing the combat mission.
During the execution of combat missions, he destroyed ten Mujahideen.
In one of the battles, risking his life, he carried the wounded chief of staff of one of the special forces units out from under enemy fire.
In one of the combat exits, he bypassed the enemy caravan and thereby cut off the escape route. During the ensuing battle, he replaced the wounded machine gunner and suppressed the resistance of the Mujahideen with fire.
In 1987 he was demobilized. He worked as a driver on a state farm. Lived in the village of Chistopolsky, Krasnopartisan district, Saratov region.
ONISCHUK Oleg Petrovich
Senior lieutenant, deputy company commander of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Born on August 12, 1961 in the village of Putrintsy, Izyaslavsky district, Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine, in a working-class family.
Graduated from 10th grade.
Since 1978 - in the Soviet Army.
In 1982 he graduated from the Kiev Higher Combined Arms Command School named after M.V. Frunze.
Since April 1987 - in Afghanistan.
“Deputy company commander, candidate member of the CPSU, senior lieutenant Oleg Onishchuk, leading a reconnaissance group, successfully completing tasks to provide international assistance to the Republic of Afghanistan, showing courage and heroism, died a heroic death in battle on October 31, 1987 near the village of Duri in the province of Zabol, near the border with Pakistan..." is the official description of the cause of his death.
Everything in life was more complicated. Oleg Onishchuk’s group sat in ambush for several days, waiting for a caravan. Finally, late in the evening of October 30, 1987, three cars appeared. The driver was the first to be eliminated by the group commander from a distance of 700 meters, the other two cars disappeared. The escort and cover group for the caravan, which tried to recapture the car, was scattered with the help of two Mi-24 helicopters that arrived. At half past five in the morning on October 31, in violation of the command’s order, Oleg Onishchuk decided to inspect the truck on his own, without waiting for the arrival of helicopters with an inspection team. At six in the morning, he and part of the group went out to the truck and were attacked by more than two hundred Mujahideen. According to the testimony of the special forces survivors in that battle, the “inspection” group died within fifteen minutes. It is impossible to fight in open areas against an anti-aircraft gun and a heavy machine gun (located in the village of Dari). According to the hero’s colleagues, in that situation early in the morning the group had to take the fight, even if Onishchenko had not begun inspecting the truck. More than two thousand Mujahideen were stationed in this area. Although the losses would have been significantly less. Their colleagues place the main blame for the death of the special forces soldiers on the command. By six in the morning an armored group was supposed to arrive and helicopters were supposed to fly in. The convoy with equipment did not arrive at all, and the helicopters arrived only at 6:45 am.
