In 2000, by order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, October 24 was officially declared GRU Special Forces Day. This was a kind of public act of recognition of the merits that the army special intelligence entered into the history of the USSR Armed Forces and Russian Federation.
Intelligence officers, by their nature, are not public people. Of course they have their own memorable dates, which are noted by a narrow circle of professionals. Basically these are the days of the founding of specific parts. The idea that we should celebrate a holiday common to everyone arose in the nineties of the twentieth century. We remembered the story.
On October 24, 1950, the secret Directive of the USSR Minister of War No. ORG/2/395/832 appeared. She marked the beginning of the creation of intelligence special purpose. In the autumn of the same year, 46 separate special forces companies of 120 people each were created in all military districts. The leadership of combat training was entrusted to the Main Directorate of the General Staff, better known as the GRU.
GRU special forces were created to operate deep behind enemy lines, even on US territory. It was assumed that if NATO launched a mechanism for starting military operations against the USSR, and the situation became irreversible, the special forces would be the first to enter the battle. Scout groups were to appear in close proximity to everyone command posts and strategic facilities of the North Atlantic bloc. Their task was to conduct reconnaissance and, if necessary, begin to destroy control centers, missile launch sites, strategic aviation and even nuclear submarines in the bases. And also disrupt communications, energy supplies, destroy transport communications, sow panic and bring chaos to the military and public administration aggressor countries.
Despite the improbability of these tasks, the GRU special forces were able to solve them very effectively. The special intelligence arsenals had everything they needed, including portable nuclear mines. To penetrate enemy territory, various options were provided: from classic parachute landing to completely legal travel abroad. In this case, the illegal GRU agents had to prepare in advance for the reconnaissance saboteurs the base locations and appropriate weapons. Combat training for special forces it was developed individually and was characterized by high intensity.
It is clear that such lethal force could not be revealed prematurely. And the GRU special forces were classified more strictly than even nuclear forces USSR. In any case, the fact that the Armed Forces have the Strategic Missile Forces, there are strategic bombers carrying atomic bombs, there is atomic submarine fleet– even the child knew. Not all generals and marshals knew that GRU special forces existed in the structure of the Armed Forces. And if they knew, then in the most general terms.
The first open mentions of these units appeared after the end of our war in Afghanistan. At the same time, special forces began to appear en masse in all security forces. For some reason they were initially romanticized. As a result, the word “special forces” was worn out and erased. It has lost the romantic flair of intelligence and has become as dull and faceless as “cop” or “riot police.”
The GRU special forces really had their finest hour, although in principle it should not have operated there - it was not created for such a war. One can talk endlessly about the Afghan special forces epic. In this case, it is worth noting that, faced with unusual tasks, the GRU combat units very quickly adapted and began to fight in such a way that their effectiveness became higher than, for example, that of airborne units, especially motorized rifles. Special forces are essentially partisans. And since in Afghanistan the war was with irregulars, one might say partisan detachments dushmanov, then the GRU special intelligence units found themselves in their element. Although, it is worth repeating, no one has ever prepared them for long-term combat operations. However, the individual training of the intelligence officers was so high-quality, and the general cultural level was so high, that junior special forces officers not only fought successfully, but also brilliantly solved the most complex military-political problems. It happened that one GRU detachment could pacify even for a long time calm down an entire rebellious province.
Perestroika ended with the collapse of the Union. And right on the outskirts Soviet Empire blood flowed. In 1992 it began massacre in Tajikistan. Terrible atrocities took place, which only eyewitnesses know about to this day. There was no Internet then. Information from the war-torn republic was not particularly disseminated. Meanwhile, the most dark forces. The whole of Central Asia was about to explode. So much so that the still unborn CIS would shudder.
To the management new Russia, declared the legal successor of the USSR, had no choice but to intervene directly. The best decision in that situation, oddly enough, was made by Yegor Gaidar, who was then acting head of the Russian government. He instructed the GRU special forces to restore order in Tajikistan.
The choice fell on the 15th brigade, stationed in the city of Chirchik, not far from Tashkent. That brigade was commanded by the now widely known “enemy of Chubais, the former best friend Gaidar” Colonel Vladimir Kvachkov. According to the brigade commander, Moscow gave him literally dictatorial powers. He could, at his discretion, execute and pardon everyone in Tajikistan, regardless of person or position. Colonel Kvachkov immediately refused such dubious power. He undertook to put out the war, but set the condition: not to interfere, and to completely entrust the special forces to carry out the pacification of Tajikistan in the way only they can. And he received all the necessary powers, from the same Gaidar, by the way.
In September 1992, the 15th Brigade quietly entered Tajikistan and... disappeared into it. In the republic itself, practically no one knew that Russian intelligence officers had entered the war. Surprisingly, the terrible massacre that engulfed the entire republic stopped as if by itself and quite quickly. There were no air assault strikes, no massive bombings, and thousands were pointless dead soldiers. There were losses, of course, but they were literally isolated. But it was possible to save hundreds of thousands, and maybe millions of lives of Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Slavs and the same Tajiks who were at war with each other. On for many years Not only Tajikistan, but the whole of Central Asia fell silent.
Two years later, the pacification of rebellious Chechnya began. For some reason, the GRU was initially not allowed to carry out this mission. The result is known to everyone: large-scale fighting, Grozny was destroyed to smithereens, an innumerable number of refugees were killed, maimed, missing.
Only after it became clear that the situation in Chechnya was getting out of control, GRU special forces were rushed there in a fire operation.
The hasty and ill-considered actions of the then leadership of the Ministry of Defense led to the fact that the intelligence officers suffered completely unjustified losses and found themselves in the stupidest situations - almost detachments of “punchers” found themselves captured by the militants, albeit temporarily. However, that’s what special forces are for: they can get out of any situation. The scouts not only got used to the new mountain conditions, but began to fight so skillfully and, in general, cleanly that even in Grozny, which after Khasavyurt came under the complete control of the separatists, on one of the buildings for a long time there was an inscription: GLORY OF THE GRU - a remnant of the past slogan GLORY TO LABOR.
In the second counter-terrorism operation in the North Caucasus, the special forces were treated completely differently. The GRU was given very great powers. The defeat of the gangs took place relatively quickly and resulted in relatively little bloodshed.
The GRU special forces never waited for the “X” hour, when they would have thrown him into the depths Western Europe, especially in the USA. Maybe it's for the better. Over the past thirty years, he has fought where, as they said, he should not have fought in principle. And he fought wonderfully! Perhaps this is why the leadership of the Ministry of Defense decided that the special forces should formally occupy the niche in which they themselves had actually settled for a long time. That is, not to be a “scarecrow” for NATO, but to participate in ground counter-terrorism operations. Perhaps these parts will indeed be reborn in a new quality. Long live the special forces!
Sergey Ptichkin
The beginning of the history of special purpose units in Russia is considered to be the creation of units in 1918 special purpose- CHON. They were subordinate to the Cheka and were intended to fight the Basmachi in Central Asia and rebels on the territory of Russia proper.
Subsequently, special units were mainly owned by the Cheka (NKVD - MGB - KGB). October 24, 1950 USSR Minister of War Marshal Soviet Union A.M. Vasilevsky issued a directive ordering the formation of 46 special-purpose companies with a staff strength of 120 people by May 1, 1951. Over time, the structure and quantitative composition Army special forces changed more than once, but the essence of its purpose, in principle, always remained the same.
Now special forces units are paramilitary forces FSB, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Justice and other federal bodies state power(detachments, groups, reinforced groups) having their own conventional names (“Alpha”, “Vityaz”, “Vympel”, “Rus”). They are intended for counter-terrorism actions, actions to search and detain especially dangerous and armed criminals, liquidation of criminal groups, release of hostages and other special operations.
Distinctive features of special purpose units
Special status within the industry department. The specifics of special forces activities leave their mark on units of this category within a ministry, department, army or navy, depending on their departmental affiliation. The activities of each such division are assigned to a separate regulatory legal act. Special Features require more specific weapons, equipment, equipment, transport, which affects higher funding in contrast to regular units. The level of combat training requires the presence of an enhanced training base and separate training centers.
High level of moral, psychological, ideological, physical and combat training of personnel. Special forces units, as a rule, perform tasks in specific conditions, which requires high level preparation.
Availability of special means of defense and attack. Special forces units have weapons, equipment and vehicles with highly targeted characteristics, higher than those available in the sectoral department of the state. This is due, again, to the tasks assigned to special forces. From an economic point of view, it is not advisable to equip regular units with expensive equipment. In addition, special forces have highly targeted means (for example, special means reconnaissance, special assault weapons). Taking into account the fact that the training of special forces personnel has higher costs, there is a need for higher security, which requires the availability of more technological means of protection, life support and evacuation.
Judging from the economic side, the life of a special forces soldier is several orders of magnitude more valuable than the life of an ordinary soldier in a general unit.
Ability to perform tasks autonomously under extreme conditions.
The beginning of the history of special-purpose units in Russia is considered to be the creation of special-purpose units in 1918 - CHON. They were subordinate to the Cheka and were intended to fight the Basmachi in Central Asia and the rebels on the territory of Russia proper. Subsequently, special units were mainly owned by the Cheka (NKVD - MGB - KGB).
October 24, 1950 USSR Minister of War Marshal of the Soviet Union A.M. Vasilevsky issued a directive ordering the formation of 46 special forces companies with a staff of 120 people by May 1, 1951.
Over time, the structure and quantitative composition of army special forces changed more than once, but the essence of its purpose, in principle, always remained the same. In 1957, separate special-purpose battalions (OBSN) were created, and in 1962, special-purpose brigades (BSN) began to be formed as part of the district troops. Later, battalions and then special-purpose brigades were created on their base. Special purpose parts for on an ongoing basis were widely deployed under the auspices of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) General Staff. By the time of the collapse of the USSR, the ground forces, the GRU, the airborne troops, and the airborne troops had their own special forces units. navy, air force.
In the 1970s-1980s, the army had 13 special forces brigades. It was during this period that their active combat work, which took place in Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Vietnam. Then the war broke out in Afghanistan. Included Soviet contingent Eight special forces units operated there, organized into two brigades. They performed the following tasks: conducting reconnaissance, destroying mujahideen detachments and caravans, detecting and inspecting caravans, mining caravan trails and movement routes of gangs, installing reconnaissance and signaling equipment. Over the years, the methodology for training fighters for special forces units has been systematized and fine-tuned.
During Chechen campaign The special forces carried out their immediate duties, carrying out search, ambush and sabotage and reconnaissance activities. According to many military experts, no one fought in the North Caucasus better than the GRU special forces in the 2000s. In April 2001, for special distinction in battles to ensure the security and integrity of the Russian Federation, the 22nd separate brigade special purpose received the rank of guards. This is the first military unit in Russia, which was awarded such honorary title after the end of the Great Patriotic War.
Now special forces units are paramilitary formations of the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Justice and other federal government bodies (detachments, groups, reinforced groups), having their own code names (“Alpha”, “Vityaz”, “Vympel”, “ Rus'"). They are intended for counter-terrorism actions, actions to search and detain especially dangerous and armed criminals, liquidation of criminal groups, release of hostages and other special operations.
Each of the special-purpose units of the Russian federal bodies has its own creation date and its own history.
Thus, the special forces of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces were created October 24, 1950. The special forces of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were formed by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR on December 31, 1977. At first it was a special purpose training company. In 1989 - a training battalion, in 1991 - a special forces detachment "Vityaz". In 2000, the Vityaz detachment and the 1st operational regiment were merged into the Special Purpose Regiment. In the same internal troops On August 1, 1994, the special unit “Rus” was formed. The following units were created in the Ministry of Internal Affairs: OMON - October 23, 1988, OMSN - November 9, 1978, SOBR - April 1, 1993. The FSB created: “Alpha” - July 29, 1974, “Vympel” - August 19, 1981. On October 8, 1998, the Special Purpose Center was established. In the Federal border service On May 18, 1995, the Sigma special unit appeared. Special forces have Federal service security, Ministry of Emergency Situations, State Customs Committee.
There was no single Day uniting all special forces, the most combat-ready and advanced detachment of military personnel and law enforcement officers, in Russia. The beginning of the celebration of Special Forces Day is considered to be the meeting of special forces soldiers with the country's leadership on August 29, 1996. The heads of all ministries and departments of the federal bodies of the Russian Federation supported the idea of the holiday and in 1999 signed an appeal to the President of Russia to give it state status.
By decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin dated May 31, 2006, seven professional holidays and 14 memorable days to revive military traditions and increase prestige military service, as well as in recognition of the merits of military specialists in ensuring the defense and security of the state. Among them is Special Forces Day, which is celebrated October 24.
1917 - under pressure from the sailors, the Provisional Government released the leader of the Kronstadt Bolsheviks, sailor Fyodor Raskolnikov.
1943 - 14 Soviet prisoners of war escaped from the fascist camp of Monterotondo (Italy).
1945 – the leader of the Norwegian fascists V. Quisling was executed.
1945 – the leader of the Nazi trade unions in Germany, R. Ley, hanged himself in a Nuremberg prison.
1949 – Ukrainian writer Yaroslav Galan was killed by Bandera’s supporters in Lvov.
1974 – former USSR Minister of Culture Ekaterina Furtseva committed suicide.
1990 - In the Canadian Mountain Police, officers of Indian descent are allowed to wear braids.
2000 – The coach of the Russian Paralympic swimming team was detained in Sydney on charges of indecent behavior towards a female police officer.
2002 – Jose Antonio Rodriguez Vega, a Spaniard who committed 16 murders from August 1987 to April 1988, was killed by prisoners. His victims were women aged 61 to 93 years. In October 1978, he was arrested on charges of rape and released in 1986. Arrested again on May 19, 1988.
Person of the day
On June 16, 1931, American mafioso Al Capone, his brother Ralph and 68 other gangsters were put on trial. Employees of the Ministry of Finance were able to establish that in the period 1925-1927. he generally evaded paying income tax, and in 1928-1929. hid information about income.
October 24, 1931 Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in prison, plus a fine of $50,000 thousand and legal costs of $30,000 thousand.
Once in the new maximum security prison on the rocky island of Alcatraz, the “King of Chicago” turned into “Italian with a mop.”
On November 17, 1939, Capone was released. He was no longer a tenant. Syphilis, which he was given by one of the prostitutes working for him, turned this once blossoming man into ruins. He died soon after.
History of the day
October 24, 1939 Not far from the tram stop “Copper Mine” on Uralmash, three cadets of the Sverdlovsk Workers’ and Peasants’ Militia School: Popov, Krylov and Angelov were freezing at their post.
And then they noticed a tall, thin guy who got off the tram with a child in his arms and moved towards the forest. The cadets showed vigilance and followed him. Gradually we went deeper into the thickets, but the tracks led further and further. And then, finally, they saw the guy they were following. He held the child by the throat and apparently choked him. Little boy He lay naked on a fur board spread under him and, it seems, no longer showed signs of life. But the cadets were able to save him and detain the villain.
Even seasoned criminal investigation operatives were surprised when they found out who the maniac and murderer turned out to be, whom they had been looking for for a year and a half to no avail. Yes, and anyone normal person When seeing a 15-year-old 7th grade student, a second-year student and a poor student, Vladimir Vanchevsky, one could hardly think that this was a beast in human form. However, the facts convinced that this was so. The schoolboy confessed to 8 murders and 10 attempts. It turned out that he was pathologically afraid of the screams of his victims, and therefore in more than half of the cases he left them tied up and ran away.
And yet bloody trail he left behind a very impressive legacy. The youngest of his victims was one and a half years old, the oldest was 6. The last child he abducted, Slavik Zaitsev, with whom he was detained in the forest, was only 3 years old.
A maniac acted classic scheme: he started a conversation with the baby, for example, under the pretext that he was looking for the restroom, then, promising ice cream or candy, he lured him to a secluded place and dealt with him.
Vanchevsky’s parents were horrified by what their child had done, and therefore submitted a statement to the newspaper “Uralsky Rabochiy”: “We, the parents, renounce such a son and demand that punishment be applied to him.” the highest measure- execution. Such geeks in Soviet family there can be no life. November 1, 39 12 noon.”
However, capital punishment was applied to Volodya Vanchevsky without the request of his parents. On January 16, 1940, the court sentenced him to death.
Tragedy of the day
October 24, 1960 The worst disaster associated with space rockets occurred: an R-16 rocket exploded at the Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan) while loading fuel. The explosion killed 91 people.
This tragedy was included in the Guinness Book of Records
Execution of the day
From February 1942 until the end of World War II, he served as Minister-President of occupied Norway. After the war, Quisling was executed on charges of treason. The surname Quisling has become a symbol of betrayal in Norway.
Shortly before his execution, Vidkun compiled his family tree, in which he traced his ancestry back to the god Odin himself. But it’s unlikely that he went to Valhalla.
Murder of the day
Ukrainian Soviet writer Yaroslav Galan was killed October 24, 1949 in his office in an apartment on Gvardeyskaya Street in Lviv Ukrainian nationalists Mikhail Stakhur and Ilariy Lukachevich, associated with the OUN. They struck him 11 times with an axe.
The reason for the reprisal was the complicated relationship between the writer and the Catholic Church. First, Pope Pius XII excommunicated Galan from the church, and in retaliation he published the anti-clerical satire “I Spit on the Pope!”
The nationalists decided to stand up for the pope and killed Galan. The NKVD stood up for the writer by intensifying the fight against the underground nationalist Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
Legend of the day
October 24, 1958 repeat offender Senka Likhoy lost at cards to the famous singer and artist Mark Bernes. He undertook to kill him, for which he went to Moscow.
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The reason that the life of the famous singer turned out to be a bet in a card game was because of their resentment towards him. In the film “Night Patrol,” Bernes played Pavel Obruchev, a former security guard and authoritative thief who emigrated from the USSR, but, tormented by nostalgia for his homeland, returned and surrendered to police commissioner Ivan Krechetov. Moreover, the artist’s talent turned out to be so great that criminals mistook the movie for reality, and Bernes for a real “committed thief.” The criminal world was deeply outraged that Bernes on the screen promoted a departure from crime and stigmatized his criminal past and the environment of thieves. They propagandized and propagandized for years, and he immediately took it and propagandized, introducing unnecessary doubts into the fragile souls of young thieves. Four ex-cons sulking at cards on train station in Kotlas they put Bernes' life on the line. Senka Likhoy lost and had until November 1 to decide on the artist. Fortunately, an admirer of the actor’s talent turned out to witness this game. Who informed his friend in Moscow about this. One can imagine Mark Bernes’s surprise when an unfamiliar citizen showed up at his home and announced from the doorstep that the owner of the apartment was in danger of death from a gangster’s knife.
In the morning, Bernes went to see the head of the Moscow Criminal Investigation Department, I. Parfentyev, and reported the impending assassination attempt. From October 26 to November 1, security was assigned to Bernes and his five-year-old daughter Natasha. The artist limited his exits from the house, and coordinated all visits and routes with security.
But the attempt did not take place. According to one version, Likhoy simply got scared and avoided fulfilling his gambling debt. But another one looks more beautiful: when detained at the station, Senka Likhoy, who arrived in the capital, resisted the operatives and was shot.
In 1918, to fight the rebels and the Basmachi of Central Asia, special forces were created, which became the founder modern troops special purpose. The structure and names of these troops have changed several times over their history, but the essence has remained the same - these are groups of highly qualified military personnel designed to search for and detain especially dangerous armed criminals, eliminate gangs, release hostages and other actions requiring a high level of training. Distinctive feature special purpose units are mobility, speed of response, coordination of actions. Like a confession special merits special forces in ensuring stability in the country, October 24 was established by presidential decree as the Day of special forces.
Spetsnaz also has a second birthday - August 29th. On this day, “Special Forces Day of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” is celebrated. On August 29, 1957, 5 special forces battalions were formed.
I wish you on special forces day
Always ready to be
Follow orders accurately
If suddenly trouble comes.
Be pumped up and agile
Keep the required form,
So that there are girls all around
They could sigh about you!
Happy Special Units Day. appointments
Your job is dangerous, no doubt.
So let the danger pass you by,
So let the promotion await you every year.
You are the pride of the family and the pride of the parents,
Your position carries honor and respect,
I wish you to reach your goals, heights,
May you be lucky and may God bless you,
To all special forces today
Congratulations from the bottom of my heart,
You are the pride of a huge country,
You guys are good.
I wish you strength and happiness,
Let the danger pass
Let every day be only joy,
Brings inspiration.
Always waiting with love at home
Let those who are dear to you.
It's a dangerous job
It will give a rich harvest.
« Professionals highest quality» -
This is what people say about you.
SPECIAL FORCES are capable of any tasks,
You best protection for us.
May we have a peaceful sky, -
There will be less work for you.
Family happiness, good friends
And endless tomorrow.
Special forces! And everything is very clear!
Courage, valor - where it is dangerous,
Usually this company serves.
He is particularly friendly with techniques.
And if anyone raises their hand -
The special forces will disarm you.
We wish you guys
It is sacred to be and believe in eagles:
Everyone needs your reliability,
She is like a shield for everyone, like a sword!
We congratulate you on your day
We wish you all awards and victories!
Responsibility and pride
Courage and honor
Character, strength, firmness
These people have it.
Special forces don't rest
Nowhere and never
He protects us all
From an evil enemy.
If anyone dares
To attack the homeland,
He'll regret it in a second -
His suit is not his trump card.
Special forces are strength, so be strong!
Serving in special forces is your calling!
Always serve bravely for the country,
May you succeed in any task!
I wish you health, success in everything,
I want to wish you a fighting mood
And achieve your goals day after day!
May you have a lot of joy in your life!
Congratulations today
I'm a combat special forces
I wish you happiness
To each of you.
I wish you surgery
Conduct successfully
Be cool fighters
Be successful with women.
Standing shoulder to shoulder
May good luck be with you
I wish you good health,
Love, kindness and happiness.
Congratulations to all units,
All involved, all people,
Who lives with a special purpose.
Let life become better and brighter.
At work I wish you success,
Grace to the heart and soul.
More happiness, more laughter,
Well, and to be on top in everything.
There are such units
For special purposes,
We congratulate them on their triumph,
Happy this bright and festive day!
May your career grow
Let life bloom forever with blessings.
May your dreams come true
We congratulate you from the bottom of our hearts!
Congratulations: 53 in verse, 9 in prose.
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Today at Armed Forces The Russian Federation celebrates the Day of Special Purpose Units, which are, in particular, the most important integral part intelligence systems Ground Forces. Special purpose formations, units and subunits have successfully solved and are solving the tasks assigned to them, including in all “hot spots” last decades. They are equipped with the most modern weapons, military and special equipment.
Special Forces Day, celebrated annually on October 24, was established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 549 of May 31, 2006 “On the establishment of professional holidays and memorable days in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”
The beginning of the history of special-purpose units in Russia is considered to be the creation of special-purpose units in 1918 - CHON. They were subordinate to the Cheka and were intended to fight the Basmachi in Central Asia and the rebels in the territory Russian Republic. Subsequently, special units were mainly owned by the Cheka (NKVD, MGB, KGB).
On October 24, 1950, the Minister of War of the USSR, Marshal of the Soviet Union A.M. Vasilevsky, issued a directive ordering the formation of 46 special-purpose companies with a staff strength of 120 people by May 1, 1951. In other words, ARMY SPECIAL FORCES was created. Over time, the structure and quantitative composition of army special forces changed more than once, but the essence of its purpose, in principle, always remained the same.
Currently, special forces units are paramilitary formations of the FSB, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Justice and other federal government bodies (detachments, groups, reinforced groups), having their own code names - “Alpha”, “Vityaz”, “Vympel” , "Rus".
Special units are designed for anti-terrorist actions, actions to search for and detain especially dangerous and armed criminals, eliminate criminal groups, release hostages and conduct other special operations.
The main feature of special forces units is their relatively small composition, excellent training, audacity and surprise, initiative, speed and coordination of actions, skillful use of strike and maneuver capabilities of weapons, military equipment, and also protective properties terrain, time of day, weather conditions.
These parts demonstrated their validity and usefulness already in 1968 during the first major operation. It's about on the entry of troops of the Warsaw Pact countries into Czechoslovakia. It all started when a Soviet transport plane requested an emergency landing from Prague due to engine failure. After landing, events unfolded at lightning speed.
The special forces soldiers jumped out of the plane almost as soon as it touched the landing strip and ran towards the airfield control tower. The Czech soldiers were so confused that they didn’t even think about resisting. The successful capture of this airfield allowed the Vitebsk Airborne Division to be transferred to Prague.
Meanwhile, other special forces units, which penetrated Prague a few days before the start of the operation, captured the city's radio and television centers, telephone exchanges, newspaper offices and other important buildings, and in the morning the fighters entered the building of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, where they At the time, a meeting of the cabinet of Alexander Dubcek was taking place.
Having captured the government building, special forces soldiers held the ministers of Czechoslovakia for five hours and then took them to Moscow. It is worth noting that the famous German wartime saboteur Otto Skorzeny, observing the development of events in Prague, later called the Soviet special forces"brilliant" operation.
In May 1968, a special forces group of 9 people raided a secret American helicopter camp, which was located in Cambodia, 30 km from the border with Vietnam. This camp was used American troops to send their reconnaissance and sabotage groups to Vietnam, as well as flights to search for their downed pilots. On the camp's airfield there were always 2 light helicopters, 8-10 heavy transport helicopters and 4 Super Cobra fire support helicopters in combat readiness.
The purpose of the operation was precisely the Super Cobra helicopters, which were armed with guided missiles and were equipped the latest systems aiming at the target. As a result of the operation, which lasted 25 minutes, one helicopter was hijacked to Vietnam and the rest were destroyed. The Americans lost about 15 people killed and wounded. The American intelligence services only learned that these were Soviet special forces soldiers only a few years later.
Both before and after, many operations were carried out that were no less effective and spectacular than this one. And not all of them are known to the general public. Therefore, these guys, whom no one knows by sight, but about whom the whole world knows, have truly earned the right to be considered legends.
And it’s even more offensive to realize that today these military units, which have no analogues in the whole world, are completely destroyed by their own government. Thus, in March 2009, one of the best brigades was disbanded - the Berd brigade of the GRU special forces. Well, politicians know better. Apparently, they believe that Russia does not need professionals who are ready and able to fight for the HONOR and FREEDOM of their country. What will tomorrow bring us? Let's see…
/Based on materials topwar.ru /
