Places and time of deployment of special forces (1981-1989). Muslim Battalions Afghan Battalion

Leichter Ladungstr?ger "Goliath" special-purpose vehicles. A torpedo teletankette developed in 1941 on the basis of a captured French sample from Kegresse. Serially produced by Borgward, Zuridapp and Zachertz from April 1942 to January 1945. Manufactured 7569 units. Serial

We could meet him back in Kabul on December 28, 1979. But then it didn't happen. Each had their own tasks. Therefore, I met Captain Rashid Abdullayev in 1985 - together we entered the first year of the Military-Political Academy named after V.I. Lenin. I even remember what date it was - September 7th. The students were taken to the training center of the Military Engineering Academy named after V.V. Kuibyshev in Nakhabino. We were told a lot, demonstrated samples of weapons and equipment. And then I drew attention to a short captain, who was standing not far from me on one of the platforms. On his tunic was the sign of a graduate of the Suvorov military school and only one order bar. But it cost ten. It was the bar of the Order of the Red Banner. Then we met and became friends. And now, years later, they found each other again. Colonel of the Reserve of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan Rashid Igamberdievich Abdullayev is now a researcher at the Center for Military Scientific Research of the Academy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Both of his sons, Timur and Alisher, followed in the footsteps of their father. Timur is an officer in the armed forces of Uzbekistan, and Alisher graduated from the military department of the Tashkent State Technical University. True, he will be awarded the officer rank only a year later - after completing his studies at the university.

Army biographyRashid Igamberdievich began after graduating from the Kazan SVU in 1974, when he entered Sverdlovsk Higher Military-Political Tank Artillery School. A year after graduation, he was on a business trip to Afghanistan. As part of the "Musbat", - "Muslim battalion", - which later received the name of the 154th separate special forces detachment of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR, Lieutenant Rashid Abdullayev took part in the operation "Storm-333".

Eastern wisdom says: “If you want to see the mountain, you need to move away. If you want to evaluate an event, you need time.” And now this time has come - many documents have been declassified. Therefore, reserve colonel Rashid Abdullayev wrote his chronicle-documentary story “Time has chosen us”, which was published in 2014 in Tashkent on the eve of the 35th anniversary of the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan. The book of Rashid Igamberdievich contains documents and memoirs of participants in those events - December 27, 1979. The story evoked numerous responses.

Thus, retired colonel Khabibdzhan Kholbaev, commander of the "Muslim battalion", wrote in the preface to the story:

“The author of the book “Time has chosen us” Abdullaev R.I. is a direct participant in the events covered in the book. Having passed the difficult military path from a Suvorovite to the head of the department of spiritual, moral and military education of the Academy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Colonel Abdullaev R.I. Today, he pays much attention to the issues of spiritual, moral and military-patriotic education of young people.

Uncomfortable pages cannot be torn out of history. It is impossible to remain silent about what happened in our common history. The value of the book lies in the fact that the author does not give a political assessment of the events that took place, he talks about the specific political, military and combat facts that took place on the basis of his own memories, eyewitness accounts and documentary materials.

This book is another evidence of the author's desire to leave in the memory of posterity a true picture of the events that took place at the end of the last century, associated with the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan.

The educational component of the book consists precisely in showing the true heroism and selflessness of soldiers and officers who do not discuss, but precisely fulfill the tasks assigned to them.

And here is a review of the book by a veteran of the special services, retired colonel Muzaffar Khudoyarov, a participant in the Afghan events:

“I am well acquainted with now retired colonels, the commander of the famous “Muslim battalion” Kholbaev Khabibdzhan Tadjibayevich and his former subordinates - Mamatkulov Gulomjon Yusupovich and Abdullaev Rashid Igamberdievich.

In my opinion, these are people of high moral and professional principles. They differ, first of all, in their decency. Their neighbors and acquaintances do not know about their legendary past, because they have always been and remain modest and laconic people, they never talk about their awards and titles, they do not stick out their truly heroic military past. Military awards speak of their feat: H.T. Kholbaev was awarded the country's highest award - the Order of Lenin, R.I. Abdullaev - Order of the Red Banner, G.Yu. Mamatkulov - Order of the Red Star.

Thirty-five years after the Shtor-333 operation, in this book I found the names of my childhood friends in the list of special forces soldiers: Bogodirov Abdumumin, Akbaev Turgun, Artykov Bakhtiyer, with whom we grew up together in the Regarsky district. All three were distinguished among their peers by their leading qualities, occupied an active life position, were diversified both physically and intellectually. They first served in the famous Vitebsk 103rd Guards Airborne Division, and then were selected to the 154th Separate Special Forces Detachment of the Main Intelligence Directorate - the “Muslim Battalion”. All three participated in Operation Storm-333. Bogodirov Abdumumin died in battle a day after the capture of Amin's palace in Kabul, he was subsequently posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Artykov Bakhtiyer is also, unfortunately, currently dead. For the Kabul operation, he was awarded the medal "For Courage". After the army he entered the service in the internal affairs bodies, became an officer. Never gave in to difficulties and dangers. He died in the line of duty during the riots in Dushanbe. Akbaev Turgun is currently working in a senior position in one of the large industrial enterprises. Just like his former commanders, he does not like to advertise his military exploits, although he also has military awards, and we know that the overall success of Operation Storm-333 was ensured thanks to the impeccable actions of people like him - soldiers and officers.

At the cost of their lives, the fighters of the “Muslim battalion” Bogodirov Abdumumin Abdunabievich, Rasulmetov Kurbantai Muradovich, Madiyarov Ziyabiddin Giyasiddinovich, Shcherbekov Mirkasym Abdrashimovich, Kurbanov Khodzhanepes, Khusanov Sabirjon Kamilovich, Suleymanov Shokirzhon Sultanovich, Mamadzhanov Abdunabi Gaidzhanovich completed the task at the cost of their lives and remained faithful to the military oath to the end. These were the first casualties."

I carefully read the book. And then he asked Colonel Abdullayev:

– Rashid, you told about many things here, but only a few short episodes about yourself. And then - not you yourself tell, but your comrades-in-arms say.

“I can’t add anything else, I’m sorry,” Abdullaev replied. - I was in the group of the company commander, senior lieutenant Vladimir Salimovich Sharipov, by the way, he was later awarded the Order of Lenin. Look how our guys did. Of course, I was one of them...

“You gave me a task,” I grumbled jokingly, “there are such vivid episodes, such dynamics that it’s impossible to tell briefly. And if everything is detailed, even five articles will not be enough ...

“Which of us studied at the editorial department: you or me,” my friend answered me in a tone. - Solve the problem...

- Listen, Captain Murat Khusainov also studied with us, I remember he was wounded and the Order of the Red Star - also from the Musbat ...

- Yes, in 1979 he was a lieutenant - Murat Oraevich Khusainov. It seems that Murat returned to his homeland in Turkmenistan. He was a normal guy, political officer of the 1st company of the detachment. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about his fate...

I turn again to the book of Colonel Rashid Abdullayev. I read the lines: “Two groups from the USSR State Security Committee participated in the storming of the palace – "Thunder" and "Zenith"; The 154th separate special-purpose detachment of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR, the so-called "Muslim battalion", with the 9th guards parachute company attached to it and the guards anti-tank platoon of the Fagot ATGM from the 345th guards separate parachute Airborne Regiment of the Airborne Troops.

The details of the storming of the Taj Beck palace are described mainly by the KGB officers of the USSR. Their information about the role and place of the special forces of the "Muslim battalion" and paratroopers of the 345th Guards. opdp in the operation are sketchy and sometimes not accurate ...

Over the years that have passed since then, depending on the political situation, the assessment of these events has also changed, they have become overgrown with myths and legends. In many works, the participants in the assault were portrayed as some kind of soulless robots, devoid of any human feelings and emotions. So write those who themselves have never come into close contact with the pain that is inevitable in the war, blood and death!

I have made an attempt to restore the events of those days on the basis of the recollections of eyewitnesses and documentary materials ... "

Talking about the book of Colonel Abdullayev, I will cite only a few fragments from the memoirs of his company commander, battalion commander and one of his fellow officers. The battle group of senior lieutenant Vladimir Sharipov and the Thunder group under the leadership of Major Mikhail Romanov were to be the first to advance on seven infantry fighting vehicles. The backbone of the 2nd battle group was the 2nd group of the 3rd company under the command of Khamidulla Abdullaev (namesake of Rashid Abdullaev).

Here is what Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Sharipov recalls:

“The infantry fighting vehicles prepared for the throw lined up in a column. The clock counted down the last minutes of peace. Either pan or gone! And inside it was not good - to the point of nausea. There was still fear, there was! I sat down in the driver's seat in the BMP. Engines started...

Where the monolith of the Taj-Bek was dark on the top of the hill, the guards of the palace, taken by surprise, rushed about under the fiery shower of the Shilok. In the darkness of the December evening, the Afghans had not yet seen the attackers, but the hoarse roar of approaching combat vehicles was already clearly audible ... We had just moved, and I lost contact with the command post. Why? I still don't know. On the move, all five cars began to hit the windows with cannons and machine guns. And then ... In general, at the entrance to the site in front of the palace, the first BMP No. 035 hooked on the edge of the wall and died out! Already shooting at full speed, from the parapet of the palace they hit us at point-blank range, but the mechanic can’t knock out the transmission in any way! Bullets "shower" hit the car. I think: “The only thing missing was grenade launchers, one for each car. We did not expect such a fire."

I immediately gave the order to dismount. "Gromovtsy" got out. And the fire is so dense that they had to take cover behind the cars! In a word, it is impossible to break through to the building. On top of that, our "Shilka" hit so that the shells fly over their heads. Let's call the battalion commander on the portable radio station - no answer. Then I suddenly feel that the cord from the radio station was stretched, and everything turned around me.

What radio stations do we have? She herself is on the back of a communications fighter, and the commander has headphones and an intercom. A fighter, sometimes, turns awkwardly - and pulls all this "economy" with him. I just turned around to scold the fighter, and he was already - everything, ready, falling to the ground. And then I see - in the ditch next to us, an Afghan lies, hiding from the fire. For some reason, it stuck in my memory: he has a watch with a ruby-red dial on his hand. I gave him a turn. It seems to hit, but he bounces. I'm still in line - he bounces again. And these are the AKM bullets piercing the body and throwing the body from the concrete with a ricochet. He just turned in the other direction - an Afghan officer with a PM in his hand was running past the BMP. I took him out of the machine. I picked up the pistol, for some reason I showed Boyarinov from Grom. And he told me: “Well, come on, take it, your first combat trophy” ...

When my machine-gunners saw that the KGB went on the attack, they immediately rushed after them! They completely forgot about their task, such was the impulse. If Amin had jumped through the window at that moment, he would have easily left! I'm following the fighters - you have to stop!

Near the building itself, I was suddenly hit like a brick on my left thigh. I did not immediately realize that I was injured. I got to the entrance, I see: Boyarinov is lying - killed. The visor of his helmet was raised, it is clear that the bullet hit him right in the face. Somehow I hobbled to my BMP. He injected himself with promedol from the medicine cabinet. I feel I need more. I call Sergeant Dzhumaev. He was my bodyguard. Come on, - I say, - run for the first-aid kit! Just before being sent to Afghanistan, the KGB demanded that he be left in the Union - his father had once been convicted, even before the birth of Dzhumaev. And the sergeant "hare" climbed into the plane and flew with us to Bagram. Well, don't send it back! So, he ran away for promedol and seemed to have disappeared - no and no. And then the Gromovets shouted to me: “Cease fire on the second floor! Nobody can get in there." Dzhumaev was gone for a long time... Then he comes running with promedol. I told him: “Where have you gone?!” He says: “I ran to the BMP and saw that the machine gunner Khezretov was lying not far from the armor and single-handedly holding back the Afghans, who, having come to their senses, rushed from the bottom of the guardhouse up to the palace. His lower jaw was twisted by a bullet, blood is gushing, and he shoots! Courageous guy! Sergeant Dzhumaev rushed into the BMP, pulled out a towel from someone's duffel bag, somehow tied Khezret's jaw - and only then - to me.

This is where the fight began to subside. Someone from Grom again waves to me: “That's it! Amin was killed! Report!" I say: "Wait, I'll go and see for myself." We went up the stairs. We went into the room ... ".

Major Khabibjan Kholbaev, commander of the "Muslim battalion":

“When forty-three minutes later Sharipov reported on the radio that the task had been completed, we went straight to the palace in the BMP. Sharipov met us there and, as the head of the capture group, reported on the completion of the task. When he finished, I noticed that he was wounded in the leg. I ordered to put him in the BMP and send him to the hospital.”

Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Sharipov:

“I saw Kholbaev, took a combat stance, put my hand to the visor and began to report on the completion of the task. I thought that he would interrupt me, and we would go inside the palace. And he stood at attention, also put his hand to the headgear and ... so he listened to the whole report. And it was still dangerous to stand near the building, they were shooting. Kolesnik understood the situation and said: “Go into the building. It's dangerous here." They went inside, and I stayed outside. I lift up my pants - all the underwear is in the blood. The hole is through. Kolesnik came out and said: "Take the corpses and the wounded and - to the location." My political officer Abdullayev Rashid was given the command to bring Amin down. He wrapped Amin in a curtain and, along with other fighters, carried him outside. Our losses: one killed, many wounded. And in total, three people died in my company on December 27-28: Shcherbekov, Khusanov and Kurbanov. Other units, including "Thunder" and "Zenith", also suffered losses ...

However, alas, they did not do without shooting at their own ... In the Taj Beck, already captured by the special forces and near the headquarters of the brigade, the Vitebsk paratroopers who had just entered Kabul and did not know anything about the Storm operation entered into battle with ... "Musbat". Summed up the Afghan form of the latter ... "

Senior Lieutenant Bakhodyr Egamberdiev:

“On the morning of December 28, at the exit from the territory of the brigade, we unexpectedly came under massive fire from paratroopers of the 103rd Airborne Division. Realizing that a tragic misunderstanding was taking place, the commandos did not return fire. Lieutenant Rashid Abdullayev, under bullets, managed to crawl and rush to them and establish contact. He risked his life...

“I knew that there was a military clash that day between your Musbatovites and our Vitebsk paratroopers,” I say to Rashid Abdullayev. - I don’t want to repeat: “In war as in war,” but that’s exactly what happens ...

“That just shows,” Rashid Igamberdievich answered me, “how tense the situation was that day ... That pain has not subsided to this day ...

Finishing the story about the book of the reserve colonel Rashid Abdullayev and about the legendary “musbat”, I want to give a few more facts. In January 1980, the battalion was withdrawn to the territory of the USSR.

However, already from October 29 to October 30, 1981, the 154th detachment under the command of Major Igor Stoderevsky again entered Afghanistan. He took part in all operations conducted by the 40th Combined Arms Army.

In accordance with the order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR No. 273 of December 1, 1985, for the exemplary performance of special tasks of the Soviet government, the 154th Special Forces was awarded the pennant "For Courage and Military Valor". The Afghan government and the Central Committee of the PDPA also awarded the detachment with two Honorary Red Banners and the Order of the Red Banner.

By the beginning of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan (on May 15, 1988), the personnel of the detachment among the awarded had:

- holders of the Order of Lenin - 10 officers;

- Knights of the Order of the Red Banner - 53 people (31 officers, 13 sergeants and 9 soldiers);

- Knights of the Order of the Red Star - 423 people (132 officers, 32 ensigns, 127 sergeants and 112 soldiers);

- Knights of the Order "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" of the third degree - 24 people;

- awarded the medal "For Courage" - 623 people (12 officers, 15 ensigns, 205 sergeants and 391 soldiers);

- marked with the medal "For Military Merit" - 247 people (11 officers, 24 ensigns, 102 sergeants and 110 soldiers).

Unfortunately, in the battles on Afghan soil, 177 people were killed and died of wounds, and 9 special forces went missing.

In May 1988, the detachment was withdrawn from Afghanistan and placed near Chirchik. In 1990, the combined group of the detachment took part in activities to restore constitutional order in Tajikistan. In 1992, the detachment, together with the 15th ObrSpN, was transferred to the armed forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In 1994, the detachment was renamed the 28th separate reconnaissance battalion. In 2000, the battalion was disbanded.

Alexander Kolotilo

"A red star"

"Muslim battalions"
Conditional name for formations (military unit,
separate battalion) special purpose
Soviet Army (GRU) of the USSR Armed Forces, created in the course of preparations for the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan
and staffed by officers, ensigns, sergeants and soldiers
Central Asian nationalities, who nominally belonged to Muslims.
The correct name is a separate special forces detachment (ooSpN),
also in official documents there could be another name, such as a separate motorized rifle battalion (omsb),
with indication of numbers (No.).

The experience of the Great Patriotic War showed that large airborne formations (brigade, corps), landed behind enemy lines to a sufficiently large depth (Vyazemsky and Dnieper operations), for several days (and with appropriate supplies, probably more) could conduct active offensive and defensive operations. However, the same experience showed that the axis did not receive supplies, and it was not possible to establish interaction with front-line (strike) aviation.

As a result, due to a number of miscalculations made, all major airborne operations carried out during the war did not fully achieve their goals:

Nevertheless, the actions of small reconnaissance and sabotage groups sent behind enemy lines, with proper support and training, brought tangible results. An example of such hostilities is the actions of groups and detachments of a separate NKVD special-purpose motorized rifle brigade, the actions of front-line intelligence agencies, which throughout the war were thrown into the near and far rear of the enemy, and also partly the actions of special groups during the Far Eastern offensive operation.

Therefore, it was clear that not large military formations, but small and mobile groups, which, in turn, required special training, were best suited for solving reconnaissance and sabotage tasks, different from the training of combined arms (motorized rifle, airborne) units.

In addition, almost immediately after the war, a potential adversary had targets, the opening and destruction of which depended on the life or death of entire combined arms formations, large political and industrial centers - bomber airfields equipped with nuclear bombs. Destroying enemy nuclear aircraft at these airfields, or at least disrupting a mass take-off at the right time (in the opinion of Soviet military leaders), could theoretically be carried out by small sabotage groups that had been withdrawn to the area where the task was located in advance.

It was decided to form such sabotage units under the wing of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, since sabotage formations were subordinated to scouts during the war.

On October 24, 1950, by directive of the Minister of War of the USSR, in fact, special-purpose companies could be called "companies of miners-paratroopers", but due to the special focus of the tasks, they received the name they received.

At the very beginning of the 50s, the Soviet Army suffered a large reduction.

Divisions, brigades and regiments were reduced by tens and hundreds, many corps, armies and districts were disbanded. The GRU special forces did not escape the fate of reductions either - in 1953, the 35th special-purpose company was disbanded. General N.V. saved special intelligence from a complete reduction.

Ogarkov, who was able to prove to the government the need to have such formations in the USSR Armed Forces.

In total, 11 special-purpose companies were retained. Companies remained in the most important operational areas:

18th separate special-purpose company of the 36th combined arms army of the Trans-Baikal Military District (near the town of Borzya);

26th separate special-purpose company of the 2nd Guards Mechanized Army of the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (garrison in Furstenberg);

27th separate special-purpose company (district) in the Northern Group of Forces (Poland, Strzegom);

36th separate special-purpose company of the 13th combined arms army of the Carpathian military district (Khmelnitsky);

43rd separate special-purpose company of the 7th Guards Army of the Transcaucasian Military District (Lagodekhi);

61st Separate Special Purpose Company of the 5th Combined Arms Army of the Primorsky Military District (Ussuriysk);

75th separate special-purpose company in the Special Mechanized Army (Hungary, Nyiregyhaza);

76th separate special-purpose company of the 23rd combined arms army of the Leningrad Military District (Pskov);

77th separate special-purpose company of the 8th mechanized army of the Carpathian military district (Zhytomyr);

78th separate special-purpose company (district) in the Taurida military district (Simferopol);

92nd separate special-purpose company of the 25th combined-arms army of the Primorsky military district (n. p. Fighter Kuznetsov).

Among the total number of disbanded special forces companies, one should mention companies that, in addition to general “special forces” training, also had special conditions of service: for example, soldiers of the 99th separate special forces company (district) of the Arkhangelsk Military District in combat training were oriented towards tasks in the difficult conditions of the Arctic, scouts of the 200th separate special-purpose company of the Siberian Military District studied “Chinese. theater of operations, and the personnel of the 227th separate special-purpose company of the 9th combined-arms army of the North Caucasian military district underwent mountain training.

In 1956, the 61st separate special-purpose company of the 5th combined arms army of the Far Eastern military district was relocated to the Turkestan military district in the city of Kazandzhik. Probably, the leadership of the General Staff decided to pay attention to the southern "Islamic" direction. The second wave of the formation of separate special-purpose companies took place at the beginning of the 70s.

Apparently, at that time the fathers of the General Staff decided to give a "special purpose tool" not only to the fronts (districts), but also to some combined arms formations. As a result, several separate companies were formed for armies and army corps. Several companies were formed for internal military districts that did not previously have special intelligence units. In particular, the 791st separate special-purpose company was formed in the Siberian Military District. In the Western Group of Forces in Germany and in the Far East, separate companies were formed in each army.

In 1979, the 459th separate special-purpose company was formed as part of the Turkestan military district for the purpose of subsequent use in Afghanistan. The company will be introduced into the DRA and will show itself in the best possible way. Another wave of formation of separate special-purpose companies occurred in the mid-80s. Then companies were formed in all armies and corps, which until that moment did not have such units. Companies were formed even in such exotic (but quite justified) areas as Sakhalin (877th separate special-purpose company of the 68th Army Corps) and Kamchatka (571st separate special-purpose company of the 25th Army Corps).

In "democratic. . Russia after the separation of the “free. republics and the withdrawal of troops from the countries of the non-socialist camp, eight military districts remained with the corresponding number of armies and corps. Part of the individual special-purpose companies took part in the first Chechen war, where they were used as military intelligence, as guards for columns and precious command bodies - in general, as always, for "special purposes". All the companies under the control of the North Caucasian Military District, as well as two companies of the Moscow Military District, one of which, the 806th, was formed literally the day before, were deployed in wartime states. Chechen campaign as part of the 1st Guards Tank Army, withdrawn from Germany to Smolensk.

In addition, by the summer of 1996, a new, 584th separate special-purpose company was formed as part of the 205th motorized rifle brigade. At the end of this war, another reduction in the Russian army followed, including its intelligence agencies. In order to preserve large special forces formations, the GRU made acceptable sacrifices - it gave away individual special-purpose companies to be "eaten up". By the end of 1998, separate special-purpose companies (with the exception of two companies located in special directions: the 75th subordinate to the Kaliningrad defensive region and the 584th, by this time transferred to the headquarters of the 58th combined arms army) in the structure of the Russian Armed Forces have ceased to exist.

Later, already during the Second Chechen War, in the North Caucasian Military District, for operations on the territory of Chechnya, six numberless special-purpose companies had to be formed (three companies in the 131st, 136th, 205th Omsbr and three companies in reconnaissance battalions 19th, 20th and 42nd MRD). These companies, according to the plans for combat training of special forces units, performed the prescribed number of parachute jumps at the airfields of the district.

In 1957, the leadership of the Armed Forces of the USSR decided to reorganize five special-purpose companies into battalions. By the end of the year, the USSR Armed Forces included five special-purpose battalions and four separate special-purpose companies:

26th Separate Special Purpose Battalion GSVG (Fürstenberg);

27th Special Purpose Hotel Battalion of the SGV (Stregom);

36th separate special-purpose battalion of the PrikVO (Khmelnitsky);

43rd separate special-purpose battalion 3akVO (Lagodekhi);

61st Separate Special Purpose Battalion TurkVO (Kazandzhik);

18th separate special-purpose company 36th od 3aBVO (Borzya);

75th separate special-purpose company of the South GV (Nyiregyhaza);

77th separate special-purpose company of the 8th TD PrikVO (Zhytomyr);

78th separate special-purpose company of the OdVO (Simferopol).

At the same time, two companies were disbanded, the personnel of which went to staff new battalions. For example, the 92nd separate special-purpose company of the 25th Army of the Far Eastern Military District was urgently loaded onto the train and sent to Poland - on the basis of this company (and the 27th company of the Northern Group of Forces), the 27th separate special forces battalion. The transfer of special forces units to the battalion structure made it possible to optimize the educational process, freeing a significant part of the personnel from carrying out garrison and guard duty. Three battalions were concentrated in the western (European) direction, one was in the Caucasus and one more in Central Asia.

There were three companies in the western direction, and at that time we had only one special-purpose company in the eastern direction as part of the 36th Army of the Trans-Baikal Military District. Subsequently, after the creation of the brigades, the special-purpose battalions became known as detachments, and organizationally they were all part of the brigades. Starting from the 60s, battalions did not exist as independent combat units, with the exception of individual detachments of brigades, which could be detached from the formation for operations in separate operational areas, but continued to remain in brigades in peacetime.

The experience of conducting combat training and various exercises showed the need to create formations in the GRU system that are much larger than the existing separate battalions, which would be able to solve an expanded range of tasks.

In particular, during the threatened period, special forces were supposed to engage not only in reconnaissance and sabotage behind enemy lines, but also in the formation of partisan detachments in the occupied territory (or in the territory that could be occupied). In the future, relying on these partisan formations, the special forces had to solve their problems. It was the partisan orientation that was the priority combat mission of the formations being created.

In accordance with the decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU of August 20, 1961 "On the training of personnel and the development of special equipment for organizing and equipping partisan detachments", the directive of the General Staff of February 5, 1962, in order to train and accumulate personnel for the deployment of the partisan movement in wartime, the commander of the military districts was ordered to select 1,700 reserve troops, bring them into a brigade and hold a thirty-day training camp.

After the training camp, the personnel were assigned special military registration specialties. They were forbidden to be reserved for the national economy and not used for their intended purpose.

By the directive of the General Staff of March 27, 1962, drafts of the states of special-purpose brigades for peacetime and wartime were developed.

Since 1962, the creation of 10 cadre brigades began, the formation and arrangement of which was basically completed by the end of 1963:

The 2nd Specialized Special Forces (military unit 64044), was formed on December 1, 1962 (according to other sources, in 1964) on the basis of the collapsed 76th Specialized Special Forces of the LenVO and the personnel of the 237th Guards Airborne Regiment, the first commander - D. N. Grishakov; Leningrad Military District, Pechory, Promezhitsy;

4th Special Forces (military unit 77034), formed in 1962 in Riga, the first commander was D.S. Zhizhin; Baltic Military District, then transferred to Viljandi;

5th ObrSpN (military unit 89417), formed in 1962, first commander - I. I. Kovalevsky; Belarusian military district, Maryina Gorka;

8th ObrSpN (military unit 65554), formed in 1962 on the basis of the 36th OBSPN, Carpathian Military District, Izyaslav, Ukraine;

9th brig. spN (military unit 83483), formed in 1962, the first commander -L. S. Egorov; Kyiv Military District, Kirovograd, Ukraine;

10th ObrSpN (military unit 65564), formed in 1962, Odessa Military District, Stary Krym, Pervomaisky;

12th Specialized Special Forces (military unit 64406), formed in 1962 on the basis of the 43rd Specialized Specialized Brigade, first commander - I. I. Geleverya; 3 Caucasian Military District, Lagodekhi, Georgia;

14th ObrSpN (military unit 74854), formed on January 1, 1963 on the basis of the 77th orb, first commander - P.N. Rymin; Far Eastern Military District, Ussuriysk;

15th Specialized Special Forces (military unit 64411), formed on January 1, 1963 on the basis of the 61st Specialized Specialized Brigade, first commander - N.N. Lutsev; Turkestan Military District, Chirchik, Uzbekistan;

16th ObrSpN (military unit 54607), formed on January 1, 1963, first commander - D.V. Shipka; Moscow military district, Chuchkovo.

Brigades were formed mainly by military personnel of the airborne and ground forces. For example, the officer backbone of the 14th Specialized Special Forces of the Far Eastern Military District during the formation was staffed by officers of the 98th Guards Airborne Division from Belogorsk (from which 14 officers - participants in the Great Patriotic War came to the brigade), and the conscripts were recruited from military commissariats.

Basically, the formation of the first ten brigades ended on the 7th beginning of 1963, but, for example, the 2nd Special Forces, according to some sources, was finally formed only in 1964.

The organizational and staffing structure of a separate special-purpose brigade in 1963 was as follows:

Brigade headquarters (about 30 people);

One deployed detachment of Special Forces (164 people in the state);

Detachment of special radio communications on a reduced staff (about 60 people);

Three cadre detachments of the Special Forces;

Two framed separate detachments of Special Forces;

Company of economic support;

in addition, the brigade included such collapsed units as:

Company of special mining;

Group of special weapons (ATGM, RS "Grad-P. ., P3RK).

In peacetime, the size of a cadre brigade did not exceed 200-300 people; in wartime states, a fully deployed special-purpose brigade had more than 2,500 people.

At the beginning of its existence, the brigades were cadre, and, in particular, in the 9th Special Forces, stationed in Ukraine in the city of Kirovograd, there were initially six detachments, in which only the first detachment had two special forces companies, a special weapons platoon and a special radio communications platoon. The other five detachments had only commanders. The command, headquarters and political department of the brigade consisted of thirty people. Colonel L. S. Yegorov was appointed the first commander of the 9th brigade, but soon he received a spinal injury on parachute jumps, and Colonel Arkhireev was appointed commander of the brigade.

By the end of 1963, the USSR Armed Forces included (some in the process of formation):

Twelve separate special forces companies;

Two separate special forces battalions;

Ten separate special purpose brigades (frame).

Soon, special forces units and units were reorganized, as a result of which, by the end of 1964, the composition of the USSR Armed Forces remained:

Six separate special purpose companies;

Two separate special-purpose battalions (26th and 27th) in the western direction;

Ten separate framed special forces brigades.

In August 1965, the chief of the General Staff for generals and officers of military intelligence and special forces engaged in combat training of personnel in guerrilla tactics was approved

"Guerrilla Organization and Tactics Manual".

At that time, special-purpose brigades were perceived by everyone in this way - as a reserve for deploying guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines. The special forces were even called that: partisans. The experience of creating such formations, it seems, came from the training of the partisan special reserve in the late 20s - early 30s, as you know, all its members were repressed in the late 30s.

A similar attitude towards trained saboteurs has been preserved in modern times: the authorities are still afraid of having qualified specialists in sabotage war, reasonably fearing for their own well-being. The whole country saw on television very vague trials of Colonels P. Ya. Popovskikh and V. V. Kvachkov, a group of Captain E. Ulman. Nevertheless, the creation of "partisan" units was in full swing.

In 1966, the 165th Special Purpose Training Center was formed in the Odessa Military District to train specialists from foreign reconnaissance and sabotage units (and, in fact, militants of people's liberation movements). The center was based in the Simferopol region and existed at least until 1990.

During this time, many highly trained terrorist fighters were trained in the center for a great many revolutions. Graduates of this educational unit in different parts of the globe overthrew governments, killed and kidnapped opponents of communism, harmed world imperialism and otherwise implemented the special knowledge gained in Simferopol. Not all trained saboteurs were immediately sent to the combat areas - some graduates were legalized in the prosperous countries of Europe, America and Asia. They lived and worked for the benefit of their countries, but on a signal known to them, these militants gathered in the right place, received weapons and carried out special tasks. In the event of a major war, these conspiratorial groups were to become a support for the GRU special forces sent behind enemy lines. Apparently, this system is still relevant today.

In 1966, in Furstenberg (Werder garrison, Neu-Timmen settlement) on the basis of the 5th Guards Separate Reconnaissance Motorcycle Battalion (formerly the 5th Guards Warsaw-Berlin Reconnaissance Motorcycle Regiment during the war, which was formed in 1944) By directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the GSVG, on the basis of the 26th Special Operations Special Forces, with the involvement of the forces of the 27th Special Operations Division, the 48th and 166th orbs, a special-purpose formation of a new type was formed - the 3rd Special Forces, which inherited from the 5th motorcycle battalion got the guards rank . Colonel R.P. Mosolov was appointed commander of the new brigade. The brigade received the code name of military unit 83149. The main difference between the new brigade and the existing ones was that the brigade, even during formation, was deployed to a full, special staff, as well as the fact that the brigade included separate units - separate special forces.

This brigade at that time was the most complete (up to 1300 personnel) and was in constant combat readiness to perform tasks as intended. The detachments of the brigade were formed in a slightly different state than the detachments of the brigades that were stationed in the USSR. These detachments had a staff of 212 people, while the "allied" brigades had detachments with a staff of only 164 people. The full name of the formation: 3rd Separate Guards Red Banner Warsaw-Berlin Order of Suvorov, 3rd Class Special Purpose Brigade.

As part of the brigade, special forces were formed: 501st, 503rd, 509th, 510th, 512th.

Parts of the special purpose, being equipped with physically strong and hardy soldiers and officers, were often involved in performing special tasks not only of a “sabotage” nature. So, in 1966, units of the 15th special forces brigade took part in the aftermath of the earthquake in Tashkent - the soldiers dismantled the rubble, pulled out the survivors from the ruins. In 1970 - the elimination of the consequences of the cholera epidemic in the Astrakhan region, and in 1971 - the elimination of the consequences of the epidemic of smallpox in Aralsk - scouts, together with the police, participated in the isolation of persons who had contact with the infected.

In 1972, the 16th Special Forces Division carried out a government task to eliminate forest fires in the Moscow, Ryazan, Vladimir and Gorky regions. For the fulfillment of this task, the brigade was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR.

Based on the results of combat and political training in 1967, the 14th brigade became one of the advanced formations of the troops and units of the Far Eastern Military District and was entered in the Book of Honor of the troops of the KDVO. All the personnel of the unit were thanked by the commander of the KFVO.

In 1968, a serviceman of the 1st Battalion of the 14th Special Forces Sergeant Vasilevsky made the first run in the history of Primorye along the Ussuriysk-Vladivostok highway. 104 km were covered in 8 hours 21 minutes. Sergeant Vasilevsky dedicated his run to the 50th anniversary of the Komsomol.

The 14th brigade took an active part in combat training. In the period from June 22 to June 27, 1970, the personnel of the brigade took part in district reconnaissance exercises conducted by the chief of staff of the district. The actions of the personnel during the exercises were checked by the GRU General Staff commission headed by Lieutenant General Tkachenko and Colonel Galitsin. During the exercises, the personnel parachuted and landed in Primorye, the Amur Region and Sakhalin Island and completed all the tasks with a “good” rating. In the period from August 21 to August 28, 1971, the personnel took part in district reconnaissance exercises, during which 20 RGSpN were parachuted into Primorye. Amur Region and Sakhalin Island, followed by reconnaissance missions. All tasks were successfully completed.

In 1968, under the leadership of the senior officer of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, Colonel Shchelokov, the 9th company of special forces cadets was created in the Lenin Komsomol RVVDKU, consisting of three platoons, and in 1979 the company was deployed into a special forces battalion (l3 and 14 companies) .

Also, the Kiev Combined Arms Command School was engaged in training personnel for special forces, which produced officers with the specialty "referent translator".

In 1978 at the Military Academy. M.V. Frunze was created at the intelligence faculty of the 4th training group of special forces officers. In 1981, the first release of the "special forces" group took place.

In 1969, on the basis of the 16th Special Forces MVO in the village of Chuchkovo, Ryazan Region, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff conducted an operational-strategic experimental exercise, the purpose of which was to work out the issues of the combat use of special forces. To ensure the transfer of personnel and cargo to the rear of the enemy, military transport aviation was involved. Take-off and landing airfield - Dyagilevo. To designate nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, their protection and defense, as well as to counter the landing, collect and store their parachutes, personnel of six (2nd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th and 10th) special purpose brigades.

In 1970, a special purpose training company was deployed in Pechory, which was later reorganized into a training battalion, and then into the 1071st Special Purpose Training Regiment (military unit 51064), which trained junior commanders and specialists for special purpose units. At the 1071st UpSpN, a school of ensigns functioned for special forces.

From the mid-1970s, the General Staff found an opportunity to deploy brigades, increasing the number of personnel in them. As a result of this decision, it was possible to complete the detachments of brigades by 60-80%. From this period, special-purpose brigades became combat-ready and were no longer considered only as a partisan reserve.

On June 12, 1975, the head of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces approved the "Instruction for the combat use of formations, units and subunits (brigade, detachment, battalion) for special purposes."

In 1972, as part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Mongolia, two brigades were formed, the numbering of which is in the same row as the numbers of special forces brigades, but these brigades were called "separate reconnaissance brigades." In the US Army, in terms of the volume of tasks to be solved, there was an analogue to similar separate reconnaissance brigades - armored cavalry regiments. The new brigades included three separate reconnaissance battalions each, armed with infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, and combat support units, which was due to the nature of the terrain in the responsibility zone of the GSM. However, each of these brigades had "jumping" reconnaissance and airborne companies, and each brigade also had its own separate helicopter squadron. Most likely, when creating these brigades, the General Staff tried to find the optimal organization of special forces units that were to operate in the mountainous desert area.

As a result, the 20th and 25th separate reconnaissance brigades were formed. There were no similar formations in the Soviet Army anywhere else. In the mid-80s, these brigades were reorganized into separate mechanized brigades and became part of the newly formed 48th Guards Army Corps, and with the collapse of the USSR, after the withdrawal of troops from Mongolia, they were disbanded.

In the late 1970s, the General Staff found an opportunity to transfer special forces brigades from cadre to deployed staff, as well as find reserves to form two more brigades. The 22nd Special Purpose Brigade was formed on July 24, 1976 in the Central Asian Military District in the city of Kapchagai on the basis of one of the detachments of the 15th Brigade, a company of the Special Radio Communications Detachment of the 15th Brigade, the 525th and 808th separate special purpose companies Central Asian and Volga military districts. Until 1985, the brigade was in Kapchagai, later changed its location several times and is currently located in the area of ​​​​the city of Aksai, Rostov Region (military unit 11659).

24th Special Purpose Brigade was formed in the Trans-Baikal Military District on November 1, 1977 on the basis of the 18th Special Forces and was initially deployed in the area of ​​​​n. the village of Kharabyrka, Chita region (23rd site), then in 1987 it was transferred to the village. Kyakhta, and in 2001 was transferred to Ulan-Ude (military unit 55433), and then to Irkutsk. When the brigade was transferred to Kyakhta, the 282nd ooSpN was transferred to the 14th detachment of the Far Eastern Military District and relocated to the city of Khabarovsk.

Later, in 1984, in the Siberian Military District, on the basis of the 791st OrdnSpN, the 67th Special Forces Brigade was formed, which was deployed in the city of Berdsk, Novosibirsk Region (military unit 64655).

In 1985, during the Afghan war, in Chirchik, on the site of the 15th brigade that had gone to Afghanistan, the 467th Special Purpose Training Regiment (military unit 71201) was formed, which trained personnel for special purpose units operating in Afghanistan. The regiment consisted of training battalions and support units. The training regiment had great privileges in the selection of personnel. If during the selection of conscripts for this regiment, the officer encountered any difficulties at the recruiting station, the issues that arose were resolved with one telephone call to the GRU.

The composition of the Soviet forces introduced to provide assistance in 1979 to "friendly" Afghanistan included one unique,
a well-trained special unit, consisting exclusively of representatives of Central Asian nationalities.
It is thanks to the origin of its personnel that this detachment received the name of the “Muslim battalion”.
This battalion, unfortunately, did not last long, but managed to leave a bright mark in the history of the GRU.