SA. Were stormtroopers real men? Well, what can I tell you, my friend? There are still contrasts in life: There are so many girls around, And you and I are homosexuals. The harsh truth of life as presented by Joseph Raskin - Comrade commander, appeared in our company

Airborne troops are one of the strongest components of the army Russian Federation. In recent years, due to the tense international situation, the value of airborne forces increases. The size of the territory of the Russian Federation, its landscape diversity, as well as borders with almost all conflict states, indicate that it is necessary to have a large supply of special groups of troops that can provide the necessary protection in all directions, which is what the air force is.

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Because structure air forces is vast, the question often arises of the Airborne Forces and the Airborne Battalion, are they the same troops? The article examines the differences between them, history, goals and military training both organizations, composition.

Differences between troops

The differences lie in the names themselves. The DSB is an air assault brigade, organized and specialized in attacks close to the enemy rear in the event of large-scale military operations. Air assault brigades subordinate to the Airborne Forces - airborne troops, as one of their units and specialize only in assault captures.

Airborne Forces are airborne troops, whose tasks are the capture of the enemy, as well as the capture and destruction of enemy weapons and other air operations. The functionality of the Airborne Forces is much broader - reconnaissance, sabotage, assault. To better understand the differences, consider history creation of the Airborne Forces and DSB separately.

History of the Airborne Forces

The Airborne Forces began its history in 1930, when an operation was carried out near the city of Voronezh on August 2, where 12 people parachuted from the air as part of a special unit. This operation then opened the eyes of the leadership to new possibilities for parachute airborne troops. Next year, at the base Leningrad Military District, a detachment is formed, which received a long name - airborne and numbered about 150 people.

The effectiveness of the paratroopers was obvious and the Revolutionary Military Council decides to expand it by creating airborne troops. The order was issued at the end of 1932. At the same time, in Leningrad, instructors were trained, and later they were distributed to districts according to special-purpose aviation battalions.

In 1935, the Kyiv military district demonstrated to foreign delegations the full power of the Airborne Forces by staging an impressive landing of 1,200 paratroopers, who quickly captured the airfield. Later, similar exercises were held in Belarus, as a result of which the German delegation, impressed by the landing of already 1,800 people, decided to organize its own airborne squad, and then the regiment. Thus, The Soviet Union is rightfully the birthplace of the Airborne Forces.

In 1939, our airborne troops there is an opportunity to show yourself in practice. In Japan, the 212th brigade was landed on the Khalkin-Gol River, and a year later the 201, 204 and 214 brigades were involved in the war with Finland. Knowing that the Second World War would not pass us by, 5 air corps of 10 thousand people each were formed and the Airborne Forces acquired a new status - guards troops.

1942 marked the largest airborne operation during the years of the war that took place near Moscow, where about 10 thousand paratroopers were dropped into the German rear. After the war, it was decided to annex the Airborne Forces to the Supreme High Command and appoint the commander of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Ground Forces, this honor falls to Colonel General V.V. Glagolev.

Big innovations in airborne the troops came with “Uncle Vasya”. In 1954 V.V. Glagolev is replaced by V.F. Margelov and held the position of commander of the Airborne Forces until 1979. Under Margelov, the Airborne Forces are supplied with new military equipment, including artillery installations, combat vehicles, and special attention is paid to working under conditions of a surprise attack with nuclear weapons.

Airborne troops took part in all the most significant conflicts - the events of Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, Northern and South Ossetia. Several of our battalions carried out UN peacekeeping missions on the territory of Yugoslavia.

Nowadays, the ranks of the Airborne Forces include about 40 thousand fighters; during special operations, paratroopers form its basis, since the Airborne Forces are a highly qualified component of our army.

History of the formation of the DSB

Air assault brigades began their history after it was decided to rework the tactics of the Airborne Forces in the context of the outbreak of large-scale military operations. The purpose of such ASBs was to disorganize opponents through mass landings close to the enemy; such operations were most often carried out from helicopters in small groups.

Towards the end of the 60s in the Far East, it was decided to form 11 and 13 brigades with helicopter regiments. These regiments were deployed mainly in hard-to-reach areas; the first landing attempts took place in the northern cities of Magdacha and Zavitinsk. Therefore, in order to become a paratrooper of this brigade, strength and special endurance were needed, since weather were practically unpredictable, for example, in winter the temperature reached -40 degrees, and in summer there was abnormal heat.

Place of deployment of the first airborne gunships The Far East was chosen for a reason. This was a time of difficult relations with China, which worsened further after a clash of interests on the island of Damascus. The brigades were ordered to prepare to repel an attack from China, which could attack at any time.

High level and importance of DSB was demonstrated during exercises in the late 80s on the island of Iturup, where 2 battalions and artillery landed on MI-6 and MI-8 helicopters. The garrison, due to weather conditions, was not warned about the exercise, as a result of which fire was opened on those who landed, but thanks to the highly qualified training of the paratroopers, none of the participants in the operation were injured.

In those same years, the DSB consisted of 2 regiments, 14 brigades, and about 20 battalions. One brigade at a time were attached to one military district, but only to those that had access to the border by land. Kyiv also had its own brigade, 2 more brigades were given to our units located abroad. Each brigade had an artillery division, logistics and combat units.

After the USSR ceased to exist, the country’s budget did not allow the massive maintenance of the army, so there was nothing else to do but disband some units of the Airborne Forces and Airborne Forces. The beginning of the 90s was marked by the removal of the DSB from the subordination of the Far East and its transfer to full subordination to Moscow. The air assault brigades are being transformed into separate airborne brigades - 13 Airborne Brigade. In the mid-90s, the airborne reduction plan disbanded the 13th Airborne Forces Brigade.

Thus, from the above it is clear that the DShB was created as one of the structural units of the Airborne Forces.

Composition of the Airborne Forces

The composition of the Airborne Forces includes the following units:

• airborne;
• air assault;
• mountain (which operate exclusively at mountainous heights).

These are the three main components of the Airborne Forces. In addition, they consist of a division (76.98, 7, 106 Guards Air Assault), brigade and regiment (45, 56, 31, 11, 83, 38 Guards Airborne). A brigade was created in Voronezh in 2013, receiving the number 345.

Airborne Forces personnel prepared in educational institutions military reserve of Ryazan, Novosibirsk, Kamenets-Podolsk, in Kolomenskoye. Training was carried out in the areas of parachute landing (air assault) platoon and commanders of reconnaissance platoons.

The school produced about three hundred graduates annually - this was not enough to satisfy the personnel requirements of the airborne troops. Consequently, it was possible to become a member of the Airborne Forces by graduating from airborne departments in special areas of schools such as general arms and military departments.

Preparation

Komandirsky DSB composition Most often they selected from the Airborne Forces, and battalion commanders, deputy battalion commanders, and company commanders from the nearest military districts. In the 70s, due to the fact that the leadership decided to repeat their experience - to create and staff the DSB, planned enrollment in educational institutions is expanding, who trained future airborne officers. The mid-80s were marked by the fact that officers were released for service in the DShV, having been trained in educational program for the Airborne Forces. Also during these years, a complete reshuffle of officers was carried out; it was decided to replace almost all of them in the DShV. At the same time, excellent students went to serve mainly in the Airborne Forces.

To join the Airborne Forces, as in the DSB, it is necessary to meet specific criteria:

• height 173 and above;
• average physical development;
• secondary education;
• without medical restrictions.

If everything matches, then the future fighter begins training.

Special attention paid, of course, to the physical training of airborne paratroopers, which is carried out constantly, starting with a daily rise at 6 am, hand-to-hand combat(special training program) and ends with long forced marches of 30–50 km. Therefore, every fighter has enormous endurance and endurance, besides, children who have been involved in any sport that develops that same endurance are selected into their ranks. To test it, they take an endurance test - in 12 minutes a fighter must run 2.4-2.8 km, otherwise there is no point in serving in the Airborne Forces.

It is worth noting that it is not for nothing that they are called universal fighters. These people can operate in various areas in any weather conditions absolutely silently, can camouflage themselves, own all types of weapons, both their own and the enemy’s, control any type of transport and means of communication. In addition to excellent physical preparation, psychological preparation is also required, since fighters have to overcome not only long distances, but also “work with their heads” to get ahead of the enemy throughout the entire operation.

Intellectual aptitude is determined using tests compiled by experts. It is mandatory to take into account psychological compatibility in a team, the guys are included in a certain squad for 2-3 days, after which the senior officers evaluate their behavior.

Psychophysical preparation is carried out, which implies tasks with increased risk, where there is both physical and mental stress. Such tasks are aimed at overcoming fear. At the same time, if it turns out that the future paratrooper does not experience a feeling of fear at all, then he is not accepted for further training, since he is quite naturally taught to control this feeling, and is not completely eradicated. Airborne Forces training gives our country a huge advantage in the form of fighters over any enemy. Most VDVeshnikov already lead a familiar lifestyle even after retirement.

Armament of the Airborne Forces

Concerning technical equipment, the Airborne Forces use combined arms equipment and equipment specially designed for the nature of this type of troops. Some of the samples were created during the USSR, but the bulk were developed after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

To the cars Soviet period relate:

• amphibious combat vehicle - 1 (the number reaches 100 units);
• BMD-2M (approximately 1 thousand units), they are used in both ground and parachute landing methods.

These techniques have been tested for many years and took part in multiple armed conflicts that took place on the territory of our country and abroad. Nowadays, in conditions of rapid progress, these models are outdated both morally and physically. A little later, the BMD-3 model was released and today the number of such equipment is only 10 units, since production has ceased, they plan to gradually replace it with the BMD-4.

The Airborne Forces are also armed with armored personnel carriers BTR-82A, BTR-82AM and BTR-80 and the most numerous tracked armored personnel carrier - 700 units, and it is also the most outdated (mid-70s), it is gradually being replaced by an armored personnel carrier - MDM "Rakushka". Also available anti-tank guns 2S25 "Sprut-SD", an armored personnel carrier - RD "Robot", and ATGMs: "Konkurs", "Metis", "Fagot", and "Cornet". Air defense represented by missile systems, but a special place is given to a new product that recently appeared in service with the Airborne Forces - the Verba MANPADS.

Not long ago new models of equipment appeared:

• armored car "Tiger";
• Snowmobile A-1;
• Kamaz truck - 43501.

As for communication systems, they are represented by locally developed complexes electronic warfare"Leer-2 and 3", Infauna, system control presented air defense"Barnaul", "Andromeda" and "Polet-K" - automation of troop control.

Weapon represented by samples, for example, the Yarygin pistol, PMM and the PSS silent pistol. The Soviet Ak-74 assault rifle is still the personal weapon of paratroopers, but is gradually being replaced by the newest AK-74M, and is also used in special operations silent machine"Shaft". There are parachute systems of both Soviet and post-Soviet types, which can parachute large parties of soldiers and all of the above military equipment. Heavier equipment includes automatic grenade launchers AGS-17 “Plamya” and AGS-30, SPG-9.

Armament of the DShB

The DShB had transport and helicopter regiments, which numbered:

• about twenty mi-24, forty mi-8 and forty mi-6;
• the anti-tank battery was armed with an easel anti-tank grenade launcher 9 MD;
• the mortar battery included eight 82-mm BM-37s;
• the anti-aircraft missile platoon had nine Strela-2M MANPADS;
• it also included several BMD-1s, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored personnel carriers for each airborne assault battalion.

The armament of the brigade artillery group consisted of GD-30 howitzers, PM-38 mortars, GP 2A2 guns, anti-tank missile system"Malyutka", SPG-9MD, anti-aircraft gun ZU-23.

Heavier equipment includes automatic grenade launchers AGS-17 “Flame” and AGS-30, SPG-9 “Spear”. Aerial reconnaissance is carried out using the domestic Orlan-10 drone.

One interesting fact took place in the history of the Airborne Forces, for quite a long time, thanks to erroneous media information, special forces (Special Forces) soldiers were not rightfully called paratroopers. The thing is, what in Air Force our country in the Soviet Union, as in the post-Soviet Union, there were and do not exist Special Forces troops, but there are divisions and units of the Special Forces of the GRU of the General Staff, which arose in the 50s. Until the 80s, the command was forced to completely deny their existence in our country. Therefore, those who were appointed to these troops learned about them only after being accepted into service. For the media they were disguised as motorized rifle battalions.

Airborne Forces Day

Paratroopers celebrate the birthday of the Airborne Forces, like the DShB since August 2, 2006. This is a kind of gratitude for efficiency air units, The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation was signed in May of the same year. Despite the fact that the holiday was declared by our government, the birthday is celebrated not only in our country, but also in Belarus, Ukraine and most CIS countries.

Every year, airborne veterans and active soldiers meet in the so-called “meeting place”, each city has its own, for example, in Astrakhan “Brotherly Garden”, in Kazan “Victory Square”, in Kyiv “Hydropark”, in Moscow “ Poklonnaya Gora", Novosibirsk "Central Park". IN major cities organize demonstrations, concerts and fairs.

History of the DSB 13 ​

No sphere of human activity develops as dynamically and rapidly as military affairs. New types of weapons, tactics, and even types of armed forces are appearing. The Soviet Union can be called the birthplace of the Airborne Forces. Similar units existed in other armies of the world, but nowhere else was so much attention paid to this branch of the military.

At the end of the 30s of the last century, airborne corps were formed in the USSR, each of which had a strength of more than 10 thousand people. The landing force was considered the elite of the army; the most skilled and trained fighters served in it. The airborne troops took part in the most important battles against the Nazi invaders; several large-scale airborne operations were carried out during the war.

After the war, the Airborne Forces became a separate species troops, they reported directly to the USSR Minister of Defense. An important milestone The development of this type of troops was the creation in the mid-60s of air assault units, which were subordinate to the command of military districts. Other special differences from the usual airborne units(weapons, uniforms, training programs) air assault units did not have.

History of the creation of the 13th Special Airborne Brigade

The idea to form air assault units was born after a revision of airborne tactics in the event of a full-scale war. Soviet strategists decided to rely on the use of massive landings in the immediate rear of the enemy, which were supposed to completely disorganize his defense.

At that time, the army had a significant fleet of transport aircraft (primarily helicopters) and could carry out a similar task. It was planned that air assault units would land in the immediate rear of the enemy from helicopters and operate in small groups. The parachute troops were supposed to be used deep behind enemy lines, landing them by parachute.
In 1969, two air assault brigades were formed in the Far Eastern District: the 11th and 13th air assault brigades, each of which had a helicopter regiment. In the event of the outbreak of war, these units were supposed to operate in difficult-to-reach areas.

The region in which the 13th Airborne Assault Brigade was stationed gave a complete picture of what “hard-to-reach terrain” is. The cities of Magdagachi and Zavitinsk, where the unit was located, can safely be called one of the harshest corners Soviet Union. To fully understand it, you need to be there.

The temperature in summer often reached +40 degrees, and in winter the thermometer dropped to -55 degrees. Daily temperature changes sometimes reached 30-35 degrees. And in these conditions it was necessary not only to live, but also to conduct high-quality combat training for paratroopers. It is not in vain that, translated from the Evenki language, the name “Magdagachi” means “place of dead trees.”

Brigade combat training

Becoming a paratrooper requires more than just strength and endurance. Landing forces always fight in extremely harsh conditions, behind enemy lines, without the support of the main forces, the supply of ammunition and the evacuation of the wounded. You have to rely only on yourself. Therefore, every paratrooper must be a skilled fighter.

In the 13th Special Airborne Brigade, great attention was paid to constantly honing the combat skills of military personnel, not forgetting about physical training. The Thirteenth Air Assault Brigade has always been one of the exemplary units Far Eastern District, only the paratroopers from the 11th Special Airborne Brigade could compete with it.

Much attention was paid to the combat training of military personnel from air assault brigades for a reason: the Far East was the territory of a possible conflict. Nearby was the border with China, with which the USSR had very tense relations. In 1969, the confrontation between the two countries led to a border conflict on Damansky Island, which almost became the beginning of a big war. So the paratroopers prepared to repel enemy attacks at any moment.

A clear confirmation of the high level of training of the fighters of the 13th Special Airborne Brigade was the landing exercise on Iturup Island, which took place in August 1988. The brigade was tasked with landing a landing group consisting of two battalions and a battery of mountain artillery on the island. The landing took place from Mi-6 and Mi-8 helicopters.

Mi-6 (left) and Mi-8 (right) helicopters.

Suddenly, fire was opened on the first landing group with live ammunition; it was fired from the air defense point guarding the airfield on the island. It turned out that due to bad weather, the garrison was not warned about the upcoming exercises. Only thanks to the excellent training and good preparation of the paratroopers there were no casualties.

After this incident, the leadership of the brigade received gratitude from the Minister of Defense Yazov, and the 13th Airborne Brigade was awarded a pennant.

Last years

At the end of the 80s, the country began to change rapidly, and in 1991 the USSR ceased to exist. The “dashing” 90s began. Of course, the armed forces could not remain aloof from these processes. Numerous reorganizations were carried out, funding was significantly cut, and many units were simply disbanded.

Already in August 1990, the 13th Airborne Brigade was removed from the command of the Far Eastern District and subordinated directly to the Airborne Forces headquarters in Moscow. The air assault brigade became the 13th separate airborne brigade(13 OVDBr). Two artillery batteries (anti-tank and mountain) were disbanded and replaced by a division of D-30 howitzers.

At the end of 1996, the 13th Airborne Brigade was disbanded. This happened in accordance with the plan for reducing the Airborne Forces.

11th airborne brigade (military unit 32364), ZabVO, Mogocha;

13th airborne brigade (military unit 21463), Far Eastern Military District, Magdagachi, Amazar;

21st airborne brigade (military unit 31571), ZakVO, Kutaisi;

35th airborne brigade (military unit 16407), GSVG, Cottbus;

36th Airborne Brigade (military unit 74980), Leningrad Military District, Garbolovo;

37th Airborne Brigade (military unit 75193), PribVO, Chernyakhovsk;

38th airborne brigade (military unit 92616), BelVO, Brest;

39th Airborne Brigade (military unit 32351), PrikVO, Khyrov;

40th Specialized Brigade (military unit 32461), OdVO, Nikolaev;

56th airborne brigade (military unit 74507), TurkVO, Azadbash, Chirchik;

57th Airborne Brigade (military unit 92618), SAVO, Aktogay, Kazakhstan;

58th airborne brigade of the KVO cadre, Kremenchug.

The new brigades were formed as lightweight ones, with 3 battalions, without helicopter regiments. Now these were ordinary “infantry” units that did not have their own aviation. In fact, these were tactical units, whereas until that time the first three brigades (11th, 13th and 21st airborne brigades) were tactical formations. Since the beginning of the 80s, the battalions of the 11th, 13th and 21st brigades ceased to be separate and lost their numbers - the brigades from formations became units. However, the helicopter regiments remained subordinate to these brigades until 1988, after which they were transferred from the subordination of the brigade management to the subordination of the districts.

The structure of the new brigades was as follows:

Brigade management (headquarters);

Two parachute battalions;

One air assault battalion;

Howitzer artillery battalion;

Anti-tank battery;

Anti-aircraft artillery battery;

Communications Company;

Reconnaissance and landing company;

RKhBZ company;

Engineer company;

Material support company;

Medical Company;

Airborne support company.

The number of personnel in the brigades was about 2800 people.

Starting from 1982–1983, airborne training began in the air assault brigades, and therefore some organizational changes took place in the structure of the formations.

In addition to the brigades, in December 1979, separate air assault battalions were formed, which were supposed to act in the interests of the armies and solve tactical problems close behind enemy lines. In the mid-80s, several more battalions were additionally formed. In total, more than twenty such battalions were formed, a complete list of which I have not yet been able to establish - there were several squadroned battalions, the numbers of which are not found in the open press. By the mid-80s, the combined arms and tank armies of the USSR Armed Forces included:

899th separate battalion (military unit 61139), 20th Guards OA, GSVG, Burg;

900th separate battalion (military unit 60370), 8th Guards OA, GSVG, Leipzig;

901st separate battalion (military unit 49138), Central Military District, Riečki, then PribVO, Aluksne;

902nd airborne battalion (military unit 61607), South Georgian Military District, Hungary, Kecskemét;

903rd separate battalion of the 28th OA, BelVO, Brest (until 1986), then to Grodno;

904th separate battalion (military unit 32352), 13th OA, PrikVO, Vladimir-Volynsky;

905th separate battalion (military unit 92617), 14th OA, OdVO, Bendery;

906th airborne battalion (military unit 75194), 36th OA, ZabVO, Borzya, Khada-Bulak;

907th airborne battalion (military unit 74981), 43rd AK, Far Eastern Military District, Birobidzhan;

908th infantry battalion, 1st Guards OA, KVO, Konotop, since 1984 Chernigov, Goncharovskoe village;

1011th separate battalion, 5th Guards TA, BelVO, Maryina Gorka;

1039th infantry battalion, 11th Guards OA, PribVO, Kaliningrad;

1044th separate battalion (military unit 47596), 1st Guards TA, GSVG, Koenigsbrück, after 1989 - PribVO, Taurage;

1048th airborne battalion (military unit 45476), 40th OA, TurkVO, Termez;

1145th Odshb 5th OA, Far Eastern Military District, Sergeevna;

1151st airborne battalion, 7th TA, BelVO, Polotsk;

1154th infantry battalion of the 86th AK, ZabVO, Shelekhov;

1156th separate battalion 8th TA, PrikVO, Novograd-Volynsky;

1179th separate battalion (military unit 73665), 6th OA, Leningrad Military District, Petrozavodsk;

1185th separate battalion (military unit 55342), 2nd Guards TA, GSVG, Ravensbrück, then PribVO, Võru;

1603rd separate battalion of the 38th OA, PrikVO, Nadvirnaya;

1604th separate battalion, 29th OA, ZabVO, Ulan-Ude;

1605th separate battalion, 5th OA, Far Eastern Military District, Spassk-Dalniy;

1609th separate battalion, 39th OA, ZabVO, Kyakhta.

Also in 1982, their own air assault battalions were created in the Marine Corps of the USSR Navy. In particular, in the Pacific Fleet such a battalion was created on the basis of the 1st Marine Battalion of the 165th Marine Regiment of the 55th Division. Then similar battalions were created in other regiments of the division and separate brigades in other fleets. These Marine air assault battalions received airborne training and performed parachute jumps. That's why I included them in this story. The air assault battalions that were part of the 55th division did not have their own numbers and were named only by continuous numbering within their regiment. Battalions in brigades, as separate units, received their own names:

876th airborne battalion (military unit 81285) 61st brigade infantry regiment, Northern Fleet, Sputnik settlement;

879th separate battalion (military unit 81280) 336th guards infantry regiment, Baltic Fleet, Baltiysk;

881st airborne infantry battalion, 810th brigade infantry regiment, Black Sea Fleet, Sevastopol;

1st infantry battalion, 165th infantry infantry regiment, 55th airborne infantry regiment, Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok;

1st infantry battalion, 390th infantry fighting infantry regiment, 55th infantry infantry regiment, Pacific Fleet, Slavyanka.

Based on the composition of their weapons, individual air assault battalions were divided into “light”, which did not have armored vehicles, and “heavy”, which were armed with up to 30 infantry or airborne combat vehicles. Both types of battalions were also armed with 6 mortars of 120 mm caliber, six AGS-17 and several ATGMs.

The brigades each included three parachute battalions on infantry fighting vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, or GAZ-66 vehicles, an artillery battalion (18 D-30 howitzers), an anti-tank battery, an anti-aircraft missile battery, a mortar battery (six 120-mm mortars), and a reconnaissance battery. company, communications company, engineer company, airborne support company, chemical defense company, material support company, repair company, automobile company and medical center. A separate parachute battalion of the brigade consisted of three parachute companies, a mortar battery (4–6 82-mm mortars), a grenade launcher platoon (6 AGS-17 grenade launchers), a communications platoon, an anti-tank platoon (4 SPG-9 and 6 ATGMs) and a support platoon.

When undergoing airborne training, the parachute service of air assault battalions and brigades was guided by the documents of the Airborne Forces PDS.

In addition to brigades and battalions, the General Staff also tried another organization of air assault units. By the mid-80s, two army corps of a new organization were formed in the USSR. These corps were created for the purpose of their use in expanding an operational breakthrough (if something happened to break through). The new corps had a brigade structure and consisted of mechanized and tank brigades, and in addition, the corps included two-battalion air assault regiments. The regiments were intended to be a “vertical coverage” tool, and in the corps they were used in conjunction with a helicopter regiment.

In the Belarusian Military District, on the basis of the 120th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, the 5th Guards Combined Arms Army Corps was formed, and in the Transbaikal Military District in Kyakhta, on the basis of the 5th Guards Tank Division, the 48th Guards Combined Arms Army Corps was formed.

The 5th Guards AK received the 1318th Air Assault Regiment (military unit 33508) and the 276th Helicopter Regiment, and the 48th Guards AK received the 1319th Air Assault Regiment (military unit 33518) and the 373rd Helicopter Regiment. However, these parts did not last long. Already in 1989, the guards army corps were again folded into divisions, and the air assault regiments were disbanded.

16.02.2018, 13:30

For more than a quarter of a century, the village of Magdagachi was the landing capital of the Amur region. Thousands of Soviet and later Russian guys went through a difficult soldier's school in the 13th Airborne Assault Brigade. At one time, such units cooled the ardor of those who wanted to unleash the Third world war in the Far East. On August 2, veterans of the brigade can be found not only on the streets of Blagoveshchensk, but also in many cities throughout the post-Soviet space. Even decades later, they pronounce the name of Pavel Borisovich Gladstein with respect. It was he, a Stalingrad boy and a pupil of Vasily Margelov himself, who stood at the origins of the founding of the famous military unit. Today he is 90, but he continues to live by the laws of the main motto of the Airborne Forces: “Nobody but us!”

Stay in line

Pavel Borisovich Gladstein begins every day by checking his email. Despite his advanced age, he remains an active Internet user. He loves to communicate via Skype with colleagues from all over the former Soviet Union, and his Odnoklassniki account is a page of memories. Veterans of the 13th Air Assault Brigade recognize each other decades later, remember how they saw each other off to Afghanistan and slept with weapons during the troubled days of Damansky.

He lives in this rhythm for two decades. It was then, in the year of his 70th anniversary, that his relatives gave him a computer. They say they noticed some kind of sadness in the eyes of their father and grandfather. We hit the bull’s eye, as they say, and the signs of boredom instantly evaporated. The active airborne nature of Pavel Borisovich allowed him not only to quickly understand high technologies himself, but also to teach computer literacy to his children and grandchildren. Staying in service is his life’s credo, implicated in German bombing and service under the flags of the Airborne Forces.

Childhood in kerosene solution

Stalingrad, the boiling Volga and tanks coming out of the gates of the tractor factory. 14-year-old Pavel watched this picture from the workshop and clearly understood: tomorrow the equipment, damaged and crumpled, will be dragged back again. And he, together with the same young volunteers, will restore it. They were tasked with finishing tank fuel pumps. I had to adjust every part and wash it in a kerosene solution.

In 1994, the 13th Magdagachi air assault brigade was redeployed to Orenburg. A year later, its units entered into battle with Dudayev’s militants in Chechnya.

The fighting took place on the very outskirts of the city, and the boys, exhausted by hard work, received a cup of porridge and a glass of tea for lunch, and by the end of the 12-hour shift they literally collapsed. Bread in the city has long been issued in limited portions. Those who worked received 800 grams per day, those who did not work received half as much. After work, he ran home, hastily had dinner, and went to the basement to spend the night with his mother and sisters. The Germans regularly bombed the boiler room next to the house. The tall chimney was taken as a landmark.

“Incendiary bombs were constantly being dropped on the roofs of houses. If you do not extinguish it in time, then nothing will save you from the fire. Therefore, adults were on duty on the roofs and attics. They picked up German “lighters” with large metal tongs and threw them into barrels of water,” Pavel Borisovich recalls his childhood. “In the morning we came out of the basement and didn’t know if our apartment was intact. They gathered and went back to their workplaces. I got to work at the plant straight from school. In May 1942, he graduated from seventh grade. A representative of the enterprise came and said bluntly - men are at the front, there are not enough workers. My friends and I got together and went to forge victory.

Simple General Uncle Vasya

The Margelov family left Stalingrad the day before the Germans arrived. My father, the head of a large trust, was given the task of transporting the plant’s equipment to the Urals at any cost. On the Baikal-Amur Mainline, the railway tracks were urgently dismantled, and the rails were transported to Stalingrad. They built a road from them that led straight from the workshop to the Volga. There's a train ferry there. The last echelon of the enterprise crossed to a safe shore, and the next day there were battles throughout the city.

At Yurga station in Kemerovo region the machines were installed directly under open air. The son of a big boss, Pavel Gladstein, worked as a mechanic. Two years after the victory, he graduated from technical school and became a specialist in the production of artillery systems. He returned to his native, destroyed Stalingrad, so that after a while he could literally escape from it.

The management of the Barrikady plant, where Pavel Gladshtein headed the workforce, saw in him a promising specialist. When he mentioned his desire for a military career, threats immediately poured in. He was threatened with trial for his reluctance to restore the national economy - after the war, every specialist was worth his weight in gold. Pavel finally fled to Kyiv and entered the military school of self-propelled artillery.

He dreamed of gun salvos, but, to his own surprise, he was assigned to the Airborne Forces. At first, however, I had the opportunity to serve in my specialty: in the 125th Kostroma guards division The Airborne Forces had a self-propelled artillery division. However, less than a year later they had to say goodbye to the artillery. On April 1, 1952, Lieutenant Gladstein was sent to the Far East. The joke turned out to be successful. The new place of service was Kuibyshevka-Vostochnaya, now Belogorsk, Amur Region. The airborne corps under the command of Vasily Margelov himself was stationed here.

- Hero of the Soviet Union, lieutenant general, founder of the Airborne Forces... A man honored in all respects and at the same time completely easy to communicate with. I was worried before talking to him, but he meets every young officer and clearly explains to him the specifics of service in the Far East. He himself was wearing an ordinary cap and a leather flight jacket without shoulder straps,” Pavel Borisovich recalls the details of the historical meeting.

Fall on the enemy's head

At the end of the sixties of the last century, newspapers wrote little about the events on the Soviet-Chinese border. Soviet citizens lived ordinary life, and only the military understood what would complicate the situation. The summer of 1968 in the border territories of the Union turned out to be restless; less than a year remained before the main bloodshed on Damansky Island.

Against this background, paratrooper officers began to arrive in the Amur village of Magdagachi from all over the country. They were entrusted with a serious task - to cover 400 kilometers of the state border. The line of responsibility is from Erofei Pavlovich station to Shimanovskaya station. The theater of possible military operations is of unprecedented length; even combined arms formations have never been tasked with such tasks.

The emphasis was placed on high mobility and a completely new type airborne units. They had to land on small military transport helicopters and operate in the near rear probable enemy. Simply put, fall right on the enemy's head.

— In July 1968, the chief of staff of the 98th Guards Svir Red Banner Airborne Division, Mikhail Timofeevich Reznikov, was summoned to the General Staff. We were given the task of forming a separate air assault brigade. It all came down to lack of time. The brigade had to be formed at an accelerated pace,” Pavel Gladstein describes the events of the alarming 1968.

He was among the first officers to arrive at Magdagachi station. He didn’t even imagine that his fate would be connected with the 13th Air Assault Brigade for more than ten years. The older generation of paratroopers remember very well this brave major, who two years later became chief of staff and then headed the brigade. It was a powerful mobile fist, which included mortar, anti-aircraft, anti-tank and even howitzer units. Only people with rich everyday and military experience could effectively command such a formation.

We have nothing to fear

In March 1969, Damansky’s snow was soaked in the blood of soldiers and officers. However, it never came to the Third World War. There was no need to jump on the enemy's head. On the other side of the Amur they knew very well what kind of reception would be prepared in case of full-scale aggression.

In Stalingrad, after work, Pavel ran home, hastily had dinner and, together with his mother and sisters, went to spend the night in the basement. The Germans regularly bombed the boiler room next to the house.

In July 1978, the commander of the Far Eastern Military District, Army General Tretyak, conducted exercises with troops of the 35th Army (Amur Region). The 13th Airborne Brigade was alerted and received an order to move to an area that was located 300 kilometers from its permanent location.

— Paratroopers on Mi-8 and Mi-6 helicopters landed in the indicated areas and took up defensive positions. During the debriefing of the exercises, the commander noted that this was the first time the brigade had participated in such exercises and had completed its tasks. The rating of the 13th Airborne Brigade is good. The rest of the formations of the 35th Army are satisfactory,” recalls Pavel Borisovich. — After reviewing the exercises, the commander called me and said that he would not sign my resignation report, which I submitted in connection with my 50th anniversary. I must serve until a candidate for the position of brigade commander is identified. He was found only two years later.

OPINION

Clara Gladstein, wife of Pavel Borisovich, famous Amur restaurateur:

— Despite his venerable age, Pavel Borisovich remains an unquestioned authority for all family members. In addition to his two children, he has six grandchildren and as many great-grandchildren. He is demanding of everyone, but first of all of himself, so he is always collected and obligatory. He is never late for anything and teaches his loved ones to do the same. He is a real role model, well versed in all life issues. You can talk to him on political topics and get purely everyday advice.

Pavel Borisovich still drives a car, he has very strong, confident hands that can fix anything in the house. He lives without grudges against life and claims to his own difficult fate. He follows all the events in the country and the world and knows for sure that as long as there are Airborne Forces in Russia, we have nothing to fear.