Maroon berets: special forces of the Russian internal troops. Special forces of Russia Special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation 232 operational regiment
Formed on August 1, 2002 in Kazan, on the basis of an operational battalion of internal troops. Its first commander was Colonel Mikhail Ivanovich Makagon, and Sergei Evgenievich Zhukovsky, chief of staff. The first to be formed were the 3rd special forces group, the reconnaissance group and support groups: combat, technical and material support. As part of these units, on December 1, 2002, the detachment went on its first service and combat mission (Chechnya, Khankala). Subsequently, the detachment was staffed to full strength by graduates of military schools, officers and warrant officers of other special forces units. Taking into account the combat experience of these servicemen and the tasks to be performed by the detachment in the future, intense and intensive combat training was organized. In May 2003, the first qualification tests for the right to wear a maroon beret were carried out, as a result of which three servicemen of the detachment received this sign of the highest special forces valor. In February 2004, the detachment entered the Chechen Republic in full force. The temporary deployment point was in the village. Khankala village, where the detachment had previously undergone training. They had to carry out tasks throughout Chechnya: Aldy, Grozny, Sernovodsk, Samashki - this is an incomplete geography, where the detachment carried out activities to check populated areas, air search and assault groups (ASG), ambushes and searches. The performance of the detachment was noted by the command of the joint groups of troops (forces) (OGV(s)). But the squad received its first baptism of fire on May 9, 2004 in the city of Grozny, Dynamo stadium. The security group of the OGV (s) commander, Colonel General V. Baranov, numbering six people, was with him when the explosion occurred. The head of the group, Yu. Sovetov, and senior sergeant A. Votyakov received shell shock, and Corporal S. Russkikh received an open cranial wound. Despite the injuries received, the commander was evacuated in a timely manner and taken to a military hospital. The second time the detachment suffered losses was on May 25, 2004, when it was ambushed near the village. Prigorodnoye village. Platoon 26 of the Special Forces Detachment (SPT), which took 1st place at the SPT platoon competition in Ufa, 2010.
List of soldiers of the 26th Special Forces Detachment who died while performing service and combat missions:
- warrant officer Kalmachevsky V.A. (reconnaissance group) 05/25/2004;
- warrant officer S.V. Urasimov (reconnaissance group) 05.25.2004;
- warrant officer Shakirov I.T. (reconnaissance group) 05.25.2004;
- senior sergeant I. I. Bakhrunov (reconnaissance group) 05/25/2004;
- junior sergeant A. S. Grigoriev (reconnaissance group) 05/25/2004;
- junior sergeant Shkodich D.N. (combat support group) 05/25/2004.
On April 5, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the creation of national guard troops of the Russian Federation on the basis of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, which are part of the structure of the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation.
For a long time, the predecessors of the Russian internal troops did not have their own special forces. In the 19th century, the internal guards actually did not need such units, and in the gendarmerie, which was the common ancestor of both internal troops and state security agencies, virtually every officer was a “special forces” in terms of training level. The gendarmes' salaries were quite high, and career advancement was fast, but the requirements for all special skills, including shooting, hand-to-hand combat and general physical training, were much more serious than in army units. Attempts to call Soviet special forces during the Civil War “special forces” in the modern sense of the word also look somewhat strained. Combat training was carried out at a serious level in units of the OGPU and, later, the NKVD. The units of the Wehrmacht, SS and Abwehr had the misfortune to see this in 1941, which, even creating an advantage tenfold, could not break the resistance of the Soviet border guards and NKVD riflemen for weeks. But there were no separate special-purpose units in them as such. That did not stop them, however, from quite effectively destroying German special and parachute units. After all, contrary to common myths spread by the liberal press, the main task of the NKVD units was not to drive soldiers distraught with horror into battle with machine-gun bursts, but to confront the German “special forces” - paratroopers, saboteurs and intelligence officers.
And if in the army special forces units only began to develop even faster after the war, then the “most totalitarian” rulers of the USSR considered it immoral and inappropriate to create special forces against their own people within the framework of the internal troops. However, terrorist manifestations, expressed in attacks on government facilities and seizure of vehicles, have made their own adjustments. And, starting in 1973, special forces of internal troops began to be created in the Soviet Union. It was this year that the Combined Operational Military Detachment (SOVO) was created, which took part in the release of hostages held in a hijacked plane in Bykovo. The unit was assembled situationally, and the experience of its use showed that in order to organize high-quality interaction between its fighters, it must exist on a permanent basis.
The impetus for the creation of “stationary” special-purpose units in the Internal Troops system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB of the USSR was the “Olympics-80” in Moscow. On December 29, 1977, the Minister of Internal Affairs signed an order to form on the basis of the 9th company of the 3rd battalion of the 2nd regiment OMSDON named after Dzerzhinsky a special forces unit, now known to the general public as “Vityaz”. Initially it was called the Special Purpose Training Company, and the 9th company itself was originally a sports company, with higher physical training of the personnel than that of the soldiers of ordinary units. URSN employees underwent part of the training program together with the KGB Alpha. The company's soldiers coped with their assigned tasks perfectly. In 1981, they were already used to free hostages and pacify participants in interethnic clashes in the Caucasus. Since 1988, with the growth of nationalist sentiments and inter-ethnic tensions, in particular in the Caucasus and Central Asia, special forces of internal troops have been used to rescue civilians and neutralize extremist assets. Through their efforts, some conflicts were resolved completely, and some were made less bloody.
In 1989, the UBSN (battalion) was formed on the basis of URSN. In 1990, a special company of contract soldiers and officers, similar to the KGB special forces, was to be formed. But due to poorly thought out terms of the contract, there were few people willing to serve in it, and this idea was temporarily abandoned.
In 1990 - 1991, the UBSN carried out a number of brilliant anti-terrorist operations, mainly in the Caucasus. In 1991, on the basis of UBSN, the legendary OSN “Vityaz” was formed, which in 1992 successfully operated in the Caucasus, and in 1993, during the Moscow events, guarded the television center. Beginning in 1994, Vityaz began operating in Chechnya and Dagestan. In 1994, taking into account the experience of UBSN and “Vityaz”, new special forces units, now covered with glory, began to be formed in the VV - “Rus”, “Rosich”, “Skif”. In 1999, “Vityaz” became a regiment. According to a number of experts, after the enlargement, its combat qualities suffered somewhat. Therefore, it was soon reduced and transformed into OSN.
At the turn of the millennium, the VV special forces were reassigned to military reconnaissance. The differences between reconnaissance battalions and special forces units began to gradually smooth out. Special forces of the Internal Troops and “foreign” intelligence began to be trained according to the GRU special forces program. Many officers of the “foreign” special forces got into it precisely from army intelligence.
In 2008, the 604th Special Purpose Center was formed on the basis of Vityaz and Rus. The combat capabilities of the center are more serious than those of individual units previously. There was even a group of combat swimmers in the new unit. Parachute training was included in the training program for special forces of the internal troops. Much attention in the work of the Center is paid to mine-explosive activities.
In a number of training centers throughout Russia, sergeants, warrant officers, and officers (intelligence department of the Novosibirsk Institute of Internal Troops) of special forces and intelligence of the Internal Troops are trained. There are also specialized centers, such as Krasnodar, where fighters undergo mountain rifle training (a thousand people a year).
The various special forces units (and there are about fifteen of them alone, not counting the regular reconnaissance units) differ quite greatly from each other in terms of staff, tactics and training in the context of the tasks that they are called upon to solve. Russia is a country with diverse landscapes and varying operational environments. Just as the forests of Siberia, the icy tundra of Chukotka, the Caucasus mountains and the Kuban steppes differ from each other, so the tactics of the various special forces of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation differ. The largest concentration of special forces of the Insurgents is now in the North Caucasus - namely in Chechnya. I don’t think there’s any need to explain why this happens. The main task of the special forces units of the internal troops is actually anti-terrorism.
The maroon beret has become a unique symbol of the VV special forces. Its history goes back to the maroon bands of the internal guard of the Russian Empire and the maroon berets worn by the URSN VV of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. The tests for the maroon beret are so complex and even heroic that they deserve to be the topic of a separate article. They include a grueling forced march, an obstacle course, acrobatics, a physical training test, a shooting test and super-heavy hand-to-hand combat tests, including full contact fights with actual owners of maroon berets. Sometimes maroon berets are awarded for exceptional courage and heroism shown during real combat operations.
When training special forces of internal troops, special emphasis is placed on the moral and psychological component. The individual is subordinate to the collective. The ability to sacrifice oneself in the name of the Motherland, saving comrades is fostered (and this is not easy in our “individualistic” times). Fighters are taught amazing endurance, courage, the ability to endure any load, control themselves, and soberly assess the situation. They are specially taught not to be afraid of death and blood - during training, young special forces are specially taken to hospitals and morgues. They must be able to carry wounded, bloodied comrades from the battlefield, and search the bodies of bandits who died from a grenade explosion. And this is not a particularly pleasant thing.
Today, the internal troops are one of the most “provided” security forces in Russia. And special forces and reconnaissance are the vanguard of the explosives. According to experts, the special forces of the Russian internal troops are among the strongest among similar units in the world. Nowadays, rumors are being intensively circulated in the press regarding the prospects of creating a Russian National Guard on the basis of the Internal Troops, subordinate directly to the president. In this case, the special forces of the new structure will be reinforced by units of the airborne troops, GRU special forces and mountain rifle detachments. Time will tell what will happen in practice. But, you see, building up military potential through well-equipped and trained troops, staffed by contract soldiers, despite the fact that, formally, the size of the army will not grow is an interesting strategic move. We should not forget that in the event of a declaration of war, internal troops first cover the state border together with border guards, and then act as ordinary “line units”. And analysts estimate the potential “size” of the National Guard at approximately 400 thousand people...
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The detachment was created in September 2009 on the basis of the 351st separate operational battalion (SON) of the brigade. People gathered from different places: some moved from BON or other parts of the formation, some came from the “mainland”. Among the candidates for special forces were thrill-seekers who wanted to try themselves in action, romantics, and simply those who wanted to make money. Some came on the recommendation of senior superiors, but cronyism did not work here. There was one condition for everyone: if you want to serve here, show yourself in action. That is why the core of the newly formed unit was made up of special forces transferred from the 7th, 15th, 17th detachments, and the reconnaissance battalion of the brigade.
The command of the detachment immediately determined its personnel policy: those who want to become a real special forces professional, we will work with them - teach, help, coach, and those who are disappointed and understand that service in special forces is not for them - we will not detain them! Team unification, limited by strict time frames, took place according to the principle: at a minimum - a story, at a maximum - showing and training until you sweat. And soon about half of the “applicants”, those who entered the wrong door, dropped out...
If you want victory, prepare for war
The senior assistant to the chief of staff of the detachment for combat training, Major Roman Fedyaev*, remembers well the period of formation of the new special forces team. The combat experience behind him greatly helped the officer: while still a member of the 17th Special Forces Detachment, Fedyaev took part in counter-terrorist operations in Dagestan and Chechnya, for which he was awarded two Orders of Courage.
“In our unit, we devote a lot of time to combat and special training, which necessarily takes place with the build-up of the situation, with the development of introductory training that may arise in a real battle,” says Major Fedyaev. - The detachment commander often conducts or controls the course of training himself. This, of course, has a positive effect on their quality. But if the detachment sat without real combat work, then the fighters would do it without much interest. And when we are in surgery for one week, and studying for the next, eliminating mistakes, there is no need to convince someone to give their all. People themselves ask: “Commander, teach, advise.” Because they know: if you can’t fight competently, you won’t complete the assigned task and will lose your life very quickly. They correctly understand the essence of the problem - in a combat situation they will not be given any concessions...
The banal truth is that the one who prepares better for war wins. The bandits are well prepared for it. Major Roman Fedyaev highly appreciates their fighting qualities. Operational information and reports only confirm this: the enemy is very serious. Therefore, no moody moods and relaxation! The enemies are not yesterday’s shepherd tractor drivers, as was the case in the first Chechen campaign, but trained and well-trained terrorists. However, the guys from the “thirty-four” manage to outplay them. In just 10 months of last year, they took part in more than two dozen special operations, destroyed several forest bases and caches, seized and destroyed a large number of weapons, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices. The special forces also neutralized several members of the bandit underground, while avoiding losses on their part.
Work for the seasoned
In an undeclared, protracted guerrilla war, when the “irreconcilables” are hiding in the forests and mountains, feeling at home there, it is very difficult to achieve victory. The forest often acts as an ally of bandits: it hides, feeds, heals them, and also stores many surprises fraught with mortal danger. Here, sometimes well-practiced tactics and honed skills do not help - something more is needed: improvisation, super sense, instant reaction. Because he preempted it, that means he won. After all, sometimes the outcome of a clash is decided by a split second!
The most experienced, experienced warriors of the “thirty-four” possess these qualities. At the dawn of the formation of military special forces, guys like them were called seasoned. One of them can be considered the commander of the 2nd special forces group, Major Alexander Devyanin*, who was recently promoted to the position of chief of the detachment’s reconnaissance. The officer’s personal record includes several dozen reconnaissance and search activities and targeted checks, during which 16 people were detained on suspicion of involvement in the gang underground, over ten units of various small arms, about 2 thousand small arms ammunition were seized, several homemade explosive devices were neutralized . Last spring turned out to be especially fruitful for this kind of surprises...
In March 2010, Devyanin and his group worked in the forests of the Urus-Martan region of Chechnya. We were looking for another base for the nomadic “commander of the southwestern front” Tarkhan Gaziev with his headquarters. While searching, Alexander sensed danger with some animal instinct. He stopped the chain, called sappers, and demanded that they examine the dubious area. He himself removed the top layer of earth, under which the sappers actually discovered a mine trap - if it exploded, the detachment would definitely have suffered its first losses. Moving further, Devyanin was the first to discover a carefully camouflaged cache of ammunition, where the special forces found six shots from a grenade launcher, a machine gun belt loaded with cartridges, two grenades...
Ten days later, during reconnaissance and search activities in the Achkhoy-Martan region, another seasoned warrior distinguished himself - platoon commander of the 3rd special forces group, senior warrant officer Oleg Chmykh*. He already had 28 similar operations under his belt, during which, on suspicion of involvement in bandit groups, 13 people were detained, six units of various small arms, about 1.5 thousand small arms ammunition were seized, several mines and improvised explosive devices were neutralized.
This time, carefully moving through the spring forest that had awakened from winter hibernation, Oleg walked at the head of a reconnaissance patrol. He himself determined his place at the front of the group, as if feeling that today his experience, dexterity, and trained eye would be needed in the vanguard. He noticed the tripwire - a thin fishing line stretched across the road, stained with mud, at the opposite end of which death was lurking, he noticed at the last second; it was masterfully camouflaged. Oleg cursed - he knew that in the detachment of the local “commander” Aslan Byutukaev, whom our guys were hunting, there were skilled demolitionists. Balancing on one leg in a heron pose, barely maintaining his balance, with a taxiway stuffed to capacity behind his back, he gave the command: “Attention: a mine has been detected on the tripwire!” And then, in the absence of time, without waiting for the sapper, he neutralized it himself, which showed his versatility...
There are dozens of such examples, quite ordinary, inconspicuous at first glance, because they ended quite happily. Strong guys serve in the “thirty-four”, reliable, proven, united. Their skills are growing every day. And this is the primary merit of the detachment commander. It’s not for nothing that his subordinates, soldiers and officers, call him their “engine” behind their backs.
Inner strength
The detachment commander, Colonel Vitaly Merkulov*, graduated with honors from the North Caucasus Military Command Institute of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, then from the Combined Arms Academy. He took part in military operations in Chechnya and was awarded the Suvorov medal.
Since his cadet years, Vitaly saw himself only in special forces. When he had the opportunity to choose a place of service, without hesitation, he asked to join the legendary “Rosich” - the 7th special forces detachment of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. He arrived, introduced himself to the commander, Colonel Igor Semin, and was actually immediately sent on a business trip.
“The older comrades helped me “grow into” the situation: they advised me, shared their experience,” recalls Merkulov. - All this happened in a completely calm, natural manner, without pumping or hassle...
No one bothered the lieutenant with excessive care and petty things. No one, in the good sense of the word, poked their nose into his affairs, did not bother him to stew in his cauldron, that is, in his unit, into the life of which he immediately plunged headlong. On the other hand, the platoon commander was always visible, and if he made a mistake somewhere, then no one drowned him, no one ran to “hand over” his comrade to the commander. On the contrary, they helped and supported the young platoon commander in a brotherly way. And then - swim again yourself. It was a very good, real special forces school, from which Merkulov graduated with honors. And in his “thirty-four” he set things up in the same way.
“Of course, even with a great desire, but without the help of my comrades, without the support of my subordinates, I would not have been able to achieve anything in life, in service,” the commander admits. - Each of my colleagues at Rosich was capable of action, had strong convictions and strong moral principles. Almost everyone had an inner core. People correctly understood the purpose of their service in the detachment, they served exclusively for the idea - for the good of the Fatherland. This is perhaps the main distinguishing quality of a real special forces soldier, and this is what I cultivate in my subordinates today...
When Vitaly Vladimirovich was offered the position of commander of the 34th special forces detachment, he agreed immediately. And not only because, like any military man, he was accustomed to obeying orders. The officer was interested in starting such a big thing in a new place - forming a unit.
The brigade command and, above all, the brigade commander personally provided enormous assistance in the formation of the detachment. He delved into all the details and strictly demanded that all his subordinates carry out the planned tasks. After his words “Tomorrow in the detachment everything should be like this!” Management officers came to Merkulov’s unit and promptly, within 24 hours, resolved all issues. The detachment team would hardly have been able to complete many tasks in such a record time on their own: everyone knows perfectly well how much time it takes for various approvals between deputies and heads of services, going from room to room, collecting all the necessary signatures... But this does not mean that the department’s officers brigades worked for Merkulov, replacing him. There was no end of worries, especially at first. Sometimes the commander simply lost his sense of reality, forgetting what time of day it was outside, what day of the week - the load was so great then. But the commander and his subordinates coped with the task: the “thirty-four” quickly fell into a working rhythm.
“Previously, we were exclusively executors of the brigade commander’s iron will, now we are participants in the dialogue,” Colonel Merkulov shares his thoughts. - They listen to us, our opinion is taken into account. The trust shown is worth a lot: we do not have the moral right not to complete the task, to let the brigade commander down. In accordance with his decision, the detachment’s personnel are exclusively engaged in combat training and are focused on performing service and combat missions. We were relieved of a secondary, mainly economic burden, such as cleaning the territory. My subordinates, like me personally, like such a combative, eventful life.
Being a persistent and purposeful person himself, Vitaly Merkulov values these qualities most in people. Let’s say one fighter, when he joined the squad, had already done pull-ups 30 times, but over the course of a year he didn’t add more. And the other, starting five times, added a little every month, and by the end of the year it was equal to the first. And it is his commander who will note, because he does not need record holders, but people who know how to achieve their goals and work on themselves. In real combat, heroism, resourcefulness, and self-control are often demonstrated by those servicemen who are not distinguished by external luster: small, frail, inconspicuous in appearance, but with inner strength. And it’s very difficult to see it in people.
But the colonel mastered this tricky science. That is why he has soldiers and officers serving in his detachment who will follow their commander through thick and thin. That is why the “thirty-four” is ready to solve service and combat missions of any complexity.
***
*The names of the military personnel have been changed.
Roman ILYUSCHENKO
Photo by Viktor BOLTIKOV, Alexander KUZNETSOV and from the squad archive
Not everyone will be able to immediately answer the question of what “special forces” are. At the moment, in Russia, a huge number of law enforcement agencies have special forces units. This is often the reason that the original meaning of the term “special forces”, which arose in the Main Intelligence Directorate, has been greatly distorted. For a better understanding, you should consider the terms in detail and determine the specifics of modern special forces.
From the Great Soviet Encyclopedia: Special Forces (Spetsnaz) - specially trained units of state intelligence and counterintelligence services, army, aviation, navy and police (militia), whose personnel have high combat, fire, physical and psychological training, whose task is to solve specific combat tasks by force in extremely extreme conditions.
We propose to consider all modern “special forces” in three categories:
Reconnaissance and sabotage units: special units directly involved in reconnaissance, sabotage, and deployment of the partisan movement on enemy territory. This group includes, first of all, army and navy special forces.
Anti-terrorism and anti-insurgency units: special units of state security structures, as well as special units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs created to combat terrorism and organized crime. This group includes units of the TsSN FSB of Russia, Special Purpose Police Units (OMSN), special forces of the internal troops, special forces of the Ministry of Justice.
Units for performing specific tasks: This group includes all the others - the Special Purpose Department under the Presidential Security Service, special forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, special units of the state drug control, the State Customs Committee, the Prosecutor General's Office, etc.
Despite the fact that the units perform different tasks, they are united by one thing - the tactics of their actions. It is based on achieving success not through superiority in manpower and weapons, but solely at the cost of the professionalism of the individual fighter and the coherence of the unit as a whole.
HISTORY OF CREATION
On the eve of the XXII Olympic Games in 1980, the problem of ensuring security and public order in Moscow arose with particular urgency. A large number of law enforcement officers were involved in solving this problem, including military personnel of the separate special purpose motorized rifle division named after F. Dzerzhinsky (OMSDON). A special unit was to be created in the division, which would be in constant readiness for action in extreme conditions, and most importantly, whose military personnel would have special training to counter potential terrorist actions.
At the end of 1977 - beginning of 1978, by order of the division commander, Major General D.A. Nalivalkin, the best athletes of the division from different units were transferred to the 9th motorized rifle company of the 2nd regiment, and the transfer was carried out exclusively on a voluntary basis. Military personnel who for some reason were not suitable for service in this now special company were sent to other military units. Preparation of the special forces unit's training program began immediately.
Initially, the staffing structure of the 9th MSR was no different from other line units. The company commander, Captain Maltsev, took the lead in developing the training program for the company; he was also the organizer of the educational process for training military specialists.
Lieutenant V.I. Bulatov was appointed deputy company commander for political affairs, who was able to select specific forms and methods of educational work with company personnel, and made a significant contribution to the organization of moral and psychological training of soldiers and officers. One of the platoon commanders was Lieutenant S.I. Lysyuk, who went through the glorious combat path of a special forces officer from platoon commander to commander of the “Vityaz” detachment.
The formation of the company continued. At the end of February 1978, a group of servicemen of the 9th MSR took part in demonstration training in hand-to-hand combat, which was attended by the head of the internal troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, Army General I.K. Yakovlev, who highly appreciated the professional training of the military personnel and signed the order on March 9, 1978 “On the formation of a special purpose training company OMSDON.” The order set the tasks of the unit and approved the staffing structure shown below. In addition to training platoons, the staff had a squad of mounted grenade launchers (AGS-17 “Plamya”) and an anti-aircraft squad (MANPADS “Strela-2m”).
The special-purpose training company was staffed with officers, warrant officers, sergeants and conscripts from among disciplined military personnel of the internal troops who had the necessary physical, moral and psychological qualities. Officers and warrant officers also had to master the methods of teaching special disciplines. Selected candidates were enrolled in the company after a lengthy examination by a special commission and a thorough medical examination.
Combat and political training was carried out in accordance with the instructions of the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR at the rate of 100-120 hours per month, of which 40-50% of training time was allocated for special training.
Particular attention was paid to teaching hand-to-hand combat techniques, mastery of various types of weapons,
the use of special equipment, overcoming obstacles, the formation of psychological stability in personnel, the ability to successfully endure moral and physical stress at critical moments, to show self-control, perseverance, courage and bravery; constantly developed a readiness to carry out the assigned task at any cost. Combat training of military personnel was aimed at preparing for actions to capture and detain armed criminals who had taken refuge in buildings and underground communications, seized an airplane or other vehicles, to capture the instigators of mass riots and antisocial manifestations in the colonies and populated areas.
The creation of a unit was a new and unknown matter, and the military personnel had to learn on their own, turning to similar formations for experience. Company command and special discipline instructors were repeatedly sent to units of airborne assault brigades to create a training program in hand-to-hand combat. The basis was karate with the addition of classical boxing techniques. The result was an effective method for training conscripts. The unit tried to recruit military personnel with basic martial arts skills.
Special training classes were conducted in conditions as close as possible to combat conditions, and training was carried out taking into account the individual characteristics of the trainee.
Thus, two years after its creation, having done a huge amount of preparatory work to create the unit, the special-purpose training company was prepared to fulfill its main task - ensuring public safety and law and order during the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. OMSDON soldiers served to protect public order at the venues of sporting events at all Olympic venues in Moscow. URSN was in constant readiness to act in emergency situations.
In connection with the constant intensive training and exercises in the field, the logistics department of the internal troops provided for an excess supply of personnel with military uniforms. However, the existing uniform was not suitable for performing specific hand-to-hand combat exercises; for example, riding pants were narrow and hampered movement. Therefore, especially for the URSN, uniforms were received from the NZ warehouses, intended for wear in hot areas and widespread in the Airborne Forces - an open jacket with a smoothed collar for wearing with a vest, straight-cut trousers and casual boots.
However, the supply of this uniform was poorly established, so the military personnel also had to wear technical overalls.
For combat equipment, fire helmets with a plastic visor or police motorcycle helmets, plastic shields were provided, later rubber sticks (PR-73) and other special equipment appeared, which were recommended for use in exceptional cases. When conducting demonstration exercises, the fighters used camouflage uniforms (KZS*) or camouflage suits of snipers of motorized rifle units.
One of the distinctive features of the uniform of the special forces soldiers was the maroon beret. It has become a symbol of belonging to the special forces elite, confirming the highest professionalism of its owner.
At the end of 1978, the tradition of the ceremonial presentation of a maroon beret was born. The idea for the award came from the company officers, and the first hundred berets were made by the father of one of the conscripts.
In order to earn the right to wear the Maroon Beret, a candidate special forces soldier must pass a difficult exam, which consists of a forced march of 12-15 km over rough terrain, overcoming water obstacles, overcoming a fire assault zone (OSH), mastery of high-altitude training, acrobatics, and three four-minute rounds of hand-to-hand combat, including one with a soldier already awarded the Maroon Beret. As practice has shown, half of the candidates cannot withstand the stress and leave the race, however, after some time, the vast majority of them again express a desire to try again. This is a clear example of how a moral incentive, a symbol of self-respect and personal dignity, works.
During the Olympics, special forces had to act on alert only once, when an operation was carried out at one of the capital's airports to eliminate a terrorist who had taken hostages on an airplane. However, URSN was not involved in the direct execution of the operation.
Special forces soldiers received their first baptism of fire in 1981 in one of the settlements near Izhevsk. Two deserter soldiers took hostages - children at school. The USSR KGB special forces group “Alpha” was sent to the scene of the incident. The URSN group also flew there and, as a result of joint actions, the task of eliminating the criminals was successfully completed.
After this, URSN was repeatedly involved in combat missions to free hostages, maintain public order, and eliminate criminal groups. The special forces company has accumulated considerable experience in dealing with emergency situations.
Realizing the need for further development of a unique unit, the command of the Internal Troops at the end of 1980 decided to create a training battalion on the basis of a special forces training company, which was organizationally part of the structure of the 2nd operational regiment OMSDON. Major Lysyuk SI was appointed commander.
Structure of a special purpose training battalion
By order of the Minister of Internal Affairs dated March 16, 1990, an experiment was launched in the special forces training battalion to recruit contract professionals. The first professionals of the special forces company to sign the contract on July 1, 1990 were 6 officers, 84 sergeants and soldiers who served in military service in the country's hot spots. The contract was for two years. The professional company was part of the 5th company in the regular structure of the special forces training battalion. It consisted of three platoons, each platoon consisting of two assault squads and a combat support squad.
The main task of the company was to be in combat readiness as part of a duty unit. When the command arrived, the platoon on duty was supposed to leave for the scene within 7 minutes. Due to the understaffing of the company, they had to go on duty within 24 hours. By mid-1991 the experiment had to be stopped because the command was unable to provide the contract soldiers with the required conditions.
July 1, 1991 The special forces training battalion was reorganized into the 6th special forces detachment of the internal troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. The detachment was intended to search for and apprehend especially dangerous and armed criminals, liquidate criminal groups that had taken possession of buildings or other important objects, release hostages and suppress disobedience and riots of prisoners in penal colonies, pre-trial detention centers, etc.
In September 1991, at a general meeting of the detachment’s personnel, the officer group proposed giving the detachment the name “Vityaz”, which in some way explained the tasks performed by the detachment and symbolized the strength, courage and nobility of the defender of civilians. Somewhat later, officers developed special forces symbols and their own sleeve badge. The “Vityaz” emblem, which later became the symbol of all special forces of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was an image of a fist with a machine gun against the background of a red star. Below was a ribbon with the inscription “Vityaz”. The emblem was applied to the equipment and was present in the visual propaganda of the units. With the money collected by the officers of the “Vityaz” detachment, sleeve insignia were made, which were sewn onto the left sleeve in the center of the patch pocket.
The uniform of special forces soldiers was significantly different from ordinary units. In 1991, in a centralized manner, VV special forces units began to receive camouflage uniforms “Night-91 NP” and “Night-91 SP”.
The aggravation of the internal political situation in the USSR, the growth of interethnic conflicts proved the need for mobile units in the structure of the internal troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs capable of solving special tasks: escorting transport convoys and special cargo in regions with a state of emergency, disarmament of illegal armed groups, detention of their leaders, and in general localization and minimization of the activities of such formations.
In each operational regiment of the internal troops, a special purpose company was created according to the existing analogue in OMSDON, which since 1994 became known as a separate operational division (ODON). In addition, special-purpose companies were also formed in the OMSDON regiments: in the 1st ON regiment - “Jaguar”, in the 5th - “Bear”, in the 2nd and 4th - without names. The 100th operational division of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (DON-100) is being created in Novocherkassk, in the regiments of which the “Lev” and “Scorpion” URSNs are being created. Similar innovations were carried out in other units: the ON brigade in Sofrino and the ON brigade in Kalach-on-Don, where the Alligator URSN appeared.
The history of the appearance of the name URSN “Alligator” is interesting. In 1991 this training company guarded a group of French journalists on the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Okrug. The URSN servicemen were dressed in two-color camouflage uniforms (on green
The French, hinting at the color scheme, called them “crocodiles.” The company commander, realizing the need for the unit to have its own name, began to call his soldiers, not “crocodiles,” but “alligators.” Subsequently, a sleeve insignia was created and an alligator with an open mouth became the symbol of the unit.
These training companies were intended to solve local combat missions, but the increase in political instability in the country caused the emergence of special forces: August 14, 1992. the 7th OSN "Rosich" was formed (on the basis of the already existing companies "Lev" and "Scorpion", on August 1, 1994 - the 8th OSN "Rus" (on the basis of a separate motorized rifle battalion for special purposes).
The soldiers of the SN units played a huge role in October-November 1993. during riots in Moscow. Military personnel of the 6th detachment of the SN "Vityaz" removed dozens of civilian personnel from the besieged Ostankino television studio. Their presence contributed to the normalization of the situation in Moscow.
During military operations on the territory of Chechnya, special forces units took part in clearing residential areas from militants, carried out operational search activities on the territory of the Republic, ensured the security of the state and military leadership of Russia in the territory of the Chechen Republic, and escorted especially important cargo. The most famous episodes of their activities in Chechnya were the release of hostages in Kizlyar and Pervomaisky. During the last assault by the militants of Grozny, a group of fighters from the 8th Special Operations Forces defended the building of the Coordination Center for two weeks.
OUR DAYS
Currently, the organization and procedure for the activities of special-purpose military units (units) of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs when performing the tasks assigned to them are established by the Regulations “On special-purpose military units (units) of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation” and other regulatory legal acts approved by the minister Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (Article 23 of the Law of the Russian Federation “On the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation”).
Tasks of military units (units) of special purpose of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Special purpose military units (units) are assigned the following tasks:
Participation in the disarmament and liquidation of illegal armed groups, organized criminal groups, in suppressing riots accompanied by armed violence, confiscating illegally stored weapons from the population;
Participation in suppressing acts of terrorism;
Participation in the neutralization of hostage takers, important government facilities, special cargo, communications structures, as well as government buildings;
Participation in ensuring the safety of officials and individual citizens of the Russian Federation in accordance with Russian legislation.
December 29, 1977 - start date of formation the first special forces unit in the system of internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR. Its creation took place on the basis of the 9th company of the 3rd battalion of the 2nd regiment of the Separate Special Purpose Motorized Rifle Division named after. F. E. Dzerzhinsky (OMSDON).
Key milestones in the development of the special forces unit “Vityaz”
The governments of many countries have long been faced with the threat of terrorism and have come to the conclusion that special security forces should be involved in the fight against this global evil.
The political leadership of the Soviet Union began to consider countering terrorism as one of the most important state tasks in the late 70s of the last century. And one of the first domestic counter-terrorist units was the special purpose training company (URSN) of the Separate Special Purpose Motorized Rifle Division named after. F. Dzerzhinsky, the decision to form which was made by the USSR Minister of Internal Affairs on the eve of the XXII Olympic Games in Moscow. It was this unit that became the forerunner of the legendary Vityaz detachment and the ODON Special Purpose Center, which was later created on its basis.
The recruitment of conscripts for this unit was carried out from among the best athletes of the division, exclusively on a voluntary basis. In January 1978, the URSN began recruiting officers, coordinating platoons, and developing a training program. In parallel with this, the unit, staffed by the best soldiers of the 2nd Regiment, began practical exercises and training.
Already in February, URSN conducted the first demonstration training for the leadership of law enforcement troops. It was there that the first special forces soldiers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs had to take an exam before the Minister of Internal Affairs.
On June 1, 1978, after a successfully conducted demonstration exercise, the need for the existence of special forces units in the Ministry of Internal Affairs was officially recognized. And serious, purposeful work began! Its first months showed that for better training of conscripted military personnel, it is necessary to introduce full-time positions of special training instructors in the special forces. And they appeared in the URSN states in 1979.
The involvement of internal troops in the resolution of interethnic conflicts necessitated the need to increase the number, improve the structure and train special forces. In December 1989, a special-purpose battalion was created on the basis of URSN.
The constant involvement of special forces in carrying out the most complex service and combat missions made it necessary to remove the special forces training battalion from the staff of the 2nd regiment of the division named after. Dzerzhinsky and the creation of a separate military unit. By order of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs on May 5, 1991, the 6th special forces detachment “Vityaz” was formed on the basis of a special-purpose training battalion.
In accordance with the order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, in January 1999, the 6th special forces detachment was reorganized into the 118th, and then into the 1st Red Banner special forces regiment “Vityaz” of the ODON Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
By order of the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in December 2001, the 1st Red Banner Special Purpose Regiment "Vityaz" was transformed into the 1st Red Banner Special Purpose Detachment "Vityaz".
In June 2008, according to the order of the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the 604th special purpose center “Vityaz” was created on the basis of the 1st Red Banner special purpose detachment “Vityaz” and the special purpose detachment “Rus”.
It is safe to say that the Special Forces Center, which continues to bear the proud name “Vityaz,” is rightfully one of the best special forces units not only in our country, but throughout the world.
Battle path
In 1980, the first special forces unit of the internal troops opened an account of its military affairs. In June, the company performed security tasks in the area of Vnukovo airport, where the An-24 plane crashed. In July-August she was on combat duty during the XXII Olympic Games, being in constant readiness at the first signal to protect public order and public safety at any of the Olympic venues.
In October 1981, URSN OMSDON personnel took part in a special operation to eliminate mass riots in the city of Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz). On December 18 of the same year, the “knights”, together with group “A” of the KGB of the USSR, freed hostages captured by criminals in one of the schools in the city of Sarapul, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
In the fall of 1982, special forces of the internal troops were involved in eliminating riots caused by conscripts from the North Caucasus traveling by train through Moscow to Yaroslavl. In November of the same year, the “knights” successfully completed a particularly important government task of assisting employees of the USSR Prosecutor General’s Office during the investigation of the so-called “Uzbek case.”
In July 1985, the company was on combat duty during the World Festival of Youth and Students, held in Moscow.
On September 21, 1986, URSN OMSDON, together with group “A” of the KGB of the USSR, took part in a special operation to free an airplane hijacked by terrorists at the airport in Ufa.
1988 became one of the most intense years in the combat biography of the Knights. In February-March, they participated in suppressing mass riots, pogroms, robberies and atrocities against the local population in Sumgait of the Azerbaijan SSR, searched for weapons in places where they were illegally stored, confiscated stolen valuables from criminals, and guarded especially important objects of the Republican Ministry of Internal Affairs in places with difficult operational environment. In July of the same year, they took part in a special operation to unblock the Zvartnots airport in Yerevan. In September, mass unrest was eliminated in the Azerbaijani capital itself. In November-December they were transferred to Armenia, where special forces ensured the state of emergency.
In May 1989, special forces released hostages captured by criminals in the pre-trial detention center in the city of Kizel and in the correctional labor colony in the village of Lesnoye. In June, they took part in an operation to suppress acts of nationalist terrorism unprecedented in scale and cruelty, eliminate mass unrest, disarm extremists, escort convoys of refugees in the Fergana region of the Uzbek SSR and eliminate mass unrest in the Mangyshlak region of the Kazakh SSR. In July, they prevented an ethnic clash in the Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and confiscated illegally stored weapons from the population and militants. In November, together with law enforcement agencies, they participated in events to restore public order in the Moldavian SSR.
In 1990, Transcaucasia became the main region where the Knights were used. In January, they assisted border guards in protecting the state border in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Region of the Azerbaijan SSR, detained extremists from the Popular Front of Azerbaijan, conducting several successful operations in Baku. In April, they confiscated weapons from Armenian militants and carried out a special operation to free the hostages, eliminating a terrorist base in the area of the city of Ijevan. In July, while patrolling the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in helicopters, a gang of more than 50 people was disarmed. This operation is still considered one of the most effective in the combat annals of the detachment...
If we talk about military operations, we should definitely remember that it was in August 1990 that the “knights”, together with fighters from Group “A” of the KGB of the USSR, participated in a unique operation to free hostages captured by armed criminals in a temporary detention center in the city of Sukhumi.
In the spring of 1991, its fighters, in the most difficult conditions of the highlands, led a convoy with food through the blocked Roki Pass, breaking through the economic blockade of the city of Tskhinvali in the South Ossetian Autonomous Region, simultaneously disarming several formations of Georgian militants. In June, the “knights”, on instructions from the military command, conducted an intelligence check on the preparation of extremists to carry out illegal actions in the Moldavian SSR. In November, they guarded the blocked building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in Grozny, suppressing all attempts by extremists to seize weapons and official documentation. In December, they took part in ensuring law and order in Vladikavkaz, where the operational situation had sharply worsened.
In May 1992, the “knights” confiscated weapons from gangs in North Ossetia, and in Vladikavkaz, militants of Teziev’s group, who were preparing a series of terrorist attacks, were detained and disarmed. In July-October, they guarded the representative offices of the Supreme Council of Russia in the city of Nazran. In September, reconnaissance and search activities were carried out in Karachay-Cherkessia with the aim of detaining and disarming Chechen militants who were trying to penetrate into Abkhazia. In October, mass unrest was eliminated in the pre-trial detention center of the city of Nalchik in Kabardino-Balkaria, and especially dangerous criminals were detained in the city of Tyrnyauz. In November, extremist detachments were disarmed, preventing clashes between warring parties in the Ossetian-Ingush conflict zone.
In July 1993, a detachment, reintroduced into the zone of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict, in the area of the village of Ali-Yurt, eliminated a gang that was terrorizing local residents. And in the fall of the same year, when mass riots with the use of weapons broke out in the capital against the backdrop of the political crisis in the country, he defended the Ostankino television center.
Soldiers of the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs "Vityaz" in the building of the Ostankino shopping center
Since the fall of 1994, the entire history of “Vityaz” has been a continuous series of special operations to suppress the activities of illegal armed groups in the North Caucasus region. From September to mid-December, the detachment conducted reconnaissance and search activities on the Chechen-Dagestan border. And throughout the second half of December, he carried out special measures to free the military personnel of the operational regiment of the Volga District of Internal Troops, captured in Khasavyurt on the first day of the entry of federal troops into the territory of Chechnya.
In January 1995, the “knights” swept through populated areas along the Mozdok-Chervlennaya-Grozny railway line. In March, they took part in operations to liberate Argun and Gudermes from militants. In April, they fought in a fierce battle with selected thugs near Bamut, where on Bald Mountain the brothers from the “Rosich” detachment got into serious trouble. In that battle, consciously taking mortal risks in the name of saving their comrades, they actually demonstrated what special forces brotherhood means...
At the end of May 1995, during the destruction of large detachments of militants who had settled in the Nozhai-Yurt region of Chechnya, “Vityaz” had to fight to take the well-fortified height 541.9, adapted for long-term defense.
In January 1996, the “knights” took part in the assault on the village of Pervomaiskoye, captured by Raduev’s gang, who escaped from Kizlyar along with hostages after committing a terrorist attack in this Dagestan city. For the special operation in Pervomaisky, the commander of the “Vityaz” detachment, Colonel Alexander Nikishin, and his deputy for work with personnel, Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Kublin, were awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation, many soldiers of the detachment were awarded orders and medals.
In 1997–1998, the detachment carried out combat missions in the areas bordering Chechnya. At the same time, at the point of permanent deployment, intense work was going on to improve the educational process, taking into account the experience accumulated during combat missions during the first Chechen campaign: everyone was sure that it would still be useful...
Since June 2000, the “knights” are again in the North Caucasus. And again, one special operation follows another.
On March 28, 2002, the detachment, which was on its next combat mission, was given the task of checking operational information about the location of a large cache of weapons.
On October 23-26 of the same year, the “knights”, together with employees of the Special Purpose Center of the FSB of Russia, freed hostages captured by terrorists in Moscow during the performance of the musical “Nord-Ost”.
And in January 2003, they again flew to Chechnya, where, together with law enforcement officers, they carried out special operations to destroy illegal mini-oil refineries, helped police officers carry out passport checks, looking for legalized militants, and ensured the security of local authorities.
On February 4, 2003, the “knights” urgently went to Argun to check operational information of exceptional importance. Arriving at the scene, the group, led by Senior Lieutenant Ivan Shelokhvostov, immediately stormed the private home where the militants were hiding. In that battle, the “knights” managed to destroy, among other militants, the high-ranking field commander Chantaev.
In October-November 2006, the combined group of the detachment, in addition to combat operations in the North Caucasus, successfully completed a particularly important task of the Government of the Russian Federation to provide assistance and ensure the safety of employees of the General Prosecutor's Office investigating economic crimes in Vladivostok.
In the summer of 2007, the “knights” took part in a special comprehensive preventive operation to suppress the activities of the criminal underground in Dagestan, chalking up many victories - the destruction of militant bases and camps for training suicide bombers, the seizure of weapons and ammunition.
In September 2008, a Special Purpose Center was formed on the basis of the Vityaz detachment. Since then, its military personnel have almost constantly taken part in the disarmament and liquidation of illegal armed groups, organized criminal groups, and the confiscation of illegally stored weapons from the population; in suppressing acts of terrorism, in ensuring the safety of officials and individual citizens of the Russian Federation in the territory of the North Caucasus region.
The Center has created and has already undergone the process of formation of highly specialized units, which until now were not included in the special forces of law enforcement forces. This is a group of divers that has experience in performing combat missions on Lake Baikal, the Sea of Japan and the Caspian Sea, and reservoirs of the Moscow region. These are groups of gliders and hang gliders, an electronic reconnaissance unit and some others.
Maroon beret
It was here, as a headdress, that the maroon beret first appeared - a subject of special pride and an indicator of the true professionalism of the special forces of the internal troops. In the spring of 1978, according to the order of Lieutenant General Sidorov, deputy chief of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 50 berets were delivered to the unit, half of which were green, and the other half were maroon.
In 1988, Sergei Ivanovich Lysyuk, who then headed the Knights, came up with the idea of holding an exam for the right to wear a maroon beret. It’s hard to imagine now, but at first, she did not find understanding among some representatives of the military command, who believed that all special forces soldiers without exception should wear such a headdress. Therefore, the first tests were carried out under the guise of comprehensive and control exercises.
But time has taken its toll! The actions of the “krapovikov” in special operations, their moral and psychological hardening proved the importance of conducting such tests, which became officially recognized in 1993: on May 31, Colonel General Anatoly Sergeevich Kulikov, who at that time headed the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, approved the “Regulations on qualification tests military personnel for the right to wear a maroon beret.”
Taking into account the nature and content of the exam, its role in the training and education of special forces, a ritual was developed for presenting the maroon beret, which became at the same time a reward for courage, perseverance, combat skill, and a sign of high professional qualifications, and a symbol of valor and honor of the special forces of the internal troops.
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