Army of Belarus: Sleeve insignia of the Special Forces. Belarusian paratroopers. A big difference? I special forces company of the Western Operational Command of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus
On March 20, 1992, the government decree “On the creation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus” was adopted. On the same day, the parliament of the republic adopted the Law “On the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus”, on the basis of which their formation began.
In November 1992, the Supreme Council adopted the Laws “On Defense”, “On General military duty and military service", "On the status of military personnel".
And on December 6, 1992, at the 10th session of the twelfth convocation, the parliamentarians of the republic adopted the Military Doctrine. Among the CIS states, Belarus was the first to adopt this document.
In accordance with the adopted legislative acts, the former troops of the Belarusian Military District (BVO) were reformed into the Armed Forces of Belarus in two stages.
At the first stage(1992) they were reduced by almost 30,000 people, their operational purpose was determined, and basic governing documents were developed.
At the second stage(1993-1994) the reduction of the army was basically completed, its structural transformations were carried out, and the troop command and control system was reformed.
Concentration military units and connections in the republic was the highest on the European continent. There was one military personnel for every 43 civilians. (For comparison: in Ukraine - by 98, in Kazakhstan - by 118, in Russia - by 634 people). For a republic with a population of ten million, such exorbitantly large Armed Forces were not needed, the costs of maintaining and equipping them were unacceptable. In addition, their total number in accordance with the final act Helsinki Agreement dated July 10, 1992 should not exceed 100,000 military personnel.
In this regard, in 1992-1996, over 250 military units that came under the jurisdiction of Belarus ceased to exist or were seriously reformed, and the number of military personnel decreased threefold and in 1997 stabilized at around 83 thousand people.
At the same time, the arsenal was significantly reduced military equipment and weapons. This reduction was implemented by the beginning of 1996.
By this time, the process of structural reform of the army had largely been completed: combined arms and tank armies were transformed into army corps, motorized rifle and tank divisions- into separate mechanized brigades, and some them into the database storage of weapons and equipment, an airborne division and a separate airborne brigade - in the Mobile Forces, consisting of three mobile brigades, aviation divisions and regiments - in air bases.
Since December 2001, the Armed Forces have transitioned to a two-service structure - the Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defense Forces.
The command of the Ground Forces, in addition to the tasks of maintaining the required level of combat readiness and combat capability of its subordinate formations and units, is also entrusted with the function of leading the preparation and conduct of territorial defense. The location of the command of the Ground Forces was the city of Bobruisk.
The Western and Northwestern operational commands were created on the basis of the 28th and 65th Army Corps. By 2005, the total strength of the Armed Forces was 65 thousand people (50 thousand military personnel and 15 thousand civilian personnel).
Currently, the recruitment of sergeants and conscripts to the Armed Forces is carried out mainly on a territorial basis.
Since 1995, contract service has been practiced in the Belarusian army in the positions of privates and sergeants.
The problem of training military personnel has been resolved in the Belarusian army. Created in 1995 in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus on the basis of the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile and Minsk Higher Military Command Schools, the Military Academy trains officers for almost all branches of the Armed Forces and branches of the military. The main military university of the country is based on 10 faculties.
Along with this, Belarusian officers and cadets have the opportunity to receive education at higher military educational institutions Russian Federation. Mostly, military personnel of scarce specialties are trained there, the training of which is not carried out in Belarus.
To replenish formations and units with specialists and lower-level commanders, the Armed Forces have a wide network of training units.
The status of a state secondary specialized educational institution with a military-professional direction of training and education of young men was received in 1995 by the Minsk Suvorov Military School. military school. This educational institution its original purpose has been returned - first of all, children of fallen servicemen, orphans, children from large and low-income families. Adolescents who have completed the 5th and 6th grades of secondary school have the right to enter the school.
Not easy international situation demanded at the end of the twentieth century the creation of a fairly effective security system based on a political, economic and military alliance with the Russian Federation.
Having proclaimed the purely defensive nature of the Military Doctrine, the Republic of Belarus proceeds from the fact that not a single state is currently a potential adversary for it.
official website of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus http://www.mod.mil.by/
Landing units and formations
In the early 90s of the last century, the military and political leadership of the country faced the difficult problem of preserving the 103rd Guards Airborne Division, the 38th Guards Air Assault Brigade and the 5th separate brigade special purpose, included in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, as well as rethinking the tasks that it is advisable for them to perform.
This was dictated by the proclamation by the Republic of Belarus of a Military Doctrine that is purely defensive in nature.
The reform of the country's Armed Forces that followed this did not bypass the airborne units.
In September 1995, mobile forces consisting of the 38th, 317th and 350th separate mobile brigades were formed on the basis of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division and the 38th Guards Air Assault Brigade. On the basis of the last two, a formation was formed in 2002, which was given the name 103rd Guards Order of Lenin, Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov, II degree, separate mobile brigade.
Mobile forces were a branch of the Ground Forces intended to cover the strategic deployment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, disrupt enemy special operations and perform other suddenly arising tasks.
The process of understanding the role of newly created formations in the Armed Forces system has passed a difficult path. Initially, in the mid-90s of the 20th century, these formations were planned to be used similarly to combined arms. During the exercises of those years, formations of mobile forces were most often used to conduct defensive and offensive actions and cover certain directions. Their main trump cards: speed, pressure and high maneuverability remained unclaimed.
However, during the same period, mobile force formations began to practice individual special operations tasks, mainly related to countering illegal armed groups and enemy airborne sabotage forces. Special reconnaissance units practiced conducting special operations in territory captured by the enemy. Further development The theory and practice of special actions received during the preparation and conduct of complex operational and operational-tactical exercises “Neman-2001”, “Berezina-2002”, “Clear Sky-2003”, “Shield of the Fatherland-2004”, “Shield of the Union-2006” , command and staff (tactical and special) exercises with the 38th Guards and 103rd Guards separate mobile brigades, the 5th separate special purpose brigade.
At the beginning of 2004, due to the further increase in the role of special operations forces in modern wars, a directorate of special operations forces of the General Staff of the Armed Forces was created, and fundamental changes were made to the organizational and staffing structure of mobile formations and units.
In 2005, during a bilateral command and staff exercise with troops of the Northwestern operational command a fairly wide range of combat use of special operations forces was developed.
The result of painstaking work was the further reform of mobile connections and their management system. The first step on this path was the reorganization of the command of mobile forces and formations, the direct subordination of mobile brigades to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the creation of a special operations forces department in the operational directorate.
To optimize the management of these formations, manage their combat and mobilization training, organize their construction and development, comprehensive support, coordinate actions during the implementation of assigned tasks, plan the activities of special operations forces, a command of special operations forces was created in August 2007 in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus .
Currently, the total number of special operations forces is about five thousand people. They are intended to perform reconnaissance, special and organizational tasks both on temporarily captured by the enemy and on their own territory. An equally important task is the fight against terrorism.
In modern conditions, mobile brigades, which form the basis of the special operations forces of the Armed Forces, are considered not as mechanized formations, but as special troops, capable of conducting highly maneuverable, covert and effective combat operations using specific (non-traditional) methods. They involve actions by small units combined with active reconnaissance, effective use available weapons, equipment, engineering ammunition, secrecy of actions.
One of the features of the training of special operations forces (SSO) units of the Armed Forces is the mixed system of their recruitment - conscript and contract servicemen. This allows us to prepare a trained reserve to complete units to wartime levels and to replenish units when combat capability is restored.
The training of special operations forces units today is carried out directly at the training and material base of formations and military units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces.
By the end of 2010, on the basis of the training ground of the 103rd Guards separate mobile brigade "Losvido" it is planned to create training center training of special operations forces. This center will ensure the implementation of activities to improve the special training of special forces of the Armed Forces.
The Belarusian special forces plan to widely use standard armored vehicles and heavy weapons when conducting special operations.
That is why mobile formations and military units in Belarus are also called “heavy special forces.”
The composition, structure and strength of individual mobile brigades are almost the same type, with the exception of the military equipment of individual mobile battalions.
The 38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade is armed with BTR-80 armored personnel carriers, and the 103rd Guards Separate Mobile Brigade is armed with BTR-80 armored personnel carriers. combat vehicles BMD-1 landing force.
IN organizational structure Formations and military units of special operations forces provide for almost all issues on which the implementation of a combat mission may depend, while the emphasis is placed specifically on mobility (reducing “carts”), long-term autonomy of the actions of units and subunits without reducing their combat effectiveness.
In addition, the main units are in a state of readiness and are able to carry out combat missions without additional personnel and equipment in the peacetime staff.
In the training of special forces units of the Armed Forces, joint training activities with other troops and military formations of other security forces are widely used. military organization states.
At the same time, during the training of special forces units, the experience of combat use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and special operations forces of foreign states in modern military conflicts is widely studied and taken into account. The content of training for military personnel of the MTR of the Armed Forces is as close as possible to the real conditions of modern combat operations. MTR units are constantly ready to carry out unexpected tasks, in close cooperation with other law enforcement agencies and local administrative and executive bodies.
Currently, a coherent system of views on the conduct of special operations and the use of special operations forces of the Armed Forces has emerged, although theoretical and practical developments in this area of military art continue.
Based on an analysis of trends in the development of the armed forces of foreign states, the experience of conducting military conflicts of the last decade and conducted exercises, it was determined that the special operations forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus are intended to perform various tasks using special methods and methods in order to prevent the escalation or cessation of an armed conflict in relation to Republic of Belarus from any aggressor and act as one of the main elements of strategic deterrence.
Almost everyone knows that there are special forces in Uruchye, Maryina Gorka, Minsk, there are groups “Alpha” and “Almaz”. However, few people know how these structures differ from each other, who controls them, and what their functions are.
"Nasha Niva" presented short review main Belarusian special forces.
Uruchen special forces brigade
The third separate Red Banner special forces brigade (military unit 3214, Uruchye) was formed in the 1990s on the basis of the 334th regiment of the 120th division. It is prepared both to disperse street actions and to participate in special operations. This is the shock unit of the Internal Troops. Its number is about 1500-2000 people. The unit consists of several units - special purpose battalions, Special Rapid Reaction Squad (SOBR) and support units.
The main tasks of the brigade are the fight against terrorism, actions in emergency situations, and combat training in the event of a military threat.
In peacetime, brigade soldiers perform functions of maintaining public order. Often representatives of the brigade go on missions outside of Minsk. For example, they guard the Slavic Bazaar.
During opposition street actions, the Uruchen brigade is usually kept as backup. They are used only in extreme cases, when the PMSN cannot cope with the demonstrators. Pavlichenko’s fighters were spotted several times during the past presidential elections.
Pavlichenko himself, as a brigade commander, repeatedly stated that he was trying to educate fighters in the “spirit of Orthodoxy.” There is a temple on the territory of the unit.
Combat training is given great importance; it is several times stricter than in other military units. The program includes acrobatics, hand-to-hand combat, strength training, athletic gymnastics, and cross-country. Great importance is attached to shooting from different types weapons, as well as tactical and special training for actions in various situations.
It is worth noting that most ordinary soldiers are in the brigade for a year or a year and a half. This is the normal length of military service.
It was Pavlichenko who figured in the cases of Zakharenko and Gonchar - while those cases were being investigated by the KGB. In 2000, Lukashenko dismissed KGB Chairman Matskevich and Prosecutor General Bazhelko, and everything fell into place.
Minsk Special Purpose Police Regiment
The regiment was formed in the fall of 2005, shortly before the presidential elections. PMSN was created on the basis of riot police, and was headed by Yuri Podobed. As the then head of the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of the Minsk City Executive Committee, Anatoly Kuleshov (today’s Minister of Internal Affairs), explained, the main objective The creation of the regiment was to protect public order during various mass actions.
According to him, the fighters of this unit must be prepared for disasters, catastrophes, natural and man-made accidents. Kuleshov said the third reason was that the creation of the regiment would give other police officers the opportunity to perform their immediate duties. Members of the regiment wear a black uniform. It was they who mainly participated in the dispersal of street protests, including on Oktyabrskaya Square.
PMSN was created at the personal request of Yuri Podobed, who complained that the number of events that needed security was constantly growing in the country. The staff was also greatly increased.
Now PMSN is managed by Alexander Lukomsky. He graduated from the Leningrad Higher Political School internal troops(1992), Police Academy (1998), Command and Staff Faculty of the Military Academy (2002). Before that, he headed the capital’s police brigade of internal troops (military unit 5448).
Maryina Gorka
Near Minsk, in Maryina Gorka (Pukhovichi district), there is a 5th separate special-purpose brigade. But these are not the Internal Troops. This special forces belongs to the Ministry of Defense.
The formation of the brigade began to take place in 1962.
Behind Soviet times The fighters reached a level of training that corresponded to the Vympel detachment of the KGB of the USSR. Soldiers from Maryina Gorka took an active part in the Afghan conflict. Two years after their withdrawal from there, the paratroopers from Maryina Gorka again found themselves at war. Almost the entire brigade (805 people) under the command of Colonel Bearded was in Armenia.
On December 31, 1992, former Soviet special forces soldiers swore allegiance to Belarus. The main areas of training for today's fighters in the unit are sabotage and reconnaissance. Scouts are taught to overcome swamps, water obstacles, and forests. For this purpose, exercises are often held in forests. They spend ten days in an unknown area.
In Maryina Gorka they believe that their unit is the most elite in the country. You can feel the unofficial competition and confrontation between the special forces from Uruchye and Maryina Gorka. Both there and there believe that their part is the best.
In 1996 former manager units in Maryina Gorka, Colonel Beard came out on the side of the Constitution, against Lukashenko.
"Diamond"
In fact, the Belarusian special forces began with “Almaz” in the late 1980s. True, at that time this unit was called “Berkut”, and its main purpose was to organize prison anti-terrorism units. They were also created in other Soviet republics.
Now it is a kind of rapid reaction squad. In 1994, the then head of Berkut and future Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Naumov took the initiative to rename the special unit “Almaz”. In a memo for soldiers, Naumov once wrote: “Always remember that a special forces officer must be pure and hard, like a diamond.”
In 2002, the Almaz base was opened personally by Alexander Lukashenko.
In the event of an alarm, the Almazovets must arrive at the base within 5-7 minutes. And within 20 minutes, reconnaissance and a combat group are sent to the scene of the incident anywhere in the country. After another 20 minutes, the second group leaves behind.
The functions of the "Almazovets" include the fight against terrorist activities, the release of hostages, the neutralization of explosives. Almazovites once detained murder suspects in Minsk Russian journalist Paula Khlebnikov.
“Almazovets” must train at least three times a week. These are not only sports exercises, fighters also go to barriers, manholes, and stairs in full equipment.
Mostly, Almaz recruits officers from similar units of the Ministry of Defense, police special forces, the security service of the head of state, and border troops. As a rule, these are people who have served for at least five years and have already participated in special operations. Women also serve in Almaz - negotiators and snipers.
It was Almaz employees who beat presidential candidate Alexander Kazulin on March 2, 2006. This year, fighters from the same detachment detained Mikalai Autukhovich and his associates. It was the former Almazovites who were convicted in the case of the disappearance of TV cameraman Dmitry Zavadsky.
"Almaz" is headed by Colonel Nikolai Karpenkov. He was still in Berkut when from 1992 to 1994. was the commander of the unit's combat group. In 2003, Karpenkov returned to Almaz as a commander.
"Alpha"
The Alpha group under the USSR State Security Committee was created back in 1974. In March 1990, the then chief security officer of the Union, Kryuchkov, signed a decree on the additional introduction of the Alpha group with a deployment in Minsk. Among the goals of creating the group were the localization and prevention of terrorist and extremist acts, especially dangerous criminal manifestations that threaten the security of the country. Initially, the group also operated in the Baltic countries.
It is interesting that until January 1992, Alpha was directly subordinate to the main directorate under the President of the USSR. Only then did it join the structure of the Belarusian KGB. Alpha fighters provide physical defense and security for the Belarusian leadership and distinguished foreign guests. The new responsibilities also included the fight against the illegal export of valuable metals, material and historical assets outside the country.
When creating Alpha, preference was given to Afghan officers, military personnel, and professional athletes. Now higher education and military service is compulsory for candidates. Attention is also given to the ability to withstand great psychological and physical stress. The age of the fighters is 30-35 years.
It is noted that staff turnover at Alpha is very low. It takes four to five years to become real professionals. All this time the fighter is in second or third roles. One complete equipment of an “alpha” member (body armor, helmet, weapons, ammunition) weighs more than 20 kilograms.
Sergei Naumchik, a deputy of the Supreme Council of the 12th convocation from the Belarusian Popular Front, claims in his memoirs that it was Alpha employees who beat up opposition deputies who went on a hunger strike in the oval hall.
For some time there were rumors that Alpha fighters received military experience in Chechnya, but the group's leadership stubbornly denies this. The head of the Alpha group is Colonel Nikolai Ivinsky.
Border Special Forces
Border guards also have their own special forces. This is the Separate Active Measures Service, perhaps the most closed and little-known special unit.
OSAM appeared after the collapse Soviet Union, in 1993. The first boss was Gennady Nevyglas.
First of all, the creation of the special unit was explained by the fight against illegal migration. Mostly citizens from Asian countries to Europe. This was precisely the first task.
Later, new ones appeared - the fight against economic crime and drug trafficking, countering transit terrorism and human trafficking.
Testing a future Osama citizen lasts from a year to two. During this time, the service record of the fighter and all close and distant relatives is checked with special attention. Average age officers for 33 years. On the uniform chevron of an OSAM fighter there are two crossed balls and a wind rose against the background of the country’s outline.
At one time, OSAM was headed by the current chairman of the Border Committee, Igor Rachkovsky. And Lukashenko’s eldest sons, Viktor and Dmitry, served in the special forces.
We continue to talk about old military men. This time we stopped at the “capital of the Airborne Forces” - Borovukha-1 near Novopolotsk. This town holds many stories that could become movie scripts. For example, how Yanka Kupala worked here as a railway worker. About the Second World War - how a local garrison successfully crushed Wehrmacht tanks for two weeks. You can also talk about the horrors of concentration camps: here the Germans killed thousands of prisoners of war. And also about Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan and about the helicopter crews who extinguished the reactor at Chernobyl. In general, our story will be long and interesting.
Here was Kupala, Budyonny and " enemy of the people Uborevich"
The first information about Borovukha is associated with the construction of the Vitebsk-Riga railway. It was an ordinary Belarusian village and a station of the same name. The old station building no longer exists, but on the modern one there is a commemorative sign stating that in 1916 Yanka Kupala worked here as a member of the railway crew. A search on the Internet will give you this meager information. But our guide to Borovukha and the surrounding area was a local historian-enthusiast Vladimir Komissarov. In his stories, the history of the town is definitely not so boring.
The courtyard of the barracks in Borovukha in the 1930s. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov
The first Soviet units appeared here after 1918: it was necessary to strengthen the Soviet-Polish border. In the early 20s, the first two wooden barracks were built for them. A cavalry regiment and artillerymen were stationed in the nascent military town, and a balloon training base was located nearby on Lake Beloye. The town grew, and already in 1924 a brick two-story school was built here - the building still exists.
But more rapid development of the town began after 1928, and it is associated with the construction of the Polotsk fortified area. In addition to fortifications (to which we will devote separate article) by 1935, seven four-story stone houses for families of officers, a club, a bathhouse and a store were built here. And in 1937, Marshal Semyon Budyonny himself took part in the opening of the House of Officers.
View of the town from Borovukha station. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov 
During the war, an air bomb hit the Officers' House. This is what he looked like right after the war. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov 
On the streets of Borovukha in July 1941, the Germans immediately marked the Jewish population. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov
Vladimir Komissarov told an interesting fact: the water supply to old pre-war buildings was carried out through wooden pipes. They were laid in paternas - underground vaulted channels lined with brick.
Before the war, a soldiers' club was also built. Of all the Voenproekt buildings we have seen before, it stands out primarily because of its architecture: we have never seen such buildings before. Now it is used as Orthodox Church. Interesting fact: On June 21, 1941, a gypsy choir performed there, and on the 22nd they learned about the beginning of the big war.
The town also had its own amphitheater, built, as it is written in the documents, “at the direction of the enemy of the people, Uborevich” (its construction can be seen in German photos).
Behind the pillbox you can see the amphitheater. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov
During the occupation, the Germans organized the Staatlag 354 concentration camp for prisoners of war in the barracks of the tank crews. , in which, according to various sources, from 13 to 25 thousand people were killed. The dead were buried in the pit of the amphitheater. So the place of rest and holidays in Borovukha turned into a cemetery. Now on this site there is a memorial “Star”.
There is a version that the bodies could have been dumped into Bezdonka, a lake with swampy shores on the territory of the town. There is no evidence of this, but the locals do not swim in it.
However, on the outskirts of the town there are two more lakes - large, picturesque and suitable for recreation.
They say that Novopolotsk was originally planned to be built on the same bank of the Dvina as Borovukha. But in 1957-1960 there was a secret missile unit here in Koptsevo, which received nuclear warheads. Accordingly, the city was built on the other bank.
Capital of the Airborne Forces
In the post-war period, construction continued: “Uncle Vasya’s troops” - the 350th and 357th regiments of the airborne troops of the 103rd division - were stationed in Borovukha. Since that time, the town has been called the “capital of the Airborne Forces.”
Photo: Viktor Polyakov, zen.yandex.ru/polyakov
The town was given great importance in the Union: from here it’s a stone’s throw to important sites in Europe. Especially for this purpose, an airfield was built nearby, capable of receiving heavy military transport aircraft. Vladimir Komissarov says that they are still in the garages of former paratroopers There are maps of the English Channel with marks of important objects.
It was in Borovukha that the latest weapons and equipment intended for the Airborne Forces were tested. For example, parachute D-1/8.
Here they also practiced landing a BMD-1 airborne combat vehicle with a crew inside. The initiative to create it belongs to the commander of the airborne troops, Vasily Margelov. To avoid injuries during landing, a simplified version of the space chair, Kazbek-D, was installed inside the vehicle. To reduce weight, the armored body was assembled by welding from rolled sheets of aluminum armor.
The first paratroopers inside the BMD-1 were Alexander Margelov (son of the Airborne Forces commander) and Leonid Zuev.
Paratroopers from Borovukha participated in all conflicts of the USSR. In 1968, during the unrest in Czechoslovakia, they took part in Operation Danube. The operation was exemplary from a military point of view: the paratroopers quickly managed to disarm and blockade an anti-aircraft artillery brigade, an arms factory, a garrison commandant's office and a number of other important objects.
Museum of Technology in Borovukha. GAZ-66, or “shishiga”, is a legendary car, known for its unpretentiousness and maintainability. In order to adapt it as much as possible for airlift, the designers sacrificed a lot, first of all, comfort and ease of control. But the design could withstand overloads of up to 9 g and a landing speed of 10 m/s during parachute on a special platform.
In 1979, the paratroopers were the first to enter Afghanistan and the last to leave in 1989. Then the paratroopers of the 103rd division served in the Transcaucasian border district subordinate to the head of the border troops of the KGB of the USSR (from 1990 to 1991). Here is what Russian General Alexander Lebed wrote about this in his memoirs: “There were “smart heads” who, taking advantage of the growing tension in society, proposed an unconventional move - to transfer the division to the State Security Committee. No division - no problem. And... they handed it over, creating a situation where the division was no longer “Vedevash”, but not yet “KGB”. Military officers were turned into clowns. The caps are green, the shoulder straps are green, the vests are blue, the symbols on the caps, shoulder straps and chest are airborne. The people aptly dubbed this wild mixture of forms “conductor.”
Museum of Technology in Borovukha. When this divisional-regimental airborne self-propelled artillery and mortar mount 2S9 “Nona-S” entered service in 1981, it was considered a secret vehicle. The main caliber of the 2S9 was the 120-mm rifled gun-howitzer-mortar 2A51. The 120 mm caliber was also not chosen by chance: the self-propelled gun could also use ammunition of a similar caliber, which is in service with NATO armies - it was assumed that the 2S9 would operate behind enemy lines, where the supply of ammunition was impossible.
In the already independent republic, the number of airborne troops was reduced: along with sovereignty, military doctrine, which was purely defensive in nature, and airborne units, the so-called first strike troops, did not fit into the new concept. In 1995, the 350th and 357th regiments were reorganized into brigades, and later included in the 103rd separate mobile brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.
Museum of Technology in Borovukha. Combat vehicle 9P148 from the composition anti-tank complex"Contest". Created on the basis of the BRDM-2, it was equipped with a liftable launcher for five missiles in transport and launch containers. The missiles were launched only when the vehicle was completely stopped. Reloading was carried out in one and a half minutes without the crew leaving the combat vehicle. The Konkurs ATGM is designed to destroy enemy tanks and other armored targets moving at speeds of up to 60 km/h, stationary targets (firing points, fortifications such as bunkers, pillboxes) provided that the targets are optically visible.
However, the locals do not understand why, when the regiments were disbanded, it was necessary to create a brigade at a new location in Vitebsk.
In Borovukha, the equipment went straight from the pits to the training ground. And now paratroopers are transported on trailers from Vitebsk to Liozno.
Airborne Forces Day in Borovukha is probably valued more than the New Year. Here is the only place in the country where this holiday is celebrated in an organized manner.
Parts Airborne Forces already It’s not 11 years, but still, every year on August 2, festive events take place. Money is allocated for holding, porridge, compote, concert. Belarusian and Russian artists come.
On this day, a man not wearing a vest and without a blue beret will be a “black sheep” in the town. Just in case, it is better to know the answer to the question about the number of lines on a parachute - 32. But there is no fountain in the town.
Local residents say that earlier, in the 90s, there was a rather tense crime situation in Borovukha: it was scary to go out into the yard in the evening, there were constant fights. Therefore, they created a voluntary squad of locals. The vigilantes quickly restored order - now the town is safe at any time of the day.
Who's after us?
The 350th and 357th regiments were located on the edges of the town. The barracks of the “fifty dollar” (as the 350th regiment is called here) are now empty. The buildings were preserved: the looters did not have time to work on them. Access to them was closed and security was provided. Getting into the territory will not be a problem: step over the barbed wire and you are already there. But the signs on the other side say that walking here is prohibited - a fine of 500 rubles. And there seems to be a dog here.
Two barracks appeared in the 30s, during the active construction of the town. Polotsk residents were actively involved in their construction - they were brought here for community cleanups. Another one made of white brick - this is already the 70s. By the way, it looks even worse than before the war.
But the beautiful canteen building is already in disrepair, and the ceiling in one wing has collapsed.
Canteen of the 350th Regiment
It is noteworthy that the former location of the regiment is being mowed down, some buildings have acquired new doors. This means they have an owner. What a great place: large territory with its own park and access to the lake.
It was planned that the unit's buildings would be transferred to the Olympic Reserve College, but while they were thinking about it, the helicopter regiment collapsed. Its territory seemed more compact and suitable for these purposes. 
At the location of the 357th Airborne Regiment, whose territory begins at the end of what is now Army Street, life has not stopped. Now this is “industrial Babylon”: it produces sewing, knitted and rubber products, wooden windows, PVC windows and doors, building metal structures, furniture, plant protection products, instrumentation, building materials, and equipment for processing secondary raw materials.
Location of the 357th Regiment
Soldiers' Club. Now there's a church here
Huge House officers, the same one that Budyonny opened, could have been demolished in the 2000s, but its premises began to be actively bought up by small businesses. The central part is currently undergoing renovations. We arrived to try on a second-hand store sign on the left column of the front porch.
On the right hangs a memorial plaque dedicated to “bat” - the creator of the Airborne Forces Vasily Margelov. Did you know that he is Belarusian by nationality?
Old buildings are treated with proper care. Instead of demolition - reconstruction
A local museum opened opposite the Officers' House. The exposition was created by the residents of Borovukha - who would bring a parachute, who would bring a jacket, who would bring a flight jacket, who would bring the door from the bunker. Many exhibits are related to the Second World War - in the forests around the town you can find objects from spent cartridges to the remains of a machine gun. There is even the lower part of a German... body armor. By the way, Vladimir Komissarov was directly involved in filling the museum. The description of the military operations of the Polotsk fortified area is his merit.
Across the road they created an exhibition under open air- Airborne combat vehicles are presented here.
Helicopters from Borovukha
The paratroopers' neighbors were pilots from the 276th separate helicopter regiment (Borovtsy airfield). From 1982 to February 1989, they carried out combat missions in Afghanistan. On April 27, 1986, personnel of the 4th squadron on Mi-26 helicopters and the 3rd squadron on Mi-8MT participated in extinguishing the reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In 2003, the regiment was disbanded, and the remaining helicopters in service were moved first to Zasimovochi, then to Machulishchi.
The territory of the helicopter regiment. Now this is the College of Olympic Reserve
Sergey Kozlov, pilot first class, has lived in Borovukha since 1993. Now he is retired - he has 52 years of service. I was in Afghanistan twice, there was a business trip to Chernobyl.
Since childhood, I dreamed of becoming a pilot. My brother was a helicopter pilot, and I, a ten-year-old boy, ran around Vitebsk in his uniform, I was terribly proud!
Back to top Afghan war the army was desperately short of pilots army aviation, so they recruited pilots from the reserve en masse.
Helicopter Regiment. Photo: Viktor Polyakov, zen.yandex.ru/polyakov
Everyone was asked to write a report, which included the lines: I wish to serve anywhere in the USSR. Not a word about Afghanistan, but everyone understood where they would be sent. I signed up voluntarily.
Sergei was sent to the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School for retraining for a new type of helicopter. I studied on the Mi-24 for three months. Then he served for some time at the NATO borders in the GDR, where “crocodiles” were on constant combat duty.
Mi-26 (product “90”, according to NATO codification: Halo) is a Soviet and Russian heavy multi-purpose transport helicopter. It is the world's largest mass-produced transport helicopter.
It is capable of transporting people (up to 82 people), equipment and various cargoes weighing up to 20 tons. The top speed is also impressive - 295 km/h. The helicopter can cover up to 800 km (with external tanks - up to 2350) and rise to a height of up to 6500 meters. Photo: safaniuk.livejournal.com
"Crocodiles" in the skies of Afghanistan
Sergei arrived in Afghanistan in 1984. At that time, most often it was necessary to fly to escort convoys, search for caravans, and sometimes rescue paratroopers trapped in the mountains by dushmans.
The helicopter was reliable and well protected,” recalls Sergei Kozlov. - The frontal armored glass withstood a single hit from a 30-mm projectile, and machine-gun bullets even bounced off it. The cabin was also protected by steel armor. The danger for us was MANPADS (portable anti-aircraft missile systems), which the West actively supplied to the Mujahideen. As far as I remember, they captured one instructor, a Frenchman, with a MANPADS, and then NATO sent a special plane for him.
The Mi-24's armament made it possible to cope with any task, although not everything worked flawlessly. For example, there were some problems with the YakB-12.7 four-barreled machine gun - it sometimes jammed. We learned to solve the problem in the field.
It was a powerful weapon, and so that the machine gun would not fail in battle, only 500 cartridges were loaded into the belt instead of 1470, each of which was separately lubricated with a brush. Then the entire tape came out without problems. The rate of fire was very high, sometimes it was possible not to notice that the cartridges had already run out.
In addition to the machine gun, the Mi-24’s arsenal included unguided aircraft missiles, Shturm-S anti-tank missiles and other weapons.
American pilot Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Jeff Staton, who flew the T24 for dozens of hours, praised the helicopter’s capabilities: “It’s as durable as a tractor. Put it in the shed for a year, then charge the batteries and you can fly right away. It drives smoothly, just like an old 1962 Cadillac. Lubricate it well and you can fly it for hundreds of hours.” Photo topwar.ru
When the ammunition ran out, and this happened often, the helicopter pilots did not leave the battlefield: they simulated combat approaches to the positions of the dushmans.
Was it possible to fly away when the paratroopers were being fired upon by the spooks? We did everything we could. I'll tell you: even these psychic attacks had a terrifying effect on the Mujahideen. Imagine that a huge machine with cannons and machine guns is flying at you, and you will understand that even simulating an attack can cause panic.
50 meters above the reactor
After returning from Afghanistan military service Sergei Kozlov continued at the airfield in Zasimovichi (Pruzhany). In 1986, their helicopters were sent to Chernobyl.
No one declared an alarm; the command simply gathered all the pilots in the town through messengers. The task was simple: fly to Grodno to receive new Mi-24РХР helicopters. Already on the way, we learned that they were intended for radiation reconnaissance in the area of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Sergei stayed in Chernobyl from September 2 to October 19. The task of its crew is to hover at an altitude of about 200 meters (according to instructions) and measure the radiation level. By this time the fire had been extinguished, but the study was still very intense - many of those who flew over the reactor are no longer alive.
We mostly worked at an altitude of about 150 meters - it was not so easy to hover at the required height. Sometimes, when circumstances required it, they dropped to 50 meters.
After working on the reactor, the command tried to decontaminate the expensive helicopters: they washed them with special solutions, but this did not help. Then they decided to remove the gearbox and replace it with a new one - it still fouls, they did the same with the engine - the same result. As a result, they refused to fly on these machines and allegedly sent the equipment to a repository in Ukraine.
True, there is not a single repository for radioactive helicopters now. I think they were sold somewhere in Africa.
After dangerous work in Chernobyl, Sergei Kozlov had to return to Afghanistan again, where he stayed until the withdrawal of troops. Personally withdrew three Mi-24s from Kabul. Here he had the opportunity to try out a new system designed specifically for flying in the mountains.
Thin air in the mountains of Afghanistan led to a loss of power, so the designers developed a special water injection system into the engine. Its inclusion provided an explosive increase in power, allowing the height at which the machine could operate to be increased. The cylinder that ensures the operation of this system was located right in the cabin, and when we asked the designer what would happen if a bullet hit it, he answered: a small explosion. Why do we need this? We refused to fly with a balloon.
New Borovukha
After Afghanistan, Sergei served in Ukraine. I ended up in Borovukha almost by accident.
When the Union collapsed, it was necessary to look for a place to serve. The first time I looked into Borovukha was by accident. I looked and decided that I would never live here. Everything here was like in any military town: there is no hot water, the cold water is rusty, the heating is weak, and there are frequent power outages.
Pre-war DOS
But in the end I “landed” here. Then an order was issued from the Belarusian military district, which stated that it was possible to continue serving in the Belarusian army in the previous position. I arrive in Belarus and go to the head of the army aviation. I ask where they can send me. I received a military-style, laconic and honest answer: “Except for the hell of it.” I can’t send you anywhere else.” In the end, they were assigned to Borovukha. The unit was staffed, there were no places, so at first I was only registered here: they paid money for two months for the title and then didn’t pay anything for six months. The wife then still lived in Ukraine with two children. And so we all survived by being her part-time nanny in kindergarten.
Sergei recalls that it was very difficult period in life. Then, however, he returned to flying work, got an apartment, and moved his family.
When I moved here, the place was crowded with military personnel: there were 1,400 schoolchildren alone, and there were three shifts at school. Now there are fewer children - about 450 people.
Built in 1993 new school. Surprisingly, it has a swimming pool! You can buy a subscription and come in the evenings and on weekends to swim. There was also a large gym, but it was considered dilapidated and demolished.
With the departure of the military, the question arose of what to do with the town in which more than five thousand people live. In the 2000s, it was first merged with the village council and transferred to the administrative subordination of Novopolotsk.
This had a positive effect on Borovukha: the old DOSs were overhauled, many houses had their roofs replaced, and their facades were painted. Now the town looks very decent. There is no rush to demolish old buildings here - they will come in handy on the farm. The water supply system, installed back in the Soviet years, was frankly weak. The problem was that no one knew where and what pipes were located. It was solved effectively in a weather-driven way: they increased the pressure in the system. This is how weak points for replacement were identified.
Kindergarten. There is another one in Borovukha, in a modern building
As a result, residents gained access to all the benefits of civilization - central gas, hot water and uninterrupted power supply.
There are enough food and construction stores in the town. There is also a mini market. At the entrance to the town there is a decent-looking cafe with a Tarzan park. You can also ride horses. 
On May 13, 2019, the village of Borovukha officially ceased to exist: now it is a microdistrict of Novopolotsk. City buses and minibuses already go here every half hour. There are even buses for the disabled. Don't forget about the railway station - trains to Polotsk run through it.
The private sector is located around Borovukha - these are village houses, dachas for Novopolotsk residents and former military personnel. Apartments here are expensive: for a two-room apartment of 45 square meters they ask for 24 thousand dollars.
Any one for you local will say that it’s better to live here than in the city,” says Sergei Kozlov. - Borovukha is separated from the large industrial center by the Dvina - everything is in order with the ecology here. In Novopolotsk it smells like “Polymir”, “Naftan”, and here it smells like pine forest.
Sleeve insignia of the Special Special Purpose Detachment of the 5th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic Belarus
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1991-1995
Joint Belarusian-Chinese tactical training 2011
Muted version (embroidery)
muted version
Sleeve stripe 5th OBRSpN of the Armed Forces of the Republic Belarus. Model 1994
Belarus
In 1994, for the 5th separate brigade, the brigade commander, Colonel I. B. Vilchkovsky, developed a sleeve insignia with an image of a wolf against the backdrop of an open parachute. The sleeve badge existed from 1994 to 2002.
Sleeve insignia of the Special Special Purpose Detachment of the 5th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic Belarus
22nd special forces company of the Western Operational Command of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus
33rd Guards Separate Special Purpose Detachment of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus
Original stripe The 33rd detachment looks exactly like this. The three colors on the shield field symbolize the 3 elements in which the squad members carry out their operational activities; blue-sky, green-earth, blue-water.
Reconnaissance patch of the 38th Guards Separate Vienna Red Banner Mobile Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus
special forces of the Republic of Belarus
5th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Special Operations Forces MO Republic of Belarus (inscription in Latin: “Departing into the night”).
38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade of the Special Operations Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus (ceremonial version)
chevron of a special detachment ("officer company") of the 5th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Special Operations Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus
5th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Special Operations Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic Belarus, ceremonial version (inscription in Latin: “Departing into the night”).
chevron of the 5th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Special Operations Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus (inscription in Latin: “Leaving into the night”).
chevron of the 103rd Guards separate mobile brigade of the special forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Vitebsk)
chevron of the 38th Guards separate mobile brigade of the special forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Brest)
In the center of the sleeve insignia is a “walking fox” against the background of a stylized red arrow. The fox is a cunning and cautious animal, acting secretly, assertively but cautiously, a small but dangerous predator - symbolizes the specifics of the actions of special purpose intelligence officers. The arrow, as an element of the heraldic sign, is an ancient symbol of reconnaissance - it symbolizes the ability to deeply penetrate behind enemy lines and the readiness to carry out important tasks at the forefront of the attack. In addition, the sign has the constellation Ursa Major and the North Star, which symbolize precision in the selection of targets, management and orientation of special reconnaissance scouts.
In 1989, Minister of Defense of the Republic Belarus allowed a special company of Beaver Special Forces to have its own personal sleeve insignia - “Black Fox” and Chest sign. A sleeve insignia with this symbolism in the form of a Gothic shield was developed by servicemen of the 5th Special Forces Brigade in 1992 (the 1st and 4th Special Forces units also had their own modification of this insignia) and since 2002 it has been one of the first sleeve insignia that identifies membership in a military unit in the Armed Forces Forces of the Republic of Belarus.
From 1994 to 2002, the brigade had a wolf badge, designed by former commander brigade by Colonel I.B. Vilchkovsky. Now the “veteran” badge played a huge role in instilling pride in military personnel for belonging to a unit and unit.
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August 2 marks the 85th anniversary of its creation Airborne troops, whose successors in our country were special operations forces. Our freelance correspondent met with the commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus, Major General Vadim DENISENKO (pictured)
— Comrade Major General, in Belarus the airborne troops have been transformed into a new branch of the military - special operations forces. What is the fundamental difference?
— With the development of weapons and military equipment, views on the conduct of armed struggle, as well as on the use of airborne forces, have also transformed. Therefore, it was decided to create in our country on the basis of units of the Airborne Forces a separate kind troops of the Armed Forces - special operations forces.
Home distinctive feature The MTR is that they are in constant readiness for use both in peacetime and in wartime and are designed to solve special tasks in the interests of achieving political, military, economic and psychological goals aimed at preventing escalation or ending the military conflict in relation to the Republic Belarus. Military units and units of the Special Operations Forces are entrusted with the following tasks: conducting counter-sabotage, reconnaissance and combat operations and carrying out special measures. Also, units of special operations forces are involved in the fight against terrorism, carrying out measures to strengthen the security regime state border and maintaining law and order together with the personnel of the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
— When creating special operations forces, was it studied? Foreign experience?
— Of course, but we should not forget that the Belarusian special operations forces were not created out of nowhere. We had a shock component - well-trained airborne brigades. We strengthened these mobile formations with a reconnaissance component - a special forces brigade. Both components were united under a single command - in general, they made the optimal decision for a country with a small territory and a compact mobile Armed Forces.
I must say that today our experience is being carefully studied by other countries.
— And when did you realize that you were on the right path?
— In 2004, while working out the tactics of action, we understood that mobile brigades were mobile, capable of making long marches in any conditions, could be airlifted and deliver serious blows. We took all this into account. A special forces group, capable of operating in any conditions, found the object, and soon a mobile unit arrived at the designated point. The commander of the special forces group, together with the commander of the mobile unit, clarified the decision and carried out the destruction of the object. Next year we were already confident that we were moving in the right direction. Our tactics were also tested during various large-scale exercises of the Belarusian Armed Forces.
- Are we not revealing all the secrets of special operations forces in this way?
“This is the tactics of any professional unit in the world. As for the secrets of mastery, believe me, professionals are very reluctant to share them. And we are no exception here. So we’ll leave the secrets of mastery outside of this interview.
— BTR-80 armored personnel carriers replaced the airborne combat vehicles in the mobile brigades. Also to match the modern look?
“We proceeded from the fact that our units must be very mobile: move at any time and on any roads. And the BTR-80 allows you to do this. They contribute to the successful completion of the tasks facing us. “Wheels” look preferable in our conditions. Special operations forces artillery is also on wheels. Today we are already considering the BTR-82 armored personnel carrier, which has greater firepower, for rearmament. In particular, the 30-mm automatic cannon will replace the large-caliber 14.5-mm KPVT machine gun.
— Since we touched on the issues of equipping the MTR modern weapons and military equipment, tell us how seriously it has changed in Lately?
— Tests of the Fox armored vehicle have recently been completed. We decided what changes should be made to its design in order for the car to meet our requirements for it: what combat module to install, how to arrange the seats, loopholes... All this was taken into account in the technical specifications submitted to the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant. First of all, the Foxes will be delivered to mobile battalions in vehicles. This year, the latest ORSIS-T5000M sniper rifles, capable of hitting targets at ranges of up to 1,500 meters, were adopted. They became a good addition to the modern ones that have proven themselves well among the troops. sniper rifles VSK-94, OSV-96, MTs-116M.
The troops received high-precision powerful ammunition with an expansive bullet (338 caliber LAPUA MAGNUM), which penetrates all existing means of armor protection (body armor, helmets of the highest protection classes).
Our military personnel are provided with the most modern surveillance and aiming equipment of domestic production: day-night sights DNS-1, night sights NV/S-18, night monocular NV/M-19, laser pointer LAD-21T, collimator sight PC-01BC.
Special operations forces are also supplied with very decent personal armor protection equipment. In particular, the “Skat” protective helmet, which provides protection against a bullet from a Makarov pistol at a distance of one meter, and the “Voron” body armor, which can protect against a bullet from an SVD at a distance of ten meters.
Work is underway to provide and adopt other new optical sights, ammunition, small arms, tactical and shooting glasses, RPG-32 “Hashim” grenade launchers.
Our units are provided with reliable communications. Based on the Bogatyr vehicle, a modern command and staff vehicle has been developed (a means of communication for the SOF commander and brigade commanders).
Modern models of weapons and military equipment enter the troops and are mastered during combat training. The modernization of this weapon, which is located today along with ammunition on the basis of the Ural-43202 vehicle, has significantly increased the mobility of the crews of the ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns. In the next two months we plan to supply them to the 38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade.
Uniforms and equipment of special operations forces personnel are being improved.
We recently received new ATVs that have been tested by the Armed Forces. In the future they will be adopted. I must say, this is a very effective technique when performing tasks in forests, wetlands, and rough terrain... This was also confirmed by the exercises that took place in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan as part of testing the collective rapid reaction forces of the CSTO.
— Military personnel of the 103rd Guards Separate Mobile Brigade are constant participants in such exercises. How important are they to us?
— First of all, it is gaining invaluable experience. We have a lot to learn from Russians, Kazakhs, and Tajiks. We always learn something new in these exercises. And, of course, we learn to interact.
Many other teachings are also carried out with great benefit. For example, the joint Belarusian-Chinese anti-terrorism exercise (training) “Swift Eagle”. Not long ago, another such exercise (the third in a row) ended on the basis of the 38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade.
But the closest interaction has been established with Russian colleagues. The latest joint exercise was a battalion-tactical exercise held in the 38th brigade, in which a company of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division took part. Our military personnel also showed themselves worthy during the humanitarian search and rescue operation at the North Pole, where they had to carry out tasks in difficult climatic conditions. Those who distinguished themselves are presented with state awards. Both modern uniforms and equipment of special operations forces personnel withstood the test of the North Pole. Many of our new products were received with interest by Russians. For example, cargo containers with which our military personnel jumped with a parachute.
— Comrade Major General, what other successes do you remember in the anniversary year?
— In the first half of the year, the command of special operations forces, as well as units of the 38th and 103rd Guards separate mobile brigades, successfully passed the inspection of the Ministry of Defense. The MTR team distinguished itself at international competitions for the best special forces group, held in Kazakhstan, where it took a prize. Our military personnel won the competition for the best special-purpose sniper pair of the Armed Forces, in which representatives from all law enforcement agencies of our country and teams from Russia and Kazakhstan participated.
The MTR team won the Armed Forces championship in army hand-to-hand combat. The next tests for the right to award the “Valor and Mastery” badge also showed the increased level of training of our military personnel.
The bilateral battalion battles were interesting. tactical exercises. A very useful event was the joint diving training camp held in Ryazan. During the meeting, much attention was paid to the study of new diving equipment that is being supplied to the Russian Armed Forces today.
This year, 11 of our military personnel mastered the most modern parachute systems"Crossbow". They were trained at the center of special Airborne Forces training Russia.
Of course, on May 9, a significant event was the participation of military personnel of the 5th separate special forces brigade in the parade held on Red Square in Moscow. They adequately represented the Belarusian Armed Forces there.
One more important event was the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the 334th separate special forces detachment, held on the basis of the 5th separate special forces brigade.
It’s nice that the successes of special operations forces do not go unnoticed, including at the highest level. Only in this year Head of State for exemplary performance official duties Colonel Vladimir Bely and Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Smekhovich were awarded the Orders “For Service to the Motherland”, III degree. Last year, these high awards were awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Sukhovilo and Major Alexey Khuzyakhmetov.
- At all times, service in the “windswept troops” was prestigious. How popular is Special Operations Forces today? Is it in demand among young people?
“We have no shortage of people willing to serve in special operations forces.”
As for the training of officers for our branch of the military, it is carried out at the faculty military intelligence Military Academy of the Republic of Belarus, as well as at the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Training is conducted in two specialties: “Use of mobile units” and “Use of special-purpose units.”
The demand for the profession of a special operations forces officer is evidenced by the annual competition for admission to special forces specialties. This year it amounted to more than two people per place, and for the specialty “Use of Special Purpose Units” - more than three people per place.
Serving in the special operations forces is truly prestigious. We are glad to see in our ranks those who have a craving for romance, a desire to see something new, learn a lot and strengthen their character.
CHRONICLEOn August 2, 1930, during an exercise near Voronezh, the drop of a group of armed paratroopers was demonstrated. The landing party consisted of twelve people, who were divided into two groups of six paratroopers. The paratroopers were supposed to drop weapons and ammunition from aircraft using special cargo parachutes.
After a successful landing, groups of paratroopers, armed with rifles, light machine guns and grenades, were ready to carry out combat missions.
PROSPECTS
The main directions of construction and development of special operations forces of the Armed Forces:
— development and testing of new ways of performing tasks;
— optimization of the organizational structure of formations and military units in accordance with the tasks being solved, as well as taking into account changes in the forms and methods of military confrontation;
— modernization of existing models of weapons, military and special equipment and equipping with new models of both domestic and foreign production;
— improving the quality of training of specialists for special operations forces;
— improvement of military camps and creation of living conditions for military personnel that meet modern requirements.
Interviewed by Alexander MAKAROV