What part of the airborne forces is the best. List of elite troops of Russia. 1st Separate Special Purpose Regiment of the Airborne Forces

Airborne - airborne troops- These are one of the most prestigious troops of the Russian Federation. Hearing that a soldier is serving in the airborne troops, this person immediately, automatically, grows great respect. After all, if you delve into the very essence of the profession, then you can safely say that these people are the real defenders and patriots of their state.

It is the paratroopers who are the first to be sent by air to fight the enemy in his rear. Besides, Airborne can form the basis of the mobile forces of the rapid reaction troops. Suffice it to recall that the Airborne Forces were born during the Great Patriotic War, made an unbearable contribution to victory, and it will immediately become clear why they are so prestigious and respected.

If a young man decides to connect his life with the army, then the choice is in favor of landing troops deserves great respect. Today, the most famous and well-known educational institution for the training of excellent paratroopers is the world-famous Ryazan Institute of Airborne Troops. This is the highest institution that produces real officers.

Also, there is a "242 training center", which is currently located in the city of Omsk and Ishim. He also specializes in training quality specialists in his field.

Airborne is a complex science

What is taught in these military institutions of future officers? Of course, we will not list all the disciplines, but we will focus on the most important skills that young people acquire. Some of the key subjects are: tactics and strategy of combat, shooting, military landing equipment.

Cadets are taught not only theory, but also practice. Mandatory learning process are trips to the exercises. Of course, cadets learn to jump from a parachute, learn to survive in difficult conditions, fight in rural and urban areas, master the skills of combat with cold weapons, and learn the basics of controlling air force equipment. In addition to combat, they are trained in the repair of military equipment, so that in any situation the military could prepare and put into action any combat unit, from a tank to a fighter. Great attention is paid to the physical training of cadets. No wonder the fighters from airborne troops Associated among civilians with mighty and strong people, they are.

One American general in the second half of the 20th century said: “Give me a company of Russian paratroopers and we will take over the whole world!”

It's not just strength that counts here.

In addition to military disciplines, great attention is paid to standard humanitarian and mathematical disciplines, foreign languages ​​and computer classes. Cadets are even taught ballroom dancing, etiquette, demeanor. Therefore, officers come out as comprehensively developed people and are well versed not only in military tactics and military equipment, but are also cultured and well-read people.

Based on this, we can safely say that the officers Airborne- these are really people who should inspire awe and respect from everyone.

Blue berets only on the front line

The "winged infantry" has its own day in the calendar - this is August 2, the day when colleagues and classmates meet, remember their service and training. And there is something to remember, because how many bright and unforgettable pages were made by the landing troops in our glorious history, and how many more of these pages will be inscribed by them!

The Blue Berets are always at the forefront, ahead of the rest. They are where the greatest danger is, where strength and courage are required. These are people who inspire respect, both among pensioners and veterans, and among young people.

The Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation is a separate branch of the Russian armed forces, located in the reserve of the Commander-in-Chief of the country and directly subordinate to the Commander of the Airborne Forces. At the moment, this position is held (since October 2016) by Colonel General Serdyukov.

The purpose of the airborne troops is operations behind enemy lines, carrying out deep raids, capturing important enemy facilities, bridgeheads, disrupting enemy communications and enemy control, and conducting sabotage in his rear. The Airborne Forces were created primarily as an effective tool for offensive warfare. To cover the enemy and operate in his rear, the Airborne Forces can use landing - both parachute and landing.

The airborne troops are rightfully considered the elite of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, in order to get into this branch of the troops, candidates must meet very high criteria. First of all, it concerns physical health and psychological stability. And this is natural: the paratroopers carry out their tasks behind enemy lines, without the support of their main forces, the supply of ammunition and the evacuation of the wounded.

The Soviet Airborne Forces were created in the 30s, the further development of this type of troops was rapid: by the beginning of the war, five airborne corps were deployed in the USSR, with a strength of 10 thousand people each. The USSR Airborne Forces played an important role in the victory over the Nazi invaders. The paratroopers actively participated in the Afghan war. The Russian airborne troops were officially created on May 12, 1992, they went through both Chechen campaigns, participated in the war with Georgia in 2008.

The flag of the Airborne Forces is a blue panel with a green stripe at the bottom. In its center is an image of an open golden parachute and two planes of the same color. The flag was officially approved in 2004.

In addition to the flag, there is also the emblem of this type of troops. This is a flaming golden-colored grenada with two wings. There is also a medium and large airborne emblem. The middle emblem depicts a double-headed eagle with a crown on its head and a shield with George the Victorious in the center. In one paw, the eagle holds a sword, and in the other, a flaming grenada of the Airborne Forces. On the large emblem, grenada is placed on a blue heraldic shield framed by an oak wreath. In its upper part is a double-headed eagle.

In addition to the emblem and flag of the Airborne Forces, there is also the motto of the Airborne Forces: "No one but us." The paratroopers even have their own heavenly patron - Saint Elijah.

The professional holiday of the paratroopers is the Day of the Airborne Forces. It is celebrated on August 2nd. On this day in 1930, the first parachute landing of a unit was made to perform a combat mission. On August 2, Airborne Forces Day is celebrated not only in Russia, but also in Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

The airborne troops of Russia are armed with both conventional types of military equipment and models developed specifically for this type of troops, taking into account the specifics of its tasks.

It is difficult to name the exact number of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation, this information is secret. However, according to unofficial data obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defense, it is about 45 thousand fighters. Foreign estimates of the number of this type of troops are somewhat more modest - 36 thousand people.

The history of the creation of the Airborne Forces

The birthplace of the Airborne Forces is the Soviet Union. It was in the USSR that the first airborne unit was created, this happened in 1930. First, a small detachment appeared, which was part of an ordinary rifle division. On August 2, the first parachute landing was successfully carried out during exercises at the training ground near Voronezh.

However, the first use of paratroopers in military affairs occurred even earlier, in 1929. During the siege of the Tajik city of Garm by anti-Soviet rebels, a detachment of Red Army soldiers was parachuted there, which made it possible to unblock the settlement as soon as possible.

Two years later, a special purpose brigade was formed on the basis of the detachment, and in 1938 it was renamed the 201st Airborne Brigade. In 1932, by decision of the Revolutionary Military Council, special-purpose aviation battalions were created, in 1933 their number reached 29 units. They were part of the Air Force, and their main task was to disorganize the rear of the enemy and carry out sabotage.

It should be noted that the development of the landing troops in the Soviet Union was very rapid and rapid. No expense was spared on them. In the 30s, the country experienced a real parachute boom, skydiving towers were in almost every stadium.

During the exercises of the Kyiv military district in 1935, a mass parachute landing was practiced for the first time. The following year, an even more massive landing was carried out in the Belarusian military district. Foreign military observers invited to the exercises were amazed at the scale of the landings and the skill of the Soviet paratroopers.

Before the start of the war, airborne corps were created in the USSR, each of them included up to 10 thousand fighters. In April 1941, by order of the Soviet military leadership, five airborne corps were deployed in the western regions of the country, after the German attack (in August 1941), the formation of five more airborne corps began. A few days before the German invasion (June 12), the Directorate of the Airborne Forces was created, and in September 1941, the paratrooper units were withdrawn from the command of the fronts. Each corps of the Airborne Forces was a very formidable force: in addition to well-trained personnel, it was armed with artillery and light amphibious tanks.

In addition to the landing corps, the Red Army also included mobile landing brigades (five units), spare regiments of the Airborne Forces (five units) and educational institutions that trained paratroopers.

The Airborne Forces made a significant contribution to the victory over the Nazi invaders. The airborne units played a particularly important role in the initial - the most difficult - period of the war. Despite the fact that the airborne troops are intended for offensive operations and have a minimum of heavy weapons (compared to other branches of the military), at the beginning of the war, paratroopers were often used to “patch holes”: in defense, to eliminate sudden German breakthroughs, to release of the encircled Soviet troops. Because of this practice, the paratroopers suffered unreasonably high losses, and the effectiveness of their use decreased. Often, the preparation of landing operations left much to be desired.

Airborne units took part in the defense of Moscow, as well as in the subsequent counteroffensive. The 4th Corps of the Airborne Forces was parachuted in the winter of 1942 during the Vyazemsky landing operation. In 1943, during the crossing of the Dnieper, two airborne brigades were thrown behind enemy lines. Another major landing operation was carried out in Manchuria in August 1945. In its course, 4,000 fighters were parachuted by landing.

In October 1944, the Soviet Airborne Forces were transformed into a separate Guards Army of the Airborne Forces, and in December of the same year, into the 9th Guards Army. Airborne divisions have become ordinary rifle divisions. At the end of the war, the paratroopers took part in the liberation of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna. The 9th Guards Army ended its glorious military career on the Elbe.

In 1946, the landing units were introduced into the Ground Forces and were subordinate to the Minister of Defense of the country.

In 1956, Soviet paratroopers participated in the suppression of the Hungarian uprising, and in the mid-60s they played a key role in pacifying another country that wanted to leave the socialist camp - Czechoslovakia.

After the end of the war, the world entered the era of confrontation between the two superpowers - the USSR and the USA. The plans of the Soviet leadership were by no means limited only to defense, so the airborne troops developed especially actively during this period. Emphasis was placed on increasing the firepower of the Airborne Forces. For this, a whole range of airborne equipment was developed, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, and road transport. The fleet of military transport aircraft was significantly increased. In the 1970s, large-capacity wide-body transport aircraft were created, which made it possible to transport not only personnel, but also heavy military equipment. By the end of the 80s, the state of the military transport aviation of the USSR was such that it could ensure the parachute drop of almost 75% of the personnel of the Airborne Forces in one sortie.

At the end of the 60s, a new type of units that were part of the Airborne Forces was created - airborne assault units (DShCh). They were not much different from the rest of the Airborne Forces, but they were subordinate to the command of groups of troops, armies or corps. The reason for the creation of the DShCh was a change in the tactical plans prepared by Soviet strategists in the event of a full-scale war. After the start of the conflict, it was planned to “break” the enemy defenses with the help of massive landings landed in the immediate rear of the enemy.

In the mid-1980s, the USSR Ground Forces included 14 air assault brigades, 20 battalions and 22 separate air assault regiments.

In 1979, the war in Afghanistan began, and the Soviet Airborne Forces took an active part in it. During this conflict, the paratroopers had to engage in counter-guerrilla struggle, of course, there was no talk of any parachute landing. The delivery of personnel to the place of combat operations took place with the help of armored vehicles or vehicles, landing by landing method from helicopters was less often used.

The paratroopers were often used to guard the numerous outposts and roadblocks scattered throughout the country. Typically, airborne units performed missions more suited to motorized rifle units.

It should be noted that in Afghanistan, the paratroopers used military equipment of the ground forces, which was more suitable for the harsh conditions of this country than their own. Also, parts of the Airborne Forces in Afghanistan were reinforced with additional artillery and tank units.

After the collapse of the USSR, the division of its armed forces began. These processes also affected the paratroopers. They were able to finally divide the Airborne Forces only by 1992, after which the Russian Airborne Forces were created. They included all units that were located on the territory of the RSFSR, as well as part of the divisions and brigades that were previously located in other republics of the USSR.

In 1993, the Russian Airborne Forces included six divisions, six air assault brigades and two regiments. In 1994, in Kubinka near Moscow, on the basis of two battalions, the 45th Special Forces Regiment of the Airborne Forces (the so-called special forces of the Airborne Forces) was created.

The 1990s became a serious test for the Russian landing troops (as well as for the entire army, by the way). The number of the Airborne Forces was seriously reduced, some of the units were disbanded, the paratroopers became subordinate to the Ground Forces. Army aviation was transferred to the Air Force, which significantly worsened the mobility of the Airborne Forces.

The airborne troops of the Russian Federation took part in both Chechen campaigns, in 2008 the paratroopers were involved in the Ossetian conflict. The Airborne Forces have repeatedly taken part in peacekeeping operations (for example, in the former Yugoslavia). Airborne units regularly participate in international exercises, they guard Russian military bases abroad (Kyrgyzstan).

The structure and composition of the airborne troops of the Russian Federation

Currently, the Russian Airborne Forces consist of command and control structures, combat units and units, as well as various institutions that provide them.

Structurally, the Airborne Forces have three main components:

• Airborne. It includes all airborne units.
• Air assault. Consists of air assault units.
• Mountain. It includes air assault units designed to operate in mountainous areas.

At the moment, the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation include four divisions, as well as separate brigades and regiments. Airborne troops, composition:

• 76th Guards Air Assault Division, stationed in Pskov.
• 98th Guards Airborne Division, located in Ivanovo.
• 7th Guards Air Assault (Mountain) Division, stationed in Novorossiysk.
• 106th Guards Airborne Division - Tula.

Regiments and brigades of the Airborne Forces:

• 11th Separate Guards Airborne Brigade, stationed in the city of Ulan-Ude.
• 45th Separate Guards Special Purpose Brigade (Moscow).
• 56th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade. Place of deployment - the city of Kamyshin.
• 31st Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade. Based in Ulyanovsk.
• 83rd Separate Guards Airborne Brigade. Location - Ussuriysk.
• 38th Separate Guards Communications Regiment of the Airborne Forces. Located in the Moscow region, in the village of Medvezhye Ozera.

In 2013, the creation of the 345th Airborne Assault Brigade in Voronezh was officially announced, but then the formation of the unit was postponed to a later date (2017 or 2019). There is information that in 2019 an airborne assault battalion will be deployed on the territory of the Crimean peninsula, and in the future, a regiment of the 7th airborne assault division, which is currently deployed in Novorossiysk, will be formed on its basis.

In addition to combat units, the Russian Airborne Forces also include educational institutions that train personnel for the Airborne Forces. The main and most famous of them is the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, which, among other things, trains officers for the Russian Airborne Forces. Also, the structure of this type of troops includes two Suvorov schools (in Tula and Ulyanovsk), the Omsk Cadet Corps and the 242nd training center located in Omsk.

Armament and equipment of the Russian Airborne Forces

The airborne troops of the Russian Federation use both combined arms equipment and samples that were created specifically for this type of troops. Most types of weapons and military equipment of the Airborne Forces were developed and manufactured back in the Soviet period, but there are also more modern models created in modern times.

The most popular models of airborne armored vehicles at present are the airborne combat vehicles BMD-1 (about 100 units) and BMD-2M (about 1 thousand units). Both of these vehicles were produced back in the Soviet Union (BMD-1 in 1968, BMD-2 in 1985). They can be used for landing both by landing and by parachute. These are reliable vehicles that have been tested in many armed conflicts, but they are clearly outdated, both morally and physically. This is openly stated even by representatives of the top leadership of the Russian army, which was put into service in 2004. However, its production is slow, today there are 30 BMP-4s and 12 BMP-4Ms in service.

Also, the airborne units are armed with a small number of BTR-82A and BTR-82AM armored personnel carriers (12 units), as well as the Soviet BTR-80. The most numerous armored personnel carrier currently used by the Russian Airborne Forces is the tracked BTR-D (more than 700 pieces). It was put into service in 1974 and is very outdated. It should be replaced by the BTR-MDM "Shell", but so far its production is moving very slowly: today in combat units there are from 12 to 30 (according to various sources) "Shells".

The anti-tank weapons of the Airborne Forces are represented by the 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun (36 units), BTR-RD Robot self-propelled anti-tank systems (more than 100 units) and a wide range of different anti-tank systems: Metis, Fagot, Konkurs and "Cornet".

The Russian Airborne Forces are also armed with self-propelled and towed artillery: Nona self-propelled guns (250 pieces and several hundred more units in storage), D-30 howitzer (150 units), and Nona-M1 mortars (50 units) and "Tray" (150 units).

The air defense means of the Airborne Forces consist of portable missile systems (various modifications of the Needles and Willow), as well as the Strela short-range air defense system. Special attention should be paid to the newest Russian MANPADS "Verba", which was only recently put into service and now it has been put into trial operation in only a few units of the RF Armed Forces, including the 98th Airborne Division.

The Airborne Forces also operate self-propelled anti-aircraft guns BTR-ZD "Skrezhet" (150 units) of Soviet production and towed anti-aircraft guns ZU-23-2.

In recent years, new samples of automotive equipment have begun to enter the Airborne Forces, of which the Tiger armored car, the A-1 Snowmobile all-terrain vehicle and the KAMAZ-43501 truck should be noted.

The airborne troops are sufficiently equipped with communication, control and electronic warfare systems. Among them, modern Russian developments should be noted: electronic warfare systems "Leer-2" and "Leer-3", "Infauna", the control system for air defense systems "Barnaul", automated command and control systems "Andromeda-D" and "Flight-K".

The Airborne Forces are armed with a wide range of small arms, among which there are both Soviet models and newer Russian developments. The latter include the Yarygin pistol, the PMM, and the PSS silent pistol. The main personal weapon of the fighters remains the Soviet AK-74 assault rifle, but deliveries of the more advanced AK-74M to the troops have already begun. To carry out sabotage missions, paratroopers can use the Russian-made Val Orlan-10 silent assault rifle. The exact number of Orlans in service with the Airborne Forces is unknown.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

Do you remember the old Soviet joke? At a meeting in NATO, the generals decide in which army of the world, which elite units are best trained. English green berets? Or American? Or someone else? Finally, one old general says that the most terrible troops are in the Soviet Union. They are called a strange word, and due to their special savagery, weapons are not even trusted. The Soviet Union successfully collapsed. In the Russian army, the construction battalion was abolished (replacing with more prosperous phrases “railway troops” and “engineering troops”), but, nevertheless, it is interesting to know which country owns the strongest elite special forces.

Of course, these troops are difficult to compare with each other, since it is impossible to hold an Olympic system tournament between them in the manner of gladiator fights practiced in ancient Rome, but you can try to evaluate the entry requirements, training, and track record of these military units. So….

8. Detachment "Black Stork", Pakistan

A special forces group that got its name from its unique headgear. The fighters of this formation in the process of training must make a forced march for 58 km in 12 hours and with full gear. He fights mainly against the Afghans, including against the Taliban.

7. Special Operations Unit of the Spanish Navy

Created in 1952, initially only volunteers were recruited there. It was called the "company of mountaineers-divers" (the original name, isn't it?) Later it was transformed into an elite unit. The selection process for this unit is very tough. According to the results of the qualifying course, 70-80% of applicants are usually eliminated.

6. Russian special unit "Alpha"

Created in 1974, of course, under the KGB, later, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, came under the control of the FSB. After the collapse of the Union, this special unit of work clearly increased. All kinds of operations in the North Caucasus and beyond. Alpha fighters fight both with and with representatives of organized crime. As you understand, there are an order of magnitude more of those and others in Russia than in the former USSR.

What can you do, the world is changing. Alfa is still criticized for Beslan and Nord-Ost to this day, presenting an unjustifiably large number of victims to the security forces. But, I must say that in the same notorious Moscow theater, alphas corrected the mistakes of other people who showed phenomenal gouging and indifference. The result - 129 dead hostages, mainly from the action of the paralytic.

Nevertheless, the professionalism and the highest fighting qualities of the Alpha fighters are beyond doubt. Suffice it to recall the assault on Amin's palace in Kabul in 1979, numerous operations in Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and others. For example, the liquidation of the leader of Ichkeria Aslan Maskhadov and the representative of Al-Qaeda in Chechnya and the adjacent regions of Abu-Havs, the release of hostages in Mineralnye Vody in 2001. As for criticism, apparently, the features of the Russian mentality are affecting. Criticize, look for the guilty, and sometimes even curse, accusing of all known deadly sins, but when it gets hot, tearfully beg for help.

5. Special forces of the French gendarmerie, the so-called intervention group. GIGN

The main combat missions are hostage rescue operations, this is the specificity of the group. When seizing the Al-Kharak Mosque in 1979 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the special forces were faced with the fact that only Muslims could be allowed into the territory of the holy city. Then the three fighters of the group, and after that immediately joined the troops of Saudi Arabia, who liberated the mosque from terrorists. In total, the group's combat account has more than 600 released hostages.

4. Special Forces Sayeret Matkal, Israel

The main tasks are reconnaissance, information gathering. Because the fighters of this unit spend a lot of time behind enemy lines. Not everyone is able to withstand the hard overload of the qualifying course (gibush). conducted under the supervision of physicians and a psychologist. According to the results of the gibbush, only the best are taken to the unit. One of the group's most memorable operations is the release of an Israeli taxi driver named Ilyahu Gurel, who was kidnapped by three Palestinians whom he took to Jerusalem. The kidnappers held him in a 10-meter shaft in an abandoned factory in the suburbs of Ramallah. However, the special forces soldiers found him there too. As for the terrorists, they were given what they deserved.

3. Special Air Service of Great Britain, or SAS (Special Air Service)

It is, in a way, a twin of the SBS Marine Corps Special Unit. The motto of this unit is "The one who takes risks wins." The SAS took part in the fighting in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. As US General Stanley McChrystal noted, “Their participation was critical. We couldn't have done it without them." This statement perfectly characterizes the role of the SAS in those events, as well as the level of combat training.

2. A special unit of the British Marine Corps - SBS (Special Boat Service)

There is also a very tough selection and high intensity training. The training course includes all kinds of endurance tests, training in combat survival skills, training in the jungles of Belize, plus intensive interrogation of applicants for admission. You can take the test course no more than twice.

1. "Navy SEALs" (SEAL) - an elite unit of the US military

The main tactical unit of the special operations forces of the United States Navy. They are mainly engaged in reconnaissance, sabotage activities and the release of hostages, as well as solving other tactical tasks (demining, combating illegal border crossings). The formation of the detachment began in 1962. First of all, fighters who knew how to swim well and wield edged weapons were selected for the detachment. From 1962 to 1973, the SEALs fought in Vietnam, both as part of reconnaissance teams and as instructors for Vietnamese soldiers. They invaded Grenada (Operation Outburst, 1983). Participated in the Persian Gulf War (Operation "Main Chance"). Fought in Panama and Afghanistan. On May 2, 2011, a Naval Special Forces detachment conducted a successful operation to eliminate Bin Laden.

The specificity of training fur seals is that they perceive water not as an obstacle, but as a natural environment. Service in the SEAL places high demands on the health of fighters, both physical and psychological, and therefore the training there is appropriate. What is "" worth when for 5 days the fighters sleep only 4 hours a day, and the rest of the time they are busy with survival tests. The motto of the SEALs - "the only easy day was yesterday" clearly indicates the progressive nature of the loads, which will seem prohibitive to an ordinary person.

For three minutes you are an eagle, and then you plow like a horse - why do all conscripts strive to get into the paratroopers, despite the fact that in the Airborne Forces - exorbitant physical exertion? This is written by the Author of "Stars" Viktor Sokirko, who himself served in the Airborne Forces.

The eyes are full of stripes - a few days ago sailors in black and white vests celebrated their professional holiday, today the most popular color in Russia is white and blue. On August 2, the landing troops, especially revered in the country, celebrate their day. Landing. Blue berets. In the military registration and enlistment offices, not even the strongest recruit first of all declares his desire to serve in the landing force. The best are selected - the status of the troops obliges, especially since the features of service here are somewhat overestimated in comparison with other branches and branches of the Armed Forces. And a holiday is just a beautiful sign for ceremonial days, behind which a harsh and intense service is hidden.

The history of the Airborne Forces is inferior in terms of temporary dates of formation to sailors, artillerymen, border guards, tankers, sappers, and certainly infantry. The starting point was the exercises of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh, when on August 2, 1930, the first airborne assault was dropped. But this is a glorious history, which, starting from the Great Patriotic War, was replenished with the exploits and courage of the troops, which became a symbol of courage, readiness to fulfill any assigned tasks. It is no coincidence that the motto of the paratroopers is: "No one but us!" and "No task is impossible."

But the peak of the popularity of the Airborne Forces came at the time of the command of the troops of the legendary army general Vasily Filippovich Margelov, who was in this position from 1954 to 1979 (with some interruption in demotion to the level of deputy). Margelov "gave" the paratroopers not only blue berets and vests, which are now the symbol of the Airborne Forces. Under his command, new D-6 parachutes, BMD and BTRD armored vehicles, adapted for parachute landing, appeared in service. The foundation was laid for the development of the landing troops as special forces. Even modern paratroopers who did not find Commander Margelov in their service continue to believe that among other abbreviations of the Airborne Forces - Airborne Troops, there is one such as Uncle Vasya's Troops, which was named after Vasily Filippovich.

By the way, the decoding of the abbreviation of the Airborne Forces, in addition to the official one, is very wide. Here are just a few options. "Two Hundred Options Are Possible", hinting at the fact that the paratroopers have to operate in various situations, including without the use of landing, and constantly changing combat missions.

“The paratrooper will survive everything” is an axiom that is instilled in a paratrooper from the first days of service, when an exorbitant degree of physical activity can break even a very prepared young man. An unwritten law operates in the troops - those who were not ready for such tests are transferred to other parts without any compromising comments. And they accept into their ranks the guys who fell into other troops, but wrote a report with a request to transfer them to the Airborne Forces.

“In my memory there were dozens, if not hundreds, of cases when requests came about the desire to serve in the airborne troops from soldiers assigned to other troops,” recalls the ex-commander of the Airborne Forces (1996-2003), Colonel General Georgy Shpak. - I always put a resolution: "I agree." If a young man is so persistent in his desire to serve in the Airborne Forces, already realizing that the landing service will be unsweetened, then why not give him a chance? Many of these guys subsequently entered the paratrooper school and became professional soldiers. I also had to deal with such situations when applicants who did not pass the sufficiently high competitive exams to the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School did not go home, but remained to live in an almost illegal position near the training center. They dug dugouts, it was not clear how they ate, they themselves organized the daily routine and were engaged in physical training. With the hope that they will still be accepted into the school. And some of them achieved their goal - when places were vacated at the expense of those cadets who could not stand the tests of the landing service and wrote a report for dismissal. Service in the landing force must not only be loved for the sake of the beauty of the form and the enthusiastic looks of the girls, she must be devoted to the marrow of her bones. It is these men who receive the right to bear the title of paratrooper.

The Airborne Forces have more than once been the reserve of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Now they are also in this status, but not only because of their professional characteristics. In recent years, the "winged troops" have been transformed into a force that is capable of solving tasks of a high degree of responsibility. Now, strike units have appeared in the troops - these are the landing formations, which, in addition to being equipped with modern weapons and equipment, show excellent results in combat training. The title of "shock" is given not by involvement, but precisely for merit. This is the incentive that every formation or military unit of the Airborne Forces strives for. The first to receive this title were the paratroopers of the 104th airborne assault regiment of the Pskov 76th Airborne Division, as well as three airborne battalions and two airborne companies. Among the candidates - almost the entire composition of the formations and units of the Airborne Forces.

Now there are four divisions in the combat composition of the Airborne Forces - airborne assault in Novorossiysk and Pskov, airborne in Ivanovo and Tula. Separate brigades are deployed in Ulyanovsk, Ulan-Ude, Kamyshin and Ussuriysk. The special-purpose brigade, in addition to its deployment near Moscow in Kubinka and Solnechnogorsk, is also located in other regions of Russia. The total strength of the Airborne Forces is estimated at 45 thousand people, most of whom are professional military personnel.

Only one list of equipment and weapons of the Airborne Forces could take several pages, starting from the BMD-4M, BTR-MDM "Rakushka", ending with shooting knives (their tactical and technical characteristics can be found on the website of the TC "Zvezda"). But still, the main "trick" of the landing troops is precisely parachute jumps. And there are plenty of special landing systems here too. The main parachute for the Airborne Forces is the D-10, which is currently being upgraded for landing both from military transport aircraft, and from helicopters and other light vehicles. The Arbalet and Lesnik parachute systems, which received positive reviews and are already actively used by the troops, are considered the best in the world and, in addition to Russian special forces, are also used in regular units of the Airborne Forces.

“The first parachute jump is the first step for initiation into the great airborne brotherhood,” says the first deputy chairman of the Federation Council Defense and Security Committee Franz Klintsevich, who served in the airborne troops. - The feeling is incomparable when you soar above the ground and even control the dome above your head. But, as they say in the Airborne Forces, you are an eagle in the sky for three minutes, and then you plow like a horse. And our paratroopers gained fame precisely on the ground, because a parachute is only a means of delivery to the earth's firmament. The sky is romance, daisies in the sky, and then the main combat work begins. I want to note to you that our landing troops deserve their glory and pride precisely for their unity and willpower. This is a special caste, where even a young fighter is instilled with a sense of elbow, collectivism, responsibility for his comrades and an indispensable rule - to complete the task. For me personally, service in the airborne troops has become the core of life that dictates - not a step back, only forward.

Well, in order to dispel the myths about the reasons for bathing the landing force in fountains on Airborne Forces Day, which are tied to the patron saint of paratroopers, Ilya the Prophet, revered on August 2, you can see that everything depends only on the weather. Now, it seems, Hydromet gives the go-ahead for water procedures, at least in the Central region of Russia. For the airborne forces!

On August 2, Russia celebrates the Day of the Airborne Troops. As always, groups in vests and blue berets will try to find a common language with the police and climb into the fountains to swim. A religious procession and a festive concert are planned in Moscow.

Paratroopers are often referred to as the army's elite. Experts interviewed by Radio Liberty talk about the criteria for elitism in general, applicable to the Soviet and Russian armies, and about the airborne troops in particular.

Military observer Alexander Golts considers the definition of "elite troops" purely subjective:

Eliteness is determined, first of all, by the severity of selection for the troops and the skills possessed by a serviceman of these troops. By definition, elite troops cannot be massive. An example is the Marine Corps. For Russia, where there are only a few brigades of marines, of course, these are elite troops.
The Soviet Union also, of course, had elite troops. This applied to the above-mentioned intelligence units, marines, airborne troops and special forces brigades of the Main Intelligence Directorate.

A lot of films were made about the landing troops in the Soviet Union, which made many boys want to serve in the Airborne Forces. However, Andrei Soldatov, editor-in-chief of the Agentura.ru website, says that the real elite had nothing to do with the landing:

In Soviet times, there was a big difference between the special forces and the airborne forces. And even if special forces officers were trained at the Ryazan Airborne School, it was still a separate course. Among the paratroopers, physical strength has always been cultivated - all these broken bricks, big biceps, vests. And the special forces always treated this somewhat condescendingly. In the special forces, basically, they took people of small stature and rather fragile, who treated the flaunting of physical strength not only with contempt, but with a smile. In the special forces, intelligence was valued, the ability to plan some kind of daring actions, and by no means brute physical strength. And the formation of the famous 45th Special Forces Regiment as part of the Airborne Forces is a new phenomenon that has appeared in the Russian army.

Artem Sheinin, a television journalist who works in a senior position in one of the largest Russian television companies, talks about his landing past. In the mid-80s, he was drafted into the Airborne Forces, ended up in Afghanistan, fought in an airborne assault battalion. In the Armed Forces of the USSR, Artem Sheinin, the wearers of blue vests and berets were really the elite, including due to the fact that they were looked after in advance:

On a national scale, a system of pre-conscription, pre-army training of people for service in the Airborne Forces worked. It was a mass practice. With most of the people with whom I was then together in Fergana, we met back in February 1984. I was called up in April 1984, and in February 1984 we jumped at the Volosov airfield in the Moscow region.

All that is happening with the Russian army now does not meet my idea of ​​a combat-ready army. It is difficult for me to judge the state of aviation and the Strategic Missile Forces, but I know for sure that it is impossible to raise a normal airborne fighter in a year of service, even if, as they say, he will not be engaged in kitchen outfits and household work during this year. I know quite a lot of people from big cities who have recently served in the army and were drafted into the Airborne Forces. But I have not heard anything about the fact that now, as in Soviet times, military registration and enlistment offices would organize the mass export of those drafted into the Airborne Forces for training jumps.

Nevertheless, Artem Sheinin is sure that the landing force still remains the elite of the Russian army, if only because of the tasks for which these units are preparing. Artyom says this with the hope that in real life the order to carry out such tasks will never follow.