Special operations forces of Belarus. Belarusian paratroopers. A big difference? Weapons and equipment
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. Sleeve badge existed from 1994 to 2002.
Sleeve insignia of the Special Forces special purpose 5th separate special forces 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 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, small, but dangerous predator- symbolizes the specifics of the actions of special-purpose reconnaissance officers. Arrow as an element 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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Green beret of the Border Troops of the Republic of Belarus Green beret of the Border Troops of the Republic of Belarus beret of the Belarusian paratrooper Blue Airborne beret Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, model 1992. Berets of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, model 1992.
Patch of the 8th Radio Engineering Brigade of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the security company of the 65th Helicopter Base of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the 570th Control Center air traffic of the Republic of Belarus Patch 483 of the service and support base of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus Patch 581 of the Main Center for Analysis and Forecast of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus Patch 354
Chevron of the Almaz special counter-terrorism unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus. Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus. chevron of the Almaz special counter-terrorism unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus. Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus. The chevron of the Special Police Detachment will be assigned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus as a combat version. chevron of the special forces of the Main Directorate for the Execution of Punishments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.
Patch of the special railway mechanization battalion of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the 31st Navigation and Topographic Center of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the 227 Combined Arms Training Ground of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the Military Commissariat of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the Military Commissariat of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the Baranovichi Military Command tours of the Armed Forces of the Republic Belarus
The emblem on the crown of the cap of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus. The emblem on the crown of the cap of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus. Heavy metal. Mustache for rivets. Made in Belarus. Cockade in the wreath of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, ceremonial. Cockade in the wreath of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, ceremonial, officer's cap. Heavy metal. Mustache for rivets. Made in Belarus Cockade
Breastplate qualification insignia of a military navigator of the 3rd class of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus. Breastplate qualification insignia of a military navigator of the 3rd class, has the shape of unfolded wings of a golden color. In the center of the insignia there is a figured shield covered with light blue enamel, superimposed on two crossed golden swords, hilts down. The surface of the wings and handles of swords is corrugated. The blades of the swords are smooth. In the center of the top of the shield
Chevron of the Alpha group of the KGB of the Republic of Belarus, old version of the chevron of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus, old version of the chevron of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus, ceremonial version. chevron of the Alpha group KGB RB ceremonial version chevron of the Alpha group KGB RB field version chevron of the Alpha group KGB RB field version chevron of the Alpha group KGB RB ceremonial version
Separate Active Activities Service of the Border Troops of the Republic of Belarus Separate Active Activities Service of the Border Troops of the Republic of Belarus Badge of Excellence in the Border Troops of the Republic of Belarus Badge of Excellence in the Border Troops of the Republic of Belarus Normative Act Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated January 22, 2001 34 On the establishment of the badge Excellent Person in the Border Troops Republic
Breastplate of the 5th separate special forces brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. Breastplate of the 5th separate special purpose brigade, reconnaissance and sabotage unit. Located in Maryina Gorka, Pukhovichi district, Minsk region. Badge of the 5th separate special purpose brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. Badge of the 5th separate special purpose brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. Dressmaker of the 5th separate brigade.
Breastplate Border Control OPS of the Republic of Belarus Breastplate of the Republic of Belarus for border control units Border outpost named after V.M. Usov OPS of the Republic of Belarus Border outpost Advantages of the OPS of the Republic of Belarus Border outpost Turners OPS of the Republic of Belarus Border outpost Tomashovka OPS of the Republic of Belarus Border outpost named after N. Khokhlov OPS of the Republic of Belarus
Chevron of the special purpose honor guard company of the 3rd separate Red Banner special purpose brigade of the internal troops of the Republic of Belarus, in unit 3214, ceremonial version. chevron of the special purpose company of the 3rd separate Red Banner special purpose brigade of the internal troops of the Republic of Belarus, in unit 3214, ceremonial version. chevron of the special purpose company of the 3rd separate Red Banner special purpose brigade
Patch of the 51st mixed Orsha Artillery Group of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the 310th Artillery Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the 153rd Koenigsberg Artillery Special Purpose Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the 111th Artillery Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch new sign 231st Artillery Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus
Sleeve insignia of the Southwestern Administration operational command Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Republic of Belarus 927th KENIGBERG Fighter Regiment Patch Belarus Air Force Patch of the 56th Tilsit department. communications and automated control regiment of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus. Patch of the 56th Tilsit department. communications and automated control regiment of the Air Force of the Republic of Belarus. Minsk Air Force and troops sleeve insignia
Patch of the academic song and dance ensemble of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the State Institution Exemplary Orchestra of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the orchestra of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the orchestra of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus
Patch 357 airborne regiment Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch insignia of the 317th Airborne Regiment of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch insignia of the 317th Airborne Regiment of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch insignia of the 103rd Airborne Division of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch insignia Belaya Rus Airborne Forces Patch 357- th
The overstone sign of the 28th BHVT of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus of the Republic of Belarus of the 339th separate guards mechanized Bialystok battalion of the Republic of Belarus of the 339th separate guards of the Red-Kaloan Red-Banner Orders of Alexander Nevsky, Kutuzov 3 degrees, Suvorov Suvorov 3 degrees of the Battalion of the Armed Forces of Belarus, a srying sign of 6- oh Kiev-Berlin separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic
Patch of the Ministry of Defense of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the Ministry of Defense of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Patch General Staff Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. 2008 Sleeve insignia of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. 2008 Patch of the Main Military Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus Patch of the Main Military Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus Patch
What are they, the Forces? special operations The Republic of Belarus? Defending Russia looks to its nearest neighbor to find out.
In addition to them, MTRs use the latest Russian assault rifles- For example, . The butt of this machine gun is made of impact-resistant glass-filled polyamide, which clearly lightens the weight of the weapon. Its mass is 3.6 kg, rate of fire is 650 rounds per minute, sighting range— 50 m.
Now the MTR has the latest kits special clothing and weapons for different environments of fighters. An “underwater paratrooper” in a set of “SCUBA” underwater equipment sits coquettishly with an Airborne Forces flag. It is equipped with a breathing apparatus with a buoyancy compensator, a neoprene wetsuit with gloves and boots, fins and a diving mask. There is a “paratrooper” with a set of diving equipment SLVI-71, which allows you to work at a depth of up to 40 m.
The “beekeeper” is wearing a “summer special” set.
And the sniper is dressed in a camouflage "Leshy". To the right of it is the windproof kit "Gorka-E".
The lyricism of the army names continues with the “Melted Snow” set of winter clothing for paratroopers.
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 percussion part Internal troops. Its number is about 1500-2000 people. The unit includes several units - special purpose battalions, Special Squad rapid response (SOBR) and support units.
The main tasks of the brigade are the fight against terrorism, actions in emergency situations, combat training in case of military danger.
In peacetime, brigade soldiers perform security functions 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 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.
Very great importance devoted to combat training, it is several times stricter than in others military units. The program includes acrobatics, hand-to-hand combat, strength training, athletic gymnastics, 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 of Internal Troops (1992), the Police Academy (1998), and the 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 brigade special purpose. But it is not 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, the former head of the unit in Maryina Gorka, Colonel Borodach, came out on the side of the Constitution, against Lukashenko.
"Diamond"
In fact, it began with Almaz Belarusian special forces 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 battle group. After another 20 minutes, the second group leaves behind.
The functions of the "Almazovets" include the fight against terrorist activities, the release of hostages, and the disposal 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 endure great psychological and physical exercise. 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.
Deputy Supreme Council XII convocation from the Belarusian Popular Front Sergei Naumchik in his memoirs claims that it was Alpha employees who beat 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. The average age of officers is 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 " 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 that 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 former paratroopers still have maps of the English Channel with important objects marked in their garages.
It was in Borovukha that they tested the latest weapons and equipment intended for the Airborne Forces. 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 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). This is what he wrote about this in his memoirs Russian general Alexander Lebed: “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 “Vedevaesh”, 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 Airborne troops reduced: along with sovereignty, a military doctrine of a purely defensive nature was proclaimed, 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. 9P148 combat vehicle from the Konkurs anti-tank system. 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. Well, the place is excellent: a large area 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 it is “industrial Babylon”: it produces sewing, knitted and rubber products, wooden windows, PVC windows and doors, building metal structures, furniture, plant protection products, instrumentation, Construction Materials, 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 items 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 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 in dire need of army aviation pilots, so pilots were recruited en masse from the reserves.
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.
For retraining on new type Sergei's helicopters were sent to the Syzran Higher Military aviation school pilots. 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, anti-tank missiles "Sturm-S" 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 a chance to try 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 chance. 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 administrative subordination 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. That's how it was discovered weak spots for replacement.
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. Unforgettably railway station- trains to Polotsk go 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.
