The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (SSO AF RB) are the youngest branch of the military. Special Forces of Belarus of the 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”)
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
At the turn of the 80s–90s. last century, rapidly developing instability greatly influenced all aspects of society. One of the important tasks was to bring down the crime wave and ensure order in society. Therefore, in the Republic of Belarus there are many special forces units, and under each power ministry.
ARMY SPECIAL FORCES
5th SEPARATE SPECIAL PURPOSE BRIGADE
STORY
Formed in 1962 as a reconnaissance airborne unit, it has a high level of combat training and vast combat experience. Stationed in Maryina Gorka, Pukhovichi district, Minsk region. She took part in hostilities as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, and carried out special events in Transcaucasia during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The emergence of such military units and formations in Soviet army caused by the presence of, as it was commonly called, our potential enemy in Europe, tactical nuclear weapons. To tasks airborne brigades included destruction command posts and missile launchers, fuel and ammunition supply bases, intelligence collection, sabotage of communications, and in the future, the organization of a partisan movement on enemy territory. Special forces were designed to conduct operations deep behind the lines in small groups. All brigades were directly subordinate to the main intelligence agency General Staff. Soon a unique unit appeared - a company consisting only of officers and warrant officers, well-trained professionals. The best of the best were selected, those who flawlessly mastered various styles of martial arts, shooting from all types of small arms, including Western models. Knowledge was a prerequisite foreign languages. The military personnel also underwent a light diving training course according to the program naval special forces, mountaineering and trike piloting. The company was intended to carry out particularly important tasks in the interests of the GRU General Staff.
PREPARATION
The main direction of training is reconnaissance and sabotage activities. Scouts are taught to overcome swamps and water obstacles. “Field - Soldier Academy” - soldiers spend about seven months a year at the training ground.
In order to complete a task far from the main forces without loss, a special forces soldier must be universal soldier. His arsenal includes covert movement tactics, knowledge of engineering, mastery of hand-to-hand combat techniques and first aid skills. Distinctive features- skillful control of all types of army transport and the ability to accurately shoot from various types of small arms, including captured ones.
There are no mountains in Belarus, but there are many high-rise buildings. Therefore, the basis of training is urban mountaineering. Classes are held not only on the territory of the brigade, they are also organized jointly with colleagues from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB. Diving training classes are also conducted.
Special forces parachute from the sky, and the most different ways. Landing with pinpoint accuracy, day or night, in all weather conditions. For this purpose, new parachutes have come into service here, which allow scouts to jump from any height and at any speed of the aircraft. In addition to parachutes, special forces also have motorized hang gliders in their arsenal.
WEAPONS
Like many special forces of the former republics of the USSR, the army special forces of Belarus are equipped with weapons and equipment of Soviet and Russian origin.
KGB SPECIAL FORCES "Alpha"
The Alpha group under the USSR State Security Committee was created in 1974. In March 1990, the then KGB chairman V. Kryuchkov signed an order to create the 11th group of the USSR KGB with a deployment in Minsk. The document listed the tasks of the operational combat unit being created: localization and suppression of terrorist and extremist actions, especially dangerous criminal manifestations. Area of activity: Belarus and the Baltic republics.
From October 1991 to January 1992, the group was at the disposal of the Main Security Directorate under the Office of the President of the USSR. Then it became part of the structure of the central apparatus of the KGB of the Republic of Belarus. The group's fighters carried out special operational missions, and in 1992–1994. was involved to ensure the physical protection and safety of the leadership of Belarus and members of foreign delegations. The range of tasks gradually expanded; now it also includes the fight against organized crime, as well as the illegal export of precious metals, material and historical assets outside the country.
SELECTION
When creating Alpha, preference was given to officers with combat experience, former paratroopers, and professional athletes. Today, higher education and military service are compulsory for candidates. Particular attention is paid to the ability to withstand great psychological and physical stress. Average age fighters - 30–35 years old.
For some time there were rumors that Alpha fighters received military experience in Chechnya, but the group’s leadership stubbornly denies this.
SPECIAL FORCES OF BORDER FORCES
The Separate Active Measures Service (OSAM) is a unit whose task includes anti-terrorist activities in the border zone.
The history of the special forces of the KGB border troops under the Council of Ministers of the USSR began in 1981. The goal of the group operating in Afghanistan was to fight the counter-revolutionary underground and agents of enemy intelligence services.
OSAM appeared after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in 1993. Its first commander was Gennady Nevyglas. One of the primary tasks of the special forces was the fight against illegal migration. Later, new tasks appeared - the fight against economic crime and drug smuggling, countering terrorism and human trafficking.
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 chairman of the Border Committee, Igor Rachkovsky. And the eldest sons of the country’s president, Viktor and Dmitry Lukashenko, served in the special forces.
TASKS
The special forces units of the border service are assigned the following tasks:
Conducting operations related to the implementation of operational information about hostile activities on the state border and at checkpoints through it for the intelligence services of foreign states, extremist and criminal groups;
Protection in extreme conditions premises, Vehicle and other objects of operational bodies;
Carrying out reconnaissance and search activities;
Ensuring the security of events carried out by the management of the border service;
Release of hostages from among the military personnel of the troops, bodies and organizations of the border service;
Studying the operational situation in the areas (locations) of the group’s proposed actions, conducting reconnaissance of the specified areas (locations);
Participation in special events related to the implementation of specific operational information, information from interacting law enforcement agencies;
Participation in the search and detention of armed groups and persons who have crossed or are attempting to cross the border;
Ensuring the safety of border service management while traveling around the country and abroad;
Ensuring the safety of the operational staff of the border service during activities at the state border;
Ensuring the personal safety of PS military personnel and members of their families in cases provided for by law;
Ensuring the group's own safety.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
The weapons are predominantly of Soviet and Russian origin. The unit is equipped with modern radio stations. For off-road vehicles, the bumpers are additionally reinforced with rails, a steel bottom is welded on, and a rubber mixture is poured into the tires.
SPECIAL FORCES OF THE INTERNAL TROOPS OF THE MIA
3rd Separate Red Banner Special Purpose Brigade
The third separate Red Banner special forces brigade (military unit 3214, Uruchye) was formed 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. The number of personnel is 1500–2000 people. The brigade includes special purpose battalions, a special rapid reaction unit (SOBR) and support units.
The main tasks of the brigade are the fight against terrorism, actions in emergency situations, and preparation in the event of a military threat.
IN Peaceful time The brigade's fighters participate in maintaining public order in the capital of the republic and often go on missions outside of Minsk. During opposition street actions, the brigade is usually kept in reserve and used only in the most extreme cases.
The fighters receive comprehensive and varied training. The program includes acrobatics, hand-to-hand combat, strength training, athletic gymnastics, cross-country. Much attention is paid to shooting from different types weapons, as well as tactical and special training for actions in various situations.
In fact, the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs began with Almaz. True, at that time this unit was called “Berkut”, and its main purpose was to organize prison anti-terrorism. Similar detachments were created in other Soviet republics.
Today it is a rapid response unit. In 1994, the then head of Berkut and future Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Naumov took the initiative to rename the special unit “Almaz”. On the basis of the Department of Correctional Affairs of the former republics of the USSR, they urgently began to form a prison anti-terrorism unit. The order was signed on January 2, 1992. Vladimir Naumov, then still the commander of a patrol company, was appointed the first commander of the unit.
The main tasks being solved at that time were:
Release of hostages;
Detention of armed criminals;
Elimination of unrest in prisons.
The forces of the then small special forces carried out a number of operations to search for and detain dangerous criminals who escaped from pre-trial detention centers in Minsk and Brest. Hostages taken by repeat offenders in correctional colonies in Orsha and Minsk were freed, and a mass escape from the colony in Shklov was prevented.
As the nature of crime changed, so did the unit. At this time, many different criminal groups emerged. They started talking about the mafia, thieves' authorities, and the division of territories and spheres of influence. Belarusian terrorism was not limited to the walls of the colonies either. Greater use of special forces was required. The question of reorganization arose. A review of all special forces units was carried out, and the best was chosen - “Almaz”.
Since the fall of 1994, the unit has been transformed into a special unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, reporting personally to the minister. The fighters bear the responsibility for carrying out the most difficult tasks: eliminating terrorist attacks, freeing hostages, detaining various criminal armed groups.
The history of the name of the special forces is unique - in many countries such formations are still called “Berkut” or “Falcon”, but Belarusians took a different path. The new name was not chosen by chance - the diamond symbolizes hardness, purity, and nobility. In a memo for soldiers, their commander once wrote: “Always remember that a special forces officer must be pure and hard, like a diamond.”
Over the years of existence, SPBT "Almaz" has accumulated a huge practical experience, terrorist attacks were stopped and about 100 hostages were freed, together with the operational units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, more than five and a half thousand special operations were carried out to search for and suppress the activities of organized criminal groups and organizations. One of the most resonant events of Almaz was the detention in Minsk of suspects in the murder of Russian journalist Paul Klebnikov.
TASKS
The main objectives are:
Prevention of terrorist acts;
Detection and disposal of explosive devices;
Carrying out special measures to detect and detain dangerous armed criminals, to seize counterfeit banknotes, narcotic, chemical and radioactive substances and ammunition;
Ensuring the physical security of the operational staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
Conducting search and reconnaissance activities;
Security of judges and supervisory personnel of the republic, senior officials states and foreign delegations.
The combat readiness of the unit is evidenced by the following fact: 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.
Mostly officers come to Almaz from similar units of the Ministry of Defense, police special forces, security service for the head of state, and border troops. As a rule, these are people who have served at least five years and have already participated in special operations. Women also serve in Almaz - negotiators and snipers.
The armament corresponds to the armament of other special forces of Belarus.
Minsk Special Purpose Police Regiment
The regiment was formed in the fall of 2005 on the basis of a police detachment special purpose. Both then and now, the main task of the regiment is to protect public order during various mass actions.
Other tasks were:
Ensuring personal and property security of citizens on the streets and in other public places;
Prevention and suppression of offenses, group violations of public order and mass riots;
Participation, together with other services and divisions of internal affairs bodies, in detaining armed criminals, suppressing the activities of organized groups and criminal organizations;
Participation in special events and operations conducted by internal affairs bodies.
In addition, the unit’s fighters must be prepared for disasters, catastrophes, and natural and man-made accidents.
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Powers special operations The Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (SSO AF RB) is the youngest branch of the military. On August 1, 2007, the MTR Command of the Armed Forces was created. The MTR command reports directly to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.
The command is the military control body of the Armed Forces and is intended to manage subordinate formations and military units, direct their combat and mobilization training; planning the activities of special operations forces of the Armed Forces, organizing their construction and development, as well as resolving other issues within the competence of the command.
Commander of Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus - Major General Vadim Denisenko
The Special Operations Forces include:
- 5th OBrSpN (Maryina Gorka),
- 38th separate mobile brigade (Brest)
— 103rd separate mobile brigade (Vitebsk)
- 33rd separate detachment of Special Forces (Vitebsk).
The organizational structure of mobile brigades is as follows:
brigade management: headquarters, services;
combat military units and subunits
airmobile battalion;
2 separate mobile battalions
(in each BTR-80, MAZ vehicles, 82mm mortars, 40mm AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers);
artillery division (122 mm D-30 howitzers);
anti-aircraft missile and artillery division (BTR-ZD “Skrezhet”, MANPADS “Igla”);
combat support and communications units;
logistics and technical support units.
OBrSpN organizationally consists of:
Brigade management
-headquarters; services.
Combat military units and units
Special Forces units (detachments);
- communications department.
Support units
MTO Division;
- headquarters company;
-medical company.
Based on an analysis of trends in the development of the armed forces of foreign states, the experience of military conflicts of the last decade and conducted exercises, it was determined that the special operations forces of the Armed Forces are intended to perform various tasks special methods and in ways to prevent the escalation or cessation of the armed conflict against the Republic of Belarus by any aggressor, and are one of the main elements of strategic deterrence. Formations and military units of special operations forces are located in constant readiness to timely use in both peaceful and war time. They can perform tasks independently or in cooperation with formations and military units of the Armed Forces, internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and internal affairs bodies, the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus, newly formed operational detachments of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus.
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, 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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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 a separate article), by 1935, seven four-story stone houses for the 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 great 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 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 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 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 Airborne troops reduced: along with sovereignty, it was proclaimed 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. 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 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 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- presented here combat vehicles Airborne Forces
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 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 Service for retraining for a new type of helicopter. 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 posed by MANPADS (man-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 such 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, Sergei Kozlov’s military service 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 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 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. 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 local resident will tell you 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.
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 a brief overview of the 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 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 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 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 given to combat training, 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. Very great importance is attached to shooting from different types of 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 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, 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 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, and the disposal of explosives. “Almazovites” once detained suspects in the murder of Russian journalist Paul Klebnikov in Minsk.
“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 are mandatory 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 full equipment"alpha" (body armor, helmet, weapons, ammunition) weighs more than 20 kilograms.
MP 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 of the 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.