Airborne troops of Belarus. The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (SSO AF RB) are the youngest branch of the military. th Separate Special Purpose Brigade of the Special Operations Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus (inscription in Latin: “Care
On March 20, 1992, the government decree “On the creation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus” was adopted. On the same day, the parliament of the republic adopted the Law “On the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus”, on the basis of which their formation began.
In November 1992, the Supreme Council adopted the Laws “On Defense”, “On General military duty And military service", "On the status of military personnel."
And on December 6, 1992, at the 10th session of the twelfth convocation, the parliamentarians of the republic adopted the Military Doctrine. Among the CIS states, Belarus was the first to adopt this document.
In accordance with adopted legislative acts former troops The Belarusian Military District (BMD) was reformed into the Armed Forces of Belarus in two stages.
At the first stage(1992) they were reduced by almost 30,000 people, their operational purpose was determined, and basic governing documents were developed.
At the second stage(1993-1994) the reduction of the army was basically completed, its structural transformations were carried out, and the troop command and control system was reformed.
The concentration of military units and formations in the republic was the highest on the European continent. There was one military personnel for every 43 civilians. (For comparison: in Ukraine - by 98, in Kazakhstan - by 118, in Russia - by 634 people). For a republic with a population of ten million, such exorbitantly large Armed Forces were not needed, the costs of maintaining and equipping them were unacceptable. In addition, their total number in accordance with the final act Helsinki Agreement dated July 10, 1992 should not exceed 100,000 military personnel.
In this regard, in 1992-1996, over 250 military units that came under the jurisdiction of Belarus ceased to exist or were seriously reformed, and the number of military personnel decreased threefold and in 1997 stabilized at around 83 thousand people.
At the same time, the arsenal of military equipment and weapons was significantly reduced. This reduction was implemented by the beginning of 1996.
By this time, the process of structural reform of the army had largely been completed: combined arms and tank armies were transformed into army corps, motorized rifle and tank divisions- into separate mechanized brigades, and some them into the database storage of weapons and equipment, an airborne division and a separate airborne brigade - in the Mobile Forces, consisting of three mobile teams, air divisions and regiments - to air bases.
Since December 2001, the Armed Forces have transitioned to a two-service structure - Ground Forces and Air Force and air defense troops.
The command of the Ground Forces, in addition to the tasks of maintaining the required level of combat readiness and combat capability of its subordinate formations and units, is also entrusted with the function of leading the preparation and conduct of territorial defense. The location of the command of the Ground Forces was the city of Bobruisk.
The Western and Northwestern operational commands were created on the basis of the 28th and 65th Army Corps. By 2005, the total strength of the Armed Forces was 65 thousand people (50 thousand military personnel and 15 thousand civilian personnel).
Currently, the staffing of the Armed Forces with sergeants and soldiers conscript service carried out mainly on a territorial basis.
Since 1995, contract service has been practiced in the Belarusian army in the positions of privates and sergeants.
The problem of training military personnel has been resolved in the Belarusian army. Created in 1995 in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus on the basis of the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile and Minsk Higher Military Command Schools Military Academy trains officers for almost all branches of the Armed Forces and branches of the military. The main military university of the country is based on 10 faculties.
Along with this, Belarusian officers and cadets have the opportunity to receive education at higher military educational institutions Russian Federation. Mostly, military personnel of scarce specialties are trained there, the training of which is not carried out in Belarus.
To replenish formations and units with specialists and lower-level commanders, the Armed Forces have a wide network of training units.
The Minsk Suvorov Military School received the status of a state secondary specialized educational institution with a military-professional direction of training and education of young men in 1995. This educational institution its original purpose has been returned - first of all, children of fallen servicemen, orphans, children from large and low-income families. Adolescents who have completed the 5th and 6th grades of secondary school have the right to enter the school.
Not easy international situation demanded at the end of the twentieth century the creation of a fairly effective security system based on a political, economic and military alliance with the Russian Federation.
Declaring a purely defensive character Military doctrine, The Republic of Belarus proceeds from the fact that none of the states is currently a potential enemy for it.
official website of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus http://www.mod.mil.by/
Landing units and formations
In the early 90s of the last century, the military and political leadership of the country faced the difficult problem of preserving the 103rd Guards Airborne Division, the 38th Guards air assault brigade and 5th separate brigade special purpose, included in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, as well as rethinking the tasks that it is advisable for them to perform.
This was dictated by the proclamation by the Republic of Belarus of a Military Doctrine that is purely defensive in nature.
The reform of the country's Armed Forces that followed this did not bypass the airborne units.
In September 1995, mobile forces consisting of the 38th, 317th and 350th separate mobile brigades were formed on the basis of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division and the 38th Guards Air Assault Brigade. On the basis of the last two, a formation was formed in 2002, which was given the name 103rd Guards Order of Lenin, Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov, II degree, separate mobile brigade.
Mobile forces were a branch of the Ground Forces intended to cover the strategic deployment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, disrupt special operations the enemy and performing other suddenly emerging tasks.
The process of understanding the role of newly created formations in the Armed Forces system has passed a difficult path. Initially, in the mid-90s of the 20th century, these formations were planned to be used similarly to combined arms. During the exercises of those years, formations of mobile forces were most often used to conduct defensive and offensive actions and cover certain directions. Their main trump cards: speed, pressure and high maneuverability remained unclaimed.
However, during the same period, mobile force formations began to practice individual special operations tasks, mainly related to countering illegal armed groups and enemy airborne sabotage forces. Special reconnaissance units practiced conducting special operations in territory captured by the enemy. Further development The theory and practice of special actions received during the preparation and conduct of complex operational and operational-tactical exercises “Neman-2001”, “Berezina-2002”, “Clear Sky-2003”, “Shield of the Fatherland-2004”, “Shield of the Union-2006” , command and staff (tactical and special) exercises with the 38th Guards and 103rd Guards separate mobile brigades, the 5th separate special purpose brigade.
At the beginning of 2004, due to the further increase in the role of special operations forces in modern wars, a directorate of special operations forces of the General Staff of the Armed Forces was created, and fundamental changes were made to the organizational and staffing structure of mobile formations and units.
In 2005, during a bilateral command and staff exercise with troops of the Northwestern operational command a fairly wide range of combat use of special operations forces was developed.
The result of painstaking work was the further reform of mobile connections and their management system. The first step on this path was the reorganization of the command of mobile forces and formations, the direct subordination of mobile brigades General Staff Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the creation of a special operations forces department in the operational department.
To optimize the management of these formations, manage their combat and mobilization training, organize their construction and development, comprehensive support, coordinate actions during the implementation of assigned tasks, plan the activities of special operations forces, a command of special operations forces was created in August 2007 in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus .
Currently, the total number of special operations forces is about five thousand people. They are intended to perform reconnaissance, special and organizational tasks both on temporarily captured by the enemy and on their own territory. An equally important task is the fight against terrorism.
IN modern conditions mobile brigades, which form the basis of the special operations forces of the Armed Forces, are considered not as mechanized formations, but as special troops, capable of highly maneuverable, secretive and effective fighting specific (non-traditional) ways. They involve actions by small units combined with active reconnaissance, effective use available weapons, equipment, engineering ammunition, secrecy of actions.
One of the features of the training of special operations forces (SSO) units of the Armed Forces is the mixed system of their recruitment - conscript and contract service. This allows us to prepare a trained reserve to complete units to wartime levels and to replenish units when combat capability is restored.
The training of special operations forces units today is carried out directly at the training and material base of formations and military units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces.
By the end of 2010, on the basis of the training ground of the 103rd Guards separate mobile brigade "Losvido" it is planned to create training center training of special operations forces. This center will provide activities to improve special training MTR of the Armed Forces.
The Belarusian special forces plan to widely use standard armored vehicles and heavy weapons when conducting special operations.
That is why mobile formations and military units in Belarus are also called “heavy special forces.”
The composition, structure and strength of individual mobile brigades are almost the same type, with the exception of the military equipment of individual mobile battalions.
The 38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade is armed with BTR-80 armored personnel carriers, and the 103rd Guards Separate Mobile Brigade is armed with BTR-80 armored personnel carriers. combat vehicles BMD-1 landing force.
IN organizational structure Formations and military units of special operations forces provide for almost all issues on which the implementation of a combat mission may depend, while the emphasis is placed specifically on mobility (reducing “carts”), long-term autonomy of the actions of units and subunits without reducing their combat effectiveness.
In addition, the main units are in a state of readiness and are able to carry out combat missions without additional staffing personnel and equipment in the peacetime state.
In the training of special forces units of the Armed Forces, joint training activities with other troops and military formations of other power structures of the military organization of the state are widely used.
At the same time, during the training of MTR units, experience is widely studied and taken into account combat use Armed forces of the Russian Federation and special operations forces of foreign states in modern military conflicts. The content of training for military personnel of the MTR of the Armed Forces is as close as possible to real conditions modern warfare. MTR units are constantly ready to carry out unexpected tasks, in close cooperation with other law enforcement agencies and local administrative and executive bodies.
Currently, a coherent system of views on the conduct of special operations and the use of special operations forces of the Armed Forces has emerged, although theoretical and practical developments in this area of military art continue.
Based on an analysis of trends in the development of the armed forces of foreign states, the experience of conducting military conflicts of the last decade and conducted exercises, it was determined that the special operations forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus are intended to perform various tasks special methods and methods in order to prevent the escalation or cessation of the armed conflict against the Republic of Belarus on the part of any aggressor and act as one of the main elements of strategic deterrence.
What are they, the Special Operations Forces of 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 fighters' habitats. 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.
August 2 marks the 85th anniversary of its creation Airborne troops, whose successors in our country were special operations forces. Our freelance correspondent met with the commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus, Major General Vadim DENISENKO (pictured)
— Comrade Major General, in Belarus the air force landing troops transformed into a new type of military - special operations forces. What is the fundamental difference?
— With the development of weapons and military equipment, views on the conduct of armed struggle, as well as on the use of airborne forces, have also transformed. Therefore, it was decided to create in our country, on the basis of units of the Airborne Forces, a separate branch of the Armed Forces - special operations forces.
Home distinctive feature MTR is what they are in constant readiness for use both peacefully and in war time and are intended to solve special problems in the interests of achieving political, military, economic and psychological goals aimed at preventing escalation or ending the military conflict in relation to the Republic of Belarus. Military units and units of the Special Operations Forces are entrusted with the following tasks: conducting counter-sabotage, reconnaissance and combat operations and carrying out special measures. Also, units of special operations forces are involved in the fight against terrorism, carrying out measures to strengthen the security regime state border and maintaining law and order together with the personnel of the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
— When creating special operations forces, was it studied? Foreign experience?
- Of course, but we should not forget that Belarusian forces special operations were not created out of nowhere. We had a shock component - well-trained airborne brigades. We strengthened these mobile formations with a reconnaissance component - a special forces brigade. Both components were united under a single command - in general, they made the optimal decision for a country with a small territory and a compact mobile Armed Forces.
I must say that today our experience is being carefully studied by other countries.
— And when did you realize that you were on the right path?
— In 2004, while working out the tactics of action, we understood that mobile brigades were mobile, capable of making long marches in any conditions, could be airlifted and deliver serious blows. We took all this into account. A special forces group, capable of operating in any conditions, found the object, and soon a mobile unit arrived at the designated point. The commander of the special forces group, together with the commander of the mobile unit, clarified the decision and carried out the destruction of the object. Next year we were already confident that we were moving in the right direction. Our tactics were also tested during various large-scale exercises of the Belarusian Armed Forces.
- Are we not revealing all the secrets of special operations forces in this way?
“This is the tactics of any professional unit in the world. As for the secrets of mastery, believe me, professionals are very reluctant to share them. And we are no exception here. So we’ll leave the secrets of mastery outside of this interview.
— BTR-80 armored personnel carriers replaced the airborne combat vehicles in the mobile brigades. Also to match the modern look?
“We proceeded from the fact that our units must be very mobile: move at any time and on any roads. And the BTR-80 allows you to do this. They contribute to the successful completion of the tasks facing us. “Wheels” look preferable in our conditions. Special operations forces artillery is also on wheels. Today we are already considering the BTR-82 armored personnel carrier, which has greater firepower, for rearmament. In particular, the 30-mm automatic cannon will replace the large-caliber 14.5-mm KPVT machine gun.
— Since we touched upon the issues of equipping the MTR with modern weapons and military equipment, tell us how seriously it has changed in Lately?
— Tests of the Fox armored vehicle have recently been completed. We decided what changes should be made to its design in order for the car to meet our requirements for it: what combat module to install, how to arrange the seats, loopholes... All this was taken into account in the technical specifications submitted to the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant. First of all, the Foxes will be delivered to mobile battalions in vehicles. This year, the latest ORSIS-T5000M sniper rifles, capable of hitting targets at ranges of up to 1,500 meters, were adopted. They became a good addition to the modern ones that have proven themselves well among the troops. sniper rifles VSK-94, OSV-96, MTs-116M.
The troops received high-precision powerful ammunition with an expansive bullet (338 caliber LAPUA MAGNUM), which penetrates all existing means of armor protection (body armor, helmets of the highest protection classes).
Our military personnel are provided with the most modern means observation and aiming of domestic production: day-night sights DNS-1, night sights NV/S-18, night monocular NV/M-19, laser target designator LAD-21T, collimator sight PC-01BC.
Special operations forces are also supplied with very decent personal armor protection equipment. In particular, the “Skat” protective helmet, which provides protection against a bullet from a Makarov pistol at a distance of one meter, and the “Voron” body armor, which can protect against a bullet from an SVD at a distance of ten meters.
Work is underway to ensure and adopt other new technologies optical sights, ammunition, small arms, tactical and shooting glasses, RPG-32 “Hashim” grenade launchers.
Our units are provided with reliable communications. Based on the Bogatyr vehicle, a modern command and staff vehicle has been developed (a means of communication for the SOF commander and brigade commanders).
Modern models of weapons and military equipment enter the troops and are mastered during combat training. Significantly increased the mobility of payments anti-aircraft installations ZU-23-2 is a modernization of this weapon, which is located today along with ammunition on the basis of the Ural-43202 vehicle. In the next two months we plan to supply them to the 38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade.
Uniforms and equipment of special operations forces personnel are being improved.
We recently received new ATVs that have been tested by the Armed Forces. In the future they will be adopted. I must say this is quite efficient technique when performing tasks in forest areas, in wetlands, on rough terrain... This was confirmed by the exercises that took place in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan as part of testing the collective rapid reaction forces of the CSTO.
— Military personnel of the 103rd Guards Separate Mobile Brigade are constant participants in such exercises. How important are they to us?
- First of all, this is receiving invaluable experience. We have a lot to learn from Russians, Kazakhs, and Tajiks. We always learn something new in these exercises. And, of course, we learn to interact.
Many other teachings are also carried out with great benefit. For example, the joint Belarusian-Chinese anti-terrorism exercise (training) “Swift Eagle”. Not long ago, another such exercise (the third in a row) ended on the basis of the 38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade.
But the closest interaction has been established with Russian colleagues. The latest joint exercise was a battalion-tactical exercise held in the 38th brigade, in which a company of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division took part. Our military personnel also showed themselves worthy during the humanitarian search and rescue operation at the North Pole, where they had to carry out tasks in difficult climatic conditions. Those who distinguished themselves are presented with state awards. Trial North Pole withstood both modern uniforms and equipment of special operations forces personnel. Many of our new products were received with interest by Russians. For example, cargo containers with which our military personnel jumped with a parachute.
— Comrade Major General, what other successes do you remember in the anniversary year?
— In the first half of the year, the command of special operations forces, as well as units of the 38th and 103rd Guards separate mobile brigades, successfully passed the inspection of the Ministry of Defense. The MTR team distinguished itself at international competitions in best group special forces, held in Kazakhstan, where she took a prize. Our military personnel won the competition for the best special-purpose sniper pair of the Armed Forces, in which representatives from all law enforcement agencies of our country and teams from Russia and Kazakhstan participated.
The MTR team won the Armed Forces championship in army hand-to-hand combat. The next tests for the right to award the “Valor and Mastery” badge also showed the increased level of training of our military personnel.
The bilateral battalion battles were interesting. tactical exercises. A very useful event was the joint diving training camp held in Ryazan. During the meeting, much attention was paid to the study of new diving equipment that is being supplied to the Russian Armed Forces today.
This year, 11 of our military personnel mastered the most modern parachute systems"Crossbow". They were trained at the center of special Airborne Forces training Russia.
Of course, on May 9, a significant event was the participation of military personnel of the 5th separate special forces brigade in the parade held on Red Square in Moscow. They adequately represented the Belarusian Armed Forces there.
One more important event was the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the 334th separate special forces detachment, held on the basis of the 5th separate special forces brigade.
It’s nice that the successes of special operations forces do not go unnoticed, including at the highest level. Only in this year Head of State for exemplary performance official duties Colonel Vladimir Bely and Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Smekhovich were awarded the Orders “For Service to the Motherland”, III degree. Last year, these high awards were awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Sukhovilo and Major Alexey Khuzyakhmetov.
- At all times, service in the “windswept troops” was prestigious. How popular is Special Operations Forces today? Is it in demand among young people?
“We have no shortage of people willing to serve in special operations forces.
As for the training of officers for our branch of the military, it is carried out at the faculty military intelligence Military Academy of the Republic of Belarus, as well as at the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Training is conducted in two specialties: “Use of mobile units” and “Use of special-purpose units.”
The demand for the profession of a special operations forces officer is evidenced by the annual competition for admission to special forces specialties. This year it amounted to more than two people per place, and for the specialty “Use of Special Purpose Units” - more than three people per place.
Serving in the special operations forces is truly prestigious. We are glad to see in our ranks those who have a craving for romance, a desire to see something new, learn a lot and strengthen their character.
CHRONICLEOn August 2, 1930, during an exercise near Voronezh, the drop of a group of armed paratroopers was demonstrated. The landing party consisted of twelve people, who were divided into two groups of six paratroopers. The paratroopers were supposed to drop weapons and ammunition from aircraft using special cargo parachutes.
After the successful landing of a group of paratroopers, armed with rifles, light machine guns and grenades, were ready to carry out combat missions.
PROSPECTS
The main directions of construction and development of special operations forces of the Armed Forces:
— development and testing of new ways of performing tasks;
— optimization of the organizational structure of formations and military units in accordance with the tasks being solved, as well as taking into account changes in the forms and methods of military confrontation;
— modernization of existing models of weapons, military and special equipment and equipping with new models of both domestic and foreign production;
— improving the quality of training of specialists for special operations forces;
— improvement of military camps and creation of living conditions for military personnel that meet modern requirements.
Interviewed by Alexander MAKAROV
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, and combat training in the event of a military threat.
IN Peaceful time 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, and cross-country. Great importance is attached to shooting from different types weapons, as well as tactical and special training for actions in various situations.
It is worth noting that most ordinary soldiers are in the brigade for a year or a year and a half. This is the normal length of military service.
It was Pavlichenko who figured in the cases of Zakharenko and Gonchar - while those cases were being investigated by the KGB. In 2000, Lukashenko dismissed KGB Chairman Matskevich and Prosecutor General Bazhelko, and everything fell into place.
Minsk Special Purpose Police Regiment
The regiment was formed in the fall of 2005, shortly before the presidential elections. PMSN was created on the basis of riot police, and was headed by Yuri Podobed. As the then head of the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of the Minsk City Executive Committee, Anatoly Kuleshov (today’s Minister of Internal Affairs), explained, the main objective The creation of the regiment was to protect public order during various mass actions.
According to him, the fighters of this unit must be prepared for disasters, catastrophes, natural and man-made accidents. Kuleshov said the third reason was that the creation of the regiment would give other police officers the opportunity to perform their immediate duties. Members of the regiment wear a black uniform. It was they who mainly participated in the dispersal of street protests, including on Oktyabrskaya Square.
PMSN was created at the personal request of Yuri Podobed, who complained that the number of events that needed security was constantly growing in the country. The staff was also greatly increased.
Now PMSN is managed by Alexander Lukomsky. He graduated from the Leningrad Higher Political School 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 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.
During Soviet times, fighters reached a level of training that corresponded to the Vympel detachment of the KGB of the USSR. Soldiers from Maryina Gorka took an active part in the Afghan conflict. Two years after their withdrawal from there, the paratroopers from Maryina Gorka again found themselves at war. Almost the entire brigade (805 people) under the command of Colonel Bearded was in Armenia.
On December 31, 1992, former Soviet special forces soldiers swore allegiance to Belarus. The main areas of training for today's fighters in the unit are sabotage and reconnaissance. Scouts are taught to overcome swamps, water obstacles, and forests. For this purpose, exercises are often held in forests. They spend ten days in an unknown area.
In Maryina Gorka they believe that their unit is the most elite in the country. You can feel the unofficial competition and confrontation between the special forces from Uruchye and Maryina Gorka. Both there and there believe that their part is the best.
In 1996 former manager units in Maryina Gorka, Colonel Beard came out on the side of the Constitution, against Lukashenko.
"Diamond"
In fact, 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, the neutralization of explosives. Almazovites once detained murder suspects in Minsk Russian journalist Paula Khlebnikov.
“Almazovets” must train at least three times a week. These are not only sports exercises, fighters also go to barriers, manholes, and stairs in full equipment.
Mostly, Almaz recruits officers from similar units of the Ministry of Defense, police special forces, the security service of the head of state, and border troops. As a rule, these are people who have served for at least five years and have already participated in special operations. Women also serve in Almaz - negotiators and snipers.
It was Almaz employees who beat presidential candidate Alexander Kazulin on March 2, 2006. This year, fighters from the same detachment detained Mikalai Autukhovich and his associates. It was the former Almazovites who were convicted in the case of the disappearance of TV cameraman Dmitry Zavadsky.
"Almaz" is headed by Colonel Nikolai Karpenkov. He was still in Berkut when from 1992 to 1994. was the commander of the unit's combat group. In 2003, Karpenkov returned to Almaz as a commander.
"Alpha"
The Alpha group under the USSR State Security Committee was created back in 1974. In March 1990, the then chief security officer of the Union, Kryuchkov, signed a decree on the additional introduction of the Alpha group with a deployment in Minsk. Among the goals of creating the group were the localization and prevention of terrorist and extremist acts, especially dangerous criminal manifestations that threaten the security of the country. Initially, the group also operated in the Baltic countries.
It is interesting that until January 1992, Alpha was directly subordinate to the main directorate under the President of the USSR. Only then did it join the structure of the Belarusian KGB. Alpha fighters provide physical defense and security for the Belarusian leadership and distinguished foreign guests. The new responsibilities also included the fight against the illegal export of valuable metals, material and historical assets outside the country.
When creating Alpha, preference was given to Afghan officers, military personnel, and professional athletes. Now higher education and military service is compulsory for candidates. Attention is also given to the ability to 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.
Sergei Naumchik, a deputy of the Supreme Council of the 12th convocation from the Belarusian Popular Front, claims in his memoirs that it was Alpha employees who beat up opposition deputies who went on a hunger strike in the oval hall.
For some time there were rumors that Alpha fighters received military experience in Chechnya, but the group's leadership stubbornly denies this. The head of the Alpha group is Colonel Nikolai Ivinsky.
Border Special Forces
Border guards also have their own special forces. This is the Separate Active Measures Service, perhaps the most closed and little-known special unit.
OSAM appeared after the collapse Soviet Union, in 1993. The first boss was Gennady Nevyglas.
First of all, the creation of the special unit was explained by the fight against illegal migration. Mostly citizens from Asian countries to Europe. This was precisely the first task.
Later, new ones appeared - the fight against economic crime and drug trafficking, countering transit terrorism and human trafficking.
Testing a future Osama citizen lasts from a year to two. During this time, the service record of the fighter and all close and distant relatives is checked with special attention. Average age officers for 33 years. On the uniform chevron of an OSAM fighter there are two crossed balls and a wind rose against the background of the country’s outline.
At one time, OSAM was headed by the current chairman of the Border Committee, Igor Rachkovsky. And Lukashenko’s eldest sons, Viktor and Dmitry, served in the special forces.