Special forces brigades. GRU special forces: history, structure, main tasks

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(12th Regiment ) - military formation of the USSR Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Forming part

On October 24, 1950, in accordance with Directive of the USSR Military Ministry No. Org/2/395832, the Transcaucasian Military District was formed 85th separate special forces company (85th Orspn or military unit 71126) in Yerevan, subordinate to the headquarters of the 7th Army and 86th separate special forces company (86th Orspn or military unit 61428) in Baku, subordinate to the headquarters of the 4th Army. Each company consisted of 120 personnel.

On August 9, 1957, a directive from the Chief of the General Staff OSH/1/244878 was issued on the consolidation separate special purpose companies to separate special forces battalions. According to this directive, based on 85th And 86th Orspn was created (43rd Regiment or military unit 32105) with a personnel of 376 people.

The settlement was chosen as the location for the deployment of the 43rd Regiment Regiment. Manglisi in the Tetritskaro region of the Georgian SSR.

In connection with the decision of the military leadership to consolidate special forces units and increase the number of their personnel, on July 19, 1962, directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces No. 12th Special Forces Brigade (12th brspn) by peacetime states. The city of Lagodekhi, Georgian SSR, located on the highway connecting Baku and Tbilisi, was chosen as the location for the new brigade. Military personnel from separate special forces battalions from different districts were recruited to form the brigade. The creation of the brigade began on September 17, 1962 and ended by March 1, 1963. The brigade received the designation military unit 64406. At the same time, the personnel of the cropped 12th brigade were inferior in number to the personnel 43rd separate special forces battalion, stationed in the village. Manglisi.

In the fall of 1963, he was redeployed to Lagodekhi from Manglisi. 43rd separate special forces battalion, which was soon disbanded and its servicemen were included in the personnel of the 12th Brspn.

Formation and development of the brigade

Since 1964, the brigade personnel began airborne training and parachute jumps from An-2 and An-12 aircraft.

On December 26, 1964, in accordance with the order of the USSR Minister of Defense No. 029, the commander of the Transcaucasian Military District, Army General Stutchenko, presented the brigade commander with a battle flag.

In 1970, the brigade personnel were awarded the Certificate of Honor of the CPSU Central Committee for their achievements in combat and political training.

In 1972, the brigade was awarded the Anniversary Honorary Badge of the CPSU Central Committee.

In February 1973, the brigade was involved in the Snow Pass military exercises.

From June 14 to June 20, 1973, military personnel of the brigade were involved in bilateral military exercises conducted by the USSR Minister of Defense.

In 1973, the brigade was awarded a Certificate of Honor from the USSR Minister of Defense.

On April 3, 1978, by directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces No. 313/02/90, the brigade was given the status of “separate”, and therefore the full name of the unit became 12th separate special forces brigade .

Due to the deterioration of the political situation in Afghanistan after the change of power, during which the legitimate President Taraki was killed by his associate Hafizullah Amin, the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces adopted directives to create a separate special forces unit for operations in the territory of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. This detachment was supposed to be combined battalion 6 company composition.

It was decided to create one detachment on the basis of the 22nd separate special forces brigade ( 22nd Regiment) SAVO. Second on base 12th Regiment ZakVO.

Due to the fact that the personnel of these detachments were recruited mainly from military personnel nominally professing Islam, the name Muslim battalions was assigned to these detachments.

173rd separate special forces detachment (173rd special forces unit or military unit 94029) was created on the basis of General Staff Directive No. 314/2/0061 of January 9, 1980 on the basis of the 12th separate special forces brigade. The formation of the detachment was completed by February 29, 1980.

Unlike the previous two detachments, whose military personnel were the peoples of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, 173rd special forces unit (3rd Muslim Battalion) was staffed primarily by military personnel from the indigenous nationalities of the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, nominally Muslim.

As of September 24, 1982, there were 485 personnel in the 12th separate special forces brigade and 498 in the 173rd separate special forces brigade.

Another difference between the “3rd Muslim Battalion” is that it was not introduced into Afghanistan with its original composition. The detachment's combat training lasted 4 years until February 10, 1984, when it was prepared for deployment to Afghanistan. By this time, due to the rotation of personnel, the detachment no longer corresponded to its original conventional name.

Upon entry into Afghanistan in April 1984, the 173rd special forces unit was given a zone of responsibility in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand, where the detachment’s combat mission was assigned to the liquidation of caravans that supplied the opposition with weapons and ammunition.

Composition of the brigade in the late 80s

Composition of the 12th separate special forces brigade at the end of the 80s (all units of the brigade were stationed in Lagodekhi):

• Brigade management - military unit 64406 and units attached to it:

• special radio communications unit;
• mining company;
• logistics company;
• commandant's platoon.

• 33rd separate special forces detachment;
• 220th separate special forces detachment;
• 236th separate special forces detachment;
• 337th separate special forces detachment;
• 374th separate special forces detachment.

Brigade before the collapse of the USSR

After the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the 173rd separate special forces detachment remained part of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, which, in connection with the upcoming liquidation of the Central Asian Military District, as well as in connection with the growing aggravation of the political situation in Transcaucasia, was transferred to the village. p. Perekishkul, 25 km from Baku, Azerbaijan SSR. Thus, in the Transcaucasian Military District in 1988, there were two special purpose brigades at once: the 22nd brigade in the vicinity of Baku and the 12th brigade in Lagodekhi.

In November-December 1988, the 12th Regional Regiment was involved in restoring constitutional order in the city of Zakatala, Azerbaijan SSR.

During 1989, units of the 12th Regional Brigade were involved in the search and destruction of illegal training centers for training illegal armed groups in the area of ​​​​the cities of Kirovakan, Leninakan, Pambak.

In April 1989, brigade personnel were involved in preventing interethnic clashes in the South Ossetian Autonomous Region of the Georgian SSR.

For exemplary performance of military duty, more than 150 servicemen of the brigade were presented with government awards.

During the entire period of its presence as part of the Transcaucasian Military District, the brigade was awarded the Challenge Red Banner of the Military Council of this district 16 times.

Unit in the Russian Armed Forces

Brigade redeployment

Participation of the 12th Special Forces Brigade in combat operations

First Chechen War

At the beginning of January 1995, based on 33rd Special Forces Detachment (33rd special unit) The 12th Regiment was formed into a consolidated detachment, which included military personnel from the entire brigade. The detachment took part in hostilities on the territory of Chechnya. The detachment on military transport aircraft was transferred to Mozdok in North Ossetia, where it received armored personnel carriers with crews from motorized rifle units and moved to Grozny and reached it by January 14.

Together with units of the 19th Motorized Rifle Division of the 33rd Separate Division, he took part in the liberation of Grozny from militants.

In March-April 1995, the 33rd special forces unit took part in the battles to liberate the city of Gudermes.

In April 1995, the 33rd special forces unit was withdrawn from Chechnya and returned to its permanent deployment point.

In total, over three months of hostilities, the losses of the 33rd special forces unit amounted to 7 people killed.

Second Chechen War

Since August 14, 1999, a combined detachment from the 12th Special Forces Regiment, also created on the basis of the 33rd separate special forces detachment, was involved in combat operations against gangs invading the territory of Dagestan.

Particularly fierce clashes with the enemy among the military personnel of the 33rd Separate Division took place near the settlement. Botlikh Botlikh district. 5 servicemen were killed and 17 were wounded in the battles. For the successful completion of combat missions, 120 servicemen of the detachment were awarded government awards.

Since April 1, 2000, the 33rd special forces unit took part in hostilities in the vicinity of the village. Engenoy Nozhai-Yurtovsky district of Chechnya.

In total, in 2000, the losses of the 33rd special forces unit amounted to 7 people killed and 29 wounded. In 2001, losses were 13 killed and 14 wounded.

By 2002, the 33rd detachment was returned to its permanent deployment point.

Participation in international exercises

In August 2004, military personnel of the 12th Regiment Regiment participated in the international exercise “Rubezh-2000” on the territory of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

From April 4 to April 6, 2005, personnel of the 12th brigade (337th detachment) took part in the international exercise “Rubezh-2005” in the Republic of Tajikistan

Brigade composition for 2009

Composition of the 12th separate special forces brigade before disbandment (all units and military units were stationed in Asbest):

• Brigade management - military unit 25642 and units attached to it

• special radio communications unit
• logistics company
• commandant company

• 33rd special unit - military unit 54843
• 220th OOSP - n/a
• 337th special forces unit - n/a
• 374th special forces unit - n/a

Disbandment of the brigade

In December 2008, the military leadership announced information about the upcoming reform of GRU special intelligence units and formations. According to the reform plan, the 12th and 67th separate special-purpose brigades were to be disbanded, and the 3rd separate guards special-purpose brigade was to be reduced.

All planned reforms by the military leadership were associated with the policy of reforming the Armed Forces, launched by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation A.E. Serdyukov.

The governor of the Sverdlovsk region, Eduard Rossel, who learned about the command’s plans, made the following statement:

There is already a decision by the Ministry of Defense to create a rapid reaction regiment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the site of the 12th special forces brigade in Asbest. I suggested using this place to house this regiment...

On August 29, 2009, the personnel of the 12th separate special forces brigade said goodbye to the unit’s Battle Banner.

Heroes of the Connection

5 servicemen of the 12th separate special forces brigade who participated in the first and second Chechen war were awarded the title Hero of Russia:

Dolonin Vladislav Aleksandrovich - senior lieutenant, commander of the reconnaissance group of the 33rd separate special forces detachment. The title was awarded on October 13, 1995 (posthumously).

Shektaev Dmitry Aleksandrovich - junior sergeant, reconnaissance sniper of the 33rd separate special forces detachment. The title was awarded on July 26, 2000 (posthumously).

Churkin Mikhail Konstantinovich - captain, commander of the reconnaissance group of the 33rd separate special forces detachment. The title was awarded on July 26, 2000 (posthumously).

Kokinaev Shamil Zhalilovich - major, deputy commander of the 33rd separate special forces detachment. The title was awarded on July 27, 2000.

Stationed today in the Rostov region, the 22nd Guards Special Purpose Brigade was formed as part of the Central Asian Military District in the Kazakh city of Kapchagai. A new military district was also created in 1976 by dividing into Turkestan and, in fact, Central Asian. The 15th GRU Special Forces Brigade was transferred to the jurisdiction of the TurkVO; it was necessary to create a new special forces unit. Over the 14 years that have passed since the formation of the Special Forces troops, such formations have proven themselves so well that the need to have at least one special forces brigade as part of the military district was undeniable. The wide range and degree of complexity of the tasks performed by the GRU special forces made the corresponding units the necessary army elite. Voentorg "Voenpro" reminds you that in our store a whole section is dedicated to the GRU Special Forces troops, for example, you can see the famous bat.

The formation of brigade number 22 of the GRU Special Forces was completed by July 24, 1976 - today is celebrated as “Brigade Day”. The location of the 22nd special forces brigade was chosen to be a military town that had previously housed an anti-aircraft missile unit; the arrangement of the unit was entrusted to the shoulders of the first brigade commander I.K. Frost. To form the unit, a special forces detachment was allocated from the 15th Special Forces Brigade of the GRU General Staff and specialists in special radio communications; V.A. was responsible for preparing the replenishment. Warriors, whose contribution to the creation of 22 OBRSpN is difficult to overestimate. The well-known article by retired Colonel Boris Kerimbaev, “The Kapchagai Battalion,” describes the training of soldiers of the 22nd separate GRU special forces brigade at the initial stage. Among other things, he writes that in January 1980, the infrastructure of the unit was not sufficiently developed - the soldiers of the 22nd special forces brigade lived in tents, but even this was perceived as a plus: the only way to keep warm was incessant exercise. Parachute jumping was carried out in the unit from the very beginning, moreover, despite the fact that there was only one parachute company in the 22 OBRSpN, absolutely everyone underwent training - the symbolism of the Airborne Forces is no coincidence. The special forces brigade in Kapchagai quickly began to be perceived as one of the best in the district and the country.

Military intelligence units have always been the elite of the Russian armed forces. The formation of Soviet military intelligence after the October Revolution is primarily due to N.M. Potapov, it was under his leadership that after the October Revolution the system began to be restored and developed, which subsequently turned into the structure of the Intelligence Department, and then the GRU of the General Staff. Military intelligence is an integral part of the armed forces system, the importance of which is difficult to overestimate. Of course, our military store has created a special section where you can purchase a variety of goods with military intelligence symbols. The most valuable in the “Military Intelligence” section are, perhaps, the military intelligence flags. First of all, I would like to highlight the official one. This banner is familiar to all military intelligence officers; the 22nd separate special forces brigade, which is discussed in this article, is no exception. Former or current military intelligence officers or those simply interested can buy this military intelligence flag in the Voentorg Voenpro online store today; all you need to do is go through a simple ordering procedure and wait for delivery.

The overthrow of the Amin regime in the Republic of Afghanistan in December 1979 was organized not only by local rebels, but primarily by special forces of the KGB of the USSR with the participation of 22 OBRSpN. The GRU army special forces detachment from Kapchagai was formed on a national basis and played a decisive role in the success of the operation - this became the impetus for the creation of 173 special forces in the Trans-Kyrgyz Military District (later included in the 22nd Guards Special Forces Brigade) and 177 special forces (as part of 22 ObrSpN) in the Central Asian military district in order to perform special tasks in the territories of Asian countries. At the initial stage of the war in Afghanistan, only the 177th “Muslim” detachment of the 22nd GRU special forces brigade took part in the fighting. The fighters of the “Kapchagay battalion” arrived in the DRA in October 1981 in complete secrecy, and by November 2 they found themselves at the place of deployment in the village of Meymene. Since 1982, 177 special forces of the GRU have been redeployed to the Panjer Gorge, from where shortly before this a large detachment of Ahmed Shah Masud was driven out; the latter swore on the Koran to recapture this territory within a month. For the Soviet command, holding on here was a matter of principle - only one special forces battalion (!!), 177 special forces, was allocated to solve the problem. Let us clarify that Massoud’s forces were driven out of the gorge by a 10,000-strong group of Soviet troops from the gorge with heavy fighting and huge losses - the “mad detachment” was sent to certain death. The Kapchagay battalion even exceeded its task; the Panjera Gorge was under the flag of the 22nd OBRSpN for eight months instead of one. This cost several lives; the gorge was abandoned after the conclusion of another truce with Ahmed Shah Masud. The 177th OOSpN became the first unit to receive the battle banner on the territory of the DRA - this happened in 1983, at the same time the 177th detachment of the 22nd OBRSpN was awarded the Order for military merit. Later, the 177th Special Forces was renamed the Ghazni battalion and was one of the last to leave Afghanistan.

Military intelligence and special forces units of the GRU in Afghanistan have somewhat “non-core” tasks of protecting strategically important objects or storming enemy fortifications. Needless to say, soon Soviet military intelligence officers got used to the new mode of operation and terrified the enemy in absolutely any role. Truly, “Caution, intelligence” - this is exactly the warning you can see on the group of products of our military trade from the “military intelligence” section. In order to buy, or just this one, just follow the link and place an order in the standard way.

By 1985, the situation in Afghanistan had changed - it was decided to use military intelligence special forces on a larger scale. In April 1985, the headquarters of the 22 OBRSpN, headed by a commander, and three special forces detachments (173 ooSpN, 186 ooSpN, 370 ooSpN) were relocated to the territory of the DRA. Already in October, 411 ooSpN were formed, which also became part of 22 OBrSpN. In the photo below you can see soldiers of the 22nd separate special forces brigade (186 ooSpN) with the first captured Stingers. 173 ooSpN was stationed in Kandahar, and was now flying over the city of Farahrud. As already mentioned, initially the 173rd special forces unit was not part of the 22nd special forces brigade; this officially happened only after the withdrawal of troops from Southern Afghanistan, which the 173th special forces unit was the last to leave.

The area of ​​responsibility of the 22nd GRU special forces brigade became the southern part of Afghanistan, an area characterized by the greatest activity and training of mujahideen detachments. The headquarters of the 22nd OBRSpN was engaged in organizing reconnaissance, sabotage and other special operations, coordinating work with helicopter units. In 1987, the 295th separate helicopter squadron was transferred to the 22nd Special Forces Brigade, which also increased the efficiency of the 22nd GRU Special Forces Brigade. During the period of hostilities, the brigade bore the title of 2nd Omsbr (separate motorized rifle brigade) - the actions of special forces units in Afghanistan are still largely classified today. The successful operations of the 22nd GRU Special Operations Brigade to destroy caravans with weapons and fortified areas of the Mujahideen, to capture advisers from the USA, France, and Germany are known; it has already been mentioned that the first captured Stingers were the merit of the special forces of the 22nd brigade. The capture of the Stinger MANPADS with documentation and a supply contract by the 22 OBRSpN is a separate story; this operation became proof of the participation of US forces in the war. In 1987, the 22nd GRU special forces brigade was awarded the pennant of the Minister of Defense “For Courage and Valor”; it is still kept on the territory of military unit 11659 and is used in holiday parades.

It is quite difficult to count how many awards the GRU special forces units received during the Afghan war, not only those who fought under, but also soldiers of friendly units. It is generally impossible to calculate the number of awards deserved but not received - in our country it has always been difficult with recognition, especially by contemporaries. One thing is obvious, special forces soldiers - yesterday, present or future - can be proud of having been or will be in the ranks of special forces. Our military engineer helps us not to forget about our military exploits and to be proud of our colleagues or simply compatriots, not only in wartime, but also in everyday life. Among the products in the “GRU special forces” section there are several types of T-shirts with the words Spetsnaz and corresponding symbols. Black or white and GRU special forces are available in all sizes. Anyone can do it, just follow the link and follow the instructions.

During the Afghan War, 3,196 soldiers of the 22nd Guards OBRSpN were awarded orders and medals, four were awarded the title “Hero of the Soviet Union.” Private Valery Arsenov received the Hero's Star posthumously - the grenade launcher of 173 ooSpN was seriously wounded during one of the combat missions, but continued to fire, and at a critical moment he covered the commander with his body and died on the spot.

On October 31, 1987, a legendary battle took place near the village of Duri, as a result of which three more servicemen of the 22nd special forces brigade were awarded the title of Hero of the USSR (two - posthumously). A reconnaissance group under the command of Oleg Onishchuk, numbering 20 people with the call sign “Caspian”, moved to the site of the ambush on the Mujahideen caravan on October 28 and reached the place by the morning of the 30th. A convoy of three Mercedes full of weapons and ammunition was discovered and destroyed on the same day, but the group received orders to stay until the morning and wait for helicopters that would pick up the trophies and the soldiers of the 22 OBRSpN reconnaissance company. During the night, the militants concentrated several groups of about 200 people in the area of ​​the ambush of Oleg Onishchuk’s group. Our main forces were supposed to arrive at 6 am; a few minutes before the appointed time, a group under the command of Lieutenant Onischuk moved towards the vehicles, leaving 11 people at the ambush site. The inspection group under the command of Oleg Onishchuk (5 people) moved towards the car; by 6 am there were no “pinwheels” in the sky, but “spirits” began to appear from everywhere. The scouts of the 22nd separate special forces brigade were fifty meters from the vehicles, when heavy fire from the bandits pinned them to the ground, it was decided to retreat to the cover group. The retreat of his comrades remained to be covered by the future hero of the Soviet Union, machine gunner Yuri Islamov (pictured below).

The retreating four at that moment were attacked from the other flank; private 22 OBRSpN Igor Moskalenko opened fire from a machine gun and was soon killed by an enemy sniper. Meanwhile, Yuri Islamov ran out of ammunition, which, according to the testimony of his colleagues, caused a joyful cry from the attacking Mujahideen, who could not overcome the resistance of one person. However, the machine gunner still had grenades that flew towards the militants. When the soldier of the 22nd special forces brigade fell silent, opponents moved towards him with the goal of finishing off the Soviet special forces soldier who had so annoyed them, but Yuri Islamov was still alive, and he had one grenade left, with which he blew himself up and several approaching militants. The covering group of four people was also destroyed, senior lieutenant Oleg Onischuk, having shot all his ammunition, stood up to his full height, with a grenade and a knife in his hand, moved towards the advancing Mujahideen and took the last battle.

In order to destroy the remaining fighters of the 22nd OBRSpN, who were at the height, the bandits changed into the uniform of Soviet special forces, but the remaining fighters managed to repel another 12 attacks by the Mujahideen, killing two more soldiers of the 22nd special forces brigade. Reinforcements led by captain Yaroslav Goroshko arrived at 6:50. Here is what the commander of the 186 ooSpN company of the 22nd separate GRU special forces brigade himself writes about this: “My group and I were running around the takeoff at 5:30, hoping to find the launching helicopters. Then they rushed to wake up the pilots. It turns out that the command was not given to them. While they found Egorov, while they contacted Air Force headquarters and received permission to take off, while the helicopters were warming up, the time for departure had long passed. The combat MIs took off only at 6-40. And the evacuation MIs - 8 at 7-20. When my group landed, we rushed to look for Onischuk’s guys. They lay on the mountainside, a chain stretching from the Mercedes to the top. Oleg Onishchuk lay tortured, stabbed with bayonets, clutching a knife in his hand. They violated him, stuffing his mouth with a piece of his own bloody body. These bastards did the same thing to privates Misha Khrolenko and Oleg Ivanov.”

A group under the command of Captain Yaroslav Goroshko, also awarded the Hero Star, destroyed 18 militants, putting the rest to flight - by that time 8 soldiers of the 22nd separate GRU special forces brigade remained alive.

Even today you can hear different opinions about the death of Oleg Onishchuk’s group - they talk about a tragic coincidence of circumstances, the negligence of the authorities, and the excessive self-confidence of the scouts on the spot. One thing is indisputable: 12 scouts of the 22 OBRSpN died a brave death on the autumn morning of October 31, 1978. Here are the names of the heroes: Tair Jafarov, Oleg Ivanov, Yuri Islamov, Igor Moskalenko, Yashar Muradov, Marat Muradyan, Erkin Salahiev, Roman Sidorenko, Alexander Furman, Mikhail Khrolenko, Oleg Onischuk. Thanks in part to these people, the flag today is a banner that no one is ashamed to emulate.

The GRU special forces as a whole, not just the guys under, played the most significant role in the Afghan War, starting with the legendary operation to storm the palace and eliminate Amin. During the war, it was the special forces units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff who were entrusted with carrying out the most important and complex, sometimes practically impossible tasks. GRU special forces units began to form only in the 50s of the twentieth century, in the shortest possible time becoming the elite, the most combat-ready part of the regular army. And today the GRU Special Forces are the pride of the Russian armed forces; GRU special forces brigades have been at the forefront of any military conflict for more than 60 years. The section of the Voentorg online store “Voenpro” is entirely dedicated to Special Forces troops. Here you can find special forces flags, souvenirs and clothing with the symbols of the Russian army special forces. We remind you that GRU Special Forces Day is celebrated on October 24 of each year; in the corresponding section of our military store you will find a lot of souvenirs and serious gifts for friends or relatives related to special forces. If you yourself once served or are currently serving in a special forces brigade or simply have a relationship with the department, then you will certainly find a lot of interesting things among the goods, for example, right now you can buy this “Special Forces” sweatshirt with a hood.

The turn of the 80-90s of the last century was marked for the 22nd separate GRU special forces brigade by participation in endless interethnic conflicts on the territory of the USSR and abroad. In 1989, formations of 22 OBRSpN were sent to Angola, where the tasks of Soviet special forces included instructing allies, guarding Soviet facilities and intelligence activities. In Baku in 1988-1989, the 173 Special Forces Special Forces were responsible for the security of areas with an Armenian population, in addition, special forces soldiers carried out tasks to disarm gangs in the region. Then there was a conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh - 173 and 411 special forces were responsible for the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border; of the most famous operations of the fighters of the 22 special forces, we can recall here the destruction of a hail battery on the territory of Armenia, which shelled populated areas of Azerbaijan. Despite the fact that the special forces of the 22nd OBRSpN acted on the side of the Azerbaijani Popular Front, immediately after the collapse of the USSR, attacks began on the military camp in which the forces of the 22nd separate GRU special forces brigade were stationed. Soldiers and officers of the GRU army special forces were forced to once again demonstrate total superiority over the separatists.

“Total superiority” is perhaps the most accurate definition to characterize the actions of the Soviet and Russian GRU special forces in a wide variety of wars. The products of our military store will help you identify your belonging to your native branch of the military. In the section there is also a place for unique mugs with special forces symbols - such a souvenir will not only be a pleasant gift, but also a thing used every day. you can right now, just go to the appropriate page.

Among the operations of the Rostov special forces during the “First Chechen War”, the most famous is the participation of a detachment under the command of the hero of Russia, Major V. Nedobezhkin from the 173rd special forces unit in the operation to encircle S. Raduev’s gang in the village of Pervomaiskoye. A large group of militants (about 200 people) broke through the encirclement and moved towards the combined detachment of 173 special forces - the attack was repulsed, 45 special forces killed 85 mercenaries, more than during the entire period of the assault on the village with all forces. Thus, the fighters of the 22nd Guards ObrSpN once again confirmed the status of one of the most combat-ready units of the Russian army. Based on the results of that battle, the stars of Heroes of Russia were awarded to: Major Vladimir Nedobezhkin, Captain Valery Skorokhodov, Senior Lieutenant Stanislav Kharin, Lieutenant Albert Zaripov and Captain Sergei Kosachev (posthumously). Albert Zaripov, today a famous writer and human rights activist, wrote the book “May Day” about those events. Hero of Russia Sergei Kosachev, a medical officer of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, was killed by militants while carrying a wounded soldier from the battlefield. Soldiers of the 22nd ObrSpN GRU General Staff, as part of the 173rd special forces detachment, were on the territory of Chechnya until 1996, where they carried out many special operations to destroy the leaders of gangs, encircle and destroy large enemy groups.

The special forces of military intelligence have once again demonstrated “total superiority,” but we remind you that among the products of the Voentorg online store “Voenpro” in the “Military Intelligence” section today there are not only a lot of different thematic souvenirs, but also casual clothing for people with attitude towards service in the GRU units of the General Staff. You can, or with symbols

The second Chechen campaign for the 22nd GRU special forces brigade from Rostov also started long before the start of the war. This time, the first unit located in the area of ​​tension in 1998 was the 411th special forces detachment that left Kaspiysk; three months later, 173 special forces units replaced their comrades on the border of Dagestan and Chechnya - and so they changed. Since the beginning of hostilities, the combined detachment of the 22 Special Operations Brigade, the core of which was made up of military personnel from the 411 Special Operations Division, operated here. Soldiers of the 22nd Guards Separate Special Forces Brigade remained on the territory of Chechnya even after the end of hostilities. The command has repeatedly recognized the combined detachment of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade as the most effective unit of the group of troops in the North Caucasus. During the Second Chechen War, two soldiers of the 22nd Guards OBRSpN were awarded the title “Hero of Russia”. In August 1999, a reconnaissance detachment of the 22nd special forces brigade carried out an operation to free an Interior Ministry officer from captivity, when it already seemed that the task had been completed, the special forces were overtaken by a detachment of militants and surrounded. Soldiers of the 22nd OBRSpN took refuge in an abandoned building and successfully repelled several enemy attacks, but they were running low on ammunition. All that remained was to fight our way out of the encirclement. Sergeant Dmitry Nikishin was the first to leave the shelter and covered the retreat of his colleagues with machine gun fire. During the retreat, the detachment commander was seriously wounded, Sergeant Nikishin carried him to the shelter, but by that time the Rostov special forces officer had died from his wounds. For his heroism, courage and combat training (several militants were destroyed by the fire of the sergeant of the 22nd ObrSpN), Dmitry Nikishin was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

The commander of the reconnaissance group of the combined detachment of the 22nd separate brigade of the Special Forces of the GRU, Vyacheslav Matvienko, was awarded the title of Hero of Russia posthumously. While carrying out a reconnaissance operation to identify the positions of bandits, a military intelligence special forces group under the command of Vyacheslav Matvienko found itself on the verge of encirclement. The fighters of the 22nd ObrSpN GRU once again confirmed their highest class, throwing back superior enemy forces and retreating to a safe distance. The success of the Rostov special forces group in battle was largely due to the clear and thoughtful instructions of the commander. There were wounded on the battlefield, whom Vyacheslav Matvienko personally carried to a safe zone. The fourth sortie became fatal - a sniper’s bullet ended the life of a senior lieutenant of the 22nd special forces brigade.

We remember and honor the names of all the heroes of all wars, we try to highlight the most memorable milestones as much as possible - all this is important to know in order, firstly, not to repeat the mistakes of the past, and secondly, to know who is worth emulating. The products of our military trade are also a way to express gratitude to the people thanks to whom our state is still sovereign and indivisible. Among the thematic and foreign intelligence banners we offer, there are a variety of banners: these are personalized flags of units, such as, and standard flags of military branches, and those made outside of any standards, but this does not lose value. The latter includes, which you can see below - it depicts a GRU special forces soldier in the process of performing a combat mission, who is covered by “turntables”. In order to buy any of the flags dedicated to intelligence officers and special forces, visit the corresponding section.

In April 2001, the military intelligence special forces unit, which had already become legendary, received the well-deserved name “Gvardeiskaya”. We remind you that the 22nd Guards Separate Special Forces Brigade is the first and only unit in the domestic armed forces to receive this rank after the Second World War. The main impetus for this decision was the results of the First and Second Chechen campaigns - the 22nd OBRSpN was recognized by the command as the absolutely best military unit of this period.

Today, units of the 22nd Guards ObrSpN are deployed in the vicinity of the city of Aksai, Rostov region (Stepnoy village) and the village of Bataysk (108 and 173 oSpN). 108 ooSpN is the youngest unit of the Russian military intelligence special forces, but already in 2004 it was recognized as the best in terms of training. The basis of the combined detachment of the 22nd special forces brigade in South Ossetia in 2008 was also 108 special forces. Also directly subordinate to the GRU special forces brigade in Aksai is 56 special forces.

It is not for nothing that the military personnel of the 22nd Guards Separate GRU Special Forces Brigade are considered the best personnel of the domestic armed forces; service in the Rostov Special Forces involves endless training, marching, shooting and parachute jumping. In addition, although this military intelligence special forces unit is not considered a mountain unit, training in high altitude conditions is also carried out. It’s pointless to write in detail about how fighters fighting under are trained - and a lot of things are simply classified; it’s enough to know how these guys perform in real combat.

Today, the 22nd Guards ObrSpN is primarily supplied with modern equipment and machinery, for example, the Rostov special forces are armed with the Tiger combat vehicle from the Gorky Automobile Plant. Or this drone “Pear”, used by fighters of the 22nd ObrSpN GRU since 2009.

At the end of the story about the 22 OBRSpN and its flag, I would like to present this video, where you can see the everyday life and holidays of the 22 GRU special forces brigade. On the Internet you can also find a lot of thematic videos showing demonstration performances, exercises and training of fighters of the 22nd ObrSpN - an impressive spectacle. The song playing in the background in the video below is the official anthem of the unit; even in the matter of self-identification, the 22nd Special Forces Brigade is ahead of its competitors. We remind you that you can purchase another symbol of the brigade today at our military store - the ordering procedure is standard.

Well, our military trader reminds you that July 24 - day 22 of the OBRSpN is just around the corner, and if you or someone close to you serves or served in the Rostov special forces, then special forces will certainly be the best gift on this day. However, souvenirs with symbols, for example, a cover for a military ID, will also undoubtedly be a pleasant surprise. Well, since we’re talking about gifts, we suggest you pay attention to this one, which recently expanded the range of the Voentpro military store.

The first special-purpose military units were created back in 1764 at the proposals of A. Suvorov, M. Kutuzov, and P. Panin. These units were called huntsmen. The soldiers were engaged in tactical exercises, carried out military operations in the mountains, carried out ambushes and raids.

How did it all begin?

In 1811, a separate corps of internal guards was created, which was charged with protecting and restoring order within the state. In 1817, thanks to the actions of Alexander I, a rapid response detachment of mounted gendarmes was opened. The year 1842 was marked by the emergence of battalions of plastuns from the Cossacks, who, through their combat operations, trained many generations of future special forces.

Special forces in the 20th century

The 20th century began with the creation of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs - GUGSH (Main Directorate of the General Staff). In 1918, intelligence and special-purpose units were formed, subordinate to the Cheka. In the 30s, airborne assault and sabotage units were created.

The new special forces were given serious tasks: reconnaissance, sabotage, the fight against terror, disruption of communications, energy supply, transport and much more. Of course, the fighters were supplied with the best uniforms and new equipment. The preparation was serious and individual programs were used. The special forces were classified.

In 1953 the mouth occurred. And only 4 years later 5 separate special-purpose companies were created, to which the remnants of the old ones joined in 1962. In 1968, they began to train professional intelligence officers, and then, by the way, the famous company number 9 appeared. Gradually, the special forces turned into a powerful force defending their state.

these days

Now the GRU is a special foreign intelligence agency of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, whose goals are to provide intelligence information, the necessary conditions for the implementation of a successful policy, as well as assistance in the economic, military-technical development of the Russian Federation.

The GRU includes 13 main departments, as well as 8 auxiliary ones. The first, second, third and fourth main departments deal with issues of interaction with different countries. The Fifth Directorate is an operational reconnaissance point. The sixth department deals with the Seventh division, which resolves issues that have arisen with NATO. The remaining six departments of the GRU deal with sabotage, development of military technologies, management of the military economy, strategic doctrines, nuclear weapons and information warfare. The intelligence department also has two research institutes located in Moscow.

Special Forces Brigades

GRU special forces brigades are considered the most trained units in the Russian Armed Forces. In 1962, the first GRU special forces detachment was formed, whose tasks included the destruction of nuclear missiles and deep reconnaissance.

The second separate brigade was formed from September 1962 to March 1963 in Pskov. The personnel successfully participated in the exercises "Horizon-74" and "Ocean-70" and in many others. The special forces of the second brigade were the first to participate in the Dozor-86 airborne training and went through the Afghan and Chechen wars. One of the detachments took part in resolving the conflict in South Ossetia from 2008 to 2009. The permanent location is Pskov and Murmansk regions.

In 1966, the 3rd Guards Separate GRU Special Forces Brigade was created. The composition took part in battles in Tajikistan, in the Chechen wars, in Afghanistan, and in a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Since 2010, the brigade has been located in a military camp in the city of Tolyatti.

In the city of Stary Krym in 1962, the 10th GRU special forces brigade was formed. The military took part in the Chechen wars and in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict of 2008. In 2011, the brigade was awarded a state award for its services in the development and conduct of military operations. Place of deployment - Krasnodar region.

The 14th brigade, which was created in 1963, is located here. The personnel were repeatedly thanked for the excellent conduct of the exercises and for their participation in combat operations in Afghanistan and the Chechen wars.

The 16th GRU special forces brigade was formed in 1963. In 1972, its members participated in extinguishing fires in the Central Black Earth Zone, for which they were awarded a Certificate of Honor from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. In 1992, a detachment of the brigade was engaged in protecting government facilities on the territory of Tajikistan. The 16th Special Forces Brigade took part in the Chechen wars, peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, and performed demonstration exercises in Jordan and Slovakia. Place of deployment - the city of Tambov.

The year 1976 was marked by the emergence of the 22nd Guards Separate GRU Special Forces Brigade. Location is Rostov region. The composition took part in the Chechen and Afghan wars, in the Baku events of 1989, and in resolving the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In the Chita region in 1977, the 24th separate brigade was formed. Special forces took part in the Chechen war, and several units fought in Afghanistan. By orders of the heads of the Soviet Union in the 80-90s. The brigade carried out secret operations in hot spots. At the moment, the train is located in the city of Novosibirsk.

In 1984, on the basis of the 791st company, the 67th separate special forces brigade was created. The personnel participated in military operations in Chechnya, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Karabakh. Previously, the unit was located in Kemerovo, but now they are talking about its disbandment.

Russian GRU special forces. Primary selection

How to get into the GRU? Special forces are the dream of many boys. Dexterous, fearless warriors, it would seem, are capable of anything. Let's face it, joining a special forces unit is difficult, but possible.

The main condition for consideration of a candidacy is military service. Then a series of selections begins. Basically, the special forces of the GRU of the Russian Federation recruit officers and warrant officers. An officer must have a higher education. Recommendations from reputable employees are also needed. It is advisable for the candidate to be no older than 28 years old and have a height of at least 175 cm. But there are always exceptions. As for physical training, the quality of its implementation is strictly monitored, rest is kept to a minimum.

Basic requirements for the applicant’s physical fitness

The physical standards that must be passed successfully are as follows:

1. Run 3 km in 10 minutes.
2. 100 meters in 12 seconds.
3. Pull-ups on the bar - 25 times.
4. Abdominal exercises - 90 times in 2 minutes.
5. Push-ups - 90 times.
6. A set of exercises: abs, push-ups, jumping up from a crouching position, moving from a crouched position to a lying position and back. Each individual exercise is performed 15 times in 10 seconds. The complex is performed 7 times.
7. Hand-to-hand combat.

In addition to passing the standards, work with a psychologist, a full medical examination, and a lie detector test are carried out. All relatives must be checked; in addition, written consent to the candidate’s service will need to be obtained from the parents. So how to get into the GRU (special forces)? The answer is simple - you need to prepare from childhood. Sport must firmly enter the life of a future fighter.

I'm in a special forces unit. What awaits me? Psychological side

From the first day, the soldier is taught in every possible way that he is the best. As the coaches say, this is the most important moment. In the barracks itself, fighters often conduct secret checks on each other, which helps to always be in combat readiness.

To strengthen the spirit and form the character of the recruit, they are taught hand-to-hand combat. From time to time he is put into battle against a stronger opponent in order to teach him how to fight even with an opponent who is obviously superior in training. Soldiers are also taught to fight using all sorts of improvised means, even a tightly rolled newspaper. Only after a warrior has mastered such materials does he train in striking techniques.

Once every six months, soldiers are checked for readiness for further service. Soldiers are left for a week without food. Warriors are in constant motion, they are not allowed to sleep all the time. Thus, many fighters are eliminated.

Physical side of the service

A warrior trains every day, without weekends or holidays. Every day you need to run 10 km in less than an hour, and with additional weight on your shoulders (about 50 kg).

Upon arrival it takes 40 minutes. This includes finger push-ups, fist push-ups, and jumping jacks from a seated position. Basically, each exercise is repeated 20-30 times. At the end of each cycle, the fighter pumps the abs a maximum of times. Hand-to-hand combat training takes place every day. Strikes are practiced, agility and endurance are developed. Training GRU special forces is serious, hard work.

Special forces outfit

The GRU special forces uniform has different types to match the tasks being carried out. At the moment, important parts of a fighter’s “wardrobe” include belts, as well as belt-shoulder systems. Functional vests include several types of equipment pouches. The belt can be adjusted in volume; a synthetic insert is used to increase its strength. The shoulder-belt system includes straps and straps that are designed to distribute the load between the hip joint and shoulders. Of course, this entire unloading system comes in addition to everyday uniform and body armor.

How to get into the GRU (special forces)?

Only guys with excellent health and excellent physical fitness get into special forces. A good help for a conscript will be the presence of the “Fit for the Airborne Forces” mark. Some experienced fighters answer the question: “How to get into the GRU (special forces)?” They answer that you need to go to the nearest Intelligence Department and declare yourself.

For officers, general military training is conducted at the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School, and special training takes place at the Military Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The Academy includes adjunct courses and Higher Academic Courses. Higher education is a mandatory requirement for inclusion in the ranks of officers.

Hello, I saw that the first number of this brigade was not accurate, it was 42610, based on a combined detachment stationed in the city of Chirchik, Tashkent region. The described data about the formed detachment in 1980 was called among us “Muslim battalion”; it was outside the territory of the unit and lived in tents .And they were from all over the USSR and there was one criterion...nationality. Also, the battalion that stood in the GDR against the city of ZVAIBRÜKIN in the period of the 70s and before the collapse is not indicated. Three stories from the old brigade))))
1. On Zaitsev’s order, or rather in his favorite words, “I come and am surprised,” he said the following: when driving past the fish factory, he discovered that some fishermen had Lenin, but our brigade didn’t!!! not in order. Well, he gave a hint that there was time until tomorrow, so they allocated 1 baht for the monument, 2 for the pedestal, and the third for the flowerbed))) in general, that’s what happened)) although the next day about 10-15 cars arrived at the checkpoint gate with the prosecutor’s office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the administration. Zaitsev himself went out to them since there was no brigade commander... well, he raised a full combat guard at the checkpoint, placed the first rank of the rest arbitrarily and ordered that any person crossing the white line at the checkpoint should be immediately shot, and added which of the soldiers would be the first to do so and go home to vacation)) in general, there is no better dream for a soldier)) of course everyone left...then I heard from stories that he was called to the district, was given a harsh treatment, and after a couple of months he was given the extraordinary rank of colonel)))
2. The water supply was bad and we just didn’t have time to get to ZIL, in general the old-timers told us to get some water)) so the soldiers went to the city. They wandered around and saw a barrel tied with a chain to a tree, and the inscription KVAS had a great effect on them, more precisely the fact that it is full)). The barrel lost its chain and headed across the river to the steppe))) and in a roundabout way to the brigade. Imagine the surprise of the DC when, when going around, he discovered the drunk part!!! there turned out to be BEER))) and fresh)) )
3. Well, this is directly connected with me, our brigade commander “pioneer” made an unimaginable sports town, we hung ourselves there)) but the only problem is that he said that after building us, everything is done, the asphalt will also be there one of these days, but there is no skating rink..... .in general, leave for the one who “gives birth to this miracle”))) I went to the city. And passing by the newly built kindergarten I saw HIM)))) when I returned to the unit I walked through the “kents” and purely out of friendship asked for help, I was afraid the bride would be taken away)) ) there were about 20 volunteers. I went to the DC and explained the situation... more precisely, that it was all on the orders of the brigade commander, he said I don’t know anything and I don’t see anything, then behind the car)) in general, they carefully tied up the guard with the karamultuk and loaded the roller onto Zila. But that’s the problem due to the weight in front of the truck, it came off almost from the ground, well, they solved the problem quite radically)) some on the cool, some on the hood)) can you imagine Zil is driving and 20 of his people stuck to the front))) well, in the unit a guy with a spray gun was already waiting for us who caused it has an inverter number, as well as the part number. "Pioneer" liked to throw the car behind the part and catch vigilance through the guardhouse))) and some of them knew that night and the skating rink was in a visible place)) When he saw it, it was probably minutes 10-15 walked around and along)) touched the paint, ehh it’s not dry yet))) the boys push me in the side saying go, I carefully approach and then he sees my maneuver responds to me, I run up, they report and he so what? start up??? I say yes. He-Start it up!! I start it up, smiling. Does he even drive?? I say, of course!! In general, he takes me by the sleeve, let’s go to the personnel department, and I get the coveted leave for marriage) ))) There were such funny cases))) Thank you

USSR → Russia

Forming part

On October 24, 1950, in accordance with Directive of the USSR Military Ministry No. Org/2/395832, the Leningrad Military District was formed 76th separate special forces company(or military unit 51404) with a personnel of 120 people. 76th company was directly subordinate to the district headquarters and was stationed in the village. Promezhitsy village in the vicinity (at that time) of Pskov.

In 1953, due to another reduction in the armed forces, many special forces companies were disbanded. Including 76th company.

At the end of 1957, at the site of the previous deployment 76th company, was created 20th separate special forces company, also subordinate to the district headquarters.

In connection with the decision of the military leadership to consolidate special-purpose units and increase the number of their personnel, on July 19, 1962, directive No. 140547 of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces was issued, according to which it was necessary to form in the Leningrad Military District 2nd Special Forces Brigade. The creation of the brigade began on September 17, 1962 and ended on March 1, 1963.

The brigade was created on the basis of the 20th separate special forces company with the involvement of officers from the 237th Guards Parachute Regiment of the 76th Guards Airborne Division, also stationed in Pskov. The involvement of airborne troops was caused by the need for specialists in airborne training.

The day of the unit was declared December 1, 1962. 2nd separate special forces brigade received a conditional designation military unit 64044 (military unit 64044) .

Formation and development of the brigade

Like all special forces brigades created in the early 60s (with the exception of the 3rd brigade), 2nd brigade was a framed formation, in which, according to peacetime states, the personnel was 300-350 people. According to the plans of the military command during the introduction of martial law, due to the mobilization of reserve military personnel and holding 30-day training camps, 2nd Brigade developed into a full-fledged combat-ready formation with a personnel of 1,700 people.

According to the peacetime staff, the 2nd Brigade consisted of the following units:

• Brigade management;
• special radio communications unit;
• 2 special forces;
• 2 separate special forces units (cadres);
• economic support company.

On April 16, 1963, by resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the brigade was awarded the Battle Banner.

In 1966 and 1967, for high levels of combat training demonstrated during exercises, the brigade was awarded the Challenge Red Banner of the Military Council of the Leningrad Military District.

The brigade's personnel took part in the exercises "Ocean-70", "Horizon-74" and a number of others.

Servicemen of the 2nd brigade were the first of the GRU formations and units to parachute from an Il-76 military transport aircraft during the Dozor-86 exercise.

To create the detachment, in addition to the personnel of the 8th brigade, military personnel from the following 3 special forces brigades were also recruited: 2nd brigade, 10th brigade (Old Crimea, Ukrainian SSR) and 4th brigade (Viljandi, ESSR) .

This 186th detachment was created to participate in the so-called complex military events Border Zone “Veil”.

After the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, the 177th separate special forces detachment (177th detachment), which was part of the 22nd brigade, was redeployed in February 1989 to a military camp of the disbanded military unit of the Strategic Missile Forces near the settlement. Taibola, Murmansk region and included in the 2nd brigade.

Unit in the Russian Armed Forces

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the 2nd Separate Special Purpose Brigade came under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

In July 1997, the 177th detachment (military unit 83395) of the 2nd brigade stationed in the Murmansk region was disbanded. Contrary to the frequent mention in many sources of the existence of the 177th detachment at the previous location in a cropped form, this information does not correspond to reality.

• Brigade directorate (military unit 64044) - Promezhitsa area (Pskov) and divisions under the control;

• school of junior specialists (training battalion of 2 companies) - Promezhitsy;
• special radio communications detachment (2-company communications battalion) - Pechory and Promezhitsy;
• logistics company - Promezhitsy.

• 70th separate special forces detachment (military unit 75242) - Pechory;
• 329th separate special forces detachment (military unit 44917) - Promezhitsy;
• 700th separate special forces detachment (military unit 75143) - Pechory;

On February 15, 2019, the deputy commander of the Western Military District, Lieutenant General Alexei Zavizion, awarded the Order of Zhukov to the brigade.

Participation of the 2nd Special Forces Brigade in combat operations

First Chechen War

In December 1994, on the basis of the 2nd separate special-purpose brigade, a combined detachment was created to carry out combat operations in Chechnya while establishing constitutional order. The basis for the combined detachment was the 700th separate special forces detachment (700th detachment), which was recruited by all 4 detachments of the brigade (at that time the 177th detachment in the Murmansk region was not disbanded). In a short time, the detachment of 181 personnel was staffed with the following personnel:

• Directorate of the 700th detachment - 17 military personnel;
• 3 reconnaissance companies - 42 military personnel each;
• communications group - 16 military personnel;
• logistics platoon - 22 military personnel.

On January 9, 1995, the detachment was sent to Chechnya and by January 18 arrived in Grozny.

The 700th detachment took part in combat operations to eliminate militants both in the city of Grozny itself and in the areas of the settlement. Zakan-Yurt, Samashki, Assinovskaya and Bamut.

The detachment's losses for more than 3 months of hostilities amounted to 3 people killed.

On April 26, 1995, the combined detachment was withdrawn from the combat zone and by the beginning of the month of May returned to its permanent deployment point.

Second Chechen War

Due to the aggravation of the situation in the summer of 1999 in Dagestan, the leadership of the Russian Armed Forces began to strengthen the grouping of troops in this region.

In August 1999, a consolidated detachment was assembled from the 2nd detachment, which included one reconnaissance company from each of the 3 detachments (70th, 329th and 700th detachments). The staff structure of the consolidated detachment was similar to the consolidated detachment in the first Chechen war, with the repetition of the same serial numbering in the name - 700th Special Forces.

In September 1999, the 700th detachment took part in hostilities in the Novolaksky region of Dagestan.

On January 1, 2000, the 700th detachment was stationed in the village. Achkhoy-Martan Chechnya.

Together with other troops, the 700th detachment participated in preventing the capture of the village. Roshni-Chu by an enemy who tried to create a corridor for the withdrawal of militants from Grozny, blocked by federal troops, to Urus-Martan.

Since March 10, 2000, the 700th detachment participated in the liquidation of the blocked gang of Ruslan Gelayev in the village of Komsomolsky.

By the summer of 2000, the detachment occupied positions in the vicinity of the village. Borzoi. By January 2001, reconnaissance groups of the 700th detachment were operating in the areas of the settlement. Sharo-Argun and Itum-Kali.

In September 2001, units of the 700th detachment operated in the vicinity of the village. Aslanbek. In April 2002, the detachment successfully eliminated two groups of militants near the village. Yaryshmards.

In 2006, the detachment was withdrawn from Chechnya to a permanent deployment point.

In total, the 2nd separate special forces brigade lost 47 people killed in the second Chechen war.

Tragedy of February 21, 2000

In mid-February 2000, several reconnaissance groups of the 700th detachment were given the task of marching protection of motorized rifle units moving into the southern mountainous part of Chechnya. The groups had to conduct reconnaissance of the area in the mountainous areas adjacent to the road connecting the flat part of Chechnya with the Shatoi region in order to exclude the possibility of the enemy organizing an ambush on the troop column.

8 days after the foot march through the mountainous terrain, the commanders of 3 groups marching in the vanguard received an order via radio communication to gather near the village of Kharsenoy. They should have united and waited for reinforcements to arrive in the form of a motorized rifle unit. According to the command plan, the motorized rifles were supposed to arrive at the village of Kharsenoy by 12.00 on February 21, replace the reconnaissance groups of the 700th detachment and carry out further marching protection of the column. Due to poor roads and snowfall, the approach of the column of troops was delayed. The total number of 3 reconnaissance groups was 35 people, of which 8 were seconded military personnel from other military units (sappers and artillery spotters from motorized rifle units). All 3 reconnaissance groups were assembled into a combined detachment from the 3rd reconnaissance company of the 329th detachment.

On the night of February 20-21, 3 reconnaissance groups united for the night near the village of Kharsenoy. We chose a lowland for the night. The condition of the tired soldiers was critical: due to the long multi-day trek through the mountains, the lack of sleeping bags and the low temperature, many of them had frostbite and colds.

Around lunchtime on February 21, heavy fire from grenade launchers and automatic weapons was opened on the scouts stationed in the lowlands by sneaking militants from the surrounding heights. At the very beginning of the battle, the only radio station with batteries that retained its charge was destroyed. Within 15-20 minutes, the militants managed to destroy 33 scouts in a surprise attack. After collecting weapons from the dead servicemen, all wounded servicemen were killed at point-blank range. Only 2 servicemen managed to survive, whom the militants mistook for dead. One of them was seriously wounded by a grenade fragment, and the other received 3 bullet wounds and a concussion.

Motorized rifle reinforcements arrived at the scene of the tragedy only after 3-4 hours.

The causes of the tragedy were both the extreme fatigue of the personnel and the gross mistake of the group commanders who did not set up proper combat guards.

The official version of the events of February 21, 2000 near the village of Kharsenoy, voiced in the press organ of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, differs significantly from the testimony of eyewitnesses.

In connection with this tragedy, on February 21, a Memorial Day .

Russian-Georgian war

In the period from August 8, 2008 to March 7, 2009, the 329th Special Forces Detachment of the 2nd Brigade was in South Ossetia. There is no reliable information about participation in hostilities. As a result of an armored personnel carrier hitting a mine on October 6, 2008, 3 servicemen of the detachment were injured.

Heroes of the Connection

4 servicemen of the 2nd separate special forces brigade who died during the Second Chechen War were awarded the title Hero of Russia (posthumously).