Special Operations Special Forces. “The most difficult and dangerous job”: how Russia uses Special Operations Forces
MTR of the Russian Armed Forces
Structure:
Forces Command special operations(KSSO)
Directorate (Special Operations)
Directorate (Naval Special Operations)
Department (Counter-Terrorism)
Center special purpose RF Ministry of Defense "Senezh".
Directions department.
“Training center for military personnel of military unit 01355, Moscow region, Kubinka-2”
Special operations direction (airborne) - the main emphasis is on airborne training and other methods of penetrating behind enemy lines by air. Parachute jumps are practiced, both long jumps with oxygen masks, and with the parachute opening immediately after separation from the board. Jumps are carried out both day and night using night vision devices, in bad weather, strong wind and fog. In addition to parachutes, fighters are also trained in the use of motor hang gliders and paragliders. Mastery of such methods allows special forces to fly tens of kilometers unnoticed by the enemy.
Special operations direction (mountain) - specializes in conducting reconnaissance and combat operations in mountainous areas, training is carried out on the basis of the 54th reconnaissance unit training center, military unit 90091 (Republic North Ossetia- Alania, Vladikavkaz) and in the mountain training and survival center “Terskol” of the Federal Institution of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation “CSKA” (Terskol village, Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria).
Special operations direction (assault) - specializes in penetration/capture/destruction of enemy objects (headquarters, buildings, structures, bunkers, etc.).
The direction of special operations (protection of high-ranking leaders) - the tasks are clear.
Special Operations Department (marine) on the territory of the 561st Navy Emergency Rescue Center, military unit 00317 (Russia, Crimea, Sevastopol, Cossack Bay). Marine department Special Operations is a multi-purpose naval formation trained and equipped to perform combat missions in the waters of the seas, oceans, rivers, and lakes. Mostly personnel operates from various watercraft (boats, jet skis) or operates underwater in diving equipment using special towing vehicles, conducting reconnaissance and performing other combat missions at sea, on the shore or in river waters.
Exit means direction - specializes in the delivery of special forces to the operation area by land, air and water, and their subsequent withdrawal/evacuation. It is armed with Mi-8AMTSh and Mi-35M helicopters, boats, ATVs, all-terrain vehicles and a variety of vehicles.
Several support units (communications, radio intelligence, electronic warfare, IT, special equipment).
Several support and security units are staffed by conscripted military personnel - a reinforcement company, a commandant (security) company, a material support company, a technical platoon, a communications company, a company of young recruits.
On the territory of the Senezh military camp there is a training, airborne and fire training complex, a dog training complex, an indoor swimming pool, a sports camp, a tactical camp for practicing actions in populated areas, a helipad, as well as a platform for driving special equipment, medical and office premises.
Specialist Training Center (formerly the 322nd training center), military unit 43292 (Moscow region, Solnechnogorsk district, urban settlement "Senezh").
The main task is the training of special forces specialists, as well as the training of military personnel of other special forces of the Russian Defense Ministry.
Department of modernization, maintenance and storage of weapons, military and special equipment and military-technical property (Department of modernization, maintenance and storage of military equipment and technical equipment) - the tasks of this department are clear from its name.
Special Purpose Center of the RF Ministry of Defense (“Kubinka-2” or “Kuba”), military unit 01355 (Moscow region, Odintsovo district, Kubinka-2). Solve the same problems as TsSN "Senezh".
Selection, combat training and frames:
Selection for the MTR is carried out in different ways, SOF representatives can themselves select, study candidates with the necessary knowledge and skills, and then make them an offer. In addition, every month on the 15th at 9:00 am candidate day, when volunteer candidates can try to pass entrance tests which are taken during the following part: physical training (3km-12.00-12.30, 100m-13.0-14.0, pull-ups at least 18 times), professional selection, medical examination.
Also, military units included in the MTR periodically place advertisements in military registration and enlistment offices and selection points for contract service of a list of military specialties that they need.
Training is carried out at the specialist training center and directly at permanent deployment points, where the necessary infrastructure has been created and is being created.
Preparation officers carried out at the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School - RVVDKU (faculty of special and military intelligence and the Department of the Use of Special Purpose Units) and the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School - NVVKU (Faculty of Special Intelligence and Department of Special Intelligence and Airborne Training).
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As part of the reform Russian army, which began in 2008, a special MTR structure was formed in the Armed Forces. The abbreviation stands for Special Operations Forces Russian Federation. From the moment of the formation of the Special Operations Directorate on the basis of one of the military units of the Moscow region, the history of the formation of the MTR of the Russian Armed Forces began. In 2013, in Kubinka near Moscow, the Special Forces Center of the Ministry of Defense (TsSN) opened with about 500 special forces serving under contract. Direct management of this unit was entrusted to a separate command within the Ministry of Defense, developed the legislative framework regulating the activities of the new structure. In the same year, exercises were conducted in an environment as close as possible to the conditions of real combat operations. Since 2015, February 27 is celebrated professional holiday this type of military force, after which a previously unnamed mountain in North Ossetia was named.
Structure, goals and objectives of special operations troops
The need for the formation of Special Operations Forces arose from the state's need for a highly mobile, well-trained, equipped last word science grouping of professionals. The new troops are given goals that can only be achieved by those who are trained and technically equipped. military formations. The leadership and personnel are entrusted with special tasks related to protecting the interests of the country on its territory and abroad. The constant and high readiness of the MTR makes it possible to immediately begin performing military duty, as in Peaceful time and in conditions of armed conflict.
IN currently The structure of the MTR troops is as follows:
- TsSN "Senezh";
- TsSN "Kubinka-2";
- 561st Emergency Rescue Center;
- Center for training specialists.
The planned increase in SOF will be 9 special forces brigades with the simultaneous creation of special forces units in military districts.
The creation of the MTR indicates that the country's army is becoming more professional; it meets the requirements of modern tactics and strategy for conducting military missions. The expediency of special operations lies in the totality and coordination of their actions, subordinated to a single plan and aimed at achieving the tasks set by the command. The advantage of MTR brigades lies in their equipment and the use of non-trivial combat operations. Special Operations Forces soldiers are trained to carry out the following activities:
- intelligence and counterintelligence;
- sabotage and counter-sabotage;
- anti-terrorist;
- subversive;
- partisan and anti-partisan.
These are just some of the skills that Special Operations Forces units possess. The high efficiency of the department can be judged by the operations carried out, including the successful fight against pirates from Somalia, a number of North Caucasian counter-terrorism measures, and participation in hostilities on the territory of the Syrian Republic.
How to get into the country's military elite
The tasks assigned to the new formation dictate the need for strict selection of candidates to serve in it. It is impossible to get conscripted into the MTR; these units are staffed only by contract employees, but they are also subject to strict requirements:
- perfect health;
- high intelligence;
- psychological stability;
- learning ability
These qualities are identified by a military medical commission and during multi-stage testing conducted by specialists from the military department. The future employee must have high level physical fitness and have:
- by force;
- endurance;
- flexibility.
These parameters are determined when passing the standards developed for each age group and military affiliation. It would be useful to have sporting achievements in strength sports and martial arts. Skiers, swimmers and track and field athletes will also find use for their talents, since the troops include units of combat swimmers, divers and mountain shooters.
The high moral qualities of applicants for service are checked by collecting characterizing material, requests to information centers. The possibility of secretly collecting operational information about the candidate cannot be ruled out:
- The path to service will be closed to those who have been prosecuted. Candidates whose relatives have not passed a criminal record check will also not be accepted into the MTR.
- If an applicant has previously used psychotropic substances, was a drug addict or suffered from alcoholism, he will not be able to hide this information, because all candidates are subject to a polygraph test.
Special forces officers have an advantage in entering the service. Graduates of military schools in Ryazan and Novosibirsk, where there are faculties that train special forces specialists, have a good chance of enlisting in the MTR.
It is possible that the leadership of the MTR is empowered to select military personnel in other units and recruit the most suitable ones.
Questions and opinions can be posted in the comments block, share your information about the country's Special Operations Forces.
The Special Operations Forces Command remains one of the most closed structures in the Russian Armed Forces. It is known that in the last six months alone, two MTR soldiers have died in Syria: Fyodor Zhuravlev and Alexander Prokhorenko, who became a posthumous Hero of Russia.
Special Operations Forces soldiers performed critical missions. Directed and adjusted airstrikes, including cruise missiles, according to the positions prohibited in Russia " Islamic State", the flight recorders of the Russian Su-24M front-line bomber, which was shot down by the Turkish Air Force, were saved. This is a small part of the list.
The history of special operations forces began in 1999, when a specialist training center, and in fact a military unit, was created in Solnechnogorsk near Moscow special purpose, reporting directly to the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate. Later the center was named “Senezh”, and the fighters began to be called “sunflowers”. One of the founding fathers was the then chief General Staff Army General Anatoly Kvashnin.
Sometimes this center is called a training center, but according to several interlocutors of the Military-Industrial Courier, Senezh never had such a “prefix”, and the wording “training of specialists” served rather as a cover, and also emphasized special status parts.
Initially, four areas of special operations were formed. The airborne soldiers practiced difficult jumps - both long jumps and those with the parachute opening immediately after separation from the aircraft. Mastery of such methods allows special forces to fly tens of kilometers unnoticed by the enemy. Specialists jumped both day and night using night vision devices, in bad weather, in strong winds and fog.
Mountain servicemen became combat climbers, learned to storm high mountain peaks, capture and hold passes and glaciers. The training of specialists took place, in particular, on the basis of the Elbrus region training center"Terskol". The fighters made difficult climbs, even reaching the top of Elbrus.
Special forces of the assault direction learned not only to take houses and other buildings. The objectives were set much broader - capturing enemy targets in different conditions, on any terrain.
Marine fighters mastered all kinds of water areas, practiced operations in diving equipment using special towing vehicles and light boats. We learned to capture ships and coastal structures.
Already based on the experience of military operations in Chechnya, a fifth direction appeared in the center - the protection of high-ranking military personnel. The Minister of Defense is protected by FSO officers. But in conditions of hostilities such officials, as the Chief of the General Staff, commander of the district troops, used to be accompanied in best case scenario scouts or special forces. The training of such “guards,” to put it mildly, left much to be desired. Therefore, the issue of creating a specialized unit involved in the protection of high-ranking representatives of the Ministry of Defense was acute before the emergence of the fifth direction.
At the same time, according to the interlocutors of the Military-Industrial Courier, in the center there has never been a strict tie between fighters and a specific direction. All the “sunflowers” learned to jump with a parachute, walk in the mountains, scuba dive, and storm houses. But depending on the tasks, individual elements of training for fighters were more in-depth.
Moreover, the command tried to ensure that specialists worked in several directions during their service. There was an exchange of experience, knowledge, skills and abilities between departments. For example, a fighter who came from the airborne force to the naval branch not only learned the peculiarities of working on the water, but also shared with his comrades the skills of skydiving.
From the moment of its formation, the directions were staffed exclusively by officers and warrant officers. Conscripts served only in business units or as drivers.
Future “sunflowers” were selected not only from airborne forces and special forces units, but also from tank crews, artillerymen, infantrymen, and even air defense and chemical warfare officers. Several times a year, “buyers” from the GRU visited military units, studied the personal files of military personnel and selected suitable candidates.
But this was just the beginning. Officers and warrant officers arrived in Solnechnogorsk, where they were subjected to so-called training camps, but in fact entrance tests, where both the physical fitness of future MTR soldiers and personal qualities, and most importantly - the ability to work in a team.
Sources of the Military-Industrial Courier emphasize: the main principle of the center is not to prepare an individual fighter with excellent skills and abilities, but to create a team that acts as a single organism. This principle, strictly observed throughout all the years of Senezh’s existence, has always led the “Sunflowers” to victories.
Your way and cars for it
In the special operations forces of NATO countries, they consider it necessary to create separate divisions trained to penetrate behind enemy lines, carry out raids and ambushes using specialized vehicles such as Land Rover - Pink Panther"in the 22nd SAS regiment, "Pinzgauers" in the American "Delta".
The experience of Russian special operations forces has shown that armored vehicles such as the domestic Tiger are in most cases not suitable for performing the tasks facing special operations forces. Therefore, the choice fell on all-terrain buggies; Senezh highly appreciated the Israeli Zibar SUVs.
Management Russian center from the very beginning, it paid close attention not just to training snipers, but to training specialists capable of conducting high-precision shooting and at the same time solving a wide range of tasks. Initially, Finnish ones were purchased for these needs. high-precision complexes TRG-42 from Sako, later British AWP appeared, developed by the legendary shooter Malcolm Cooper. Large-caliber weapons were studied separately sniper rifles various companies, in particular the South African "Truvel".
In Chechnya and beyond the cordon
Immediately after the creation of the Specialists Training Center, its fighters found themselves on the front line. In 1999, Wahhabi militants invaded Dagestan, but were defeated, and a few months later Russian troops launched a counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya.
It is noteworthy that the name “sunflowers” was assigned to the fighters of the center after their first trip to the Caucasus. On that trip, the servicemen wore Panama hats, which were not then available in other special forces units. According to one version, the hats were from the SPN-2 summer field kit that had just appeared. According to another, the Panama hats that the fighters saw in one of the American militants were bought in a store selling Western uniforms and equipment. Be that as it may, for its unusual appearance, and also since the center is located near the Podsolnechnaya commuter train station, its fighters received the nickname “sunflowers”. Later, the design of a sun flower against the background of a crossed sword and arrow ended up on the center chevron.
Despite the fact that his activities in Chechnya are still classified as “Top Secret”, according to available information, “sunflowers” liquidated and captured high-ranking militants, found and destroyed bases and caches of bandits, others decided important tasks. As VPK’s interlocutors recall, the center’s fighters were required not to have a 100 percent guarantee that the task would be completed, but all 300 percent. They simply had no right to make a mistake.
One event in the center they don’t like to remember. In the fall of 1999, captured by Chechen militants senior lieutenants Alexey Galkin and Vladimir Pakhomov were hit. How did experienced fighters end up in such a situation? difficult situation, still remains unclear. But later both officers, despite severe injuries, escaped from captivity and returned to their own people. Alexey Galkin became a Hero of Russia.
According to some reports, fighters from the Specialists Training Center not only fought in Chechnya, but also solved problems abroad. In particular, they participated in operations against pirates in the Horn of Africa.
Experience of combat operations in Chechnya and foreign operations showed that subordinating the center to the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate is not the most optimal solution. Chapter military intelligence, for example, cannot give an order to the commander-in-chief of the Air Force to allocate an airplane or helicopters to the “sunflowers”; a rather lengthy procedure for preparing a request and then approving it is required. Meanwhile, in some cases, the time for an operation is measured in hours and minutes.
Two centers in a new look
The activities of Anatoly Serdyukov as Minister of Defense of Russia are still subject to serious criticism, but it was under him that the command of special operations forces was created. Just when switching to new look"sunflowers", having received official name Special Operations Center of the Ministry of Defense "Senezh" began to report directly to the Chief of the General Staff.
Serdyukov visited the base in Solnechnogorsk near Moscow more than once. Money was allocated for the purchase of weapons and equipment, and several research projects were opened. A helicopter squadron from the Center came under the operational control of Senezh combat use army aviation in Torzhok. And in Tver, military transport Il-76s were on duty around the clock, ready, if necessary, to deliver MTR soldiers to designated points at any time.
It is believed that during the transition to a new look, Senezh, like the special forces brigade, was subject to reductions, and many of its servicemen were either fired or removed from the staff. But that's not true. According to the Military-Industrial Courier, the command of the center, taking advantage of the opportunity provided, conducted certification of its fighters, selecting the best.
In the late 2000s, a second Special Purpose Center appeared in the Russian Ministry of Defense, subordinate to the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, with a deployment in Kubinka near Moscow. The new TsSN, nicknamed “Zzaborye,” owes its appearance to Lieutenant General Alexander Miroshnichenko, who came to the post of Deputy Minister of Defense under Anatoly Serdyukov, who previously headed Directorate “A” of the FSB Special Purpose Center, in other words, the “Alpha” detachment.
A tense relationship, to put it mildly, immediately developed between Miroshnichenko and the management of Senezh. Former commander“Alpha” believed that it was necessary to create a command of special operations forces of the Ministry of Defense, relying only on the experience of his former department. The command of the “Sunflowers” reasonably stated that they had their own, no less serious achievements and training school, and the tasks of “Alpha” and the special operations forces of the military department were different.
In the current situation, Serdyukov made a compromise decision - to create a second Special Purpose Center, the formation of which he entrusted to Alexander Miroshnichenko, who attracted former subordinates from the FSB TsSN to this work.
When creating Zazaborye, Alpha employees primarily focused on own experience. Individual training of fighters was put at the forefront, great attention was paid to physical training - at the level of high achievement sports. A teamwork, the key principle of Senezh, was not a priority for the creators of the new center.
The VPK interlocutor explains: “At Alpha everything is different. They were taken in a car to the operation site, they ran 50 meters and became heroes. Nobody wants to sniff foot wraps and crawl through the mountains for weeks looking for militants.”
In 2013, this TsSN of the Ministry of Defense was subordinated to the command of special operations forces. The post of commander of the KSSO was taken by Major General Alexey Dyumin, who, according to knowledgeable people, in many ways became a compromise figure against the background of the confrontation between the leadership of Senezh and Alexander Miroshnichenko, who actively continued to implement the experience of the FSB TsSN.
It is noteworthy that Zazaborye maintained close relations with Alfa. Its former employees, as noted by many whom the Military-Industrial Courier met, instilled in the fighters of the newly created center the desire to be the best in everything at any cost.
Let us note the main thing - the fighters of both centers continued the traditions laid down by the founding fathers, fulfilling the most complex tasks: They defended the Olympics in Sochi, carried out a brilliant operation in Crimea, and are now working in Syria.
Alexey Mikhailov
For many years, there has been talk in the Russian Ministry of Defense about the need to create a new separate structure, a separate type of troops - Special Operations Forces (SSO). The need to create such a structure has become urgent due to the experience of past wars and counter-terrorism operations. One of the goals of creating the MTR was to unite military special forces units under a single command. Before the emergence of the Special Forces as a full-fledged structure, special forces brigades were subordinate to the commanders of military districts, while the GRU formed the task of special forces, but did not directly supervise the brigade. In many ways, a similar structure in armed forces USA - United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM).
The first unit of the MTR was the Special Purpose Center "Senezh" in Solnechnogorsk, a little later they created in Kubinka analogous body— special purpose center “Kubinka-2”. Judging by reports from various publications, before the departure of Anatoly Serdyukov new structure did not receive development. With the arrival of Sergei Shoigu as Minister of Defense, the situation changed dramatically and already in April 2013, selected journalists were invited to MTR exercises in the Caucasus. The main combat unit of the MTR is the Senezh Special Purpose Center. Special operations forces are surrounded by perhaps a greater veil of secrecy than other GRU special forces brigades. This is one of the most secret and elite structures of the Russian Ministry of Defense, on TsSN armament there is the most modern weapons, not only Russian, but also foreign.
“Overheard” publication in a group in the village of Paltso
A few days ago, while monitoring social networks with our team, we came across a post in the group “ Overheard in Finger", which spoke about the death of a certain Zhuravlev Fedor. At the same time, in the comments, the author of the post said that Fedor died in Syria:
A little later, a second publication appeared in the same group, in the comments to which another person said that Zhuravlev died in Syria. Also in the comments, one person wrote that he died in Dagestan - we will consider this version below, but this person was corrected by the author of the first post, again saying that Fedor died in Syria:
Original recording
Saved copy
As always in such cases, we began to contact the authors of posts and comments under fictitious legends and fake profiles. We asked for a link to Fedor’s profile on the social network VKontakte or Odnoklassniki (so that using his profile and photographs it would be possible in the future to prove or disprove that he is an active serviceman of the Russian Armed Forces and was in Syria):
We also clarified how he died and where he died:
After this, we clarified what branch of the military the deceased served in:
We checked where the information came from that he died in Syria:
The man in the screenshots above is a friend of the deceased, not the closest, judging by the fact that in last time I talked to him in the summer of 2014. Green On the messages we are painted over, in black - the friend of the deceased. Then we talked with another friend of the deceased. We established the patronymic of the deceased (Vladimirovich), confirmed his age (27 years old), confirmed the existence of his brother Alexander, as well as his wife and daughter. In addition, a second friend also confirmed that Fedor died in Syria:
Our messages are colored green, friend's messages are colored blue.
We tried to find the profiles of the deceased Fedor in in social networks, but as his friends said, he did not have profiles on social networks, which is quite typical for GRU officers. We observed a similar thing during ours - they also either did not have profiles on social networks, or they were under false names. We also did not find profiles of his brother and parents.
Field work
This information was too little to publish a full-fledged investigation, but the information itself was important and could not simply be passed by. Therefore, we passed on the collected information to several journalists so that they could get involved and conduct their own investigation, perhaps asking questions to loved ones, officials, and the Ministry of Defense. This was before the funeral. We also decided to go to the place, to the village where the parents of the deceased live and where his funeral was to take place. While working with local sources, it was established that on Monday, November 23, a farewell to him and his deceased colleague took place in Fedor’s native military unit. According to sources, this happened in Solnechnogorsk, on the shore of Lake Senezh. Sources also reported that in addition to the two dead, there was another wounded.
There are two military units in Solnechnogorsk: 43292 and 92154. Judging by some news, both military units are located on the same territory. At the same time, on the Internet you can find many links about military unit 92154, with a description that this is GRU special forces, from which the Senezh Special Purpose Center, SSO, was formed. There is very little information about military unit 43292 on the Internet, and everything is either with the context of “GRU special forces” (but there are much fewer such links than about 92154), or without mentioning the type of troops. Many links about military unit 43292 are redirected to topics and groups with names like “military unit 92154, GRU special forces.” We believe that military unit 43292 is simply the headquarters / command / garrison of the same Senezh TsSN.
We also established from local sources that the wife of the deceased lives in Solnechnogorsk, which further confirms that the deceased Fedor belongs to the Senezh Center.
November 13 senior Researcher(RUSI) Igor Sutyagin published an article in which he described which units of the Russian Ministry of Defense are involved in the operation in Syria. This list also included a team of snipers from the Senezh Special Purpose Center:
Also, on November 17, when the FSB admitted that Airbus A321, flight 7K9268 crashed as a result of a terrorist attack, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense Sergei Zhigarev:
“Vladimir Vladimirovich said quite clearly that retribution will overtake the terrorists, and I think that special operations forces can be used for this, and they operate not from the air, but on the ground.”
This is nothing more than a comment from a private person, these are not statements by the State Duma itself, but it is important to note these words. Coupled with the words of Vladimir Putin that the organizers of the terrorist attack must be found and punished, no matter where they are, the appearance in Syria elite special forces Russia - more than expected.
When we started working together with individual journalists on this investigation, it seems that the locals noticed the attention and suddenly changed in behavior: they stopped making contact, and suddenly began to put forward the version that Fedor died during a counter-terrorism operation in Dagestan, and not in Syria at all. Fedor’s relatives also strictly stand by the version that Fedor was not in Syria and died during the counter-terrorism operation in Dagestan, and that he is not a special forces special forces officer of the Special Forces of the Special Forces or the GRU, but a simple paratrooper.
Let us recall that when in June 2015 we spoke with the parents of the dead GRU special forces from the 16th separate brigade GRU special forces that their sons died during a counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, and not in the Donbass. In addition, they received documents from the Russian Ministry of Defense with exactly this version of death.
Indeed, there was recently a counter-terrorist operation in Dagestan, but nothing has been reported about the security forces killed in it. In addition, the counter-terrorist operation in Dagestan began on November 22, and the death of Fedor, according to his friends, “has been known since Thursday,” i.e. from November 19.
Departure to Paltso
For further investigation, we needed to establish the exact date of death, as well as obtain photographs of Fedor’s grave to prove that he was an active serviceman (by the wreaths and uniform in the photograph). To begin with, we tried to find assistants who could complete this task. We published a message about the search for assistants, while throwing in two additional cities known for their military units (Tambov and Baltiysk) as a distraction:
To carry out a secret mission we need people from Tambov, Bryansk and Baltiysk. Write to telegram https://t.co/6ZZnHY0zUK
But in the end we decided to go on our own, partly because it is too dangerous a task and the assistant would risk his health and freedom, partly because the assistant must be very trusted. Having waited until the funeral was over (so as not to attract unnecessary attention), which took place on November 24, we took the train and arrived in Bryansk at night:
The road to the small village of Paltso took an hour and a half along remote, snow-covered roads:
Arriving in Paltso at dawn, we were faced with the task of establishing the location of the cemetery. Since the village is too small (population only 968 people), its infrastructure facilities are not marked on navigators and maps. We were helped to find the cemetery by fir branches with flowers, which we suddenly noticed on one of the roads in the village. These branches with flowers stretched in an even trail from the house of the deceased’s parents to the cemetery itself, which was located on the outskirts of the forest. There we quickly found Fedor’s grave:
So we established the exact date of birth of Fedor (09.11.1988) and date of death (11.19.2015). The confirmed date of death did not coincide with the version of the counter-terrorist operation in Dagestan, which began three days after Fedor’s death.
Near Fedor’s grave we found exactly the same wreaths from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and from colleagues who we:
In the photo, Fedor is dressed in military uniform with the rank of captain:
The Airborne Forces buttonholes are visible on the collar, but this does not in any way refute Fedor’s service in the GRU special forces, the special forces of the Special Forces of the Special Forces. Let us remind you that the dead servicemen of the 16th separate GRU special forces brigade, about whom, wear exactly the same uniform, with the same buttonholes:
Anton Savelyev, serviceman of the 16th OBRSpN GRU
In 10 days, 57 people supported us, thanks to which we this moment managed to collect 2% of the target amount. This collection is very important for us, as it will allow us to conduct more thorough investigations, devote more time to them, and What is important is to make such field trips more often in search of additional evidence. For example, this trip to Paltso cost us 7,600 rubles. We will write a more detailed report on the fundraising progress in a separate post.
Note: We found out that many people do not notice that in our command in the third field you can enter an arbitrary amount, including, for example, 50 kopecks.
Military service has always enjoyed great honor and respect in almost every existing state. After all, the troops are the force that can protect the country from external aggression. It should be noted that the history of the development of military art stretches back to ancient times. Many modern principles army formations were based on Ancient Greece and Rome. With the passage of time and gradual technical evolution, new devices and technologies were included in the activities of the military. This has led to the fact that in the 21st century, the art of killing in most cases is carried out remotely, through computers, missiles, drones, etc. However, there are tasks that are simply impossible to cope with remotely or with the help of machines. That is, it is necessary to involve people with a special level of training. This type of military exists in every state. As a rule, they are combined into units. In the Russian Federation, there is a similar formation within the Armed Forces. It performs special functions and also has its own structure, staff and features, which will be discussed later in the article.
The concept of special units
The special operations forces of the Russian Federation are special units in the structure of the Armed Forces, as was already indicated earlier. But few people understand what the category of “special units” is in general. As a rule, formations of this kind are created as part of the army, since it is precisely in combat conditions that situations very often arise that require a special approach. But there are special units also in internal services, for example, the police, etc. Taking this into account, we can conclude that special units are formations in the system of bodies involved in the comprehensive defense of the state, which are responsible for carrying out the most dangerous and inherently complex missions.
Russian "analogue"
Special Operations Forces are a unit directly included in It was developed in 2009 as a result of the global reform of the entire defense sector of the state. The unit is entrusted with special tasks, which will be discussed in more detail later in the article. It should be noted that the Russian special operations forces report directly to the chief of the Russian Armed Forces. Today, the exact number of the special unit is unknown, since it is protected by a special regime. As for the issue of MTR equipment, the command approached it quite professionally. The unit uses all available technical innovations in the field of military affairs. It should be noted that the staff of special operations forces carries out its activities on the basis of a special service.
Main tasks of the unit
Russian special operations forces are highly mobile units. Their employees have special military training, which increases their experience in performing important and dangerous tasks. In accordance with this, we can say that the main directions of the work of the MTR are quite specific. They are usually implemented peacefully, war time both abroad and on the territory of the Russian Federation. It should be noted that the Russian special operations forces are a young unit. Many aspects and immediate goals of his work are still not fully known. However, we can say with confidence that special operations forces are engaged in the implementation of the task of the same name, which, in turn, has its own characteristics.
The concept of a special operation
The presented term characterizes the military process. It differs from ordinary operations in the specifics of its implementation, goals, and methods of activity of its subjects. First of all, it should be noted that a special operation is carried out by military units to protect the interests of the state in a particular territory. Moreover, such actions are considered special because it is simply impossible to implement them using conventional methods and means. That is, the subject composition of special operations is almost always highly qualified fighters of well-trained and highly mobile units. The methodological basis of their activities in most cases is the secrecy and secrecy of any actions. For this purpose, military personnel special units undergo special psychological, combat, fire and other types of training. They are trained to operate both as part of a mobile group and individually behind enemy lines. The most common purposes of special operations are the following:
Sabotage;
Sabotage;
Activities of a subversive nature, etc.
History of the creation of the MTR
It has already been pointed out that special operations forces are a relatively young unit. It did not exist in its modern form before. Its creation is preceded by a fairly long history. The governing body of the MTR was created in 2009, when the general reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation began. Gradually, the structure of the new division developed and expanded. By 2012, a special operations forces command had been created. It consisted of about nine special brigades. However, the actual creation of special operations forces began in 2013. At this time, the command of this formation began to implement planned work aimed at bringing the structure of these units into proper form. According to the statement of Valery Gerasimenko, Army General, by March 23, 2013, the MTR personnel had already been actually formed. At this time, it was being prepared for direct use both on the territory of the Russian Federation and abroad. Around the end of April 2013, the Russian Armed Forces conducted exercises that were aimed at practicing practical actions in conditions as close as possible to real ones.
Division structure
The special operations forces of the Russian Federation have their own internal structure, due to the need to quickly respond to situations the solution of which is within the scope of the unit’s activities. At the same time, the composition of the MTR, in turn, has an internal hierarchy, which makes it possible to distribute functional responsibilities between individual structural elements. Thus, the special operations forces of the Russian Federation consist of the following elements:
- Direct command located in the Moscow region.
- Special center "Snezh", which is also located in the Moscow region. It should be noted that this center today is one of the main parts of the unit presented in the article. Its task is not only to train fighters, but also to conduct special operations. Therefore, Snezh has a structure consisting of departments in different areas of activity, which will be discussed below.
- Special training center for specialists. Direct training of personnel takes place in this department. Here, in fact, they are born Russian forces special operations. In addition, soldiers from other special units of the Russian Federation undergo training and retraining at the center.
- A combat center similar to “Snezh” is “Cuba” or “Zzaborye”, as it is commonly called.
Of course, it is possible that there are other special centers, but information about them may be strictly classified. This level of mystery around the MTR is not accidental. After all, the fighters of this unit carry out operations that are far from straightforward. It should be noted that the SEAL unit, the SEALs, popular throughout the world, also did not officially exist in the first stages of its development. Only over time was the fact of its creation and real activities revealed.
Structure of the special center “Snezh”
In order to at least roughly understand how the special operations forces of the Russian Armed Forces work, it is necessary to take a more detailed look at the composition of the Snezh special purpose center, which was mentioned earlier in the article. It should be noted that in accordance with the tasks assigned to the MTR, the structure of the center includes a number of special departments. Each of them is responsible for maintaining combat training and performing specific functions. One of these departments is the airborne department. The fighters serving in it, in accordance with the name, constantly replenish the arsenal of ways to penetrate behind enemy lines directly through the air. That is, there is a strong emphasis on skydiving, as well as paragliding. The fighters of this department are comparable to employees; however, their activities and methods of landing are kept secret.
There is also a special mountain division. Its fighters specialize in operating and surviving in appropriate conditions. As we know, conducting special operations in the mountains has an increased level of risk, which necessitates the need for special training of fighters. The same requirements are put forward to employees who work in the department for the destruction and capture of enemy infrastructure, that is, buildings, headquarters, bunkers, etc.
The department is inherently multipurpose special actions Navy. Most often it is called sea. This formation is a competitor to the Navy SEALs of the United States of America. Because its activity is based on performing tasks in the waters of lakes, rivers and seas. As a rule, fighters carry out their work from watercraft. In addition, the functional tasks of the department include: intelligence operations, sabotage actions on water bodies the enemy and those located directly on the shore.
No less important and functional is the department specializing in the protection of high-ranking officials. government officials. In this case, its functions at some points overlap with the activities of the Federal Security Service.
Additional structural departments special center"Snezh" are the withdrawal and support units. In the first case, we are talking about formations that are engaged in the withdrawal separate groups MTR from behind enemy lines or the location of the operation. Today, withdrawal can be carried out both by air, land and water. The remaining departments of the center are engaged material support and communication. It should be noted that on the territory of “Snezh” there are special complexes, which are used to provide fighters and maintain their fighting shape.
Russian special operations forces: how to get there?
Some young people would like to get into this unit. To date, the recruitment process for service in the special operations forces of the Russian Federation is not known exactly. The unit, according to unclassified data, is staffed by contract military personnel. That is, all employees without exception are professional fighters, and not people who go through conscript service. In addition, many specialists from the unit enter it after graduating from special military educational institutions, which have certain faculties. These today are the Ryazan Higher Airborne command school, and However, it is possible that personnel in the MTR is also replenished through the recruitment of people who are already serving in units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Conflicts involving the unit
To date, special operations forces have officially been deployed on the territory of the state of Syria. In this country, the unit was engaged in ground reconnaissance of the area to support airstrikes. At the same time, the activities of the unit are confirmed by a fact that was also covered in the media. According to the official version, near Palmyra in March 2016, MTR soldiers liberated the city. Due to superior enemy forces, one of the employees special forces was killed. In addition to military operations in Syria, there is a lot of unofficial information about the activities of the Special Forces in other military conflicts, for example in the North Caucasus during the fight against Islamists. The most controversial is the fact of the participation of fighters of the mentioned unit in the Crimean crisis.
Special unit emblem
The Russian special operations forces, whose emblem is presented in the article, have special symbols. It is, first of all, represented by a common sign that exists among all military formations in Russia. The emblem of the MTR of the Russian Federation is a gray wreath, at the top of which is a reduced emblem of the Russian Armed Forces, namely a double-headed eagle of gold color. In the center of the Special Operations Forces badge is a bow, the string of which is pulled by an arrow with wings. This symbol is also gold in color.
So, this article presented photos of the special operations forces of the Russian Federation. We also found out the main tasks and composition of this unit. Let's hope that more information about the activities of the MTR will soon appear, which will make it possible to judge the quality of the work of this unit.