From the book “22nd Guards Separate Special Forces Brigade. The history of 22 separate special forces brigade in the memoirs of soldiers, officers and generals. Moscow, 2011.

Dmitry Podushkov arrived in the Kandahar detachment in 1987, when the intensity of hostilities began to decline. At this time, the detachment was commanded by Major V. Goratenkov. Many veterans associate his command with a period of highest casualties and falling performance. Dmitry was one of those who, by their actions, returned the detachment among the first. Below we present a chronicle of the activities of the 173rd ooSpN from September 1987 to August 1988, prepared by the author on the basis of his diary entries.

173rd Separate Special Purpose Detachment of the GRU General Staff

Chronicle: September 1987 - August 1988

I graduated from the faculty of special intelligence of the Ryazan Airborne Forces School in September 1985 (13th company). By my own choice and distribution, I ended up in the 2nd Special Forces of the Special Forces (Pskov) - I didn’t want any “exotics”, I wanted to serve in native Russia. The chief of staff of the brigade at that time was V.V., who had just been replaced from Afghanistan. Kvachkov. All officers of the unit treated him with great respect - a true professional and a wonderful person.

In December 1985, he was trained for Afghanistan at the Shot courses on the basis of the Chirchik OBRSN (Chirchik, Uzbek SSR). Just 2 months after graduating from college in Chirchik, former classmates met. Seryozha Lezhnev served in the Chirchik brigade and left with us to replace him in Afghanistan in the 173rd detachment. (died 05/2/1987) From different districts came: Volodya Semgaikin, Igor Vesnin, Lyosha Panin (then all served in the 173rd), Vlad Veliyev, Seryozha Cherny (died on 11/29/1986, AN-12, on which he flew, was shot down by a MANPADS after taking off from Kabul, killing 30 people, including Seryozha).

After returning to Pskov, I was immediately put on a replacement in Afghanistan. Therefore, all holidays walked in January-February. But he got “over the river” only in September 1987 - for two years he defended the honor of the brigade in the competition of reconnaissance groups: LenVO (1986 - 1st place), the championship of the Special Forces of the GRU (Pechory, 1987 - 3rd place; 1st place " automatically” was received by a group from the GSVG, although it failed many stages). Preparation for the competitions made it possible for both years to be very intensively engaged in combat training. In September 1987, at the LenVo headquarters directly opposite the Winter Palace in Leningrad, he received travel documents for Afghanistan. In Tashkent, at the headquarters of the district, they specified it - I am changing Slava Shishakin in the 173rd detachment in Kandahar.

Crossed the border on 17 September. In Kabul I met Valera Grigoriev from the 2nd company of the 173rd detachment during the transfer. He was returning from vacation. He told a fresh anecdote:

Where do you serve?
- In Kandahar...
- How are you still alive?

He flew to Kandahar late in the evening on September 19 on the AN-26. The ramp of the plane opened - to meet - Slava Shishakin with a can of imported soda "CC" - the first impression and the first taste of Kandahar.

Got to serve in the 1st company. 313 RGSpN (3rd battalion, 1st company, 3rd group) - very symbolically - graduated from the 13th company at the school. Callsign - "Jack". Commander - Sasha Zaikov, with whom they served together in Pskov, commanders - Misha Dyadyushkin (Kiev VOKU), commanders for political affairs Andrei Panferov, translator Tolya Rulev.

Once again he was surrounded by classmates. In the first company, Vitya Portasov and Sasha Toskin served as group commanders (all graduated from the 14th company a year later). In the second - Igor Morozov, Valera Grigoriev (14th company) in the third - the commander - Anvar Khamzin (studied in the 13th company, but he is 2 years older), Igor Vesnin, Sasha Tur, left for the Union after Gen Agida was wounded.

Combat training began the very next morning - the company went on armor to the shooting range (far away, it was even closer, just behind the guard posts to the east) in the area of ​​​​the city of Barigund on the road to the southeast towards the city of Quetta (10 km from the checkpoint) - involvement in the war began.

In the evenings, until I left, I tortured Slava Shishakin on maps in detail, talked intensively with classmates about the conditions for conducting hostilities in the area of ​​​​responsibility.

I checked the group's skills in tactics and fire training - everything is modest. Previously, they fired only from standard positions at a simple target environment at 100 m. Later on, classes and preparation for ambushes began to be carried out according to the full program: shooting on the move, from “armor”, at 10-15 targets, interaction in “troikas”, everyone fired from all types of weapons that were in the group and from the armament of the BMP-2, so that there was full interchangeability, when flying by helicopters, they learned to shoot from the air at ground targets, etc.

The general conclusion in advance is that the graduates of the 13th company of the RVVDKU of our faculty during this period formed the basis of the 173rd detachment. They were constantly looking for a fight, they thought more about the war, how to find and destroy the enemy; people of Kiev - how to dress up with clothes for the holidays. (No slander, it was). In general, I remember and surprised: if you want, fight, if you don’t want, you can find “respectful” excuses. Ryazan residents of 1985 did not look for excuses.

General characteristics of the fighting of the battalion during this period. The area of ​​responsibility, in relation to what the predecessors told, was greatly curtailed. They did not go and did not fly beyond the Argandab River and the reservoir. (In my memory, only once flew with Sasha Zaikov along the Northern Road). There was also a vast "treaty zone" in the southeast. All armed "spirits" there are "friends". On overflights, they sat down to the cars - “dost!” (if I remember correctly) - friends. There were already more helicopter overflights and armored exits. Raids on fortified areas were not carried out at all. There were many negotiations with the "spirits" and many "truces" were concluded.

For the war, the northeast remained free to the line of the village of Shahkarez - the city of Buriband - the Apushella region was fortified, the east to the city of Kalat along the Kandahar - Kalat road, to the Lora River; in the south and southwest - the Registan desert. The kishlak zone along the Kalat road was badly destroyed, the years of the war were felt.

I remember that at the time of my arrival there were no results in the battalion for a long time, and this made the battalion leadership nervous. And not long before the arrival, a group of the 1st company in the desert fell under the “spiritual” distribution during the day. There were wounded.

The first combat exit on September 26-29. Group commander M. Dyadyushkin, I, as a second officer, organized ambushes for three nights around Mount Bukegar northwest of the Shinarai fortified area. The "spirits" probably figured out the group - the shepherds and flocks of sheep surrounded from all sides. As a result, 11 "shepherds" were detained, tied up and basking in the scorching sun before the helicopter arrived. Two were taken to the battalion as "prisoners".

On the "turntables" the deputy battalion commander V. Udovichenko arrives to pick us up (nicknames: "Beard", "Boa constrictor"). It was forty minutes before dark. We flew. Below kishlachek-khutorok: two houses, two sheds, a ditch flowing from a kyariz, melons, several trees... “Let's inspect,” said Udovichenko, “the last time they found “trunks” here. (Need results!)

They sat behind the nearest hillock, helicopters covered from the air. We are approaching the village in a chain run. The inhabitants are not visible. Nerves do not stand up, the fighters begin to shoot. Grenades fly into sheds, into houses, into karez. Empty, no people. (Very deep karez from the mountain - probably took refuge there). The thatched roof of the house caught fire, we begin to retreat. And then there is the cry of a child. A child sits and cries on the ground - no more than 2-3 years old. Helicopters couldn't wait. Darkness descended on the mountains...

Somewhere around the same time. The battalion commander flew overflight with a reconnaissance group. The helicopter was fired upon. Two rifle bullets pierced the glass and hit the door above the battalion commander's head. The marks remain the same.

Exit October 1-4. Sasha Toskin commander, I am the second officer. Mountain Sharki-Baggai region. Neither on the first nor on the second night do we sit down near the caravan route. I ask Sasha: "What's the matter?" He: “Why do we need “spirits”? Nafig need this war! Shortly before my arrival, he and his group came under fire, was wounded in the finger, and his tone for the war dropped.

October 23-25. Sasha Zaikov commander. We land in the evening in one of the northern gorges of Mount Baggar. For the day we climb the mountains of Sra, south of the city of Buriband. From above, as in the palm of your hand, the intermountain along Kalatka - all night through the valley there is heavy traffic of cars. We look forward to it. We walk one more night, drink water from some dirty sheep puddles (we have no patience to draw warm water through the “Spring” filter), spend the day in Mulla Alaizainik’s mazar south of Apushella, and in the morning on the radio station from the battalion: “Urgent evacuation, in the green "A group of the 3rd company is being beaten near Kandahar. We flew to the traffic rules, Sasha Zaikov ran to the battalion commander - let our armor go! (BMP-2 only in the 1st company). The whole company has gathered, we are waiting for the departure. But there was no command to leave. The “armor” of the 2nd company on the BTR-80, which had just arrived from the Union, and which did not even have ammo for machine guns, went to evacuate the group! (I'm not going into details, everything is described in detail). 9 dead. One of the reasons for what happened, again - to give a result!

One of the Su-25s, which supported the group in the green, was hit by a Stinger - a huge piece of the fuselage was torn out from under the tail unit. They showed a photograph and there was an article in Krasnaya Zvezda. But sat down safely.

A big tragedy for the battalion. Officers and soldiers cannot talk about anything else for several days ...

A few days later, Sasha Zaikov, about eighty kilometers from the checkpoint, not far from the gate with the group (they were supposed to fly together, but, as I didn’t resist, the party organizer sent me to “stand on the partuchet” to the brigade in Lashkargah) scored “Simurg” and about ten “spirits” ”, respectively 10 trunks. We go with Sasha to Anvar Khamzin in the hospital (wounded on October 25). Sasha: "Anwar, I avenged them for you!"

28 of October. Another tragedy of our 22nd brigade. In Shakhdzhoy, in the 186th detachment, the group of Oleg Onischuk was almost completely destroyed. (A lot has been written about this in detail, I won’t repeat myself). Both he and Slava Goroshko, who flew in to pull him out, had already stopped a couple of times with me in our company when they flew to Kandahar on business - both of them were very friendly with Sasha Zaikov. Oleg made a very good impression - a competent, thoughtful, intelligent officer. Slava Goroshko was his complete opposite and fully corresponded to his outrageous behavior, the manner of talking to the cliché "Rimbaud". He showed very convincingly how he would cut the heads of the “spirits”. Shortly after that, he also flew to Kandahar, told everything in detail, showed photographs of the dead group. Oleg's head was blown off by a bullet...

Of course, there was the most detailed study of both episodes. The command began to think about how to further strengthen the firepower of the groups. Firstly, the number of groups was strictly set - 20 people - to the eyeballs, how many fit into two Mi-8s. (Before that, it was more or less arbitrary - up to 20 people). Secondly, they decided to include an 82-mm mortar in the armament of the group. (And there was already an AGS-17 and a 12.7-mm machine gun "Cliff"). Everyone, of course, howled. Canceled - the group simply would not be able to move ...

They also introduced communication only through cipher blocks. Of the group commanders, only I could normally use it - the experience of participating in exercises and in competitions in the Union. (The encryption ensign was from the Pskov brigade, they served together, and he said: “Dima, what they write is impossible to understand! Only everything is fine with you”). Therefore, after a while, this requirement was also canceled. The KV "Severok" radio station was adopted for communication with the detachment, the communication range was 200-300 km. (Once I heard the talks of oilmen in the Union on it, they were talking about some kind of pipes. At first I thought that someone was just encrypted. But the signalmen in the detachment said that everything is possible - mountains, rocks contribute to ultra-long communication). It was also established - as soon as the group begins to beat the caravan - immediately call the Su-25. And in case of any danger, immediately call the planes. This was strictly observed. Planes flew in, the command groups indicated with tracers the direction of a possible approach of enemy forces or the nearest village, the range and the planes "demonstrated strength."

November 5-6. We ambushed with “armor” (on BMP-2) right in the empty village of Garkalay (40 km north-east of the checkpoint. The inhabitants, as I was told earlier, “spirits” were cut out due to the fact that near the village a group of detachment scored caravan.Here, on the edge of the village, there are about 20 mounds-graves). At night, two motorcycles and a Simurgh drive from the side of the green zone towards Pakistan. We passed by 20 meters. The beat was very comfortable. But I did not give the command to open fire. As taught - if in the direction of Pakistan, most likely the route check should be skipped. However, there was no more movement all night. It's a pity. But you don't always know...

November 22-24. We sat on the caravan route in the mandehi near the Tarnak River and the Kandahar-Kalat road, 35 km from Kandahar. On the second night, just as it got dark, two Simurgs left the village of Majikalai. Two hundred meters between them. There is no doubt - we will beat. When the first caught up with the group, they opened fire. The second remained for Tarnak. The first was stopped quickly, with the spirits from the second they entered into a firefight. An automatic bullet hit the parapet about ten centimeters in front of me. Sobering. Do not relax. The result - two burned "Simurgs", one corpse, two burnt barrels.

December 4th. The "armor" of the 1st company on the BMP-2 gave a great result. Commander - M. Dyadyushkin. For a couple of days, the “armor” rolled around Mount Buriband with a roar, scaring the “spirits”. I stopped for the night about three kilometers to the west. In the morning, a caravan of eight cars went - they could not believe their eyes. They chased the cars on BMPs, fired from cannons. Result: 2 "Simurgs" were captured, 2 burned down, 60 guns, 2 mortars - they were driven to the PPD. On the same evening, Igor Vesnin calculated the situation according to the stories, flew overflight and captured another Simurg with weapons and ammunition in the gorge not far from the ambush site: 15 barrels, 1 DShK, 2 mortars, RS.

January. A general's rank flew in from Kabul to check the 70th brigade. My group on the BMP-2 - escort. We drive through Kandahar and the "green" to the west - the general is watching the arrangement of the brigade's checkpoints along the road. We pass through Kandahar together with a combined return column of fuel trucks (empty). In the column on top of the "armor" recruits are being taken to the Lashkargah garrison. They are without weapons, in wrinkled overcoats, helpless as chickens. A strong impression of Kandahar and greenery. The city - a lot of ruins, even more dust. The road along the "green" - for 15 km - lined with "spirits" Soviet equipment: fuel trucks, armored personnel carriers, tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, etc. - Hundreds! They were moved off the road to the side of the road and formed a protective parapet. But often “spirits” also use it for ambushes. (And during the war years, a huge cemetery of damaged equipment also grew up near our battalion - also hundreds of vehicles). In the end, in view of the high losses of equipment and people, the road west of Kandahar was "moved." In some places very extensive cemeteries are visible. Very extensive. Ninth year of the war. Immediately after leaving the city in the area of ​​the village of Sinjarai, she leaves to the north and walks through a clay, flat desert like a table. It is difficult to understand how fighters survive at checkpoints. It's not just about the "spirits" - the living conditions are not just harsh - hellish. Of course, the minimum living conditions are dugouts-burrows and there is no electricity, which means there are no air conditioners. They change every 2 weeks. In the winter, okay, but how do they live in the summer? (We are spoiled in our plywood modules - 2 air conditioners per officer's quarters).

We spend the night at a large, basic checkpoint north of the "green". It is better equipped. To the "green" in a straight line 3-4 km. At night, a machine gun and a tank fire periodically - they are on guard. You wake up from the shots, roll over to the other side and fall asleep until the next series.

In the morning I get into the tank and look at the “front line” through the strong optics of the sight. I communicate with local fighters - the war goes on almost every night. "Spirits" approach the checkpoint at 400 meters (the checkpoint is surrounded by barbed wire and minefields on all sides) - they shoot and retreat. After that, for half an hour, the checkpoint comes to life with return fire. Having driven through the checkpoints with the general, we wait for the next Soviet column (the Afghan "barbukhaiki" are also attached to it) and together with it we pass Kandahar in the opposite direction.

I don't remember the exact date. We sit for 3 days in an ambush right in the village of Garkalay. Dead houses, in which the spirit of the people who lived here has not yet disappeared. One out of hundreds, out of thousands - a small human nest at the foot of big mountain, at the foot of a big war... The houses are closely attached to the walls of the village, and the walls to the houses. And so the whole village. Close, in a minute you can go through the internal passages. The tallest building is the mosque. Feeling like a toy. Town of gnomes from distant childhood. Idyll and death in the war are nearby. A kyariz stretches from the mountain, turning into a ditch - water. There are crabs in a small pond. I walk along the kariz to a depth of 50 meters - absolute darkness, like in a grave. Small fish poke at the feet.

Every night, the group takes up battle formations in the beginning to deteriorate human habitation. I go up to the platform of the mosque - the whole plain is at my feet. Both anxious and calm. Night. Silhouettes of mountains along the perimeter of the plain, signal lights of caravan guides, distant cries of shepherds combing the area in search of reconnaissance groups, dotted lines of tracers and the echo of explosions over the "green" - "spirits" sort things out among themselves, wandering lights of distant headlights - Afghan night. And the starry sky, and the murmur of a nearby canal, and the silhouettes of trees, and the cry of a bird ... And thoughts about the house, and about life, and about death ... The dilapidated green light of the screen of night binoculars, the champing of condensed milk of a fighter in the dark, the snoring of another that broke through, the matte sheen of weapons, the warmth of a sleeping bag, and the chill of the cooling ground... The whole night is like a long movie. The night tosses and turns and wheezes and groans and cries and shoots... All sounds will die away in the morning. During the day, the earth will rest from the night vigil. Well, in the meantime, night over the plain ...

A person very soon gets used to this lifestyle. Feelings are aggravated, a person again becomes a part of nature.

Not every ambush ends in a stormy fire denouement, not every one ends in death, but nerves are always overstrained to ringing, and instead of praise - grumbling of the senior commander, and a bathhouse, and pour water, and two letters from the Union, and a dream (a dream not interrupted by sidnokarb ( psychostimulant), in a quarter of an open eye) on white sheets, under air conditioning ...

In the morning a farmer wandered into the village. I had to be taken prisoner. The group came to shoot the deputy battalion commander. But we are not going to the PPD, but to the Maranjangar mountains - the eastern border of the "green". We take a farmer with us, on the way to the field one more. During the years of the war, people gained sheepish obedience. Only in the first minutes the peasants try to find out something, but after receiving a couple of kicks from the soldiers, they calm down. Cars, stretched out in a chain, are approaching the mountains. A few days ago, an Mi-24 was shot down while trying to capture the "spirit" weapons depot. APCs surround the crash site. Sero. The whole sky is covered with clouds - a variant of the Afghan winter ... Nearby are the remains of a village, 2-3 houses, and a group of fruit trees. In the garden, having previously blindfolded, the “prisoners” are tied to trees. And armored personnel carriers drive off for two kilometers. Everything remains unclear until the distant "Hurricanes" begin to shoot, and the "armor" adjusts the fire on the village by radio station. It turns out that the developers of vacuum munitions came to the garrison and asked for assistance in testing. It was possible to take sheep, but they took people. One or two rockets are fired - we drive up and look. (First, the first part of the ammunition falls to the ground, sprays gaseous explosives, then a detonator descends on a parachute - an explosion follows. Designed to combat manpower in shelters). Explosions go nearby, from the side it seems that the village has been covered, we drive up - people are alive. In the end, one "spirit" is untied and runs away, we untie the second and leave for the battalion ...

January 21, 1988 I give a large "result" on a flyby with the group. They flew along the gate to the northeast of Kandahar. We were already returning when on the road Mandzhikalai - Kanate-Khadzhibur near the river. Tarnak found a MAZ-500 truck with its nose towards Pakistan. There was no one near the car. This confused. Already passed by, but returned. They opened the tarpaulin - under the eyeballs of ammunition: 100 rockets, 600 mines for an 82-mm mortar in individual packaging. And the most interesting - 10 extended range rockets. The caliber is about 120 mm, the warhead is separate, the main part with the engine is separate. Connected with a thread. The height is about two meters. Real rocket. This “thing”, as they later said, was taken in our area of ​​​​responsibility for the first time. It turned out that the car had stalled, and it was left under guard. Apparently, when the helicopters approached, the "spirits" fled. Nearby, in the area of ​​the village of Majikalai, the "armor" of the second company worked. Apparently, because of this, the caravan got up. Through the battalion, I contacted the "armor". She approached. Igor Morozov, the commander of the "armor", looking at the MAZ, is disappointed: "Well, I wanted to get here!" They brought a MAZ from the pusher and arrived at the PPD under their own power. Then, until the end of the war, these mines were fired when they went out on the "armor".

Like the result on the "ball" and even without a fight. On the other hand, the result of systematic daily work - perhaps, at that time I was the most active with my group - I went to ambushes more often than others, and flew constantly.

In the morning, a group of the third company on a flyby during the battle destroyed two more GAZ-66s with weapons and ammunition in the village of Tagzigbarga, most likely from the same caravan. I was supposed to fly with them, but my fighter, the head of the guard, "flew" and I was put in his place.

At the same time, a commission arrived at the battalion. The results were very helpful.

Sasha Zaikov contracted malaria and was sent to the Union. It's a pity, we lived in perfect harmony with him. The company was headed by Misha Dyadyushkin.

Somewhere at the same time - the 1st company went out to release the garrison of the DRA government troops in the village of Shahri-Safa - from Kandahar approx. 60 km on the road to Kalat. They gave the D-30 howitzer. We arrived in the evening. We met with the leadership of the garrison, agreed on cooperation. They stood for three days on the blocks around the hill, where the main forces of the "greens" were located, methodically "demonstrated strength" - fired from howitzers and mortars at the probable paths of the enemy's approach, set up small night ambushes nearby.

The group of the 1st company, commander Andrey Panferov, political officer of the company, sat for several days on the NP in the Khadegar mountains, purely with the task of monitoring the movement of caravans. Andrei was a fan of the barbell - he took the barbell with him to the NP. As a result of observation, the movement of cars was noticed in one of the gorges. "Armor" of the 2nd company (Igor Morozov) came on a call and destroyed the ammunition depot.

In late January - early February, the 3rd company took part in a major military operation in the north of Helmand province to eliminate Mullah Nasim's gang.

February 29th. Valera Gonchar died in the Farakhrud battalion, with whom they served as group commanders in the 1st company in Pskov. I went to help the group and was ambushed.

Podushkov, do you read Krokodil magazine?
No, Comrade Major...
- In vain, it is necessary to read, personnel will love.
I am not a woman to be loved...
- Well, respect. You punish, but with humor.

Sometimes I went to war with the 3rd company.

At the exit of the "armor" of the 2nd company, due to carelessness, the armored personnel carrier crushed the fighter.

Information had just reached us - on March 1, Valera Gonchar died in an ambush in the Farakhrud battalion - they served together as group commanders in the 1st company in Pskov.

2 April. Ambush on a pack caravan. The route from Mount Tarikagar (from Pakistan) to the "green zone" near the city of Kandahar passed through the Registan desert (approx. 30 km)

Information about the movement of the pack caravan was given by undercover intelligence.

In the evening, a reconnaissance group under the command of the commander of Art. Lieutenant A. Panin landed from helicopters a kilometer from the caravan trail, approximately in the middle of the route. The group of 30 people, in addition to the commander, also included I. Vesnin, A. Tur, myself and the head of intelligence of the detachment D. Grebenichenko. He recently arrived to us from the Airborne Forces, and this was his first exit.

We approached the trail quickly. The group remained behind the dunes. Posting observers, the officers went to reconnaissance. Panin decided to separate two fire subgroups of ten people each and stretch them along the front in order to beat a long caravan or two caravan groups. The first firing subgroup, in which Panin and Vesnin were located, was located 20-30 meters from the trail. The second was in command of Tur, and was assisted by the chief of intelligence. They lay 50-70 meters from the trail. Each subgroup had AGS-17. On the flanks, there were two subgroups of support, three people each. They also played the role of observers. I was put in charge of the right, which was on the Pakistani side thirty meters from the trail. With me - a machine gunner and a sniper. It was very important to find a suitable caravan as early as possible. The desert is one level, without serious heights. The camel caravan is not a car, it goes quite quietly and reveals itself at the last moment.

The entire ambush along the front took approx. 250-300 meters. Two people covered the rear. The control of the group was organized by radio tonal signals, the rest of the time there was complete radio silence. It should be added that an almost full moon hung in the sky, and with night binoculars the area could be seen as during the day.

On the very first night, in order to check the route and provoke an ambush, an empty caravan of six camels and 15 escorts without weapons passed along the path. Through night binoculars, I saw the absence of cargo on camels and weapons from the "spirits" and warned Panin - they let him through. For the day, the group moved away from the ambush site by 200 meters. Posted observers. During the day, the route was also checked by enemy patrols.

On the second night they took their former positions. Around midnight the caravan left. From me, the path in the direction of the probable passage of the caravan was visible for about two hundred meters. First, in BN-2, I saw two figures. That is how I remember them. On the approach, the first figure divided into a head patrol of two people, and the second into a chain of camels and people. There are 13 camels and 15 escorts. They move very quickly and noisily, making noise. There are a hundred meters between the patrol and the caravan. I give a signal on the radio station.

The caravan passes by, drawn into the fire bag. Behind me I hear the crash of a motorcycle - the rear patrol. But he hasn't entered the line of sight yet. Five hundred meters away from the caravan.

The head patrol passed Panin's subgroup. The core of the caravan approached. The ambush began with the simultaneous throwing of several grenades. The intense fire lasted five minutes. The dead camels created many obstacles. I had a good view of the tail of the caravan from my place and worked on it. There was practically no resistance. Only the head patrol fired in the direction of the group and went towards Kanedagar. The rear patrol, without entering the visibility zone, turned around and went back.

The preliminary screening was carried out at night. The approach of reinforcements was unlikely. They did not leave the ambush site. Increased surveillance and sat until the morning.

During the ambush, 12 people were killed. The head patrol and one person from the core left. Several wounded "spirits" managed to crawl two hundred meters during the night. They were found in the morning on the tracks and finished off. Among the "spirits" we found two Egyptian instructors. One of them tried to surrender, but he was shot by the head of intelligence. A launcher for rockets was captured, about thirty RS, machine guns and carbines, shots for RPGs and documents.

Ambush classic. Like notes. As taught by teachers and predecessors.

After this incident, the Kandahar garrison of Soviet troops was subjected to intense rocket fire for two nights.

April. A couple of times a week at night shelling the garrison with rockets. First, together with everyone, you run out into the street and hide in a shelter. After a couple of weeks, you drive the fighters to the shelter, and you yourself return to sleep in the barracks. Let it be.

During one of the shelling of the garrison by eReSs in a motorized rifle brigade, four were killed and four were wounded.

A battery of howitzers "Hyacinth" and RZSO "Uragan" is based near the battalion. As soon as the shelling of the garrison begins, they begin to hammer on the greenery, all the barracks are shaking. A pair of MI-24s rises into the air and also hammers on the "green". After a while, the firing stops.

Diary: “Fatherlessness is a scourge. Male qualities are deficient. Only ten out of thirty soldiers recognize male authority in their upbringing (poll). Of the seventeen to eighteen soldiers of the group going to the combat exit, five to six people are a capable backbone, seven to eight are outright ballast, they carry themselves and weapons. It would be better without them, but it is impossible, and there are no others. But that's not all. Some senior commanders believe that everyone should be taken to war in order to educate and re-educate them all there. Strange, it always seemed that they were fighting in a war ... "

Somewhere around this time. I do fire training at the shooting range with my group. The "armor" of the 1st company is approaching. Some leaders of the "spirits" are being taken to be shot.

12th of April. At motorized riflemen. On the posting of the column in Kandahar, an armored personnel carrier is set on fire. The battalion commander from the brigade was badly wounded - his leg was torn off. They are not in a hurry to help - the fire is very strong. Finally, the armored personnel carrier that came up did not contain tourniquets and bandages. He dies from loss of blood.

From the diary: “Sometimes I don’t write the full truth, everything is as it is, out of superstition ...”

April 13th. The special officer called. He warned not to be too frank in his assessments of the Afghan war in his letters. My comrade from the LenVO Intelligence Directorate, to whom I wrote letters on his questionnaire for a Ph.D. thesis in philosophy, was also shaken. (After returning to the Union. He: “But I didn’t understand why!”)

April 18th. MiG-23 crashed not far from the airfield while landing. By official version, shot down by MANPADS. The pilot is dead. Some sort of general. The "armor" of the third company went to provide security for the work of the commission.

Exit to the Union is scheduled (once again, the deadlines are constantly being postponed) for May 15. "Spirits" have increased the transfer of weapons from Pakistan. They are transported incl. ATGMs are also preparing for our exit. Our activities are very limited - the range of actions (groups) is narrowing to 30-40 km. "Spirits" smash the frontier battalions of the government army. (We drove into them a couple of times - that's another gang. No service, of course, just a struggle for survival). "Spirits" approach the battalion, send a parliamentarian - one day to think - go over to the side of the "spirits" or destruction. For the majority, of course, there is no choice.

Somewhere at the same time, the head of the Control Group of the USSR Ministry of Defense in Afghanistan, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR V.I., came to the garrison. Varennikov - set up morally for a conclusion. I took the words, asked why they limit fighting, said that this is wrong, we give the "spirits" to gather strength. He agreed, said that the fighting should be carried out, but people should be protected.

Episode. Fuel trucks came and refueled all the infantry fighting vehicles of the 1st company ... with water - they sold all the diesel fuel along the way.

Somewhere around the same time. A group of the 2nd company under the command of Igor Musorov went out on the "armor" - to maintain the tone. They don't hide in particular. We got up in a small "green" not far from the village of Garkalay, not far from the checkpoint (they are not allowed further than 30 km, only overflights). It just got dark - a caravan is coming from Pakistan. During the ambush, they captured a MAZ with weapons and ammunition, the second car, it seems, was destroyed. At that time I was on duty in the fleet. I hear and see flashes of battle. I called the officer on duty: “Probably the caravan is hitting Musorov ...” - before the group contacted the battalion via the radio station.

April 28, 1988. They landed from the armor and landed in a mandeh right by the road, in the same place where they took 2 Simurgs and MAZs on a flyby. It was very convenient to work in this place because of a large number mandekhs and man-made ditches. Straight as a line of trenches, in full profile.

On the second night, a motorcycle goes towards Pakistan. Watch, I think. Pass or beat? Decided to hit with a silent weapon. There are only three such trunks in the group. I have a PB, an ensign-deputy APSB, an AKMS intelligence officer with PBS-1. And the ensign at that moment, out of need, was impatient. Events developed rapidly. We are almost running. As soon as we got about twenty meters from the road, a motorcycle approached. Dropped off two barrels. The motorcycle is on its side, wheels towards us. We send bullets to finish off. Suddenly, a shadow from the motorcycle darted into the mandeh. Lit up! They started firing machine guns.

Dark. Come up. It turned out that the motorcycle fell behind a small bump, and all the bullets to finish off went into it, into the motorcycle, and into the front "spirit" ... They checked it out, took off the jacket with documents from the trunk, walked through the mandeh - there was no one, but a drop of blood. I look at the documents from the jacket - the German is gone! I'm contacting the battalion by radio station - send "armor"! Answer - in the morning we will send. The duty officer did not wake up the battalion commander, then he was charged for it. Re going.

Suddenly, in the "BN" I see two "spirits" walking in single file through the ambush site. They are two hundred meters away. I also thought, as if a motorcycle is being driven. Fire! We shot back, we didn’t go to watch at night. We went one and a half kilometers away. They came in the morning. There is a motorcycle with a backpack. In the backpack are photographic films, photographs, diaries, books and drugs.

Armor has arrived. I drove 30 km to the battalion in a captured Yamaha.

May 15. I had a bad cold, my whole throat was lined. This is in 40 degree heat! But it's business as usual. From the heat to the officer's quarters - cold soda, air conditioners ... Igor Vesnin gave trophy antibiotics from the caravan. I woke up in the morning and I don't feel anything inside. Nothing at all, not a single organ. The feeling is like being completely empty. But he recovered immediately.

I anonymously interviewed the fighters of the group (distributed self-made questionnaires) - out of 16 people, 10 tried drugs.

May 25th. Recorded "volunteers" for transfer to Kabul. Because the battalion left Kandahar for the first stage of the withdrawal, and from Kabul for the second - six months later. V. Goratenkov has already been transferred there as a battalion commander. S. Breslavsky from Lashkargah was sent in his place. Officers who did not serve two years, many "signed up". Me too. But as a result, he remained in the battalion.

On the same day, a fighter from my group was electrocuted in a bathhouse. The group was out. I stopped taking it - slob. The bathhouse was being renovated, the wiring was being changed, and he went there without permission. Very trite. He was at war, but was electrocuted because of sloppiness. Of course, they wrote it off "for combat losses." They composed a “description of the feat”, presented it to the order and sent it to their homeland ...

May 27th. The third company participated in the escort of the Soviet military column through Kandahar, put up blocks. The day before, there was shelling of the column almost in the center of the city, the "spirits" were knocked out, incl. guard tank. The company was placed in a cordon right in this place. We drove up. We saw some group of bearded "darlings" with machine guns. We talked. Allegedly "allies". (Who will take them apart!) But it's better not to turn your back. Very stressful. I sat down with a group of fighters in a dilapidated villa directly opposite the place where the tank was hit. RPG shots were found in the corner of the room. Either left over from a previous ambush or already prepared for a new one. A few hours later the column passed. Dusty, hot… But everything went fine. We leave after the column.

May 29. "Spirits" led a real war. Columns cannot pass through Kandahar. Another tank and 4 cars were burned on the aisle. Agentura reports that it will be even tougher. At the same time, the activities of our troops, incl. battalion, in view of the upcoming withdrawal and all sorts of agreements, is limited - we are only defending ourselves.

June 1st. In the evening, the alarm was announced in the battalion. "Spirits" completely cut off the road to Kandahar. Columns with goods cannot pass. The officers were read a closed letter from the Central Committee of the CPSU on the situation in Afghanistan. Nothing new for us. There are reports of an increased transfer of weapons from Pakistan to Afghanistan, incl. with the participation of the army of Pakistan - caravans go day and night ... There is a strengthening of enemy groups, their reduction into army units, new fortified areas are created. The frontier battalions of the DRA army have already been partly destroyed, and partly go over to the side of the enemy. "Spirits" promise to seize power in Kandahar 5 days after our departure.

To participate in the unblocking of the road to Kandahar (the 70th brigade requested help), the battalion commander assigned the 3rd company. I go to the battalion commander: "Let me go with the third company." Allows. We start gathering. We sit for 2-3 hours waiting for the exit. After a while, a "hang up" follows.

Everyone is nervous about the “no war, no peace” situation. Either they completely forbid hostilities, then they allow it, but "not far." On TV, Gorbachev is fraternizing with Reagan.

Somewhere around this time. The garrison of government troops in Kalat asked for help - "spirits" every night drive up in cars and fire at. We fly with two sides of the Mi-8 - in one group of mining, in the other - mine (Mi-24 in cover, as usual). A few kilometers from Kalat, we sit down on a dirt, well-trodden road. The miners are installing the "Hunting" system, we are on guard. We're flying away. After 3 days, helicopter pilots flew to look, they said that two cars were blown up.

June 4th. Party meeting. I speak. I'm talking about postscript results; about receiving combat awards by people who do not go to combat; about the fact that at a time when the group commanders are fighting and getting “results” for the battalion, clothes from the Union are being bought up and the group commanders are getting nothing; etc.

At night, another strong shelling of the garrison came from the side of the "zelenka". Somewhere in the territory of the motorized rifle brigade, a strong fire broke out. Rockets explode 100-200 meters from the battalion barracks. In the morning we find craters and fragments right next to the adobe fence of the battalion.

The next day, my group was sent to fly over to the "zelenka" directly to the west and north-west of the PPD - they had never flown there - to look for the firing positions of the RS launchers. We circle for quite some time. Both we and the helicopter pilots are very tense. Groups of "darlings" from different sides are carefully watching the helicopters. When we approach, they hide in karezes. I think there are also launchers. We find nothing, we return.

June 7th. We fly for several days in a row for overflights in the Registan desert, incl. see if the troops can go through the desert. No options. The technique won't work.

A flight mechanic from a course machine gun kills a goitered gazelle. We sit down, we pick up. Helicopter pilots will have extra rations. Great guys, everyone is like family. It can not be in any other way. Our lives depend on them, theirs on us.

In the evening - "Hurricane" shoots at the green. One of the charges turns out to be faulty and it falls on the airfield. We are watching it all live. Later they reported that the Su-25 burned down and a fighter from the security guard died. (Officially - "during the rocket attack", of course).

June 17. We fly less often. The "spirits" calm down. The first flight to the "zone" to the east gives the result: "Toyota" and 4 barrels.

Senior officer R., in Afghanistan for a week without a year, writes to himself already on the order: “Vesnin, get me an American body armor. I order you!"

June 25th. Igor Vesnin on the "armor" with the deputy technical officer Kostya Parkachev scored "Simurg" and 9 "spirits" on the Kanate-Khadzhibur route.

On the flyby of the 1st company, during the inspection of motorcyclists, a soldier was wounded. They put a fighter in the helicopter and drag the motorcycle.

June 29. In ambush with a group to the southeast of the checkpoint on the border of the treaty zone. Hellish heat. Wind from the Registan. All iron is hot. You are waiting for the night, but only by 4 in the morning it becomes a little easier, and in the morning again on a new one ... It is impossible to sleep, some pieces and fragments from oblivion ...

July. Chronicle.

The shelling of the garrison became more frequent. Almost every night, and sometimes even during the day. 4 helicopters were damaged at the airport. They reported that on June 23 in Kabul, during the shelling at the airfield, 8 Su-25s burned down. Our artillery and aviation are also stepping up strikes on the green zone of Kandahar in view of the upcoming withdrawal.

An ensign and a soldier from a motorized rifle brigade went at night on a fuel truck to trade fuel with "spirits". The place where they were killed was found, there are no corpses.

On charging in the morning they found 3 machine guns - the infantry prepared for sale.

An officer and 2 soldiers from the "point" of protection went to the store - they found the corpses, the machine guns were gone.

From the greenery, the D-30 howitzer began to work in the garrison.

5 KPVTs were removed from armored personnel carriers in the 70th brigade - they were prepared for sale.

Schoolmate Sasha Yegelsky gives an interview in Jalalabad.

They reported that dozens of criminal cases were opened when the troops left Shahdzhoy. They wanted to smuggle 18 firearms into the Union.

July 2nd I was transferred to the 3rd company (this is more my choice) to replace Andrei Malkov, who had retired due to a wound. A few weeks ago, at the shooting range, a fighter put the barrel of an AGS low, fired, a grenade burst close, a fragment wounded Andryukha in the throat. He was sent to the Union. In general, in view of the imminent withdrawal, the people, if possible, send by plane to the Union everyone who will not need to be withdrawn.

Igor Vesnin had been ill with malaria.

Somewhere around this time, the 3rd company took part in laying a hiding place for an illegal agent. He is from Russian. We leave, he stays. They laid a lot of ammunition, explosives, communications equipment.

The third company was engaged in 300 meters from the PPD MPD with fighters. Seated a couple of boxes of explosives. The detachment thought that the shelling of the RS had begun.

July 9th Two TASS correspondents arrived from Kabul. One - Snastin Alexander Vasilyevich (45-47 years old). We say what we think. Publicity. But they warn that little will get into the reports.

July 11th. The “spirits” have targeted the UN camp in Kandahar and are methodically hammering it. "Storytellers" and advisers live in it. (We used to go there sometimes to swim in the pool). Everyone is transferred to the garrison. To "advise" they now go to Kandahar only a couple of times a week.

They informed that terrorist groups of children and teenagers were formed in Kandahar. Armed with grenades and pistols.

July 16. In the 70th brigade, the "spirits" dragged two soldiers away. The soldier settled the score with the sergeant - he shot from the AK.

July 19. Reported. Yesterday, 10 people died while escorting the column. from the 70th Omsbr. "Spirits" brought approx. 1000 RS.

A fuel truck was set on fire near Daman. He was dragged to the checkpoint, he exploded, two more fuel trucks burned down, 1 armored personnel carrier, 1 Ural - 2 soldiers died, approx. 10 wounded.

July 28th. Some of the garrison soldiers and service personnel continue to be sent by plane to the Union. Television has arrived. But the exact release date is not known. (Most likely they hide it on purpose so that there is no information leakage). In general, the date has been postponed many times.

July 29. I went with the fighters to unload ammunition at the warehouse - the government army is creating stocks for several months.

July 31st. The withdrawal of the battalion begins. The role of the battalion on the withdrawal is the combat protection of the outgoing columns.

The 1st company and the battalion's administration as part of a common military column today tried to pass Kandahar. But the motorized riflemen could not even put up guards - very dense fire. An officer died, a soldier disappeared, 3 tanks were damaged (and there are only 12 of them left in the garrison, as they say). In the evening the column returned.

August 1. Today the columns passed Kandahar. There was only one explosion, one sapper was killed. We are in a deserted garrison and battalion. Things have already been collected and loaded onto armored personnel carriers - everything is to the eyeballs. I leave a free seat in one of the armored personnel carriers in case of injury. The special officer comes with his trunks and fills it.

In the evening, TV shows the beginning of the withdrawal of troops from Kandahar (filming at the airfield - a rally and loading onto aircraft) - the southernmost garrison. We must leave tomorrow. All officers gather in the large officers' room of the third company. They carry everything that is not drunk. Igor Morozov drags a can of mash. People drink, scooping mugs. I am nearly sober. (Third, fourth toast - this is sacred, then "I skip"). Sasha Tor proposes a toast "to those who don't drink." Until late at night, we sort through the Afghan epic of the detachment, who remembers what. I record on a tape recorder. (The film is still preserved).

August 2. In the morning we load on the "armor". Officers of government troops come to the battalion with trunks - they take property. Everything, of course, is purely formal - take what they give.

All day we stand in a common column with self-propelled guns "Hyacinth" and rocket launchers "Hurricanes" not far from the battalion - we are their outposts. But while the road "spirits" is closed. We sleep at night on the "armor". Rocket projectiles explode at short range. In the park of the 70th br. (already occupied by "brothers in arms") a fuel truck explodes. The fire spreads to several nearby vehicles with ammunition. Fireworks at midnight. Shots are heard somewhere.

August 3rd. My birthday. 25 years. In the headset, you can hear the conversations of the units that provide the wiring of the column: “They work for me with a mortar. It's Gundigan!" There are already wounded and dead. We are waiting for the firing points to be suppressed. The start of the movement has already been postponed for an hour ... The tension is growing. Hurry! 11.15 - off we go!

Quite briskly drawn into the city. Dusty, the sun fries in full. At the exit from the city, the dust around becomes so dense that you involuntarily lower the machine - you still won’t have time to use it, visibility is a meter or two. We enter the "green" - from all the cars on the terrain adjacent to the road we open dense automatic fire. Do not give the "spirits" a chance to realize their plans and cheer yourself up. The feeling of being stripped naked in a crowded square. The world is as fragile as ever. The rapid movement of the column does not work: someone pulled ahead, someone was lagging behind, someone had a breakdown, self-propelled guns stopped somewhere ... A few tens of minutes - and the war years are left behind. We went 30 km, there are still 800 ahead, but these 30 are like those 800.

In the evening we get to the first overnight block to the left of the road. Remember that it's my birthday. We make a simple dinner, drink a little, eat watermelons and grapes, Igor Vesnin gives everyone a big pack of afghani.

August 4th. We drive up to the bridge over the Helmand River. We stop on the road. The river dried up completely, leaving only a few puddles. To the left, a kilometer from the road, there is an extensive "greenery". Lyokha Panin goes to the nearest mandeh out of need. Suddenly, the whistle of mines and a gap with the flight. "Wow!" - Lyokha yells from the mandech. Everyone hides behind the equipment, lies down behind the road embankment and opens fire. It was decided that since they were shooting from here, they should stand here. In reinforcement, we were given an automatic mortar "Cornflower" - we know the platoon commander from Kandahar. He loads the cassette and makes a series of shots at the green.

We drive off the road to the left, hide the equipment in the folds of the terrain, alternately conduct observation and warning fire through the sights of armored personnel carriers. The officers decided to fish "for a grenade." We approach a large puddle, throw RGD-5 from behind the shelter - an explosion, about 40 small fish float up with their belly up. Edible? We cook the ear.

Soviet columns are constantly passing by: the Kandahar and Lakhkargakh garrisons are leaving. We borrow elongated watermelons from passing barbuhakas from Afghans, and you can only get drunk with them.

By the evening we change the place and decide to go with part of the company into an ambush. Restless! Part of the "armor" is left in the field. It got dark. The soldiers lit fires to prepare dinner. Suddenly a heavy shelling. Around the "armor" 18 shells are torn. She reports to us on the radio station, takes off and leaves for the road. Of course, we'll be right back. Thank God no one was hurt.

5th of August. There is a technical shutdown. Our company was the most extreme. All the troops had already passed, and then we caught up with the columns that had gone forward. A mass of equipment has accumulated in Dilarama.

August 6th We pass Farahrud and pick up the column of the 8th detachment of the 22nd brigade of the Special Forces. The presence of spirits is not particularly felt. We pass the place where the deflection Valera Gonchar. The traces of the battle are still visible. In the 8th detachment, one of the armored personnel carriers bears his name. When we passed the mountain range in one place we see a broken column (before, before the withdrawal) - 9 wrecked fuel trucks, 1 tank, 4 infantry fighting vehicles.

August 7. In the evening we reach Shindant, where we spend the night. A huge amount of equipment from all over the south. We communicate with the people. Here the situation is much calmer than in Kandahar. Many officers, having served for 2 years, did not see "spirits" in their eyes. (This is one more time to the topic “flight of Soviet troops from Afghanistan”). From Shindant to the border Turugundi, the road is completely different - no craters, no padded vehicles. A gas pipeline stretches along the road to the Soyuz (an indicator!), It is rarely blown up. More often they crash and steal gasoline. Single army vehicles drive freely - incidents are extremely rare. In all villages there are many "spirits" with weapons - local self-defense. They do not show any aggression, on the contrary, many sincerely regret that the "shuravi" are leaving - undermining the entire business - the Russians buy a lot and give fuel. It is felt that everything has settled down here during the years of the war, relations have been established.

8 August. We pass Herat. The green zone is very extensive, all the same armed "self-defense units" in the villages, but the soldiers on the blocks walk to their full height. Demonstrate that there is no danger. It is surprising that here, closer to the Union, there are practically no Soviet goods in contins, but only Japanese, American ...

11th August. We become a company on a hill on a block in the outpost at Turugundi. The border of the USSR and the border towers are already visible. For several days we stand on the blocks. The columns approach the border. Fireworks every night: tracers, flares... There are wounded. The soldiers of our company are trying to trade with the locals - they exchange cartridges and grenades for women's cosmetic sets. If we find out, we punish. The Specialists warn that there will be a lot of frisking at the border, do not try to bring weapons.

August 16th. We are removed from the block, we go to the border. We hand over armored personnel carriers, weapons and ammunition. The cars are left to the detachment. We wash in the bath. Drivers remain to continue their service in Afghanistan. They still have to go even to Kandahar, to carry cargo for the government army. Of course, they are not happy. One fighter of the third service life from our company is lost. Looking hard. This is very unnerving. After a while we find among the vast troops - they zachmyril, so he left.

We stuff ourselves into the submitted KAMAZ trucks like herring in a barrel.

At 12.15 we cross the border. Kushka, Soyuz. The total length of the route from Kandahar is thus almost 1000 km.

In Kushka, no one is waiting for us. There is no food. At all. Everyone is in quiet shock. We didn’t make any stocks, everyone saw on TV that they were well received. But then the TV ... We eat up the meager dry rations, the officers go to the garrison canteen. We are loaded into veal wagons.

August 17th. We arrive in Iolotan, set up in a military training center on the border with the desert in tents, where we stand in the so-called. "quarantine" for a week: no normal food, no light, no normal water - they give for a few minutes 3 times a day ... No activity - stupid idleness from food to food that is impossible to eat. Officers go into town to eat and call home.

August 24 (not sure). We are loaded again into veal wagons and through Mary, Ashgabat, Nebit-Dag, the southern border of the Kara Kum desert, we go to Krasnovodsk, a port on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea. A very interesting place. We get on the ferry.

August 27 (not exactly). We wake up in the morning in the open sea. We go out on deck - seals swim below. Closer to the western coast, the water becomes dirty, oil derricks appear.

We arrive in Baku. The brigade was placed in the city of Perikishkul, in the military unit of operational-tactical missiles. There are no conditions at all: no barracks, no normal hostels for officers. We will do all the arrangement ourselves.

D. Podushkov

At the end of 1950, a diplomatic conflict broke out between the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. As a result, the military leadership of the USSR had to carry out a reorganization in the districts bordering the Mongolian People's Republic and the PRC. As a result of these measures, the Turkestan military district since 1960 already consisted of two: Turkestan and Central Asian. The latter required new military formations responsible for combat and logistics support. So, in 1976, the 22nd separate brigade of the Main Intelligence Directorate (22 ObrSpN GRU) was created. Information about the history of the creation of this formation, participation in special operations and leadership can be found in the article.

Acquaintance

The General Staff of the GRU of Russia has 15 army units. Among them, there are 22 ObrSpN GRU. According to experts, this military formation is the only one that was awarded the title of "Guards". It is noteworthy that it was assigned only to those formations of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army that showed heroism and especially distinguished themselves during the Great Patriotic War.

On the formation of a division

In March 1976, Directive No. 314/5/00359 was created, according to which, by August of this year, a special forces brigade for the new Central Asian military district should be formed. 22 ObrSpN GRU was created in the city of Kapchagoy in a military camp in which the 1164th anti-aircraft artillery regiment was stationed. Later it was reorganized into a missile one. The first brigade commander I.K. Moroz took up the arrangement of the unit. To create 22 ObrSpN, the GRU transferred one battalion of special forces and radio communications, which was previously listed as the 15th separate brigade in the city of Chirchik (Uzbek SSR). The 22nd Separate Guards Special Forces Brigade was formed in July 1976. Replenishment was carried out under the leadership of V. A. Voinov.

First stage

As retired colonel Boris Kerimbaev recalls in his article “Kapchagai Battalion”, in the first months the infrastructure in the unit was not up to standard. Due to the lack of barracks, the soldiers lived in tents. To keep warm, the soldiers were forced to constantly train. For this reason, the cold was regarded as a plus. Despite the fact that the 22nd separate brigade of the GRU of the General Staff had only one parachute company, from the very beginning special attention was paid to parachute jumps. As B. Kerimbaev recalls, training in this area was completed by almost every fighter. Soon the Kapchagoi 22nd ObrSpN GRU General Staff became the best in the military district and the country.

Commanders and awards

The command of the soldiers of the 22nd Guards ObrSpN GRU was carried out by the following military men with the rank of colonel:

• from 1976 to 1979 I. K. Moroz;
• from 1979 to 1983 S. I. Gruzdev;
• from 1983 to 1987 D. M. Gerasimov;
• from 1987 to 1988 Yu. A. Sapalov.

After the collapse Soviet Union military personnel of the 22nd ObrSpN was led by Colonel S. Breslavsky (1994-1995), from 1995 to 1997. - Popovich A.M., from 1997 to 2002 - P. S. Lipiev.

The brigade received the following awards:

• Crossing Banner of the SAVO Military Council.
• "For courage and military prowess" in 1987.
• In 2001 she was awarded the title of "Guards".

Formation of the 177th detachment

The separate 22nd Special Forces Brigade became the base for the formation of the 177th Separate Special Forces Detachment (177th Special Forces). The formation was intended to carry out reconnaissance and sabotage activities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the PRC. For this reason, 300 servicemen of Uighur nationality were recruited into the 177th detachment. Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks and Turkmens were taken to the positions of officers. Judging by the numerous reviews, in the 22nd ObrSpN GRU, 70% of the 177th separate detachment consisted of Turkic-speaking graduates of combined arms schools. Officers studied Chinese at an accelerated rate. The staff included three reconnaissance companies and additional ones: a grenade launcher, an engineer-flamethrower (or an engineer-mortar) and a transport company. The battalion staff was also equipped with an anti-aircraft artillery group, a repair platoon, a headquarters security group and a medical platoon. According to military experts, there have not yet been army formations with such equipment, equipment and organizational structure. This measure was taken in order to increase the firepower of the unit in the event of hostilities. In 1981, the hour came for the dismissal of conscripts. A new set was required. The detachment was trained to work in Afghanistan.

Operations in Afghanistan

According to experts, Amin's regime in December 1979 was overthrown not by local rebels, but by the Soviet special forces of the State Security Committee, namely the fighters of the 22nd separate battalion. The soldiers arrived in complete secrecy. The place for their deployment was first chosen by Maymen, and then the Panjer Gorge. The Salang Pass near Kabul and Jalalabad, the outskirts of the city of Bagram, became the place for performing combat missions.

In 1984, the Soviet Union decided to eliminate the channels through which weapons and ammunition were supplied to Afghanistan for the Mujahideen. The special forces soldiers were tasked with controlling the routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Soviet units destroyed caravans, reconnaissance was carried out. The soldiers of the 22nd separate brigade destroyed 5 thousand Afghan Mujahideen. For the entire period of service, the brigade suffered losses: 199 people were killed.

Operations in Russia

In 1992, the 22nd brigade from Azerbaijan was redeployed to Rostov. 22 ObrSpN GRU was involved during the Ossetian-Ingush ethnic conflict. The fighters carried out raids and blockaded areas. In December 1994, the servicemen of the 22nd separate brigade arrived in Ichkeria. In Ichkeria, the forces of the ObrSpN were establishing constitutional order.

In 1998, the General Staff analyzed the situation in Dagestan. The 22nd separate brigade was also sent there. The fighters carried out reconnaissance of the area, studied the security warning system operating on the border with the Chechen Republic. In addition, special forces soldiers tracked the channels through which oil products obtained illegally were sold.

The channels of trade in narcotic substances, ammunition and weapons were identified with law enforcement officers. During the rebellion of the Wahhabis, the troops received the necessary intelligence from the special forces. In 2008, servicemen of the 22nd brigade were sent to South Ossetia. 500 soldiers received state awards, 8 more were awarded the high title of Hero Russian Federation.

Our days

Today they are serving in the 22nd Special Forces Division of the GRU under a contract in the village of Stepnoy, Rostov Region. The composition is presented:

• a company responsible for material support;
• commandant's company;
• special communications detachment;
• company of special weapons;
• a platoon whose duty is to carry out the technical support of the brigade;
• engineering platoon.

The brigade has armored vehicles "Typhoon-K" and "Tiger". There are also 122-mm D-30A towed howitzers of 1963 in the amount of 11 pieces.

In the course of OSINT-intelligence, aimed at identifying and identifying the Russian occupation forces located on the territory of Ukraine, indisputable evidence was obtained confirming the presence in the Luhansk region of Ukraine of military personnel from the 22nd Special Forces Brigade (military unit 11659, location of the village of Stepnoy , Rostov region) Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces.

As a result of studying the social media profiles of servicemen of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade (photos linked to the location/objects, contacts, comments, statuses, etc.), photos uploaded in May 2015, taken in Lugansk in recognizable places against the background of local sights: a monument to the tank of the times of World War I "Mark-5", in the park "Friendship of Peoples" and in the Zoo.

All these photos were posted on the social network profile page of one of the servicemen of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade, Iskander Garipov, located in the so-called. "Ukrainian business trip".

Among the photo selection of Garipov's album, a group photograph should be singled out, in which three servicemen dressed in hazing uniforms appear, one of them has a Novorossiya chevron.

Having studied the “profile” of Garipov, it was possible to identify the other two, who also turned out to be Russian contract servicemen from the same 22nd Special Forces Brigade. So:

1. Iskander Garipov (archived: profile and photo album) - the fact that he is a serviceman of the RF Armed Forces, in particular, the 22nd Special Forces Brigade, directly and indirectly confirms a number of evidence. According to his profile, you can track the entire track record - from military service in the Northern Fleet to subsequent service under the contract:

- Garipov served for about 2 years in the 346th Special Forces Brigade (military unit 31681, Kabardino-Balkaria, Prokhladny) of the GRU: paratrooper training in Mozdok, North Ossetia, special training on the basis of the Training Center for reconnaissance units at the Daryal mountain training ground in North Ossetia, a special course based on the 16th Special Forces Brigade (military unit 54607, Tambov).

– Since 2015 Garipov already appears in the status of a serviceman of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade of the GRU, which is deployed in the Rostov region, which is confirmed by a number of photographic evidence from 2015, including a photograph with a chevron of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade (one of the variants of the chevron of this Special Forces brigade), as well as photographs from the championship of the Southern Military District in skiing.

Note: According to information from open sources, including the website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, in February 2015, the championship of the Southern Military District in ski racing was held in Volgograd, among the participants and winners are the teams of the 58th and 49th combined arms armies, the 4th Air Force Command and Air defense, as well as the formation of Special Forces from Rostov-on-Don.

2. Alexander Ryazantsev - the second commando, who appears in the collective photo from Luhansk on the page of the above-mentioned Garipov and has the same photo in his photo album, is also a serviceman of the 22nd Special Forces Brigade.

As a result of studying the profile of Ryazantsev, which turned out to be much more modest than the page of the previous commando Garipov, they nevertheless managed to restore a number of events and a track record: service and training (presumably sergeant courses) at the Ryazan Airborne Troops School, service in the 346th Special Forces Brigade - passing special training in the aforementioned Special Training Centers "Daryal" and mountain climbing training on the basis of the Mountain Training Center "Tertskol" in Kabardino-Balkaria, participation in the ski championship of the Southern Military District in February 2015.

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 Kapchagay. A new military district was also created in 1976 by dividing into Turkestan and, in fact, Central Asian. The 15th brigade of the Special Forces of the GRU was transferred to the jurisdiction of the TurkVO, it was necessary to create a new special forces unit. Over the past 14 years since the beginning of the formation of the Special Forces troops, such formations have proven themselves so well that the need for at least one special forces brigade in 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 a necessary army elite. Voentorg "Voenpro" recalls that in our store a whole section is dedicated to the troops of the Special Forces of the GRU, for example, you can with the famous bat.

The formation of the brigade number 22 of the Special Forces of the GRU was completed by July 24, 1976 - today it is celebrated as the "Day of the Brigade". The military camp, which previously housed the anti-aircraft missile unit, was chosen as the location for the 22nd special-purpose brigade, the arrangement of the unit was entrusted to the first commander of the brigade, I.K. Frost. To form the unit, a special forces detachment was allocated from the 15th brigade of the Special Forces of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff and specialists in special radio communications, V.A. was responsible for the preparation of the replenishment. Warriors, whose contribution to the creation of 22 ObrSpN is difficult to overestimate. The well-known article by retired colonel Boris Kerimbaev “Kapchagai Battalion” describes the training of fighters of the 22nd separate brigade of the GRU special forces 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 training. Parachute jumps were carried out in units from the very beginning, moreover, despite the fact that there was only one parachute company in the state of 22 ObrSpN, absolutely everyone was trained - it is no coincidence that the symbolism of the Airborne Forces on. Special forces brigade in Kapchagay in as soon as possible began to be perceived as one of the best in the region and the country.

Military intelligence units have always been the elite of the domestic armed forces. The formation of Soviet military intelligence after the October Revolution is primarily due to N.M. Potapov, it was under his command after October revolution the system began to recover and develop, which later turned into the structure of the Intelligence Agency, and then the GRU of the General Staff. Military intelligence is an integral part of the armed forces system, the importance of which can hardly be overestimated. Of course, a special section has been created in our military store, where you can purchase a variety of goods with the symbols of military intelligence. The most valuable in the "Military Intelligence" section are, perhaps, the flags of military intelligence. First of all, I want to highlight the official one. This banner is native to all military intelligence officers, the 22nd separate brigade of the Special Forces, which is discussed in this article, is no exception. Former or current military intelligence officers or just those who are simply interested can buy this military intelligence flag in the Voenpro online store today, just go through a simple order procedure and wait for delivery.

The overthrow of the Amin regime in the Republic of Afghanistan in December 1979 was organized by forces not only of local rebels, but primarily by the 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 was the impetus for the creation of 173 ooSpN in the ZakVO (later included in the 22nd Special Forces Guards Brigade) and 177 ooSpN (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 hostilities. The fighters of the "Kapchagay Battalion" arrived in the DRA in October 1981 in complete secrecy, and by November 2 they were at the place of deployment in the village of Meymene. Since 1982, 177 Special Forces of the GRU has been relocated to the Panjer Gorge, from where a large detachment of Ahmed Shah Massoud had been driven out shortly before, the latter swore on the Koran to recapture this territory within a month. It was a matter of principle for the Soviet command to stay here - only one special forces battalion (!!), 177 ooSpN, was allocated to solve the problem. Let us clarify that Massoud's forces were forced out of the gorge with heavy fighting and huge losses by a 10,000-strong group of Soviet troops - the "mad detachment" was sent to certain death. The Kapchagay battalion even overfulfilled the assigned task, the Panjerska Gorge was under the flag of the 22nd ObrSpN for eight months instead of one. It cost a thousand lives, the gorge was abandoned after the conclusion of another truce with Ahmed Shah Massoud. 177 ooSpN became the first formation to receive a combat banner on the territory of the DRA - this happened in 1983, at the same time, detachment 177 of 22 OBRSpN was awarded the Order of Military Merit. Later, 177 ooSpN was renamed the Ghazni battalion and was one of the last to leave Afghanistan.

The military intelligence and special forces units of the GRU in Afghanistan have several "non-core" tasks to protect strategically important facilities or storm enemy fortifications. Needless to say, soon the Soviet military intelligence officers got used to the new mode of operation and in absolutely any role terrified the enemy. Indeed, “Beware of intelligence” - this is exactly the warning you can see on the group of goods of our military department from the “military intelligence” section. In order to buy, or just like this, 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 22nd ObrSpN, headed by the commander, and three special forces detachments (173 ooSpN, 186 ooSpN, 370 ooSpN) were redeployed to the territory of the DRA. Already in October, 411 ooSpN was formed, which was also part of 22 ObrSpN. In the photo below you can see the fighters of the 22nd separate special forces brigade (186 ooSpN) with the first captured Stingers. 173 ooSpN was stationed in Kandahar, but now it fluttered over the city of Farahrud. As already mentioned, initially 173 ooSpN was not part of the 22 special forces brigade, officially this happened only after the withdrawal of troops from southern Afghanistan, which 173 ooSpN was the last to leave.

The area of ​​responsibility of the 22nd GRU special forces brigade was the southern part of Afghanistan, the area characterized by the greatest activity and training of the 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 disposal of the 22nd special forces brigade, which also increased the effectiveness of the actions of the 22nd GRU ObrSpN. During the period of hostilities, the brigade bore the title of 2nd Motorized Rifle Brigade (separate motorized rifle brigade) - the actions of special forces units in Afghanistan are largely classified today. The successful operations of the 22nd ObrSpN GRU to destroy caravans with weapons and fortified areas of the Mujahideen, to capture advisers from the USA, France, Germany are known, it has already been mentioned that the first captured "Stingers" are the merit of the special forces of the 22nd brigade. The capture of the Stinger MANPADS with documentation and a supply contract by forces of 22 ObrSpN is a separate story, this operation became evidence 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", and today it is stored on the territory of military unit 11659 and is used in festive parades.

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

During the period of the Afghan war, orders and medals were awarded to 3196 fighters of the 22nd Guards Special Forces, four were awarded the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union". Private Valery Arsenov received the Star of the Hero posthumously - a 173 ooSpN grenade launcher was seriously wounded in one of the combat exits, but continued to fire, and at a critical moment covered the commander with his body, 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 in the amount of 20 people with the call sign "Kaspiy" advanced to the place 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 was ordered to stay until the morning and wait for helicopters that would take trophies and 22 ObrSpN reconnaissance fighters. During the night, the militants concentrated several groups of about 200 people in the ambush area of ​​Oleg Onishchuk's group. Our main forces were supposed to arrive by 6 in the morning, a few minutes before the appointed time, a group under the command of Lieutenant Onischuk moved to the vehicles, 11 people remained at the ambush site. The inspection team under the command of Oleg Onischuk (5 people) moved to the car, by 6 am there were no “turntables” in the sky, but “spirits” began to appear from everywhere. The scouts of the 22nd separate special forces brigade were fifty meters from the cars, when the heavy fire of the bandits pressed them to the ground, it was decided to retreat to the cover group. The departure of the comrades was left to cover 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, return fire from a machine gun was opened by private 22 ObrSpN Igor Moskalenko, who was soon killed by an enemy sniper. Meanwhile, Yuri Islamov ran out of ammunition, which, according to his colleagues, caused a cry of joy 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 calmed down, opponents moved towards him in order to finish off the Soviet special forces 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 approached militants. A cover group of four was also destroyed, Senior Lieutenant Oleg Onishchuk, 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 accepted 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 repulse another 12 attacks of the Mujahideen, two more soldiers of the 22nd special forces brigade died. Reinforcements led by Captain Yaroslav Goroshko arrived at 6:50. Here is what the commander of company 186 ooSpN of the 22nd separate brigade of the GRU special forces writes about this: “I was running around the take-off with my group at 5:30, hoping to find starting turntables. Then they rushed to wake up the pilots. It turns out that the command was not given to them. While Yegorov was found, while they contacted the Air Force headquarters and received permission to take off, while the turntables warmed 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 side of the mountain, stretched out from the Mercedes to the top in a chain. Oleg Onischuk lay tormented, pierced by bayonets, holding a knife in his hand. They abused him, filling his mouth with a piece of his own bloodied body. These bastards did the same to privates Misha Khrolenko and Oleg Ivanov.”

A group under the command of Captain Yaroslav Goroshko, also awarded the Star of the Hero, 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 one can hear different opinions about the death of Oleg Onishchuk's group - they speak of a tragic combination of circumstances, the negligence of the authorities, and the overconfidence of the scouts on the spot. One thing is indisputable: 12 scouts of the 22nd ObrSpN died the death of the brave on the autumn morning of October 31, 1978. Here are the names of the heroes: Tahir Jafarov, Oleg Ivanov, Yuri Islamov, Igor Moskalenko, Yashar Muradov, Marat Muradyan, Erkin Salakhiev, Roman Sidorenko, Alexander Furman, Mikhail Khrolenko, Oleg Onischuk. Including thanks to these people, the flag today is a banner that no one is ashamed to be equal to.

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-purpose units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff that were entrusted with the implementation of the most responsible and complex, sometimes practically impossible tasks. Special forces of the GRU 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 Special Forces of the GRU is the pride of the domestic armed forces, the GRU special forces brigades have been at the forefront of any military conflicts for more than 60 years. The section of the online store of the Voentorg "Voenpro" "" is completely dedicated to the troops of the Special Forces. Here you can find special forces flags, souvenirs and clothes 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 department there are a lot of souvenirs and serious gifts to friends or relatives related to special forces. If you yourself once served or are now serving in a special forces brigade or are simply related to the department, then among the goods you will certainly find a lot of interesting things, for example, right now you can buy such a Special Forces sweatshirt with a hood.

The turn of the 80-90s of the last century was marked for 22 separate brigades of the GRU special forces by participation in endless interethnic conflicts on the territory of the USSR and abroad. In 1989, units of the 22nd ObrSpN were sent to Angola, where the tasks of the Soviet special forces included instructing the allies, guarding Soviet facilities and intelligence activities. In Baku in 1988-1989, 173 oSpN was responsible for the security of areas with the 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 ooSpN were responsible for the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, from the most famous operations of the 22 ObrSpN fighters here, one can recall the destruction of a hail-killing battery on the territory of Armenia, shelling the settlements of Azerbaijan. Despite the fact that the special forces of the 22nd Brig. Soldiers and officers of the GRU army special forces were once again forced to demonstrate total superiority over the separatists.

"Total superiority" is perhaps the most accurate definition for describing the actions of the Soviet and Russian GRU special forces in various wars. The goods of our military trade will help you identify your belonging to the native branch of the military. In the section there is a place, among other things, for original mugs with special forces symbols - such a souvenir will be not only a pleasant gift, but also a thing used daily. you can right now, just go to the appropriate page.

Among the operations of the Rostov special forces during the "First Chechen" period, the most famous is the participation of a detachment under the command of the hero of Russia, Major V. Nedobezhkin from the 173 oSpN in the operation to encircle the gang of S. Raduev in the village of Pervomayskoye. A large group of militants (about 200 people) broke through the encirclement and moved to the consolidated detachment 173 ooSpN - the attack was repulsed, 45 special forces destroyed 85 mercenaries, more than during the entire period of the storming of the village with all their might. 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. According to the results of that battle, the stars of the Heroes of Russia received: Major Vladimir Nedobezhkin, Captain Valery Skorokhodov, Senior Lieutenant Stanislav Kharin, Lieutenant Albert Zaripov and Captain Sergei Kosachev (posthumously). Albert Zaripov, today a well-known writer and human rights activist, wrote the book May Day about those events. Hero of Russia Sergei Kosachev, medical officer of the 22nd separate special forces brigade, was killed by militants while carrying a wounded soldier from the battlefield. The fighters of the 22nd ObrSpN GRU General Staff, as part of 173 special forces detachments, 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 once again demonstrated "total superiority", but we remind you that among the products of the Voentorg "Voenpro" online store in the "Military Intelligence" section today there are not only a lot of various thematic souvenirs, but also everyday clothes for people with attitude to 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 that was under the area of ​​tension in 1998, 411 special forces detachment departed from Kaspiysk, three months later comrades on the border of Dagestan and Chechnya were replaced by 173 ooSpN - and so they changed. From the beginning of hostilities, a combined detachment of 22 ObrSpN operated here, the basis of which was the military personnel of 411 ooSpN. The fighters of the 22nd Guards Separate Special Forces Brigade were 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 officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs from captivity, when it already seemed that the task was completed, the special forces were overtaken by a detachment of militants and surrounded. The soldiers of the 22nd ObrSpN took refuge in an abandoned building and successfully repelled several enemy attacks, but the ammunition was running out. It remained to break through from the encirclement with a fight. Sergeant Dmitry Nikishin was the first to leave the shelter and covered the retreat of his colleagues with automatic fire, during the retreat the detachment commander was seriously wounded, Sergeant Nikishin carried him to the shelter, but by that time the officer of the Rostov special forces had died from his wounds. For his heroism, courage and combat skills (several militants were destroyed by the fire of a 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. During the execution of a reconnaissance operation to identify the positions of the bandits, a group of military intelligence special forces under the command of Vyacheslav Matvienko was 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, in many respects the success of the Rostov special forces group in battle was due to clear and thoughtful instructions from the commander. The wounded remained on the battlefield, whom Vyacheslav Matvienko personally carried to the safe zone. The fourth sortie became fatal - a sniper's bullet cut short 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 - it is important to know all this in order, firstly, not to repeat the mistakes of the past, and secondly, to know who to look up to. The products of our military trade are, among other things, a way to express gratitude to the people thanks to whom our state is still sovereign and indivisible. Among the thematic and foreign intelligence we offer, there are a variety of banners: these are nominal flags of units, such as, and standard flags of military branches, and made outside of any standards, but that do not lose value. The latter includes, which you can see below - it depicts a GRU special forces fighter in the process of performing a combat mission, which is covered by "turntables". In order to buy any of the flags dedicated to scouts and special forces, visit the appropriate section.

In April 2001, the military intelligence special forces unit, which had already become legendary, received the well-deserved name "Guards". We remind you that the 22nd Guards Separate Special Forces Brigade is the first and only formation in the domestic armed forces that received this title after the Second World War. The main impetus for this decision was the results of the First and Second Chechen campaigns - 22 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 (the village of Stepnoy,) and the village of Bataysk (108 and 173 ooSpN). 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 ooSpN. Also directly subordinate to the GRU special forces brigade in Aksai is 56 ooSpN.

The servicemen of the 22nd Guards separate brigade of the GRU special forces are not in vain considered the best personnel of the domestic armed forces, service in the Rostov special forces means endless training, marches, shooting and parachuting. In addition, although this military intelligence special forces unit is not considered mountainous, training in the highlands is also underway. It is pointless to write in detail about how fighters fighting under are trained - and much is simply classified, it is enough to know how these guys manifest themselves in a real battle.

At the disposal of the 22nd Guards ObrSpN today, first of all, modern equipment and machinery are supplied, for example, the Rostov special forces are armed with the Tiger combat vehicle of the Gorky Automobile Plant. Or here is such a drone "Pear", used by fighters of the 22nd Special Forces of the GRU since 2009.

At the end of the story about the 22nd ObrSpN and its flag, I would like to bring this video, where you can see the everyday life and holidays of the 22nd GRU special forces brigade. You can also find a lot of thematic videos on the network, showing demonstration performances, exercises and training of fighters of 22 ObrSpN - an impressive sight. The song playing in the background in the video below is the unit's official anthem, even when it comes to self-identification, the 22nd Spetsnaz Brigade is ahead of the competition. We remind you that you can already purchase another symbol of the brigade in our military store today - the order procedure is standard.

Well, our military department reminds that July 24 - day 22 of the Special Forces Special Forces is just around the corner, and if you or someone close to you serves or served in the Rostov special forces, then the special purpose will certainly become 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 are talking about gifts, we suggest paying attention to this, which has recently replenished the assortment of the Voenpro military agency.

March 8th, 2017 , 10:37 pm

A werewolf soldier from the 22nd Special Forces Brigade of the GRU of Russia Maxim Apanasov was identified, combining a contract in Russian army with service in the "special forces of the GRU DPR".

During its activity, the InformNapalm international intelligence community has repeatedly recorded units and individual servicemen from the special forces brigades of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff in the east of Ukraine armed forces Russian Federation. The 22nd Brigade of Special Forces (military unit 11659, stationed in the village of Stepnoy, Rostov Region) appeared several times in our publications, including a trio of servicemen of this unit who left memorable photographs of the Lugansk Friendship of Peoples Park and the local zoo, as well as contract soldier Sergey Medvedev, who boasted two medals for the Donbass and a vacation in Nicaragua.

It's time to name the next werewolf - the so-called militant. spetsnaz of the GRU "DPR", a member of the "Union of Volunteers of Donbass", but in fact - an active contract serviceman of the 22nd brigade of the special forces of the GRU of the Russian army.

When studying the social page of one of the Russian servicemen, a certain Maxim Palestin was found among his friends. In the course of an in-depth analysis of the social profile of the latter, it was possible to collect quite interesting information about him.

Apanasov Maxim Vitalievich

Date of birth: 09/20/1989.

Registered at the address: Rostov region, Bataysk, st. Mayakovsky, 22.
Tel.: +79044444873, +79081777663. Email: [email protected] Passport series 6012, number 022479, issued on 07/30/2011.

Since the second half of 2016, the content of Apanasov's photo album has noticeably changed - photographs appear in it indicating his belonging to the Russian army, including: a photograph in uniform with a sleeve chevron of the Russian army, a breast patch with a surname and a buttonhole of the Airborne Forces / Special Forces, again - a photograph flag of the 22nd BrSpN, which we wrote about above, and a photograph taken in the barracks of the native military unit, in the form of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, with a sleeve chevron of the 22nd special forces brigade and an award bar.

Among the latest photos of M. Apanasov is a picture uploaded in February 2017 and, apparently, inspired by nostalgia for the Donbass: on board the Avgust armored personnel carrier with a comment by the defendant « November 2014« .

Note: credit should be given to the Ukrainian volunteers who, back in 2015, entered Maxim Apanasov into the database. The first entry about him appeared on the website of the Peacemaker Center on June 4, 2015. In it, our defendant is listed as a Russian mercenary, a militant of an illegal armed formation. It is understandable - by that time Apanasov strictly adhered to the legend: he mowed down like a militant, gave interviews in this capacity, and even posted a recording from "Peacemaker" on his page.

In addition to photos from social networks, “Peacemaker” presented (see Apanasov-anketa) an interesting selection of documents with personal data of M. Apanasov: an account card for a member of the Interregional Public Organization “Union of Volunteers of Donbass” and a questionnaire.

• Information about the composition and armament of the 22nd ObrSpN

  22nd Separate Guards Special Purpose Brigade, military unit 11659 (Bataysk and Stepnoy village, Rostov Region). Organizational structure: brigade administration, 1st detachment of the Special Forces (1st, 2nd and 3rd companies of the Special Forces), 2nd detachment of the Special Forces (4th, 5th and 6th companies of the Special Forces), 3rd detachment of the Special Forces (7th, 8th and 9th company of the Special Forces), 4th detachment of the Special Forces (10, 11 and 12th companies of the Special Forces), 5th training detachment of the Special Forces (n. Krasnaya Polyana, Krasnodar region), the 6th Special Radio Communications Detachment (two companies), the School of Junior Specialists (the 1st and 2nd training companies, Bataysk), a special weapons company (including a UAV platoon), a material support company, a technical support company, a security company and escorts. Armament: 25 units BTR-80/82, 11 units BMP-2, 12 units GAZ-233014 STS ”Tiger”, 20 units KAMAZ-63968 Typhoon.

The material for publication was prepared on the basis of our own OSINT investigation.

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