SA. Were stormtroopers real men? Well, what can I say to you, my friend? There are still contrasts in life: There are so many girls around, And you and I are buggers. The harsh truth of life as presented by Joseph Raskin - Comrade commander, appeared in our company

History of DShB 13 ​

None of the spheres of human activity develops as dynamically and rapidly as military affairs. There are new types of weapons, tactics and even types of armed forces. Soviet Union can be called the birthplace of the Airborne Troops. Similar units existed in other armies of the world, but nowhere was this type of troops given so much attention.

At the end of the 30s of the last century, landing corps were formed in the USSR, each of which had a strength of more than 10 thousand people. The landing force was considered the elite of the army, the most skilled and trained fighters served in it. The airborne troops took part in the most important battles against the Nazi invaders; several large-scale airborne operations were carried out during the war.

After the war, the Airborne Forces became a separate type of troops, they reported directly to the Minister of Defense of the USSR. An important milestone in the development of this type of troops was the creation in the mid-60s of air assault units, which were subordinate to the command of military districts. The air assault units did not have any other special differences from the usual parts of the Airborne Forces (weapons, uniforms, training programs).

The history of the creation of the 13th ODShBr

The idea to form air assault units was born after a revision of the tactics of the Airborne Forces in the event of a full-scale war. Soviet strategists decided to rely on the use of massive landings in the immediate rear of the enemy, which were supposed to completely disorganize his defenses.

At that time, the army had a significant park transport aviation(primarily helicopters) and could perform a similar task. It was planned that the air assault units would land in the immediate rear of the enemy from helicopters and operate in small groups. Parachute troops were supposed to be used in the deep rear of the enemy, landing them by parachute.
In 1969, two airborne assault brigades were formed in the Far Eastern District: the 11th and 13th Airborne Brigade, each of which had a helicopter regiment. In the event of a war, these units were to operate in hard-to-reach areas.

The region in which the 13th Airborne Brigade was deployed gave a complete picture of what a "hard-to-reach area" is. The cities of Magdagachi and Zavitinsk, where the unit was located, can be safely called one of the most severe corners of the Soviet Union. You have to be there to fully understand it.

The temperature in summer often reached +40 degrees, and in winter the thermometer dropped to -55 degrees. Daily temperature fluctuations sometimes reached 30-35 degrees. And in these conditions it was necessary not only to live, but also to conduct high-quality combat training of paratroopers. Not in vain, in translation from the Evenk language, the name "Magdagachi" means "place of dead trees."

Brigade Combat Training

To become a paratrooper, you need not only strength and endurance. The landing party always fights in extremely harsh conditions, behind enemy lines, without the support of the main forces, the supply of ammunition and the evacuation of the wounded. You have to rely only on yourself. Therefore, every paratrooper must be a skilled fighter.

In the 13th ODShBr, much attention was paid to the constant honing of the combat skills of military personnel, not forgetting about physical training. The 13th Air Assault Brigade has always been one of the exemplary units Far Eastern District, only paratroopers from the 11th ODShBr could compete with it.

The combat training of military personnel from the air assault brigades was paid a lot of attention for a reason: the Far East was the territory of a possible conflict. Nearby was the border with China, with which the USSR had very tense relations. In 1969, the confrontation between the two countries led to a border conflict on Damansky Island, which almost became the beginning of big war. So the paratroopers were preparing at any moment to repel enemy attacks.

A clear confirmation high level training of fighters of the 13th ODShBr began the exercises with a landing on the island of Iturup, which took place in August 1988. The brigade was given the task of landing a landing group consisting of two battalions and a battery of mountain artillery on the island. The landing took place from Mi-6 and Mi-8 helicopters.

Helicopters Mi-6 (left) and Mi-8 (right).

Suddenly, fire was opened on the first landing group with live ammunition, it was fired from the guard of the air defense point that covered the airfield on the island. It turned out that due to bad weather, the garrison was not warned about the upcoming exercises. Only thanks to the excellent training and good training of the paratroopers there were no casualties.

After this incident, the leadership of the brigade received a commendation from the Minister of Defense Yazov, and the 13th Airborne Brigade was awarded a pennant.

Last years

In the late 80s, the country began to change rapidly, and in 1991 the USSR ceased to exist. The "dashing" 90s began. Of course, the armed forces could not remain aloof from these processes. Numerous reorganizations were carried out, funding was significantly cut, many parts were simply disbanded.

Already in August 1990, the 13th Airborne Brigade was withdrawn from the command of the Far Eastern District and subordinated directly to the headquarters of the Airborne Forces in Moscow. The air assault brigade became the 13th separate airborne brigade (13 OVDBr). Two artillery batteries (anti-tank and mountain) were disbanded, they were replaced by a division of D-30 howitzers.

At the end of 1996, the 13th OVDBr was disbanded. This happened according to the plan to reduce the airborne forces.

Airborne troops are one of the strongest components of the army Russian Federation. AT last years, due to the tense international situation, the importance of the airborne forces is increasing. The size of the territory of the Russian Federation, its landscape diversity, as well as the borders with almost all conflict states, indicate that it is necessary to have a large supply of special groupings of troops that can provide the necessary protection in all directions, which is the air force.

In contact with

Because air force structure extensive, the question often arises of the Airborne Forces and the DSB are the same troops? The article understands the differences between them, history, goals and military training both organizations, composition.

Differences between troops

The differences lie in the names themselves. The DShB is an air assault brigade organized and specializing in attacks on the enemy's close rear in the event of large-scale military operations. Air assault brigades subordinate to the Airborne Forces - airborne troops, as one of their divisions and specialize only in assault seizures.

Airborne Forces are landing troops, whose tasks are the capture of the enemy, as well as the capture and destruction of enemy weapons and other air operations. The functionality of the Airborne Forces is much wider - reconnaissance, sabotage, assault. For a better understanding of the differences, consider the history of the creation of the Airborne Forces and the Airborne Forces separately.

History of the Airborne Forces

The Airborne Forces began its history in 1930, when an operation was carried out near the city of Voronezh on August 2, where 12 people parachuted from the air as part of a special unit. This operation then opened the eyes of the leadership to new opportunities for parachute landing troops. The following year, based Leningrad Military District, a detachment is being formed, which received a long name - airborne and consisted of about 150 people.

The effectiveness of the paratroopers was obvious and the Revolutionary Military Council decides to expand it by creating airborne troops. The order saw the light at the end of 1932. In parallel, in Leningrad, instructors were trained, and later they were distributed to the districts by special-purpose aviation battalions.

In 1935, the military district of Kyiv demonstrated to foreign delegations the full power of the Airborne Forces, arranging an impressive landing of 1200 paratroopers, who quickly captured the airfield. Later, similar exercises were held in Belarus, as a result of which the German delegation, impressed by the landing of 1,800 people, decided to organize their own airborne detachment, and then a regiment. In this way, The Soviet Union is rightfully the birthplace of the Airborne Forces.

In 1939, our landing troops there is an opportunity to show themselves in practice. In Japan, the 212th brigade was landed on the Khalkin Gol River, and a year later the 201st, 204th and 214th brigades will be involved in the war with Finland. Knowing that the Second World War would no longer pass us by, 5 air corps of 10 thousand people each were formed and the Airborne Forces acquired a new status - guards troops.

The year 1942 was marked by the largest airborne operation during the war years, which took place near Moscow, where about 10 thousand paratroopers were dropped into the German rear. After the war, it was decided to attach the Airborne Forces to the Supreme High Command and appoint the commander of the Airborne Forces of the USSR SV, this honor falls to Colonel General V.V. Glagolev.

Big innovations in airborne troops came with "Uncle Vasya". In 1954 V.V. Glagolev is replaced by V.F. Margelov and holds the post of commander of the Airborne Forces until 1979. Under Margelov, the Airborne Forces are supplied with new military equipment, including artillery mounts, combat vehicles, and special attention is paid to work under the conditions of a surprise attack by nuclear weapons.

Airborne units took part in all the most significant conflicts - the events of Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, Northern and South Ossetia. Several of our battalions carried out UN peacekeeping missions in Yugoslavia.

In our time, the ranks of the Airborne Forces include about 40 thousand fighters, when conducting special operations - paratroopers form its basis, since the Airborne Forces are a highly qualified component of our army.

The history of the formation of the DShB

Air assault brigades began their history after it was decided to rework the tactics of the Airborne Forces in the context of the unleashing of large-scale hostilities. The purpose of such air defenses was to disorganize opponents by mass landings close to the enemy, such operations were most often carried out from helicopters in small groups.

Toward the end of the 60s in the Far East, it was decided to form the 11th and 13th brigades with helicopter regiments. These regiments were involved mainly in hard-to-reach areas, the first attempts at landings took place in northern cities Magdachi and Zavitinsk. Therefore, in order to become a paratrooper of this brigade, strength and special endurance were needed, since weather were almost unpredictable, for example, in winter the temperature reached -40 degrees, and in summer there was abnormal heat.

The location of the first DShB not just because the Far East was chosen. That was the time complex relationships with China, which became even more aggravated after the clash of interests on the island of Damascus. The brigades were ordered to prepare to repel an attack from China, which could attack at any time.

The high level and significance of the DSB was demonstrated during exercises in the late 80s on the island of Iturup, where 2 battalions and artillery landed on MI-6 and MI-8 helicopters. The garrison, due to weather conditions, was not warned about the exercises, as a result of which they opened fire on the landings, but thanks to the highly qualified training of the paratroopers, none of the participants in the operation was injured.

In the same years, the DSB consisted of 2 regiments, 14 brigades, about 20 battalions. One brigade attached to one military district, but only to those who had access to the border by land. Kyiv also had its own brigade, 2 more brigades were given to our units located abroad. Each brigade had an artillery battalion, rear and combat units.

After the USSR ceased to exist, the country's budget did not allow the mass maintenance of the army, so there was nothing left to do but to disband some parts of the DSHB and the Airborne Forces. The beginning of the 90s was marked by the withdrawal of the DSB from the subordination of the Far East and the transfer to full subordination to Moscow. Air assault brigades are being transformed into separate airborne brigades - 13 OVDbr. In the mid-90s, the plan to reduce the Airborne Forces disbanded the composition of the 13th Airborne Brigade.

Thus, from the foregoing, it can be seen that the DSB was created as one of the structural divisions of the Airborne Forces.

Composition of the Airborne Forces

The composition of the Airborne Forces includes the following units:

• airborne;
• air assault;
• mountain (which operate exclusively on mountain hills).

These are the three main components of the Airborne Forces. In addition, they consist of a division (76.98, 7, 106 Guards Air Assault), brigades and regiments (45, 56, 31, 11, 83, 38 Guards Airborne). In Voronezh, a brigade was created in 2013, which received the number 345.

Personnel of the Airborne Forces prepared in educational institutions military reserve of Ryazan, Novosibirsk, Kamenetz-Podolsk, in Kolomenskoye. The training was conducted in the areas of paratrooper (airborne assault) platoon, commanders of reconnaissance platoons.

The school produced about three hundred graduates annually - this was not enough to satisfy the personnel requirements of the airborne troops. Consequently, it was possible to get into the military personnel of the Airborne Forces by graduating from the landing faculties in special areas of such schools as combined arms and military departments.

Training

The commanders of the DShB were most often selected from the Airborne Forces, and the battalion commanders, deputy battalion commanders, company commanders from the nearest military districts. In the 70s, due to the fact that the leadership decided to repeat their experience - to create and staff the DShB, the planned enrollment in educational institutions is expanding who trained future officers of the Airborne Forces. The mid-80s were marked by the fact that officers were issued for service in the Airborne Troops, having been trained according to the educational program for the Airborne Forces. Also in these years, a complete rearrangement of officers was underway, it was decided to replace almost all of them in the DShV. At the same time, excellent students went to serve mainly in the Airborne Forces.

To get into the service in the Airborne Forces, as in the DSB, you must meet specific criteria:

• height 173 and above;
• average physical development;
• secondary education;
• without medical restrictions.

If everything matches, then the future fighter begins training.

Particular attention is paid, of course, to physical training. airborne paratroopers, which is carried out constantly, begins with a daily rise at 6 in the morning, hand-to-hand combat (a special training program) and ends with long forced marches of 30-50 km. Therefore, each fighter has a huge endurance and endurance, besides, guys who were engaged in any kind of sport that develops that very endurance are selected into their ranks. To check it, they pass an endurance test - in 12 minutes a fighter must run 2.4-2.8 km, otherwise there is no point in the Airborne Forces service.

It is worth noting that it is not for nothing that they are called universal fighters. These people can operate on various terrains in any weather conditions absolutely silently, can disguise themselves, own all types of weapons of both their own and the enemy, manage any type of transport, means of communication. In addition to excellent physical fitness, psychological training is also required, since the fighters have to overcome not only long distances, but also “work with their heads” to get ahead of the enemy throughout the entire operation.

Intellectual fitness is determined using tests compiled by experts. It is mandatory to take into account psychological compatibility in a team, the guys are included in a certain detachment for 2-3 days, after which the old-timers evaluate their behavior.

Psychophysical training is being carried out, which implies tasks with increased risk, where there is both physical and mental stress. Such tasks are aimed at overcoming fear. At the same time, if it turns out that the future paratrooper does not experience, in general, a feeling of fear, then he is not accepted for further training, since this feeling is quite naturally taught to control him, and not completely eradicated. The training of the Airborne Forces gives our country a huge advantage in the face of fighters over any enemy. Most of the VDVeshnikov lead an already familiar lifestyle even after retirement.

Armament of the Airborne Forces

As for the technical equipment, combined arms equipment and specially designed for the nature of this type of troops are involved in the Airborne Forces. Some of the samples were created during the USSR, but the bulk was developed after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The machines of the Soviet period include:

• landing combat vehicle - 1 (the number reaches - 100 units);
• BMD-2M (about 1 thousand units), they are used both in ground and in parachute landing methods.

These techniques were tested over many years and took part in multiple armed conflicts that took place on the territory of our country and abroad. In our time, in conditions of rapid progress, these models are outdated both morally and physically. A little later, the BMD-3 model came out, and today the number of such equipment is only 10 units, since production has been discontinued, they plan to gradually replace it with the BMD-4.

The Airborne Forces are also armed with armored personnel carriers BTR-82A, BTR-82AM and BTR-80 and the most numerous tracked armored personnel carrier - 700 units, and it is also the most outdated (mid-70s), it is gradually being replaced by an armored personnel carrier - MDM "Shell". There are also anti-tank guns 2S25 "Sprut-SD", an armored personnel carrier - RD "Robot", and anti-tank systems: "Competition", "Metis", "Fagot", and "Cornet". air defense represented by missile systems, but special place is given to a novelty, which not so long ago appeared in service with the Airborne Forces - MANPADS "Verba".

Not so long ago, new models of technology appeared:

• armored car "Tiger";
• Snowmobile A-1;
• truck KAMAZ - 43501.

As for communication systems, they are represented by locally developed electronic warfare systems Leer-2 and 3, Infauna, system control is represented by air defense Barnaul, Andromeda and Polet-K - automation of command and control.

Weapon represented by samples, for example, the Yarygin pistol, the PMM and the PSS silent pistol. The Soviet Ak-74 assault rifle is still the personal weapon of the paratroopers, but is gradually being replaced by the latest AK-74M, and the silent Val assault rifle is also used in special operations. Parachute systems there are both Soviet and post-Soviet types that can land large batches of soldiers and all of the above military equipment. Heavier equipment includes automatic grenade launchers AGS-17 "Flame" and AGS-30, SPG-9.

Armament DShB

DShB had transport and helicopter regiments which included:

• about twenty mi-24s, forty mi-8s and forty mi-6s;
• the anti-tank battery was armed with a mounted anti-tank grenade launcher 9 MD;
• the mortar battery included eight 82mm BM-37s;
• in the anti-aircraft missile platoon, there were nine Strela-2M MANPADS;
• also included several BMD-1s, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers for each airborne assault battalion.

The armament of the brigade-artillery group consisted of GD-30 howitzers, PM-38 mortars, GP 2A2 guns, anti-tank missile system"Baby", SPG-9MD, anti-aircraft gun ZU-23.

Heavier equipment includes automatic grenade launchers AGS-17 "Flame" and AGS-30, SPG-9 "Spear". Aerial reconnaissance is carried out using the domestic Orlan-10 drone.

One interesting fact took place in the history of the Airborne Forces, for quite a long time, thanks to erroneous information from the media, special forces soldiers (SpN) were not rightfully called paratroopers. The fact, what in Air Force our country in the Soviet Union, as well as in the post-Soviet Union, there were no special forces troops and there are no special forces, but there are units and units of the Special Forces of the GRU of the General Staff, which arose in the 50s. Until the 1980s, the command was forced to completely deny their existence in our country. Therefore, those who were appointed to these troops learned about them only after they were accepted into service. For the media, they were disguised as motorized rifle battalions.

Airborne Forces Day

Paratroopers celebrate the birthday of the Airborne Forces, like the DSB since August 2, 2006. This kind of gratitude for the effectiveness of the air units, the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation was signed in May of the same year. Despite the fact that the holiday was declared by our government, the birthday is celebrated not only in our country, but also in Belarus, Ukraine and most of the CIS countries.

Every year, veterans of the Airborne Forces and active soldiers meet in the so-called "meeting place", in each city it has its own, for example, in Astrakhan "Brotherly Garden", in Kazan "Victory Square", in Kyiv "Hydropark", in Moscow "Poklonnaya Gora", Novosibirsk Central Park. AT major cities arrange demonstration performances, concerts and fairs.

In addition to parachute units and formations, in the airborne troops, ground forces (SV) of the USSR Armed Forces there were also air assault units and formations, but they were subordinate to the commander of the troops of military districts (groups of troops), armies or corps. They did not differ in anything, except for tasks, subordination and OShS. Methods of combat use, combat training programs for personnel, weapons and uniforms for military personnel were the same as for paratrooper units and formations of the Airborne Forces (central subordination). Air assault formations were represented by separate air assault brigades (ODSHBr), separate air assault regiments (ODSHP) and separate air assault battalions (ODSHB).

The reason for the creation of air assault units in the late 60s was the revision of tactics in the fight against the enemy in the event of a full-scale war. The stake was placed on the concept of using massive landings in the near rear of the enemy, capable of disorganizing the defense. The technical possibility for such a landing was provided by the fleet of transport helicopters in army aviation, which had significantly increased by this time.
By the mid-80s, the USSR Armed Forces included 14 separate brigades, two separate regiments and about 20 separate battalions. The brigades were deployed on the territory of the USSR according to the principle - one brigade per one military district, which has land access to State border USSR, one brigade in the inner Kiev Military District (23 ODShBr in Kremenchug, subordinate to the High Command of the South-Western Direction) and two brigades for a group of Soviet troops abroad (35 ODShBr in the GSVG in the city of Cottbus and 83 ODShBr in the SGV in the city of . Bialogard). 56 Guards. The ODShBr in OKSVA, stationed in the city of Gardez of the Republic of Afghanistan, belonged to the Turkestan Military District, in which it was formed.
Individual air assault regiments were subordinate to the commanders of individual army corps.
The difference between the parachute and airborne assault formations of the Airborne Forces was as follows:
- In the presence of standard airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D, self-propelled guns "Nona", etc.). In the airborne assault units, only a quarter of all units were equipped with it - in contrast to 100% of its staffing in the paratrooper units.
- In the subordination of the troops. Airborne assault units, operationally, were subordinate to the command of military districts (groups of troops), armies, and corps. The parachute units were subordinate to the command of the Airborne Forces, whose headquarters was in Moscow.
- In the assigned tasks. It was assumed that the air assault units, in the event of the start of large-scale hostilities, would be used to land in the enemy's near rear, mainly by landing from helicopters. Parachute units were supposed to be used in a deeper rear of the enemy with a parachute landing from VTA aircraft. At the same time, airborne training with planned training parachute landings of personnel and military equipment was mandatory for both types of airborne forces.
- Unlike the Guards parachute units of the Airborne Forces deployed to the full state, some air assault brigades were cadre (special staff) and were not guards. The exception was three brigades that received the names of the Guards, created on the basis of the 105th Vienna Red Banner Guards Airborne Division disbanded in 1979 - the 35th, 38th and 56th.
In the mid-80s, the following brigades and regiments were part of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces: 9
- 11 ODShbr in Zabaykalsky IN ( Zabaykalsky Krai Mogocha and Amazar),
- 13 ODShBr in the Far Eastern Military District (Amur Region, Magdagachi and Zavitinsk),
- 21 ODShBr in the Transcaucasian Military District (Georgian SSR, Kutaisi),
- 23 ODSHBr southwest direction(on the territory of the Kyiv Military District), (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug),
- 35gv. ODShBr in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (German Democratic Republic, Cottbus),
- 36 ODShBr in the Leningrad Military District ( Leningrad region, village Garbolovo),
- 37 ODShbr in the Baltic VO ( Kaliningrad region, Chernyakhovsk),
- 38 Guards. ODSHBr in the Belorussian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Brest),
- 39 ODShBr in the Carpathian Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Khyriv),
- 40 ODSHBr in Odessa Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Nikolaev),
- 56 Guards. ODShBr in the Turkestan Military District (formed in the city of Chirchik, Uzbek SSR and introduced into Afghanistan),
- 57 ODShBr in the Central Asian Military District (Kazakh SSR, Aktogay township),
- 58 ODSHBr in the Kiev Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug),
- 83 ODShBr in the Northern Group of Forces, (Polish People's Republic, Bialogard),
- 1318 ODSHP in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Polotsk) subordinate to the 5th separate army corps.
- 1319 ODSHP in the Trans-Baikal Military District (Chita region, Kyakhta) subordinate to the 48th separate army corps.
These brigades included a command, 3 or 4 air assault battalions, one artillery battalion and combat support units and logistic support. The personnel of the deployed brigades reached 2,500 military personnel. For example, the staff strength of the 56th Guards. On December 1, 1986, the ODShBr consisted of 2,452 military personnel (261 officers, 109 ensigns, 416 sergeants, 1,666 soldiers).
The regiments differed from the brigades in the presence of only two battalions: one paratrooper and one air assault (on the BMD), as well as a slightly reduced composition of the regimental units.

In the Afghan war, one airborne division (103rd Guards Airborne Division), one separate airborne assault brigade (56th Guards Airborne Brigade), one separate parachute regiment (345th Guards OPDP) and two air assault battalions as part of separate motorized rifle brigades (66 separate motorized rifle brigade and 70 motorized rifle brigade). In total, for 1987, these were 18 "linear" battalions (13 paratroopers and 5 airborne assaults), which amounted to a fifth of the total number of all "linear" OKSVA battalions (which included another 18 tank and 43 motorized rifle battalions) .

Training of officers for the airborne troops.

Officers were trained by the following military educational institutions in the following military specialties (VUS):
- Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School - commander of an airborne (airborne assault) platoon, commander of a reconnaissance platoon.
- Landing Department of the Ryazan Higher Military Automobile Engineering School - commander of an automobile / transport platoon.
- Landing Department of the Ryazan Higher Military Command School of Communications - commander of a communications platoon.
- Airborne Department of the Novosibirsk Higher Military-Political Combined Arms School - Deputy Company Commander for Political Affairs ( educational work).
- Landing Department of the Kolomna Higher Artillery Command School - commander of an artillery platoon.
- Airborne Department of the Leningrad Higher Anti-Aircraft Missile Command School - commander of an anti-aircraft missile platoon.
- Landing Department of the Kamenetz-Podolsky Higher Military Engineering Command School - commander engineering platoon.
In addition to the graduates of these educational institutions, in the Airborne Forces they were often appointed to the positions of platoon commanders, graduates of higher combined arms schools (VOKU) and military departments, who prepared for the commander of a motorized rifle platoon. This was due to the fact that the specialized Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School (RVVDKU), which produced about 300 lieutenants every year on average, was not able to fully meet the needs of the Airborne Forces (at the end of the 80s they had about 60,000 personnel ) in platoon commanders. For example, the former commander of the 247th Guards. PDP, Hero of the Russian Federation Em Yuri Pavlovich, who began his service in the Airborne Forces as a platoon commander, graduated from the Alma-Ata Higher Combined Arms Command School.
For a long time, military personnel of units and units of the Special Forces (the so-called now army special forces) were mistakenly and deliberately called paratroopers. This is due to the fact that in the Soviet period, as now, the Russian Armed Forces did not have and do not have special forces, but there were and are units and units of the Special Forces (SpN) of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. The phrase “special forces” or “commandos” was mentioned in the press and in the media only in relation to the troops of a potential enemy (“Green Berets”, “Rangers”, “Commandos”).
Starting with the emergence of these units in the USSR Armed Forces in 1950 until the end of the 80s, the existence of such units and units was completely denied. Up to the point that conscripts learned about their existence only when they were accepted into the personnel of these units and units. Officially, in the Soviet press and on television, units and units of the Special Forces of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces announced either parts of the Airborne Forces- as in the case of the GSVG (officially there were no special forces units in the GDR), or, as in the case of OKSVA, separate motorized rifle battalions (OMSB). For example, the 173rd Separate Special Purpose Detachment (173 OOSpN), stationed near the city of Kandahar, was called the 3rd Separate Motorized Rifle Battalion (3 OMSB).
In everyday life, servicemen of subunits and units of the Special Forces wore full dress and field uniforms adopted in the Airborne Forces, although they did not belong to the Airborne Forces either in terms of subordination or in terms of the assigned tasks of reconnaissance and sabotage activities. The only thing that united the Airborne Forces and units and units of the Special Forces was most of officers - graduates of the RVVDKU, airborne training and possible combat use behind enemy lines.

Acquisition

To create and staff the "second wave" of air assault units, it was decided to disband the 105th Guards Airborne Division and the 80th Guards. pdp 104th airborne division. Officers and soldiers of military districts and groups of troops were sent for resupplying. So, the 36th brigade was formed on the basis of the 237th guards pdp (it was framed) who allocated officers and parts of the Leningrad Military District; 38th Vienna - based on the officers of the headquarters of the 105th Guards Airborne Division, as well as officers and soldiers of the military unit of the Belarusian Military District.
In the air assault units of the military districts, most of the officers were from the military districts: for the airborne troops, only commanders were selected from the airborne forces, the rest from the districts; in the odshb groups of troops, the deputy battalion commander was added to the battalion commander, as well as, in part, the company commanders. To staff the newly created units, in 1979, in military schools training officers for the Airborne Forces, recruitment was increased, and from 1983-84. already most of the officers went to the DShV being trained under the Airborne Forces program. Basically, they were appointed to the Oshbr of groups of troops, less often - to the Oshbr of districts, and even less often to the Oshb. In 1984-85. officers were shuffled in groups of troops - almost all officers were replaced in the DShV. All this increased the percentage of airborne officers (plus - replacements in Afghanistan). But at the same time, the most prepared graduates of military schools and academies were always distributed in the Airborne Forces.
With regard to recruitment by conscripts, the same medical requirements and other selection rules were applied to the DShCh as for the Airborne Forces. The most healthy and physically developed draft contingent was singled out. High selection requirements (height - not less than 173 cm; physical development - not lower than average; education - not lower than average, no medical restrictions, etc.) led to fairly high opportunities for combat training.
Unlike the Airborne Forces, which had their own large "Gayzhunai training" - the 44th Airborne Division; DShV were staffed by junior commanders and specialists who basically graduated from training divisions ground forces and to a lesser extent from the Gaizhunai "training", the air assault battalion of the 70th separate motorized rifle brigade was also replenished from the Fergana "training, military unit 52788