SSO certificate. Special Operations Forces of the Russian Federation: composition, emblem

MTR of the Russian Armed Forces

Structure:

Special Operations Forces Command (SOF)

Directorate (Special Operations)

Directorate (Naval Special Operations)

Department (Counter-Terrorism)

Center special purpose RF Ministry of Defense "Senezh".

Directions department.

“Training center for military personnel of military unit 01355, Moscow region, Kubinka-2”
Special operations direction (airborne) - the main emphasis is on airborne training and other methods of penetrating behind enemy lines by air. Parachute jumps are practiced, both long jumps with oxygen masks, and with the parachute opening immediately after separation from the board. Jumps are carried out both day and night using night vision devices, in bad weather, strong wind and fog. In addition to parachutes, fighters are also trained in the use of motor hang gliders and paragliders. Mastery of such methods allows special forces to fly tens of kilometers unnoticed by the enemy.

Special operations direction (mountain) - specializes in conducting reconnaissance and combat operations in mountainous areas, training is carried out on the basis of the 54th reconnaissance unit training center, military unit 90091 (Republic of North Ossetia - Alania, Vladikavkaz) and in the mountain training center and surviving “Terskol” FAU RF Ministry of Defense “CSKA” (Terskol village, Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria).

Special operations direction (assault) - specializes in penetration/capture/destruction of enemy objects (headquarters, buildings, structures, bunkers, etc.).

The direction of special operations (protection of high-ranking leaders) - the tasks are clear.

Special Operations Department (marine) on the territory of the 561st Navy Emergency Rescue Center, military unit 00317 (Russia, Crimea, Sevastopol, Cossack Bay). The Naval Department of Special Operations is a multi-purpose naval formation trained and equipped to carry out combat missions in the waters of the seas, oceans, rivers, and lakes. Basically, personnel operate from various watercraft (boats, jet skis) or operate underwater in diving equipment using special towing vehicles, conducting reconnaissance and performing other combat missions at sea, on the shore or in river waters.

Exit means direction - specializes in the delivery of special forces to the operation area by land, air and water, and their subsequent withdrawal/evacuation. It is armed with Mi-8AMTSh and Mi-35M helicopters, boats, ATVs, all-terrain vehicles and a variety of vehicles.

Several support units (communications, radio intelligence, electronic warfare, IT, special equipment).

Several support and security units that are staffed by conscripted military personnel - a company of reinforcement equipment, a commandant company (security), a company material support, technical platoon, communications company, company of young recruits.

On the territory of the Senezh military camp there is a training, airborne and fire training complex, a dog training complex, an indoor swimming pool, a sports camp, a tactical camp for practicing actions in populated areas, a helipad, as well as a platform for driving special equipment, medical and office premises.

Specialist Training Center (formerly the 322nd training center), military unit 43292 (Moscow region, Solnechnogorsk district, urban settlement "Senezh").

The main task is the training of special forces specialists, as well as the training of military personnel of other special forces of the Russian Defense Ministry.

Department of modernization, maintenance and storage of weapons, military and special equipment and military-technical property (Department of modernization, maintenance and storage of military equipment and technical equipment) - the tasks of this department are clear from its name.

Special Purpose Center of the RF Ministry of Defense (“Kubinka-2” or “Kuba”), military unit 01355 (Moscow region, Odintsovo district, Kubinka-2). Solve the same problems as TsSN "Senezh".

Selection, combat training and personnel:

Selection for the MTR is carried out in different ways; representatives of the MTR can select themselves, study candidates who have the necessary knowledge and skills, and then make an offer to them. In addition, every month on the 15th at 9:00 a.m. is candidate day, when volunteer candidates can try to pass the entrance tests which are taken in part: physical fitness (3km-12.00-12.30, 100m-13.0-14.0, pull-ups at least 18 times), professional selection, medical examination.
Also, military units included in the MTR periodically place advertisements in military registration and enlistment offices and selection points for contract service a list of military specialties they need.

Training is carried out at the specialist training center and directly at permanent deployment points, where the necessary infrastructure has been created and is being created.

Officer training is carried out at the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School - RVVDKU (Faculty of Special and Military Intelligence and the Department of the Use of Special Forces Units) and the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School - NVVKU (Faculty of Special Intelligence and the Department of Special Reconnaissance and Airborne Training).

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It is intuitively clear that special forces, based on the nature of their tasks, should accordingly be equipped with “special” weapons. However, to be more precise, this implies a careful selection of the best “tools”, taking into account special tasks or, of course, even one specific task.

Indeed, the weapons used by special operations forces (SOF) soldiers are "special" not so much in terms of their specific design and characteristics, but rather because the special forces themselves have the privilege of choosing them, despite standardization issues or any other industrial or logistical considerations, based solely on your own assessments and preferences.

Indeed, a very large part of the "mystique of the SOF" is the use of weapons other than those assigned to a conventional infantry unit, and it is not uncommon to see an SOF soldier within the same unit carrying a different weapon.

Pictured is the Elcan SpecterDR sight, used by German special forces and is an innovative product that combines a red dot sight for close combat and a 4x optical sight for longer range combat. Also note the non-standard attachment of accessories to the G36 assault rifle - a distinctive feature special forces worldwide

Another aspect of “exclusivity”, which consists in a careful search for absolutely optimal solutions in the field of equipping the MTR, is that personal and crew-served weapons, as a rule, are almost never used in the MTR in the configuration originally manufactured by the manufacturer; weapons should receive a whole series of design changes, improvements and additional devices.

Personal weapon

Automatic pistols (and in some cases also revolvers) present a very strange paradox in the equipment of the MTR. While they are quickly falling out of favor as standard combat weapons, even including secondary missions such as self-defense or weapons for non-combatant personnel, they are still an integral part of the SOF arsenal and have indeed effectively replaced the combat knife as the symbol of close combat. The use of MTR pistols is usually associated with "liquidation" specific people, but in reality it is much more important to provide a deliberate close defense.

Prudence certainly requires the elimination or reduction of gunshot noise. An important distinction in this regard is between weapons that are silent (that is, those built as such or capable of using silent ammunition) and those that are called "silenced", usually by installing a silencer.

Typical examples of quiet pistols are the Chinese Type 64 and Type 67, both chambered for the 7.65 x 17 rimless cartridge and based on the expansion chamber concept. The Russians, for their part, have developed a whole family of silent/flashless cartridges that are used in firing mechanism single action (non-self-cocking).

The first appropriate weapons for special forces were two small large-caliber models, MSP (SP2 cartridge 7.62×35) and S4M (SP3 cartridge 7.62×62.8), whose obvious limitations led in 1983 to the introduction of a semi-automatic (special self-loading pistol) with a 6-round magazine . The PSS still has no analogues in the West; several units of Russian special forces are currently armed with it (for example, capture groups of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Alpha group of the FSB).

The PSS pistol fires SP4 7.62×42 cartridges with a 13-gram steel bullet, created specifically to obtain good armor-piercing power, at least against the simplest types of body armor. Tula KBP recently introduced the OT 38 chambered for SP4, which apparently was aimed at strong desire special forces do not leave spent cartridges behind.

The Makarov PB represents a compromise between silent and suppressed weapons. It is based on the design of the standard Makarov automatic pistol and fires conventional 9x18 cartridges with a traditional removable suppressor, but also has a large expansion chamber around the perforated barrel. More recently, Russian special forces units appear to have adopted a silent variant of the new PYa automatic pistol (known as the MP-443 Grach), selected in 2003 as the new standard pistol for the Russian military.

Western industry and SOF soldiers have never been particularly interested in silent weapons, but, nevertheless, several models of pistols were designed and manufactured specifically for the requirements of special forces (including the well-known Heckler & Koch Mk23Mod0 for the American Special Operations Command); all are equipped with standard mufflers. The emphasis is rather on characteristics such as maximum stopping energy, rugged construction and superior reliability, while a large magazine is usually a major requirement for military hand weapons, is less important here.

In 2005, the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) began the JCP (Joint Combat Pistol) program, a rather perplexing and ill-advised attempt to combine a promising Manual System FHS (Future Handgun System) of the American army and USSOCOM’s own projects called the SOFCP Combat Pistol (Special Operations Forces Combat Pistol) in a single purchase volume of 645,000 pistols.

Less than a year later, the program lost its "J" (Combat Pistol - CP) and was decisively scaled back to USSOCOM's own needs (approximately 50,000 pistols) before being shelved indefinitely until late 2006. Be that as it may, several potential competitors have prepared models that meet the mandatory key characteristics of the JCP/CP (.45 ACP cartridge and the use of two magazines of different capacities); these include, for example, the H&K HK45 and HK45C, Beretta PX4 SD, S&W MP45, FN Herstal FNP45 and Sig Sauer P220 Combat TV.

IWI GALIL ACE is the latest example of a 5.56 mm assault rifle, created specifically for the needs of MTR soldiers. The weapon in the picture is without a scope

Aimpoint's CompM4 series of red dot sights match the US Army's latest M68 Close-Combat Optic (CCO)

A special category includes automatic pistols with a chamber for powerful types of ammunition, originally developed for the PDW (Personal Defense Weapons) class, which, paradoxically enough, were intended to replace pistols. After the cancellation of the H&K P46 (4.6×30) project, the only Western weapons in this category is the FN Herstal FiveseveN (5.7x28). FiveseveN's large capacity magazine (20 rounds), significant range (100 m), excellent penetrating power and the availability of a full family of special cartridges open up completely new prospects regarding combat use hand weapons.

The Chinese were also moving in the same direction, and in 2006 the QSW-06 model was introduced to replace the Type 67. It fires Chinese 5.8x21 cartridges (two types: standard DAP92 with Vo = 895 m/s and supersonic DCV05), they are fed from a 20-round magazine, this pistol is equipped with a standard silencer.

Submachine guns (SMG)

Despite the general trends regarding standard military small arms, SMG (sub-machine guns) are still widespread in SOF units, despite the recent emergence in many combat scenarios of a definite preference given to compact/short-barreled models of assault rifles and carbines.

The most common in Western MTRs, without a doubt, is the ubiquitous series, available in many variants. For highly specialized applications, extreme compactness is valued above all, which is why there is some interest in models such as the MP-5K, Micro UZI and B&T MP9 (originally Steyr TMP).

The vast majority of Western SMGs are chambered in the standard 9x19 cartridge, and numerous industry attempts to introduce new or MTR-optimized cartridges, such as the 10mm Auto or .40 S&W, or to "resurrect" the venerable .45 ACP have achieved little commercial success. Even the H&K UMP, firing the new +P variant of the .45 ACP cartridge, remains unnoticed in the global MTR community.

Since the late 80s Russian industry handguns has also re-opened the SMG market and offered an absolutely stunning variety of new designs and models that often show a degree of innovative ingenuity and all of which have been noted to have been "accepted", "approved" or at least "tested" by special forces .

A partial list could include with helical magazine (suitable for 9x18 PM/PMM, 7.62x25 Tokarev and 9x19), (9x19 and 9x19 7N21 Russian), (9x18), PP-91 Kedr /Wedge (9×18 PMM), PP-93 (9×19 PMM), PP-90M1 with helical magazine (9×19, 9×19 7N21/7N31), (9×19), AEK-919K Kashtan (9 ×18), OTs-02 Cypress (9×18) and SR-3 Veresk (rather a unique design, acting by gas removal, fires powerful 9×21 cartridges). The helical magazine is a clever idea to combine high capacity (64 rounds on the Bison) with compactness and of course it was promptly copied by the Chinese (Chang Feng 05).

And again, when it comes to suppressed SMGs, this is definitely the best known representative of the first category weapon, the H&K MP-5SD, which in fact could be considered as an “icon” weapon for the MTR. Thanks to the presence of concentric expansion/decompression chambers with internal deflection flaps, the MOP-5SD can fire a standard 9x19 cartridge, which, however, is made slower (subsonic speed) in order to eliminate the most important part - the sound signature (a sign of visibility).

The weapon was also produced in several countries under more or less authorized licenses, and inspired designs such as the Daewoo K7 (South Korea), FAMAE SAF-SD (Chile) and Pindad PM-2 (Indonesia). The IWI Micro TAVOR MTAR 21 (9x19 variant of the compact 5.56mm carbine) is an interesting attempt at an original modular solution, both modules have a built-in suppressor.

The main disadvantage of SMGs with a built-in suppressor for MTR use is that the already modest stopping power of their pistol cartridge is further reduced due to the need to reduce the bullet's speed to subsonic. The Russians have been at the forefront of work on this issue, and in the past, special forces have almost completely replaced their SMGs with the AK-47/AKM assault rifle, which has a removable suppressor and fires a special subsonic variant of the 7.62x39 cartridge with a 193 gram bullet.

Starting from the late 80s, a more radical approach would be adopted to specifically develop special types of cartridges and weapons for firing them. Subsonic 9×39 SP5 and SP6 cartridges showed good characteristics regarding practical range (up to 300 m) and penetration ability. These cartridges are based on the M43 7.62x39 case with a neck extended to 9mm and feature a heavy, streamlined bullet; The SP5 has a 260 gram bullet for accuracy, while the SP6 has a 247 gram armor-piercing bullet with a hardened steel core.

The first automatic weapons created for these new cartridges were the VSS Vintorez carbines from Central Research Institute Tochmash and AS Val, followed by 9A-91 and VKS-94 from KBP, SR-3 Whirlwind from Central Research Institute Tochmash, modular bullpup schemes SOO OTs-14 Groza from TsKIB and the latest model (in 2007) AK-9 developed by Izhmash Kalashnikov. The basic (i.e. 9×39) variant of the Groza is reported to be in service with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs special forces, while the special forces apparently chose the version chambered for the original US 7.62×39 cartridge.

The Western analogue is the .300 “Whisper” cartridge from SSK Industries, it is based on the .221 Fireball cartridge case expanded to accommodate a 7.62 mm bullet; There are either subsonic (220 g, 1040 ft/s) or supersonic (125 g, 2100 ft/s) options. Several companies (such as the French Stopson TFM) modified AR15 assault rifles to chamber new cartridges, but very few of these rifles were sold.

As for the PDW class (Personal Defense Weapons), for a short time it seemed that this weapon had completely lost its originally intended market (this, however, has nothing to do with its quality and characteristics), it could find a new an important market niche, essentially replacing SMG in the arsenals of MTR units. However, this does not happen.

Despite the clear advantages of PDW regarding general ballistic characteristics and especially penetration power, whose importance will further increase due to the current widespread use of reinforced body armor, including by non-combatant personnel, PDW is purchased in relatively small quantities with the aim of replacing SMGs for certain specific applications, but not as their ultimate replacement.

An important exception is the Chinese army, which is apparently going to introduce the QWC-05 bullpup rifle chambered for the already mentioned 5.8x21 cartridge, it has a 50-round magazine, and will replace the suppressed Type 79 and Type 85 SMGs in service MTR. India also seems to be moving in the same direction with the MSMC (Modern Sub-Machine Carbine) weapon produced by DRDO and the unique 5.56x30 cartridge.

Optical-electronic sights for small arms

The broad category of electro-optical sights (or perhaps more accurately sighting systems) consists of two main groups: laser/infrared and red dot devices. Regardless of the technology, their primary function is to assist the shooter in acquiring and destroying a target or range of targets without the use of standard sights, including in very low light conditions (especially laser/IR systems).

Laser/infrared pointers

Laser pointers produce a beam that is visible as a small red dot on the target, corresponding to the point of impact of the bullet. This mode of operation makes them suitable for use in special combat conditions, when the emphasis is on instinctive fire “from the hip,” for example, in close combat inside buildings.

There are two main classes of laser pointers currently available:
- daytime systems operating at frequencies of approximately 620 nm to create a red dot that is visible to the naked eye under normal daytime conditions;
- night systems that operate in the near-infrared spectrum and thus create a red dot that can only be seen with night vision goggles.

Beyond this basic difference, a number of intriguing variations and improvements are possible. LAM (Laser Aiming Module) from Insight Technologies Inc., adopted by the US Special Operations Command for the OHWS/H&K Mod pistol. 23.45 ACP. It has a dual laser pointer operating in the visible and infrared spectrum, plus a conventional illuminator + IR source.

Another interesting model is the increasingly popular AN/PEQ-2, which in addition to the IR pointer also works as an IR “spotlight”, which allows (through night vision goggles) identification of a target at long range, as well as providing adequate combat visibility in absolute darkness (for example, at night inside a building or in a tunnel).

Collimator sights

So-called collimator (red dot) systems work on a completely different principle, where the red dot is visualized inside the sight and superimposed on the image of the target, rather than physically projected onto the target itself as in a laser system. Accordingly, red dot sights do not have a signature and nothing can be detected on the target.

Leading suppliers of red dot sights to the military and police include the Swedish company Aimpoint, which originally invented the system, as well as the American companies Tasco and Weaver. The Aimpoint Comp M model was purchased in large quantities, starting with 100,000 sights ordered in 1997 by the US Department of Defense under the designation M-68, plus 10,000 units ordered by France in 2000, 60,000 sights delivered to Sweden in 2003–2005, later Italy ordered 24,000 units.

The M2 features enhancements such as 4 day settings and 6 low light settings, as well as new CET (Circuit Efficiency Technology) diodes to reduce power consumption. It quickly became a popular red dot sight for weapons such as the H&K MP5 series SMG, the H&K G36 and Colt M16A2 assault rifles, the Colt M4 carbine and the FN MINIMI/M249 machine gun.

The R3.5 tactical model includes additional features such as illuminated reticle and the highest magnification of 3.5x (previous models were non-magnified). The 8mm exit pupil combined with a wide field of view allows you to quickly acquire stationary and moving targets.

The CompM4 series of sights (in the US military the M68 CCO (Close-Combat Optic) is a close-combat optic) is said to be the most advanced series of sights it produces. Improvements include high energy efficiency, as shown by continuous operation for 8 years on a single AA battery! CompM4 sights have an integral mount, eliminating the need for a separate ring, and can be mounted to a variety of weapon systems using vertical and front spacers.

A specific and potentially dangerous characteristic of collimator systems is that, under certain lighting conditions, their front lens can produce reddish reflections. For this reason, some Comp M users equip their scopes with a honeycomb anti-reflective device.

Mirror systems, which could be considered as a variant of red dot technology, were first introduced several years ago by Bushnell. These devices replace conventional light dots with a holographic reticle that becomes visible when illuminated by built-in light sources and can be selected from several different configurations (traditional or open reticle, dual ring, 3-D rising marker, etc.) .

The main advantages of reflex sights over traditional models are the ability to increase brightness by up to 20 depending on operating conditions and the elimination of possible parallax errors caused by the need for the shooter to simultaneously focus his eye on a red dot and a target that are on two different focal planes.

Mirror systems, such as the Trijicon series, have very high accuracy and extremely high target acquisition speed, while miniaturization components make it possible to create extremely compact and lightweight devices for hand-held weapons. For example, this is the Docter Sight (46×25.5×24 mm, 25 g) which also has automatic brightness adjustment depending on the lighting conditions in the direction of the target.

A further step forward in the design of sights and their parameters was the SpecterDR model from Elcan (Raytheon), recently adopted by the MTR command. It is claimed to be the world's most advanced combat optical rifle sight. The SpecterDR is essentially two scopes in one, combining a wide field of view (24°) optical sight with 1x magnification and a long range optical sight (4x magnification, 6.5° field of view).

Switching between the two sighting modes is instantaneous and, unlike sights with magnification mechanisms, the reduction in eye strain and optical design are optimal. The battery-powered LED illumination has two ranges: one that illuminates the entire crosshair for long-range, low-light applications, and another that illuminates just the red dot in the center for close-quarters use. The zero function is included in the integral mount, the scope is mounted on Mil-Std-1913 Picatinny rails.

The Trijiton RX01-NSN mirror sight is designed for the US military and is designed for close combat. The reticle on all reflex sights is illuminated with both fiber optics and tritium, providing shooters with a bright, clearly defined aiming point in any lighting conditions. The RX01-NSN is part of the SOPMOD M4 weapon systems used by US Army Special Forces

Aimpoint CompM2 in the US Army received the designation M68 CCO

Assault rifles

In most cases, SOF units are simply equipped with short-barreled/folding or compact carbine variants of standard assault rifles with telescopic stocks, these are perceived as more suitable for special operations, despite their inherent losses in actual range, accuracy and penetrating power.

More recent examples of variants specifically designed for unconventional combat would be the Colt CAR-15 (later M4 COMMANDO/XM177) and the Russian AKSU-74. The latest development is the Israeli IWI GALIL ACE, based on the proven mechanisms of the GALIL rifle, but with a chamber for a 5.56 mm cartridge, it is equipped with a telescopic butt. The ACE is available with three barrels of varying lengths.

The principle of a collimator sight. The lens is used to create a virtual image (top) of a red object. By collimating the image using a reflective lens (middle) or a refractive lens (bottom), the image can be projected to infinity

At the beginning of 2004, the American command of special operations forces issued a requirement for SCAR (Special Forces Combat Assault Rifles) for a family of combat assault rifles for the MTR. The basis of the requirement is two different calibers, high interchangeability of parts and identical ergonomics. After the first tests in the preliminary selection, the SCAR system developed by FN Herstal remained the first and only choice of the command. The SCAR system consists of two highly adaptable modular rifle platforms, i.e. 5.56x45mm NATO SCAR-Light (or SCAR-L) and 7.62x51mm NATO SCAR-Heavy (or SCAR-H), and an improved grenade launcher (EGLM or FN40GL ). Both SCAR platforms are available with two different barrel lengths: a CQC barrel for close combat and a standard barrel for longer ranges.

The search for American SOF military personnel to increase combat flexibility led, firstly, to the development of the so-called SOPMOD kit (Special Operations Peculiar Modification - a special modification for special operations), it consists mainly of commercial off-the-shelf accessories for the M4 carbine. Although originally developed by the MTR command for themselves and issued to special forces personnel, the SOPMOD kit quickly became very popular among infantry units, partly due to its inherent advantages, but also partly due to a certain “MTR mystique.”

However, in 2003, the USSOCOM command - also taking advantage of the growing interest in the SOF due to the brilliant results of their use in the open phases of Operation Enduring Freedom - decided to move beyond the SOPMOD and launched a bold program for a new assault rifle, specially created for its individual requirements - the SCAR ( SOF Combat Assault Rifle is a combat assault rifle for MTR).

The SCAR was originally conceived as a multi-caliber modular system capable of using (of course, by replacing the barrel and other main parts) not only Western cartridges, but also Russian cartridges “liberated” after operations, but since then practical considerations have led to a narrowing of the choice : cartridges are either 5.56 mm or 7.62 mm NATO standard. FN Herstal, through its American subsidiary FNH, developed the new family of weapons in an incredibly short period of 10 months, and after a series of comparative tests won the corresponding contract.

The SCAR's exceptional flexibility will allow USSOCOM personnel to configure their weapon as a very compact 5.56mm carbine for urban combat on one side and as a 7.62mm carbine for long-range precision fire reconnaissance on the other. The “H” (Heavy) option will also be available to increase penetration power. In practice, USSOCOM has thus cut the Gordian knot of the perceived lack of lethality of the 5.56mm round by simply switching to the older 7.62mm cartridge when necessary.

SCAR is the only Western assault rifle created specifically for use by the MTR and adopted for service. In USSOCOM, it is intended to replace five weapons: the Mk18 CQBR, M4A1, Mk12 SPR, Mk11 SASS and Mk14 EBR.

A special category can also be considered as an intermediary between SMGs and assault rifles, although in technical terms it would be more accurate to say that this is a variant of the latter. It is represented by weapons that are available in 5.56 mm and 9 mm variants, or what is more interesting, the user can easily switch from one caliber to another. The main logic of this two-caliber weapon is to simplify logistics, and it will also allow training on one weapon, while simultaneously providing a flexible solution for SOF personnel.

A typical newer example of this class is the IWI X95, based on . It is interesting to note that IWI initially developed and marketed only a 9mm weapon known as the Mini-TAVOR. This was a requirement of the Israeli MTR, which led to the Mini-TAVOR being abandoned and replaced by a two-caliber model.

MTR units were the initiators and first users of the currently popular large-caliber long-range rifles for destroying manpower and materiel. The photo shows a McMillan TAC-50 in service with the American SOF

The IWI X95 is a typical rifle from a special category of two-caliber weapons. Allows quick transition from 5.56x45 to 9x19 cartridge to suit operational needs

The suppressed Mk11 sniper rifle was originally developed for SOF use based on a commercial product; since then it has also been adopted by the American army

Unlike other military units, SOF soldiers maintain a great interest in pistols and actually use them. The picture shows the Heckler&Koch HK45 pistol in action

Sniper rifles

MTR units often use the same sniper rifles with a rolling shutter, which are adopted by the army, despite the fact that they could, on occasion, get better (and more expensive) optics. Another issue, however, is suppressed sniper rifles, which are usually of little interest to the army (but this is changing, as evidenced by the new M110 SASS for the US army), but are extremely important for SOF activities.

The Finnish Vaime SSR Mk1 (7.62mm NATO) is a very popular design, while other models have appeared, such as the Accuracy International AWC Covert with a folding stock (a rare solution for sniper rifles) and a removable barrel/integrated suppressor for ease of transport, which is rumored to be in service with the 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force group) as part of USSOCOM, the British 22 SAS rifle, and a similar French PGM Ultima Ratio/Suppressed. You need to understand that real jamming requires subsonic cartridges (either due to the design or operation of the suppressor), which sharply reduces the maximum engagement range to 200–400 meters.

However, based on the nature of their tasks, SOF snipers are much more likely to use semi-automatic rifles; this has led in many cases to the adoption of advanced modification kits for existing rifles or models specifically created for the MTR.

A typical example is the Mk12Mod0/1 SPR (Special Purpose Rifle) with the NATO 5.56 mm cartridge, created by the Crane Division of the US Navy Surface Weapons Systems Research Center. It is based on the AR15/M16 body, but is complemented by off-the-shelf parts, most notably an 18-inch heavy-duty stainless steel float-mount rifled barrel designed by Douglas Barrel and an M4 Rail Adapter (RAS) from Knights Armament Company. SPR, used by the Navy SEALS special operations forces, optimized for the Mk262 cartridge with a 77 g bullet (Mod 0 = HPBT, Hollow Point Boat Tail), Mod 1 = OPM, Open Tip Match (increased accuracy)).

Before the development of the SPR, USSOCOM introduced the Mk11Mod0 sniper rifle chambered in 7.62mm NATO. It is a modified version of the KAC SR-25 design and has also recently been adopted by the US Army along with the M110 SASS rifle (with minimal additional modifications).

Let's move on to Russia. The SVD-S is a folding stock variant of the widely used Dragunov with the 7.62x54R cartridge. Originally developed for paratroopers, it was also adopted by special forces. A more MTR-specific design is the SVU-OT 03, introduced in 1991. This is a bullpup weapon (the trigger mechanism and bolt carrier are located behind the fire control handle (inside the butt)) based on the SVD, but with a shorter barrel, while the SVU-A variant has a fully automatic mode. Reportedly, the special forces are intrigued by the compactness of the weapon (total length 900 mm, weight 4 kg without accessories).

In general, SOF units were the inventors and early adopters large-caliber weapons for the destruction of people and material at long distances, which has since become extremely popular in armies around the world. Also, the requirement formulated by Marine Special Forces in 1983 for a cartridge intermediate between the 7.62mm NATO and 12.7x99 (.50 BMG) that would allow more accurate shooting at ranges out to approximately 1200–1550m led to the subsequent introduction and widespread adoption of the excellent cartridge .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70).

The Barrett M82A1/A3 is definitely a 12.7mm materiel-killing rifle that is very common around the world, while European models might include the Accuracy International AW-50 (AS-50 is a semi-automatic variant) and the PGM HECATE II. The Russian design, specially developed for the FSB, is very interesting. This is a semi-automatic bullpup rifle. It is equipped with a silencer built into the barrel, and a unique subsonic cartridge STS-130T 12.7 mm (case length unknown) with a monolithic bronze bullet weighing 900–1200 grams was created for it.

Machine guns

While there are no light (LMG, that is, 5.56 mm NATO) or universal (GPMG, 7.62 mm NATO) machine guns specifically for the MTR, MTR fighters again have an irresistible desire to modify and adapt any weapon that they could take into their own hands.

For example, in 2000, USSOCOM, after a long process of testing and testing, accepted the Mk46Mod0 LMG as a deeply modernized variant of the US Army's M249 LAW (FN Herstal MINIMI). Modifications included, for example, belt feed only (alternative feed from the magazine was removed), the carrying handle was removed, the barrel was shortened by 40 mm, a titanium bipod was added, a new stock and a Picatinny rail on top of the cover. The overall length is reduced to 915 mm and weight to 5.9 kg.

Almost the same applies to GPMG. USSOCOM initially adopted a compact variant of the M60 (M60A3/A4) with a shorter barrel, lightweight bipod and foregrip. After some reliability problems due to the very heavy use of this weapon in the hands of special forces, a program for a new LWMG (Light Weight Machine Gun) was started. Despite the designation, it retains the 7.62mm NATO caliber. The competition was again won by FN Herstal with another MINIMI variant, classified by USSOCOM as Mk48Mod0. It retained the general configuration of the Mk46, but was longer - 1010 mm with a 502 mm barrel and 8.28 kg heavier without ammunition.

Other Western LMG designs developed for possible MTR use are the NEGEV COMMANDO, H&K MG4E and Denel Mini SS and SS77 Compact.

Interestingly enough, Russian gunsmiths followed exactly the opposite path of development. Unlike the West, there was initially no requirement for lighter and more compact LMG/MG, simply because weapons such as the RPD, RPK-74 and PKMS were completely satisfactory in this sense.

Combat experience in Afghanistan and later in the Caucasus, however, led to the fact that the special forces formulated a requirement for special automatic weapons SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) departments. To meet this requirement, TsNI Tochmash developed the Pecheneg as a variant of the PKM with a heavier barrel chambered for the formidable 7.62x54R cartridge. Although the weight is somewhat reduced by removing the standard PKM quick-release barrel (the steel casing around the barrel helps dissipate heat, allowing up to 600 bullets to be fired continuously without breaking), the 8.7 kg Pecheneg does not have any weight savings due to other modifications.

Special Forces seem to be much more interested in long-range accuracy and end-of-trajectory (very important characteristic in mountainous areas!), which involves a combination of a powerful cartridge and a heavy, non-removable barrel. As a squad weapon, the SAW should not be confused with an LMG or MG.

The picture shows a suppressed MP-5SD with a 9x19 SMG cartridge in the hands of a Finnish combat swimmer

The 5.56 mm M4 carbine with the SOPMOD modification kit is currently the main individual weapon of the American SOF

Chinese soldier naval special forces, armed with a Type 95 5.8×42 assault rifle with a 40-mm AG91 automatic grenade launcher

There is a market for PDWs such as the FN Herstal P90, but it is not as large as initially expected

Special forces are currently assessing further development PKM designs, AEK-999 Badger. It has additional enhancements such as a foregrip, a sophisticated muzzle brake/flash hider, a slightly shorter barrel (605mm) and a special suppressor.

A particularly interesting model special weapons for the MTR is the new 40-mm automatic grenade launcher Mk47 STRYKER. It was specifically designed for USSOCOM command and did not have any special requirements from the SOF. Rather, it was intended to be a direct replacement for the ubiquitous standard Mk19. However, the very high cost of the weapon, as well as its special ammunition with a proximity fuse, led the Pentagon to limit its production and distribution to USSOCOM units. The only possible logical justification for his joining the SOF is that more intensive training of special forces and the expected better fighting qualities would justify the excessive costs.

Special Operations Forces (SSO) are a relatively new formation in the structure of the Russian Armed Forces. Its formation began in 2009, during the army reform, and was completed in 2013. Over the past five years, the SOF took part in Crimean operation and military operations in Syria.

Experts and journalists call this date “the day polite people“It was on the night of February 27, 2014 that the transfer of Russian units to Crimea began.

The military blocked Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities on the peninsula and occupied administrative buildings.

In addition to MTR units, the operation included marines, paratroopers and motorized riflemen. Professional work“polite people” made it possible to disarm a 30,000-strong group of Ukrainian troops practically without firing a single shot.

Meanwhile, the activities of the MTR are secret. The state has the right not to disclose information about the size and armament of the Special Operations Forces, and is also not obliged to report on the results of operations and losses incurred.

"Asymmetrical Actions"

Special operations forces are a single structure that includes army special forces units different types and childbirth of the sun. The tasks of the MTR include conducting operations both on the territory of the Russian Federation and abroad.

The main governing body of the Special Operations Forces - the Command - is directly subordinate to the Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces (since November 9, 2012 - Valery Gerasimov).

• Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov
• RIA News

Western countries are showing enormous interest in the activities of the MTR. think tanks. Foreign experts believe that Russia created Special Operations Forces to more effectively conduct foreign expeditionary missions.

According to the West, the greatest contribution to the development of the MTR was made by Valery Gerasimov, who gained the image of a “hybrid war” strategist.

Foreign experts base similar conclusions on the article by the Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces, “The Value of Science in Foresight,” which was published in the Military-Industrial Courier magazine at the end of February 2013.

In his material, Gerasimov said that the Russian General Staff was studying the organization of combat operations of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US experience, Gerasimov believes, has demonstrated the need to change “the existing models of operations and combat operations.”

“Asymmetric actions have become widespread, making it possible to neutralize the enemy’s superiority in armed struggle. These include the use of special operations forces and internal opposition to create a permanent front... The changes taking place are reflected in the doctrinal views of the leading countries of the world and are tested in military conflicts,” Gerasimov wrote.

View from the outside

Institute Teacher national security in Tel Aviv, Sarah Feinberg, in the article “Russian Expeditionary Forces in the Syrian Operation,” argues that the idea of ​​uniting “mobile intervention forces” arose during the war in Afghanistan (1979-1989). Then the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the USSR Ministry of Defense opposed the creation of the MTR. However, this idea reappeared on the agenda after two Chechen campaigns.

According to Fainberg, the use of GRU special forces and other elite units in the North Caucasus was successful and made it possible to offset the shortcomings in the combat training of combined arms units.

At the same time, Russian special forces experienced problems in planning and conducting operations due to insufficient coordination between the security agencies to which they were subordinate. In this regard, the need was realized to unite army special forces units into a single command structure under the control of the Chief of the General Staff.

• Russian special forces during tactical exercises
• Press service of the Ministry of Defense

The consulting unit of the US Army Asymmetric Warfare Group (AWG) in the report “Manual on the Next Generation Russian Army” reports that the SOF appeared as a result of optimizing the size and structure of the Russian Armed Forces during the period when the Ministry of Defense was headed by Anatoly Serdyukov (2007-2012).

The army reform was aimed at disaggregating formations (transition to a brigade system) and creating so-called battalion tactical groups.

As AWG specialists clarify, “battalion tactical groups” are mobile, well-trained units that can be quickly deployed hundreds of kilometers from the state border.

From the AWG report it follows that “battalion tactical groups” form the backbone of the MTR. According to analysts, these units were first used for the “annexation” of Crimea, then they were allegedly transferred to Donbass, and since 2015 they have been operating in Syria.

Asymmetric Warfare Group believes that when forming the MTR, Russia relied on the experience of foreign countries. However, the decision to create Special Operations Forces was made after the South Ossetian conflict (August 2008).

In 2009, on the basis of the Special Purpose Center "Senezh" (Moscow region, military unit No. 92154) the Directorate of Special Operations Forces was formed. The formation of the MTR as a single, clearly functioning organism was completed in March 2013.

Coherence and professionalism

Senior researcher at the Institute of the Norwegian Ministry of Defense Thor Bookvoll in materials dedicated to elite units The RF Armed Forces notes that the core of the MTR is GRU officers. Of the 14 thousand Special Operations Forces soldiers, 12 thousand are military intelligence officers.

Foreign analysts agree that the MTR arsenal includes the most modern weapons, uniforms and the latest military equipment, including communications systems and drones. Russian special forces can carry out tasks at any time of the day and in any climatic conditions.

• Soldier of the diving unit of the Special Operations Forces
• Press service of the Ministry of Defense

Sarah Feinberg believes that Syria has become the main “military training camp” for Russian special forces. The tasks of special forces in the SAR include collecting intelligence, directing artillery and airborne forces fire, eliminating the leaders of gangs, conducting assault operations and sabotage activities.

“Syria truly represents the first territory in which Russia has coordinated and large-scale deployed and organized control over a contingent of expeditionary forces, including Special Operations Forces (SOF) and various categories of special forces,” notes Feinberg in the article “Russian Expeditionary Forces in the Syrian Operation.”

As the expert explained, the Syrian operation allows the Russian Special Forces to hone their skills “without additional burden on the military budget.” Fainberg estimates the size of the Russian special forces group in the SAR at 230-250 people. According to her, the successful work of the MTR in Syria testifies to the “revival of Russian military art.”

The presence of Russian special forces in Syria was first announced by Deputy Chief of Staff of the Central Military District Alexander Dvornikov on March 23, 2016. Nevertheless, Russian and foreign experts are confident that the SOF have been operating in Syria from the very beginning of the operation (September 30, 2015) or since the summer of 2015.

“I will not hide the fact that units of our Special Operations Forces are also operating in Syria. They carry out additional reconnaissance of targets for strikes Russian aviation, are engaged in guiding aircraft to targets in remote areas, and solve other special tasks,” Dvornikov said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

On December 11, 2016, the Rossiya 24 TV channel showed footage of the participation of Special Forces soldiers in battles in Aleppo, Syria. It is also known from the media that MTR soldiers participated in the liberation of Palmyra.

According to official data, during the entire period of the operation in the SAR, two special forces gunners were killed - captain Fyodor Zhuravlev (November 9, 2015) and senior lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko (March 17, 2016). By order of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zhuravlev was awarded the Order of Kutuzov posthumously, Prokhorenko was awarded the title of Hero of Russia, also posthumously.

In May 2017, information about the feat of the MTR group in the province of Aleppo was partially declassified.

16 Russian special forces, engaged in directing aircraft fire, entered the battle against 300 Jabhat al-Nusra militants*.

The special forces acted in coordination with government forces. However, the Syrians retreated in confusion and left the detachment without cover. Russian troops repelled several attacks and, when it got dark, mined the approaches to their positions.

“The fire density was high. But it was scary only in the first minutes, and then a banal routine begins,” said one of the officers.

• A MTR mortar crew fires at terrorists
• Frame: video RUPTLY

The fighters held their positions for two days and were able to leave without losses. During the battle, the special forces destroyed several armored vehicles and a tank. Group commander Danila (last name not given), who received the title of Hero of Russia, noted that the key to success was the coordinated professional actions of his subordinates.

A participant in counter-terrorism operations in the North Caucasus, Alexey Golubev, in a conversation with RT, said that the Russian Special Forces are rightfully called the most prepared elite formation in Armed Forces RF. In his opinion, the success of the operation in Syria would have been impossible without the Special Operations Forces.

“The classified nature of the MTR’s activities is due to the fact that the fighters work outside of Russia. In Syria, special forces are deployed behind enemy lines to target the air forces. In my opinion, this is the most difficult and dangerous job. And, as far as I can judge, our guys are coping with it,” Golubev emphasized.

*“Jabhat Fatah al-Sham” (“Al-Nusra Front”, “Jabhat al-Nusra”) is an organization recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated December 29, 2014.

As part of the reform of the Russian army, which began in 2008, a special MTR structure was formed in the Armed Forces. The abbreviation stands for Special Operations Forces Russian Federation. From the moment of the formation of the Special Operations Directorate on the basis of one of the military units of the Moscow region, the history of the formation of the MTR of the Russian Armed Forces began. In 2013, in Kubinka near Moscow, the Special Forces Center of the Ministry of Defense (TsSN) opened with about 500 special forces serving under contract. Direct management of this unit was entrusted to a separate command within the Ministry of Defense, and a legislative framework was developed to regulate the activities of new structure. In the same year, exercises were conducted in an environment as close as possible to the conditions of real combat operations. Since 2015, February 27 has been a professional holiday for this branch of the military, after which a previously unnamed mountain in North Ossetia is named.

Structure, goals and objectives of special operations troops

The need for the formation of Special Operations Forces arose from the state’s need for a highly mobile, well-trained group of professionals equipped with the latest science. The new troops are given goals, the achievement of which is only possible for trained and technically equipped military formations. The leadership and personnel are entrusted with special tasks related to protecting the interests of the country on its territory and abroad. The constant and high readiness of the MTR makes it possible to immediately begin performing military duty, both in peacetime and in conditions of armed conflict.

At the moment, the structure of the MTR troops is as follows:

• TsSN "Senezh";
• TsSN "Kubinka-2";
• 561st Emergency Rescue Center;
• Center for training specialists.

The planned increase in SOF will be 9 special forces brigades with the simultaneous creation of special forces units in military districts.

The creation of the MTR indicates that the country's army is becoming more professional; it meets the requirements of modern tactics and strategy for conducting military missions. The expediency of special operations lies in the totality and coordination of their actions, subordinated to a single plan and aimed at achieving the tasks set by the command. The advantage of MTR brigades lies in their equipment and the use of non-trivial combat operations. Special Operations Forces soldiers are trained to carry out the following activities:

• intelligence and counterintelligence;
• sabotage and counter-sabotage;
• anti-terrorist;
• subversive;
• partisan and anti-partisan.

These are just some of the skills that Special Operations Forces units possess. The high efficiency of the department can be judged by the operations carried out, including the successful fight against pirates from Somalia, a number of North Caucasian counter-terrorism measures, and participation in hostilities on the territory of the Syrian Republic.

How to get into the country's military elite

The tasks assigned to the new formation dictate the need for strict selection of candidates to serve in it. It is impossible to get conscripted into the MTR; these units are staffed only by contract employees, but they are also subject to strict requirements:

• perfect health;
• high intelligence;
• psychological stability;
• learning ability

These qualities are identified by a military medical commission and during multi-stage testing conducted by specialists from the military department. A future employee must have a high level of physical fitness and possess:

• by force;
• endurance;
• flexibility.

These parameters are determined when passing the standards developed for each age group and military affiliation. It would be useful to have sporting achievements in strength sports and martial arts. Skiers, swimmers and track and field athletes will also find use for their talents, since the troops include units of combat swimmers, divers and mountain shooters.

The high moral qualities of applicants for service are verified by collecting characterizing material and requests to information centers. The possibility of secretly collecting operational information about the candidate cannot be ruled out:

• The path to service will be closed to those who have been prosecuted. Candidates whose relatives have not passed a criminal record check will also not be accepted into the MTR.
• If an applicant has previously used psychotropic substances, was a drug addict or suffered from alcoholism, he will not be able to hide this information, because all candidates are subject to a polygraph test.

Special forces officers have an advantage in entering the service. Graduates of military schools in Ryazan and Novosibirsk, where there are faculties that train special forces specialists, have a good chance of enlisting in the MTR.

It is possible that the leadership of the MTR is empowered to select military personnel in other units and recruit the most suitable ones.

Questions and opinions can be posted in the comments block, share your information about the country's Special Operations Forces.

The Special Operations Forces Command remains one of the most closed structures in the Russian Armed Forces. It is known that in the last six months alone, two MTR soldiers have died in Syria: Fyodor Zhuravlev and Alexander Prokhorenko, who became a posthumous Hero of Russia.
Special Operations Forces soldiers performed critical missions. We directed and corrected airstrikes, including cruise missiles, against the positions of the Islamic State banned in Russia, and rescued the flight recorders of a Russian aircraft shot down by the Turkish Air Force. front-line bomber Su-24M. This is a small part of the list.

The history of special operations forces began in 1999, when a specialist training center was created in Solnechnogorsk near Moscow, and in fact a special-purpose military unit reporting directly to the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate. Later the center was named “Senezh”, and the fighters began to be called “sunflowers”. One of the founding fathers was the then Chief of the General Staff, Army General Anatoly Kvashnin.
Sometimes this center is called a training center, but according to several interlocutors of the Military-Industrial Courier, Senezh never had such a “prefix”, and the wording “training of specialists” served more as a cover and also emphasized the special status of the unit.
Initially, four areas of special operations were formed. The airborne soldiers practiced difficult jumps - both long jumps and those with the parachute opening immediately after separation from the aircraft. Mastery of such methods allows special forces to fly tens of kilometers unnoticed by the enemy. Specialists jumped both day and night using night vision devices, in bad weather, in strong winds and fog.
Mountain servicemen became combat climbers, learned to storm high mountain peaks, capture and hold passes and glaciers. The training of specialists took place, in particular, on the basis of the Terskol training center located in the Elbrus region. The fighters made difficult climbs, even reaching the top of Elbrus.
Special forces of the assault direction learned not only to take houses and other buildings. The objectives were much broader - capturing enemy targets in various conditions, on any terrain.
Marine fighters mastered all kinds of water areas, practiced operations in diving equipment using special towing vehicles and light boats. We learned to capture ships and coastal structures.
Already based on the experience of military operations in Chechnya, a fifth direction appeared in the center - the protection of high-ranking military personnel. The Minister of Defense is protected by FSO officers. But in conditions of hostilities, such officials as the Chief of the General Staff, the commander of the district troops, were previously accompanied, at best, by intelligence officers or special forces. The training of such “guards,” to put it mildly, left much to be desired. Therefore, the issue of creating a specialized unit involved in the protection of high-ranking representatives of the Ministry of Defense was acute before the emergence of the fifth direction.
At the same time, according to the interlocutors of the Military-Industrial Courier, in the center there has never been a strict tie between fighters and a specific direction. All the “sunflowers” ​​learned to jump with a parachute, walk in the mountains, scuba dive, and storm houses. But depending on the tasks, individual elements of training for fighters were more in-depth.
Moreover, the command tried to ensure that specialists worked in several directions during their service. There was an exchange of experience, knowledge, skills and abilities between departments. For example, a fighter who came from the airborne force to the naval branch not only learned the peculiarities of working on the water, but also shared with his comrades the skills of skydiving.
From the moment of its formation, the directions were staffed exclusively by officers and warrant officers. Conscripts served only in business units or as drivers.
Future “sunflowers” ​​were selected not only from airborne forces and special forces units, but also from tank crews, artillerymen, infantrymen, and even air defense and chemical warfare officers. Several times a year, “buyers” from the GRU visited military units, studied the personal files of military personnel and selected suitable candidates.
But this was just the beginning. Officers and warrant officers arrived in Solnechnogorsk, where they were subjected to so-called training camps, and in fact entrance tests, where the physical fitness of future MTR soldiers, personal qualities, and most importantly, the ability to work in a team were tested.
Sources of the Military-Industrial Courier emphasize: the main principle of the center is not to prepare an individual fighter with excellent skills and abilities, but to create a team that acts as a single organism. This principle, strictly observed throughout all the years of Senezh’s existence, has always led the “Sunflowers” ​​to victories.
Your way and cars for it
In the special operations forces of NATO countries, they consider it necessary to create separate units trained to penetrate behind enemy lines, carry out raids and ambushes using specialized vehicles, such as the Land Rover Pink Panther in the 22nd SAS Regiment, Pinzgauers in the American Delta "
The experience of Russian special operations forces has shown that armored vehicles such as the domestic Tiger are in most cases not suitable for performing the tasks facing special operations forces. Therefore, the choice fell on all-terrain buggies; Senezh highly appreciated the Israeli Zibar SUVs.
From the very beginning, the management of the Russian center paid close attention not just to training snipers, but to training specialists capable of conducting high-precision shooting and at the same time solving a wide range of tasks. Initially, Finnish ones were purchased for these needs. high-precision complexes TRG-42 from Sako, later British AWP appeared, developed by the legendary shooter Malcolm Cooper. Large-caliber sniper rifles from various companies, in particular the South African Truvel, were studied separately.
In Chechnya and beyond the cordon
Immediately after the creation of the Specialists Training Center, its fighters found themselves on the front line. In 1999, Wahhabi militants invaded Dagestan, but were defeated, and a few months later Russian troops launched a counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya.
It is noteworthy that the name “sunflowers” ​​was assigned to the fighters of the center after their first trip to the Caucasus. On that trip, the servicemen wore Panama hats, which were not then available in other special forces units. According to one version, the hats were from the SPN-2 summer field kit that had just appeared. According to another, the Panama hats that the fighters saw in one of the American militants were bought in a store selling Western uniforms and equipment. Be that as it may, for its unusual appearance, and also since the center is located near the Podsolnechnaya commuter train station, its fighters received the nickname “sunflowers”. Later, the design of a sun flower against the background of a crossed sword and arrow ended up on the center chevron.
Despite the fact that his activities in Chechnya are still classified as “Top Secret,” according to available information, “sunflowers” ​​liquidated and captured high-ranking militants, found and destroyed bases and caches of bandits, and solved other important tasks. As VPK’s interlocutors recall, the center’s fighters were required not to have a 100 percent guarantee that the task would be completed, but all 300 percent. They simply had no right to make a mistake.
One event in the center they don’t like to remember. In the fall of 1999, captured by Chechen militants senior lieutenants Alexey Galkin and Vladimir Pakhomov were hit. How experienced fighters found themselves in such a difficult situation still remains unclear. But later both officers, despite severe injuries, escaped from captivity and returned to their own people. Alexey Galkin became a Hero of Russia.
According to some reports, fighters from the Specialists Training Center not only fought in Chechnya, but also solved problems abroad. In particular, they participated in operations against pirates in the Horn of Africa.
The experience of military operations in Chechnya and foreign operations have shown that subordination of the center to the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate is not the most optimal solution. The head of military intelligence, for example, cannot give an order to the commander-in-chief of the Air Force so that the “sunflowers” ​​are allocated an airplane or helicopters; a rather lengthy procedure is required for preparing the request and then approving it. Meanwhile, in some cases, the time for an operation is measured in hours and minutes.
Two centers in a new look
The activities of Anatoly Serdyukov as Minister of Defense of Russia are still subject to serious criticism, but it was under him that the command of special operations forces was created. Just when switching to new look“Sunflowers”, having received the official name of the Special Operations Center of the Ministry of Defense “Senezh”, began to report directly to the Chief of the General Staff.
Serdyukov visited the base in Solnechnogorsk near Moscow more than once. Money was allocated for the purchase of weapons and equipment, and several research projects were opened. A helicopter squadron from the Army Aviation Combat Use Center in Torzhok came under the operational control of Senezh. And in Tver, military transport Il-76s were on duty around the clock, ready, if necessary, to deliver MTR soldiers to designated points at any time.
It is believed that during the transition to a new look, Senezh, like the special forces brigade, was subject to reductions, and many of its servicemen were either fired or removed from the staff. But that's not true. According to the Military-Industrial Courier, the command of the center, taking advantage of the opportunity provided, conducted certification of its fighters, selecting the best.
In the late 2000s, a second Special Purpose Center appeared in the Russian Ministry of Defense, subordinate to the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, with a deployment in Kubinka near Moscow. The new TsSN, nicknamed “Zzaborye,” owes its appearance to Lieutenant General Alexander Miroshnichenko, who came to the post of Deputy Minister of Defense under Anatoly Serdyukov, who previously headed Directorate “A” of the FSB Special Purpose Center, in other words, the “Alpha” detachment.
A tense relationship, to put it mildly, immediately developed between Miroshnichenko and the management of Senezh. The former commander of Alpha believed that it was necessary to create a command of special operations forces of the Ministry of Defense, relying only on the experience of his former department. The command of the “Sunflowers” ​​reasonably stated that they had their own, no less serious achievements and training school, and the tasks of “Alpha” and the special operations forces of the military department were different.
In the current situation, Serdyukov made a compromise decision - to create a second Special Purpose Center, the formation of which he entrusted to Alexander Miroshnichenko, who attracted former subordinates from the FSB TsSN to this work.
When creating Zazaborye, Alpha employees were primarily guided by their own experience. Individual training of fighters was put at the forefront, much attention was paid to physical training - at the sports level high achievements. But teamwork, the key principle of Senezh, was not a priority for the creators of the new center.
The VPK interlocutor explains: “At Alpha everything is different. They were taken in a car to the operation site, they ran 50 meters and became heroes. Nobody wants to sniff foot wraps and crawl through the mountains for weeks looking for militants.”
In 2013, this TsSN of the Ministry of Defense was subordinated to the command of special operations forces. The post of commander of the KSSO was taken by Major General Alexey Dyumin, who, according to knowledgeable people, in many ways became a compromise figure against the background of the confrontation between the leadership of Senezh and Alexander Miroshnichenko, who actively continued to implement the experience of the FSB TsSN.
It is noteworthy that Zazaborye maintained close relations with Alfa. Its former employees, as noted by many whom the Military-Industrial Courier met, instilled in the fighters of the newly created center the desire to be the best in everything at any cost.
Let us note the main thing - the fighters of both centers continued the traditions laid down by the founding fathers, fulfilling the most complex tasks: They defended the Olympics in Sochi, carried out a brilliant operation in Crimea, and are now working in Syria.
Alexey Mikhailov