"The most difficult and dangerous job": how Russia uses the Special Operations Forces. Special Operations Forces Day Russian Special Operations Forces: how to get there

In our country, there are many holidays dedicated to certain military professions, types and branches of the military.
Two years ago, a new holiday date appeared in the military calendar: February 26, 2015 - Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Decree No. 103 "On the establishment of the Day of the Special Operations Forces", and now every year on February 27 Russia celebrates the "Day of the Special Operations Forces of the Russian Federation" .

The Special Operations Forces of the Russian Federation (SSO RF) is a highly mobile army grouping of forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, designed to solve not only military, but also military-political tasks where Russian interests extend - including foreign countries and territories.

The tasks of the MTR of the Russian Federation include: protection against attacks on Russian citizens in other countries, evacuation of embassies, important officials, as well as special operations, which mean preventive measures to destroy the leaders of bandit groups, infrastructure facilities or weapons of other countries, as well as countering saboteurs, protection of strategic facilities within our country.

In their activities, the fighters of the special operations forces use methods and methods of combat operations that are not typical for ordinary troops. The composition of the Special Operations Forces is secret, as is the vast majority of operations in which the Forces participate.

From open sources: at present, the Special Operations Forces have two special-purpose centers: Kubinka-2 and Senezh, but other units of the Russian army can be introduced into the MTR as necessary.

The employees of the MTR units are armed with a variety of units and ammunition. The “nomenclature group” includes: the Glock 17 pistol, the AK-74M assault rifle, the APS underwater assault rifle, the Pecheneg machine gun, the Saiga-12S self-loading rifle, the AGS-17 Flame automatic grenade launcher.

The list of sets of uniforms of the MTR of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation includes more than a dozen items. For example, anti-fragmentation suit FORT "Reid-L"; wetsuit GKN-7; anti-fragmentation helmet 6B7-1M; body armor 6B43; armored shield "Fan-6".

MTR units use various types of vehicles, including armored vehicles, ATVs, helicopters, combat (transport) robots.

Detachment "Senezh" is the most closed division of the army, one can say the elite of military intelligence, whose fighters are able to carry out tasks of any degree of danger. It is no coincidence that it was on the basis of this unit that the Directorate of Special Operations was created in 2009, subordinate to the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The service in the MTR of the Russian Federation is carried out by regular officers and contractors of non-commissioned officers. Almost every serviceman of the SO RF Forces has several specialties. A characteristic feature: compulsory knowledge of foreign languages.

Not every soldier can become an employee of an elite unit. Representatives of the SSO actually select candidates with the necessary knowledge and abilities themselves. Training is carried out in a special center, as well as directly at the points of permanent deployment.

Training sessions are held in conditions as close as possible to combat (on mountain training grounds, in the Arctic, etc.).
Many SSO employees are graduates of the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School and the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School.

The debut of the MTR of the Russian Federation was participation in the events of three years ago - in the course of the well-known events in the Crimea, which became one of the manifestations of the "Russian Spring". The servicemen provided the Crimeans with the opportunity to exercise their free will, which resulted in the reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia. It was those events that served as the choice of the date for the new military holiday.

On the night of February 27, 2014, units of the Ukrainian armed forces in Crimea were blocked and disarmed without a single shot being fired, and all the strategic facilities of the peninsula were occupied by Russian SOF fighters who behaved politely and correctly both towards the Ukrainian army and the inhabitants of the Crimean peninsula . The politeness of the Russian military was the birth of the concept known all over the world today: "polite people." This is one of the names of Special Operations Forces Day - Polite People Day.

Since 2015, units of the Special Operations Forces have been used in Syria for additional reconnaissance of targets for Russian air strikes.

The officers of the Russian Special Operations Forces, not sparing their lives, performed tasks in various provinces of Syria, including the province of Homs, when the heroism of the Russian military helped the Syrian army liberate ancient Palmyra from terrorists - the pearl of the architectural, cultural and historical heritage of all modern civilization. Today in Syria, units of the MTR of the Russian Federation ensure the security of the air force base in Khmeimim.

Over time and gradual technical evolution, new devices and technologies were included in the activities of the military. This has led to the fact that the art of warfare is largely implemented remotely, through computer technology, relatively new physical principles, including the principles of aiming modern weapons at a target.

However, there are tasks that simply cannot be handled with the help of "machines". It is necessary to involve people with a special level of training, people who are able to perform the task as efficiently as possible.

And there are such people in our country. They are not recognized on the street, they are not "promoted" by the media. We know them by business, not by name - their personal files are kept under the heading "Secret". They are known among the people, and this has already been noted, as "polite people", and officially - the military personnel of the Special Operations Forces. And today these heroic people have a holiday.

"Military Review" is not ready to ignore the courage and heroism of the military personnel of the MTR of the Russian Federation and congratulates all those involved on the holiday. Complete the tasks set by the command and return home safe and sound!

From the night of February 27, 2014, and in the following days, the baptism of fire of the MTR took place in the Crimea - today it is known and officially recognized. The first pancake did not come out lumpy. Parts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the places of deployment in the Crimea were blocked, and all the strategic objects of the peninsula were occupied by people in camouflage uniforms without identification marks and insignia, who behaved "politely" towards the local population. They politely oversaw the disarmament of the Ukrainian army garrisons - almost without shots, except for a few soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired into the air to intimidate them.

That's when the expression "polite people" appeared. And a little later, when Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, speaking about the “involvement” of Russian military personnel in the events in Ukraine, said: “It is difficult to look for a black cat in a dark room, especially if it is not there. This is all the more stupid if this cat is smart, brave and polite” – this peculiar status has become almost official.

“The most important thing for us is not muscle strength, but still the head. The scout works with his head: only he does not hit bottles and bricks, but thinks with it. Any scout of technical intelligence or another is, first of all, a mind. That is, the intellect of a person, ”said Alexander Musienko, colonel of the GRU special forces of the General Staff.

Regular officers and contractors serve in the MTR. Everyone is a specialist not only in military affairs: an academic degree is not uncommon here, and knowledge of foreign languages ​​is mandatory. They call themselves scouts: this best explains both the nature of the tasks of the unit and the veil of secrecy that surrounds it. Active fighters are prohibited from communicating with the press.

It is due to their intellect and their unshakable reputation that they not only prevented in the Crimea in 2014. bloodshed, but also managed almost without shots (not counting those fired into the air for warning). Although these people have no equal in the use of various weapons. But in this case, their reputation worked more effectively than a bullet.

“The special operations forces are, in a banal language, a kind of pilot project for the development of the army of the future. Two or three years will pass, and all the spetsnaz brigades that exist will accept this new tactic, new methods of training, new equipment, new weapons. This will already be a fairly large and formidable force, ”said Oleg Martyanov, a member of the board of the Military-Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation (the first commander of the MTR).

The structure of the Special Operations Forces (SOF)

Izvestia found out back in 2013. structure of the Special Operations Forces (SOF).

As Izvestia's source in military circles said, in addition to the special forces of the Ministry of Defense, the MTR will include the special forces of the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as units of the FSO, the Federal Penitentiary Service and the Federal Drug Control Service.

We are talking about the creation of a headquarters command in the General Staff of the Armed Forces, to which, if necessary, special forces of all security services and troops will be transferred to the operational control, ”Izvestia’s interlocutor explained.

Participation in the MTR will require adjusting the combat training program of special forces in order to unify their capabilities and increase interaction.

The special forces of the Federal Penitentiary Service, for example, need training not only in suppressing riots in colonies and prisons, but also in blocking sabotage groups, - the source of Izvestia gave an example.

He explained that the MTR will be able to conduct operations both outside the country - for this they will use the Senezh special forces of the Ministry of Defense, the Airborne Forces, special forces brigades (GRU special forces), as well as the Grom special forces of the FSKN - and inside - they will use it here internal troops, units of the Federal Penitentiary Service, special forces of the FSB and other services.

Options for such actions are protection against attacks on Russian citizens in other countries, the evacuation of embassies, important officials, as well as "special tasks", which means pinpoint mini-operations to destroy militant leaders, infrastructure or weapons, leaders of other countries.

Inside the country, the opposite is true - MTRs will have to counteract saboteurs, block landings, protect strategic infrastructure facilities such as power plants, command posts, government agencies, communication centers.

The command of the Special Operations Forces is one of the structures of the General Staff with a permanent staff.

The military unit near Solnechnogorsk, conventionally referred to as "Senezh" (after the name of the nearby lake), is a special-purpose unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). On its basis, the Directorate of Special Operations was created, subordinate to the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. “The Senezh detachment has always been the most closed division of the army,” says reserve colonel V. “This is the military intelligence elite, whose fighters are capable of performing tasks of any degree of danger. Only officers and contract servicemen serve in the detachment. Each of them is trained to achieve certain goals, including with uncharacteristic methods and ways of fighting. This is a top notch professional. It is no coincidence that it was on the basis of this unit that the Special Operations Forces were formed.

The composition of the Special Operations Forces, as well as all its activities, is secret. Apparently, all combat highly professional special forces of various law enforcement agencies (Special Forces) and some units as combat support and transportation, depending on the specific military task, are operationally subordinate to the MTR command.

If we talk about Spetsnaz, then the lists of such units are in the public domain, but, again, without confirmation from official bodies. Almost every special unit has informal websites organized, apparently, by the retirees of these units. Naturally, all this, without reference to official bodies.

Special Forces units of the Russian Federation of various departments, as components of the MTR.

1st component of the MTR from MO

Parts and formations of the Special Forces of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (SpN GU GSh). Note. Recently, the GRU began to be called the GU.

Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Valentinovich Korobov, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, was appointed on February 2, 2016. In intelligence since 1980. He was awarded 5 orders and the medal "For Courage".

Before him, the Department was headed by Colonel General Igor Dmitrievich Sergun in 2012-2015. By the nature of his activity, he is a co-author in planning, providing intelligence and accompanying the secrecy regime of at least two well-known operations of the RF Armed Forces in Crimea and Syria. Much to our chagrin, at the beginning of the year he died suddenly in the prime of his life. For the officially announced reason - from a heart attack.

Data about the command of the MTR was not found. First commander Colonel Oleg Martyanov.

Brigades of the Special Forces of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation:

2nd Separate Special Purpose Brigade - Western Military District (Pskov). It was formed on the basis of the directives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR and the commander of the LVO troops from September 17, 1962 to March 1963.

3rd Separate Special Purpose Guards Brigade - Central Military District (Tolyatti). It was formed in 1966 by the directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the GSVG on the funds of the 26th separate battalion of the Special Forces in the Werder garrison with the participation of personnel from the 27th separate battalion of the Special Forces of the Northern Group of Forces, the 48th and 166th separate reconnaissance battalions.

10th Separate Special Purpose Brigade - Southern Military District (Khutor Molkino, Krasnodar Territory). It was re-formed in the North Caucasus Military District (South Military District) in May 2003.

14th Separate Special Purpose Brigade - Eastern Military District. (Ussuriysk). Formed on December 1, 1963. Over 200 officers, sergeants and soldiers participated in the fighting in Afghanistan as part of special forces. 12 officers, 36 sergeants and soldiers were killed. From January to April 1995, the combined detachment of the Special Forces took part in establishing constitutional order in Chechnya.

16th Separate Special Purpose Brigade - Western Military District (Tambov). Formed January 1, 1963 Moscow Military District.

22nd Separate Guards Special Purpose Brigade - Southern Military District. It was formed on July 21, 1976 by order of the commander of the troops of the Central Asian Military District in the city of Kapchagay of the Kazakh SSR. In March 1985, the formation was redeployed to the city of Lashkargah of the Republic of Afghanistan and took part in the Afghan war. It is the only military formation that received the name of the Guards after the Great Patriotic War. In 1989-1992, the formation was stationed in Azerbaijan. In June 1992, the formation was redeployed to the territory of the Russian Federation and included in the troops of the North Caucasian Military District. From November 1992 to August 1994, the task force of the connection was involved in maintaining the state of emergency and separating the parties in the Ossetian-Ingush ethnic conflict. From December 1, 1994, the operational group of the formation participated in the hostilities on the territory of the Chechen Republic.

24th Separate Special Purpose Brigade - Central Military District (Novosibirsk). Formed on November 1, 1977 on the basis of the 18th separate special-purpose company.

346th Separate Special Purpose Brigade. Mr. Cool. Kabardino Balkaria. Southern military district.

25th Separate Special Purpose Regiment, Stavropol. Southern Military District Established in 2012 to ensure security for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. It is deployed in Stavropol on the territory of the headquarters of the 49th Army.

Special Purpose Center TsSN "Senezh" military unit 92154, Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Region, Western Military District.

Marine reconnaissance points MRP SpN GRU- one for each fleet.

42nd MCI Special Forces (Russian Island, Novy Dzhigit Bay, near Vladivostok, Pacific Fleet) military unit 59190;

420th MCI Special Forces (Zverosovkhoz settlement, near Murmansk, Northern Fleet);

137th (former 431st) MCI Special Forces in the Black Sea Fleet (Tuapse), military unit 51212;

561st MCI Special Forces (Sailing village, near the city of Baltiysk, Kaliningrad region, Baltic Fleet).

According to the peacetime staff, the MRP includes 124 people. Of these, 56 fighters, the rest are technical personnel. The proportion of technical personnel in the units of the naval special forces is significantly higher than in the special forces of the GRU. Fighters are divided into groups of 14 people, which are autonomous combat units. Those, in turn, include smaller groups of 6 people: 1 officer, 1 midshipman and 4 sailors. More details will be published in a separate article.

The number of units and formations of the Special Forces of the GRU

At present, the GRU spetsnaz consists of eight separate special-purpose brigades, one regiment, and four GRU naval reconnaissance units. According to various sources, the number of units and formations of the Special Forces of the Main Directorate of the General Staff is currently from 6 to 15 thousand people. In addition to units and formations of the Special Forces, general-purpose troops numbering about 25 thousand people are subordinate to the GRU. But as you understand, all this data is unofficial and not the fact that it is correct. Consider that they are given for some guidance.

It should be noted that it is impossible to compare the fighters and officers of the Special Forces with the military of the Ground Forces. How not to compare, for example, a stiletto with a sword. These are tools for completely different tasks. Each special forces soldier, having undergone many years of training using unique methods, is many times superior to an ordinary war: in the stamina of the military spirit, in physical training, they are fluent in hand-to-hand combat techniques, in having the skills to use most types of weapons on the battlefield. In addition, these people have the highest tactical training and aim to carry out the assigned tasks in any case, each time finding individual and optimal solutions for them. They are trained to act both in a group and alone. It follows that, despite a certain small number, spetsnaz, if used correctly, is a super-effective military tool.

The special forces of the Airborne Forces, as an integral part of the MTR and the Airborne Forces, as a possible reserve for the MTR and the base for the creation of the Rapid Reaction Forces.

45th Separate Guards Order of Kutuzov Order of Alexander Nevsky Special Purpose Brigade. Formed by 2015 on the basis of the 45th regiment of the Special Forces of the Airborne Forces 2 (military unit 28337) Kubinka, Moscow Region, Western Military District.

I admit that if necessary, if the special operation is large-scale, the KSSO can be subordinated to additional parts of the Airborne Forces. This is indirectly indicated by plans to increase the number of airborne forces.

A special forces brigade and three separate reconnaissance battalions joined the Airborne Forces in 2014, Airborne Forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Yevgeny Meshkov told reporters.

"As part of the Airborne Forces, a special-purpose brigade was created (Moscow Region) and three separate reconnaissance battalions were formed in two airborne assault (76th Pskov and 7th Novorossiysk) and one airborne division (106th Tula)."

2014 it was reported that the formation of peacekeeping forces in the Airborne Forces was completed, the number of which exceeded 5 thousand people.

In addition, a source in the General Staff back in the summer of 2014. told TASS about plans to approximately double the number of airborne troops - up to 72 thousand people. These plans are expected to be fully implemented in 2019.

Shamanov added that the rapid reaction troops being created in Russia, the basis of which will be the Airborne Forces, will probably include army aviation. He explained that the attack drones, which are planned to equip the Airborne Forces, will allow reconnaissance units to operate deep behind enemy lines ...

It should be noted that the Airborne Forces are essentially rapid reaction troops. It is possible that in order for them to finally receive such a status, in addition to increasing the staff, it is necessary to update the fleet of military equipment and increase the number of transport aircraft, with the addition of units of the Ground Forces with heavy equipment. All these steps are planned in the coming years, up to the creation of new heavy transport aircraft by 2025 in sufficient quantities to simultaneously deploy several hundred tanks, several tanks each. And here it is possible and necessary to command the MTR to coordinate the various branches of the military.

Text at the beginning of the post from the articles:

Army of the Future: How Special Operations Forces Soldiers Perform the Most Difficult Tasks

The structure of the Special Operations Forces (SOF)

There is little information about the special operations forces: these are young troops and they work under the heading “secret”. Fighters in balaclavas, their faces are not seen either in news stories or in photographs. These people silently and modestly carry out their task, but the results are talked about all over the world.

Special forces history

Special forces were created in the 50s by a secret order, subordinate to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff.

The first Soviet special forces could eliminate the commanders and influential politicians of the aggressor countries, destroy missile launchers, aircraft control centers or communication channels with nuclear submarines. Carrying out the assigned tasks, the special forces skillfully had to lead the enemy into a panic.

At the beginning of the 80s, there were 11 special forces brigades in the country. They fought in Afghanistan, Chechnya - their numbers grew. The commandos ceased to be a "piece" product, the fighters were used more and more often.

Special operations forces in the Russian Federation: formation

MTR - troops created to defend and protect the interests of Russia and its citizens anywhere in the world. This is a special forces that performs tasks in peacetime.

The history of the formation of the MTR of the Russian Armed Forces begins with the founding of special-purpose military units, on the basis of which, on March 5, 1999, the Specialist Training Center appeared. Part is located in Solnechnogorsk. The GRU group obeyed. Then it was called the Senezh Special Purpose Center. The fighters who underwent special training in the unit were nicknamed "sunflowers".

The new military unit took its first battles in Chechnya, during the second Chechen campaign.

Almost ten years later, during the reform of the RF Armed Forces, the special unit was reorganized into the Directorate of Special Operations, subordinate to the Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces.

In April 2011, with the assistance of the FSB special forces, the formation of another Special Forces Center begins. TsSN is subordinate to the head of the GRU, located near Moscow. The unit was called the Kubinka-2 Special Purpose Center.

In March 2013, Russia announced that the country was preparing special operations forces. "Senezh" and "Kubinka-2" are part of the new forces.

Three years later, the marine department of special operations of the MTR was included in the Navy in the Crimea.

The first commander of the MTR of the Russian Armed Forces - Oleg Martyanov, 2009-2013 The command of the special operations forces remains one of the most closed structures of the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Day of "polite people"

On February 26, 2015, the president signed the decree on the establishment of the day of special operations forces, the next day the soldiers celebrated their first "day of polite people" - February 27.

A year before the signing of the decree, on the night of February 27, Russian fighters occupied all facilities of importance in ensuring the defense capability of Crimea, and part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The locals called the people in camouflage “polite” because they, performing a special task at a busy time, behaved with the Crimeans extremely courteously and modestly.

The emblem of the special operations forces is a bow with a stele on a bowstring pointing upwards. On the plumage of the arrow there are two spread wings.

Equipment of the soldiers of the MTR

The equipment and weapons of the special operations forces are unique. Equipment includes:

• headphones that muffle the sounds of battle and make it possible to talk through the built-in radio station (removed);
• the latest model Kalashnikov assault rifle with Picatinny rails, on which you can mount additional equipment;
• silent shooting devices;
• anti-fragmentation glasses;
• helmet - shockproof and anti-fragmentation;
• pistol;
• mount for a night vision device;
• body armor - able to stop a bullet fired from a machine gun and a sniper rifle, with mounts for magazines with cartridges, grenades and a first aid kit;
• optical sight;
• camouflage with built-in elbow and knee pads;
• lightweight and durable tactical boots.

The equipment also includes: a tactical protection kit, an anti-fragmentation suit, a wetsuit, a diving kit, an unloading vest, and a thermal imaging monoculator.

The most unclassified is medical equipment.

Each specialist has:

1. Regular wearable medical kit.
2. Portable stretcher for carrying the wounded from the battlefield.
3. Means to stop bleeding - bandages, tourniquet or tourniquet, systems, saline, hemostatic.
4. Remedies for poisoning, antiseptics, painkillers, antishock, hemostatic.

The set weighs about 10 kg.

How Special Operations Forces Work

The occupation of the MTR fighters is conducting reconnaissance and sabotage behind enemy lines, as well as maintaining order in their rear.

The job comes with many hardships. Service in the army is at the limit, tickling the nerves, requiring the exertion of all forces and the readiness to sacrifice oneself for the sake of others.

The most important factor is the combat coherence of the team. Here you need absolute discipline, unconditional following the commander, and at the same time the ability to make independent decisions individually by each fighter.

Physical training is a necessary factor in the training of a specialist. Daily activities become a way of life. A warrior must have an absolute reaction in any situation, have the utmost endurance and endurance.

Equally important is the ability to work with modern weapons. This requires constant improvement of the professionalism of each specialist.

Work in a team, two and three, as part of a group is based on perfect interaction, the ability to literally understand comrades without words. Training brings to automatism every movement. Each warrior must not only know his own maneuver, but also be able to act instinctively and anticipate the actions of the enemy.

"Military Surgery"

The special operations forces of the Russian Federation are the military elite. The army group uses modern types of weapons and equipment, is well equipped and is ready at any time to perform a combat mission in any conditions, anywhere on the planet. The fighters are faced with the task of defending the interests of Russia and its citizens. Their work every day - every minute readiness for the immediate application of their skills.

These are special forces troops, they use methods of fighting that other troops do not use. The soldiers of the MTR are scouts, saboteurs, demolitionists, counter-saboteurs and partisans. They are paratroopers and divers, and use both small arms and anti-ship missiles.

SOF in Syria

Accurate airstrikes were carried out thanks to the professionalism of the fighters. Specialists work in the deep rear, using the entire arsenal of special means of reconnaissance and enemy detection. And snipers with rifles do no less than bombers.

Correction of air strikes, elimination of terrorists and destruction of important objects - these are the tasks facing the MTR.

The Russian Armed Forces have been invited by the Syrian authorities. It was decided that it was better to stop the terrorists there than to wait for them in Russia. The MTR units found themselves in the thick of the confrontation. Skills acquired during training are used in combat conditions, skills are honed and professionalism is increased.

Unique MTR missions

Modern means of reconnaissance, surveillance and communications require extensive knowledge in the field of computer technology. Simulators using the latest electronics allow specialists to hone their skills and improve their professionalism in conditions as close as possible to combat.

Performing combat missions in different regions requires knowledge of the language of the host country, culture and folk customs.

Being in contact with the local population is an important factor in obtaining and implementing the information obtained. Great attention is paid to undercover operational and tactical-special training. Specialists must know perfectly the basic tactics and strategy of modern warfare.

They work under the heading "secret"

MTRs of the Russian Ministry of Defense use combat training systems. An important place is given to parachuting, fire training, mine-blasting and sapper business, and tactics.

MTRs influence the economy and politics of other states with muscle and strength, but secretly. Foreign partisans are being trained, important objects are being destroyed, and interfering ones are being eliminated. MTR is in the USA, Germany, England, France, Israel. And they do not sit anywhere without work.

There were people in our country who performed the most important tasks all over the world, and they continue to do their job today.

All Russian special forces troops are fighting in the Caucasus with varying intensity, participating in special operations to destroy bandits and extremists.

Today, the Russian Armed Forces have 7 special forces brigades, as well as 4 detachments of combat swimmers.

A detachment of the MTR is worth an entire army

Only the best of the best get into the SSO. Applicants go through a rigorous selection process. According to the results of severe tests, it turns out whether a person is able to withstand difficult situations and not retreat from the most dangerous tasks.

Daily training is needed to be ready to perform any combat mission as clearly and efficiently as possible, quickly and creatively. Strength today special operations of the Russian Federation carry out direct work in the hottest spots of the planet.

The military elite of the country

The first special forces troops appeared in the GRU of the General Staff of the Russian Federation. Later, special units were formed in other law enforcement agencies and special services, designed for various tasks. For example, the TsSN FSB "Alpha" is fighting terror in transport, "Vympel" - at especially important facilities.

There are special forces in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the internal troops. The famous "maroon berets" are opposed by gangs and are the power support of the police. The task of the special forces of the FS OBNON is to fight the drug mafia. Special Forces of the Federal Penitentiary Service counteraction to riots in the penitentiary system - in Russian prisons and zones.

In the West, all special operations forces are brought into a single fist: land, sea, and air. In the Russian Federation, everything is divided. For several decades, the command has been trying to include aviation squadrons in the brigades, but so far to no avail.

But the leadership of the Russian armed forces has ceased to be ashamed of what it is doing in other countries. It declared its interests around the world and the goal of saving and protecting all Russian citizens: diplomats captured by extremists, sailors who fell into the hands of pirates, Russian citizens held hostage.

At the foot of Elbrus there is a stele to the Heroes of the Defense of Elbrus. Here, a Russian soldier defeated a division of selected German climbers in the war.

Russia is returning to big history. It is argued that where the Russian soldier came, there will be peace, tranquility and justice. At the same time, we are talking not only about the special operations forces of the Russian Federation.

February 27 is the Day of Special Operations Forces (SOF) in Russia. On this day, five years ago, Russian servicemen launched an operation to blockade units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and ensure control over strategically important facilities in Crimea. This work was carried out by superbly equipped submachine gunners without insignia, in which the population immediately recognized Russian soldiers and greeted them as liberators.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the Ministry of Defense remained silent, hiding the obvious fact of the introduction of troops. Later, the Russian authorities admitted that part of the "Crimean contingent" was represented by the military personnel of the Special Operations Forces. Their mission is still classified, but, most likely, they performed the most responsible and complex tasks. Part of the special forces by decree of the President of the Russian Federation was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

However, most foreign analysts are inclined to believe that MTRs were created in 2009-2013. In particular, 10 years ago, on the basis of the Senezh Special Purpose Center (military unit No. 92154, Moscow Region), the Directorate of Special Operations Forces was formed.

The list of founding fathers of the SSO is unknown. However, it is believed that the Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, who during the period of Anatoly Serdyukov's tenure as Minister of Defense, worked as Deputy Head of the General Staff (since December 2010), played a crucial role in the construction of the Special Operations Forces. Nevertheless, it is obvious that Gerasimov was not the inspirer of the reform (at least he was not the only one).

It is quite possible that the laurels of the creator of the MTR were assigned to the current chief of the General Staff because of his article "The value of science in foresight", which was published in the journal "Military Industrial Courier" at the end of February 2013, when the organizational formation of the Forces was supposedly completed. special operations.

“Asymmetric actions have become widespread, making it possible to neutralize the superiority of the enemy in armed struggle. These include the use of the Special Operations Forces and the internal opposition to create a permanent front... The ongoing changes are reflected in the doctrinal views of the leading countries of the world and are being tested in military conflicts, ”says the material authored by Gerasimov.

In this material, Gerasimov does not hide the fact that the Ministry of Defense carefully studied the experience of the US SOF and other Western states, especially in the Middle East theater of operations

The knowledge gained helped the Russian Federation to create its own Special Operations Forces, taking into account domestic specifics.

In the United States, MTR appeared in the second half of the 1980s. Now they are in almost all major states, and more recently they exist even in Ukraine. Russia was somewhat late with this process, although the idea of ​​​​creating Special Operations Forces appeared during the war in Afghanistan. Then this issue was on the agenda during the two Chechen campaigns.

However, before the arrival of Serdyukov, no changes occurred. One of the most likely reasons is the resistance offered by the GRU generals.

The military intelligence command did not want to lose experienced personnel and was afraid of losing its former influence in the system of the Armed Forces.

The US Army's Asymmetric Warfare Group (AWG) advisory division, in its report "A Handbook on the Russian Army of the New Generation," claims that the "point of no return" was the South Ossetian conflict, for which the Russian army was not prepared in the best way.

The leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation finally realized the need to use small mobile formations in local conflicts, which are optimally suited for performing tasks in hot spots. According to the AWG, the backbone of the MTR is "battalion tactical groups" - highly maneuverable units sharpened for missions tens and hundreds of kilometers from the point of deployment.

Expeditionary force

The special operations forces are a single command structure that unites army special forces units of all types and branches of the RF Armed Forces. The MTR is directly subordinate to the head of the General Staff. In his study, Tor Bukvoll, a senior researcher at the Institute of the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, estimated the number of Special Operations Forces at 14 thousand people, with 12 thousand being former GRU employees.

In general, MTR fighters perform tasks that are in many ways similar to the functionality of military intelligence officers. We are talking about the adjustment of fire, the extraction of intelligence information behind enemy lines, the elimination of the leaders of gangs, sabotage and counter-sabotage activities.

The advantages of the Special Operations Forces include a wider (than the GRU) resource base, high efficiency and mobility.

In addition, the creation of the MTR made it possible to remove barriers to the use of special forces. For example, if it is necessary to use a special forces unit of the Navy in any conflict (for example, in Syria), then it was necessary to obtain the consent of the fleet command. Now the entire army special forces are subordinate to the chief of the General Staff, who disposes of the fighters in agreement with the minister of defense and the president.

Such centralization is an adequate response to lightning-fast changes in the military-political situation, which are periodically observed near the borders of the Russian Federation. It makes no sense for modern Russia to transfer an airborne brigade with heavy equipment to the focus of threats. It is much more efficient to have the ability to send a more modest number and composition of the special forces.

The most important specificity of the MTR, in addition to the highest level of combat training, is the ability to interact with the local population and allied formations. For example, in Syria, Russian special forces performed tasks shoulder to shoulder with the Syrian army, the people's militia, the Shiite Hezbollah and various pro-Iranian groups. This component was lacking for Soviet troops in Afghanistan and federal units in Chechnya.

The main opponent of the MTR is terrorist groups in foreign countries.

Lecturer at the Institute of National Security in Tel Aviv, Sarah Feinberg, in the article “Russian Expeditionary Forces in the Syrian Operation,” reports that Russian special forces received an excellent opportunity to test knowledge and gain unique experience in the SAR.

Feinberg estimated that 230-250 special forces were in Syria at the height of the fighting. Moreover, MTR fighters appeared in the Arab Republic before the official announcement of the start of the air operation (September 30, 2015). The military personnel performed reconnaissance missions and identified targets for the airborne forces.

According to the Ministry of Defense, two special forces gunners died in the SAR - Captain Fyodor Zhuravlev (November 9, 2015) and Senior Lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko (March 17, 2016). Both soldiers received state awards posthumously. Prokhorenko was awarded the title of Hero of Russia - being surrounded by militants, the MTR fighter called fire on himself. His feat caused a wave of admiration around the world.

Military service at all times enjoyed great honor and respect in almost any existing state. After all, it is the troops that are the force that can protect the country from external aggression. It should be noted that the history of the development of military art has been going on since ancient times. Many of the modern principles of building armies were laid down in ancient Greece and Rome. Over time and gradual technical evolution, new devices and technologies were included in the activities of the military. This has led to the fact that in the 21st century the art of killing in most cases is realized remotely, using computers, missiles, drones, etc. However, there are tasks that simply cannot be handled remotely or with the help of machines. That is, it is necessary to involve people with a special level of training. Military of this type exist in every state. As a rule, they are combined into units. In the Russian Federation, there is a similar formation in the Armed Forces. It is engaged in the performance of special functions, and also has its own structure, staff and features, which will be discussed later in the article.

The concept of special units

The Special Operations Forces of the Russian Federation are special units in the structure of the Armed Forces, as already mentioned earlier. But few people understand what the category of "special units" is in general. As a rule, formations of this kind are created as part of the army, since it is in the conditions of hostilities that situations often arise that require a special approach. But there are also special units in the internal services, for example, the police, etc. Given this, we can conclude that special units are formations in the system of bodies involved in the comprehensive defense of the state, on whose shoulders the most dangerous and difficult in their mission essence.

Russian "analogue"

Special Operations Forces is a unit directly included in It was developed in 2009 as a result of the global reform of the entire defense sector of the state. The unit is assigned special tasks, which will be discussed in more detail later in the article. It should be noted that the Russian special operations forces report directly to the head of the RF Armed Forces. To date, the exact size of the special unit is unknown, since it is guarded by a special regime. As for the issue of equipment for the MTR, the command approached it quite professionally. In the activities of the unit, all available technical innovations in the field of military affairs are used. It should be noted that the staff of the special operations forces carries out its activities on the basis of a special service.

The main tasks of the division

The special operations forces of the Russian Federation are highly mobile units. Their employees have special military training, which builds experience in performing important and dangerous tasks. In accordance with this, we can say that the main areas of work of the SSO are of a rather specific nature. As a rule, they are implemented in peacetime, wartime both abroad and on the territory of the Russian Federation. It should be noted that the Russian special operations forces are a young unit. Many aspects and immediate goals of his work are still not fully known. However, we can say with confidence that the special operations forces are engaged in the implementation of the task of the same name, which, in turn, has its own peculiarities.

The concept of a special operation

The presented term characterizes the military process. It differs from ordinary operations in the specifics of its conduct, goals, and methods of activity of its subjects. First of all, it should be noted that a special operation is carried out by military units to protect the interests of the state in a particular territory. At the same time, such actions are considered special because it is simply impossible to implement them using conventional methods and means. That is, the subject composition of special operations is almost always highly qualified fighters of well-trained and highly mobile units. The methodological basis of their activities in most cases is the secrecy and secrecy of carrying out any actions. To this end, servicemen of special units undergo special psychological, combat, fire and other types of training. They are trained to operate both as part of a mobile group and individually behind enemy lines. The most common targets for special operations are:

Sabotage;

Sabotage;

Activities of a subversive nature, etc.

The history of the creation of the MTR

It has already been pointed out earlier that the special operations forces are a relatively young unit. It did not exist in its present form. Its creation is preceded by a fairly long history. The MTR management body was created in 2009, when the general reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation began. Gradually, the structure of the new division developed and expanded. By 2012, the command of the special operations forces was created. It consisted of about nine special brigades. However, the actual creation of special operations forces began in 2013. At this time, the command of this formation began the implementation of planned work aimed at bringing the structure of these units into the proper form. According to Valery Gerasimenko, General of the Army, by March 23, 2013, the MTR personnel had already been actually formed. At this time, it was being prepared for direct use both on the territory of the Russian Federation and abroad. Around the end of April 2013, the Russian Armed Forces conducted exercises that were aimed at practicing practical actions in conditions as close as possible to real ones.

Unit structure

The special operations forces of the Russian Federation have their own internal structure, due to the need for prompt response to situations, the solution of which is within the scope of the unit. At the same time, the composition of the SSO, in turn, has an internal hierarchy that allows the distribution of functional responsibilities between individual structural elements. Thus, the special operations forces of the Russian Federation consist of the following elements:

• Direct command located in the Moscow region.
• Special center "Snezh", which is also located in the Moscow region. It should be noted that today this center is one of the main parts of the division presented in the article. Its task is not only to train fighters, but also to conduct special operations. Therefore, "Snezh" has a structure consisting of departments of different areas of activity, which will be discussed later.
• Special training center for specialists. In this division, direct training of personnel takes place. Here, in fact, Russian special operations forces are born. In addition, fighters from other special units of the Russian Federation are trained and retrained at the center.
• Similar to the "Snezh" combat center is "Cuba" or "Zazaborie", as it is commonly called.

Of course, there may be other special centers, but information about them can be strictly classified. This level of mystery around the MTR is not accidental. After all, the fighters of this unit carry out operations that are far from unambiguous. It should be noted that the world-famous SEAL division, the SEALs, also did not officially exist in the early stages of its development. Only with the passage of time was the fact of its creation and real activity revealed.

The structure of the special center "Snezh"

In order to at least roughly understand how the special operations forces of the RF Armed Forces work, it is necessary to consider in more detail the composition of the Snezh special purpose center, which was mentioned earlier in the article. It should be noted that in accordance with the tasks assigned to the MTR, the structure of the center includes a number of special departments. Each of them is responsible for maintaining combat training and performing specific functions. One of these departments is the airborne. The fighters serving in it, in accordance with the name, are constantly replenishing the arsenal of ways to penetrate the rear of the enemy directly by air. That is, there is a strong emphasis on skydiving, as well as flights by means of paragliders. The fighters of this department are comparable to employees, but their activities and landing methods are kept secret.

There is also a special mining unit. Its fighters specialize in activities and survival in appropriate conditions. As we know, the conduct of special operations in the mountains has an increased level of risk, which necessitates the need for special training of fighters. The same requirements are put forward for employees who work in the department for the destruction and capture of enemy infrastructure, that is, buildings, headquarters, bunkers, etc.

Multi-purpose in its essence is the department of special operations of the Naval Forces. Most often it is referred to as the sea. This formation is a competitor of the "fur seals" of the United States of America. Because its activity is based on the fulfillment of the task in the waters of lakes, rivers and seas. As a rule, fighters do their work from watercraft. In addition, the functional tasks of the department include the performance of reconnaissance operations, sabotage operations on enemy water facilities and those located directly on the coast.

No less important and functional is the department specializing in the protection of high-ranking government officials. In this case, its functions at some points overlap with the activities of the Federal Security Service.

Additional structural departments of the special center "Snezh" are the withdrawal and support units. In the first case, we are talking about formations that are engaged in the withdrawal of individual groups of SOF from the rear of the enemy or the place of the operation. Today, the withdrawal can be carried out both by air, by land and by water. The remaining divisions of the center are engaged in material support and communications. It should be noted that on the territory of "Snezh" there are special complexes that are used to provide fighters and maintain their combat form.

Russian special operations forces: how to get there?

Some young people would like to get into this unit. To date, the recruitment process for service in the special operations forces of the Russian Federation is not exactly known. The composition of the unit, according to unclassified data, is completed at the expense of contract servicemen. That is, without exception, all employees are professional fighters, and not people who are serving in the military. In addition, many specialists of the unit enter it after graduating from special military educational institutions, which provide for certain faculties. These today are the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, and also. Nevertheless, it is possible that personnel in the MTR are also replenished by recruiting people who are already serving in units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Conflicts involving the unit

To date, special operations forces have officially been involved in the territory of the state of Syria. In this country, the unit was engaged in ground reconnaissance of the area to ensure the conduct of air strikes. At the same time, the activities of the unit are confirmed by a fact that was also covered in the media. According to the official version, near Palmyra in March 2016, the SSO fighters liberated the city. Due to superior enemy forces, one of the members of the special forces was killed. In addition to military operations in Syria, there are many unofficial reports about the activities of the SOF in other military conflicts, for example, in the North Caucasus in the process of fighting Islamists. The most controversial is the fact of the participation of the fighters of the mentioned unit in the Crimean crisis.

Emblem of the special unit

The special operations forces of Russia, the emblem of which is presented in the article, have a special symbolism. First of all, it is represented by a common sign that exists in all military formations in Russia. The emblem of the MTR of the Russian Federation is a gray wreath, at the top of which there is a reduced emblem of the Armed Forces of Russia, namely: a double-headed golden eagle. In the center of the sign of the special operations forces is a bow, the bowstring of which is pulled by an arrow with wings. This symbol also has a golden color.

So, in this article, photos of the special operations forces of the Russian Federation were presented. We also found out the main tasks and composition of this unit. Let's hope that more information about the activities of the MTR will soon appear, which will make it possible to judge the quality of the work of this unit.