The well-being of absolutely any state directly depends on the national army. The more combat-ready it is, the fewer threats there will be to the country's security. But one should understand the fact that the army is a systemic concept that has internal features and specific structural components. Each of these elements is entrusted with a number of specific functions necessary to ensure the defense capability of the state. It must also be remembered that the army performs important tasks both in wartime and in peacetime. In the classic version, it consists of several main elements, namely: naval, ground, air forces.
In especially developed countries, there are other troops, for example, in the Russian Federation there are space troops. Behind the scenes, special elite troops are allocated, which are assigned special functions. It is about such national military formations of the Russian Federation that will be discussed in the article below.
The essence of the concept
To get into the most elite troops of Russia, you need to train hard and for a long time. Many experts advise starting physical training even before the onset. Both conscripts and officers who have graduated from special universities get into the Airborne Forces. Knowledge of any martial arts or the presence of military sports training is welcome. This type of troops is the most promising in the Russian Federation, because personnel are recruited from it in the GRU, the FSB and other secret special forces units.
Conclusion
We examined the elite troops of Russia. Note that this list may change over time. Nevertheless, the rating is based on the facts of combat capability and detailed surveys of the population. The article also answers the question of how to get into the elite troops of Russia. In conclusion, we add that the army is the lot of strong and purposeful people. If you are one hundred percent sure of yourself, then the elite of the armed forces of the Russian Federation is waiting!
Special forces units(SpN), (commandos, special forces, English special forces) - specially trained units of state intelligence and counterintelligence services, the army, aviation, navy, the protection of senior state officials and the police (police), whose personnel has a high combat, fire, physical and psychological training, whose task is to solve specific combat missions in extremely extreme conditions.
RUSSIA
In the photo: soldiers of the airborne troops
Special forces of the GRU of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Special units of the SVR
Russian Airborne Troops
Marine Corps of Russia
Special forces of the border troops of the Federal Security Service of Russia
Special Forces of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
The tasks of the center and detachments include carrying out anti-terrorist measures in the operational service zone, searching for and eliminating illegal armed groups, eliminating mass riots, detaining especially dangerous criminals, and releasing hostages.
Police special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Special forces of the Federal Penitentiary Service
Special units of the Federal Penitentiary Service. Currently, they have the name "Special Purpose Departments". The task of the unit is to prevent and suppress crimes and offenses at the facilities of the Federal Penitentiary Service, search for and capture especially dangerous criminals, ensure security at special events, release hostages taken by convicts, and also protect senior officials of the department.
Special Forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations
In the photo: fighters of the "SEAL" unit ("fur seals")
In the US Armed Forces, the US Special Operations Command operates, which includes the US Special Operations Forces (SSO) (United States Special Operations Forces). A common mistake is to call the MTR "US Special Forces", which is incorrect, since only the "Green Berets" are "special forces".
ISRAEL
In the photo: fighters of the anti-terrorist unit "Shayetet 13"
Israeli Navy Special Forces
Special Forces Mossad
Israel Police Special Forces
Other
FRANCE
In the photo: fighters of the anti-terrorist unit "GIGN"
Special Operations Command (General Commandant les Operations Speciales (GCOS)
It unites under its command all units and formations in the armed forces intended for conducting reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines, as well as carrying out sabotage operations and other special events, and units that support their activities. Tasks - Providing military assistance, which consists in training foreign military, mainly African states that have concluded a military assistance agreement with France, conducting military support operations - consists in using the experience of conducting deep raids on enemy territory, combating terrorism, influence operations imply conducting psychological operations.
The GCOS includes:
Parts of the Separate Special Command (GSA) - Groupment special autonome:
The 1st company is intended for carrying out operations outside the city, forcing water barriers and guarding and escorting VIPs. The 2nd company specializes in operations within the city limits, sabotage and sniping. In addition, the company's fighters are trained in the use of mines and explosives, and also work out the technique of "breaking and entering". The 3rd company provides fire support with heavy mortar fire, air defense, and also conducts reconnaissance on light all-terrain vehicles.
Air Force Special Forces. These include:
French Army Special Forces
French Navy Special Forces
Traditionally, the special forces of the French Navy are named after the officers who were the first commanders.
The five remaining units are the French equivalent of the British SBS - Special boat squodron and US SEALs units. However, the Hubert detachment stands out from the general list. It is fully equipped with combat swimmers.
Special Forces of the French Gendarmerie
Since the middle of the 20th century, special anti-terrorist units for special purposes began to appear in the armed forces of different countries. Today they exist in more than 50 countries. We will talk about the most famous and powerful of them.
Great Britain
"22 Regiment of the Special Airborne Service" (SAS-22). Formed during World War II. In terms of combat training, it is comparable only with Israeli counter-terrorist units, but surpasses them in armament. According to some reports, 500 people serve within the unit. Despite strict secrecy, much attention is paid to the creation of publicity. The most successful operations - actions against the IRA in Ireland, Holland, Germany. Participated in thousands of operations from the Sahara to Malaysia. The most famous operation is the release of the hostages at the Iranian embassy in London. Throughout history, several dozen employees have died in Northern Ireland and Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.
Germany
"Federal Border Protection Group" (GSG-9). Created after the Munich tragedy during the 1976 Olympics. It was the group's first operation. Then one of the TV journalists installed a TV camera in the house opposite the building with the hostages and terrorists, and the terrorists watched all the preparations of the "GSG" live. diplomats during trips to the Middle East.Helps German counterintelligence by organizing surveillance of terrorists.Number - about 200 people.There are no women in the unit, but sometimes the group uses employees of German counterintelligence.For the entire time of its existence, more than 5 thousand operations have been carried out.Ten members died at the hands of terrorists.The most famous operation is October 1977 in Mogadishu (Somalia), the release of a plane hijacked by Arab terrorists with more than 100 hostages.The German service was invited to eliminate the terrorists also because the terrorists demanded that the leaders of the "Faction Red Army”, German left radical groups, the war with which "GSG" considered its main business in the 70s. Failures - 1994, the murder of a member of the "Red Army Faction" Wolfgang Grams. During the capture of RAF leaders Grams and Brigit Hogefeld on the metro platform, one of the employees of the special squad was killed in a shootout. And then Grams was shot at point-blank range. Moreover, passers-by showed the following: when the firefight ended, two GSG officers leaned over the wounded Grams and shot him with his own pistol.
France
"National Gendarmerie Intervention Group" (GIGN). Created in March 1974 to combat Arab terrorism in France. Initially, it consisted of 15 volunteer gendarmes. Today the number of the group is 200 people. Over the entire period of its existence, about 500 people were saved and about 100 anti-terrorist operations were carried out. Ten soldiers of the unit were killed. The most successful operation was the rescue of 18 hostages from a plane in Marseille, hijacked by terrorists in 1994. GIGN fighters became famous during the suppression of a riot of prisoners in the French prison of Clairvaux in January 1978, in the liberation from armed fanatics of the main Muslim shrine of the Kaaba in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) in September 1979, in an operation to restore order on the island of New Caledonia during the uprising of the natives -kanakov in May 1988.
Austria
"Cobra", the anti-terrorist unit of the Austrian police. Formed in 1978. Number - 200 people. The Austrian authorities decided to create their own anti-terrorist unit after the ministers participating in the OPEC Congress in 1973 were attacked by terrorists. In 1978, the Austrian authorities officially announced the creation of the Cobra. The unit is subordinate to the Director General of Public Security at the Austrian Ministry of the Interior. In addition to anti-terrorist activities, Cobra is responsible for protecting the Vienna Schwekat airport. The militants are armed with 9mm French pistols. According to experts, this weapon is most suitable for anti-terrorist operations. So far, not a single member of the Cobra has died. Therefore, the Austrian unit is considered one of the best anti-terrorist groups.
Israel
“Reconnaissance Group of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense” (Sayeret Matkal). Created in 1957 as a special intelligence unit, since 1968 it switched to anti-terrorist activities. The number is unknown, but it is known that the soldiers are extremely young (from 18 to 21 years old). For every 100 terrorists killed, one unit soldier is killed. The detachment once served former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the current head of government Ehud Barak. The group has participated in more than a thousand shares. Considered the best counter-terrorist unit in the world. The most famous operation is July 1976, the release of 103 hostages in Antebbe.
"Flying Leopards" ("Saeret Golani"). The infantry unit, which is also called “Flying Leopards” because of its identification marks, was formed in 1959 from the best soldiers of the elite Golani infantry brigade. Until 1974, they were considered an anti-terrorist unit, while the fighters did not undergo special training, preferring unpretentious army methods. Hence their biggest failure. In May 1974, three Arab terrorists seized a school in the northern Israeli town of Maalot. The fighters of the unit literally riddled with bullets two terrorists, killing 25 schoolchildren along the way and injuring another 100. It was after this failure that “Saeret Golani” began to be taught special anti-terrorist methods.
"YAMAM" (YAMAM) - a division of the Israeli police. The number is about 200 people. Performs up to 200 operations annually. There are two women in the group today. Created in 1974 as a special service responsible for anti-terrorist activities exclusively within Israel. One of their first operations to free a hostage bus seized in 1977 near Tel Aviv ended in complete failure. During the operation, 33 hostages were killed and more than 70 were wounded. There have been no more hostage losses since 1978. 20 unit officers were killed.
Jordan
"Special Operations Detachment-71". Created in 1971. Number - about 150 people. Leads the fight against Islamic terrorists and drug smugglers. Members of the unit underwent special training under the guidance of the Americans and the British. There were no cases of death of hostages, but there were losses among the members of the unit. The most famous operation was that they prevented the capture of the Intercontinental Hotel in Amman by terrorists of the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1970.
USA
Delta Squad. Operational detachment of special forces of the American army. Created in 1976. Moreover, at first it was supposed to create anti-terrorist groups in the United States on the basis of the Green Berets, but the high command of the US Armed Forces decided to create new forces. Therefore, to this day, Delta is in a tough confrontation with the US Marines. Based at Fort Bragg (North Carolina). At one time they were the favorites of US President Ronald Reagan. The main anti-terrorist unit of the United States, created in the mid-70s. Engaged in the release of American hostages abroad. The number is about 500 people. There are two women. During its existence, it took part in hundreds of covert operations around the world. Including, in the war in Panama and Grenada. The most successful operation - actions against Iraq during the war in the Persian Gulf. The biggest failure was an attempt to free the hostages at the US Embassy in Tehran in 1980. During the assault attempt, the Americans accidentally set fire to a helicopter, a plane, a fuel depot and a bus, and the Delta militants retreated in a panic. 53 hostages sat in the embassy for 444 days and were released only through negotiations.
"New York City Police Emergency Service Unit" (ESU). The number is about 400 people, of which about a dozen are women. Equipped with heavy weapons, have cover groups. They rescued about 500 hostages, lost about three dozen of their militants. The largest operation was the protection of the Pope during his visit to the United States in October 1995. This structure, resembling a small army, is involved in an average of 2.5 thousand operations per year.
Los Angeles Police Detachment (SWAT). Created after youth unrest in the United States in 1965. An elite unit used both domestically and internationally. The number is 70 people, one of them is a woman. Known for their fight against the US terrorist organization Black Panthers, the elimination of the kidnappers of the daughter of the newspaper magnate Hearst. Over the entire period of its existence, the detachment released more than a hundred hostages, and not one of them died. But about a dozen officers died in the unit itself.
Russia
Directorate "A" of the Special Forces Center of the FSB of Russia (Former Group "Alpha"). The idea of creating a special unit to combat terrorism within the USSR belongs to Yuri Andropov (At first it was Detachment 7 of the KGB department "Alpha", created in 1974. Then there were only 40 "Alfovtsev" - officers and ensigns from among the employees of the KGB of Moscow and the Moscow region). Number - 200 people. For 25 years of their work, Alpha fighters released a total of more than a thousand hostages taken by terrorists in Tbilisi, Mineralnye Vody, Sukhumi, Sarapul. The biggest failure was an unsuccessful operation in Budennovsk, when Alpha was ready to storm Basayev’s group, but received orders to retreat. For all the time of its existence, Alpha lost 10 fighters, three of them died in Budennovsk.
Directorate "B" of the FSB Special Forces Center (former group "Vympel"). In 1981, under the department "C" (illegal intelligence) of the First Main Directorate of the KGB of the USSR, the Vympel group was created. Its status formally sounded like “a separate training center of the KGB of the USSR”, But in fact, as expected, the group was intended for reconnaissance and sabotage activities outside the country. At first, the group had only 300 people, but very quickly it became one of the best units special forces in the world. There were no high-profile failures of the group. Information about successful operations is still almost not disclosed. It is known that once during the exercises, Vympel scuba divers from under the ice attacked and captured the nuclear icebreaker Sibir. The Vympel unit traveled to operations in Afghanistan, Mozambique, Angola, Vietnam, Nicaragua. In 1994, within the framework of the FSB, the Vympel group turned into unit V (Vega).
As a former colony of Great Britain, much in Australia was created according to the English model, including the special forces. But, despite this, much in the special forces of Australia has its own differences from similar units in the UK.
The first special units were created during the Second World War, taking an active part in it on the side of the Allies. And only in 2003 in Australia a single command of special forces was created, called SOCOMD.
SOCOMD includes an operational headquarters located in Sydney and Canberra, which is subordinate to the Special Operations Squadron. In addition, SOCOMD includes an airborne regiment and two commando regiments. For action in emergency situations, a special regiment stationed in South Wales was created.
Since 2003, the Australian Army Special Forces has taken part in the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, provides security for all major sporting events in the country, took part in the protection of US President George W. Bush, participated in the settlement of the armed conflict in East Timor, and since 2009 has been carrying out patrol in Afghanistan. Currently, SOCOMD fighters enjoy well-deserved respect among fighters from other special forces in the world.
2. Her Majesty's Special ServiceSAS
The UK Special Air Service (SAS), together with the Special Boat Service, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group, are part of the UK Special Forces. The first 22nd SAS Regiment was created on August 24, 1941, during World War II. The new unit was made up of volunteers from the airborne troops. The unit conducted sabotage raids on enemy rear communications in North Africa. In 1946, the unit was disbanded, but in 1947, the modern SAS was formed on the basis of a volunteer regiment.
The main tasks of the SAS is to conduct anti-terrorist operations, both in the UK and abroad. In addition, SAS is training special forces soldiers from other countries.
Organizationally, the SAS consists of three regiments numbered 21 to 23, each of the three regiments performing its own specialized tasks. The 22nd regiment carries out assault, anti-terrorist and anti-revolutionary operations. The 21st and 23rd regiments carry out tasks to support the interests of Great Britain in other countries in resolving conflicts. Today, the SAS is the best known and best trained special unit in the UK.
GSG 9 - special forces of the German federal police
3. GSG 9 -special forces of the german federal police
The reason for the creation of the GSG 9 was the tragic events that occurred during the Olympiad in the city of Munich in 1972. Then radical Palestinian terrorists seized the Olympic village with Israeli athletes. During the special operation to free the hostages, they led to a large number of victims, both among athletes and German police officers. The result of this tragedy was the understanding that in order to carry out such specific tasks to free the hostages, it is necessary to create a new unit.
So in 1973, a special unit GSG 9 was born, which is part of the German Ministry of Internal Affairs and performs the tasks of conducting special operations. GSG 9 is directly subordinate only to the German Ministry of Internal Affairs, this is done in order to exclude the participation of the unit in minor operations that are not characteristic of the unit. The number of GSG 9 is 300 people, which are divided into three detachments, the first of which, consisting of 100 people, performs tasks to combat terrorism, the second detachment, which also consists of 100 people, performs the tasks of protecting any maritime facilities and ships from terrorist attacks. The third group of GSG 9 are paratroopers.
Currently, the fighters of the unit perform various special events, both in Germany and abroad.
Israel's Foreign Intelligence Service - MOSSAD
4. External Israeli intelligence - MOSSAD
The words from the book of parables of King Solomon became the motto of MOSSAD: "Lack of attention to the people leads to its decline, but with great care of advisers, it prospers." These words are printed on the emblem of MOSSAD and its members adhere to the motto of the organization in their work.
Israel's foreign intelligence service, MOSSAD, is rightfully considered one of the best and most effective in the world. The tasks of the organization include conducting covert operations outside the country and collecting intelligence information. Analyzing the information received and the situation in the world, MOSSAD tries to work proactively by identifying threats to the citizens of its country and the Jewish diasporas in other countries and eliminating them before the blood of peaceful Jews can be shed.
June 7, 1948 is considered the founding day of the MOSSAD service. Emigrants from the USSR played a big role in the fate of MOSSAD, many of whom held senior positions in the organization and made MOSSAD the structure that is now respected all over the world.
MOSSAD became widely known after a series of operations in the middle of the 20th century for the physical destruction of Nazi criminals who fled from court to Latin American countries. But until now, all MOSSAD operations are classified as secret, and it is unlikely that we will find out their details in the near future.
NOCS - Italian Police Special Forces
5. NOCS - Italian Police Special Forces
Italy was one of the first European countries to feel the danger of political terrorism. Starting in 1970, leftist criminal gangs plunged the country into chaos, kidnapping entrepreneurs and politicians. When trying to free the hostages, the police, unprepared for this kind of tasks, suffered heavy losses. All this led to the fact that in 1977, during the reform of the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs, a special unit NOCS was created to combat terrorism.
The first NOCS consisted of 30 police officers who underwent a number of trainings throughout the year in hand-to-hand combat, shooting from firearms and developing a number of other skills. At the end of the training, the fighters of the detachment began to be involved in special operations, as a rule, mainly to detain members of the terrorist group "Red Brigades"
Subsequently, the group was transformed into a full-fledged division while maintaining the original goals and functions of NOCS, namely the fight against terrorism and the prevention of terrorist acts. All fighters are policemen and are subordinate only to the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs, while maintaining close relations with other special forces in Europe, and training special forces fighters from other countries.
CANSOFCOM - Canadian Special Operations Command
6. CANSOFCOM - Canadian Special Operations Command
CANSOFCOM brings together all of Canada's special forces and units and is responsible for managing them to protect against terrorism and protect the interests of citizens and the state outside Canada.
CANSOFCOM consists of Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2), Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) and 427 Special Operations Squadron. CANSOFCOM was formed in 2006 and its tasks were to prevent the threat of terrorism and support the Canadian Expeditionary Forces during operations outside the country.
In the armed forces of Canada, CANSOFCOM was called "quiet professionals", the most elite is the JTF2 special forces group, whose main task is to combat terrorism and its any manifestations. The group currently has 600 members and funding of $120 million per year.
In its track record, CANSOFCOM has participated in a peacekeeping operation in Bosnia, where the fighters of the unit hunted for Serbian snipers. Since 2001, CANSOFCOM has been participating in the military operation in Afghanistan. Performed security tasks during the 2010 Winter Olympics. CANSOFCOM is currently a balanced structure that performs a wide range of tasks in the interests of Canada.
7.
The GRU includes all the army and navy units of the Russian special forces, each of the special forces units included in the structure of the GRU has its own unique history of creation and combat path. The main reason for the creation of the GRU in the USSR was the creation of mobile nuclear attack forces in NATO countries, and in the fight against them, the GRU special forces units became the most effective. At that time, the tasks of the GRU detachments included long-range reconnaissance, the destruction of enemy mobile nuclear installations, sabotage on the territory and behind enemy lines, and the creation of partisan detachments. At that time, the tasks assigned to the GRU special forces were considered impossible, but thanks to the high training of the soldiers and good technical equipment, the special forces even had portable nuclear mines. The GRU special forces could fulfill all the tasks assigned to them.
The training of GRU special forces soldiers took place according to an individual program and groups under the leadership of an officer consisted of 2-3 people. As a result, trained GRU fighters, upon completion of training, were universal soldiers and could perform a wide range of tasks.
At present, the number of GRU detachments ranges from 6 to 15 thousand people and includes six special-purpose brigades that perform a wide range of combat missions assigned to them.
SWAT - US Police Special Forces
8. SWAT- U.S. Special Forces Police
The concept of creating special forces was born in the United States in 1960 after riots swept across the country caused by anti-government forces. Which entailed great losses among entrepreneurs and government agencies that were attacked by an angry mob. Later, snipers started hunting for police officers, which led to a response from the Los Angeles police. It was in this city that the first SWAT detachment was created. Initially, the newly created special unit did not have an organizational structure and included ordinary police officers who had received special training, and in addition to their participation in SWAT, they performed their usual daily tasks. Such an organization had a bad effect on the organization of the unit, so on command, not all employees arrived, performing their immediate official tasks on time, and not having the opportunity to be released.
Subsequently, the SWAT detachment became a separate unit with a permanent staff, not diverted to perform normal police tasks, and was assigned to the city's metro police.
At present, by analogy with the city of Los Angeles, regional SWAT units operate in all major cities of the United States, successfully fulfilling their tasks in combating crime and terrorism.
9. GUR - Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine performs a wide range of intelligence operations outside the country. The GUR includes a special-purpose detachment, the main tasks of which are to conduct special operations outside the country. The GUR special forces include officers who previously served in the military unit A 2245 located in the city of Kyiv.
Special units of the Main Intelligence Directorate perform a wide range of tasks to protect the interests of Ukraine outside its borders and ensure the safety of its citizens outside the country.
Currently, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is one of the most closed departments in the country and little is known about it. So, the GUR includes only one special-purpose detachment, which was mentioned above, and the financing of which comes from the structure itself. Also, the GUR of Ukraine is nominally subordinate to all special units of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, but the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, and not the limited staff of the GUR of Ukraine, is responsible for their financing and training.
In the near future, a reform is expected in Ukraine, the result of which will be the creation of the Special Operations Forces, the result of which will be the centralized leadership and funding of special units of Ukraine.
COS - French Special Operations Command
10. GCOS - French Special Operations Command
In 1992, by analogy with other NATO member countries, the French Ministry of Defense created COS, whose tasks included managing all units of detachments and special forces units performing reconnaissance tasks outside the country and conducting sabotage actions on enemy territory.
Currently, the COS structure includes detachments and subunits of the ground forces and naval response forces. And in connection with its reorganization, COS was assigned the following tasks:
- the provision of military assistance to other allied countries, namely the training of special forces soldiers from other countries, and the provision of humanitarian assistance, these agreements were signed by France with a number of African countries on military assistance;
- conducting special military operations, deep raids on enemy territory, day and night landings and peacekeeping missions;
- the fight against terrorism, namely the release of hostages taken by terrorist groups, the evacuation of French citizens from the territory of other countries.
Today it became clear that the creation of COS was a timely and correct action by France, taking into account the changing trends in the world in managing and fulfilling the tasks assigned to various special units.
Special Forces of the SOF of RUSSIA DRIVE ISIS FROM SYRIA
Marcos, India
Marcos is an elite Special Forces of the Indian Navy. It was created in February 1987 to conduct special operations such as unconventional warfare, maritime hostage rescue, maritime counter-terrorism, reconnaissance, etc. The Marcos units are capable of conducting operations in all types of terrain, but specializes in marine. Currently, it has about two thousand personnel, although the actual size of the detachment is classified.
GIS, Italy
In ninth place in the ranking of the best special forces units is GIS, a special forces unit formed on February 6, 1978 to combat the growing threat of terrorism. Now he specializes in operations to combat terrorism and free hostages.
SSG, Pakistan
The eighth place in the list of the best special forces units in the world is occupied by the SSG - the Pakistani army special forces, founded in 1956. It is an analogue of the American green berets and the British SAS. Participated in the Afghan war (1979-1989) on the side of the Mujahideen. To date, the detachment is actively involved in anti-terrorist operations in Pakistan. The official number is 2,100 fighters.
EKO Cobra, Austria
EKO Cobra is an anti-terrorist unit created in 1978, initially to protect Jewish immigrants from attacks by Palestinian militant groups, and also as a response to the terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 members of the Israeli team became victims of terrorists. As of 2013, the unit has approximately 670 members, including two women.
Alpha, Russia
Alpha is a special unit formed on July 29, 1974 in the USSR on the initiative of the KGB (continues to operate in Russia) to conduct counter-terrorist special operations using special tactics and means. Now the main tasks of the detachment are the prevention of terrorist acts, the search, neutralization of terrorists, the release of hostages, etc. In the days of the former Soviet Union, they actively participated in pacifying riots in prisons and correctional camps.
GIGN, France
GIGN is an elite anti-terrorist unit of the French gendarmerie, created in 1973 after the events that took place at the Munich Olympics in 1972. The main tasks of the unit are to fight terrorism, suppress uprisings in prisons, neutralize dangerous criminals and free hostages. During its existence, the soldiers of the GIGN unit took part in about 1000 operations, freed about 500 hostages, arrested 1000 and killed hundreds of criminals, while losing only two fighters directly during the operations and seven during the exercises. The number of units is 380 people.
GSG 9, Germany
GSG 9 is a special unit created in September 1973 in order to suppress terrorist actions in Germany after the terrorist attack that occurred at the Munich Olympics. The main tasks of the unit are the fight against terrorism, the release of hostages, the protection of important people and territories, the conduct of sniper operations, etc. The number of the detachment is 300 people. From the beginning of its existence to 2003, more than 1,500 successful operations were performed.
Sayeret Matkal, Israel
Sayeret Matkal or "Unit 269" is a special unit of the Israeli army, formed on the model of the British SAS in 1957 by officer Avraham Arnan. Sayeret Matkal can carry out a wide range of special operations, including reconnaissance and information gathering on the battlefield, combating terrorism, performing special operations behind enemy lines, releasing hostages, etc. Over the past 50 years of its existence, the detachment has taken part in more than than 1,000 operations, including 200 outside of Israel.
Navy SEAL, USA
The second place in the list of the best special forces units in the world is occupied by the Navy SEAL or SEALs, a special forces unit of the US Navy, formed in 1962. The main task of the detachment is reconnaissance, sabotage operations and hostage rescue. They took part in all US military operations without exception (the war in Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.).
SAS, UK
The best special forces in the world is the SAS - a special forces unit of the British armed forces, founded on May 31, 1950. It served as a model for special forces units in many other countries. The main tasks of the detachment are to conduct anti-terrorist operations, free hostages, train special forces soldiers from other countries, etc. The detachment gained fame and recognition around the world in 1980 after the successful storming of the Iranian embassy in London and rescuing the hostages.
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Analyzing the special operations forces (SOF) of any country is far from an easy task, and objectively disassembling the Russian special forces is doubly difficult: against the backdrop of the current reform of the army with a special emphasis on special forces, probably even foreign intelligence services can get confused. But it makes sense to take this case.
In the 30s of the last century, the first airborne units appeared in the USSR, which, by demonstrating their maneuvers, shocked foreign military experts. Later, US special forces units will have their own paratroopers - this was a response to a demonstration of the potential of this kind of troops created by V.F. Margelov.
The revival of the airborne units with their airmobile functions began in the 50s. The historical moment is the appearance of an airborne combat vehicle (BMD): this technique was parachuted from the air and was a maneuverable combat vehicle of the Airborne Forces. In 1968, the USSR succeeded in invading Czechoslovakia precisely because all its tasks were fully completed by the landing units. Then a blue beret appears - the current invariable attribute of the Airborne Forces.
It is believed that with this color of the beret (before that it was red), the leadership of the USSR tried to mislead local residents so that they confused the Soviet paratroopers and the "blue helmets" of the UN. But the blue beret eventually took root, and it is unrealistic to imagine a paratrooper without it.
In 1999, a unit of the Russian Airborne Forces makes a legendary forced march to Pristina, ahead of specialists from the British KFOR with the occupation of the Slatina airport. Several hundred Russian paratroopers forced the NATO command to completely change all its original plans, because the death of even one Russian special forces soldier would be equated with an attack on all of Russia.
The Soviet and Russian landing forces also had their own "special units": sabotage assault battalions (DShB) or special forces of the Airborne Forces. Reinforced training, the possibility of landing both on parachutes and on cables or direct jump at low altitude from helicopters - this is their profile.
Marines
It so happened historically that in terms of the number of fighters, the Marines of Russia did not particularly stand out. Here, a bet was made on the quality of training and on the ability to engage in battle when thrown "from the water."
In principle, the marines of almost all countries have similar traditions. Don't let the "maritime" status be misleading: in the mountains of Chechnya, in the units of the Russian special forces, special attention was paid to the Marines, although there was never a "water landing" there.
"Alpha", or department "A" of the TsSN FSB of Russia
When Yuri Andropov, a native of the KGB, became Secretary General of the USSR, he formed an elite unit, formally called upon to carry out anti-terrorist tasks in the conditions of the city. But in fact, the functions of this Russian special forces structure have always been much broader.
The assault on Amin's palace is the first and most high-profile operation in the history of Alpha. Well, in the future there was not a single large-scale special operation, especially in the conditions of the city and in a collision with terrorists, so that this group of Russian special forces did not take part.
Perhaps not everyone knows that due to attempts to manipulate and use this military elite in the early 90s, the fighters underwent serious demoralization, and many officers wrote a resignation letter. However, the country changed its mind in time and stopped the destructive process, returning Alfa to its former status.
And if you see an indication of the strength of Alfa somewhere, you can only smile: the strength of this group of Russian special forces is known only to an extremely narrow circle of people, and neither we, nor you, nor the FSB officer on duty monitoring information on this profile (and therefore, reading this article) we cannot know any specifics.
"Vympel", or management "B" TsSN FSB of Russia
Under the First Main Directorate of the KGB of the USSR, there was its own illegal intelligence service, modestly called "Department C". It consisted of the divisions "Zenith" and "Cascade", which became the platform for the emergence in 1981 of the special forces group "Vympel".
Under the USSR, the number of pennant numbered about a thousand fighters, among the mandatory requirements for each - at least one foreign language, which was necessary to be fluent.
If "Alpha" is a formal anti-terror group, then "Vympel" is already a real "terror group", trained to work on foreign territory. Even in the days of the USSR, "Vympel" trained on the capture of nuclear power plants and other strategic facilities, the protection of which was warned in advance. But the captures were always successful.
"Vympel" is a sabotage unit of Russian special forces for external use.
Spetsnaz GRU of Russia
Increased military training, the most serious requirements, high recognition - the special forces of the GRU of Russia are very numerous and only "conditionally secret." However, unlike Alfa or Vympel, the GRU special forces are capable of not only point-wise use in hotel areas, but also perform standard combined-arms tasks by small combat-ready units.
It is one thing to create a unit of up to a thousand people, but another thing is to maintain a unit in which up to 25 thousand people can serve in Russia as a whole at the same time. The GRU special forces are armed with the standard weapons of the Russian armed forces.
Special Rapid Response Squad (SOBR)
In recent Russian history SOBR has repeatedly changed its name, but eventually retained it. As part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, this unit is supposed to fight organized crime, however, a wider involvement of SOBR fighters was constantly encountered: both during the Chechen wars and in the current formally peaceful time.
Separate Orders of Lenin and the October Revolution Red Banner operational division of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (ODON)
Such a long name for this unit of Russian special forces appeared in 1994, while earlier it was called differently: Separate Motorized Rifle Division of Special Purpose named after. F. E. Dzerzhinsky. And by this name, many still know her.
Military glory since the times of the USSR, constant emphasis on participation in military operations - in general, special forces are like special forces.
OMON (special police detachment) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
Let's be honest: this division of the Russian police special forces had a much more difficult time in matters of reputation than everyone else.
When the USSR collapsed, it was OMON units that got into loud and rather scandalous stories in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lithuania, and Latvia. Direct clashes with the civilian population in the event of riots left their mark on the reputation of the unit in modern Russia.
However, without OMON, the functioning of the modern law enforcement system of the country is impossible. So any criticism will be listened to and delicately ignored.
Detachment "Vityaz" under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
To put it simply, "Vityaz" for the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the same as "Alpha" for the FSB. In principle, we can limit ourselves to this: we cannot have any data on the size of the unit, or any other “hot” specifics.
Combat swimmers
In the USSR, they were jokingly called "squares", because they recruited short guys here (to be placed with equipment in the torpedo compartment for landing), but very broad in the shoulders. And they have been preparing them since the days of the USSR very tough. "Barracuda", "Dolphin", "Omega" - all these names give away elitism for military experts, and experts only smile at formal statements that "these units are in the past."
Information about the combat swimmers of modern Russia is a minimum. Nevertheless, in 2008, it was the combat swimmers who disabled several torpedo boats of the Georgian Navy, which predetermined the naval confrontation.
Special Forces of the Border Troops of Russia "Sigma"
The Russian special forces unit was actually recreated in 1994. Now Sigma fighters regularly participate in CTO in Dagestan, but there is practically no specifics about such operations in the media.
The activity of Sigma is one of the most secret, so it is not possible to try to describe this Russian special forces on the basis of known data about Sigma from the times of the USSR.
Special Forces of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia
If you want to get confused in the Russian special forces, then you are here: Titan, Uraga, Bars, Bars-2, Rosich, Astrakhan - depending on the region, this unit may have its own name. To list everything, given the territorial scale of Russia, is too long.
The special forces of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia took an active part in the hostilities in Chechnya, but its main task is to “pacify riots” in the zones and in the colonies.
What is a "maroon beret"?
In fact, there is no separate unit that would be called “maroon berets”: such a beret can only be earned by a special forces soldier of the Russian internal troops if he passes the standards and passes all the tests.
Only a few units manage to get such a beret, therefore the concept of a “maroon beret” is the standard of the highest skill of a special forces officer wearing it
Sabotage MTR
The official Russian television started talking about this unit in March 2013, stating that the country had never even dreamed of such forces of Russian special forces (although, why did Vympel not please the journalists?). The purpose of sabotage MTRs is to penetrate the territory of a potential enemy when a direct war is diplomatically impossible, dressing up in the form of local militias and conducting military operations under their guise, as well as training and training the necessary forces in this territory.
Subsequently, the sabotage MTR was no longer reported in the media, and the plot itself was used as an “evident argument” for the presence of Russian special forces on the territory of Ukraine by opponents of Moscow.
