On the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Austria and its consequences.
....Here it would be very appropriate to mention one more act of Khrushchev, which is already little known today. Nikita Sergeevich himself said this about this: “But I have the conviction that it is no longer possible to confine ourselves to talking and pulling on this issue, that the abnormality should be eliminated by urgently signing a peace treaty with Austria, withdrawing our troops from there. Thus, to untie their hands in order to carry out propaganda in full voice against US military bases, which scattered their troops across different continents and countries and pursued an aggressive, gendarmerie policy against countries that were in their sphere of influence, keeping military units on their territory. bases. In order to speak in a loud voice, to organize the public of the whole world to fight against such orders, we ourselves had to withdraw our troops from foreign territories. The first question arose about Austria. It will be about how Khrushchev, without any need, unexpectedly withdrew our troops from Austria. As you can see, the pretext was far-fetched: the Soviet Union needed to withdraw its troops from Austria so that it would be easier to launch propaganda against the presence of American bases in many parts of the world. Here, they say, we do not have military bases on foreign territory, which means that the Americans should also withdraw their military bases.
More than half a century has passed, it's time to take stock. How many American bases were liquidated by the Americans after our criticism? None. So the reasons for Khrushchev's actions are completely different - the systematic, gradual surrender of the geopolitical positions of Russia - the USSR. What is Austria from a geopolitical point of view? At that moment it was a country with a population of about 7 million people and with a very important location in Central Europe. It borders on Germany, Switzerland, Italy and other countries. In 1938, as a result of the Anschluss, Austria was annexed to the Third Reich and became its eastern land Ostmark. Tens of thousands of Austrian soldiers fought on the German Eastern Front against the Soviet Union and committed atrocities on our territory no less than the Germans. In the spring of 1945, more than 26 thousand Soviet soldiers died during the battles for the liberation of Austria. But this was not the entire payment for the right of Russia - the USSR to have military bases and for its presence in the very center of Europe. In the Austrian

1 Khrushchev N. S. Time. People. Power: Memoirs. In 4 books. - M.: Moscow news, 1999.Kn. 4.C. 281.
the ashes of more than 60 thousand Soviet prisoners of war and forcibly driven away civilians who died in concentration camps on the territory of Austria rest on earth.
After the surrender, the territory of Austria within the borders of 1938 was divided among the four victorious powers into occupation zones, just like the territory of Germany. At first, only the Soviet troops that liberated it were in Vienna, but at the Potsdam Conference, the allies agreed on the division of the capital of Austria into four occupation zones. All laws adopted by the Austrian parliament, before they were officially published by the federal government, had to receive approval from the Allied Commission created by the victorious countries. This situation continued for ten years. And suddenly, in March 1955, at the direction of N. S. Khrushchev, an Austrian government delegation was unexpectedly invited to Moscow to prepare a state treaty, which was supposed to restore the independence and full sovereignty of Austria. The USSR did not gain anything from this step, but already on May 15, 1955, this document was signed in Vienna and entered into force on July 27, 1955. According to the agreements reached, the troops of all victorious countries had to leave Austria within only 90 days. On October 19, 1955, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Austria was completed1.
Behind the beautiful words about the withdrawal of “all troops”, the essence was hidden: it was incomparably more important for the Soviet Union to remain in the center of Europe than for anyone else. It was our army that came to Europe, chasing the Nazis from our homeland, and created a barrier against new aggression in the form of a bloc of socialist states. Being in Austria, we had a powerful lever of influence on European politics. And most importantly, giving up your positions in any game is a sign of weakness or

1 “In total, the Soviet troops stationed in Austria are staffed by 38,803 military personnel and 2,671 workers and employees” (G.K. Zhukov’s note to the Central Committee of the CPSU on the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Austria dated June 6, 1955, AP RF.F. 3. Inv. 64. D. 21. Ll. 11–14).
nonsense. The withdrawal of Soviet troops from Austria, carried out in 1955 at the direction of N. S. Khrushchev, caused great damage to the geopolitical interests of the Soviet Union and significantly changed the balance of power in Central Europe not in favor of our country. The Austro-Hungarian border that became transparent allowed the former fascists of Miklós Horthy to return to Hungary, who now began working for the US and British intelligence services. The result was an armed rebellion in Hungary in the fall of 1956, to suppress which the USSR had to use troops1. Pay attention to the dates: in 1955 we left Austria, and in 1956 we were almost "left" from Hungary its head

1 These were not peaceful demonstrators, but armed fighters who fought in World War II just 11 years ago. Reprisals against communists and members of the Hungarian special services. Actual lynchings on the streets of Budapest. The scope of the "peaceful demonstrations" in Hungary in 1956 and their scenario will be understandable in comparison with the events in Syria. Demonstrations also began there, and then out of nowhere, the “demonstrators” had sniper rifles, grenade launchers and machine guns.
Some units of the regular army of Hungary went over to the side of the rebels. The scope of the battles in which Russian soldiers defended its geopolitical interests and gave their lives will emphasize the following fact: “...Thousands (the exact number is unknown to this day) of Soviet soldiers were awarded orders and medals, and 26 were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union Yuza, 14 of them - posthumously. By a separate but open Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 1, 1956, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (four times) was awarded to Marshal Zhukov. During 12 days of active hostilities, our army lost as a result of the actions of "peaceful and unarmed demonstrators": 705 people, including 22 - missing; 26 tanks, 3 self-propelled guns, 10 armored personnel carriers, 4 Katyushas, ​​38 vehicles, 9 anti-aircraft guns (76 mm and 85 mm), four 85 mm D-44 divisional cannons, nine 122 mm howitzers (see photo). : Smolyannikov S. Hungary 1956. The bloody autumn of Budapest, on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the events that received the official name "Liquidation of the Hungarian rebellion" //).
2 But Austria-Hungary until 1918 was called a common country of several peoples in the center of Europe.
idiot (traitor) Khrushchev - you need to put pressure on all fronts1. That is why under Stalin, who did not do stupid things in foreign policy, there were no uprisings anywhere. Surrendering Hungary at that time also meant receiving similar speeches by “driven to despair” agents of the CIA and MI-6, former Nazis who received promises and money, as well as people simply deceived by propaganda in all other countries that entered the zone of influence of the USSR. Don't forget: the colossal war ended just a little over ten years ago, everyone who fought against Russia was alive and full of strength...
And one more important fact. Our army did not leave Austria, but almost ran away from there. The three-month period for the withdrawal of troops was not determined by any circumstances, there was nowhere to rush, moreover, there was no need to withdraw troops.

1 It is necessary to understand that geopolitical competitors always use ANY reason to rock the situation. And the death of Stalin, his demonization by Khrushchev, insulting the memory of the leader - this is also a REASON for pumping up tensions within the USSR. Only not against, but for Stalin. A good example is the unrest and unrest that happened in the same 1956 in Tbilisi. Stalin died on March 5, 1953, and on February 25, 1956, at the morning meeting, N. S. Khrushchev delivered a closed report "On the cult of personality and its consequences." You can easily find this report on the Internet and you can see for yourself how false it is. Pay attention: the report is SECRET and CLOSED. And in a week in the capital of Georgia, the demonstrators will know its contents and be indignant. At first, people took to the streets without seeing any mention of the anniversary of Stalin's death in the newspapers. Spontaneous mourning events began. Then, from March 6, indignation will begin to be pumped up with Khrushchev's lies, which were voiced in the report. Stalin is a Georgian, Khrushchev's slander touches the pride of the Georgians. The result was demonstrations in the capital of Georgia with portraits of Stalin and a demand that March 9, the day of Stalin's funeral, be given the status of a day of mourning. And then provocateurs in the crowd, whipping up passions, seizing transport and trying to seize the House of Communications and newspaper editorial offices. First, warning volleys of troops, then aimed fire, which stopped the onslaught. At least one person with a gun was detained in the crowd. According to official data, a total of 21 people were killed, and another 54 were injured of varying severity. Let me remind you: under Stalin there was not a single similar story.
So the withdrawal of troops to the detriment of the geopolitical interests of the Soviet Union, and also accelerated, was not invented by Gorbachev (Afghanistan) and not Yeltsin (Germany), but by Khrushchev.
And finally, for all those who like to call on Russia to repent. There are no emotions in geopolitics and there is no place for evaluations based on them. Only one thing is valued here - strength. The word "gratitude" in geopolitics is simply absent. The most seemingly moral actions in the field of geopolitics will not lead to anything good if they are a one-sided surrender of positions. Here is one example of how Austria later thanked its liberators, who gave it the opportunity in 1955 to restore independence and full sovereignty. Twenty-four years after the withdrawal of our troops, in 1979, State Hermitage Museum researcher Sergei Androsov accidentally saw an elegant bronze statue of "Flying Mercury" at one of the exhibitions in Vienna. It was stolen by German troops from Pavlovsk Park near St. Petersburg during the Great Patriotic War and is the only bronze copy of the world-famous sculpture of Mercury, the god of trade and patron of the arts, by the outstanding Italian Renaissance master Giovanni Bologna1. kick the statue. The "grateful" Austrian side, under various pretexts, did not want to return it. Negotiations about the obvious fact have been going on for 25 (!) years. Finally, only on May 5, 2005, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Great Victory and the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the independence and sovereignty of Austria, its ambassador to Moscow, Martin Vukovich, at a solemn ceremony at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts handed over to Russia sculpture "Flying Mercury".

It was an excerpt from the book by N. Starikov "Geopolitics: How it's done"

On February 15, 1989, Lieutenant General Boris Gromov, according to the official version, became the last Soviet soldier to cross the border between the two countries along the Friendship Bridge. In reality, both Soviet military personnel who were captured by the dushmans and units of border guards who covered the withdrawal of troops and returned to the territory of the USSR only in the afternoon of February 15 remained on the territory of Afghanistan. The border troops of the KGB of the USSR performed the tasks of protecting the Soviet-Afghan border by separate units on the territory of Afghanistan until April 1989.

FEBRUARY 15, 1989

February night, ice armor
There are headlights on the rocks, machine guns in the loopholes.
The column leaves from under the fire.
We go to the border
let's go to the border!

Rumbles of water in the bed of a mountain river
And the darkness in the mountains sparkles with tracers
Today is the last push, guys!
The last push - and we are on the border.

Afghan! You are like a wound in the souls of soldiers.
I know that you will dream of us at night.
After all, there are obelisks along the roads
To the very border, to the very border.

There are no miracles in this war.
Not all boys are destined to return.
They watch us from heaven
They help us get to the border.

Let's go out and write to our mothers: “Now
No need to pray for us at night!”
God help us and we are without loss
We will reach the border, we will reach the border

"Frontier!" head watch reported
And dusty faces became brighter
And the commander said quietly on the air:
"Fighters! Will live! After all, we are on the border!”

Has this war ended?
And now nothing will happen to us
No wonder you kept the stash, foreman.
Come on, get it - we are already at the border!

WE HAVE PERFORMED OUR SOLDIER'S DUTY WITH HONOR

The population of the Afghan villages saw us off mostly friendly. In some settlements, people came out with flowers and waved affably after them. Not a single shot was fired during the march. In places of possible ambushes and in settlements, by agreement with tribal authorities, elders boarded our combat vehicles, who served as a kind of guarantor of the safety of our servicemen. We are not indebted to the people. They were given our well-settled towns with well-established infrastructure. Of particular value were artesian wells, which became sources of water supply for many villages.

Of course, for our soldiers, sergeants, ensigns and officers, returning to their homeland has become a real holiday. In freshly laundered uniforms, with hemmed collars, unfolded panels on which the names of the units were written, our soldiers looked spectacular when crossing the border. On the sides of the combat vehicles were inscriptions: "I'm back, mom!" Sanitary treatment points were deployed in all directions, everyone washed themselves with pleasure after the road, disinfected uniforms, put military equipment and weapons in order. The kitchens didn't smoke. Almost along the entire border, the soldiers' sense of smell teased the smell of delicious Turkmen, Uzbek and Tajik pilaf. Both old and small border settlements met our soldiers. At the rallies dedicated to the exit from Afghanistan, the leaders of the republics, border regions, soldiers and officers-internationalists spoke. Parents came from many regions of the USSR to meet their sons. They sincerely thanked the officers for returning home their grown-up boys. After a plentiful lunch and dinner, the motorized maneuver groups adopted marching order and marched to previously prepared base areas along the state border with Afghanistan.

By this time, we had already all dived into the “perestroika”, hot spots appeared already inside the USSR, part of the motorized maneuvering and air assault groups were urgently transferred to other regions. Less and less forces and means remained to guard and defend the Afghan border, which had an extremely negative impact in the course of subsequent events already on the territory of Tajikistan. The mass media began to openly defame the causes and consequences of our stay in Afghanistan, extremely negatively affecting the moral and psychological state of the internationalist soldiers. I am still in correspondence with many of them. Many do not find their place in our bazaar market of profit and deceit, but the vast majority are sure that we have fulfilled our soldier's duty with honor and dignity.

August 31 marks 15 years since the solemn ceremony of the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the former GDR took place in Berlin. 500,000 servicemen and 12,000 tanks returned to Russia from Germany.

The Western Group of Forces (ZGV) is an operational-strategic territorial association of the armed forces (AF) of the Russian Federation, temporarily stationed in Germany. Until March 1992, it was part of the USSR Armed Forces.

The history of the creation of the Western Group of Forces is connected with the implementation of the political and economic principles of the post-war structure of Germany, developed by the Allied Powers, whose territory after the end of World War II, according to the Declaration of the Defeat of Germany, was divided into 4 zones of occupation: Soviet, American, British and French. To implement the occupation regime in the Soviet zone, part of the troops from the 1st and 2nd Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts in June 1945 was merged into the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (GSOVG). Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the GSOVG and at the same time Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet military administration in Germany by a decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of June 6, 1945. The field administration of the Group, formed on the basis of the field administration of the 1st Belorussian Front on June 14, 1945, was located in the city of Potsdam (later in Wünsdorf).

In the early post-war years, the troops of the Group were involved in protecting the border of the Soviet zone of occupation and took part in the implementation of measures carried out by the Soviet military administration aimed at providing the necessary conditions for eliminating the consequences of the fascist regime and militarization in Germany.

After the formation of the GDR (1949), the GSOVG, in accordance with the directive of the General Staff of March 26, 1954, was named the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSVG). Under the Treaty on Relations between the USSR and the GDR (1955) and the Agreement on the Temporary Stay of Soviet Troops on the Territory of the GDR (1957), the protection of the state border was transferred to the border troops of the GDR, and the Group retained the right to control the passage of US, British, and French troops to West Berlin and other control functions stipulated at the Potsdam Conference in 1945. The Agreement also defined the legal status of Soviet military personnel, their family members, workers and employees of the Soviet Army, included provisions on the non-interference of Soviet troops in the internal affairs of the GDR, on coordinating with the state bodies of the GDR the number of Soviet troops, their deployment, areas of exercises, etc.

In the 1970-1980s, the GSVG was the most powerful and combat-ready operational-strategic formation of the Soviet Armed Forces, which was intended to solve the main tasks in the operations of the Joint Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact member states in the European theater of operations. The GSVG included several combined arms and tank armies, an air army, formations and units of military branches, special forces and rear. The troops were fully equipped and equipped with the most modern weapons. They numbered more than 1.5 million people and 111 thousand pieces of weapons and military equipment, including over 4 thousand tanks, about 8 thousand armored combat vehicles, 3.6 thousand artillery pieces, 1.3 thousand aircraft and helicopters, 100 thousand units of other equipment. Among the formations and units, 139 were guards, 127 had honorary titles, 214 were awarded orders. 1171 Heroes of the Soviet Union served in the Group in different years, 26 people were awarded this title twice, and Georgy Zhukov and Ivan Kozhedub - three times.

In June 1989, the GSVG was renamed the ZGV.

(Military Encyclopedia. Chairman of the Main Editorial Commission S.B. Ivanov. Military Publishing. Moscow. In 8 volumes - 2004. ISBN 5 - 203 01875 - 8)

On September 12, 1990, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev signed an agreement regulating the stay and withdrawal of troops. The treaty provided that all Soviet troops stationed on German territory were to leave it from the end of 1990 to 1994.

After the collapse of the USSR, by the Decree of the President of the RSFSR of March 4, 1992, the Western Group of Forces came under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, which assumed obligations for the further withdrawal of troops, which was completed on August 31, 1994.

The historic event was celebrated with a farewell parade in front of the monument to the Soviet liberator soldier in Treptow Park in Berlin, which was attended by Russian President Boris Yeltsin and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and in the evening a festive concert of Russian and German artists took place in Lustgardem Park.

More than 3 thousand spectators gathered at the solemn ceremony in Treptow Park. Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who hosted the last parade of Russian troops on German soil, expressed confidence that this day would go down in the history of "both Russia, and Germany, and all of Europe." In his speech, he emphasized the role of the USSR in the defeat of the Nazi regime, and, paying tribute to the memory of the fallen Soviet soldiers, he focused on the future of Russian-German relations. Yeltsin expressed confidence that their transition to a new quality is now possible, and the mutual trust and understanding achieved in the process of withdrawing the Western Group of Forces is the most important contribution to their development.

By order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation of September 5, 1994, the Western Group of Forces was abolished from September 1, 1994.

(Military Encyclopedia. Chairman of the Main Editorial Commission S.B. Ivanov. Military Publishing. Moscow. In 8 volumes - 2004. ISBN 5 - 203 01875 - 8)

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

PRIVATE BUSSINESS BURLAKOV Matvey Prokopevich Born on August 19, 1935 in Ulan-Ude. In 1957 he graduated from the Omsk Military School. M. V. Frunze. In 1968, after graduating from the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze was appointed deputy commander of the regiment. Since 1969 - regiment commander, since 1973 - division commander. In 1977, after graduating from the Military Academy of the General Staff, he was appointed commander of an army corps. Since 1979 - Army Commander, since 1983 - Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander of the Trans-Baikal Military District. Since 1988 - Commander of the Southern Group of Forces. Since December 1990 - Commander-in-Chief of the Western Group of Forces. Since 1994 - Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. Reserved since 1995. President of the public association "Union of Veterans of the Western Group of Forces / GSVG".

- Matvey Prokopyevich, before moving on to the main topic of the conversation, perhaps remember how your appointment as commander-in-chief of the Western Group of Forces took place?

For the uninitiated, it turned out to be, frankly, unexpected. The decision on my appointment was made by the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and personally by Mikhail Gorbachev. Back in October 1990, I had a conversation with Defense Minister Marshal Dmitry Timofeevich Yazov. It was he who offered me in the spring of 1991 to head the Western Group of Forces. In Moscow, they noticed and, apparently, appreciated the successful withdrawal of the Southern Group of Forces, which I led.

But man proposes, but fate disposes... A month later I was urgently summoned to Moscow and ordered to take the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Western Group of Forces. But that was only the beginning. At that time, the regular plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU was held in the capital. Suddenly there was a telephone call from the General Staff: "The General Secretary is calling you!"

And how was the meeting with the first and last president of the USSR and the general secretary of the Central Committee? Worried?

Not that word. After all, far from many, even considering the then democratization, had a chance to communicate with the leader of perestroika. The audience took place on the same day. During a break between sessions of the plenum of the Central Committee, Yazov and I approached Gorbachev. A little later, Nikolai Ivanovich Ryzhkov joined us.

The General Secretary began with a question: "Have we already met?" I answered in the affirmative. In his recommendations, Gorbachev touched upon the economic and political problems associated with the withdrawal of troops from Germany. He advised to establish ties with the local and federal leadership of the FRG and paid special attention to the sale of real estate owned by the USSR.

The press often mentioned fantastic figures for the value of Soviet property in Germany. How much was everything really valued?

In a conversation with me, Gorbachev suggested that our real estate was valued at 30 billion West German marks. A colossal number! However, there is nothing surprising in that. The group of troops was located in 777 military camps. They numbered 36290 buildings and structures. More than twenty-one thousand objects were built at the expense of the Soviet Union.

Unfortunately, during the sale of all the property of the Western Group, conflicts and sometimes deadlocks often arose. Under a servile agreement between the USSR and the FRG, the implementation was entrusted to the German Ministry of Finance. Therefore, the current value of real estate owned by the USSR, at prices in 1990, was determined by a much smaller amount - about ten and a half billion marks. It is quite natural that the Germans were not interested in a profitable sale. Moscow, in the person of Gorbachev and Yeltsin, did not show the will of the state in this matter.

For the unification of Germany and the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the Germans were ready to pay tens of billions of marks. But Gorbachev was content with a small amount.

According to interstate agreements dated December 16, 1992, all our real estate in the Western Group of Companies became the property of Germany. It was practically given to the Germans. This decision of some leaders of the Soviet Union and Russia is akin to a betrayal of the interests of their own people, tens of thousands of homeless families of officers and ensigns. This conclusion was made even by some Western media.

God be with them, with the Western media. Russian newspapers and magazines wrote that the withdrawal of the ZGV resembled a swift flight. The Americans carried out the redeployment of only one division from Europe to the United States for five to seven years. Who is to blame for the fact that dozens of our formations and units ended up in an open field?

The top leadership of the Soviet Union and Gorbachev's inner circle, who pursued an extremely short-sighted and irresponsible policy. Mikhail Sergeevich himself achieved world popularity, became the "best German" due to the fact that, for the sake of foreign policy dividends, he forgot about the country's internal problems. For the sake of the friendly smiles of a Western man in the street and the nickname "Gorby", he waved his hand at many things.

Boris Yeltsin continued his anti-army policy with no less cynicism. To please his friend, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, he reduced the already unthinkable period for the withdrawal of our troops by four months. Meanwhile, the vast majority of the military infrastructure of the Soviet Union was concentrated in the border areas - in Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic states. So the Russian divisions and regiments had to be deployed in completely undeveloped places.

The same Americans withdrew their troops only after military camps were built for them in the States and appropriate living conditions were created. In 1992, the 7th Corps left Germany for their homeland, for the USA. The Yankees returned home without any problems, in good spirits, happy and contented.

During the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany, Western intelligence allegedly successfully carried out an operation code-named "Giraffe", the purpose of which was to acquire ultra-modern weapons. Is it a bluff?

Yes and no. They most likely carried out the operation, but I would not be so categorical about success.

The group of Soviet troops in Germany, later renamed the Western Group of Forces, has always been a testing ground for the capabilities of the latest military equipment, the level of training of command personnel and personnel. The most modern samples of weapons and military equipment first came here.

Prior to the start of hostilities in Afghanistan, conclusions on the characteristics of weapons and military equipment, the possibilities of their use in extreme conditions were made in the Armed Forces of the USSR mainly on the basis of exercises and maneuvers of formations and formations stationed in Germany.

In 1990-1994, "sensational" information regularly appeared in the German media that the Russians were selling weapons and ammunition left and right. One of the Germans pecked at this "duck", who offered our soldier two thousand marks for a Kalashnikov assault rifle. This "merchant" was caught red-handed. And there were more than fifty such attempts to buy weapons from our servicemen in 1992 alone. None of them succeeded. Therefore, once again I allow myself to doubt the success of Operation Giraffe. Accounting for ammunition, weapons and military equipment in the Western Group of Forces was properly organized.

Especially for skeptics, I will give the following argument. For almost half a century of existence of the GSVG-ZGV, only 68 small arms were wanted. One hundred percent of weapons and military equipment were taken to Russia.

Our military echelons were heading home through the territory of neighboring states, recent allies under the Warsaw Pact. Were there any problems?

I don't want to indiscriminately blame entire peoples and label them, but the new "democratic" leaders of Poland and Czechoslovakia decided to improve their financial affairs at the expense of the troops withdrawn from Germany. The leadership of the Polish "Solidarity", for example, demanded to repair the bridges on which our echelons were supposed to move. The "lords" presented us with truly enslaving, clearly unfeasible demands for payment. The passage of each axle of a railway car through the country was estimated as much as four thousand West German marks. It was about tens of millions.

These conditions were unacceptable for us. Apparently, even then, recent colleagues in the Warsaw Pact were trying to earn indulgences, foreseeing the imminent expansion of NATO to the east.

Of course, we did not have such money to pay for transportation. The German side allocated only 1 billion marks to cover our transportation costs. There was only one way - by sea. But it was impossible to solve such a complex task without the consent of the German state authorities.

To be honest, at first I had little faith in the reality of the idea of ​​transferring a huge group by sea. And there were objective reasons for that. Within two or three months, the entire withdrawal scheme and plan had to be revised, which in itself is quite problematic.

But the German side kept these promises and provided full political and financial support in sending our troops across the Baltic Sea.

Then, in your native Fatherland, you were not commemorated with a "quiet kind word" unless you were lazy. They were not accused of anything: use of official position, corruption, personal enrichment. Now it is clear that "puppeteers" were behind all this. Did you hurt someone?

Many! I think the time has not yet come when you can talk about everything in plain text. Although, there are no others, and those are far away.

First, it was necessary to distract the Russian people from internal problems. Remember, there was not enough food, wages were not paid for months, plus rampant crime and all the "charms" of nascent capitalism.

The collapse of the Soviet Union buried the hopes of hundreds of millions of people for a stable and normal life. And here, the notorious piano in the bushes turned out to be very useful - the withdrawal of Russian troops from Germany. A topical, so to speak, socio-political topic, when one could talk about the mediocrity of the command, about theft and corruption, about deserters and monster officers. At the same time, it was transparently hinted that all these loafers were sitting on the neck of the common people. In my opinion, an excellent valve for bleeding off excess pressure in the country.

Secondly, I did everything in my power to prevent unscrupulous businessmen from getting their hands on the withdrawal of troops. The Western group was surrounded by hundreds of different firms and firms, the owners of which were located in Moscow, Bonn and Berlin and occupied by no means the last positions. What we just did not offer. For example, to purchase food, coal, and other necessary material resources at astronomical prices.

In February 1991, we learned that we would not receive money from the 2.5 billion interest-free loan provided by Germany. I had to save on literally everything. Meanwhile, complaints about the objectionable and stubborn Burlakov were going to all instances. No one knows what it took to endure this pressure, except for me and the command of the Western Group of Forces. Naturally, I was not forgiven for such "willfulness". But I don't regret anything.

Many high-ranking military leaders at the end of their careers smoothly move to well-paid positions of consultants, advisers, heads of various firms and foundations. What is pensioner Burlakov doing today?

As befits a pensioner, I am raising children and grandchildren, but rather they are me. I do housework. I don’t get into politics and dubious commercial transactions.

On a voluntary basis, I lead the Union of Veterans of the Western Group of Forces - the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. Anticipating malicious questions, I will say that we do not use customs privileges and, unlike some, did not flood the country with imported alcohol and cigarettes. We provide all possible legal and medical assistance to veterans of military service and their families, we meet with the younger generation.

I look people straight in the eye. If someone considers such work a "warm place" - I will not dissuade. Time will judge.

Is it true that the Germans attempted unauthorized entry into our nuclear arsenals?

Yes, it was. In 1992, in Altengrabow, three officers of the Bundeswehr tried to penetrate the territory of the missile base. Ignoring the warning shouts of the sentry and even a shot in the air, one of them overcame the fence. Our soldier opened fire to kill. As a result, a German major was seriously wounded, and the violators were detained. The Minister of Defense of Germany then officially apologized to us for the actions of his subordinates.

They say that our Western partners were shocked when they finally found themselves in ... empty storage facilities for nuclear weapons? They were so hoping to get acquainted with their contents!

I will not brag, but they have not been able to calculate the time and place of the evacuation of nuclear weapons. Together with the special services, we planned and successfully implemented a multi-way combination. At the same time, purposeful disinformation was carried out and a number of distracting actions were carried out ...

Since the beginning of the 1990s, the Western media have not tired of shouting about the so-called "Russian mafia". She did not cause problems to her compatriots in uniform?

In July 1992, the robbery of the century could have taken place. The publicity would be colossal, and the consequences would be unpredictable. On the way of transport with fifteen million German marks, Chechen criminal elements, already settled in Europe, ambushed. They calculated everything: traffic routes, departure time, security forces and much more. They did not take into account one thing - the professionalism of the Russian military and specialists from the special detachment of the Brandenburg criminal police. Thanks to coordinated and prompt actions, the robbery failed.

But this did not stop the mafia. The ZGV safe was a painfully tasty morsel. The gang was sent reinforcements from Chechnya. High-class "specialists" in robbery and robbery have come to Germany. In January 1993, the criminals repeated the robbery attempt. But the command and counterintelligence received the necessary information in time ... By the way, more than a dozen ethnic bandit groups were operating on the territory of the former GDR at that time. We realized that it is simply impossible to foresee everything. And the money was delivered by plane.

Alas, today experts' forecasts that with the collapse of the Soviet Union organized crime will rush to Western Europe have been confirmed.

Ten years since the withdrawal of the Western Group of Forces is more of a sad date than a happy holiday. Who were we in Europe - occupiers, as some people sometimes say, or liberators?

For 49 years of our troops being in Germany, we have never frightened anyone, but we have not been afraid of anyone either. Being the most powerful grouping of the Soviet Armed Forces, the GSVG-ZGV faithfully carried out its historic mission to ensure peace and stability in Europe. It is still unknown how the post-war structure of the world would have developed if there were no Soviet troops in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland.

One of the military journalists, touching on this topic, aptly remarked:
In the ZGV were all for selection
And the orders of the fathers were honored sacredly,
If we were still there
It is not known where NATO would be!

I think there is a lot of truth in these words. Russian soldiers and officers who served in the Western Group of Forces deserve only the respect and gratitude of their descendants. I am sure that after a short time, Mrs. History will put everything in its place and reward everyone according to their deserts.

About 25 years ago, without a single shot, East Germany either ceased to exist. The group of Soviet troops in Germany (GSVG) located in the GDR was prepared for any situation, even taking into account an enemy nuclear attack. But the USSR lost the Cold War, which led to the humiliating withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany.

post-war period

Approximately one month after the victory of the USSR over Germany in World War II, the high command of the USSR decided to create a contingent of occupation troops in Germany, the commander of which was the hero of the war, Marshal Georgy Zhukov. This happened on July 9, 1945. The number of Soviet soldiers stationed at first was 1.5 million.

The mission in Germany of the Soviet troops, whose main headquarters was in the city of Potsdam, neighboring Berlin, was to ensure the management of the German occupation zone, as well as the restoration of a peaceful life for citizens in it. At the same time, the command of the USSR did not believe that these troops would be in Germany for a long time. In addition, the policy of the USSR in the post-war period was focused on the unification of Germany, since after the destruction of the ruling fascist party in this country, the communists and socialists became the main political forces. Thus, the Soviet Union viewed Germany as a potential strong ally in the center of Europe.

The GSVG was established on March 26, 1954, this date is considered the end of the occupation of Germany by Soviet troops. Between 1957 and 1958, about 70,000 Soviet soldiers were stationed on the territory of the GDR.

This group of troops was created to ensure the implementation of the decisions taken at the Potsdam Conference, as well as to ensure the security of the western border. Further, on September 20, 1955, the GDR signed an agreement with the USSR and became one of the countries of the Warsaw Pact. In 1957, a new pact was signed between and the GDR, according to which the number and location of Soviet troops in Germany were established. According to this agreement, Soviet troops did not have the right to interfere in the internal affairs of the GDR.

In 1963, the GSVG had about 386,000 soldiers, of which 46,000 belonged to the air force. The armament of the GSVG included:

• 7500 tanks;
• 100 tactical missiles;
• 484 self-propelled military installations;
• 146 bombers;
• 101 reconnaissance aircraft;
• 80 helicopters.

In 1968, German Soviet troops took part in the suppression of the uprising in Prague. In the late 70s and early 80s, the Soviet military contingent in Germany was reduced. Thus, 1,000 tanks and other military vehicles and about 20,000 soldiers were withdrawn from the territory of the GDR. During perestroika in the USSR, the GSVG had a defensive character in accordance with its structure and armament. In 1989, the number of armored Soviet vehicles on the territory of the GDR was significantly reduced.

In the late 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev (general secretary of the CPSU Central Committee) was at the head of the USSR. In 1989, he decided on the unilateral withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany. The military power of the GSVG was greatly weakened, since 8 battalions of soldiers and 4 tank divisions were immediately disbanded. It should be noted that the number of GSVG has been constantly decreasing since the year of their formation in the GDR, however, a major withdrawal of troops began in 1989. Therefore, answering the question of when the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany began, it should be called 1989.

On September 2, 1990, the foreign ministers of the FRG, Great Britain, the GDR, the USA, the USSR and France signed an agreement concerning the fate of Germany, which in practice meant that the borders of the FRG would expand, absorbing the GDR completely.

It is interesting to note that the United States did not plan to withdraw its troops from the territory of the FRG, while the USSR agreed to carry out a complete withdrawal of Soviet and Russian troops from East Germany before 1994. this name replaced the previous GSVG) at the time of withdrawal included:

• 546,200 soldiers;
• 115,000 units of military equipment;
• 667,000 tons of ammunition;
• 36,290 buildings and structures in 777 military camps.

The withdrawal of such a huge number of troops meant for the USSR a shameful retreat to nowhere.

Troop withdrawal

In 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev announced the withdrawal from Germany of 4 divisions of armored vehicles attacking the air force, as well as short-range nuclear missiles. Starting from that date, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany became the most full-scale transfer of military forces in the history of mankind. Despite the enormous difficulties in transferring such a quantity of military and military equipment from the GDR to the USSR, the withdrawal deadlines were not violated, and the plan was completed by August 1994. The German government pledged to allocate DM 15 million to cover the costs required by the withdrawal of troops.

The withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany was carried out mainly by sea, in particular, through the ports of the German city of Rostock and the island of Rügen, as well as by rail through Poland.

Problems during the withdrawal of troops

One of the main problems during the years of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany was the issue of housing. It was originally planned to withdraw troops as housing was built for them at home. However, according to the last commander-in-chief of the Western Group of Forces, Matvey Burlakov, "the country's government did not think about its own army." Moreover, the president of Russia at that time, Boris Yeltsin, in order to meet the requirements of the Western authorities, spoke in favor of reducing the withdrawal period by 4 months.

Of the promised 15 million marks for the construction of housing for soldiers, Germany paid only 8 million. As a result, only 45,000 houses were built for Soviet soldiers in Ukraine and Belarus. More than 170,000 Soviet officers and 160,000 soldiers were left homeless.

The withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany was also a personal disaster for many thousands of soldiers. Their wives and children were sent to their parents' houses, many soldiers remained to live in tents and tents. Most of the families were never able to reunite again.

Another important issue was the compensation of the USSR for the property they left on German territory. The total value of this property at that time was estimated at $28 billion. Only $385 million was paid to Russia as compensation.

Most of the Soviet military units were disbanded after their withdrawal from Germany. Many Germans sympathized with the Soviet soldiers, because they understood that there was not even housing for them in their homeland. The famous historian Werner Borchert said that Soviet soldiers were friends for many Germans.

Many East Germans were on good terms with the Soviet soldiers, as they had been in German territory for several decades. During the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the German people saw off the soldiers with rallies and flowers.

Completion of the withdrawal of troops

The Russian ground forces left German soil on June 25, 1994. Withdrawal celebrations were held on June 11, 1994 in the city of Wünsdorf and in Treptow Park on August 31, 1994. The last date is considered the official date when the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany was completed. The festive ceremony in Treptow Park was attended by (German chancellor) and Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Matvey Burlakov - Commander-in-Chief of the Western Group of Forces left Germany by plane on September 1, 1994.