Chechen epic 1994-1996. It started suddenly and ended unexpectedly. Today we openly call it war. And then we went to restore the “constitutional order”. We thought that everything would cost little blood, and most importantly, we were sure that our actions were correct and justified.

It was then. We have returned. But the events of those days come back to mind again and again. The thought that our efforts, the exertion of strength, will, nerves, the death of comrades - all this was not necessary to anyone. It is terrible to realize that, relying on holy words about duty and honor to the Motherland, officer honor, we have been made pawns in someone else's game.

How it all began

Second half of January. Our 119th regiment of the Tula Airborne Division is located in Grozny itself, near the railway station. A few days ago, when the regiment entered the city, there was an uninterrupted roar of gunfire, machine-gun fire scattered through the streets. Now there is a positional lull – there is time to take a break and put yourself in order.

Muddy weather, chill to the bone. It's good that the potbelly stoves brought us - at least some warmth. A big problem with drinking water, you don’t even have to think about elementary washing. Not far from the station, in a broken warehouse, the fighters got hold of three-liter cans of grape juice, and this is how we save ourselves.

But, as they say, a person is an animal that gets used to everything. We are accustomed to the cold, we are equipping our life. Within a short time of our stay here we began to feel almost at home.

Yesterday, around noon, the militants fired at us from a mortar. The mines lay not far, 20-40 meters from our headquarters. We managed to shoot back several times, but to no avail. Apparently, the mortar of the militants was installed on the car - they immediately disappeared from the shelling.

A couple of days later, the shelling was repeated. It seems that someone is correcting the fire of the Dudaevites.

One day, during the formation of personnel for briefing, a deafening explosion was heard above our heads. A mine of militants landed in the window of the second floor, in the room of the commander of the combined battalion Glebov and the chief of artillery Orekhov. Half a minute later, the commander, all in whitewash, jumped out - alive and unharmed. But junior sergeant Savelyev from my platoon was still there. It turned out that he was stunned by a door torn off its hinges. The main thing is that he stayed alive.

Breaking News: Information and Disinformation

There was a message on the radio that "... the other day Dudayev's men made an attempt to seize the railway station." According to the journalist: “... the militants succeeded in the raid. As a result, the landing regiment from Naro-Fominsk was completely destroyed. We have long forgotten how to laugh, but this journalistic nonsense amused us. However, soon our fun was replaced by heavy thoughts. it the message could be heard by relatives and friends. At the thought of what was happening at home now, the fingers clenched into a fist of their own accord.

Such "reliable" reports in the media are not uncommon. In pursuit of another sensation, journalists give out information, for greater importance, calling it "just received from the front line." For the majority of Russian citizens, the media is the only source of information about the situation in Chechnya. And it is not their fault that on the basis of such journalistic "misinformation" the majority has an erroneous idea of ​​​​what is really happening. And for the entire time of our stay at the station there was not a single correspondent nearby.

Today it is planned to seize a twelve-story hotel and the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. At dawn, the assault groups of the battalions of the Tula and Ryazan regiments will begin to advance through our positions, and I need to notify my posts.

On the eve of the tanks direct fire hit the hotel. There seemed to be no living space left of the building. However, as soon as the shelling stopped, enemy snipers and grenade launchers resumed firing from the ruins.

The hotel is the highest point in this area of ​​Grozny. The purpose of the upcoming operation is to completely clear the hotel of militants and put our fighters there.

I'm going to posts. The snow has already stopped. Stars peek through the night sky. Around - an unusual silence.

Suddenly, a thud. From the side of the houses adjacent to the station, a chain of people stretches. It was the battalions that were going to take the hotel tonight. Only you can’t call them battalions anymore, in companies there are a little more than half of the personnel. They walk in silence, only separate commands of officers are heard. I peered into the concentrated faces of the fighters passing by me. From under the helmets, the eyes of young soldiers gleam, whom the war seems to have aged by a dozen years. I mentally wish them good luck.

…Morning. According to information received, the hotel was taken immediately after dawn. There are no casualties on our side, several people were injured. Destroyed two dozen militants. Among them, one Russian, as it turned out, comes from Pskov. In fact, there is a fratricidal war going on. Damn disgusting and embarrassing...

House of Culture. North bank of the river Sunzha. Who to surrender?

There was a funny episode. A message came from the forward posts: the commander of one detachment of militants offers us negotiations on surrender. Considering that the militants decided to surrender, the battalion commander Prusakov went to the meeting. The bridge over the Sunzha was chosen as the venue for negotiations.

An hour later, the battalion commander returned. Imagine our surprise when the results of the negotiations became clear. It turns out that it was the commander of a detachment of militants who offered our battalion commander to surrender. The negotiations ended with Prusakov, in turn, suggesting that the militants lay down their arms, warning in the end that he would not go to renegotiations. On that they parted.

After listening to the battalion commander, he was bombarded with questions from all sides:

- What is a militant commander?

- Weak! The grip is weak and the hand trembles.

Morning. The battalion took up initial positions in the area of ​​the bridge and is waiting for a signal to start the attack ...

We have to capture the bridgehead and a number of houses on Saykhanov Street. According to preliminary information, the strongholds of the enemy were located here.

Dawn came, the start of the operation had to be postponed an hour ahead of schedule. During the offensive, they decided to split into two groups, which would go along two streets.

With a quick step we move along the sidewalks, we did not meet the enemy. As a rule, artillery works quarter after quarter, supporting the advance of the companies to the designated strong point. The militants knew about this and, probably, in order not to fall under a hurricane of fire, they withdrew from their positions.

The assault groups are commanded by Major Prusakov. I requested permission to begin the capture of the quarter by comm. The commander of the combined battalion gives permission, but warns: “Do not rush, do not ask for trouble. Act according to the situation. In case of strong resistance, the offensive should be stopped - artillery will take over the Dudaevites. However, we did not encounter anything serious.

Refugees

Increasingly, local residents began to appear on our way. Caught in the meat grinder of war, people, as a rule, unite for joint survival in the basements of houses and bomb shelters. They look haunted. Officers specially selected from the units conduct a daily check by name. The population is not recommended to leave the basements once again. People eat canned preparations, the stock of which has remained since the pre-war period. The big problem of the “basement inmates” is drinking water, which each of them extracts as best he can.

In recent days, more and more refugees come to the location of the regiment. Basically, they are residents of Grozny, Russians by nationality. Many have one question: “How to leave Chechnya and go to relatives in Russia?” The commander instructed his deputy to organize the delivery of refugees to the Severny airport. From there, military transport aircraft are planning to send refugees deep into Russia.

This news quickly spreads around the nearest cellars of the quarter. Very soon, large groups of people began to flock to the headquarters. Such an influx of Russian-speaking refugees is explained by the fact that railway workers live in this area of ​​the city.

Arriving at the location of our unit, they begin by trying to speak out, to throw out what has boiled in their souls. These stories paint a picture of the lawlessness that took place in Chechnya before the introduction of federal troops. Most of the refugees note that with the coming to power of Dudayev, significant changes took place in the republic, from which the Russian population suffered mainly. Practically no new money was introduced - they used the old banknotes. The elderly were not given pensions. A targeted oppression of the Russians began.

A specific technique for buying and selling real estate became widespread: individual Chechens chose their victim in advance, entering the house of a Russian, from the threshold they announced that they were buying a plot from him. At the same time, they called a negligible price. In case of refusal, they threatened with weapons.

Under the barrel of a machine gun, you won’t particularly object - a plot or a house could be taken away by force. I had to agree with the "offered" price and take as much as they give.

But the worst grief, according to local old-timers, is the burning of Russian houses, which have become widespread. As soon as such a family went to visit relatives living, say, in the Tver region, for a short time, the house was set on fire on the second or third day. The family simply had nowhere to return to.

According to Russian refugees, the local authorities turned a blind eye to everything that was happening. By means of such "radical measures" an unspoken genocide of the Russian-speaking population was carried out.

In the afternoon, a resident of Grozny came. She asked me to take her to the commander. From her story it followed that there were bandits nearby. The map showed their locations. She explained that the militants came to the city from the south-western direction on buses. Having passed through the streets of Saykhanov or Pavel Musorov, they stop at Minutka Square, from where they disperse in groups to points-positions.

After further clarification of the information, we carried out several fire raids.

In general, local residents often pointed out the houses where the militants were located. Thanks to this information, we managed to save many soldiers' lives. We also did not remain in debt - we always shared bread, food, water with local people.

By evening, more than half of the block is under our control. At the next meeting, the battalion commander reported the situation. The map shows houses that are completely occupied by us. Separately, we note those houses where one entrance is occupied by ours, the other by Dudayev's people. For the most part, the operation is going well. Tomorrow it was decided to clear the other part of the quarter and the houses adjacent to it. It was decided to continue the offensive in the morning.

Apparently, by the morning the main part of the militants retreated. Only isolated shots can be heard in the distance. Several groups of the enemy did not have time to retreat and entrenched themselves in the basements, from which they snarl with fire. You'll have to smoke them out.

The battalion commander decided not to waste precious time, to pursue the retreating enemy in hot pursuit. Part of the unit was left in the quarter liberated from militants for protection, the rest continued the offensive.

Soon the battalion, pursuing the enemy, went to the outskirts of the city and occupied the defense area. Thanks to the timely decision of the battalion commander, the battalion completed the task in the shortest possible time and with the least losses.

Dudes and professionals

... At the end of February, our unit was moved to new positions. It is quiet around, there is no shooting, the sun is hot. It seems that the war is already over. In the distance, the approaching rumble of an engine was heard. A few minutes later, three armored personnel carriers arrived. On the armor - fighters in camouflage and with masks on their faces. It turned out that they were riot police. They were relocated to our place to clean up the neighborhoods.

From the habits and unusually clean camouflage of the riot police, it is clear that they have not yet tried real gunpowder, although they are trying to look like tough professionals. Such clean and well-groomed fighters are often shown on television. Looking at them, my guys are well aware that the main burden of the harsh military life will still fall on the shoulders of the paratroopers and mother infantry.

March 1995 Argun

At the beginning of March, a revival reigns in Grozny. Residents return to the liberated city, carrying the few belongings that they managed to take with them. In the center of the city life is already seething, there is even a small bazaar where they sell small goods and products. Cars are on the streets again. Everything indicates that peaceful life is getting better. However, one should not forget that under the guise of citizens, militants may again infiltrate the liberated city to carry out sabotage. An order came for the redeployment of our landing battalion near Argun.

Having driven away from Grozny, we felt that it was somehow easier to breathe. It is much easier to fight in the field: you know where are yours and where are strangers. At a crossroads about three kilometers from Grozny, a plane blocks the road to Argun. In appearance - combat training, type L-29. Not sure how he got here. The nearest airfield is in Khankala. Who thought to bring him here? Having traveled around an unexpected obstacle, we turn onto a dirt road ...

Throughout the route - separate checkpoints, mostly one tank and a few infantry. Finally the column stopped. Nearby are brick buildings reminiscent of MTS workshops. Two battalions have already occupied strongholds along the banks of the Argun River. After a thorough reconnaissance of the area and a study of the situation, our battalion will force the river and go to break through the defense of the Dudaevites.

The enemy has settled thoroughly. Through binoculars, the trenches dug by the militants "in full growth" and hidden approaches to them are clearly visible. The media have already stated: "Dudaev's people have turned Argun into an impregnable fortress."

Frenchman

Spring has come. The sun is getting hotter. Today, two strangers came to the dining room together with Lieutenant Colonel Glebov for breakfast. After a short conversation, it turned out that one of them was a French correspondent, the other a translator.

The appearance of a correspondent, and even a Frenchman, came as a complete surprise to us. During our entire stay in Chechnya, we did not even see a Russian journalist, let alone a foreign one. Everyone is happy about the appearance of the correspondent: “At least one journalist will see what is really happening here,” for the first time in the entire Chechen campaign, truthful material about this war will appear in the press, even in the French one.

As it turned out, he ended up with us by accident - he got lost on the way and ended up in the location of the Russian troops. However, judging by his mood, this vicissitude of fate did not upset the correspondent very much: “You are closer to the front line here, and this is exactly what I need.” As it turned out during the conversation, the North Caucasus is far from the first "hot spot" where the journalistic profession threw him. Been to Afghanistan many times. And before arriving in Chechnya, he visited Yugoslavia, where, according to him, he had seen enough of arbitrariness, excesses and violations of human rights.

The foreign correspondent stayed with us for a week. He was dressed in camouflage so that he would not stand out in any way. The firing of artillery made a special impression on the Frenchman. He was surprised that "in such difficult conditions, the Russian soldier not only fights well, but also retains that vital activity that is inherent in people who are confident in their rightness." Most of all, the journalist was amazed when he saw the book by Scott Fitzgerald in my hands!

I must say that it was much more difficult to communicate with our Russian journalists.

The end of March. Northern bank of the Argun river

Two days later, the attack. The fulfillment of the main task is entrusted to our battalion. Artillery will launch a fire attack on targets in the depth of the enemy's echeloned defense.

The plan of operation provides for a certain tactical cunning. We preliminarily determined the location of the enemy's strongholds, which stretched in a chain along the river bank. We create the appearance of a supposed breakthrough in one area, when a ford was explored 1.5-2 km to the east, where, according to our data, the enemy’s defense is much weaker. There will be the main direction of impact.

Morning. 5 hours 20 minutes. Chilly. In a few minutes, the air will be shaken by the explosions of shells and the countdown of lives and deaths will begin. I reported to the head of artillery of the division about the readiness of the division and ... a command was given to open fire. An artillery salvo broke the predawn silence.

Afternoon. According to incoming information, advanced units have reached the railroad tracks. The battalion wedged into the enemy defenses for 3–4 km. All this time, artillery does not stop working: salvo fire is replaced by "running at the target." Data from the division headquarters confirmed that our morning maneuver was a complete success, the Dudayevites clearly did not expect an attack from this direction and began to hastily leave. From the radio interception of the enemy: “We did not expect that there would be so many of them here, about two thousand. We are retreating…” “Two thousand…” – why are there so many of us? Apparently, wanting to justify his withdrawal from the position, the field commander of the militants deliberately overestimated the number of personnel of our battalion.

Two days later

At last we reached the outskirts of Argun. Defense area: from the eastern outskirts of the city to the settlement. Jalka. The division headquarters is in the building of a local enterprise. The commander, who returned from the meeting, told the officers present: “The situation is developing successfully. Apparently, there will be no more active and large-scale actions. The remnants of the bandit formations retreated to the mountainous regions, and the end of the entire campaign is a matter of a few days.

First half of April 1995. Pending output

It's been about two weeks. A rumor swept through the group about our imminent withdrawal. In the evenings, the fighters are increasingly re-reading worn out letters from home. Most soldiers and officers have questions: “When will all this end? Who needs all this, and most importantly - for what? Finally, the order came: tomorrow at 6.00 the column should depart for the loading station - Chervlennaya. The news spread quickly to everyone. Pickup was scheduled for three hours.

Home!

… 5 hours 45 minutes. Dawn. The battalion column, roaring with engines, stands in anticipation of the battalion. From behind the turn appeared the lead car, on which a red flag fluttered. The path is not close - to the station about 40 km.

The route runs through Argun. The column goes along the main street. Children run in the yards. The women left their houses. Squatting and clicking seeds, they accompany us with curious glances. After a tiring ride across the plain, the column rested at the foot of the ridge. The cars shifted into low gears and began to rise. An endless plain stretches between two massive mountain ranges. The tops of the mountains are covered with snow, while meadows and fields grow green at their foot. A bewitching picture.

Loading was planned in two echelons. The battalion is loaded into the first, and the division and support units are loaded into the second.

Last salute

Having settled the affairs at the station, he sat down on a bench in anticipation of the echelon. The station is in a state of turmoil. There is a brisk trade going on. Everything around is so ordinary and calm. It seems that there was no war at all. Only military echelons with equipment remind us that the war is nearby - behind the ridge.

The duty officer came running and reported on the approach of the echelon. Leaving Chervlennaya station, they gave a salute from flare guns - a bouquet of multi-colored lights bloomed in the air.

This is a salute in honor of the fact that we are leaving with a sense of accomplishment. And most importantly, this is a salute in memory of our guys who died in Chechnya. Those twenty dead soldiers and sergeants of the regiment who will never return home. This is a salute to those guys who will heal their wounds for a long time to come.

Goodbye Chechnya! Thank you for opening our eyes to many things, for showing the state of our country and its Armed Forces.

They wanted us to win quickly. But how can a scolded, spat on and humiliated army fight well?

A branch of the Armed Forces, which is a reserve of the Supreme High Command and is specially designed to cover the enemy by air and perform tasks in his rear to disrupt command and control, capture and destroy ground elements of high-precision weapons, disrupt the advancement and deployment of reserves, disrupt the rear and communications, as well as covering (defending) certain areas, areas, open flanks, blocking and destroying airborne assault forces, enemy groupings that have broken through, and performing many other tasks.

In peacetime, the Airborne Troops perform the main tasks of maintaining combat and mobilization readiness at a level that ensures their successful use as intended.

In the Russian Armed Forces they are a separate branch of the military.

Also, the Airborne Forces are often used as rapid reaction forces.

The main method of delivery of the Airborne Forces is parachute landing, they can also be delivered by helicopter; during World War II, glider delivery was practiced.

Airborne Forces of the USSR

pre-war period

At the end of 1930, near Voronezh, in the 11th Infantry Division, a Soviet airborne unit was created - an airborne landing detachment. In December 1932, he was deployed to the 3rd Special Purpose Aviation Brigade (OsNaz), which since 1938 became known as the 201st Airborne Brigade.

The very first use of airborne assault in the history of military affairs took place in the spring of 1929. In the city of Garm besieged by the Basmachi, a group of armed Red Army soldiers was landed from the air, and with the support of local residents, they completely defeated the gang that had invaded the territory of Tajikistan from abroad. But still, the Day of the Airborne Forces in Russia and a number of other countries is considered to be August 2, in honor of the parachute landing at the military exercise of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh on August 2, 1930.

in 1931, on the basis of an order dated March 18, a non-standard, experienced aviation motorized landing detachment (airborne landing detachment) was formed in the Leningrad Military District. It was intended to study issues of operational-tactical use and the most advantageous organizational forms of airborne landing (airborne) units, units and formations. The detachment consisted of 164 personnel and consisted of:

One rifle company;
-individual platoons: sapper, communications and light vehicles;
- heavy bomber aviation squadron (air squadron) (12 aircraft - TB-1);
- one corps aviation detachment (air detachment) (10 aircraft - R-5).
The detachment was armed with:

Two 76-mm Kurchevsky dynamo-reactive cannons (DRP);
-two wedges - T-27;
-4 grenade launchers;
-3 light armored vehicles (armored vehicles);
-14 light and 4 heavy machine guns;
-10 trucks and 16 cars;
-4 motorcycles and one scooter
E. D. Lukin was appointed commander of the detachment. Subsequently, a non-standard paratrooper detachment was formed in the same air brigade.

In 1932, the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR issued a decree on the deployment of detachments into special aviation battalions (bOSNAZ). By the end of 1933, there were already 29 airborne battalions and brigades that were part of the Air Force. The LenVO (Leningrad Military District) was entrusted with the task of training airborne instructors and developing operational and tactical standards.

By the standards of that time, the airborne units were an effective means of disorganizing the control and rear of the enemy. They were to be used where other branches of the armed forces (infantry, artillery, cavalry, armored forces) could not solve this problem at the moment, and were also intended to be used by the high command in cooperation with troops advancing from the front, airborne assault forces were supposed to help encirclement and defeat of the enemy in this direction.

Staff No. 015/890 of 1936 of the "Airborne Brigade" (Adbr) of wartime and peacetime. Name of units, number of wartime personnel (number of peacetime personnel in parentheses):

Management, 49 (50);
- communication company, 56 (46);
-musician platoon, 11 (11);
-3 airborne battalions, each, 521 (381);
- school of junior officers, 0 (115);
-services, 144 (135);
Total: in the brigade, 1823 (1500); Personnel:

Command staff, 107 (118);
- Commanding staff, 69 (60);
- Junior command and command staff, 330 (264);
- Privates, 1317 (1058);
-Total: 1823 (1500);

Material part:

45 mm anti-tank gun, 18 (19);
-Light machine guns, 90 (69);
-Radio stations, 20 (20);
-Automatic carbines, 1286 (1005);
-Light mortars, 27 (20);
- Cars, 6 (6);
- Trucks, 63 (51);
-Special vehicles, 14 (14);
- Cars "Pickup", 9 (8);
-Motorcycles, 31 (31);
- Tractors ChTZ, 2 (2);
- Tractor trailers, 4 (4);
In the prewar years, a lot of forces and funds were allocated for the development of airborne troops, the development of the theory of their combat use, as well as practical training. In 1934, 600 paratroopers were involved in the exercises of the Red Army. In 1935, during the maneuvers of the Kyiv Military District, 1,188 paratroopers were parachuted and a landing force consisting of 2,500 people landed along with military equipment.

In 1936, 3,000 paratroopers were parachuted into the Belarusian Military District, 8,200 people with artillery and other military equipment were landed by landing method. The invited foreign military delegations present at these exercises were amazed by the size of the landings and the skill of landing.

"31. Airborne units, as a new type of airborne infantry, are a means of disorganizing the enemy's command and rear. They are used by the high command.
In cooperation with the troops advancing from the front, the air infantry helps encircle and defeat the enemy in a given direction.

The use of air infantry must be strictly in accordance with the conditions of the situation and requires reliable provision and observance of measures of secrecy and surprise.
- Chapter two "Organization of the troops of the Red Army" 1. Types of troops and their combat use, Field Charter of the Red Army (PU-39)

The paratroopers gained experience in real battles. In 1939, the 212th Airborne Brigade took part in the defeat of the Japanese at Khalkhin Gol. For their courage and heroism, 352 paratroopers were awarded orders and medals. In 1939-1940, during the Soviet-Finnish war, the 201st, 202nd and 214th airborne brigades fought together with rifle units.

Based on the experience gained in 1940, new staffs of brigades were approved as part of three combat groups: parachute, glider and landing.

In preparation for the operation to annex Bessarabia to the USSR, occupied by Romania, as well as Northern Bukovina, the command of the Red Army enlisted the 201st, 204th and 214th airborne brigades in the Southern Front. During the operation, combat missions were received by the 204th and 201st adbrs and landings were thrown into the area of ​​Bolgrad and Izmail, and after the state border was closed to organize Soviet governments in settlements.

The Great Patriotic War

By the beginning of 1941, on the basis of the existing airborne brigades, airborne corps were deployed, numbering more than 10 thousand people each.
On September 4, 1941, by order of the People's Commissar, the Office of the Airborne Forces was transformed into the Office of the Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Red Army, and the formations and units of the Airborne Forces were removed from the command of the commanders of the active fronts and transferred to the direct subordination of the commander of the Airborne Forces. In accordance with this order, ten airborne corps, five maneuverable airborne brigades, five reserve airborne regiments and an airborne school (Kuibyshev) were formed. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Airborne Forces were an independent branch of the forces (troops) of the Red Army Air Force.

In the counter-offensive near Moscow, conditions appeared for the widespread use of the Airborne Forces. In the winter of 1942, the Vyazemsky airborne operation was carried out with the participation of the 4th airborne corps. In September 1943, an airborne assault consisting of two brigades was used to help the troops of the Voronezh Front in forcing the Dnieper River. In the Manchurian strategic operation in August 1945, more than 4 thousand people of the personnel of rifle units were landed for landing operations by landing method, who quite successfully completed their tasks.

In October 1944, the Airborne Forces were transformed into a separate Guards Airborne Army, which became part of the long-range aviation. In December 1944, this army was, on the basis of the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of December 18, 1944, transformed into the 9th Guards Army, on the basis of the command of the 7th Army and formations of a separate Guards Airborne Army with direct subordination to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. The airborne divisions were reorganized into rifle divisions.
At the same time, the Airborne Forces Directorate was created with direct subordination to the Air Force Commander. Three airborne brigades, a training airborne regiment, advanced training courses for officers and an aeronautical division remained in the Airborne Forces. At the end of the winter of 1945, the 9th Guards Army, consisting of the 37th, 38th, and 39th Guards Rifle Corps, was concentrated in Hungary southeast of Budapest; On February 27, she became part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, on March 9 she was reassigned to the 3rd Ukrainian Front. In March - April 1945, the army took part in the Vienna strategic operation (March 16 - April 15), advancing in the direction of the front's main attack. In early May 1945, the army, as part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, took part in the Prague operation (May 6-11). The 9th Guards Army ended its combat path with an exit to the Elbe. The army was disbanded on May 11, 1945. The army commander was Colonel General Glagolev VV (December 1944 - until the end of the war). On June 10, 1945, in accordance with the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of May 29, 1945, the Central Group of Forces was formed, which included the 9th Guards Army. Later it was withdrawn to the Moscow District, where in 1946 its department was transformed into the Directorate of the Airborne Forces, and all its formations again became guards airborne - the 37th, 38th, 39th corps and 98, 99, 100, 103, 104 , 105, 106, 107, 114 airborne division (airborne division).

post-war period

Since 1946, they were transferred to the ground forces of the Armed Forces of the USSR, were directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense of the USSR, being the reserve of the Supreme Commander.
In 1956, two airborne divisions took part in the Hungarian events. In 1968, after the capture of two airfields near Prague and Bratislava, the 7th and 103rd Guards Airborne Divisions were landed, which ensured the successful completion of the task by formations and units of the United Armed Forces of the countries participating in the Warsaw Pact during the Czechoslovak events.

In the post-war period, a lot of work was done in the Airborne Forces to increase the firepower and mobility of personnel. Numerous samples of airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D), automotive equipment (TPK, GAZ-66), artillery systems (ACS-57, ASU-85, 2S9 Nona, 107-mm B-11 recoilless rifle) were made. Complex parachute systems were created for landing all types of weapons - "Centaur", "Reaktaur" and others. The fleet of military transport aviation, called for the mass transfer of landing formations in the event of large-scale hostilities, was also greatly increased. Large-body transport aircraft were made capable of parachute landing of military equipment (An-12, An-22, Il-76).

In the USSR, for the first time in the world, airborne troops were created, which had their own armored vehicles and self-propelled artillery. At large army exercises (like Shield-82 or Druzhba-82), personnel were landed with standard equipment numbering no more than two parachute regiments. The state of the military transport aviation of the USSR Armed Forces at the end of the 1980s allowed 75% of the personnel and standard military equipment of one airborne division to be dropped by parachute in just one general sortie.

By the fall of 1979, the 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division was disbanded, specially designed for combat operations in mountainous desert areas. Parts of the 105th Guards Airborne Division were deployed in the cities of Ferghana, Namangan and Chirchik of the Uzbek SSR and in the city of Osh of the Kirghiz SSR. As a result of the disbandment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division, the 4th separate airborne assault brigades (35th Guards, 38th Guards and 56th Guards), 40th (without the status of "Guards") and 345th Guards Separate Parachute Regiment.

The entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, which followed the disbandment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division in 1979, showed the profound fallacy of the decision taken by the leadership of the USSR Armed Forces - an airborne formation specially adapted for combat operations in mountainous desert areas was thoughtlessly and rather hastily was disbanded, and the 103rd Guards Airborne Division was eventually sent to Afghanistan, the personnel of which had no training at all for combat operations in such a theater of operations:

105th Guards Airborne Vienna Red Banner Division (mountain and desert).:
“... in 1986, the Commander of the Airborne Forces, Army General Sukhorukov D.F., arrived, he then said what fools we were, having disbanded the 105th airborne division, because it was specially designed for combat operations in mountainous desert areas. And we had to spend huge amounts of money to deliver the 103rd airborne division to Kabul by air ... "

By the mid-80s, the airborne troops of the USSR Armed Forces included 7 airborne divisions and three separate regiments with the following names and locations:

7th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division. Based in Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Baltic Military District.
-76th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree Chernihiv Airborne Division. It was stationed in Pskov, RSFSR, Leningrad Military District.
-98th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree Svir airborne division. It was based in the city of Bolgrad, Ukrainian SSR, KOdVO and in the city of Chisinau, Moldavian SSR, KOdVO.
-103rd Guards Red Banner Order of Lenin Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR. It was stationed in the city of Kabul (Afghanistan) as part of OKSVA. Until December 1979 and after February 1989, it was stationed in the city of Vitebsk, Byelorussian SSR, Belorussian Military District.
-104th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division, specially designed for combat operations in mountainous areas. It was stationed in the city of Kirovabad of the Azerbaijan SSR, Transcaucasian Military District.
-106th Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree airborne division. It was stationed in the city of Tula and in the city of Ryazan of the RSFSR, Moscow Military District.
-44th Training Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree and Bogdan Khmelnitsky II degree Ovruch airborne division. Located in the village Gayzhyunay of the Lithuanian SSR, Baltic VO.
-345th Guards Vienna Red Banner Order of Suvorov III degree parachute regiment named after the 70th anniversary of the Lenin Komsomol. It was located in the city of Bagram (Afghanistan) as part of OKSVA. Until December 1979, it was based in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, after February 1989 - in Kirovabad, Azerbaijan SSR, Transcaucasian Military District.
-387th training separate parachute regiment (387th oopdp). Until 1982, he was part of the 104th Guards Airborne Division. In the period from 1982 to 1988, young recruits were trained in the 387th opdp to be sent to the airborne and airborne assault units as part of the OKSVA. In cinematography, in the film "9th Company", the training part means precisely the 387th opdp. Based in the city of Fergana, Uzbek SSR, Turkestan Military District.
-196th Separate Communications Regiment of the Airborne Troops. Settled in the village. Bear Lakes, Moscow Region, RSFSR.
Each of these divisions included: a directorate (headquarters), three airborne regiments, one self-propelled artillery regiment, and combat support and logistics support units.

In addition to parachute units and formations, the airborne troops also had air assault units and formations, but they were directly subordinate to the commanders of the troops of military districts (groups of troops), armies or corps. They practically did not differ in anything, except for tasks, subordination and OShS (organizational staff structure). Methods of combat use, combat training programs for personnel, weapons and uniforms for military personnel were the same as for paratrooper units and formations of the Airborne Forces (central subordination). Air assault formations were represented by separate air assault brigades (ODSHBR), separate air assault regiments (ODSHP) and separate air assault battalions (ODSHB).

The reason for the creation of air assault units in the late 60s was the revision of tactics in the fight against the enemy in the event of a full-scale war. The stake was placed on the concept of using massive landings in the near rear of the enemy, capable of disorganizing the defense. The technical possibility for such a landing was provided by the fleet of transport helicopters in army aviation, which had significantly increased by this time.

By the mid-80s, the USSR Armed Forces included 14 separate brigades, two separate regiments and about 20 separate battalions. The brigades were based on the territory of the USSR according to the principle - one brigade per one military district, which has land access to the State border of the USSR, one brigade in the inner Kiev Military District (23rd brigade in Kremenchug, subordinate to the High Command of the southwestern direction) and two brigades for the group Soviet troops abroad (35gv.odshbr in the GSVG in the city of Cottbus and 83odshbr in the SGV in the city of Bialogard). 56ogdshbr in OKSVA, located in the city of Gardez of the Republic of Afghanistan, belonged to the Turkestan Military District, in which it was created.

Individual air assault regiments were subordinate to the commanders of individual army corps.

The difference between the parachute and airborne assault formations of the Airborne Forces was as follows:

In the presence of standard airborne armored vehicles (BMD, BTR-D, self-propelled guns "Nona", etc.). In the airborne assault units, only a quarter of all units were equipped with it - in contrast to 100% of its staffing in the paratrooper units.
- In the subordination of the troops. Airborne assault units, operationally, were directly subordinate to the command of military districts (groups of troops), armies, and corps. The parachute units were subordinate only to the command of the Airborne Forces, whose headquarters was in Moscow.
- In assigned tasks. It was assumed that the air assault units, in the event of the start of large-scale hostilities, would be used to land in the enemy's near rear, mainly by landing from helicopters. Parachute units were supposed to be used in a deeper rear of the enemy with a parachute landing from VTA aircraft (military transport aviation). At the same time, airborne training with planned training parachute landings of personnel and military equipment was mandatory for both types of airborne forces.
-Unlike the guards airborne units of the Airborne Forces deployed in full force, some airborne assault brigades were cadre (incomplete) and were not guards. The exception was three brigades that received the names of the Guards, created on the basis of the Guards parachute regiments, disbanded in 1979 by the 105th Vienna Red Banner Guards Airborne Division - the 35th, 38th and 56th. The 40th air assault brigade, created on the basis of the 612th separate airborne support battalion and the 100th separate reconnaissance company of the same division, did not receive the status of "guards".
In the mid-80s, the following brigades and regiments were part of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces:

11th separate airborne assault brigade in the Trans-Baikal Military District (Chita region, Mogocha and Amazar),
-13th separate airborne assault brigade in the Far Eastern Military District (Amur Region, Magdagachi and Zavitinsk),
-21st separate airborne assault brigade in the Transcaucasian Military District (Georgian SSR, Kutaisi),
-23rd separate air assault brigade of the South-Western direction (on the territory of the Kyiv Military District), (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug),
-35th Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (German Democratic Republic, Cottbus),
-36th separate airborne assault brigade in the Leningrad Military District (Leningrad region, Garbolovo village),
-37th separate airborne assault brigade in the Baltic Military District (Kaliningrad region, Chernyakhovsk),
-38th Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Brest),
-39th separate airborne assault brigade in the Carpathian Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Khyriv),
-40th separate airborne assault brigade in the Odessa Military District (Ukrainian SSR, village Bolshaya Korenikha, Nikolaev region),
-56th Guards Separate Air Assault Brigade in the Turkestan Military District (created in the city of Chirchik, Uzbek SSR and introduced into Afghanistan),
-57th separate airborne assault brigade in the Central Asian Military District (Kazakh SSR, Aktogay township),
-58th separate airborne assault brigade in the Kiev Military District (Ukrainian SSR, Kremenchug),
-83rd separate airborne assault brigade in the Northern Group of Forces, (Polish People's Republic, Bialogard),
-1318th separate airborne assault regiment in the Belarusian Military District (Belarusian SSR, Polotsk) subordinate to the 5th separate army corps (5oak)
-1319th separate airborne assault regiment in the Trans-Baikal Military District (Buryat ASSR, Kyakhta) subordinate to the 48th separate army corps (48oak)
These brigades had in their composition management, 3 or 4 air assault battalions, one artillery battalion and units of combat support and logistics. The personnel of fully deployed brigades ranged from 2,500 to 3,000 troops.
For example, the staffing strength of the 56gdshbr on December 1, 1986 was 2452 military personnel (261 officers, 109 ensigns, 416 sergeants, 1666 soldiers).

The regiments differed from the brigades in the presence of only two battalions: one paratrooper and one air assault (on the BMD), as well as a somewhat reduced composition of the regimental units.

Participation of the Airborne Forces in the Afghan War

In the Afghan war, from the airborne and airborne assault formations of the USSR Armed Forces, one airborne division (103 guards airborne division), one separate airborne assault brigade (56gdshbr), one separate airborne regiment (345gv.opdp) and two air assault battalions as part of separate motorized rifle brigades (in the 66th brigade and in the 70th brigade). In total, for 1987, these were 18 "linear" battalions (13 paratroopers and 5 airborne assaults), which accounted for a fifth of the total number of all OKSVA "linear" battalions (which included another 18 tank and 43 motorized rifle battalions).

In virtually the entire history of the Afghan war, not a single situation has arisen that would justify the use of parachute landing for the transfer of personnel. The main reasons here were the complexity of the mountainous terrain, as well as the unjustified material costs in using such methods in the counter-guerrilla war. The delivery of personnel of the parachute and airborne assault units to the mountainous areas of hostilities, impassable for armored vehicles, was carried out only by landing method using helicopters. Therefore, the division of the line battalions of the Airborne Forces in OKSVA into airborne assault and airborne assault should be considered conditional. Both those and other types of battalions acted according to the same scheme.

As in all motorized rifle, tank and artillery units as part of the OKSVA, up to half of all units of the airborne and airborne assault formations were assigned to guard outposts, which made it possible to control roads, mountain passes and the vast territory of the country, significantly restricting the the very actions of the enemy. For example, battalions of the 350th Guards RAP were often based in various parts of Afghanistan (in Kunar, Girishka, Surubi), controlling the situation in these areas. The 2nd Airborne Battalion from the 345th Guards Opdp was distributed to 20 outposts in the Panjshir Gorge near the village of Anava. By this very 2pdb 345opdp (together with the 682nd motorized rifle regiment of the 108th motorized rifle division stationed in the village of Rukha) completely blocked the western exit from the gorge, which was the main transport artery of the enemy from Pakistan to the strategically important Charikar Valley.

The most massive combat airborne operation in the USSR Armed Forces, in the period after the Great Patriotic War, must be considered the 5th Panjshir Operation in May-June 1982, during which the first mass landing of the 103rd Guards Airborne Forces in Afghanistan was carried out: only during the first three days, more than 4 thousand people were parachuted from helicopters. In total, about 12 thousand military personnel of various branches of the armed forces participated in this operation. The operation took place simultaneously for all 120 km deep into the gorge. As a result of the operation, most of the Panjshir Gorge was taken under control.

In the period from 1982 to 1986, in all airborne divisions of OKSVA, a systematic replacement of regular airborne armored vehicles (BMD-1, BTR-D) with armored vehicles, standard for motorized rifle units (BMP-2D, BTR-70) was carried out. First of all, this was due to the rather low security and low motor resource of the structurally lightweight armored vehicles of the Airborne Forces, as well as the nature of the hostilities, where combat missions performed by paratroopers will not differ much from the tasks assigned to motorized rifles.

Also, to increase the firepower of the landing units, additional artillery and tank units will be introduced into their composition. For example, 345opdp, modeled on a motorized rifle regiment, will be supplemented with an artillery howitzer battalion and a tank company, in the 56th brigade the artillery battalion was deployed up to 5 fire batteries (instead of the prescribed 3 batteries), and the 103rd Guards Airborne Division will be given to reinforce the 62nd separate tank battalion, which was unusual for the organizational and staff structure of the Airborne Forces units on the territory of the USSR.

Training of officers for the airborne troops

Officers were trained by the following military educational institutions in the following military specialties:

Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School - commander of an airborne (airborne assault) platoon, commander of a reconnaissance platoon.
- Landing Department of the Ryazan Military Automobile Institute - commander of an automobile / transport platoon.
- Landing Department of the Ryazan Higher Military Command School of Communications - commander of a communications platoon.
-Airborne faculty of the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School - deputy company commander for political affairs (educational work).
-Airborne Department of the Kolomna Higher Artillery Command School - commander of an artillery platoon.
-Poltava Higher Anti-Aircraft Missile Command Red Banner School - commander of an anti-aircraft artillery, anti-aircraft missile platoon.
- Landing department of the Kamenetz-Podolsky Higher Military Engineering Command School - commander of an engineering platoon.
In addition to graduates of these educational institutions, the Airborne Forces often appointed platoon commanders, graduates of higher combined arms schools (VOKU) and military departments that trained motorized rifle platoon commanders. This was due to the fact that the specialized Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, which produced an average of about 300 lieutenants every year, was simply not able to fully meet the needs of the Airborne Forces (at the end of the 80s they had about 60,000 personnel) in platoon leaders. For example, the former commander of 247gv.pdp (7gv.vdd), Hero of the Russian Federation Em Yuri Pavlovich, who began his service in the Airborne Forces as a platoon commander in 111gv.pdp 105gv.vdd, graduated from the Alma-Ata Higher Combined Arms Command School.

For quite a long time, military units and units of the Special Forces (the so-called now army special forces) were erroneously and / or deliberately called paratroopers. This circumstance is connected with the fact that in the Soviet period, as now, the Russian Armed Forces did not have and do not have special forces, but there were and are units and units of the Special Forces (SpN) of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. The phrase “special forces” or “commandos” was mentioned in the press and in the media only in relation to the troops of a potential enemy (“Green Berets”, “Rangers”, “Commandos”).

Starting from the formation of these units in the USSR Armed Forces in 1950 until the end of the 80s, the existence of such units and units was completely denied. It got to the point that conscripts learned about their existence only when they were accepted into the personnel of these units and units. Officially, in the Soviet press and on television, units and units of the Special Forces of the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces were announced either as parts of the Airborne Forces - as in the case of the GSVG (officially there were no Special Forces units in the GDR), or as in the case of OKSVA - separate motorized rifle battalions (omsb). For example, the 173rd separate special forces detachment (173ooSpN), based near the city of Kandahar, was called the 3rd separate motorized rifle battalion (3omsb)

In everyday life, servicemen of subdivisions and units of the Special Forces wore full dress and field uniforms adopted in the Airborne Forces, although they did not belong to the Airborne Forces either in terms of subordination or in terms of the assigned tasks of reconnaissance and sabotage activities. The only thing that united the Airborne Forces and units and units of the Special Forces was most of the officers - RVVDKU graduates, airborne training and possible combat use behind enemy lines.

Airborne Forces of Russia

The decisive role in the formation of the theory of combat use and the development of weapons of the airborne troops belongs to the Soviet military leader Vasily Filippovich Margelov, commander of the Airborne Forces from 1954 to 1979. The name of Margelov is also associated with the positioning of airborne formations as highly maneuverable, covered with armor and having sufficient fire efficiency units to participate in modern strategic operations in various theaters of military operations. On his initiative, the technical re-equipment of the Airborne Forces was launched: serial production of landing equipment was launched at defense production enterprises, modifications of small arms designed specifically for paratroopers were made, new military equipment was modernized and created (including the first BMD-1 tracked combat vehicle), were taken to armament and new military transport aircraft entered the troops, and finally, their own symbols of the Airborne Forces were created - vests and blue berets. His personal contribution to the formation of the Airborne Forces in their modern form was formulated by General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko:

"In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, his name will remain forever. He personified a whole era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces, their authority and popularity are associated with his name not only in our country, but and abroad...
…AT. F. Margelov realized that in modern operations, only highly mobile, capable of wide maneuver landing forces would be able to successfully operate deep behind enemy lines. He categorically rejected the installation of holding the area captured by the landing until the approach of the troops advancing from the front by the method of tough defense as detrimental, because in this case the landing would be quickly destroyed.

During the Second World War, the largest operational-tactical formations of the airborne troops (forces) - the army - were formed. The Airborne Army (VDA) was specially designed to carry out major operational and strategic tasks behind enemy lines. It was first created at the end of 1943 in Nazi Germany as part of several airborne divisions. In 1944, the Anglo-American command also created such an army, consisting of two airborne corps (a total of five airborne divisions) and several military transport aviation formations. These armies never took part in hostilities in full force.
-During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, tens of thousands of soldiers, sergeants, officers of the airborne units of the Red Army Air Force were awarded orders and medals, and 126 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
-After the end of the Great Patriotic War and for several decades, the Airborne Forces of the USSR (Russia) were and probably remain the most massive airborne troops on Earth.
-Only Soviet paratroopers in full combat gear were able to land on the North Pole, back in the late 40s
- Only Soviet paratroopers dared to jump from many kilometers in airborne combat vehicles.
-The abbreviation of the Airborne Forces is sometimes deciphered as “Two hundred options are possible”, “Uncle Vasya’s troops”, “Your girls are widows”, “I’m unlikely to return home”, “The paratrooper will withstand everything”, “Everything for you”, “Troops for the war”, etc. d.

On August 2, 1930, exercises of the Air Force (VVS) were held near Voronezh. A feature of the exercises was the parachute landing of a military unit in the amount of twelve people from the Farman-Goliath aircraft. This date became the day of the Red Army, which later became a separate branch of the army, commanded by the commander. The commanders of the Airborne Forces were appointed from among experienced combat officers.

New kind of troops

The first airborne unit was formed in the USSR in 1931. In December 1932, the Revolutionary Military Council, by its Decree, introduces airborne units. The mass deployment of units of a new kind of troops began, the motto of which in the future will be "No one but us."

Initially, the airborne units were part of the structure of the Red Army Air Force, but on June 3, 1946, by a decree of the USSR government, the Airborne Forces were transferred personally to the Minister of the Armed Forces (AF) of the USSR. In this regard, the staff unit of the commander of this type of troops was introduced.

The commanders of the Airborne Forces of the USSR and the Russian Federation, each in his time, made a contribution, some more, some less, to the development of their troops.

Commanders of the "winged infantry" of the USSR

During the existence of the Airborne Forces, the command of these special forces was entrusted to fifteen commanders.

Vasily Vasilievich Glagolev opens the list - in 1946 he headed a new branch of the armed forces in the USSR.

Since October 1947, after the sudden death of V.V. Glagolev, Alexander Fedorovich Kazankin is appointed commander.

Less than a year (late 1948 - September 1949) airborne troops were under the command of Rudenko Sergei Ignatievich, Air Marshal.

General Gorbatov A.V. commanded the Airborne Forces from 1950 to 1954.

The legendary man Margelov V.F. led the airborne paratroopers for more than 20 years (1954 - January 1979).

In subsequent years, the commanders of the USSR Airborne Forces held their posts for a maximum of a year or two, with the exception of D.S. Sukhorukov:

• Tutarinov I. V. (1959 - 1961);
• Sukhorukov D.S. (1979 - 1987);
• Kalinin N. V. (1987 - early 1989);
• Achalov V. A. (1989 - 1990);
• Grachev P. S. (January - August 1991);

Podkolzin E.N. became the last commander of the "winged infantry" of the USSR and the first - of Russia (August 1991 - November 1996).

Commanders of the "blue berets" of Russia

With the formation of the Russian Federation, there is a certain stability in the leadership of the Airborne Forces: the commanders hold their positions for a longer time, which indicates the seriousness of the selection of personnel in the Ministry of Defense of the country.

For the last quarter of a century, the Russian Airborne Forces have been under the command of generals:

• Podkolzin Evgeny Nikolaevich (September 1991 - December 1996);
• Shpak Georgy Ivanovich (December 1996 - September 2003);
• Evtukhovich Valery Evgenievich (November 2007 - May 2009);
• Shamanov Vladimir Anatolyevich (May 2009 - present);

First Commander

After the withdrawal from the subordination of the Air Force, the first commander of the Airborne Forces was appointed Minister of the USSR Armed Forces: General Vasily Vasilyevich Glagolev became him.

Born February 21, 1896. He received his primary education in elementary school and a real school in Kaluga.

With the beginning of the civil war (1918) he fought on the side of the Red Army in the cavalry. After the end of the fratricidal war, Glagolev takes the Third Baku courses for commanders and continues to serve in the 68th cavalry regiment.

In 1941, after the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy (VA) named after. Frunze receives the rank of colonel. During the war he proved to be a skilled commander. For actions in the battles on the Dnieper on October 27, 1943, Glagolev received the rank of lieutenant general, and soon the star of the Hero. In 1946, Glagolev was appointed commander of the USSR Airborne Forces.

For outstanding services he was awarded the Order of Lenin (twice), the Order of the Red Banner (twice), the Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov.

The exercises on September 21, 1947 were the last for the commander - he died during their conduct. The grave is located at the Novodevichy cemetery.

The streets of Moscow, Minsk, Kaluga bear his name.

Troops of Uncle Vasya

This is how the abbreviation of the Airborne Forces was deciphered during the period when Filippovich, the legendary man of the USSR Armed Forces, commanded the "winged infantry".

The commander of the USSR Airborne Forces Margelov VF was born on January 9, 1908 in Yekaterinoslavl (now Dnepropetrovsk). In 1928, on a Komsomol ticket, Margelov was sent to a military school in Minsk, from which he graduated with honors in 1931. In the Soviet-Finnish war, a young officer shows military prowess.

Margelov met the attack of Nazi Germany in the position of commander of a rifle regiment, and since 1944 he was entrusted with the 49th rifle division of the 28th army of the 3rd Ukrainian front.

For the skillful leadership of the entrusted units during the division commander, Margelov receives the star of the Hero.

After the Victory, he studies at the VA of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. Voroshilov, at the end he commands a division. Then there was the Far East, where Margelov was entrusted with the corps.

From 1954 to 1979 (with a break in 1959 - 1961) Margelov commanded the Airborne Forces. In this position, "Suvorov of the 20th century" proved to be a wonderful organizer: thanks to him, the "blue berets" became a formidable strike force that knew no equal.

The harsh nature of Margelov was organically combined with paternal warmth for his subordinates. Taking care of people was a priority for the commander. Theft was punished mercilessly. Combat training was combined with the arrangement of soldiers and officers. They called Margelov "batey".

It was during his tenure as commander of the Airborne Forces in 1973 that for the first time it became possible to land armored vehicles with a crew inside.

The Ryazan Higher Command School of the Airborne Forces was named after Margelov. In Ryazan, St. Petersburg, Pskov and many other cities, the memory of "Paratrooper No. 1" is immortalized in the names of streets, squares, and monuments.

Commander of the Airborne Forces of two states

The commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel-General Podkolzin E.N., is a unique military leader to a certain extent: being the commander, with the collapse of the USSR, he continued to hold this position in the airborne troops of the Russian Federation.

He graduated from the Airborne Forces School of the city of Alma-Ata, then - VA them. Frunze. In 1973 he commanded an airborne regiment, and three years later - already the 106th division.

In 1982, after studying at the VA of the General Staff. Voroshilov, is appointed first deputy chief of staff of the Airborne Forces, then - chief of staff - first deputy commander of the Airborne Forces. In 1991, Podkolzin was appointed commander.

With the collapse of the Union, Evgeny Nikolaevich continues to serve as commander of the Airborne Forces, but now of a new state - Russia. In 1996, Podkolzin was transferred to the reserve.

Podkolzin's years of service were marked by orders, including the Red Star.

Commander Shpak G.I.

Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation Georgy Ivanovich Shpak is from the city of Osipovichi, which is located in the Mogilev region. Date of birth - September 8, 1943.

After the Ryazan Higher School of the Airborne Forces, he continued to serve in the training units of the school and the landing units.

In 1978, Shpak after the VA them. Frunze holds the posts of regimental commander, chief of staff of the 76th Airborne Division, and then commander of this division.

In December 1979, his regiment was the first to take part in the military conflict in Afghanistan.

After the VA of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces (1988), he held the positions of army commander, chief of staff of the Turkestan and Volga districts.

In December 1996 he was appointed commander of the Airborne Forces. Shpak stayed at this post until September 2003, after which he resigned upon reaching retirement age.

Georgy Ivanovich was awarded government awards, including the Order of the Red Banner.

Second Ermolov

The commander of the Russian Airborne Forces, Vladimir Anatolyevich Shamanov, stands out from all his predecessors: in his “asset” there are two wars - the Chechen ones.

Born in Barnaul on February 15, 1957. In 1978, after the Ryazan School, on the recommendation of the commander of the Airborne Forces, Sukhorukov, he was appointed battalion commander. Extreme demands on himself and his subordinates made his career very swift.

In the 90s, Shamanov took part in the Karabakh conflict, commanded the grouping of the 7th Airborne Division in Chechnya. At the end of 1995, he became deputy commander of the grouping of the RF Armed Forces in Chechnya, and a year later - commander of this grouping.

Shamanov's rigidity in decision-making is compared by many with the well-known general Yermolov, who at one time "forced peace" in the Caucasus.

In May 2009, Vladimir Anatolyevich was appointed commander of the Russian Airborne Forces. He is in this position to the present. Serves hard and effectively.

The role of the commanders of the Airborne Forces

The commanders of the Airborne Forces undoubtedly played a decisive role in the formation and development of the airborne assault of our country. Each of them did everything to make the "winged infantry" a formidable force capable of solving any tasks anywhere in the world.

It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of such commanders as Glagolev, Margelov, Shamanov. They have earned the honor and respect of their colleagues and the civilian population, and the people pay tribute to them.

Anatoly Vyacheslavovich Lebed (born in 1963)- Hero of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant Colonel of the Special Forces of the Airborne Forces, officer of the 45th Separate Guards Order of Alexander Nevsky Special Purpose Reconnaissance Regiment.

Anatoly Lebed started fighting back in the 1980s in Afghanistan and continues to this day, even though he was left without a foot after the explosion. “Maresyev flew on an airplane without a leg, but ours jumps over the mountains,” soldiers of the 45th Airborne Regiment say about Lebed.

We met with Anatoly Lebed in the square near the headquarters of the 45th Separate Guards Order of Alexander Nevsky Special Purpose Reconnaissance Regiment, where he serves. He chose lunch time for the meeting not by chance - he devotes this hour-long break between training and jumping to walking with his dog named Pashtet (“Because he loves pate from dry rations”), which he took out of Chechnya. With her, he came to the interview.

"POLITICS FOR THE MILITARY IS EXTRA"

- How did you get into the Airborne Forces?

- We started jumping back in DOSAAF. All the time it was drawn to the sky. My friend and I entered the Balashovskoye, then the Borisoglebskoye school, but I didn’t pass mathematics, I really wanted to fly. They came to the Airborne Forces, to the Gaizhunai division, there for six months, then the air assault brigade in Kazakhstan, there for another year and a half, then - the Lomonosov Military Aviation Technical School. They studied for three years in Transbaikalia, and from there - to Afghanistan. 86th year, June, and our graduation was transferred there. Then they took us to Berdsk. In the 94th. There is a military unit, waist-deep grass, there is no place for helicopters at the airfield. I wrote a report, quit, I was already a retired pensioner. There is no apartment, nothing. But they gave me a passport.

- And what did they do?

- I went to war. Balkans, Kosovo. Belgrade was bombed when we arrived.

Did you leave the army and volunteer to go to war?

- What for?

- What do you mean why? It is necessary to help. Especially Orthodox. Especially to the state, and not to some private individuals or firms.

Was it your decision or were you asked to?

- No, ours. We do everything ourselves.

- "Who are "we?

- Our former and current military, Russian officers. Or veterans of the airborne troops.

Many people probably won't understand you. There is no apartment, the family lives in a hostel, while you did not look for work, not some kind of business, but went to war, for which you will not be given anything.

- Yes, they won’t give anything, and also make a passport yourself, a visa, buy tickets yourself. But this is not a pity.

- And then you also went to Dagestan as a volunteer?

- Yes. In 1999, the Arabs went to Dagestan, and we decided to go with a friend, with Igor Nesterenko. He is from Saratov. We were together in the Balkans. We looked and thought, it took a long time to draw up a contract, and there, in the mountains, already in August the fuss began, we barely had time. There was a lot of work.

- So you come there as a simple person, a volunteer, and what are you doing? After all, they might not let you into the war zone, right?

- When people are bombed, people are shot, the government is no longer up to bureaucracy. The visa was set - and then it's your business. You want to go shopping, but you want to fight.

- It's in the Balkans. How about in Dagestan?

- And in Dagestan it's even easier - the border is open, you came as a tourist - you can sunbathe in the Caspian Sea, or you can go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Need? Needed. And to the mountains.

- So you first went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs?

- Not necessarily in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There are also other structures. We will not specify.

Did you train someone or did you fight yourself?

There was no time to teach there, it was necessary to work there.

- Were you armed?

- They released something. Then they either took the trophy or bought something. With ammunition and equipment there was tight. And if you want to win, you need to prepare well.

- You said that you went to Kosovo to help the Orthodox, but why did you go to Dagestan?

But this is our state. Russia. Moreover, who is the enemy? The same ones who were in the Balkans. On the radio, it was often heard that comrades from our regions, from Central Asia, from Turkey. The contingent is the same.

- After Dagestan, you officially returned to the army - did you want to continue to fight?

- From Dagestan, the group had to move to Chechnya, it was necessary to sign a contract so that everything was legal. We signed a contract in the autumn of 1999 with the 45th Airborne Regiment. And with Igor Nesterenko we went to Chechnya. On December 1, 1999, he died near Argun. Night ambush, oncoming. At 2 o'clock in the morning the battle began. He was wounded and died at half past four.

Is this the only friend you've lost?

- Well no. There were many. I remember everyone. In Georgia, our comrades also died.

Before the sinking of the Georgian boat "Dioskuria" in Poti. 08/13/2008

“After your friend's death, you were also ambushed and your foot was torn off. Why did you return to the army?

“And I didn’t leave. I spent a month and a half in the hospital while the prosthesis was adjusted, and then I had to get ready for a business trip.

- That is, like, from a hospital bed, in a prosthesis?

- Well, yes. On June 25, 2003, I blew myself up, ended up in the hospital, and in September I left on a business trip.

- Blown up in Chechnya and left for Chechnya?

- Well, yes. I blew up near Argun, this is our working area, you don’t get bored there. And now, I think, there is a lot of work. But if they say peace, then peace.

Do you believe there is peace there?

We don't need to believe. We need to prepare for the worst. Politics for the military is superfluous.

- But many of your colleagues are dissatisfied with the current policy towards Chechnya.

- What do they say on TV? Is everything okay there? It means everything is OK. We will analyze when they say that it is time for a business trip.

Do you think they will?

- Let's see.

"BUSINESS IS NOT OUR WORD"

- Do you have a family?

- There is. Here is the pate. I brought him in 2004 from Chechnya. He is a fighting friend. He flew on military aircraft. Was wounded. He was ill, pumped out four times. Well, there is also a wife, a child.

Did they give you an apartment?

- Dali last year. Right here, behind the headquarters. A house was built on the territory. Some of the apartments were given to the military of the Moscow garrison, the rest were sold. Business.

- You don't like business, do you?

“Business” is not our word.

— What is yours?

- Just work.

- It turns out that you got an apartment at the age of 46?

- Yes. Well, that's good too. Although on business trips you can’t think about an apartment or a family. There will be no result. And you have to think about the result.

- You are just an altruist. Do you disapprove of people who leave the army because there is no housing and money?

Maybe they'll find themselves later. It's just that everyone has difficulties and the main battle is yet to come. Today he quit, and in five years, maybe he will still have a normal business. Let him prepare every day for this matter - mentally, physically. You must always be ready.

- You met with Vladimir Putin when he handed you the Hero's star, and then, last year, with Dmitry Medvedev, when they were awarded for Georgia. What were they talking about?

- Congratulations.

Did you talk about problems?

- Putin asked: "Where do you live?" I said: "In the hostel." Him: "Understood."

Did they give you an apartment after that?

“After that, four years later.

- Explain how the task of a paratrooper differs from that of another military man? You don't jump behind enemy lines from a plane, do you?

- We can jump. Land where needed.

— What was your task in South Ossetia?

“To prepare forward detachments, find and neutralize their advanced groups, and most importantly, to collect intelligence so that the bulk of our troops lead a successful offensive and destroy the enemy.

- So you are in the first echelon?

“For as long as I can remember, I have been a senior head watch. The Airborne Forces themselves are considered, as it were, the vanguard of the army. And our regiment, military intelligence, is considered the vanguard of the entire Airborne Forces.

— Have you had the same call sign all these years?

- In the Balkans there was "Rus77", then only "Rus" remained, 77 to pronounce for a long time.

- Why "Rus"? Do you consider yourself a Russian patriot?

- What, is that bad? Need to work. We don't live long enough to be spectators all our lives. Especially if you are able to help. And not only on business trips, but also in civilian life.

“Today, many people are afraid to send their children to the army. The army has become a symbol of evil. How do you look at it?

- And how to look here? The guy studies at school, then at the institute, then mows, runs like a hare, looking for references. And so on until the age of 27. Some of my friends went to a concert, like in Nord-Ost. Someone to school. Somewhere they seized a school, somewhere a concert. And now one comrade is killed, the other is dead. Someone survived. And who saved? Military. If we close everything, do not let our sons into the army - what will happen?

- But in the army hazing, they kill boys for nothing.

- In our country, boys are killed in entrances, in restaurants, in clubs and in school toilets. We have an army - who is this? This is the people. What a society, such an army. Moreover, the influence of the West is permissiveness, democracy and other fashionable words. Only they have their own characteristics, and we have our own. We have a multinational country, their methods do not suit us. In general, weakness provokes violence. Why are women, pensioners, children often attacked? Because they are weak. There will be nothing in response. You need to be able to stand up for yourself both at the level of the state and at the level of each person. We need to prepare for the worst so that this does not happen. And to walk in rose-colored glasses, la-la-poplar, and then you were hit by a green light, and the one who shot down disappeared and nothing will happen to him. This is what awaits everyone who is hiding. And if someone is beaten on the street, it doesn’t matter who — a girl, a boy, a homeless person — and you walked by and didn’t intervene — that’s it, dickhead, the same thing will happen to you. You can't hit, at least just call the police. Already good.

- When you are given an order, are you always ready to carry out, without thinking why such an order?

— We think how to fulfill the order better.

"THE OUTCOME OF THE WAR, AS BEFORE, IS DECIDED IN CLOSE COMBAT"

- Tell us about the war with Georgia.

“On the other hand, the equipment was good. We have everything regular, everything is as usual, but they were stuffed with the most modern technology, weapons, equipment, communications, surface-to-air missiles. They had a lot. In terms of radio electronics, they have everything up to date. In general, they were prepared very well. They were not lucky with the instructors. Or saved on instructors, or something. If their instructors were interested, we would have more difficulties and problems.

- What do you have in mind?

— Each country has its advisers or instructors. We have our officers. They have foreigners. It is no secret that the Ukrainians are strong in radio electronics, they are good specialists in missiles, for example. In terms of tactics, in terms of sabotage, these are the Turks. And the fact that the Turks worked as instructors for the Georgians, I can say for sure. Because when you work in Chechnya, you often come across mercenaries with Turkish passports and Georgian visas. It is possible that there were ours, from our districts. But we, in general, do not care what banner they are under and what nationality. If they go against the state with weapons in their hands, then they must be destroyed.

“But they didn’t go against our state, did they?” South Ossetia was not even recognized by Russia then...

- There was no status, but we believed that these were ours ...

Why "ours"?

- Neighbours. Our neighbors. Borderlands. Moreover, they asked us for help. Why not help the state, which decides to become independent, but someone interferes with it? If you stand and watch how your neighbor is being slaughtered, then tomorrow we will have it all. Just imagine, suspicious residents settled on your site and you were silent, and when these people began to arm themselves, you were silent, and when they began to appear on the site with knives, you were silent, and then, when they began to kill people, neighbors in a neighboring apartment yours, would you also be silent? No, you couldn't help interfering. Because tomorrow they will come with knives to your apartment. It is the same with South Ossetia, only on a larger scale.

— Did you get to Georgia through Abkhazia or South Ossetia?

- After Saakashvili attacked Tskhinvali, we went from Abkhazia to Zugdidi and Senaki.

- That is, you have not been to Tskhinvali itself and do not know what happened there? They say that the advantage there was won thanks to the fighters of Yamadayev. What do you think decided the outcome of the war?

- I do not know about Yamadayev's fighters, I saw them only from the side of Abkhazia. They must have helped in some way. We and in the tsarist army had divisions from the Caucasus, which solved any problems quickly and uncompromisingly.

And so, judging by the reasons for their defeat, the Georgians are well prepared, but preparation for war will not always be able to help in a real battle, one must also be able to use this preparation. I think their problem is that their modern rulers never had a fighting spirit and they just don't know what it's like to go to war with another people. Especially with Russia. They thought everything would be easy. That putting our peacekeepers down costs nothing. What do we swallow. It didn't work out.

- You say that the Georgian army was well armed. Everyone knows that the Russian armed forces are not very good. Did the Russian army learn lessons after this war? In terms of rearmament, for example? The Russian army doesn't even have drones. And small arms are outdated.

- I've been serving for so long, I've seen drones twice. Once in the second campaign in Chechnya, once in Georgia. Well, what does he represent? Started up, buzzed, crashed into a pole at the airfield, and that's it. So don't be fooled.

Our military reconnaissance can work in mountainous and wooded areas, and in deserted areas, and in the most difficult, street, urban battles. We showed ourselves well both in the Balkans and in Chechnya. But the outcome of modern warfare, as before, is decided in close combat. Bombing is one thing. Shooting is something else. And the result is still achieved in ground battles. And the weapons we have at the same time practically does not change. Yes, the Georgians had m4 and m16 assault rifles. And we have AKM and AKMS, Kalashnikov assault rifles. I have been fighting with them since the 80s, but these are the most successful types of weapons for close combat.

- You noted the good training of the Georgian military. Do you think they were preparing for this war?

- Of course, what questions can there be if they burned half of Tskhinvali in one night?

“But they say that Russian “grads” fired at Tskhinvali there as well.

Now they can say whatever they want. But who killed peacekeepers and civilians on the first night? in Tskhinval. And there were no losses from the Georgian side.

“There were also dead people in Gori. In the border villages, houses were destroyed, and shells fell on their territory.

- Well, of course, if their artillery hits our troops, and our troops are already on their territory, it is clear that the houses will be destroyed. Our troops had an order to go to Georgia - Georgia launched an aggression against Ossetia. From the outside, someone directed her, I think.

- And you think it's right that the troops went deep into Georgia, and did not stand, for example, on the border of South Ossetia and Georgia?

“It was the best decision back then. As our prime minister, who used to be president, says, preventive measures are very important to bring the task to its logical conclusion. If on the border to exchange blows all the time, it will be expensive. And we will lose a lot of people.

- But if you follow this idea, then the logical conclusion should have been different - to reach Tbilisi. That is, in the end, there was no logical conclusion.

- The main thing for us is the order. They said to carry out an operation on this site, we are doing it. They told me to go back, they left.

- You said that neighbors should be helped and that you helped South Ossetia. But Georgia is also a neighbor. And it turns out that relations with this neighbor are ruined forever.

- Yes, especially among Ossetians and Abkhazians they are spoiled. Well, what was to be done? All independent became presidents. They decide to send their army to civilians. If they hadn't, things would have been different. If you talk for a long time, you can always agree on something. And so that in a few days to expose the whole country under the gun - well, excuse me, who is to blame. When our tanks ended up near Tbilisi, I think the civilian population there drew conclusions about the adequacy of this government. And all for the sake of overseas friends. And I think that it is better to be friends with the neighbors on the site than to fight with them and wait every day for them to come to you with weapons.

- Ossetians, the neighboring people, asked you for help, and you helped. And if the Chechens at one time asked for help from the same Georgia or Turkey and they would help them, would that also be right?

- You need to know the history of at least the 90th year. Look at Chechnya. What was the ruler, and such a story turned out ... There were a lot of Arabs there, who helped them with weapons and money for combat operations? Someone also helps on terrorist attacks. I do not think that a girl from the village, who worked as a teacher, thought and thought and suddenly went and blew up the subway along with civilians, passengers in the train. So someone is directing them. Here were Dudayev, Maskhadov. What did they do? They were practically separated. Well, they would live for themselves, they would not touch anyone. But they began to crush their neighbors, Dagestan. And next to Ingushetia, Stavropol, where raids were made. And this is a threat to the integrity of the state.

"MY TRIPS ARE NOT ENDED YET"

“You are one of those who are called the dogs of war. Which war was the most difficult for you?

Each one is difficult in its own way. But the meaning is the same everywhere - to complete the task, to inflict damage on the enemy, not to bring joy to the enemy.

- If you remember all your wars, was there something that you regret?

“You regret that your comrades died. But you still know - we are not the first, we are not the last. You just have to do your job well. To hurt the enemy.

- Are you a believer?

My faith is in action.

So you don't go to church?

- Not. Well, that is, sometimes I go to look - it's beautiful.

- You are 47. How long do you intend to remain in the service?

Until they get kicked out. Time is like that. I think my business trips are not over yet.

Interviewed by Olga ALLENOVA and Maxim VARYVDIN,
magazine "Ogonyok" No. 29 dated 07/26/2010

From Afghanistan to Abkhazia

// Business card

Anatoly Lebed was born on May 10, 1963 in the city of Valga (Estonia). He graduated from the construction school, in 1986 - the Lomonosov Military Aviation Technical School. He served in the Airborne Forces. In 1986-1987 he fought in Afghanistan as an onboard helicopter technician. He served in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, the Trans-Baikal and Siberian military districts - in the 329th transport and combat helicopter regiment and the 337th separate helicopter regiment. In 1994, he retired from the reserve, worked in the Afghan Veterans Fund.

After the invasion of Chechen fighters into Dagestan in the summer of 1999, he went to the area of ​​hostilities and enlisted in the people's militia. Then he signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense and ended up in the 45th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Order of Alexander Nevsky Special Purpose Regiment of the Airborne Forces.

In 2003, he hit a mine and lost his foot.

Lieutenant colonel. Hero of Russia (received in 2005 for the second Chechen campaign). He was awarded the Order of St. George 4th class (for the war with Georgia in 2008), the Order of the Red Banner, three Orders of the Red Star, three Orders of Courage, the Order "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 3rd class.