"LYNX": gently walking, hard attacks
The special unit was founded in 1992 year as a department of tactical operations for solving special tasks in the fight against organized crime. From that moment on, the battle chronicle of special rapid reaction units (SOBR) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia began.
10 February 2012, the special rapid-response unit Lynx, is 20 years old.
Near the premises, where the shift of the rapid response unit is on duty, an officer in spetsnaz uniform meets me, leads along the corridors of the detachment’s administrative building. We climb the stairs, and right before our eyes, a stele opens in memory of those who are forever enrolled in the lists of the detachment, Heroes of Russia, who were awarded the high title posthumously. The heroes who died in the battles look from the bas-reliefs and photographs ... The command and all the personnel of the detachment keep holy history “Lynxes” honor the memory of veterans, the living and those who are no longer in the ranks.
On the second floor I note a very impressive collection of various sports cups, diplomas and medals - all of these are trophies won by the squad personnel at various competitions, including international ones. The sporting achievements of sobrovtsy are quite understandable, because only the staff in perfect physical shape can effectively carry out the entire range of operational, service and combat tasks that are constantly assigned to the squadron.
They take me to the office of the deputy commander of the squadron, and I see on the cabinet an impressive collection of headdresses for a wide variety of special forces - from the purple beret of the foreign legion to the green Panama of the Vietnamese commandos. Later, the owner of the office will tell me that all this is gifts from representatives of those structures with which they had to cross over work or simply in life. I notice on the table the latest issue of "Brothers". Some of the officers in the office are flipping through the magazine, finding a strip with a photo of a sniper, and a heated argument begins - whose unit? With a smile, they come to a common conclusion - from “Lynx”. In general, with a sense of humor, everything is in perfect order, because a good mood helps to overcome physical and psychological overload.
Silence and order reign in the corridors of the detachment. Occasionally, pass by athletic men of athletic build and very calm. I am somewhere at the subconscious level, almost intuitively understand that behind the external calmness is hidden the readiness of everyone to perform any task. Employees of the Lynx, like all officers of regional SOBR, are people who are permanently prepared for the most difficult trials, but this condition is achieved during combat training and constant training: fire, special tactical, psychological and physical. As for physical training, there are two halls on the ground floor, well equipped with weight training equipment, professional wrestling mats and punch bags. I look into the halls and see guys who hone their skills in full. In "Lynx" a lot of officers who are masters of sports in various types of martial arts and hand-to-hand combat.
In the basement of the building - a shooting gallery, equipped to conduct classes in fire training. The officer accompanying me says that there are two total galleries - the second one is now undergoing major repairs, it will be reequipped according to modern technologies.
After the shooting, I go to the dining room - a spacious, clean and bright room with massive wooden furniture. A varied menu and more than reasonable prices can not but rejoice. My attendant notes that all household amenities for employees are the result of purposeful and permanent work.
History
10 February 1992 was decided by the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation to create a unit within the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime to provide power support to the operational staff of the department. It all started with the 13 Division of Tactical Operations (GR) - his staff then consisted of 9 people. In the department were collected staff, distinguished by excellent physical training, the highest level of education and had extensive operational experience. The first unit commander was Alexander Ivanovich Zyryanov, who had previously worked in Krasnoyarsk in the area of economic crimes. A true professional with flexible strategic thinking, able to make bold decisions, not afraid to take responsibility and always bring what has begun to a successful conclusion. The same officers were selected in the department.
Detachment officer Sergey K .:
“I always wanted to serve in the special forces, I liked it, this is for me. And I got into this squadron when I learned that a new division is being created, I phoned, I came, I passed all the necessary tests. This is probably how to do morning exercises. You get used to it and without it you can’t think of yourself. ”
Detachment officer Andrei M .:
“Let's remember those years when a unit was created. It was the collapse of the state, and what was going on around, then called chaos. It was painful to look at what is happening in the country, and it is unlikely that there would be someone who would not be worried about everything that happens. For me, this time was doubly difficult. I served in the army, fought in Afghanistan. He left the service from one country, and returned to another. Therefore, when I was offered to work in this unit, I had no doubt. I wanted to contribute to the fight against crime, I wanted to raise my country from my knees, so that it was a legal, strong state. So that people would not be afraid to live in it! ”
The department was created as an operational combat unit. Its employees not only carried out power support, but also carried out the development themselves, infiltrated criminal groups, and observed. The department of tactical operations actively opposed the intelligence activities of criminal communities, because all the special forces had operational experience. The crime situation in the country at that time was strained to the limit, and the creation of a special operational-combat unit was simply necessary. UTO officers participated in all special operations. We had to work around the clock, practically did not appear at home, often spent the night at work. People worked for the idea. They did not have any advantages, except for one thing - the first to detain the criminals.
The tactical operations department was involved in carrying out tasks in various regions of Russia: officers could be in Moscow in the morning, and a few hours later they already "accepted" bandits in one of the cities of Central Russia or the Urals. Until a certain time, the subdivision was quite secret; practically, the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia did not disclose any information about it. Yes, the special forces themselves were not particularly eager to advertise themselves - the specifics of this work.
In 1993, the tactical operations department was reorganized into a special rapid response department of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime - (SOBR GOUBOP of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia). It was he who actually served as the prototype for all regional SOBRs. From 1993, they began to be created in various regions of Russia and connected to the first SWATN, which mercilessly waged a fierce war with a rampant crime.
Nevertheless, in the minds of some of the “figures” who have access to the top, in 2002, the idea came to abolish organized crime control units. The SOBR was reformed, a new stage in its history began in the service of the criminal police: as a special-purpose police detachment (OMSN SCM, Ministry of the Interior of Russia). In 2004, the order of the Lynx squad was approved by order of the Minister of the Interior of the Russian Federation. The detachment received its own name thanks to Vladimir Nikolaevich Naumenko, who commanded him at that time, who put forward the idea to designate in this way a special-purpose unit directly subordinate to the central apparatus of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The name was not chosen by chance: the trot gently fits, attacks hard and leaves quickly. The new name was approved at the general meeting of officers of the squad.
2011 year brought new reforms and new changes. The detachment became part of the Center for Special-Purpose Response Forces and Aviation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The command was able to keep the number, the detachment passed the stage of reform without loss. At the end of the same year, the special purpose units of the internal affairs bodies (DOS) were reorganized into special rapid reaction units - the SOBR returned! According to the officers, this is the most important milestone in the history of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, because the SOBR is not just a status, a reduction, an abbreviation, but a kind of quality mark, a brand conquered by sweat and blood.
The unit "Lynx" a few people who work from the first day of its creation. Among them is the current unit commander Vladislav Alexandrovich Ershov. There are participants in the fighting. The invaluable experience of veterans is very necessary both in combat work and in training young recruits.
Squad's battle line
The main tasks of the SOBR “Lynx” are the fight against organized crime, extremist groups and illegal armed groups, and force support for operational units of law enforcement agencies. At first there was a fight with gangling gangs. Special Forces officers worked extremely hard. Everyone understood that the bandits needed to be put in place and show them that retribution for crimes is inevitable. Sobrovtsev was feared like a plague - there were legends about hard forceful detention in criminal circles.
A little later, in 1993, officers of SOBR departed to the baptism of fire in the zone of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict. There would be much more victims if it were not for the clear, well-coordinated work of SOBR officers and military personnel of the internal troops who became a living barrier between opposing parties.
In 1994, the southern region of the Russian Federation was swept by a wave of hostage-taking. Sobrovtsy were here at the very edge: they released the hostages in Mineralnye Vody and in Makhachkala.
The detachment personnel were directly involved in the New Year's assault on the city of Grozny, in the 1995 year - in a special operation in the city of Budennovsk, captured by the militants of Shamil Basayev.
The participant of the operation tells
“I remember how militants threw out women with babies through the windows and, pushing machine guns between the defenseless bodies of the hostages, they poured fire on the special forces. In our eyes for a few moments, like a match, the BMP, which carried ammunition, burned down. They managed to get out of the car only a young soldier and some major who died in our arms. This, of course, is unlikely to ever be forgotten. ”
1995 year brought the first losses to the squad. On December 20, the SOBR group, together with the units of the internal troops and army units, attempted to break through the ring of Dudayev formations that surrounded Gudermes. During the battle, Major Lastochkin was injured. But he did not leave the battlefield and continued to direct the actions of subordinates. December 25 police major Vladimir Y. Lastochkin died in hospital without regaining consciousness. Posthumously the officer was awarded the title Hero of Russia.
In 1996, the SOBR forces together with the Vega detachment (the so-called Vympel after transferring it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs), Vityaz, units of the 22-th separate brigade of the special purpose GRU GSh and Alfa were used during a special operation to liberate the city Kizlyar and with. May Day from the bandits Salman Raduyev. It was during the assault with. The Pervomaisky detachment, which was marching in the first line of the attackers, again suffered irrecoverable losses: the commander of the detachment died heroically, police lieutenant colonel Andrei Vladimirovich Krestyaninov. Lt. Col. A. V. Krest'yaninov posthumously awarded the title Hero of Russia.
At the end of 90-x - the beginning of 2000-x squad takes an active part in the fighting in the framework of the second Chechen campaign. At the end of hostilities, the task of seizing from criminals weapons, ammunition, explosives, drugs, transport.
In 2002, officers of the squad took part in a special operation at the Theater Center on Dubrovka in Moscow, when the militants took several hundred hostages at the performance of the now notorious musical “Nord-Ost”. After the assault, the Sobrovoists, along with their combat brothers from Alpha and Vympel, carried the senseless bodies of the hostages on their hands. That day, special forces saved dozens of lives.
Starting in the middle of the 2000, the detachment officers performed tasks in Dagestan and Ingushetia: they detain active members of illegal armed groups, identify and neutralize extremists who went underground after the end of active hostilities.
In 2009, the loss again. July 2 in the Ingush village of Kantyshevo during a special operation to eliminate the members of an illegal armed group, police captain Oleg Grigorievich Malochuyev dies. Covering the personnel of the assault group with a shield, the officer first took over the fire of the bandits. Malochuyev received a penetrating gunshot wound, but did not leave the battle, opened fire, continuing to cover the actions of his comrades. As a result of the clashes, the gunman was destroyed. From special injuries on the way to the hospital, the commando died. He was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Russia.
All dead officers are forever enrolled in the squadron’s staff lists.
January 16 in the detachment "Lynx" - Memorial Day. Every year on this day, special forces gathered at the Nikolo-Arkhangelsk cemetery to honor the memory of fallen comrades. Honored veterans and still very young employees of the unit are standing together.
At present, the “Lynx” SWAT continues to carry out the assigned tasks both in the central regions of Russia and in the North Caucasus. In case of need, detachment officers can be delivered to the emergency area as soon as possible. Detachment mobility is the highest. All the necessary means of transportation, including aircraft, are available for the redeployment of SOBR personnel. The TsSN SR of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has at its disposal helicopters and small airplanes, always ready to transfer a SOBR group to any point of the country. In special cases, aviation of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is involved.
Sobrovtsy constantly engaged to perform operational combat missions. But times change, and with them change the nature of the tasks performed, and the criminals themselves. Now it is no longer "brothers" of 90-x, today they are increasingly sitting in offices or bureaucratic offices. But behind external respectability lies the mortal danger to citizens and society. And the work does not become less. Sometimes a day - several trips.
The nature of the work of the detachment has changed when performing tasks in the North Caucasus. Special Forces officers conduct analytical work, studying all the nuances associated with the tactics of modern criminal organizations and illegal armed groups. In general, the service in the “Lynx” SWRF assumes constant self-improvement, professional growth, flexibility of thinking, the ability to penetrate the situation and adequately respond to the changed conditions, because the special forces do not work according to a pattern. Each special operation is unique. Special Forces officers are creative people, so when performing tasks they often use non-standard solutions that can lead to success. The detachment is constantly working on the collection, compilation and analysis of various information relating to the conduct of special operations by various special services within the country, and by foreign colleagues. That is what helped in the 2008 year to carry out the most complicated multi-way combination, during which the daughter of an employee of one of the embassies located in Moscow was released. At the same time, the forces and means of operational services and the aviation detachment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia were involved.
Each operation is calculated with mathematical precision. The ability to predict the development of the situation and conduct a competent analysis allows solving all the tasks with a high degree of reliability, minimizing the risk to life.
In addition to operational combat missions, officers of SOBR according to the decision of the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia are involved in ensuring security at particularly important events. For example, the special forces worked at the G8 summit in St. Petersburg, and also took part in security-related events during the celebration of Kazan's 1000 anniversary.
To be a SOBROV member ...
At all times in Russia and in Russia there were “servants of the sovereign”, people who put the interests of the country at the forefront without taking care of themselves. In our time, officers of SOBR can be attributed to such. Sobrovec is not just a profession ... It is much more: a special temperament, vocation, philosophy, fate, moral responsibility. And let the work in SOBR is associated with increased risk, and death always goes somewhere near these brave guys, they are ready to help.
Says officer of the detachment:
“There is a risk, of course, but we are men! This is a normal male work, it is worthy of a man! Not scary only fools. But to say that I'm scared, I can not. There is a sense of danger. But we are professionals. Fear is when your hands are shaking and you are lost. A professional is different because when a person is scared, he, on the contrary, concentrates, gathers and does everything competently, correctly and professionally, in order to minimize this danger and complete the task. ”
Sobrovets are unique. Similar people units. In the “Lynx” detachment, as in the regional detachments, higher education is one of the prerequisites for admission to the service. Many of them have studies in prestigious educational institutions of the country. For example, today in “Lynx” the chief of staff is a graduate of the Academy of the General Staff of the Moscow Region, there are officers who have graduated from the Russian Academy of State Service under the President of the Russian Federation, some have master’s degrees.
In the SOBR there are people psychologically stable, not subject to interruptions, doubts, capable of taking responsibility for making difficult decisions. In a matter of seconds, it is necessary to analyze the situation around you, consider all possible solutions to the problem, choose the only correct one and be sure to complete the task. And if to complete the task it is necessary to destroy the criminal, he will be destroyed.
Employees are subject to increased requirements: perfect health, a stable mind, high intelligence, and excellent physical training. As for the latter, its role cannot be overestimated.
A candidate for service in a squad must pass physical tests. The final test is a full-contact sparring by the rules of hand-to-hand combat, very similar to the one conducted by the special forces of the internal troops when they pass an exam for the right to wear a keeper beret. The subject must endure an 4 round with the active members of the squad, three minutes with each.
Another condition for admission to the squad is that a candidate must be recommended by one of the current employees of Lynx. After accepting to the service a novice undergoes an internship.
Almost all detachment officers have combat experience. The chief of one of the operational combat divisions in the past commanded regimental intelligence, the chief of another division served as deputy commander for special operations in the special forces unit "Rus" of the internal troops, which, unfortunately, was disbanded in 2008. The incumbent officer of the Rys unit, the deputy commander of the detachment, Hero of Russia, was the commander of the Vostok group formed to storm the Terrible during the second Chechen campaign.
Prepare
Staff training is inextricably linked with the implementation of operational tasks. Each department takes up service on the day. If there are no calls, then the staff are engaged in a combat training plan. There is an established class schedule, in which instructors deal with employees in their areas. The training of the “Lynx” employee includes the possession of various types of firearms and cold arms, hand-to-hand combat, parachute training, mountain training (mountaineering, rock climbing), work underwater with various equipment, psychological training.
The detachment has its own methods of training specialists.
The “Lynx” has established contact with the Belarusian special anti-terrorism unit “Almaz”. Joint tactical and special exercises are held regularly. Colleagues from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan come to study at the “Rys” SWAT. Recently, the Ukrainian units Sokol and Golden Eagle turned to share their experience. On the basis of the “Rys” detachment, seminars are held for employees of special-purpose units that are part of the CSTO RRF. Officers of the detachment take part in various seminars for the exchange of experience with colleagues from domestic and foreign divisions. In addition to trips to neighboring countries, special forces regularly travel in exchange to the special forces of France, Austria, and Germany. The French remembered a great technical component. In Europe, the Sobrovites had the opportunity to train in the shooting range, where shooting can be conducted in almost any direction. Impressed and famous «killhouse», allowing you to work out almost any assault operations. Something like the detachment command plans to build and at home.
Special Forces officers hosted on the basis of representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Bahrain, Palestine, and Israel. During the period when the task for the protection of VIPs was entrusted to the “Rys” SWAT, the special forces director was visiting the special forces.
In addition to the main, there are in-depth programs of specialized specialists: high-altitude workers, snipers, sappers, drivers, combat swimmers, negotiators.
Sniper squad in conditions as close as possible to the fighting, fulfills the tasks that have to face. In the asset sniper "Lynx" is a unique shots. At the special tactical exercises, the shooter successfully hit a conditional terrorist while being in a helicopter hovering in the air.
Divers "Lynx" have permission to carry out engineering work with the use of explosives. To carry out their activities, they have a full set of equipment and special underwater weapons. “Lynx” combat swimmers were actively used to ensure security during public events, such as the celebrations of the St. Petersburg 300 anniversary. Division employees patrolled the water areas together with colleagues from the FSO and the FSB. In addition, divers are attracted to the implementation of operational-search activities, such as searching for weapons, and evidence thrown into the water.
All employees of the detachment undergo altitude training.
At least twice a year a field exit of the detachment personnel is held. Usually, training centers of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia or the Ministry of Defense are used for these purposes.
The detachment has its own professional psychologist, who is also a specialist in negotiating. Despite the seeming “peacefulness” of the profession, the psychologist in “Lynx” is a combat officer who has extensive experience of participation in hostilities.
During the special tactical training sessions, a wide range of issues is studied, ranging from the individual training of an employee to the actions of a combat group in various situations.
Says officer of the detachment:
“The specifics of working in residential areas, for example, in an apartment is one. In public transport - the other. And sometimes the situation changes right before your eyes. For example, sometimes you go into an apartment. According to the information there is a criminal 2, but in practice they are 8. And you have to react to the situation, change tactics, make decisions and take appropriate actions. The bus is better viewed, and here speed and penetration techniques come to the fore. But if, for example, hostages are captured in the bus, then again the tactic will be completely different. It is already necessary to involve other forces and means, negotiators will work, however, and in this case it is necessary to be ready for the assault. It is necessary to be in constant readiness to perform any task in any conditions. Therefore, we model these situations and, examining them from all sides, repeatedly work out all the options for solving the tasks. In the process of such training, the combat team is coordinated, a sense of command appears, people learn to understand each other literally without words. ”
Equipment
The officers of the detachment are constantly working, studying the latest models of domestic and foreign production. The market of the most advanced technologies in those areas that are of interest for special forces and its equipment is monitored. On the basis of the detachment, the developed models are being tested, Lynx specialists take part in research works, prepare conclusions and recommendations on the tested samples.
The detachment is armed with unique samples of special and silent weapons, such as the BCC and AU complexes, CP-3 M, submersible rifles and pistols - SPP-1 m and APS.
In the near future, it is planned to change the line of long-barreled automatic weapons on AK 100-series (7,62 mm). In addition, there are samples of imported weapons, for example, Glock pistols, sniper rifles, as well as the recently widely used accessory - CornerShot for firing from behind cover.
All members of the detachment work in heavy body armor and titanium armor launchers "Lynx-T", providing the maximum level of protection against bullet wounds. Also used armored seats, equipped with additional protection and powerful built-in lighting. Virtually all equipment entering the squad undergoes an additional fit for each employee. Improvements are recorded, recorded and sent to the manufacturer of equipment as a technical task for making those or other improvements. Some items of equipment, such as, for example, body armor, are sometimes made for a specific employee - an individual order! According to the recommendations of the sobrovets, new models of equipment and uniforms for special purpose units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were patented and put into mass production.
The detachment regularly receives new samples of weapons, ammunition and equipment for testing. At the moment, "Lynx" is involved in the development of a machine gun designed for combat in urban environments. In the future, this weapon will allow for a high density of fire, but at the same time it will be compact enough so that you can fight in the conditions of continuous development.
Developments are underway on tuning weapons of domestic production. Many domestic firms take part in them, among them is the Zenit company. Some Lynx officers are officially members of the acceptance committees. In addition to weapons and equipment, the detachment also has such high-tech devices as Robots- scouts, and together with colleagues from the special-purpose aviation detachment, the sobrists are using the latest achievements of unmanned aircraft with might and main in their work.
Often, employees work with a helicopter unit. Mainly the services of rotary-winged cars are resorted to during combat missions to the North Caucasus, where the equipment ensures the delivery of the group to hard-to-reach areas. Special Forces officers speak highly of the work of their "heavenly" colleagues. For example, during exercises in Armenia, the Russians performed the difficult task of piloting a helicopter in a remote mountainous area, while the owners refused to fly there at all.
To move around the city used domestic armored vehicles "Tiger" and foreign samples of armored minibuses.
The building, which is currently deployed "Lynx", was built specifically for the detachment - it is perfectly equipped and equipped. Future plans include the construction of a tactical campus on the territory of the base, similar to those that exist in the special forces training centers. A helipad is also planned. This will increase the mobility of the squad.
Teachings, competitions
SOBR "Lynx" constantly takes part in various competitions and exercises. For two years in a row, officers of the detachment participated in competitions held by the CSN FSB of Russia.
In 2011, the Lynx Command decided to hold competitions dedicated to the 20 anniversary of the formation of the squad. More than 20 teams from various security agencies came to take part in the competitions: TsSN FSB of Russia, FSIN, FSKN, the Ministry of Defense. The officers of the “Lynx” themselves took an active part - the detachment set up 4 teams. The competitions were very large, took place in a few days and included the development of a variety of tasks. When developing tasks, much was taken from combat experience. Some stages developed with the help and theoretical support of instructors from the Federation of practical shooting IPSC. The tasks were very diverse: work in a building, in a narrow space, in transport, night firing, the release of hostages and much more.
It has already been decided that such competitions will be held regularly - once every two years and will be dedicated to the memory of the officer of the “Rys” squadron of the Hero of the Russian Federation Oleg Mallochuev.
Information