Berdsky Special Forces: Bezginov Group
Berdsky special forces disbanded. There was a memory ...
In 1996, the Khasavyurt agreements were signed, and Chechnya actually gained independence. The war between Chechen separatists and federal forces, which lasted 2, was ended. Russian troops were completely withdrawn from its territory. A part of the Russian-speaking population of Chechnya was destroyed during the genocide on 1993-1995, surviving on their own or with the help of federal forces, moved into the territory of the Russian Federation.
Chechen authorities erected Sharia law to the rank of state. Social infrastructure, common to any state, was destroyed. Health care, education, pension systems were absent. The Chechen criminal structures did business with impunity for mass abductions of people, using their slave labor, taking hostages and receiving ransom for their lives, oil theft, drug production and smuggling, issuing and distributing counterfeit banknotes, terrorist attacks and attacks on neighboring Russian regions. Camps were established on the territory of Chechnya to train militants - young people from the Muslim regions of Russia. Numerous Arab mercenaries began to play a significant role in the life of Chechnya. Their main goal was to destabilize the situation in the Russian regions adjacent to Chechnya and spread the ideas of separatism to other North Caucasian republics: Dagestan, Ingushetia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria.
Chechen gangs under the command of Chechen Shamil Basayev and Arab Khattab 7 on August 1999 from the territory of Chechnya launched a massive invasion of Dagestan. For more than a month, there were fights of federal forces with invading militants, which ended with the fact that militants were forced to retreat from the territory of Dagestan back to Chechnya. September 4-16 in several cities of Russia, Chechen militants exploded apartment buildings. The Russian leadership decided to conduct a military operation to destroy the militants on the territory of Chechnya.
September 23 Russian troops began a massive bombing of Grozny and its environs, September 30 they entered the territory of Chechnya.
On October 14, 1999, a group of 11 Berd commandos under the command of senior lieutenant Mikhail Bezginov performed a combat mission, moving along the Sunzhensky ridge, not far from the village Sernovodsk. The task included: reconnaissance and ensuring unhindered advancement of military units in the direction of Ordzhonikidze - Grozny; determination of coordinates of targets for striking aviation and artillery. In 4 km northeast of Sernovodsk, the group discovered a fortified area of the illegal armed formation: concrete dugouts, trenches, underground passageways. During the inspection of the fortified area, at about 7 a.m. on October 15, the group was discovered by militants. A battle ensued in which a battalion of about 300 people took part from the side of the IAF. The head patrol consisting of Andrei Kataev and Sergei Suraev managed to warn the main forces of the group about the danger, and immediately after that was destroyed by militants. The group took refuge in the old trenches left after the first Chechen campaign. The militants, using overwhelming superiority in forces, opened heavy fire. In the first minutes of the battle, group sniper Oleg Kuyanov destroyed 4 militants, giving the group the opportunity to organize defense, as well as pull out wounded warrant officers Bakhnov and Zarubin from the zone of shelling. Signalman Ivan Anureev received a concussion, but continued to establish communication. He managed to secure the antenna under fire and begin a communication session. The militants, using modern communications equipment, tried to drown out the operation of the special forces radio station. The group, taking up a circular defense, began the battle: seven against several hundred.
The fight goes on for a few hours. Special Forces beat off attack after attack. Under massive fire, the commander of the Bezginov group dies. The radio operator finally manages to get in touch and ask for help. To the rescue of the group sent a special forces unit on the BTR. Aviation cannot act yet due to low cloud cover. Sniper Kuyanov acted slightly away from the group, in the bush, controlling the main direction of the militant attacks. Masking and changing positions, he shoots all those who are trying to get closer to the group in his sector. The machine-gunner Yury Travnikov dies, then Nikolay Klychkov. The group continues to hold, but strength is running out. Anureev keeps in touch, periodically reports the situation, while participating in repelling attacks. Wounded Sergei Ilenzeer. Ammunition coming to an end. Decided to move. To enable survivors to move away, only Oleg Kuyanov voluntarily remains in the position of the group.
The group departs in the direction of the meeting place with the rescue unit. Soon "turntables" appear, reinforcements follow them - a group of Sergei Mozerov, who arrived on armored personnel carriers. Militants are beginning to move away. By 14 hours the fight subsides. The fighters who arrived to the rescue, find the corpses of their dead comrades and militants, Oleg Kuyanov was not found. A few days later, the militants get in touch and offer to exchange Kuyanov’s body for the bodies of the dead militants. After the exchange, it turns out that Kuyanov’s body is riddled with bullets, his head was cut off.
The outcome of the battle: from 11 special forces killed six. Losses of militants: around 60 a man was destroyed by a group of Bezginov, another about 20-30 destroyed helicopters and reinforcements. According to various estimates, Oleg Kuyanov personally destroyed the militants from 35 to 45. The field commander of the militants and several foreign mercenaries are among those killed by Kuyanov.
The fighters of the Berdsky Special Forces, Oleg Viktorovich Kuyanov (posthumously) and Ivan Valerievich Anureyev, were awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation for this fight, the rest of the fighters of the group were awarded orders.
Note:
Oleg Kuyanov was considered one of the best snipers of the Berdsky special forces. Excellent shot, masterfully disguised, possessed all the skills and moral and psychological qualities required sniper. In his free time he was keen on hunting.
There may be minor inaccuracies that will be corrected as more and more accurate information is accumulated.
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