73rd Marine Special Operations Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Combat swimmers, punishers and close defeat
Emblem of the 73rd MTSSPO. Graphics of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
As part of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine, there are several different formations with certain tasks. So, to carry out special missions on and under water, there is the 73rd Marine Special Operations Center. However, since 2014, this unit has been operating mainly on land, which negatively affects its effectiveness. Now the Center is in a difficult position and may cease to exist in the near future.
Soviet heritage
Like many other formations of the Ukrainian army, the 73rd MCSPO has Soviet roots. Back in 1953, the 6th reconnaissance point of the Black Sea fleet. He was equipped with combat swimmers, who were assigned the tasks of reconnaissance, sabotage and anti-sabotage work.
Later, the point was transferred to about. Pervomaisky. In 1968, it was expanded and reorganized into the 17th separate naval brigade of special intelligence of the KChF. Part received new equipment and weapons; military personnel underwent a variety of training and learned to work in different environments. The brigade carried a permanent service and performed a number of specific tasks.
In 1992, during the division of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, the 17th brigade became part of the Ukrainian naval forces, and a significant part of the personnel swore allegiance to the new independent state. Despite the division of the fleet and all the transformations, the brigade retained its functions. However, economic problems affected the learning process and, as a result, the overall combat capability.
Training events were held much less frequently than in Soviet times. At the same time, the personnel of the 17th brigade were still involved in various real events. Combat swimmers escorted important cargo, neutralized found ammunition, participated in the aftermath of accidents, etc.
Demonstration events of the 73rd center. Photo VK / "War, story, politics"
In 2003, the brigade was reorganized into the 73rd Naval Special Forces Center of the Armed Forces. At the same time, the composition of the unit, its tasks, etc. did not change significantly. In 2014, the Center was transferred from the Crimea to the city of Ochakov. In 2016, the 73rd MTsSpN was included in the newly formed special operations forces and renamed - the maritime center for special operations. In the future, its name and affiliation did not change.
Forces and means
The 73rd MTSSPO is designed to solve special problems on and under water. According to the guidelines, its combat swimmers must carry out reconnaissance or sabotage, mine or clear objects, and also capture various ships and coastal targets.
The Center has several main divisions. This is the 1st detachment of underwater mining, the 2nd detachment of mine clearance and breaking through barriers, as well as the 3rd reconnaissance detachment. In addition, there is a headquarters and several support units.
The 73rd center had its own small fleet. It included the Pereyaslav control ship, the Neteshyn diving vessel, as well as several boats and boats for various purposes. In addition, ultra-small Triton-2M submarines and Sirena-UM tugboats remained from the Soviet Navy. According to various sources, in recent years, limited purchases of other materiel have been carried out.
Combat swimmers are armed with various systems, mostly of the old design. These are standard pistols, machine guns and machine guns for post-Soviet armies. There are also APS submachine guns and SPP-1 pistols. For reconnaissance and sabotage, it was planned to use a variety of special equipment of old and new types.
Special Forces on exercises. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
Punitive Special Forces
In 2014, starting the "anti-terrorist operation", the new Ukrainian command discovered a lack of trained units and formations. This problem began to be solved by involving all available formations, regardless of their tasks and characteristics. The 73rd MTsSpN, which was not preparing for full-fledged actions on land, was no exception.
In early August, 30 servicemen of the Center, as part of a consolidated detachment, went to the area of the city of Ilovaisk. His main task for the following years was the conduct of military intelligence. In this capacity, the detachment had to supplement its own units of the ground forces, which could not cope with all the work assigned.
However, quickly enough, combat swimmers found new tasks. From the end of August, they participated in the assault on settlements and in other similar operations. At the same time, the naval special forces performed the functions of infantry, which did not correspond to the characteristics and level of its training. Naturally, this led to insufficient effectiveness and loss of personnel.
Soon, a detachment of the 73rd center, along with other Ukrainian formations, ended up in the Ilovaisk pocket. Most of it managed to fight out of the encirclement, but there were significant losses in the wounded, killed and captured. After the boiler, the combined detachment received reinforcements and continued to work in the Donbass.
In 2015, after another loss and replenishment, a detachment of the 73rd MTsSpN was transferred to the Mariupol direction. Despite this, the specifics of combat work has not changed. The detachment carried out reconnaissance or participated in punitive measures.
The captured commander of the sabotage group. Frame from video from Rusvesna.su
The situation changed only in 2016, after the creation of the MTR. The reorganized 73rd MTSSPO began to be entrusted with carrying out sabotage in the rear of the republics of Donbass. However, the unrecognized states turned out to be ready for this, and not all actions were successful and not always without losses on the Ukrainian side.
Mariupol boiler
Currently, the MTR of Ukraine, incl. 73rd Maritime Center, unsuccessfully trying to resist the process of demilitarization. Unfortunately, the main part of the information about the work of combat swimmers is still unknown, but certain details are gradually being clarified, and a more complete picture is emerging.
According to known data, several units from the 73rd MCSPO were sent to Mariupol to organize defense and conduct various "special actions". Thus, the WarGonzo project reports from the scene that it was the 73rd center that participated in organizing and setting up firing points in the city. Such objects were located near residential buildings and civilian objects - in order to make it difficult to return fire.
However, this tactic did not help. Ukrainian troops and formations are suffering losses, and Mariupol is gradually coming under the control of Russian troops. So, on March 13, it became known that one of our special forces destroyed a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group near the city. One of the officers of the 73rd MCSPO was taken prisoner, and a video of his interrogation was published.
It will not be possible to hold Mariupol, and Ukrainian military personnel and nationalists are fleeing. So, the chief of staff of the detachment of the 73rd center the other day tried to leave along the humanitarian corridor under the guise of a civilian. He was detained, and now the captured officer is also testifying.
Chief of Staff, caught at the exit from Mariupol. Frame from video Telegram / Voenkor Kitten Z
Apparently, these are far from the first and not the last losses of the 73rd MCSPO. Scouts and saboteurs of the Center who resist will be destroyed. Surrendered military personnel will receive everything due. At the same time, resistance no longer makes sense and will only lead to new losses. Russian troops are successfully moving forward, and even special forces cannot offer them decent resistance.
Natural result
It is easy to see that the involvement of special forces did not allow Ukraine to turn the tide of the war in Donbass or effectively resist the Russian offensive. The 73rd Naval Special Operations Center was no exception. Moreover, according to the results of the battles, his personnel have to throw weapon and flee disguised as civilians.
The reasons for this state of affairs and the prerequisites for its formation are generally clear. Over the past decades, the army of independent Ukraine has faced specific problems that are reflected in the special forces. Thus, the lack of funding and organizational difficulties did not allow to carry out all the necessary training activities and maintain the required level of training. Since 2014, it was possible to receive assistance from foreign states, but it could not fundamentally change the situation.
The general degradation of the army has led to the fact that since 2014, combat swimmers trained to operate on the water were forced to work on land. Moreover, often the special forces solved the tasks of conventional infantry. This did not allow the use of special skills and abilities of the fighters, and also led to new problems and unjustified risks. As a result, the combat effectiveness of the units of the Center fell.
Now the question of the complete loss of combat capabilities and the cessation of resistance becomes relevant. As part of the current demilitarization of the 73rd MTSSPO and the SSO of Ukraine, they have already suffered heavy losses, and their prospects are obvious. In the foreseeable future, they will cease to exist - first in fact, and then legally. There is simply no chance or opportunity to prevent this.
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