The world was on the verge of nuclear war
The participant of the Caribbean crisis is told by his participant, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Military Sciences, retired colonel Rafael Zakirov.The crisis began on October 14, 1962, when a U.S. Air Force U-2 spy plane, during one of its regular overflights of Cuba, discovered Soviet aircraft in the vicinity of the village of San Cristobal. missiles medium-range R-12 and R-14. By decision of US President John Kennedy, a special executive committee was created to discuss possible solutions to the problem.
- In the middle of July, 1962, the entire composition of our mobile repair and technical base (PRTB) was raised on alert and was given the task to prepare special equipment for the redeployment to perform a particularly important government assignment. So for me and my colleagues began to participate in the operation, which was called "Anadyr". Only then we were told that the goal of the upcoming operation was to contain the aggression of a potential adversary against the friendly Republic of Cuba and neutralize the US military-strategic advantages. Such operations have never been done - this one was unique. Indeed, according to the calculations of the General Staff, from July 15 to November 15, 1962 had to carry 230 thousands of tons of cargo and about 50 thousands of passengers by sea. By that time, we didn’t have the experience of a strategic transfer of troops to 11 thousands of kilometers from Soviet territory.
Tactical nuclear carriers weaponslocated in Cuba, there were: a separate squadron of Il-28 aircraft, three Luna missile battalions with an 45 km range and two regiments of front-line cruise missiles (FKR) with a 180 km range.
They decided to transport people and special equipment ... with the Izhevsk dry cargo ship, which was waiting for our PRTB at the naval base in Baltiysk. People were placed in twin-jacks - this is how the interdeck space on ships is called.
And our "Izhevsk" set off on a long journey to the Atlantic. This we had the impression that even the captain did not know about the destination. It was only after crossing the English Channel the secret package was opened, and it turned out that Izhevsk should go to the equator. Later, they opened the second package, with instructions to go to one of the Cuban ports.
How this made us happy! They thought we were waiting for the tropics, the exotic, the gentle sun, Fidel, "barbudos" - that was what Cuba and I associated with, we read about it in magazines, listened to on the radio. No one could have imagined what kind of "exotic" was expected of us all in the coming months.
Fifty-degree "exotic"
"Exotic" began almost immediately, in the Atlantic. Crossing the ocean turned out to be a nightmare for us. In order to disguise on the deck for a walk, we were allowed to go out only at night. Then, in the dark of the night, we were given food - twice a day. From ocean rolling all piled seasickness. And then there is an utter heat - the twin hatches through which at least some air could flow into the crowded rooms were covered with canvas covers. As a result, the temperature there sometimes rose to plus fifty degrees!
The closer we came to Cuba, the more intrusive the “attention” of the Americans became. Increasingly, air force reconnaissance aircraft were flying over us, patrol boats of the US Navy were approaching Izhevsk at close range. And when the US Navy ships appeared near the Bahamas, we were completely forbidden to go on deck. In general, the ocean crossing that continued for 16 days exhausted people to the limit.
"Russian with us!"
Cubans were terribly pleased with the arrival of the Russians, shouting: "Russians are with us!" We spent some time in the Cuban military camp, and then we were transported to the eastern province of Cuba - Oriente, closer to the US naval base Guantanamo. Having settled in a new place, we began to wait for a ship with nuclear warheads.
Part of the tactical nuclear warheads for the eastern regiment of the FKR was transported to the island on board the Indigirka diesel-electric ship.
In order not to attract special attention to the ship, he was sent from Severomorsk without escorting warships. And the dangerous cargo was guarded by 200 marines. Another part of the tactical nuclear warheads to cruise missiles was delivered on board the Alexandrovsk dry cargo ship.
For the captains of the ships "Indigirka" and "Aleksandrovsk" there was a special instruction on actions in emergency situations. In it, for example, it was indicated that in the event of the impossibility of fighting off the obvious threat of the seizure of the ship, the captain is allowed to sink it, and the teams must be evacuated beforehand.
Ice for nuclear warheads
In the meantime, the US Navy was already looking for a Soviet ship "specially adapted for the transport of nuclear warheads." However, our ships managed to safely reach Cuba. Nuclear warheads were placed in rooms that were generally unsuitable for storage. The main danger for warheads was the ambient temperature — the physical setting of nuclear material could be disrupted by high temperatures. But they coped with this problem - room air conditioners were delivered for the warheads, 20 kg of food ice was brought from the freezing factory every day.
The Soviet military had to diagnose the technical condition of the nuclear warheads, to bring them into a state of readiness for extradition to the FKR regiment for combat use as intended. From that moment on, the Cuban military uniform was issued to the entire personnel of the base for conspiracy.
The world is on the brink of disaster
Further events developed rapidly. October 22, 1962 strategic aviation The US Air Force command placed the B-47 and B-52 nuclear-capable strategic bombers on high alert. At 18.00:XNUMX, the US government declared a blockade of Cuba. All of the command's fighters Defense The United States received missiles with nuclear warheads. Submarines with Polaris missiles took up positions to launch a nuclear missile strike against the Soviet Union and its allies.
23 October in 5.40 Fidel Castro declared martial law. On the same day in the 8.00, the 51-th rocket division was put on high alert. The launch of the P-12 missiles took 2 hours of 30 minutes.
The situation is heated to the limit. American reconnaissance aircraft U-2, F-8 and RF-101 made multiple flights over the territory of Cuba these days. The pilots openly requested their command posts about the start time of the bombing of ground targets.
About 180 US Navy ships with 95 sailors on board approached the shores of Cuba. At the US base in Guantanamo, 6 Marines were put on high alert. The US armed forces in Europe, including the 6th, were also ordered to be put on high alert. fleet, based in the Mediterranean, and the 7th Fleet, located in the Taiwan area. The plan for a possible military operation against Cuba called for three massive strikes daily.
There is an extremely dangerous situation, when at any time a nuclear war could break out.
The USSR did not plan aggression against the USA
In such a situation, the question arises involuntarily: what if someone’s nerves would not have survived and someone would have given the order to use nuclear warheads? After all, the eastern regiment of the FKR received the task of holding the Guantanamo base on sight. However, fortunately, the use of tactical nuclear weapons for the FKR was strictly regulated.
In addition, October 27 1962 from Moscow for the commander of the Group of Forces in Cuba Isa Pliev received a directive that said: "It is categorically confirmed that the use of nuclear weapons from front-line cruise missiles, Luna missiles and aircraft-carriers is not sanctioned from Moscow Receipt confirm. " This confirms: nuclear weapons were delivered to deter possible possible aggression by Washington, the USSR did not plan strikes on the United States.
After the dramatic events of October 1962, the Soviet and American sides finally realized that they were on the edge of a nuclear abyss. November 20, 1962, I.A. Pliev received the following directive: "Missiles" Luna "and FKR in ordinary equipment to leave in Cuba. On the ship" Angarsk "send 6 atomic bombs to the Soviet Union, 12 combat units for Luna missiles and 80 combat units for front-line cruise missiles. R Malinowski. November 15.00 20. " This date is considered the last day of the presence of Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba.
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