SWAT was and remains elite
Our soldiers, sergeants, officers and generals honestly and selflessly fulfilled their military duty
15 February we celebrated the 25 anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. It has been a quarter of a century since that distant time when our last soldier crossed the USSR state border along the Druzhba railway-road bridge across the Amu Darya, and it would seem that you can already forget a lot. But that war, like an unhealing wound, keeps it on its feet. And not only because “behind the river” the country then lost more than 15 of thousands of its best sons.
The lessons of the Afghan war, alas, have not been fully learned. This was dear to us both when restoring constitutional order on the territory of the Chechen Republic in 1995, and during the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus in 2000. Therefore, I am confident that we will turn again and again to the Afghan military experience and its carriers. Moreover, our soldiers and officers adequately fulfilled their sacred military duty in that war.
One of those who passed through the crucible of trials was the holder of two orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Star, reserve colonel Yury Timofeevich Starov. In Afghanistan, he commanded the 15-th separate special purpose brigade.
In Soviet times, it was not customary to talk about units and subunits. Our people for a long time did not even know who and how took the presidential palace of Amin in Afghanistan. But this is a merit of the GRU and KGB special forces. It was only in the middle of the 90-s about those events that something began to leak into the press and on TV. During the hottest battles in Herat, Kunduz, Kandahar, citizens were shown how our soldiers plant trees, pave roads, build schools, drink tea with the local population. Undoubtedly, there was this. But the main thing, as in any war, was hard work - at the limit of human capabilities, with sweat and blood, the joy of victories and the bitterness of the loss of comrades.
Recall that in the special forces then selected "piece" - the best of the best: from among yesterday's Taezhnikov, hunters, athletes. After all, the Special Forces is, figuratively speaking, a special combat unit. He is obliged to know the mine-blasting, military topography, have airborne, fire, military medical, automotive, light water, mountain training and much, much more.
Much attention has always been paid to ideological training. And it is right. A man must clearly understand what he will fight for and, perhaps, give up his life. The guys had several sports classes, had martial arts techniques, which added psychological certainty. In real fights, not only the machine gun, the grenade, but also the helmet weapon the enemy. Usually a group of 14 – 15 people were trained with amplification. It consists of a commander, intelligence officers, radio telegraphists, arrows, miners, and, if necessary, a translator. With a - high-calorie ration, special types of weapons. The commander in such a raid is the god, the tsar and the only chief on whom responsibility for the performance of the combat mission.
Naturally, the tasks of the special forces were special. Say, find and destroy a caravan of weapons. But how to get to him? On foot, on armor, helicopters ... The group was thrown out on turntables a few kilometers from the designated area to ensure secrecy. Then walk on unfamiliar terrain to the location of the caravan.
There were two special forces brigades operating on the territory of Afghanistan: the 15-I controlled the eastern border provinces, the 22-I - the southern and western. A separate special-purpose company 499 stationed in Kabul and performed tasks in the interests of the commander of the 40 army.
“Among the main tasks assigned to us by the command of the 40 Army were the destruction of caravans with weapons and ammunition, gangs, mercenary troops, assisting the local population, work on the training of informers,” Starov recalls.
Each special forces unit fought in its area of responsibility, since no one better than the commander knew the situation in the area. The planning of military operations was carried out for a month. Squad leaders made suggestions. The brigade headquarters generalized, and the chief of staff of the 40-th OA claimed. At the same time, the brigade commander was granted the right to make decisions on the situation and the information received, followed by a report on the decision taken. Often acted on the situation.
The special forces fought skillfully, competently and, as experience has shown, turned out to be the most fit for fighting in the conditions of mountain-desert terrain. Even the Washington Post 6 on July 1989 wrote about this: "... the only Soviet troops that fought successfully were special forces delivered by helicopters."
In their area of responsibility, the special forces knew all the caravan routes that ran from the Pakistani border. Every day there were up to 20 – 25 groups on the mission. Sometimes, the scouts dressed in "spiritual" form. The final shot to the goal took place mostly at night. They came, dispersed, determined the sector of fire. Caravan intelligence passed. Only when the main forces of the enemy were pulled up to the intended place, did the group begin to work. His ammunition, says Starov, was enough, as a rule, for 15 – 20 minutes of full-fledged combat, for a maximum of an hour. One of the main tasks that he taught to solve intelligence, - to be able to use in battle the weapons that were in the caravan.
Infinitely opposing superior forces is impossible. Therefore, in reserve in constant readiness were helicopters and frontline aviationas well as a special forces armored group. As soon as the battle ensued, reserves advanced to the scene and supported the group with fire. The aircraft, if the situation required it, "planted" bombs about 60 meters from the group. And the helicopter pilots generally beat almost point blank.
In the book "15 Brigade. SPETSNAZ "(Moscow," Russian Panorama ", 2010) says that Starov in the war was a tough, demanding commander, but it was this that saved many lives of his subordinates. “In military conditions, kindness often turns out to be at least conniving, and therefore ultimately evil,” Starov recalls as if apologizing. “But it’s just impossible to do otherwise.” At Comrade Starov, personnel losses were significantly reduced, high results were noted in reconnaissance and combat activities (in particular, in capturing Stinger and Bloupe MANPADS, and in destroying the largest insurgent caravans). And in Afghanistan, he fought for two years - from March 1986 to May 1988.
Yury Timofeevich was loved and respected in the brigade not only as a talented commander who knows how to take care of people. Appreciated for not stinging on praise, kind word, in a timely manner represented for the difference in the service to the titles and awards. Someone, perhaps, will say: lucky, lucky, he has never even been injured. Only an amateur who is far from even serving in the army can think so. You can learn to fight only in war. But luck in battle is always an exact calculation, the ability to weigh one's strength, to rely on combat experience. Just because nothing is given.
... After the withdrawal of the brigade from Afghanistan, Yuri Starov commanded it in Chirchik for some time. Then transferred to the central office of the GRU in Moscow. He retired when he reached the age limit. Now he is actively working on the patriotic education of young people, who today lack the clever word of wise mentors, and communicate with people who have seen many things in their day like Colonel Yuri Timofeevich Starov, who served in special units 30 for many years.
The losses suffered by the USSR as a result of the deployment of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan "were not in vain, and soldiers, sergeants, officers and generals honestly and selflessly fulfilled their military duty." So it was said in the appeal of the State Duma of the Russian Federation to the veterans of hostilities in connection with the anniversary of the withdrawal of troops from this country. This suggests that the Homeland appreciated and continues to appreciate the feat of their sons.
15 February we celebrated the 25 anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. It has been a quarter of a century since that distant time when our last soldier crossed the USSR state border along the Druzhba railway-road bridge across the Amu Darya, and it would seem that you can already forget a lot. But that war, like an unhealing wound, keeps it on its feet. And not only because “behind the river” the country then lost more than 15 of thousands of its best sons.
The lessons of the Afghan war, alas, have not been fully learned. This was dear to us both when restoring constitutional order on the territory of the Chechen Republic in 1995, and during the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus in 2000. Therefore, I am confident that we will turn again and again to the Afghan military experience and its carriers. Moreover, our soldiers and officers adequately fulfilled their sacred military duty in that war.
One of those who passed through the crucible of trials was the holder of two orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Star, reserve colonel Yury Timofeevich Starov. In Afghanistan, he commanded the 15-th separate special purpose brigade.
In Soviet times, it was not customary to talk about units and subunits. Our people for a long time did not even know who and how took the presidential palace of Amin in Afghanistan. But this is a merit of the GRU and KGB special forces. It was only in the middle of the 90-s about those events that something began to leak into the press and on TV. During the hottest battles in Herat, Kunduz, Kandahar, citizens were shown how our soldiers plant trees, pave roads, build schools, drink tea with the local population. Undoubtedly, there was this. But the main thing, as in any war, was hard work - at the limit of human capabilities, with sweat and blood, the joy of victories and the bitterness of the loss of comrades.
Recall that in the special forces then selected "piece" - the best of the best: from among yesterday's Taezhnikov, hunters, athletes. After all, the Special Forces is, figuratively speaking, a special combat unit. He is obliged to know the mine-blasting, military topography, have airborne, fire, military medical, automotive, light water, mountain training and much, much more.
Much attention has always been paid to ideological training. And it is right. A man must clearly understand what he will fight for and, perhaps, give up his life. The guys had several sports classes, had martial arts techniques, which added psychological certainty. In real fights, not only the machine gun, the grenade, but also the helmet weapon the enemy. Usually a group of 14 – 15 people were trained with amplification. It consists of a commander, intelligence officers, radio telegraphists, arrows, miners, and, if necessary, a translator. With a - high-calorie ration, special types of weapons. The commander in such a raid is the god, the tsar and the only chief on whom responsibility for the performance of the combat mission.
Naturally, the tasks of the special forces were special. Say, find and destroy a caravan of weapons. But how to get to him? On foot, on armor, helicopters ... The group was thrown out on turntables a few kilometers from the designated area to ensure secrecy. Then walk on unfamiliar terrain to the location of the caravan.
There were two special forces brigades operating on the territory of Afghanistan: the 15-I controlled the eastern border provinces, the 22-I - the southern and western. A separate special-purpose company 499 stationed in Kabul and performed tasks in the interests of the commander of the 40 army.
“Among the main tasks assigned to us by the command of the 40 Army were the destruction of caravans with weapons and ammunition, gangs, mercenary troops, assisting the local population, work on the training of informers,” Starov recalls.
Each special forces unit fought in its area of responsibility, since no one better than the commander knew the situation in the area. The planning of military operations was carried out for a month. Squad leaders made suggestions. The brigade headquarters generalized, and the chief of staff of the 40-th OA claimed. At the same time, the brigade commander was granted the right to make decisions on the situation and the information received, followed by a report on the decision taken. Often acted on the situation.
The special forces fought skillfully, competently and, as experience has shown, turned out to be the most fit for fighting in the conditions of mountain-desert terrain. Even the Washington Post 6 on July 1989 wrote about this: "... the only Soviet troops that fought successfully were special forces delivered by helicopters."
In their area of responsibility, the special forces knew all the caravan routes that ran from the Pakistani border. Every day there were up to 20 – 25 groups on the mission. Sometimes, the scouts dressed in "spiritual" form. The final shot to the goal took place mostly at night. They came, dispersed, determined the sector of fire. Caravan intelligence passed. Only when the main forces of the enemy were pulled up to the intended place, did the group begin to work. His ammunition, says Starov, was enough, as a rule, for 15 – 20 minutes of full-fledged combat, for a maximum of an hour. One of the main tasks that he taught to solve intelligence, - to be able to use in battle the weapons that were in the caravan.
Infinitely opposing superior forces is impossible. Therefore, in reserve in constant readiness were helicopters and frontline aviationas well as a special forces armored group. As soon as the battle ensued, reserves advanced to the scene and supported the group with fire. The aircraft, if the situation required it, "planted" bombs about 60 meters from the group. And the helicopter pilots generally beat almost point blank.
In the book "15 Brigade. SPETSNAZ "(Moscow," Russian Panorama ", 2010) says that Starov in the war was a tough, demanding commander, but it was this that saved many lives of his subordinates. “In military conditions, kindness often turns out to be at least conniving, and therefore ultimately evil,” Starov recalls as if apologizing. “But it’s just impossible to do otherwise.” At Comrade Starov, personnel losses were significantly reduced, high results were noted in reconnaissance and combat activities (in particular, in capturing Stinger and Bloupe MANPADS, and in destroying the largest insurgent caravans). And in Afghanistan, he fought for two years - from March 1986 to May 1988.
Yury Timofeevich was loved and respected in the brigade not only as a talented commander who knows how to take care of people. Appreciated for not stinging on praise, kind word, in a timely manner represented for the difference in the service to the titles and awards. Someone, perhaps, will say: lucky, lucky, he has never even been injured. Only an amateur who is far from even serving in the army can think so. You can learn to fight only in war. But luck in battle is always an exact calculation, the ability to weigh one's strength, to rely on combat experience. Just because nothing is given.
... After the withdrawal of the brigade from Afghanistan, Yuri Starov commanded it in Chirchik for some time. Then transferred to the central office of the GRU in Moscow. He retired when he reached the age limit. Now he is actively working on the patriotic education of young people, who today lack the clever word of wise mentors, and communicate with people who have seen many things in their day like Colonel Yuri Timofeevich Starov, who served in special units 30 for many years.
The losses suffered by the USSR as a result of the deployment of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan "were not in vain, and soldiers, sergeants, officers and generals honestly and selflessly fulfilled their military duty." So it was said in the appeal of the State Duma of the Russian Federation to the veterans of hostilities in connection with the anniversary of the withdrawal of troops from this country. This suggests that the Homeland appreciated and continues to appreciate the feat of their sons.
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