GRU combat swimmers: what made them famous. Combat swimmers returned to Syria

Combat swimmers of the Russian Navy Chevron Combat swimmers of the Russian Navy Chevron Combat swimmers of the Russian NavyHistory The Soviet Union began forming units of swimmers for operations during the Second World War. In 1941, the first unit of combat divers was created in Leningrad. Currently, Russian combat swimmers are part of naval special forces. Naval special forces are a subdivision of the intelligence department of the Russian Navy. In 2000-2001 they were renamed Units for Combating Underwater Sabotage Forces and Means. The existence of naval special forces in the former Soviet republics is not officially recognized (except for Ukraine, which inherited the naval special forces groups of the USSR Black Sea Fleet). In order to have naval special forces in the Black Sea, the Russian Navy had to transfer some of the combat swimmers of the Caspian Flotilla under the command of the Black Sea Fleet. Among the reconnaissance officers of the Russian Navy and Armed Forces, all naval special forces groups are called OMRP (Separate Marine Reconnaissance Point) and have their own numbers; for example, group special purpose The Baltic Fleet is officially called the 561st OMRP. Naval special forces also have unofficial names. For example, the special forces group of the Baltic Fleet is unofficially called “Sailboats”, since the unit is stationed in the town of Parusnoye, and in the 50-60s. they were unofficially called “Potekhins” after the name of their first commander, Colonel Potekhin. Sometimes the media report details of the training and actions of Soviet combat swimmers; In addition, there is evidence that they are in the KGB special forces system. Other sources mention units under the code names “Dolphin”, “Omega”, “Barracuda”, etc. But naval special forces have never used such names, and all this is rather false information that is sold to journalists who strive to publish “secret” information about special forces without bothering to check it properly. Navy special forces performed tasks in any of the three elements. Combat swimmers guarded Soviet ships during a youth festival in Cuba in 1978, and accompanied USSR President Gorbachev during foreign visits to Reykjavik and Malta. For three days, 16 special forces soldiers, replacing each other, carried out combat duty by submarine, with orders to shoot at any moving target within a radius of two hundred meters from the protected object. The swimmers had to solve problems of clearing unexploded ordnance and searching in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs dangerous criminals in mountainous and forested areas, eliminating the consequences of man-made disasters. On several occasions, naval special forces units were used to inspect military and civilian installations within the country; then the swimmers “mined” strategic road and railway bridges, secretly penetrated the territory of secret naval bases and nuclear power plants. For six years, combat swimmers of the USSR Navy served as guards at the Dahlak base in Ethiopia. They left the port surrounded by Eritrean troops on the last Soviet ship. After the collapse of the USSR, the most combat-ready part of the naval special forces remained on the territory of Ukraine. The special-purpose units existing today in the Russian Navy are in no way inferior to their Soviet predecessors, and in some respects even surpass them. Organization, tasks and training of PDSS (anti-sabotage forces and means) are special-purpose units to combat underwater sabotage. They appeared in the structure of the USSR Navy in the late 60s. to prevent possible attacks by combat swimmers of a potential enemy. It is believed that each unit has about 50-60 combat swimmers. Each OMRP is about 120-200. It is believed that each military fleet (there are only four of them: Northern, Baltic, Black Sea and Pacific) has its own OMRP. In the USSR, naval special forces faced several tasks; the main ones were reconnaissance in coastal areas, destruction of mobile launchers, command posts, air defense systems, hydraulic structures and enemy ships. In parallel with these units, each fleet had detachments of underwater anti-sabotage forces and means (UPDSS), created to protect naval bases from enemy swimmers. By the way, it was in the PPDSS formation system that there were special animal training stations. One of these bases was located near Sevastopol. They tried to train dolphins, beluga whales, sea lions, and fur seals to act as underwater saboteurs or combat swimmers. Animals were forced to search at the bottom of the sea various items, conduct underwater photography, find and destroy enemy reconnaissance divers. Finally, the animals were used as underwater saboteurs: a mine was attached to their back, which they were supposed to deliver to the bottom of a ship or submarine and detonate there, destroying the ship. The training system for special forces and anti-sabotage groups of the Navy was strikingly different from the methods used in other law enforcement agencies. It all started with a strict selection of candidates. For six months, conscripts who had diving and sports skills before the army were trained in special program, where physical and psychological stress were close to the limit. According to the testimony of former combat swimmers, one of the tests was a night march without specifying the distance and running time. And when complete physical exhaustion set in in the morning, psychological stability began to manifest itself. After transfer from educational to combat unit conscript sailors began theoretical and practical training. The mandatory course included diving, airborne, navigation and topography, mountain specialization, maritime, physical training, mine demolition, hand-to-hand combat, survival in any conditions, the study of foreign armies and possible theaters of war, radio engineering and much more. necessary in modern warfare. Since the specifics of the service included combat, including underwater, in addition to conventional small arms, the special forces studied underwater weapons. Delivery of combat swimmers to objects could be carried out by land, sea and air. The landing was carried out from ultra-low altitudes, which significantly increased the risk. Famous operations On October 22, 1938, during exercises of units of the Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok, a group of military divers exited a submarine through torpedo tubes, entered the waters of a naval base and carried out sabotage. The swimmers used breathing apparatus closed loop , dry suits, pistols and grenades. However, the first experience of using combat swimmers remained an experience; The first permanent naval special forces unit was formed during the war. During the war, RON swimmers repeatedly made combat appearances. Here are just the very first of them. On August 11, 1941, on Goloday Island (now Dekabristov Island) near Leningrad, a special purpose company (RON) was created - the first Soviet unit of combat swimmers. Ivan Vasilyevich Prokhvatilov became its commander. August 1941: RON scuba divers towed a sea mine and destroyed a bridge across the Narva River, which was approached by German troops. September 1941: In the area of ​​Lake Ladoga, Finnish troops captured the islands south of Vyborg, encircling 23 Soviet units that were in the port of Vyborg. Two scuba divers went underwater to the island, laid a cable, ensuring communication. RON combat swimmers, examining the cable, discovered that the Finns had abandoned plans to capture the island. October 1941: training of swimmers in the Pacific Fleet begins. After the end of the war, RON and all similar units were officially disbanded. However, it soon became clear that naval saboteur and reconnaissance units were needed. 1953 - creation of the 6th OMRP as part of the Black Sea Fleet. 1954 - traces of combat swimmers were found on the beach near one of the sanatoriums. Subsequently, an alarm system was installed there; the event pushed the USSR to accelerate the formation of combat swimmer units. October 15, 1954 - the 561st OMRP was created as part of the Baltic Fleet. 1968 - The 6th OMRP was reorganized into the 17th separate special forces brigade. 1969 - corresponding units were formed in the Pacific, Baltic and Northern fleets. 1970 and later - scuba divers from separate special forces teams worked in Angola, Vietnam, Egypt, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Ethiopia and other countries, often at the request of their governments. In Angola and Nicaragua, swimmers guarded Soviet ships and advised local armed forces. 1989 - Mikhail Gorbachev and George H. W. Bush met aboard the Soviet ship Maxim Gorky off the coast of Malta. For 3 days, combat swimmers of the Baltic Fleet (including those from the 561st Marine Marine Regiment) and special forces ensured the security of the meeting. 1990 - The 17th separate special forces brigade was transformed into the 1464th separate special forces brigade. January-May 1995 - several sailors, cadets, warrant officers and officers from different OMRPs took part in the first Chechen war as volunteers. They were included in the reconnaissance units of the Marine Corps. 2004 - a documentary film was shown on the Rossiya channel, dedicated to some special forces operations that were not known to the general public. The film was called “Special Forces; Operations." Among other stories, the film depicts an episode about the tactics of Russian PDS swimmers. 2008 - during the war in South Ossetia, combat swimmers of the Russian Black Sea Fleet successfully destroyed Georgian torpedo boats and missile boats in the port of Poti. Equipment and weapons Combat swimmers are armed with various breathing apparatus, including insulating, midget submarines of the "Piranha" type (can carry 6 combat swimmers and their equipment), midget submarines of the "Sirena" type (can be launched through a torpedo apparatus of a conventional submarine and carry 2 swimmers with equipment), electric tugboats of the "Akula" type, submarines "Triton-1" (can carry 2 swimmers), submarines of the "Triton-2" type (can carry up to 6 swimmers), underwater carriers "Proteus-5" and similar (for one diver). Special underwater weapons in service include SPP-1 pistols and APS assault rifles.

The special forces of the Russian Marine Corps are specialized forces that are part of the Russian Navy. The fighters of this unit have special training in order to conduct reconnaissance and subversive activities at sea and in areas located close to the coastline. They are sometimes called combat swimmers, but in fact, their specialty correctly sounds like “reconnaissance diver”. Most of their operations are aimed at reconnaissance of enemy positions, therefore such units, like ground reconnaissance, are subordinate to the GRU General Staff.

Tasks and structure of the special forces of the Russian Navy

Many people realize that special forces are more trained and perform tasks that cannot be performed by other units, but to fully understand it is necessary to know what missions they perform Russian special forces Marine Corps.

Missions performed by naval special forces:

• Landing operations that are carried out on the water.
• Mining of enemy coastal bases and their naval vessels.
• Reconnaissance or destruction of sea or coastal missile attack weapons or objects with which they are controlled.
• Reconnaissance of the enemy's location in sea or coastal areas, regulation of airstrikes and the operation of naval artillery.

When the country is not in a state of war, it seems that these skills are not in demand, but this is not entirely true, of course, they are not used on a massive scale, but naval special forces help counter terrorist organizations. After all, hostage taking on ships or resort areas can cause quite a lot of panic.

The Marine Corps is practicing interaction with other military formations, which helps develop coordination of actions in the event of local or global conflicts.

At the moment, the special forces of the Navy include 4 MRP (marine reconnaissance point). Their number corresponds to the number of fleets that exist in the Russian Federation.

Name:

1. Military unit 59190 -42 is a separate special-purpose maritime reconnaissance point in the Pacific Fleet. Located in the Vladivostok region.
2. 561OMRP Special Forces in the Baltic Fleet. Located in the village of Parusnoye, Baltic region.
3. 420 OMRP Special Forces in the Northern Fleet. Located in the village of Polyarny, Murmansk region.
4. Military unit 51212 - 137 OMRP Special Forces in the Black Sea Fleet. Located in the city of Tuapse.

The location of maritime reconnaissance points is not accidental; they are located on the territory so that it would be more convenient to work with them by the GRU of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces, of this region. A fully staffed team should consist of 4 autonomous groups of 14 people.

It is important to note that the technical personnel who ensure the serviceability of equipment and communication with combat groups are 20% larger than the number of fighters.

At each point there are 3 groups, each of which has its own specialization. Of course, they can perform common missions, but personalized training allows them to gain the greatest advantage over the enemy.

Specialization:

1. The preparation of the first group is aimed at the fastest and complete destruction of objects located in coastal areas. Moreover, their training is not only related to water, but is also in many ways similar to what the GRU ground detachments undergo.
2. The training of the second group is aimed at discreetly collecting information about the enemy’s location.
3. The training of the third group is unique, and includes a large number of trainings on moving unnoticed in water, which is very important, because main task such fighters are mined.

But all these units, although they are distinguished by in-depth skills in a certain area, at the same time have general skills. So, all of them should work well when landing from the air, land or sea. Therefore, physical and psychological health is especially important, which is why these troops are recruited only after the most difficult tests.

Selection for naval special forces

A soldier doing contract service, a cadet at a naval school, or a conscript who wants to connect his life with work in the army can join the naval special forces. But it is important to understand that to overcome all the stress you will need a certain physical form.

Body type:

• Height should be approximately 175 cm.
• Weight fluctuates around 75-80 kg.

First, the profiles of those who are not suitable for scuba diving are screened out. Be it health problems or unsuitable physique. After this, the remaining applications are carefully reviewed by the psychological report. Personal qualities are especially important for special forces.

Stages of testing for suitability for service in the Russian Marine Corps:

• First they check physical fitness, and only those who completed the task are selected. A man must complete a forced march of 30 km, carrying 30 kg of ammunition.
• Those who have withstood the physical test are subjected to psychological stress, this is necessary in order to find out their reaction to being in an unusual situation for a long time, with an unknown enemy. The easiest way is a night in a cemetery, when applicants must spend the dark time of day among the graves. This place has a pretty strong psychological impact, and 3% of participants drop out.
• Testing using a simulated torpedo tube. To pass the test, you must swim 12 m in a narrow enclosed space. The width of the pipe is 53 cm, which is very narrow for a person wearing a light diving suit. Together with the surrounding water, this test reveals even the slightest manifestation of claustrophobia or hydrophobia.
• Helmet blowing occurs underwater when the participant first has to dive to a shallow depth and open the mask so that water fills the helmet. After this, the mask is returned to its place and the water is released through a special valve. Enough serious challenge, showing whether the candidate can remain calm in critical situations on which his life depends. In this case, the normal result is considered both if the test is passed and if the first attempt is failed. But if a candidate cannot cope with himself several times, then he is eliminated.

• For last test For physical endurance and psychological stability, applicants are required to swim 1.5 km underwater using a diving suit. In this case, the air cylinder had a pressure of 170 atmospheres. When the person was in a calm state, he used correct technique breathing, the pressure decreased by only 4-6 atmospheres. But if a man was breathing incorrectly (through his mouth), panicking, or exhibiting another state of altered consciousness, then the pressure could drop to 30 atmospheres.
• Special forces are not lone saboteurs, so mutual trust and a team atmosphere are important to them. Due to the fact that there were quite a lot of previous tests, and it was impossible to complete them in 1 day, the remaining fighters already know each other quite well. Therefore, everyone is provided with lists of fellow students and asked to determine with whom they would like to work in pairs. The higher the number, the less desire to cooperate with this person. Those who dialed greatest number points, eliminated.

After passing all the tests, the fighters are enrolled in active units and begin to be trained in the specifics of their work. Due to the fact that without long-term use any skills are lost, the Marine Corps constantly trains and improves their skills.

Marine special forces are elite troops aimed at reconnaissance or sabotage operations. During each operation, they are subjected to great physical and mental stress, so they undergo strict selection and training. In order to become a professional in this field, it takes a lot of time, so commanders try to choose their subordinates from contract soldiers or military school cadets. After all, it is assumed that they will continue to work in the army, so it makes sense to train them.

Those who served in the Mediterranean squadron of the Navy sometimes saw how inflatable boats with camouflage paint easily glided in the area where ships were moored, either hiding or appearing among the waves. These were Navy swimmers on combat duty, practicing their actions...

Marine special forces

Various names that hid their true purpose still cause confusion on the pages of newspapers and magazines. They are confused with the Marine Corps, they are included in the lists of either “Vympel” or “Alpha”, they are called “Navy Seals” in the American manner, and they confidently report that these are PDSS (anti-sabotage forces and means, which, by the way, have a completely opposite task).

Few were able to meet and talk with those who served in these truly secret units. I was fortunate enough to be a Naval Special Forces team leader for six years, so I hope to bring some clarity to this issue.

The secrecy of this topic, which even now is classified as “owl.” secret,” is clear from the tasks facing combat swimmers. This is conducting reconnaissance in coastal areas in the interests of the fleet, destroying mobile launchers, command posts, air defense systems, hydraulic structures, ships, vessels - and much more, where accurate calculations, excellent physical and technical training, dedication to your work and faith in those who walk next to you. Many tasks performed by Navy special forces often seem impossible, but it is precisely the fact that the enemy excludes even the very possibility of their implementation that allows combat swimmers to achieve success.

Swimming in a storm

Combat swimmers were entrusted with conducting reconnaissance in coastal areas, destroying mobile launchers, command posts, air defense systems, hydraulic structures, ships, vessels - and much more, where accurate calculations, excellent physical and technical training were required

July 9, 1986. One of the southern cities of the then USSR, a group of combat swimmers consisting of three people was given the task: between 15.00 and 16.00 to carry out a conditional breakthrough of the sea border of the USSR, sailing to the outer roadstead (distance 6 nautical miles- approximately 11 km), where the “foreign vessel” (the intermediary’s ship) was stationed. The task was set for us by the command of the border district in order to check the combat readiness of their units, which explains the absurd time for such operations - in broad daylight. In other words, the task implied our failure in advance.

But we decided not to allow failure. They carried out additional reconnaissance, and since the breakthrough area was identified in the city, the group, dressed in civilian clothes, under the guise of vacationers, identified patrol routes and the patrol regime. The biggest challenge was changing into diving gear and getting into the water. The preliminary calculation was that there would be a lot of swimmers on the shore, but that day, as luck would have it, there was light rain and a strong wind was blowing from the sea. Therefore, I had to use diving equipment ( wet type!) put on under clothes, then one by one infiltrate the concentration area near the seashore, using “holes” in the passage of patrols and bypassing “secrets”.

After taking off their clothes, camouflaging them and grabbing the rest of their equipment, the group slipped unnoticed into the water. The group swam underwater for the first 70 meters, and then for about 20 minutes the combat swimmers swam using a special technique, appearing above the surface of the water only to breathe. A strong wind raised high waves, which we used as cover.

The patrol boats passed so close that the faces of the people on deck were visible, but the group went unnoticed. The swimmers swam, guided by a compass, they were in the water for about five hours, swimming more than 10 kilometers in a stormy sea, but they successfully completed the task (not for the border guards) ...

Fierce Selection

The Navy special forces consisted of only a few units (by the way, after the collapse of the USSR, the most combat-ready part of the naval special forces went to Ukraine). The selection for these units was very strict. Many conscripts did not even know exactly where they had been selected before arriving at the unit. Before being drafted into the army, young men with sports ranks underwent light diving and parachute training in DOSAAF, from which special officers selected candidates at recruiting stations, from whom a training detachment was formed for additional training.

For six months they were trained under a special program, where physical and psychological stress was close to the limit. The candidates were constantly monitored by senior officers from combat units, who selected people into groups in advance. Physical, professional training were assessed according to standards, and psychological stability was tested based on the results of various tests. For example, such a test could be a forced march at night without indicating the distance and time of running. In the morning, when complete physical exhaustion sets in, it is psychological stability that begins to manifest itself. Only a few are able to run, not paying attention to their bloody legs and the overwhelming fatigue. Those who passed this and numerous other tests were enrolled in combat units.

The service life was three years. The combat training program was very diverse and included diving, airborne, navigation and topographical, mountain special, naval, physical training, mine demolition, hand-to-hand combat, survival in various conditions, foreign armies and theater of operations, radio and much more, which cannot be avoided in modern warfare.

Equipment – ​​up to the task

To perform a wide range of tasks, combat swimmers had to be armed with an equally wide arsenal of weapons and technical equipment.

Since combat operations had to take place not only on land, in addition to all types of conventional small arms, the swimmers had an underwater SPP pistol and underwater assault rifle APS, which made it possible to hit targets both under water and on land. The special one was used for silent and flameless shooting and included various pistols and machine guns and a scout shooting knife (SRS). To enhance firepower, the group could be armed with grenade launchers, flamethrowers, MANPADS, and ATGMs.

The units paid great attention to shooting training. Thanks to the care of the fleet command, we were not subject to restrictions on the distribution of ammunition. For example, during one shooting session, a group of ten people fired 1.5–2 thousand rounds of ammunition and 8–16 grenades from a grenade launcher from different types of weapons in exercises, and some spent 5–7 times more ammunition than normal over the course of the year.

The main emphasis in training was on quickly hitting the target in different situations from the first shot. The fire mode during exercises was set to single, with a high rate of fire, with permanent shift positions, although the shooting instructions of those years required only automatic fire. The effectiveness of our shooting option has been proven by time.

Engineering weapons were also quite diverse and included conventional explosives, standard army charges, both high-explosive and cumulative, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, as well as special anti-ship sea mines.

We could do everything

Combat swimmers were trained in mining objects on land and in water, clearing minefields, making booby traps from improvised means, calculating charges and much more. Excellent mastery of engineering tools was achieved through constant practical training. The explosives were also released for training without delays or restrictions.

To work confidently with warheads and mines, you must have a respectful attitude towards explosives and firm theoretical knowledge. Respect was practiced through specific examples, which, perhaps, were not always in the spirit of the “guiding documents”, but very effectively achieved the goal. You can talk a hundred times about safety measures when handling explosives, but it’s much more convincing when Ka-Deshka (a detonator cap weighing less than 3 g) smashes a box of cartridges into pieces - and there are no more people willing to put it in their pocket or pick at it with a stick.

The main task of the groups is to operate behind enemy lines. The delivery of combat swimmers to objects could occur in several ways: land, air, sea. For landing from airplanes and helicopters, landing parachutes D5, D6, PV-3 were used. The latter made it possible to land a swimmer in diving equipment on the water. The reliability of the PV-3 is evidenced by the fact that it was used in the experiment on landing from ultra-low altitudes, which was carried out in a unit in the Black Sea Fleet in June 1986. Then we practiced jumps from 120, 100, 80 and 60 meters. And Colonel V. Pozdnyakov made a record jump from 50 m. Jumps from ultra-low altitudes were made without a reserve parachute, since the time under the canopy was still measured in seconds. Our high level of preparedness allowed us to jump without injury at a wind speed of 14 m/s, and during one exercise I had the opportunity to parachute in a wind of 17 m/s. In addition to conventional parachutes, various cargo parachute systems were used.

Underwater

Diving training is what defined our name. Our main equipment was the IDA-71 apparatus and the AVM-5 scuba gear used to provide diving descents. IDA-71 devices are reliable, but require a high level of training from the diver. Confident mastery of it was achieved only through long training.

Even after a short stay under water, all romance seekers lost their illusions, and when walking in the apparatus in full autonomy, even close friends did not always recognize the swimmers after leaving the water. What to do: our UGK-3 overalls were far from ideal in terms of comfort. But the IDA-71 device, when used correctly, made it possible to squeeze out of it 1.5 times more than the standard time under water.

Diving equipment was supplemented with hydroacoustic stations, navigation instruments and much more. Individual tugs, group carriers and ultra-small submarines were used to move underwater. These technically complex devices greatly facilitated the execution of tasks, but most importantly actor the combat swimmer, his preparedness and physical endurance still remained. People in rubber overalls opposed themselves to the metal of the ships.

Jack of all trades

During one of the combat training missions, the group carrier unexpectedly sank. Since the depth allowed, the crew did not abandon it and continued to fight to save the product. The emergency purge system did not work (the engineer preparing the product forgot to open the tap on the emergency purge cylinder). After some time, the sergeant major, who was sitting in the second cabin, ran out of oxygen, and he had to surface on the orders of the commander. The officer remained under water and continued to try to “revive” the equipment. He, too, began to run out of oxygen – and at that moment he managed to turn on the surge tank pump and float to the surface. On the surface, the crew returned to base.

The multilateral preparedness of combat swimmers was required when guarding our ships during the youth festival in Cuba, during the meetings of M.S. Gorbachev in Reykjavik and Malta, where underwater protection was carried out by combat swimmers of the Navy (and not the KGB, which at that time did not had combat swimmers of sufficient preparedness - not to mention underwater means of propulsion). In the initial period of the division of the Black Sea Fleet, swimmers were the guard of the fleet commander Kasatonov during his trips to Georgia. Combat swimmers had to solve many other tasks: this included searching for those who had fallen into the sea and lying at shallow depths aircraft, and the disposal of unexploded ordnance, the search for dangerous criminals in mountainous and wooded areas in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the elimination of the consequences of technical disasters (for example, in the summer of 1995 in Kharkov).

They had a chance to take part in tragic story passenger fleet - to raise the bodies of the dead from the sunken motor ship "Nakhimov" in August-September 1986. Combat swimmers examined the hull of the ship, looking for clusters of dead through the porthole, using sea mines to punch holes in the side, through which the bodies were removed by heavy divers - "three-bolts" . Since the ship lay at the maximum depth for this type of equipment, as a result tragic accident Our midshipman Yu. Polishchuk died there.

Checks for lice

In the process of practicing combat training tasks, combat swimmers were brought in several times a year to test the combat readiness of units and subunits of naval bases and their ability to repel an attack by enemy saboteurs. During these exercises, we, in turn, practiced landing methods, covert penetration tactics, capturing valuable prisoners, documents, and much more.

The experience of the exercises of these years shows the high efficiency of the actions of groups of combat swimmers, who, despite the number of only 6-10 people, achieved very high results. We blocked naval bases with mines, mined ships and air defense facilities. Almost always, the swimmers emerged victorious from an unequal duel: some dozen people, on the one hand, and a naval base (dozens of ships and thousands of people), on the other. Even then, the commanders of our groups, in reports on the results of the exercises, pointed out the weak anti-sabotage protection of many objects, which is confirmed now.

Assault on the Comet in seven seconds

Another task practiced by combat swimmers was the fight against the seizure of sea vessels by terrorists. At that time this was a purely theoretical question, but aircraft hijackings were already happening quite often. Therefore, in October 1988, together with the KGB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, we conducted an exercise to free the captured hydrofoil ship “Kometa”. According to the scenario, the Comet was stopped by border patrol boats, and negotiations were held with the terrorists. Two options were tested: underwater and surface. The four subgroups each had their own task. Using dead zones wings of the Comet, concentrated for a simultaneous assault on the ship. The weapon is a special, silent one, which during the assault was secured to the body of each swimmer for insurance. To quickly climb onto the Comet's wings, light ladders (ladders) with zero buoyancy were used.

After the signal was given, the first two subgroups captured the first bow saloon and the captain's cabin. The second two are the central and aft salons. The main targets of suppression were people with weapons or those who resisted. The entire operation to capture and destroy three “terrorists” took seven seconds.

Currently, Navy combat swimmers, like our entire army, are experiencing Hard times, although the level of preparedness is still very high. But people leave, invaluable experience is lost, for which they paid with blood and sweat. It's time, given the experience of the last local wars, approach the creation of unified special operations forces, when the entire operation to reconnaissance, capture or destroy an object would be carried out by unified special forces (special forces, aviation, firepower) without the involvement of outside forces and means.

I would like to hope that combat swimmers of the Navy special forces will continue to occupy a worthy place in the Russian armed forces.

Probably everyone has already noticed in the broadcast network one of the few series dedicated to the work of the military and law enforcement - the series “SEA DEVILS”, which has already been repeatedly shown on our television screens, while the plot is quite varied and not boring, which cannot be said about other, “long-running” ones. TV projects. The series describes the difficult everyday life of military reconnaissance divers, who, due to the nature of their activities and the plot, are often involved not only in protecting the country’s maritime borders, but also in the fight against organized crime, drug trafficking and terrorists.

Actually, to make it clear to everyone, combat swimmers (reconnaissance divers) are divers used to perform combat missions to protect their own ships and coastal structures from sabotage actions. Officially, this type of “special forces” originated in the 20th century, not officially - right up to our era!

For the first time the actions of the so-called saboteur swimmers were mentioned in chronicles even before our era! Thus, Herodotus, describing the death of 200 ships of the Persian king Xerxes I off the island of Euboea in 480 BC. e. (see Greco-Persian Wars), mentions Scyllis. Scyllis was a Greek diver from the city of Scion and ended up in the Persian fleet. Having escaped from the ship and swam 80 stadia (14.8 km), he ended up among his compatriots. A little later, he determined by local signs the approach of a storm; The Greeks took their ships to shelter in advance. The Persians continued their maneuvers. At night they dropped anchors, and Skillis and his daughter Kiana swam to the enemy and sawed through the anchor ropes. A storm broke out and carried the Persian ships into the open sea; almost all of them died. A monument was erected to Scyllis and Kiana at Delphi.

The Roman historian Cassius Dio chronicles the actions of swimmers during the War of the Second Triumvirate. When Mark Antony was besieging the city of Mutino, the garrison commander Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus maintained contact with Octavian through swimmers. They carried messages along the river, embossed on lead plates tied to their hands. True, the besiegers soon noticed this and blocked the river with a strong net.

During the siege of Numans, Scipio Africanus ordered his swimmers to install pillars with hooks, nails and sharp plates at the bottom of the river. The pillars were on hinges and rotated under the influence of the current.

In his book on military affairs, Strategamatikon, the Roman author Sextus Julius Frontinus writes that Lucius Lucullus sent a messenger-swimmer to the besieged Cyzicus, who sailed seven nautical miles (11.2 km) on two leather bags. The bags not only kept the soldier afloat, but also camouflaged him - the enemy mistook the swimmer for a sea monster.

By the way, the Roman navy already had a staff special unit“Urinatores” (Latin - divers, divers) - underwater workers, soldiers and messengers. They were armed with special weapons. saws for ropes and hooks for pulling logs. During the siege of Syracuse in 212 BC. e. The Urinatores destroyed the port's booms; The Romans were able to enter the harbor and land troops.

In 196 AD e. Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus besieged Byzantium. During a storm, swimmers of the besieged cut the anchor ropes of several Roman ships. The ships sank or crashed on the rocks.

In 1203, swimmers of the French king Philip II swam across the river underwater and set fire to the wooden palisade of the Gaillard castle. At the same time, the swimmers somehow managed to transport the burning “fireworks” underwater. The name of one of the swimmers, a certain Gaubert from Manta, has been preserved. In the same year, the same swimmers cut the anchor ropes of ships at night in the roadstead of the port of Les Andelys.

Many centuries later, already in the 20th century, saboteur divers became a serious trump card in the Second World War. The first most famous squad of combat swimmers in the 20th century was created in Italy - they were called “frog people” (Italian: uomo rana). The unit was created to carry out sabotage at sea and on the coast. After successful operations, the German leadership, allied with fascist Italy, decided to create its own detachment of combat swimmers. By 1941, other countries already had their own units. The first Russian special diving unit should be considered the Special Purpose Company (RON) consisting of 146 people, created in Leningrad by order of the People's Commissar of the Navy dated August 11, 1941 at the reconnaissance department of the Baltic Fleet, staffed by commanders and divers who received special training in the Navy medical academy and EPRON divisions. Lieutenant Ivan Vasilievich Prokhvatilov was appointed commander of the company based on Goloday Island. It was the fighters of this unit who were able to prevent an attack against besieged Leningrad from the rivers and canals, winning a “duel” against the “frog people” transferred from Italy to help the Nazis. They destroyed the base of the Italian-fascist boats of the Decima Flottiglia MAS flotilla in the Strelna area.

By the beginning of the 1950s, the Intelligence Directorate of the Moscow General Staff carefully studied the experience of combat operations of the RON as well as detachments of combat swimmers of the Navy of Italy, Japan, Great Britain, Germany, the USA and Norway, which had 20 sunken warships to their combat account, including 5 battleships, 3 cruisers and also destroyed 60 ships with a total displacement of more than 500 thousand tons. However, these were separate units of the Navy.

The question of creating an entire naval sabotage and reconnaissance department in the USSR intelligence services arose immediately after the visit of the USSR Navy warship Sverdlov to Great Britain in 1953. The ship's combat guards discovered several divers attempting to approach the ship at the anchorage. When an attempt was discovered to examine the underwater part of the cruiser by foreign divers, the USSR Ministry of Defense urgently began to consider the issue of “the need to create special underwater reconnaissance and sabotage formations.”

In essence, this was a response to the development of underwater weapons in the opposite camp. But things went slowly, right up until 1957, because the head of the Defense Ministry was Marshal Georgy Zhukov, who was not very versed in maritime issues. And yet, in June 1953, the GRU of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces decided to form seven special-purpose maritime reconnaissance points (MRP SpN).

The formation of the first of them - the 6th MCI - began in October of the same year in Sevastopol in the area of ​​Krugloya Bay. In March 1961, the 6th MCI was transferred to, and in August 1968 the 17th separate special forces brigade of the GRU of the USSR Armed Forces was transformed.

In 1970, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) created its own division of underwater saboteurs. General Staff USSR Armed Forces. It received the unofficial name "Dolphin". Their task included carrying out command missions of particular importance, mainly outside the borders of the state.

Since 1981, the USSR began training combat swimmers of the Vympel detachment. They were part of the First Main Directorate of the KGB of the USSR (foreign intelligence) and were staffed by state security officers. About the level of their special training, it is enough to say that when recruiting a detachment in a separate case, only 10 combat swimmers received a mandate of trust out of 120 candidates who already had the appropriate training. The tasks facing the Vympel group unit were often not only operational-tactical, but also strategic in nature. On the eve of a possible war, they were supposed to bring out naval, air defense, and anti-aircraft control systems in enemy territories, and capture important objects before the main forces arrived.

Before the collapse of the USSR, units of Soviet combat swimmers were responsible for many combat operations in various parts of the world. They carried out combat missions in Vietnam, India, the Middle East, trained specialists from friendly countries, etc.

PDSS detachments defended the Soviet naval base of Dahlak in Ethiopia, guarded our ships in Angola, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Cuba, and carried out mine clearance in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.

MODERN COMBAT SWIMMERS

Modern combat swimmers with advanced breathing apparatus can long time be underwater. Their precise orientation is ensured by new navigation equipment, and to detect underwater objects at a distance of 100 m or more, they are equipped with portable hydroacoustic stations.

Special underwater firearms and mine weapons, modern radio engineering and navigation equipment have been developed for combat swimmers.

Reconnaissance divers are able to reach sabotage objects independently by swimming with the help of fins or using both single and multi-seat towing vehicles of the “wet” (unsealed) and “dry” (sealed) type.

After approaching the shore, tugboats and cargo containers are secured to the ground and, if possible, camouflaged. If there is a need for them in the future, then hydroacoustic beacons can be installed on these means, which are automatically turned on at a given time or by a command signal. After this, the further movement of reconnaissance divers to the shore is carried out by swimming, using fins.

Reconnaissance divers can land from submarines through torpedo tubes at low speed or when they are on the ground. When landing saboteurs on the move, a special buoy is first released onto the surface of the water, connected to the submarine by a towing and guiding cable. The exit of combat swimmers from a boat lying on the ground is made from a depth of 20-30 m with a favorable bottom topography. In addition, together with the combat swimmers, the towing vehicles exit through the torpedo tube. On US submarines, special dock chambers (Dry Deck Shelter) are installed for tugboats. From 1990 to 1999, the USSR Navy and the Russian Navy used Project 865 Piranha ultra-small submarines, designed, in particular, to deliver reconnaissance divers.

When stealth does not play a primary role in completing a mission, surface ships (mainly fast boats) are used to deliver combat swimmers. They can be delivered to the enemy coast on landing dock ships and then released through the docking chambers to the combat area.

When it is necessary to quickly deliver combat swimmers to significant distances from bases, airplanes and helicopters are also used. They are dropped into the water from a helicopter from a height of 5-6 m, and with the help of a parachute - from a height of 800-6000 m. When using gliding parachutes, landing on land and water is possible at a distance of up to 11-16 km from the release point, which allows the carrier aircraft should not approach the coast at a dangerous distance. During an air landing, underwater tugs, inflatable boats and cargo containers can be released simultaneously.

In the late 1960s, the Research Institute of Precision Engineering received a specific task from the Ministry of Defense - to design reliable and effective small arms for underwater shooting. And already in 1971, Soviet sabotage and reconnaissance units received the SPP-1 four-barreled pistol, and in 1975 - the APS assault rifle. According to Western press reports, there are still no analogues of either the 4.5 mm SPP-1 or the 5.66 mm APS in the world. You can kill a person with an APS at a distance of 5–15 meters. It shoots with 10-centimeter needles, just like the SPP-1 pistol.

The SPP-1 underwater pistol is unique in its design. It has four smooth trunks, fixed in pairs into a single block. The pistol is equipped with a self-cocking trigger mechanism, which allows you to quickly open fire. SPP-1 weight – 0.95 kg, dimensions: length – 244 mm, width – 25 mm, height – 138 mm. The front sight is rigidly fixed in the muzzle.

Shots from the pistol are fired alternately from each barrel, with the hammer rotated 90 degrees clockwise each time. The initial speed of a bullet in air is 250 m/s. The SPP-1 is loaded with four 4.5 mm SPS cartridges, rigidly fastened with a clip. In this case, the barrel block opens, simultaneously producing partial extraction of the clip. Each pistol is equipped with ten cartridge clips, a faux leather holster, a device for loading cartridges into clips, a waist belt for carrying and three metal cases for loaded clips. Foreign experts also developed a pistol for shooting underwater, but it is many times inferior to the Soviet one in terms of efficiency and reliability. In particular, such characteristics as accuracy and firing range of the foreign model are not comparable with similar indicators of the Soviet model.

The underwater APS automatic machine simply has no analogues in the world. Foreign developers mainly make underwater pistols. True, these products are inferior in power, as I mentioned above, even to the Soviet SPP, not to mention the APS. A bullet fired from it retains destructive power up to 17 meters. While in foreign samples this important characteristic barely exceeds 10 meters.

The APS is designed to arm combat swimmers and, in addition, can be installed on their underwater vehicles. The weight of the equipped machine gun is 3.4 kg, without cartridges and magazine - 2.46 kg. It has small dimensions even compared to conventional automatic weapons for general purpose: length - 614 mm, width - 65 mm, height -187 mm.

The automatic operation of the machine gun is based on the use of the energy of powder gases diverted from the barrel bore to the piston fixed in the bolt frame after the tail of the bullet passes the gas outlet hole. When fired, part of the powder gases rushes through the side hole in the barrel wall into gas chamber, retracting the piston, and through it the bolt frame with the bolt, back. The bolt is locked by turning it to the right, when the bolt lugs extend beyond the receiver lugs.

The machine gun can be fired in short (3-5 shots) and long (10 shots) bursts or single shots. The initial speed of a bullet in air is 365 m/s. When firing, 5.66 mm MPS cartridges are fed from a box magazine of an original design with a capacity of 26 rounds. Spring hooks are attached to the front of the magazine receiver to prevent bullets from tipping upwards. Inside there is a plate that separates the two rows of cartridges in it and prevents the bullets from crossing at the moment they rise and enter the chambering line.

The bore is smooth, with a diameter of 5.66 mm. A cut-off device is located inside the receiver. With its help, the flow of cartridges into the chamber is regulated. At the moment the upper cartridge is chambered, the cut-off device closes the entrance to the next cartridge. The trigger mechanism with a rear sear is made in the form of a separate, removable unit, secured in the receiver with a translator-fuse. For ease of handling, the machine is equipped with a butt that slides into the receiver. It consists of two rods made of steel rod. Each underwater assault rifle is equipped with two magazines and accessories. Specialists of the Central Scientific Research Institute of Precision Engineering created and tested special cartridges for firing from the SPP-1 underwater pistol and the APS assault rifle in various conditions both under water and on land, the distinctive features of which are a high elongation bullet. Essentially it is a steel rod. Its ogival part ends with a blunt tip. When moving under water, the bullet is stabilized due to the appearance of a cavitation bubble (cavity) around it. The flight of such a bullet in the air is not stabilized.

Yugoslav underwater "rocket launcher"

At the end of the 1980s. The Yugoslav Navy was considering the creation of a universal-purpose weapon for special units of combat swimmers. It must fire above and below water, be silent, and be easy to operate with gloves. At this time, an underwater pistol, strictly classified, had already become widespread in the West. In the Eastern Bloc, such pistols were practically absent.

Yugoslav Navy Intelligence signed a contract with the EBW design bureau located in Linz, Austria. The company had extensive experience in the development military weapons. Technical task looked like this:

• the future pistol of a combat swimmer must shoot silently above and under water at depths of up to 40 m;
• have small weight and dimensions;
• have an effective firing range under water - 20 m, and 10 m in the air;
• provide the possibility of servicing with gloves;
• pierce scuba tanks with compressed air.

The Austrians were not intimidated by the complexity of the task at hand; EBW coped with it with honor. Moreover, virtually no new weapons were developed; in fact, the Austrians created only special ammunition that could be fired from all types of 26 mm signal pistols. Despite the fairly successful model, by the time the development of ammunition was completed in the USSR, other multi-barreled and magazine weapons for combat swimmers had been developed, so the SSU (Self Supressing Unit) remained unclaimed for the special forces of the Warsaw Pact.

ADS (special double-medium automatic)

Attempts to unify the APS for combat operations, both under water and above water, led to the creation of a two-medium modification of the APS. The experimental model was no different from the APS in appearance and could shoot underwater with standard SPS (PU) cartridges, and in the air with standard 5.45X39 mm cartridges. It was only necessary to make a few manipulations with the levers and change the magazine for the necessary ammunition. True, by the time of field testing, the model of the double-medium assault rifle, which, in fact, was a modification of the Soviet APS, was morally outdated.

Taking into account modern military requirements, the modification was modified. Due to the bullpup layout, the length of the weapon has changed, and the machine gun itself has turned into a modern universal rifle-grenade launcher system.

ADS caliber - 5.45 mm. Installation provided - 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher. If a fighter does not need a grenade launcher, he can unhook it along with the sight - it will be easier in an attack. For special operations, the ADS can be equipped with a silencer, a flame arrester, optical and night sights, a laser target designator, and a tactical flashlight.

A fundamentally new “underwater” cartridge has been developed for the ADS. What distinguishes it from the usual one is that the steel bullet is recessed into the cartridge case for most of its length. Underwater at a depth of five meters, the ADS has sighting range almost 25 meters (as far as the eye can see in the water).

Scout Diver Knife

Combat underwater, with the exception of those cases when it is fought with the help of underwater pistols or machine guns, takes place, as they say, “with knives” - in the literal sense of the word.

A domestic-style diving knife consists of a blade with a tip, a blade and a serrated part (butt), a guard made of impact-resistant plastic (or rubber), and a screw-shaped handle with a head. The tip allows you to attack with piercing movements, while the sharply sharpened blade allows you to attack with cutting movements. A combat swimmer's knife is a serious weapon in skillful hands both under water and on the surface. In addition, it is well balanced, which makes it possible to use it on the shore as a throwing weapon. There are a great many models and manufacturers of such knives, so I will focus on the most interesting examples.

Universal diving knife (NVU)

In service with combat swimmers of the USSR Navy, and even now countries former USSR, stood, and in some places still have universal knives in service. The NVU blade is equipped with a serrator for sawing cables, ropes and steel nets. The sheath is plastic, with the possibility of two-point attachment to the shin or forearm. The NVU is attached to the sheath using a rubber pad on the handle. This fastening method reduces the time it takes to remove the knife, but also virtually eliminates the possibility of losing it.

NVU has negative buoyancy, in other words, it sinks. But, having drowned and reached the bottom, it stands in a vertical position on the ground with the handle up, which makes it easier to search for it under water in case of loss. There is an antimagnetic modification of the NVU-AM knife, which does not have a serrator.

There was another sample used by submariners - a scout knife. Although it was designed for land operations, it was also used by combat swimmers. The NRS-2 is an excellent combat knife, but its use as an underwater knife was still a necessary measure. In addition, he lacked the length of the blade

Special forces shooting knife NRS-2

NRS-2 (Reconnaissance Knife Special or Scout Shooting Knife, army index 6P25U) is a special-purpose firearm developed at the Tula Arms Plant for special forces of the USSR Army.

NRS-2 is a knife with a single-shot firing device mounted in the handle, equipped with an SP-4 cartridge (for silent shooting in the air). The device consists of a detachable barrel with a locking device at the end and two locking protrusions made on the barrel, a box, a trigger mechanism, a cocking lever, a safety lever and a release lever. The barrel is located in the rear part of the handle, the muzzle at the end of the handle is covered with a split rubber curtain.

Crosshair - the handle limiter has a rear sight slot on one side; accordingly, at the end of the handle there is a metal front sight, adjustable in height.

The blade of the knife is shaped like an AKM bayonet, but was made of steel 25Х17Н2БШ and had a black chrome coating.

To load the knife, you need to unlock the locking device, turn the barrel and remove it from the handle. A cartridge is inserted into the chamber, after which, holding the barrel with the chamber up, it must be inserted into the handle so that the protrusions fit into the grooves of the box. After turning the barrel, you need to fasten the locking device. Next, you need to cock the trigger mechanism, for which you turn the cocking lever up until it stops and release it. The fuse box must be in the “fire” position. “Then you should take the knife in your hands with the blade facing you so that the trigger lever is under the right index finger, the blade is closed between the palms, the crosshair rests on the base of the thumbs. The remaining fingers are below, the fingers of the left hand are on top of the fingers of the right, but in no case on the muzzle.

It was this knife that was used by combat swimmers, and even they tried to modernize it for them, making it a “marine” NRS-2. True, the modernized version of this knife had more disadvantages than advantages. The disadvantages include the fact that the NRS-2 knife is fired from the end of the handle in the direction opposite to the piercing end of the blade. When aimed shooting with the help of the rear sight and front sight of a knife, aiming and shooting is carried out with the blade pointing at the shooter's face (eye). At the same time, the effective firing range of the SP-4 cartridge, which allows you to hit a target at a distance of 20-25 meters, without the need for a dangerous and unmasking approach, requires precisely targeted shooting.

What is contradictory about the modernized “marine” knife NRS-2 is, on the one hand, its “marine” design made of stainless special steels (even the blade is made of steel 25Х17Н2БШ), which implies its operation under water, on the other hand, the fact that it is fired with an SP cartridge -4 can only be produced in air. Underwater, the NRS-2 knife remains an ordinary combat parade knife.

In other words, there were attempts to use the NRS-2 as a base model for the “marine version”, modifying it to chamber the 4.5 mm SPS (PU) cartridge, but this did not lead to anything. This idea is protected by RF patent No. 2246678С1, but the development remained at the stage of creating prototypes.

KATRAN - KNIFE OF COMBAT SWIMMERS OF THE RF Navy

In the fall of 2009, during military exercises in the Baltic, then President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev was presented with the newest Russian combat swimmer's knife, “Katran”. For some reason, this event greatly excited the media, and soon publications appeared in the press talking about this weapon. The name of its author also surfaced - Igor Skrylev.

Some reporters who covered the episode described the knife as a military knife. Which is not true. This product is correctly called a scuba diver's combat knife.

It all started in the 90s. Then the Navy became concerned about replacing the NVU knife, which was in service with combat swimmers. NVU stands for “Universal Diving Knife.” Indeed, this model was universal and was intended not only for combat swimmers, but also for Navy divers. But these specialists have completely different tasks. So for a diver, a knife is, first of all, a tool, but for a combat swimmer it is both a tool and a weapon. Therefore, it is not always possible to successfully take into account the ability to perform such different tasks in one model. In addition, the NVU is simply outdated.

During the first Chechen war Special forces units now have knives made to order from the FSB. These knives were marked .

The first to arm themselves with Katrans were the special forces of the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Then an experimental batch of “Katrans” appeared among the special forces of the Airborne Forces - they all used, so to speak, the land version of the “Katran” (it is produced at the Tula Arms Plant). Moreover, as it turned out later, “Katran” was originally developed as an underwater knife for scuba divers. At that time, specialists from the Baltic Fleet also had their eye on this weapon, but due to a cash shortage they were unable to purchase it. It appeared in the combat swimmer unit of the Russian Navy later, when funding improved. During combat operations in the North Caucasus, special forces even opened metal doors with the Katran. And one day, special forces soldiers used such knives to pierce the brick wall of a building and escaped from the encirclement of Chechen militants.

The Katran knife of the first series was produced in different modifications. For example, there is a version of the knife that replaces the wave-shaped saw with a regular-type double-row saw. In fact, this modification has become an ordinary survival knife, as it has all its features (the presence of a saw and a container for the NAZ). There were other modifications, even special modifications for the army of a NATO member country, and the local military department very much asked the manufacturers not to put any Russian brands and names. However, now such knives are already a rarity, having serious collection value. Connoisseurs of edged weapons call them “Katran-1”, although there was no such name officially.

WASP Injector Knife.\

The American company WASP Injection Systems has invented a knife, including one for combat swimmers, with increased shock and lethal action. A hunting model of this knife is currently being advertised on the Internet. The new product is called WASP Injector Knife. And it's structured quite simply.

The handle contains a replaceable cartridge with gas compressed under a pressure of 60 atmospheres. Near the guard, under the thumb, there is a button connected to the valve. Finally, the powerful steel blade of the WASP is also different from that of a regular knife. There is a channel inside it that opens near the tip. After the blade penetrates the victim's body, the owner of the knife presses a button, and a charge of compressed gas literally tears the flesh.

All together, this produces such destruction and such shock that, WASP Injection Systems believes, there is hardly a predator that will continue to attack after being hit by this blade.

Underwater, the effect of WASP on attacking creatures is even more impressive, the company praises its invention. In addition to the initial tearing of tissue, the knife produces a curious secondary effect. As it “injects” a large charge of gas into the cavity of the prey, a large aggressive fish (or something else no less dangerous) loses neutral buoyancy and rushes to the surface of the sea.

The cartridge with the charge is changed quickly - just unscrew the handle. The knife comes with several of these cylinders to start with, and then you can buy more of them as needed.

The company positions its development not only as a weapon for hunters, but also as a necessary part of the equipment of all kinds of army special forces, special police units and reconnaissance divers.

Hello dears!
Today is military intelligence day and I simply categorically could not pass by this holiday. I have 2 posts about military special forces: and. I planned to write about similar ones in a week Russian units, but if today is such a day, then even in an abbreviated form, it would be better to publish it today, since “a spoon is dear to dinner.” Of course, I understand perfectly well that army intelligence and army special forces are not synonymous at all, but, nevertheless, they have much more in common than they differ. Which means the post, it seems to me, will be quite on topic.
Where do we start? Of course, congratulations! I heartily congratulate all those involved - both honored veterans and active soldiers! Guys, you have a difficult, complex, perhaps not always respected and poorly paid job, but it is a very important and necessary job for the country. You are the eyes, hands, and sometimes the brain of the state. Patience, strength and courage to you! “Only the stars are higher than us!”

The only way!

The Russian Army Special Forces naturally became the successor to the Special Forces of the Soviet Union. The USSR special forces, in my firm conviction, in terms of their training and selection of personnel, were, if not the best in the world in general, then definitely included in the top 3. The entire army special forces of the USSR could be confidently divided into 4 groups. The first includes special forces in the USSR Armed Forces. Each division (or almost each) had its own reconnaissance battalion. In the reconnaissance battalion, one of the companies was supposed to engage in deep reconnaissance. So in this company one of the platoons was special forces. This is the intelligence elite of the entire division. But this is, so to speak, the grassroots, first level of military intelligence. The second group is the Special Forces of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Special Forces of the GRU of the USSR Armed Forces. These parts are best known thanks to TV series and books, the first of which was the famous “Aquarium” by V. Suvorov - Rezun. The GRU Special Forces included 14 separate special purpose brigades (OBrSpN) and 2 separate training regiments, that is, one structural unit for each Military District. Well, plus 2 military institutions that trained army special forces officers: the 9th company of the Ryazan Airborne School and the intelligence department of the Military Academy. Frunze.


GRU special forces of the General Staff "beyond the river"

The third group is the Special Forces of the Navy (Special Forces of the Navy). The main resource is the 17th separate naval brigade of the Special Forces of the Black Sea Fleet, plus separate units in each of the fleets and flotillas, called reconnaissance points (RP). There was also a special group of naval saboteurs “Dolphin”, but it was subordinate not to the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, but to the GRU. Just like a special detachment of divers under the Vympel detachment carried out orders from the leadership of the State Security Committee.
And finally, group 4, these are the so-called Interdepartmental Units. For a certain time, for a certain task, a detachment was formed from soldiers of various special forces, both army and KGB (Alpha, Vympel, Zenit, Omega) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.


Special Forces of the Navy (SpN VMF)

Naturally, with the collapse of the unified state, the unified system of training and selection of neophytes, as well as the unified material and technical base, collapsed. Each of the states that arose on the territory of the former Soviet Union was vitally interested in snatching its piece from the formerly most powerful army in the world, therefore, Special Forces units and bases were distributed in accordance with the Belovezhskaya Accords. For example, the 10th separate special forces battalion, based in Crimea, was transformed into the 1st parachute regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 5th brigade became part of the Belarusian Armed Forces, and the 15th, 459th special company and special-purpose training regiment became part of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan. As the ancient Chinese said, “God forbid you live in an era of change.” As a result of the long collapse of the armed forces, many soldiers and officers of the Special Forces were forced to leave service, fleeing from total lack of money, uselessness and incomprehensibility of tasks. But fortunately, the Army Special Forces survived and, as the practice of recent conflicts shows, is ready, as before, to act effectively and with lightning speed.


One of the legends of the Russian Army Special Forces A. Lebed with a brother in arms in Poti, after a special operation

In the armed forces of the Russian Federation, the army special forces are currently divided into:
1. GRU special forces
2. Special Forces Ground Forces
3. Navy Special Forces
4. Marine Corps Special Forces
Let's start with the Airborne Forces. Uncle Vasya's troops, as Russian paratroopers are often called (in honor of General V. Margelov), belong to a special type of troops - rapid response, designed to reach the enemy by air and conduct combat and sabotage operations in his rear. That is, all airborne formations within the armed forces of the Russian Federation can, with some stretch, be called army special forces. Today the Airborne Forces have 4 divisions:
98th Guards Svir Red Banner Order of Kutuzov 2nd degree airborne division (Ivanovo)
106th Guards Tula Airborne Division (Tula)
76th Guards Chernigov Red Banner Air Assault Division (Pskov)
7th Guards Air Assault (Mountain) Division (Novorossiysk)
1 brigade: 31st separate air assault brigade (Ulyanovsk) and one regiment: 45th separate guards reconnaissance order of Kutuzov order of Alexander Nevsky special purpose regiment Airborne Forces. (Kubinka). This very regiment is the elite of the elites within the Airborne Forces. Based on their training, its fighters can without any doubt be called Army Airborne Special Forces.

chevron 45th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Order of Kutuzov Order of Alexander Nevsky Special Forces Regiment of the Airborne Forces

The same thing that can be said about the Airborne Forces can also be said about the Russian Marine Corps unit. The tasks set by the leadership, as well as the unit of fighters and commanders, give the right to classify the Marines as the Army Special Forces. The Marine Corps has 3 brigades
336th Separate Guards Bialystok Orders of Suvorov and Alexander Nevsky Marine Brigade (Baltiysk)
810th Separate Marine Brigade (Sevastopol)
155th Separate Marine Brigade (Vladivostok)
2 shelves:
3rd separate twice Red Banner Krasnodar - Harbin Marine Regiment (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky)
61st separate Kirkenes Red Banner Marine Regiment (Sputnik village)
And 2 battalions:
382nd Separate Marine Battalion (Temryuk)
727th Guards Separate Marine Battalion (Astrakhan). The special forces of the Moscow Infantry are secretly considered to be the 382nd Separate Marine Battalion (382 Separate Marine Corps).


Russian marines

The special forces of the Russian Ground Forces consist of 3 separate assault brigades
11th separate air assault brigade (Ulan-Ude)
56th Separate Guards Air Assault Order of the Patriotic War Don Cossack Brigade (Kamyshin)
83rd separate air assault brigade (Ussuriysk)
And the Navy Special Forces consists of 2 large structural units - maritime reconnaissance points, which are under the joint control of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy and the 8th Directorate (formerly 14) of the GRU of the General Staff and special detachments for combating underwater sabotage forces and means (abbreviated as OOB PDSS).
4 naval reconnaissance points, one for each fleet:
Northern Fleet: 420th naval reconnaissance point (Polyarny);
Pacific: 42nd naval reconnaissance point (Russky Island);
Black Sea: 431st naval reconnaissance point (Tuapse);
Baltiysky: 561st naval reconnaissance point (Parusnoye settlement)
Detachments to combat underwater sabotage forces and means were created near the bases of nuclear submarines, as well as large naval formations. There are currently 8 of them:
160th OOB PDSS (Vidyaevo, Northern Fleet);
269th OOB PDSS (Gadzhievo, Northern Fleet);
313 OOB PDSS (Sputnik village, Northern Fleet);
311th OOB PDSS (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Pacific Fleet)
313th OOB PDSS (Baltiysk, Baltic Fleet);
473rd OOB PDSS (Kronstadt, Baltic Fleet);
102nd OOB PDSS (Sevastopol, Black Sea Fleet)
159th OOB PDSS (Pavlovsk, Pacific Fleet)


Submarine base in Vidyaevo

Well, the most famous army special forces is without a doubt the GRU Spetsnaz. The 8th Department (formerly 14) supervises the army special forces within the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff. Before the 2009 reform, the GRU had approximately 14 brigades and two training regiments. At the moment there are 5 brigades and one battalion left:
- 2nd separate special forces brigade of the GRU (Promezhitsy village, Poskov region, Leningrad Military District) consisting of: brigade department, 70th separate special forces detachment, 177th separate special forces detachment, 329th separate special forces detachment, 700- th separate special forces detachment, school of junior specialists, special radio communications detachment, logistics service company (MTO).
- 10th separate special purpose brigade of the GRU (Molkino village, Krasnodar region, North Caucasus Military District) consisting of: brigade control, 85th separate special forces detachment, 95th separate special forces detachment, 104th separate special forces detachment, 551st separate special forces detachment, 107th separate special forces detachment, 4- th separate training battalion, logistics company.

badges of the GRU special forces and the GRU itself of the General Staff of the Russian Federation

16th separate special forces brigade of the GRU (Tambov, Moscow Military District): brigade directorate, 273rd separate special forces detachment, 370th separate special forces detachment, 379th separate special forces detachment, 664th separate special forces detachment, 669 1st separate special forces detachment, MTO company.
- 22nd separate guards special purpose brigade of the GRU (Stepnoy village, Rostov region, North Caucasus Military District) consisting of: brigade control, 108th separate special forces detachment, 173rd separate special forces detachment, 305th separate special forces detachment, 411th separate special forces detachment, 56th separate special forces training detachment, company MTO.
- 24th separate special forces brigade of the GRU (Irkutsk, Siberian Military District): brigade control, 281st separate special forces detachment, 641st separate special forces detachment, separate special forces detachment, special radio communications detachment, separate special mining company, logistics company .
AND
- 216th separate special purpose battalion of the GRU (Moscow, Moscow Military District).
In addition, the 100th separate reconnaissance brigade and the 25th special forces regiment are being formed.
Once again - happy holiday!