In fact, immediately after the end of stateliness Russian war in the Soviet Union there were military experts insist on the development of a special kind of troops — a special purpose. Their specialty was to be the fulfillment of a wide variety of tasks — from solving local conflicts to strategic. For a long time this idea was rejected because it was thought that only large, multi-million army can solve severe prepyadstviya. But as the creation of nuclear weapons, one unit of which is fully able to kill the whole city, there are big supporters of the fact that such units should appear.
Over the coming up of titles for these groups did not suffer greatly. They dubbed simply special purpose units or units Special Forces. One of those who particularly vehemently advocated the establishment was Viktor Kharchenko. Before the war he was a handsome sportsman versed in electrical engineering. During the war, and became well acquainted with the mine and explosive affair. Then he had to lead the reconnaissance and sabotage in the intelligence department management on the Western Front. After the war, in 1948, Viktor Kharchenko graduated from the Academy of the General Staff. Headed the Research Institute of Engineering Corps in 1965. How unfortunate it did not sound, he died in 1975 during testing of a new instrument. But he managed to do exactly elite, rightly considered the best in the world (yes, the famous Chinese special forces can far not all of what can these ordinary Russian men) army special forces. And specifically Viktor Kharchenko accepted count Dad Russian special forces.
During the war, and he later studied in depth the ways of the elite forces of the European powers — the German Brandenburg commandos from England. Painstakingly collecting all the information, classifying the act, assessing the value and indispensability and trying on these acts on the post-war years, he decided that the Russian Union need these troops, only able to do an even wider range of jobs that are not able to do ordinary army. In the past couple years, he just could not break through the way his ideas.
Exceptionally in 1951 to listen to his ideas. In each of the forty-one Army was created by a special reconnaissance company. But it was not quite what sought Viktor Kharchenko. After all, these units were supposed to do reconnaissance in the rear of the enemy at a distance of 50-70 km from the band edge. Kharchenko also dreamed behold units that can operate completely autonomously on the ground in the opponent tyschah kilometers away from the homeland. First, the purpose of these groups was to be the destruction of ballistic missiles and the means of transport — for example languid B-47 bombers, which were on the ground in Turkey, England, Germany, the land of the rising sun.
How unfortunate it did not sound, to assess such foresight Command failed. Because Kharchenko decided to act on your own risk. He personally gathered a group of military experts, who started coaching, transferring the expertise and ability. As a result, the group was created, which was able to show the results of the tests which have forced commanders to look at the idea of military genius completely different. So Makar, by 1957 in the divisions were sformirovyvaetsya special reconnaissance and sabotage company. The structure consisted of three platoons each. In addition, in the vicinity, having a principal operational direction, and created special forces battalions — three companies that are complemented by a sniper platoon. In sum, such a battalion consisted of 360 fighters. And by 1962, had made eight special forces teams, each of which had a population of 1,800 people. As the brigade and subordinate battalions only the GRU of the General Staff. In the case of the beginning of combat operations, these teams had to strike at a more fundamental objects located behind the front line — tunnels, large bridges, fuel depots and ammunition, communication centers, and nuclear weapon. Minor removal of the object from the front of the band was listed weaving km. The greatest general was unbounded — they could very well act in prototype at least some point of light in any country and on every continent.
And quite soon, these masters of war were able to prove their worth. As you know, in 1968, was useful to introduce troops member states of the Warsaw Pact in Czechoslovakia. As demonstrated practice, such an introduction is almost always accompanied by a lot of blood. For example, suppression of the rebellion in Hungary on May 20 at a cost of thousands of Hungarians killed and seven thousand Russian soldiers and officers. In Czechoslovakia, the same actions were led in a different scenario.
At 23:00 August 20, 1968 in Prague airport dispatchers received a request from the Russian transport plane, report the defect engines. Obviously, it received permission to land. Even before the plane braked at all, fighters Special Forces left the plane, heading for a run to the control tower. Czechs so confused that no special forces had to suppress any resistance. After the airfield was captured, our troops were able to move the Vitebsk Airborne Division on aircraft «Antonov».
Go with it on the ground of the capital of Czechoslovakia activated and other spetsnaz units, previously entered the country. Within hours they were able to take television and radio centers, as amended big newspapers. At four o’clock in the morning they had seized the building of the Central Committee, which is a study of Alexander Dubcek. Resistance was not and then — very surprising was hit. In over 5 hours commandos defense held, capturing Ministers of Czechoslovakia, who decided to abandon the obligations to the USSR. After that, they were sent to Moscow. By the final day or Czechoslovakia, again, was a Russian camp.
In other words, to carry out the operation in handy not 10’s of thousands of soldiers and days of fierce fighting, and only a few 10-s experts, and less than a day to deploy their activities.
Curiously, Otto Skorzeny himself — a famous German spy, who lived at that time in Spain, praised this operation, being able to choose only one word to describe — «Brilliant!»
Later, Special Forces had to participate more in nineteen countries around the world — Africa, Asia, South America. And that’s just the kind of information which today is classified. In several countries, however, these guys in maroon berets had a chance to visit and validate general strength of the Russian guns and spirit?
From time to time the men had just run instructors and counselors in training camps fighter. But often they are taken and cannon to try to force the famous South American commandos. It was in Vietnam and Angola.
Often there would be such that our soldiers come into confrontation with the U.S. military elite, but those only after many years to find out who they lost in the fast-moving battle, turning dozens of dead and liquidation of advanced models of equipment.
One such case occurred in May 1968. Then a group of special forces numbering only nine people had the daunting task — a spectacularly poruha guarded American airport, intended for deployment of helicopters. He was placed on the ground in Cambodia, at a distance of 30 km from the Vietnamese border. Specifically, with this South American airport troops exchanging in Vietnam to commit espionage and sabotage operations. Here was located about 10 languid transport helicopters and two light. But the most fascinating there were four helicopters, whose task was to provide fire support — the new «Super Cobra». At present, these helicopters are the main striking force of the United States Marine Corps. But then they were the objects of enthusiasm all the intelligence agencies of the world. They were fitted with new navigation systems, also controlled rockets. It is clear that Russian experts at not refuse to get a similar model for the study.
And the order was given to the respective guys, which is the slogan the phrase «Above us only the stars.» Nine people went on the attack on the fortified airfield awesome.
The whole operation took 20 5 minutes. During this period, three new helicopter «Super Cobra» were destroyed. 4th — raised in the air and on the ground hijacked Vietnam. During the battle were killed fifteen elite soldiers and officers who bore the protection of strategic helicopters. In the middle of the attackers killed three people. Only a few years later the South American intelligence agencies knew that the operation was carried out on one hundred percent Russian special forces.
And before and after it was a huge amount of transactions that have been nothing more effective and spectacular than this. And far not all of them know the general public.
For these men, that no one knows in the face, but knows about whole the world really deserve to be legends.
And all the more sad to think that now these military units, which have no analogues in the world, it is destroyed by their government. Thus, in March 2009 was disbanded one of the best teams — Berdskaya team Special Forces GRU. Well, the politicians know better. Apparently, they believe that Russia does not need the master, ready and able to wage war for honor and freedom of their country. What did bring us tomorrow? We’ll see …