Now, from the perspective of 15 years ago, you understand well that in mid-1994, few people realized how long this campaign would last, what victims it would involve, how it would change Russia and its citizens. But the officers and soldiers, hastily collected from all military districts, honestly fulfilled their military duty. Sometimes at the cost of his life...
One of the clearest evidence of this is the laconic diary of combat operations of the combined tank battalion of the 21st separate airborne Cossack brigade, which recorded exactly how the unit operated from December 10, 1994 to February 4, 1995. It fell into my hands in February 1995, when I was on a business trip in Chechnya with Red Star photojournalist Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Gusev.

This document can tell a lot. We print it without deciphering the abbreviations.
“The combined TB of the 21st Airborne Brigade, consisting of 340 people (61 officers, 14 warrant officers, 265 soldiers and sergeants), marched along the route Beslan - South-West from December 10 to January 1, 1995. outskirts of the mountains Grozny as part of units of the 76th Airborne Division.
The battalion guarded the rear and artillery of the 76th Airborne Division, placing blocks along the route of advance of the columns. At the same time, from December 10 to 12, part of the battalion’s forces (9 troop, min. battalion, ptbatr and ZRAbatr - senior lieutenant colonel V.V. Polyansky) operated on the mobile railway. composed as a mobile fire group. However, due to the explosion of the bridge west of the village. Sleptsovskaya and blocking the Nazran railway station, the task of getting through to Grozny was not completed.
Part of the forces participated in a tactical airborne assault to cover columns moving in the direction of Grozny and evacuated the wounded. Distinguished: acting battalion commander Major S.N. Stvolov, commander of the 8th troop captain O.P. Ukhabin, assistant. beginning RAV service captain Bychkov L.I.
On December 12, the battalion suffered its first losses: a helicopter carrying troops was fired upon and Private Eduard Olegovich Zhivun was mortally wounded.
By January 1, 1995, the battalion concentrated on the southwestern outskirts of Grozny and began a direct assault on the railway depot of the station. On January 2, 1995, the task was completed. The depot and station were transferred to motorized rifles. But on January 5, 1995, the enemy knocked out the motorized rifle company (motorized rifle company - S.K.’s note) from the depot building and took possession of it. A group led by battalion commander Major S.P. Kachanov. out of 9 people, she recaptured the depot and again handed it over to Ms. But after 40 minutes the enemy knocked them out again and gained a foothold in the building. The group of Major Kachanov, who was already wounded but did not go to the rear, once again drove the militants out of the building. During the fierce attacks of the enemy, he called fire on himself. art. brigade Lieutenant Colonel Matvienko Boris Pavlovich. The enemy did not advance a single step, and the battalion was firmly entrenched in its position.
On January 1, 1995, the beginning distinguished himself. oper. department of the brigade, Colonel Nuzhny Vasily Dmitrievich. In the area of the Press House, he and a group of scouts repulsed and led to the rear 16 surrounded and wounded paratroopers of the 106th Airborne Division.
From January 1 to January 12, 1995, units of the 21st Airborne Brigade fought to retain and capture the main objects - high-rise buildings on the street. K. Marx, in the area of the market, the Institute of Petrochemistry (one of the tallest buildings in Grozny), the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Chechnya, the school on the street. K. Marx. Reconnaissance and sabotage raids were carried out behind enemy lines to the Sunzha River.
On January 12, 1995, an attempt was made to seize the university building in cooperation with motorized riflemen. The advance detachment, as part of the brigade's reconnaissance company, reached the attack line and started a battle, but the motorized rifles did not support it. The forces were unequal, the company retreated, but the assistant chief of intelligence, Captain A.I. Pegishev, Lieutenant A.N. Dumchikov, did not leave the building. and senior sergeant Razumov A.V. They covered the company's retreat and diverted the fire to themselves. Captain Pegishev was shell-shocked, Lieutenant Dumchikov was wounded by three bullets. They held out until dark and were then evacuated to safety. Captain Pegishev warmed Lieutenant Dumchikov with his body and bandaged him. He himself was unable to stand or walk. But he refused hospitalization.
On the same day, during the storming of the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Department, the acting officer distinguished himself. battalion commander, Major Sergei Nikolaevich Stvolov, reconnaissance platoon commander, Senior Lieutenant O.V. Vorozhanin. (On January 16, 1995, he was mortally wounded and nominated for the title of Hero of Russia). Major S.N. Stvolov was wounded and shell-shocked, but a week later he was again in command of the battalion.
During these battles, 2 soldiers were killed, 1 was missing (Corporal Zimin V.V. - reconnaissance company), 24 people were wounded, including 12 officers.
Until January 24, 1995, the 21st brigade received a 2-day rest in the area of the park named after. Lenin and held the corridors at checkpoints for the entry of the main forces, evacuated the dead and wounded. Lieutenant Colonel B.P. Matvienko adjusted the fire of all artillery of the group. Reconnaissance led by senior lieutenant A.V. Zhukov. scouted the area of the bridge across the river. Sunzha on the street. Khabarovsk and 21.01. ensured the passage of a Marine regiment into this area without loss.
On January 24, 1995, the combined tank battalion was given a new task: to move to the Andreevskaya Valley area and prevent militants from entering the residential area and industrial zone. The task was completed successfully and without losses.
From 1.02 to 3.02.95, reconnaissance units were tasked with penetrating behind enemy lines beyond the river. Sunzha and explore the area of the slaughterhouse, chemical plant, bakery and bridge across the river. Sunzha. 2 groups led by senior lieutenant Zhukov A.V. and captain Borisov V.V. We repeatedly went behind enemy lines and returned without losses.
On 02/04/95, after artillery preparation, the battalion units launched an attack across the bridge in the area of the bakery, but encountered strong fire resistance along the entire right bank. 8 enemy firing points and mortars were identified in the area of the bakery. The attack failed. At 3.00 on 5.02 an attack was launched along another corridor, bypassing this strong point. But here, too, fierce resistance slowed progress. Despite this, by 11.00 6.02. units captured a bakery and ensured that a marine regiment was brought into battle.
During the fighting, the reconnaissance company commander, Senior Lieutenant Zhukov, and the group's intelligence chief, Colonel Nuzhny, were mortally wounded.
For two days the battalion held the object. The commander of the howitzer battery, senior lieutenant I.V. Mikloshevich, worked excellently here, skillfully adjusting the fire and not allowing the militants to concentrate for the attack.
During the fighting, 35 people were wounded and shell-shocked, 8 of them refused to be evacuated.
02/08/95, after the transfer of objects, the units completed the last task in the city. Grozny - captured the fire station area on the southern outskirts of the city. The capture was personally supervised by the commander of the 21st Airborne Brigade, Colonel Em Yu.P.
On February 12, 1995, the bloodless units were withdrawn to guard and defend facilities in the settlement. Khankala.
During their missions in the Chechen Republic, all military personnel performed their military duty honestly and conscientiously, showing personal heroism and courage. There was not a single sign of cowardice. Many military personnel have been nominated for state awards. 14 officers were awarded the next military rank ahead of schedule, and 8 were awarded one step higher than their current position.
Died:
1st row. Zhivun Eduard Olegovich,
2. Efr. Bludenov Andrey Gennadievich,
3. art. Lieutenant Vorozhanin Oleg Viktorovich,
4. senior pr-k Suleymanov Asim Eyub-Ogly,
5. row. Zobov Viktor Alexandrovich,
6. row. Kostin Alexey Anatolievich,
7. Lieutenant Kostin Roman Nikolaevich,
8. Senior Lieutenant Zhukov Alexander Vladimirovich,
9. p-k Nuzhny Vasily Dmitrievich.
Efr went missing. Zimin Viktor Viktorovich.
88 people were wounded and shell-shocked, of which 26 were officers, 5 warrant officers, 29 sergeants, 28 soldiers.
Even now, 15 years later, these lines smell like gunpowder to me. I note that the feat of the officers and personnel of the combined tank battalion of the 21st separate airborne brigade was appreciated by the state. On April 1, 1995, the title of Hero of the Russian Federation was awarded to Captain Alexander Pegishev, on May 15, 1995 - to Lieutenant Alexander Dumchikov (posthumously), on May 29, 1995 - to Colonel Vasily Nazhny and Senior Lieutenant Oleg Vorozhanin (both posthumously).
There were two long years ahead of the first Chechen campaign. In 1999, the counterterrorism campaign in the North Caucasus acquired a new scope. By that time, the 21st separate airborne brigade had been transformed into the 247th airborne assault regiment of the Novorossiysk airborne division. And that, as they say, is another story.

On November 5, 1972, in the city of Kutaisi, Georgian SSR (Red Banner Transcaucasian Military District), 21 separate air assault brigades were formed (military unit 31571). The brigade was staffed at the expense of the district troops. The brigade was not part of the Airborne Forces.

On November 5, 1972, 21 ODSB was formed

Composition of the Transcaucasian Military District in 1973:

Commander of the Transcaucasian Military District

10.1971 - 02.1978 - Melnikov, Pavel Vasilievich, Colonel General.

11.1969 - 08.1975 - Shelepin A.G., Lieutenant General.
08.1975 - 12.1979 - Overchuk A.M., Major General, from February 1977 - Lieutenant General.

District Chiefs of Staff:

05.1972 - 04.1974 - Grinkevich, Dmitry Alexandrovich, major general, from October 1972 - lieutenant general.
04.1974 - 02.1976 - Krapivin, Valentin Ivanovich, major general, from April 1975 - lieutenant general.

First Deputy Commanders of the District Troops:

12.1969 - 03.1974 - Yurpolsky, Ivan Ivanovich, lieutenant general.
03.1974 - 11.1976 - Sukhorukov, Dmitry Semenovich, lieutenant general.

Commanders of the 21st separate air assault brigade:

02/02/1973 - 11/1973 - Pugachev, Viktor Fedorovich, guard colonel.
11.1973 - 08.1975 - Herzen, Leonid Vladimirovich, lieutenant colonel.
08.1975 - 07.1979 - Musienko, Viktor Andreevich, colonel.

Based:

order of the commander of the Red Banner Transcaucasian Military District, Colonel General Pavel Vasilievich Melnikov, dated November 16, 1973

The formation of the brigade was entrusted to the organizational group of the headquarters of the Red Banner Transcaucasian Military District, headed by the first deputy chief of staff of the district, Major General D.G. Shkrudnev.

To February 19, 1973 in the city of Kutaisi, Georgian SSR, as part of the Red Banner Transcaucasian Military District (ZakVO) on the territory of military unit 31571 was formed 21 separate air assault brigade (military unit 31571) with a deployment in the city of Kutaisi, Georgia. The brigade was staffed at the expense of the district troops. The brigade was not part of the Airborne Forces. The battalions in these formations were separate units, whereas in the Airborne Forces only a regiment was a separate unit. From the moment of their formation until 1983, parachute training was not provided for in these brigades and was not included in the combat training plans, and therefore the personnel of the air assault brigades wore the uniform of motorized rifle troops (red shoulder straps) with the appropriate insignia. Airborne assault units received the Airborne Forces uniform only with the introduction of combat training for parachute jumping.

Management - military unit 31571, location Kutaisi, Georgia, subordination to the ZakVO (staff 326 people);

1059th separate artillery division (171 personnel);

The 1863rd separate division of communications and radio technical support of Tsulukidze (one SiRTO) consisted of three companies (190 people on staff);

303rd separate airfield technical support battalion (410 people on staff);

802nd separate air assault battalion (military unit 36685) (349 people) Tsulukidze;

803rd separate air assault battalion (military unit 55055) (349 people);

804th separate air assault battalion (military unit 57351) ODS (349 people);

1171st Aviation Group - military unit 61902 - (only 805 people on staff) As part of combat and transport helicopter regiments with an aviation base. The commander of the group was Drobnich Ivan Lukich. The air group consisted of 8 squadrons. On May 17, 1977, it was transformed into the 292nd and 325th helicopter regiments and the aviation department of the military unit 31751 Kutaisi;

Based on the directives of the General Staff of December 1, 1973 and the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces of December 8, 1973, by March 14, 1974, the military units of the brigade were transferred to new states and the brigade received the name - 21st separate experimental air assault brigade (SDSB) .

Based on Directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces No. 314/4/00128 dated January 14, 1977, by order of the Chief of the Main Staff of the Ground Forces dated January 24, 1977 to July 1, 1977 21st separate experimental air assault brigade transferred to new states and renamed 21st separate air assault brigade of the Special Airborne Assault Brigade) .

21st separate airborne assault brigade of the ODSB(military unit 31571) on February 19, 1973 formed from::

Control
- 802nd separate mountain airborne assault battalion (military unit 36685) (349 people) Tsulukidze;
- 803rd separate air assault battalion (military unit 55055) (349 people);
- 804th separate air assault battalion (military unit 57351) odshb (349 people);
- separate service battalion
- 292nd helicopter regiment - Tskhinvali (except for the year in Afghanistan) - military unit 61902
- 325th transport and combat helicopter regiment- Tsulukidze - military unit 31752 (formed on May 17, 1977, MI-8T and MI-6)
- 303rd separate airfield maintenance battalion
- 358th separate airfield maintenance battalion
- 801st separate communications and radio engineering support company
- 802nd separate communications and radio engineering support company - Tsulukidze PP 62013

In 1988, fighters of the 21st Special Airborne Brigade were among the first, exactly one day later, units and subunits of the brigade, having completed a five-hundred-kilometer march, took part in eliminating the consequences of the earthquake in Leninakan and Spitak.

The 21st Special Airborne Brigade was the first unit of the USSR Armed Forces deployed to the Karabakh conflict zone in 1988; it was the one that landed in combat at the Zvartnots airfield near Yerevan and restored Soviet power in Armenia.

On November 26, 1989, the 21st Special Airborne Brigade was awarded the Challenge Red Banner of the Military Council of the KzakVO for success in combat and political training, after which, on the basis of the directive of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 314/3/001592 of December 6, 1989 and the directive of the Airborne Forces Commander No. 568/3/ 0839 dated March 27, 1990, in 1989 the 21st Airborne Brigade was reorganized into 21st separate airborne brigade (OVDBr) and transferred to the Soviet Airborne Forces. The brigade lost its regular helicopter group - a squadron of combat Mi-24s and a squadron of transport Mi-8s.

Since 1989, the brigade's personnel carried out combat missions in South Ossetia; in January 1990, the brigade, along with many other airborne units, restored the USSR state border with Iran in the Azerbaijani sector.

In 1990, the 21st Airborne Infantry Brigade was awarded the Pennant of the USSR Minister of Defense “For Courage and Military Valor” for high results in combat training and exemplary performance of combat missions. In connection with the extraordinary events unfolding in the country and the Caucasus region, units and divisions of the brigade took part in all the hot spots of Transcaucasia: Yerevan (Zvartnots), Kirovabad, Baku, Sukhumi, Gudauta, Kutaisi, Tskhinvali, Batumi, Agdam and others.

On August 19, 1991, the 21st Special Airborne Brigade, by order of the State Emergency Committee of the USSR under the command of Em Yuri Pavlovich, occupied all key objects of the city of Tbilisi and forced the “President of the Georgian Democratic Republic” Zviad Gamsakhurdia to speak on the national Georgian radio demanding the dissolution of the Armed Forces of Georgia and the surrender of weapons to the Soviet authorities.

In December 1991, the 3rd battalion of the 21st airborne assault brigade was the FIRST unit sent to the zone of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict.

According to the directive of the General Staff of the Russian Federation No. 314/3/0710 dated July 23, 1992, from September 15 to November 4, 1992, the brigade was redeployed from the city of Kutaisi (ZAKVO) to the city of Stavropol to the funds of the 147th personnel infantry brigade (SKVO). After the redeployment of the 21 Special Airborne Brigade, a new code name was assigned to military unit 54801 and it became known as the 147 Special Airborne Brigade, and the 21 Special Airborne Brigade ceased to exist as a separate military unit.

In 1994, the brigade was given the name “Stavropol Cossack” (Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 22, 1994 No. 353-17; Order of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation No. 036 of June 15, 1994). On November 12, 1994, having completed a 400-kilometer march, the brigade personnel arrived at the airfield in Vladikavkaz (Beslan region). Thus, the first Chechen war began for the brigade, which claimed the lives of 19 paratroopers and lasted until November 1996. Units of the brigade took a direct part in the liberation of Grozny from militants. On September 1, 1995, the 21st Airborne Brigade was transferred to a new staff and became known as the 21st separate airborne Stavropol Cossack brigade. And on January 1, 1998, the brigade organizationally became part of the 7th Guards. airborne division. On May 1 of the same year, the 21st Airborne Brigade was transformed into the 247th Stavropol Cossack Parachute Regiment. From May 1998 to August 1999, brigade units guard the military camp and airfield in. Kaspian Republic Dagestan. On July 15, 1998, the 247th Air Assault Stavropol Cossack Regiment was reorganized into the 247 Air Assault Stavropol Cossack Regiment, and from September 12, 1998 into the 247 Air Assault Caucasian Cossack Regiment as part of the 7th Airborne Division. On August 12, 1999, the 7th Airborne Assault Company of the regiment entered into battle with Basayev’s gang for the village of Tando and the Donkey Ear mountain in the Botlikh region of Dagestan. On August 14, they were joined by the 1st Airborne Battalion, and from September 18 on the territory of Dagestan, and then in Chechnya, the entire regiment carried out combat missions. Shelkovskaya, Grebenskaya, Voskresenskaya, Komsomolskoye, Gudermes, Dzhalka, Argun, Shali, Balansu, Benoy, Belgatoy, Tsentaroy, Nozhai-Yurt, Novogroznensky - this is an incomplete list of settlements liberated by the regiment from bandits. From 2001 to 2004, in addition to battalion groups in the Chechen Republic, a BTG was allocated from the regiment to carry out the combat mission of covering the state border of the Russian Federation in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Both during the years of peace and in the two Chechen campaigns, the regiment’s personnel showed and continue to show examples of courage and heroism. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that more than 2.5 thousand people from the unit were awarded high state awards, and eight were awarded the title “HERO OF RUSSIA”. Here are their names: Colonel NUZHNY Vasily Dmitrievich (posthumously), Captain KHOMENKO Igor Vladimirovich (posthumously), Senior Lieutenant VOROZHANIN Oleg Viktorovich (posthumously), Colonel EM Yuriy Pavlovich, Captain PEGISHEV Alexander Igorevich. Lieutenant MINENKOV Mikhail Anatolyevich, Lieutenant DUMCHIKOV Alexander Lvovich, Senior Sergeant CHUMAK Yuri Alekseevich (posthumously). In the period from August 9 to August 27, 2008, the regiment carried out special tasks to force Georgia to peace in relation to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. And the battalion tactical group of the regiment from August 26 to October 22, 2008 carried out special tasks as part of the Peacekeeping Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia. The unit's personnel took part in large-scale exercises: "West-81", exercises in Nebit-Dag (Tajikistan) in 1984, "Caucasus-85", "Caucasus-87", "Caucasus-2012". By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated June 1, 2013 No. 530, for high results in service, courage and heroism in performing combat missions, the 247th Caucasian Cossack Air Assault Regiment was given the honorary name “Gvardeysky”.

Airborne troops. History of the Russian landing Alekhin Roman Viktorovich

STORM TROOPERS

In the mid-60s, due to the active development of helicopters (with their amazing ability to land and take off almost anywhere), a completely appropriate idea arose of creating special military units that could be dropped by helicopter into the tactical rear of the enemy in order to assist advancing ground forces. Unlike the Airborne Forces, these new units were supposed to be landed only by landing, and unlike the GRU Special Forces, they were supposed to operate in fairly large forces, including the use of armored vehicles and other heavy weapons.

To confirm (or refute) the theoretical conclusions, it was necessary to conduct large-scale practical exercises that would put everything in its place.

In 1967, during the strategic exercises “Dnepr-67” on the basis of the 51st Guards PDP, the experimental 1st Air Assault Brigade was formed. The brigade was led by the head of the combat training department of the Airborne Forces Directorate, Major General Kobzar. The brigade landed in helicopters on the bridgehead on the Dnieper and completed its assigned task. Based on the results of the exercises, appropriate conclusions were drawn, and starting in 1968, the formation of the first air assault brigades in the Far Eastern and Trans-Baikal military districts began as part of the ground forces.

Based on the directive of the General Staff of May 22, 1968, by August 1970, the 13th air assault brigade was formed in the settlements of Nikolaevna and Zavitinsk, Amur Region, and the 11th Air Assault Brigade in the village of Mogocha, Chita Region.

Again, as in the very first airborne unit (the airborne detachment of the Leningrad Military District), the “land” unit received aviation under its control - two helicopter regiments with an air base each were transferred to the brigade control, which included an airfield support battalion and a separate communications and radio engineering division.

The structure of the air assault brigades of the first formation was as follows:

Brigade management;

Three air assault battalions;

Artillery Division;

Anti-aircraft artillery division;

Combat helicopter regiment with an air base;

Transport helicopter regiment with an aviation base;

Rear of the brigade.

Air assault units mounted on helicopters were able to land in the form of a landing force on any part of the operational-tactical theater of military operations and solve assigned tasks on their own with fire support from combat helicopters. Experimental exercises were conducted with these brigades to develop tactics for using air assault units. Based on the experience gained, the General Staff made recommendations for improving the organizational and staffing structure of such units.

It was assumed that the air assault brigades would operate in the enemy's tactical defense zone. The range at which battalions of air assault brigades were supposed to land did not exceed 70-100 km. In particular, as confirmation, this is evidenced by the operating range of communications equipment that entered service with air assault formations. However, if we consider the specific theater of operations in which the brigades were stationed, it can be assumed that the purpose of the 11th and 13th Brigades was to quickly close the poorly guarded section of the border with China in the event of a Chinese military invasion. By helicopter, brigade units could be landed anywhere, while the motorized rifle regiments of the 67th Motorized Rifle Division located in that area (from Mogocha to Magdagachi) could only move under their own power along the only rock road, which was very slow. Even after the helicopter regiments were withdrawn from the brigades (at the end of the 80s), the mission of the brigades did not change, and the helicopter regiments were always stationed in close proximity.

In the early 70s, a new name for the brigades was adopted. From now on they began to be called “airborne assault”.

On November 5, 1972, by directive of the General Staff, and on November 16, 1972, and by order of the commander of the Transcaucasian Military District, by February 19, 1973, it was decided to form an airborne assault brigade in the Caucasian operational direction. The 21st separate air assault brigade was formed in the city of Kutaisi.

Thus, by the mid-70s, the so-called Airborne Forces of the ground forces included three brigades:

11th airborne brigade (military unit 21460), ZabVO (Mogocha settlement, Chita region), consisting of: 617th, 618th, 619th airborne brigade, 329th and 307th airborne battalion;

13th airborne brigade (military unit 21463), Far Eastern Military District (n. Magdagachi, Amur region), consisting of: 620th, 621st (Amazar), 622nd airborne battalion, 825th and 398th airborne battalion ;

21st Specialized Brigade (military unit 31571), ZakVO (Kutaisi, Georgia), consisting of: 802nd (military unit 36685, Tsulukidze), 803rd (military unit 55055), 804th (in /h 57351) odshb, 1059th oadn, 325th and 292nd airborne forces, 1863rd one sirto, 303rd obao.

An interesting fact was that the battalions in these formations were separate units, whereas in the Airborne Forces only a regiment was a separate unit. From the moment of their formation until 1983, parachute training was not provided for in these brigades and was not included in the combat training plans, and therefore the personnel of the air assault brigades wore the uniform of motorized rifle troops with the appropriate insignia. Airborne assault units received the Airborne Forces uniform only with the introduction of parachute jumping into their combat training.

In 1973, the air assault brigades included:

Management (staff 326 people);

Three separate air assault battalions (each battalion has 349 people);

Separate artillery division (staff 171 people);

Aviation group (only 805 people on staff);

Separate division of communications and radio technical support (190 people on staff);

Separate battalion of airfield technical support (410 people on staff).

New formations began active combat training. There were accidents and disasters. In 1976, during a major exercise in the 21st brigade, a tragedy occurred: two Mi-8 helicopters collided in the air and crashed to the ground. As a result of the disaster, 36 people died. Similar tragedies occurred from time to time in all brigades - probably this was the terrible tribute that had to be paid for the possession of such highly mobile military units.

The experience accumulated by the new brigades turned out to be positive, and therefore, by the end of the 70s, the General Staff decided to form several more air assault brigades of front-line (district) subordination, as well as several separate air assault battalions of army subordination. Since the number of newly formed units and formations was quite large, the General Staff decided to disband one airborne division to complete them.

Based on the General Staff Directive of August 3, 1979 No. 314/3/00746, by December 1, 1979, the 105th Guards Airborne Vienna Red Banner Division (111th, 345th, 351st, 383rd Guards PDP) , stationed in Fergana, Uzbek SSR, was disbanded. The 345th Regiment was reorganized into a separate parachute regiment and left in the southern operational direction. The personnel of the disbanded regiments and individual units went to form air assault units and formations.

On the basis of the 111th Guards Infantry Division in the city of Osh, Kyrgyz SSR, the 14th Guards Airborne Brigade of the Western Group of Forces was formed with redeployment to the city of Cottbus of the German Democratic Republic. In December 1979, the brigade was renamed the 35th Guards Airborne Brigade. From 1979 to November 1982, the brigade's personnel wore the uniform of motorized rifle troops. In 1982, the brigade was awarded the Battle Banner. Before this, the brigade had the Battle Banner of the 111th Guards Infantry Division.

On the basis of the 351st Guards PDP, the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade of the TurkVO was formed with a deployment in the village of Azadbash (district of the city of Chirchik) of the Uzbek SSR. On the basis of the officers of the 105th Guards Airborne Division, the 38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Assault Brigade was formed in the Belarusian Military District in the city of Brest. The brigade was given the Battle Banner of the disbanded 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division.

On the basis of the 383rd Guards RPD in the village of Aktogay, Taldy-Kurgan region of the Kazakh SSR, the 57th separate air assault brigade was formed for the Central Asian Military District, and the 58th brigade was formed for the Kiev Military District in Kremenchug (however, it was decided to leave it in the form of a framed part).

For the Leningrad Military District in the village of Garbolovo, Vsevolozhsk district, Leningrad region, with the participation of personnel of the 234th and 237th Guards Parachute Regiments of the 76th Guards Airborne Division, the 36th separate air assault brigade was formed, and for the Baltic military district in the city of Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad region, the 37th separate air assault brigade was formed.

On August 3, 1979, the 80th Parachute Regiment of the Order of the Red Star of the 104th Guards Airborne Division in the city of Baku was disbanded. The released personnel were turned to the formation of new brigades - in the city of Khyrov, Staro-Sambir district of the Lviv region, the 39th separate Order of the Red Star airborne assault brigade was formed for the Carpathian Military District, and in the city of Nikolaev for the Odessa Military District the 40th was formed separate air assault brigade.

Thus, in total, in 1979, nine separate air assault brigades were formed, which became part of the Western and Asian military districts. By 1980, there were a total of twelve air assault brigades in the ground forces:

11th airborne brigade (military unit 32364), ZabVO, Mogocha;

13th airborne brigade (military unit 21463), Far Eastern Military District, Magdagachi, Amazar;

21st airborne brigade (military unit 31571), ZakVO, Kutaisi;

35th airborne brigade (military unit 16407), GSVG, Cottbus;

36th airborne brigade (military unit 74980), Leningrad Military District, Garbolovo;

37th Airborne Brigade (military unit 75193), PribVO, Chernyakhovsk;

38th airborne brigade (military unit 92616), BelVO, Brest;

39th Airborne Brigade (military unit 32351), PrikVO, Khyrov;

40th Specialized Brigade (military unit 32461), OdVO, Nikolaev;

56th airborne brigade (military unit 74507), TurkVO, Azadbash, Chirchik;

57th Airborne Brigade (military unit 92618), SAVO, Aktogay, Kazakhstan;

58th airborne brigade of the KVO cadre, Kremenchug.

The new brigades were formed as lightweight ones, with 3 battalions, without helicopter regiments. Now these were ordinary “infantry” units that did not have their own aviation. In fact, these were tactical units, whereas until that time the first three brigades (11th, 13th and 21st airborne brigades) were tactical formations. Since the beginning of the 80s, the battalions of the 11th, 13th and 21st brigades ceased to be separate and lost their numbers - the brigades from formations became units. However, the helicopter regiments remained subordinate to these brigades until 1988, after which they were transferred from the subordination of the brigade management to the subordination of the districts.

The structure of the new brigades was as follows:

Brigade management (headquarters);

Two parachute battalions;

One air assault battalion;

Howitzer artillery battalion;

Anti-tank battery;

Anti-aircraft artillery battery;

Communications Company;

Reconnaissance and landing company;

RKhBZ company;

Engineer company;

Material support company;

Medical Company;

Airborne support company.

The number of personnel in the brigades was about 2800 people.

Starting from 1982–1983, airborne training began in the air assault brigades, and therefore some organizational changes took place in the structure of the formations.

In addition to the brigades, in December 1979, separate air assault battalions were formed, which were supposed to act in the interests of the armies and solve tactical problems close behind enemy lines. In the mid-80s, several more battalions were additionally formed. In total, more than twenty such battalions were formed, a complete list of which I have not yet been able to establish - there were several squadroned battalions, the numbers of which are not found in the open press. By the mid-80s, the combined arms and tank armies of the USSR Armed Forces included:

899th separate battalion (military unit 61139), 20th Guards OA, GSVG, Burg;

900th separate battalion (military unit 60370), 8th Guards OA, GSVG, Leipzig;

901st separate battalion (military unit 49138), Central Military District, Riečki, then PribVO, Aluksne;

902nd airborne battalion (military unit 61607), South Georgian Military District, Hungary, Kecskemét;

903rd separate battalion of the 28th OA, BelVO, Brest (until 1986), then to Grodno;

904th separate battalion (military unit 32352), 13th OA, PrikVO, Vladimir-Volynsky;

905th separate battalion (military unit 92617), 14th OA, OdVO, Bendery;

906th airborne battalion (military unit 75194), 36th OA, ZabVO, Borzya, Khada-Bulak;

907th airborne battalion (military unit 74981), 43rd AK, Far Eastern Military District, Birobidzhan;

908th infantry battalion, 1st Guards OA, KVO, Konotop, since 1984 Chernigov, Goncharovskoe village;

1011th separate battalion, 5th Guards TA, BelVO, Maryina Gorka;

1039th infantry battalion, 11th Guards OA, PribVO, Kaliningrad;

1044th separate battalion (military unit 47596), 1st Guards TA, GSVG, Koenigsbrück, after 1989 - PribVO, Taurage;

1048th airborne battalion (military unit 45476), 40th OA, TurkVO, Termez;

1145th separate battalion, 5th OA, Far Eastern Military District, Sergeevna;

1151st airborne battalion, 7th TA, BelVO, Polotsk;

1154th infantry battalion of the 86th AK, ZabVO, Shelekhov;

1156th separate battalion 8th TA, PrikVO, Novograd-Volynsky;

1179th separate battalion (military unit 73665), 6th OA, Leningrad Military District, Petrozavodsk;

1185th separate battalion (military unit 55342), 2nd Guards TA, GSVG, Ravensbrück, then PribVO, Võru;

1603rd separate battalion of the 38th OA, PrikVO, Nadvirnaya;

1604th separate battalion, 29th OA, ZabVO, Ulan-Ude;

1605th separate battalion, 5th OA, Far Eastern Military District, Spassk-Dalniy;

1609th separate battalion, 39th OA, ZabVO, Kyakhta.

Also in 1982, their own air assault battalions were created in the Marine Corps of the USSR Navy. In particular, in the Pacific Fleet such a battalion was created on the basis of the 1st Marine Battalion of the 165th Marine Regiment of the 55th Division. Then similar battalions were created in other regiments of the division and separate brigades in other fleets. These Marine air assault battalions received airborne training and performed parachute jumps. That's why I included them in this story. The air assault battalions that were part of the 55th division did not have their own numbers and were named only by continuous numbering within their regiment. Battalions in brigades, as separate units, received their own names:

876th airborne battalion (military unit 81285) 61st brigade infantry regiment, Northern Fleet, Sputnik settlement;

879th separate battalion (military unit 81280) 336th guards infantry regiment, Baltic Fleet, Baltiysk;

881st airborne infantry battalion, 810th brigade infantry regiment, Black Sea Fleet, Sevastopol;

1st infantry battalion, 165th infantry infantry regiment, 55th airborne infantry regiment, Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok;

1st infantry battalion, 390th infantry fighting infantry regiment, 55th infantry infantry regiment, Pacific Fleet, Slavyanka.

Based on the composition of their weapons, individual air assault battalions were divided into “light”, which did not have armored vehicles, and “heavy”, which were armed with up to 30 infantry or airborne combat vehicles. Both types of battalions were also armed with 6 mortars of 120 mm caliber, six AGS-17 and several ATGMs.

The brigades each included three parachute battalions on infantry fighting vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, or GAZ-66 vehicles, an artillery battalion (18 D-30 howitzers), an anti-tank battery, an anti-aircraft missile battery, a mortar battery (six 120-mm mortars), and a reconnaissance battery. company, communications company, engineer company, airborne support company, chemical defense company, material support company, repair company, automobile company and medical center. A separate parachute battalion of the brigade consisted of three parachute companies, a mortar battery (4–6 82-mm mortars), a grenade launcher platoon (6 AGS-17 grenade launchers), a communications platoon, an anti-tank platoon (4 SPG-9 and 6 ATGMs) and a support platoon.

When undergoing airborne training, the parachute service of air assault battalions and brigades was guided by the documents of the Airborne Forces PDS.

In addition to brigades and battalions, the General Staff also tried another organization of air assault units. By the mid-80s, two army corps of a new organization were formed in the USSR. These corps were created for the purpose of their use in expanding an operational breakthrough (if something happened to break through). The new corps had a brigade structure and consisted of mechanized and tank brigades, and in addition, the corps included two-battalion air assault regiments. The regiments were intended to be a tool for “vertical coverage”, and in the corps they were used in conjunction with a helicopter regiment.

In the Belarusian Military District, on the basis of the 120th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, the 5th Guards Combined Arms Army Corps was formed, and in the Transbaikal Military District in Kyakhta, on the basis of the 5th Guards Tank Division, the 48th Guards Combined Arms Army Corps was formed.

The 5th Guards AK received the 1318th Air Assault Regiment (military unit 33508) and the 276th Helicopter Regiment, and the 48th Guards AK received the 1319th Air Assault Regiment (military unit 33518) and the 373rd Helicopter Regiment. However, these parts did not last long. Already in 1989, the guards army corps were again folded into divisions, and the air assault regiments were disbanded.

In 1986, in connection with the creation of the Headquarters of the Main Directional Commands, another wave of formations of air assault brigades took place. In addition to the existing formations, four more brigades were formed - according to the number of directions. Thus, by the end of 1986, subordinate to the reserve Headquarters of operational directions, the following were formed:

23rd airborne brigade (military unit 51170), Civil Command of the South-Western direction, Kremenchug;

83rd airborne brigade (military unit 54009), Civil Command of the Western direction, Byalogard;

128th Specialized Brigade of the Civil Code of the Southern Direction, Stavropol;

130th Specialized Brigade of the Personnel (military unit 79715), Civil Command of the Far Eastern Direction, Abakan.

In total, by the end of the 1980s, the USSR Armed Forces had sixteen air assault brigades, of which three (58th, 128th and 130th airborne brigades) were kept at a reduced staff or were staffed. In any case, this was a strong addition to the existing airborne forces and special forces of the GRU. No one in the world had such a number of airborne troops.

In 1986, large-scale air assault exercises were held in the Far East, in which personnel of the 13th Air Assault Brigade were involved. In August, on 32 Mi-8 and Mi-6 helicopters, an air assault battalion with reinforcements was landed at the Burevestnik airfield on Iturup island in the Kuril ridge. There, the brigade's reconnaissance company was also parachuted from An-12 aircraft. The landed units fully completed the tasks assigned to them. Supporters of the Kuril Islands joining the USSR could sleep peacefully.

In 1989, the General Staff decided to disband separate air assault battalions of combined arms and tank armies, and separate air assault brigades of district subordination were reorganized into separate airborne brigades and transferred to the command of the Airborne Forces commander.

By the end of 1991, all separate air assault battalions (with the exception of the 901st airborne battalion) were disbanded.

During the same period, due to the collapse of the USSR, major changes affected the existing air assault formations. Some of the brigades were transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Kazakhstan, and some were simply disbanded.

The 39th airborne assault brigade (by this time already called the 224th airborne training center), the 58th airborne assault brigade and the 40th airborne assault brigade were transferred to Ukraine, the 35th airborne assault brigade was withdrawn from Germany to Kazakhstan, where it became part of the armed forces of the republic . The 38th brigade was transferred to Belarus.

The 83rd brigade was withdrawn from Poland, which was transferred across the country to a new point of permanent deployment - the city of Ussuriysk, Primorsky Territory. At the same time, the 13th Brigade, which was part of the Far Eastern Military District, was transferred to Orenburg - again almost across the entire country, only in the opposite direction (a purely economic question - why?).

The 21st brigade was transferred to Stavropol, and the 128th brigade located there was disbanded. The 57th and 130th brigades were also disbanded.

Looking ahead a little, I will say that in “Russian times” by the end of 1994 the Russian Armed Forces included the following units:

11th Airborne Brigade of the Transbaikal Military District (Ulan-Ude);

13th Airborne Brigade of the Ural Military District (Orenburg);

21st Airborne Brigade of the North Caucasus Military District (Stavropol);

36th Airborne Brigade of the Leningrad Military District (Garbolovo);

37th Airborne Brigade of the North-Western Group of Forces (Chernyakhovsk);

From the book 100 Great Aviation and Astronautics Records author Zigunenko Stanislav Nikolaevich

The first paratroopers Since 1929, parachutes have become mandatory equipment for pilots and aeronauts. It was necessary to organize a parachute service in the country, train paratroopers, and break the wall of disbelief in the silk dome. One of the first to start this work in our country

From the book Encyclopedia of Misconceptions. Third Reich author Likhacheva Larisa Borisovna

SA. Were stormtroopers real men? Well, what can I tell you, my friend? There are still contrasts in life: There are so many girls around, And you and I are homosexuals. The harsh truth of life as presented by Joseph Raskin - Comrade commander, appeared in our company

Origins of the military branch

Already in the 1930s, the first airborne assault brigades were formed in the USSR, for example, the 11th separate airborne assault brigade (11th air assault brigade Ulan-Ude). preparation of a theoretical basis for the successful conduct of operations of this kind began. The first “Experienced Airborne Detachment” was created in June 1931 on the territory of the Leningrad Military District on the basis of the 11th Infantry Division.

By the beginning of 1933, special-purpose airborne detachments, as well as separate rifle battalions (airborne assault battalions), were formed within the Moscow, Volga, Ukrainian, and Belarusian military districts. Perhaps one of the most famous airborne assault units from the heyday of the Airborne Forces can be called the 21 Airborne Assault Battalion, formed in Kutaisi in the first half of the 70s. But first things first.

It was these military formations that were the basis for the creation of the USSR Airborne Forces. The first full-fledged landing - 900 people in full combat ammunition - was dropped on the territory of the Belarusian Military District in 1934. The first full-fledged combat airborne operation of the USSR dates back to August 1939. This happened during the conflict at Khalkin Gol, where the 212th Airborne Brigade under the leadership of Major Ivan Zatevakhin, having completed a forced march of Japanese troops, showed its best qualities in the battles for Fui Heights; as a result of the operation, 352 soldiers and officers were awarded orders and medals . Ivan Glazunov - one of the first landing officers, subsequently rose to the rank of lieutenant general, and from 1944 to 1946 was the commander of the USSR Airborne Forces.

When creating the Airborne Forces, the goals and tasks set for the formations of this type of troops were determined: delivered to the enemy’s rear by means of aviation and parachute means, the landing force is engaged in reconnaissance and sabotage activities, preparing a bridgehead for the offensive of ground forces. In addition, mobile groups of paratroopers are indispensable in combat operations in hard-to-reach territories. This specificity determined the initially strict selection of personnel in the Airborne Forces; the need to conduct combat operations in an isolated state required excellent physical condition and ideological strength of the personnel.

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army included five airborne corps, with a personnel strength of just under 10,000 people in each. During the Second World War, the high command began to realize the need to carry out sabotage operations, as a result of which, since 1942, new paratrooper units were formed on the basis of several guards rifle divisions. In addition, at the same time, sabotage detachments were formed under the NKVD of the USSR, and airborne units of the navy were created. In general, the results of World War II gave a new impetus to the development of the Airborne Forces in the Soviet Union.

Airborne Forces after World War II

In June 1946, the airborne divisions were withdrawn from the Air Force and came under the personal command of the Minister of the Armed Forces, thereby essentially becoming an independent branch of the military. The period after the end of World War II was marked by the beginning of the confrontation between the USSR and the West; in this situation, obvious gaps in the organization of the Airborne Forces and the unpreparedness of troops for a full-fledged confrontation with similar NATO units became visible. If the theoretical basis and training of fighters were at a decent level, then the catastrophic state of material capabilities became obvious by the end of the 40s.

The next decade was marked by a radical modernization of the airborne troops, starting with theoretical and tactical training of personnel, work on modern equipment and ending with the development of symbols that distinguished the fighters of the USSR Airborne Forces. In 1956, for example, an eternal symbol of the Russian landing force was developed - a parachutist between two planes, which for more than half a century can be seen on the flag of the Airborne Forces. Clients of our military trade, by the way, can right now buy flags of the Airborne Forces of the USSR or Russia, close to every paratrooper.

Also in 1956, so-called nuclear landing exercises took place on the territory of the Semipalatinsk test site; during the exercises, paratroopers worked at the risk of their lives in conditions of increased background radiation. This period was marked by a significant increase in the combat effectiveness of the airborne troops, an increase in numbers and an increase in the level of logistics. The main ideologist and coordinator of that reform was the legendary Vasily Margelov, more about whom below.

By the mid-1960s, during the period of rapid development of military helicopter technology, the need arose to create airborne units that would use the ability of helicopters to land and take off anywhere. It was assumed that new units would be delivered behind enemy lines and landed directly from a helicopter, since the latter now provided the opportunity to transport large landing forces. The US troops became pioneers in the use of helicopter technology; the first air assault divisions appeared in the American army in 1965.

The military campaign in Vietnam clearly showed the full power of the helicopter landing force; the Soviet command decided on the need to create this type of troops. The first domestic air assault brigade was formed on an experimental basis on the basis of the 51st Parachute Regiment as part of the Dnepr-67 exercises. The brigade landed from a helicopter at the specified point and successfully completed the combat mission. Thus, in 1968, the formation of assault airborne brigades as part of the ground forces began. The operation scheme of the DShB consisted of landing formations in any area of military operations and solving combat missions with fire support from helicopters. Initially, the range of action of assault brigades did not exceed 70-100 kilometers.

Creation of 21 DSB ZakVO

The Directive of the General Staff of November 5, 1972 ordered the formation of an air assault brigade on the territory of the Transcaucasian Military District by February 1973. In pursuance of this order, 21 air assault brigades were created in the city of Kutaisi on the territory of military unit 31571. In addition, the 21 separate brigade included: 3 separate air assault battalions numbered 802 (military unit 36685 in Tsulukidze), 803 (military unit 55055), 804 (military unit 57351); 1059 separate artillery division; two separate helicopter regiments (325 and 292); 303rd separate aviation support battalion; 1863 separate communications and radio engineering support division. Sometimes the brigade is called 21 OODShB.

True, until 1983, the personnel of the assault brigades stood out from the rest of the airborne forces - the service program here did not include parachute jumping, so the attack aircraft wore the uniform of motorized riflemen for the first ten years of their existence. We also note that the 21,11 and 13 ODShBr were created in the early seventies as a prototype. The personnel of the assault brigades then lived in conditions of continuous exercises, which were experimental in nature - at times this led to various kinds of emergency situations. As part of a major exercise in 1976, a tragedy occurred - as a result of a collision between two MI-8s, 36 soldiers of the 21st Kutaisi Airborne Brigade were killed.

The tragedy was the result of a mistake by one of the pilots - the second helicopter cut off the tail of the first with its propeller. However, despite such incidents, by the end of the decade it became clear that the command needed such highly mobile and combat-ready troops. Thus, by the decision of the Chief of the General Staff, Marshal N.V. Ogarkov in 1979, eight more air assault brigades were formed. All airborne infantry brigades of the USSR were directly subordinate to the Civil Code of the Soviet Forces, and only in 1990 were they officially transferred to the command of the Airborne Forces.

Parachute training in the 21st airborne battalion

In August 1983, the personnel of the 21st Airborne Battalion began performing parachute jumps for the first time; the landing was carried out from Mi-8 helicopters in groups of 16 people (in the standard case). Kutaisi attack aircraft specialized in conducting operations in difficult mountain conditions, desert, steppe, studied and practiced combat tactics in the dark (night shooting, forced marches, etc.). So, in 1983, the 21st Airborne Assault Brigade finally switched to the uniform, allowance and combat equipment of the airborne troops.

Standard armament 21 DShB

The technical equipment of the brigade was as follows: the transport helicopter regiment was armed with 20 Mi-24, 40 Mi-8 and 40 Mi-6; the anti-tank battery was armed with SPG-9 MD; the mortar battery had 8 82-mm BM-37s at its disposal; the anti-aircraft missile platoon had 9 Strela-2M MANPADS; several BMD-1, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers for each air assault battalion. The armament of the brigade artillery group consisted of GD-30 howitzers, PM-38 mortars, GP 2A2 cannons, Malyutka ATGM, SPG-9MD, and ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun.

Features of service in air assault units and formations

Unlike the airborne parachute units, assault brigades, as a rule, were used as additional force as part of a ground operation. More often than not, only part of a large brigade unit conducted combat operations in a specific territory. The 21st Airborne Brigade belonged to the category of demonstration military formations of the Soviet Army; a large percentage of the exercises were carried out under the supervision of foreign delegations - mainly representatives of the Warsaw Warsaw countries and allies in Asia.

It is interesting that in addition to long-distance foot marches in full ammunition, crossing mountain rivers, night battalion exercises, and landing, for example, in swamps, mountaineering training was mandatory for the 21st Airborne Brigade in Kutaisi. The commanders had the skills and certificates of rock climbing athletes.

For landing, the assault brigade used Mi-6, Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters. The Mi-6 was released in 1957, being at that time the largest in the world, and the first Soviet helicopter with gas turbine engines. In the 60s, the Mi-6 set several international speed and flight altitude records. Landing from this helicopter is carried out using a parachute. The Mi-8, having a lower payload, was released in 1962 - an important feature was its adaptability specifically to combat operations, due to the possibility of high-quality fire support for ground forces.

The Mi-24, created on the basis of the Mi-8, is still used by the armies of many countries around the world, it is equipped with the maximum possible number of weapons, which does not greatly affect the payload and speed characteristics, 8-10 paratroopers plus crew members - this is exactly the number of people it can accommodate helicopter.

21 DSB in turbulent times of change

At the end of the 80s, there was an armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, it all started with pogroms based on ethnic hatred, then there were attacks on military transport and parts of the armed forces. In July 1989, the separatists captured the Zvartnots airfield, thus completely disrupting air traffic with the USSR. Troops of the 21st Airborne Assault Brigade from Kutaisi landed from helicopters directly onto the tarmac, and within an hour the invaders were driven out of the airport building; no firearms were used. Thus, a bridgehead was prepared for the landing of units of the 76th and 98th Guards Airborne Divisions.

The forces of the 21st Airborne Brigade organized a rescue operation in Leninakan after the Spitak earthquake in December 1989. The paratroopers also successfully fought against looting in cities and robbery on the roads. As a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union, on November 4, 1992, the 21st Special Airborne Brigade was withdrawn from Kutaisi to Stavropol. In 2007, the brigade was transformed into the 247th Air Assault Caucasian Cossack Regiment, part of the 7th Guards Airborne Division.

Where to buy paraphernalia with the symbols of 21 DShB?

Vonetorg Voenpro has a line of unique products at its disposal, including flags of individual military units, made to order. In particular, today you have the opportunity to buy the flag of the 21st Special Airborne Brigade, the basis for which was the flag of the Airborne Forces.

At the top of the flag you can see the inscription “Uncle Vasya’s Troops”, this unofficial decoding of the airborne abbreviation is familiar and dear to all Russian paratroopers - this is a tribute to the main figure in the history of the Russian airborne forces, the already mentioned Vasily Filippovich Margelov.

Hero of the Soviet Union, a legend of the Airborne Forces and the creator of this type of troops in its modern form, it was under his leadership that the tactics of conducting combat operations by airborne units were developed, and through his efforts the material and technical base for the operations of paratroopers was developed and put into use. It is with his name that the formation of the Airborne Forces as an elite branch of the military is associated; today, even outside Russia, everyone knows that service in Uncle Vasya’s Troops is very prestigious. Vasily Margelov died in March 1990, but his name will forever remain a shrine for all soldiers in vests.

If your loved one or friend served in the ranks of the Kutaisi Airborne Forces, such a flag will be an excellent gift for him; on Airborne Forces Day, colleagues can gather under it - at the bottom of the flag there is an inscription with the name of the military unit.

Military unit 54801 is the 247th Guards Air Assault Caucasian Cossack Regiment, Airborne Forces (Airborne Forces) of the Russian Federation. Military unit 54801 is a combat unit. It is stationed in the city of Stavropol, Stavropol Territory.
The 247th Regiment has two main holidays: on March 18, 2015, it celebrated its 42nd birthday, and on August 2, every year in military unit 54801 celebrations are held in honor of Russian Airborne Forces Day. By the way, in 2015 the Russian Airborne Forces will celebrate their 85th anniversary.

Sleeve patch

Story

The 247th Guards Air Assault Caucasian Cossack Regiment was created in 1973 on the basis of the 21st separate experimental air assault brigade.
On August 1, 1980, the 21st Assault Brigade received the Battle Banner and a certificate. In 1989, her merits were awarded with the Challenge Red Banner of the Military Council of the KZAKVO, and in 1990 with the Pennant of the Minister of Defense “For Courage and Military Valor.”
In 1990, the brigade became part of the Russian Airborne Forces, changing its name to “separate airborne.”

Museum of Military Glory

Since 1992, a unit has been stationed in Stavropol.
On May 1, 1998, the brigade became a regiment of the 7th Guards Airborne Division. It received the name "247th Parachute Stavropol Cossack Regiment", which later changed to the current one.
The regiment received the honorary title of “Guards” in 2013, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation. This is only the second case in the Russian army when a part of the Airborne Forces receives such a “title” in peacetime.
The 247th Regiment is constantly involved in a variety of peacetime and wartime tasks: in 1986, military personnel of the then brigade were involved in eliminating the consequences of the Chernobyl accident; in 1988-89 - in Armenia and Georgia they eliminated the consequences of earthquakes; in 1989-1992 - participated in resolving conflicts in Transcaucasia, and in 2000-2004. - took part in hostilities in Chechnya.

On the road

Eyewitness impressions

The military town of military unit 54801 is located in a residential area of Stavropol. Contract workers and their families are provided with medical services, and there are no problems with places in kindergartens, schools and other institutions. Military unit 54801 also accepts women for contract service.

Servicemen from military unit 54801 often leave their unit for long periods of time (sometimes for several months).

Soldiers go on business trips, for jumping, shooting, field exercises, tactics classes, and “mountain” training. Paratroopers learn to overcome heights from 1500 to 2600 m above sea level, cross mountain rivers, and move on ice; master parachutes, armored vehicles, walkie-talkies, standard and secret weapons. They run 1 - 3 km every day, if not in an outfit (and there are a lot of outfits here).
Over the course of a year, each paratrooper must complete a program for parachute jumps from Il, An, etc. aircraft, as well as helicopters. Compliance with jumping standards significantly increases additional payments and bonuses, as well as length of service.
Military unit 54801 does not issue driver's licenses. But all drivers and driver-mechanics who already have a driver's license can obtain driving category "D" and "E" during their service. Retraining takes place at state expense.

Airborne flag

In addition, each serviceman, if desired, can receive a referral to the Training Center - a training center for training junior airborne specialists. The course of training is from three months to six months. Excellent students can continue their studies at the Airborne Forces Sergeant School (study for 2.5 years). Those who strive for higher education are sent to Ryazanskoe

Higher Airborne Command School (RVVDKU) or other educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Soldiers of military unit 54801 regularly stand guard. The guard consists of protecting particularly important objects on the territory of the unit and beyond. Not everyone is taken on guard duty, but only those whom the psychologist recommends for this combat mission. In some companies, mechanics are not sent on guard duty, since they are always “with equipment.” Newly arrived youth are also not placed on guard duty.
In addition, soldiers of military unit 54801 regularly participate in the May 9 parade, patrol the city streets, participate in city public events, and much more. It is clear that the workload is heavy, so discipline and regulations are strictly observed. And they compensate for the increased workload with good nutrition: the food in the dining room is delicious, there is a choice of dishes, there is a buffet. They also serve sweets: buns, cookies, sweets.

In the cockpit

Living conditions in military unit 54801 are generally good. Conscripts live in the unit's barracks, in cubicles of 4-6 people. The furniture, although old-style, is sturdy and comfortable, and there are TVs. Each person has their own bedside table and safe. Toilets and showers in every cabin, hot water constantly.
On the territory of military unit 54801 there is a gym with exercise equipment, two stores (grocery and manufactured goods), and the Museum of Military Glory of military unit No. 54801. There is a regimental military band.

In general, military unit 54801 is small - one regiment (which is about 1,500 people). There is no hazing here. Relations between colleagues and commanders are good. There are many contract workers, in some units the majority.
Military unit 54801 has many positive reviews from those who served in it before and are now serving.

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Basic requirements for contract soldiers of the 247th Guards Airborne Regiment:

Age up to 35 years. For some positions - no more than 25 years, for all “narrow” military specialties (MSS) - the decision is made in agreement with the military unit.
Fitness for military service - category A; if category B - admission by agreement.
You must have a driver's license.
Education: high school (11 grades), or 9 grades + technical school or college (must have already been completed).
Regarding the issue of being brought to the police: a closed administrative conviction will not be an obstacle to admission to the Airborne Forces.
The reasons for the soldier’s desire to enter contract service, as well as whether it is his first contract or not.