The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (MTR of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus) are the youngest branch of the armed forces. 08/01/2007 the command of the MTR of the Armed Forces was created. The command of the MTR is directly subordinate to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.
The command is the organ of military command of the Armed Forces and is intended to control subordinate formations and military units, to direct their combat and mobilization training; planning the activities of special operations forces of the Armed Forces, organizing their construction and development, as well as solving other issues related to the competence of the command.
Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus - Major General Vadim Denisenko
The Special Operations Forces include:
- 5th brigade (Maryina Gorka),
- 38th separate mobile brigade (Brest)
- 103rd separate mobile brigade (Vitebsk)
- 33rd separate detachment of special forces (Vitebsk).
The organizational and staffing structure of mobile brigades is as follows:
brigade management: headquarters, services;
combat military units and subunits
airmobile battalion;
2 separate mobile battalions
(in each BTR-80, MAZ vehicles, 82mm mortars, 40mm automatic grenade launchers AGS-17);
artillery battalion (122 mm D-30 howitzers);
anti-aircraft missile and artillery battalion (BTR-ZD "Grinding", MANPADS "Igla");
combat support and communications units;
subdivisions of logistics and technical support.
OBRSPN organizationally consists of:
Brigade management
-headquarters; service.
Combat military units and subunits
Special Forces divisions (detachments);
- communications department.
Support divisions
Subdivision of the MTO;
- headquarters company;
-medical company.
Based on the analysis of the development trends of the armed forces of foreign states, the experience of military conflicts of the last decade and the conducted exercises, it was determined that the special operations forces of the Armed Forces are designed to perform various tasks by special methods and methods, in order to prevent the escalation or termination of the armed conflict in relation to the Republic of Belarus. on the part of any aggressor, and are one of the main elements of strategic deterrence. Formations and military units of special operations forces are in constant readiness for timely use both in peacetime and in wartime. They can perform tasks independently or in cooperation with formations and military units of the Armed Forces, internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and internal affairs bodies, the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus, newly formed operational detachments of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus.
What are they, the Special Operations Forces of the Republic of Belarus? "Defend Russia" looks to the nearest neighbor to find out.
In addition to them, MTRs use the latest Russian machines - for example,. This assault rifle has a stock made of impact-resistant glass-filled polyamide, which obviously lightens the weight of the weapon. Its weight is 3.6 kg, rate of fire is 650 rounds per minute, sighting range is 50 m.
Now the MTR have the latest sets of special clothing and weapons for different environments the habitat of the fighters. With the flag of the Airborne Forces, the "underwater paratrooper" in the SCUBA set of underwater equipment sits coquettishly. It is equipped with a breathing apparatus with BCD, a neoprene wetsuit with gloves and boots, fins and a diving mask. There is a "paratrooper" with a set of diving equipment SLVI-71, which allows you to work at a depth of up to 40 m.
The "beekeeper" is dressed in a "summer special" set.
And the sniper is dressed in a camouflage "Goblin". To the right of it is the Gorka-E windproof kit.
The lyricism of the army names is continued by the set of winter paratroopers' vestments "Thawed Snow".
August 2 marked the 85th anniversary of the creation of the Airborne Forces, the successors of which in our country were the special operations forces. Our freelance correspondent met with the commander of the MTR of the Armed Forces of Belarus, Major General Vadim DENISENKO (pictured)
- Comrade Major General, in Belarus the airborne troops have been transformed into a new branch of the military - special operations forces. What is the fundamental difference?
- With the development of weapons and military equipment the views on the conduct of armed struggle, as well as on the use of the airborne forces, were also transformed. Therefore, it was decided to create in our country on the basis of units of the Airborne Forces of a separate branch of the Armed Forces - special operations forces.
The main distinctive feature The MTR is that they are in constant readiness for use both in peacetime and in wartime and are designed to solve special tasks in the interests of achieving political, military, economic and psychological goals aimed at preventing an escalation or ending a military conflict against the Republic. Belarus. The military units and subdivisions of the MTR are entrusted with the solution of the following tasks: conducting counter-sabotage, reconnaissance and combat operations and conducting special measures. Also, units of special operations forces are involved in the fight against terrorism, taking measures to strengthen the state border protection regime and maintaining law and order, together with the personnel of the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
- When creating special operations forces, was it studied Foreign experience?
- Of course, but one should not forget that the Belarusian special operations forces were not created out of thin air. We had a striking component - well-trained airborne brigades. We reinforced these mobile units with a reconnaissance component - a brigade special purpose... Both components were united under a single command - in general, they made the optimal decision for a country with a small territory and a compact mobile Armed Forces.
I must say that today our experience is being carefully studied by other countries.
- And when did you realize that you were on the right track?
- In 2004, while working out the tactics of action, we understood that mobile brigades are mobile, capable of making large marches in any conditions, they can be airlifted and deliver serious strikes. All this was taken into account by us. A spetsnaz group, capable of operating in any conditions, found the object, and soon a mobile unit arrived at the designated point. The commander of the special forces group, together with the commander of the mobile unit, clarified the decision and carried out the destruction of the object. Next year, we were already confident that we were moving in the right direction. The tactics of our actions have been tested in the course of various large-scale exercises of the Belarusian Armed Forces.
- Are we not thus revealing all the secrets of the special operations forces?
- This is the tactics of any professional unit in the world. As for the secrets of mastery, believe me, professionals are very reluctant to share them. And we are no exception here. So let's leave the secrets of mastery outside of this interview.
- BTR-80 armored personnel carriers replaced the airborne assault vehicles in mobile brigades. Also to match the modern look?
- We proceeded from the assumption that our units should be very mobile: move at any time and on any roads. And this allows the BTR-80 to do it. They contribute to the successful fulfillment of the tasks before us. "Wheels" in our conditions look preferable. The artillery of the special operations forces is also on wheels. For rearmament, we are already considering the BTR-82 armored personnel carrier, which has greater firepower. In particular, the 30-mm automatic cannon will replace the large-caliber 14.5-mm KPVT machine gun.
- Since we have touched upon the issues of equipping the MTR with modern weapons and military equipment, tell us how seriously it has changed recently?
- Recently, tests of the armored vehicle "Lis" were completed. We have decided what changes should be made to its design so that the car meets our requirements for it: which combat module to install, how to arrange the seats, loopholes ... All this is taken into account in the wheel tractor plant transferred to the Minsk plant terms of reference... First of all, "Foxes" will go to mobile battalions in cars. This year, the latest ORSIS-T5000M sniper rifles were put into service, capable of hitting targets at ranges of up to 1,500 meters. They have become a good addition to the modern sniper rifles VSK-94, OSV-96, MC-116M.
The troops received high-precision powerful ammunition with an expansive bullet (338 caliber LAPUA MAGNUM), which penetrates all existing body armor (body armor, helmets of the highest protection classes).
Our servicemen are provided with the most modern means of observation and aiming of domestic production: day-night sights DNS-1, night NV / S-18, night monocular NV / M-19, laser designator LAD-21T, collimator sight PK-01BC.
Supplied to the special operations forces and very worthy means of personal body armor. In particular, a protective helmet "Skat", which provides protection against a bullet from a Makarov pistol already at a distance of one meter, a bulletproof vest "Raven", capable of protecting against a bullet from an SVD at a distance of ten meters.
Work is underway to ensure and adopt into service and other advanced optical sights, ammunition, small arms, tactical and shooting glasses, RPG-32 "Hashim" grenade launchers.
Our divisions are provided with reliable communications. On the basis of the "Bogatyr" vehicle, a modern command and staff vehicle was developed (a means of communication for the commander of the MTR and brigade commanders).
Modern models of weapons and military equipment are supplied to the troops and mastered in the course of combat training. The mobility of the ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns was significantly increased by the modernization of these weapons, which are currently deployed together with the ammunition load on the Ural-43202 vehicle. In the next two months, we plan to deliver them to the 38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade.
The uniform and equipment of the servicemen of the special operations forces is being improved.
We have recently received new ATVs that have passed tests in the Armed Forces. In the future, they will be adopted. I must say it is quite efficient technique when performing tasks in forests, in swampy areas, on rough terrain ... This was also confirmed by the exercises that took place in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan as part of the verification of the collective rapid reaction forces of the CSTO.
- Servicemen of the 103rd Guards Separate Mobile Brigade are constant participants in such exercises. How important are they to us?
- First of all, this is gaining invaluable experience. We have a lot to learn from Russians, Kazakhs, Tajiks. In these teachings, we always learn something new. And, of course, we are learning to interact.
Many other teachings are also very beneficial. For example, the joint Belarusian-Chinese anti-terrorist exercises (trainings) "Swift Eagle". Not so long ago, another such exercise (the third in a row) ended on the basis of the 38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade.
But the closest interaction has been established with Russian colleagues. Of the last joint exercises - a battalion-tactical exercise, which took place in the 38th brigade, in which a company of the 76th Guards Airborne Assault Division took part. Our servicemen also proved themselves worthy during the humanitarian search and rescue operation at the North Pole, where they had to perform tasks in difficult climatic conditions... Those who distinguished themselves were nominated for state awards. Both modern uniforms and equipment of servicemen of the special operations forces withstood the test of the North Pole. Many of our new products were received with interest by the Russians. For example, the cargo containers with which our military personnel jumped with a parachute.
- Comrade Major General, what other successes do you remember for the anniversary year?
- In the first half of the year, the command of the special operations forces, as well as units of the 38th and 103rd Guards separate mobile brigades, successfully passed the check of the Ministry of Defense. The MTR team excelled in international competitions for the best special forces group held in Kazakhstan, where she won a prize. Our servicemen won the competition for the best sniper pair of special forces of the Armed Forces, which was attended by representatives from all power structures of our country and teams from Russia and Kazakhstan.
The MTR team won the army hand-to-hand fighting championship of the Armed Forces. The next tests for the right to award the "Valor and Skill" badge also showed the increased level of training of our servicemen.
The bilateral battalion tactical exercises were interesting. A very useful event was the joint diving training camp held in Ryazan. Great attention During the course of the meeting, it was devoted to the study of new diving equipment, which is being supplied to the Russian Armed Forces today.
This year, 11 of our servicemen have mastered the most modern parachute systems "Arbalet". They were trained on the basis of a special airborne training Russia.
Of course, the participation of the military personnel of the 5th separate brigade special purpose at the parade held on Red Square in Moscow. They represented the Belarusian Armed Forces with dignity.
Another important event was the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the 334th separate special forces unit, which took place on the basis of the 5th separate special forces brigade.
It's nice that the successes of the special operations forces do not go unnoticed, including at the highest level. This year alone, the Head of State has awarded Colonel Vladimir Bely and Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Smekhovich with the Orders "For Service to the Motherland" of the 3rd degree for exemplary performance of official duties. Last year, these high awards were awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Sukhovilo and Major Alexei Khuzyakhmetov.
- At all times, service in the "windswept troops" was prestigious. How popular is the service in the special operations forces today? Is it in demand among young people?
- We do not have a shortage of people willing to serve in the special operations forces.
As for the training of officers for our kind of troops, it is carried out at the Faculty of Military Intelligence of the Military Academy of the Republic of Belarus, as well as at the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School of the Ministry of Defense Russian Federation... Training is carried out in two specialties: "The use of mobile units" and "The use of special forces".
The demand for the profession of an officer of the special operations forces is evidenced by the annual competition for admission to the specialties of the MTR. This year he made more than two people per place, and for the specialty "Application of special forces" - more than three people per place.
Service in the special operations forces is really prestigious. We are glad to see in our ranks those who have a craving for romance, a desire to see something new, learn a lot and temper their character.
CHRONICLESOn August 2, 1930, at a training exercise near Voronezh, a group of armed paratroopers were dropped. The composition of the landing consisted of twelve people, who were divided into two groups of six paratroopers. The paratroopers were supposed to drop weapons and ammunition from aircraft on special cargo parachutes.
After a successful landing, a group of paratroopers, armed with rifles, light machine guns and grenades, were ready to perform combat missions.
PROSPECTS
The main directions of the construction and development of special operations forces of the Armed Forces:
- development and testing of new ways to accomplish tasks;
- optimization of the organizational and staff structure of the formations and military units in accordance with the tasks to be solved, as well as taking into account changes in the forms and methods of military confrontation;
- modernization of existing models of weapons, military and special equipment and equipping with new models of both domestic and foreign production;
- improving the quality of training of specialists for special operations forces;
- improvement of military camps and the creation of living conditions for military personnel that meet modern requirements.
Interviewed by Alexander MAKAROV
For four days, under the auspices of the Interdepartmental Council of Special Forces, competitions among the special forces of the Armed Forces and security forces of Belarus were held at the training grounds and shooting ranges of Minsk and the Minsk region. This time the organizer of the prestigious competition was a special rapid reaction unit (SOBR) of the internal troops. The owners were rivaled by brothers in arms from group "A" of the KGB, SPBT "Almaz" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, special purpose units "Anti-T" of the Presidential Security Service, directorate "S" OSAM of the State Border Committee, as well as representatives of the special operations forces of the Armed Forces - teams of 33 separate a special-purpose guards detachment and a special special-purpose detachment of the 5th separate special-purpose brigade.
The press service of the internal troops told "Spetsnaz" that the participants in the competition showed their skills in 26 group and individual tactical and fire exercises, which were performed during the day, at night, in urban conditions and in forest areas. The program provided for separate offsets for attack aircraft, explosives, machine gunners and snipers. In particular, exercises were carried out to find and destroy enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups, release hostages, and evacuate wounded personnel with elements of tactical medicine.
Despite the great advantage of the owners, the intrigue persisted until last day competitions. The places remaining on the pedestal in a bitter struggle were contested by the Alpha, Vitebsk paratroopers from the 33rd detachment and the Almazovites. On the final day of the competition, Spetsnaz reporters saw at the shooting range training center Volovshchina relay race teams, duel sniper pairs, military engineers and more. For example, in the relay (the last team exercise that counts), snipers, assault rifle machine gunners and pistol shooters performed from each squad. The soldiers had to overcome obstacles, drag a heavy box of ammunition, shoot from "short-barrels" in gas masks at a moving target - "mill".
The "battle" of rival friends was closely watched by the commanders of special forces and numerous support groups. Here, in Volovshchina, one could see, perhaps, the entire color of the Belarusian special forces: groups of "krapoviks" from SOBR and "Almaz" mingled with "brothers" in green (OSAM), cornflower (group "A"), blue (SSO) berets ... Strong handshakes, joyful greetings ... There is no trace of interdepartmental hostility, and even more so, enmity, which sofa experts love to talk about so much among high-class professionals. The black uniforms of the Sobrovites and "specialists" from the SBP stood side by side with the camouflage of the Maryinogorsk scouts and the light green ammunition of the Alfovites. Old acquaintances, as always, had something to discuss.
"Such competitions have been held for the fifth year already. They are an annual test not only of the individual skills of the participants, but also of team cohesion. Everything that has been developed in a year is checked here," the commander of the SOBR group evaluates the 4-day spetsnaz marathon (his name and surname we cannot report due to the specifics of his service.) - We are satisfied with the result of the performance of our team, but for each exercise we will summarize and analyze. ". According to the officer, the night exercises were the most difficult, in which they had to work using night vision devices in poor visibility conditions.
And here is what Colonel Viktor Gulevich, Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander of the MTR of the Armed Forces, told reporters:
Representatives of special operations teams have a training program similar to the rest of the special forces of security forces and therefore are worthy of competition to their colleagues. According to the results of the competition at each stage, the difference between the participants is negligible. The overall level of all teams has grown. And every little thing affects the result. As a rule, in such competitions, the owners, as they say, are helped by houses and walls. The year before last, the Special Operations Forces team took first place. All teams are initially strong, it cannot be said that some are weaker or stronger than the rest.
- The competition is structured in such a way as to comprehensively assess the level of training of the combat groups of each special unit, to identify weak sides training, to define and outline goals and objectives for further increasing the level of personal training of personnel - such importance is attached to what is happening at the training grounds, State Secretary of the Security Council Stanislav Zas, who watched the actions of the participants in the competitions.
According to Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs - Commander of Internal Troops Yuri Karaev, every year new elements are added to the competition of special forces: "The world is moving forward - both terrorists and those who oppose them. It is impossible to freeze at a level that was five years ago. elements of complexity for snipers, machine gunners, sappers. Suppose the degree of cunning of terrorists in improvised explosive devices increases, and our explosives engineers must be able to counteract. our conditions. As they say, spetsnaz without work rusts like iron, so training and combat competitions should, let's say, outpace possible risks and threats. " According to the results of four days of the competition, the SOBR of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs won the victory in the overall standings with a fairly large margin, having won the challenge cup. In second place is the KGB group "A" team. Bronze went to MTR servicemen from 33 separate special forces. According to the results in individual championships, employees of all divisions distinguished themselves.
Congratulating the winners and prize-winners, Major General Yuri Karaev noted that the apparent ease of performing tournament tasks by snipers does not mean that the exercises are easy: “This is a high skill of military personnel and employees who improve it with their daily work. And this skill is growing. It is very remarkable, that in such a calm and peaceful country like ours, such high level employees of special forces. There are very few of you, and this is enough for our state. Because these are such selected people, so professionally trained fighters that there cannot be many of them, and it should not, and should not be. Your level of friendship and interaction with each other (the Armed Forces, units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Committee, the State Border Committee, the Presidential Security Service) is so close that you know very well what to expect from each other at competitions, and, moreover, in a combat situation, if it will happen. You interact in various exercises, competitions. But such a competition is once a year. And the fact that each time new employees become its participants, and the fact that the competition is held in a tense atmosphere, is not stretched out in time, endurance and working capacity are tested - all this together makes you so, even though you are in different berets and headdresses. You are related by skill and the fighting spirit of brotherhood that you demonstrate here. "
You can find other details of the main competitions of the Belarusian special forces in the next issue of the "Spetsnaz" magazine.
We continue to talk about the old military. This time we stopped at the "capital of the Airborne Forces" - Borovukha-1 near Novopolotsk. This town has many stories that could be used as a screenplay for films. For example, how Yanka Kupala worked here as a railroad worker. About World War II - how the local garrison was successfully grinding Wehrmacht tanks for two weeks. You can also talk about the horrors of concentration camps: here the Germans killed thousands of prisoners of war. And also about Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan and about the crews of the helicopters who extinguished the reactor in Chernobyl. In general, our story will be long and interesting.
Kupala, Budyonny and “ enemy of the people Uborevich "
The first information about Borovukh is associated with the construction of the Vitebsk-Riga railway. It was an ordinary Belarusian village and the station of the same name. The building of the old station is no longer there, but on the modern one there is a commemorative plaque stating that in 1916 Yanka Kupala worked here in the railway team. This scanty information will be given to you by a request on the Internet. But our guide in Borovukha and the surrounding area was a local ethnographer-enthusiast Vladimir Komissarov... In his stories, the history of the town is definitely not so boring.
The courtyard of the barracks in Borovukha in the 1930s. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov
The first Soviet units appeared here after 1918: it was necessary to strengthen the Soviet-Polish border. In the early 1920s, the first two wooden barracks were built for them. A cavalry regiment, artillerymen were stationed in the nascent military town, and a training base for balloons was located nearby on Lake Beloye. The town is growing, and already in 1924 a two-storey brick school was built here - its building still exists.
But the more rapid development of the town began after 1928, and it is associated with the construction of the Polotsk fortified region. In addition to the fortifications (to which we will devote a separate article), by 1935, seven four-storey stone houses for the families of officers, a club, a bathhouse and a shop were built here. And in 1937, Marshal Semyon Budyonny himself took part in the opening of the House of Officers.
View of the town from Borovukha station. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov
During the war, an aerial bomb hit the Officers' House. This is how he looked right after the war. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov
On the streets of Borovukha in July 1941, the Germans immediately marked the Jewish population. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov
Vladimir Komissarov told an interesting fact: the water supply of the old pre-war buildings was carried out according to wooden pipes... They were laid in paterns - underground vaulted channels lined with bricks.
A soldier's club was also built before the war. Of all the buildings of Voenproekt we have seen before, it stands out primarily for its architecture: we have not yet met such buildings. It is now used as an Orthodox church. An interesting fact: on June 21, 1941, a gypsy choir performed in it, and on the 22nd they learned about the beginning of a big war.
There was also an amphitheater in the town, built, as the documents say, “at the direction of the enemy of the people Uborevich” (its designs can be seen in German photos).
Behind the pillbox you can see the amphitheater. Photo courtesy of Vladimir Komissarov
During the occupation, the Germans organized the Staatlag 354 concentration camp for prisoners of war in the tankers' barracks , in which, according to various sources, from 13 to 25 thousand people were killed. The dead were buried in the pit of the amphitheater. So the place of rest and holidays in Borovukha turned into a cemetery. Now on this place there is a memorial "Star".
There is a version that the bodies could be dumped into Bezdonka - a lake with swampy shores on the territory of the town. There is no evidence of this, but the locals do not swim in it.
However, on the outskirts of the town there are two more lakes - large, picturesque and adapted for recreation.
They say that it was originally planned to build Novopolotsk on the same bank of the Dvina River as Borovukha. But in 1957-1960, a secret missile unit was stationed here in Koptsevo, which received nuclear warheads. Accordingly, the city was built on the other side.
Capital of the Airborne Forces
In the post-war period, construction continued: “Uncle Vasya's troops” - the 350th and 357th regiments of the airborne troops of the 103rd division - were stationed in Borovukha. Since that time, the town has been called the "capital of the Airborne Forces".
Photo: Victor Polyakov, zen.yandex.ru/polyakov
The Soviet Union attached great importance to the town: from here, important objects in Europe are just a stone's throw away. Especially for this, an airfield was built nearby, capable of receiving heavy military transport aircraft. Vladimir Komissarov says that until now in the garages of the former paratroopers there are maps of the English Channel with marks of important objects.
It was in Borovukha that the latest weapons and equipment intended for the Airborne Forces. For example, the D-1/8 parachute.
Here they also practiced the landing of a BMD-1 airborne assault vehicle with a crew inside. The initiative to create it belongs to the commander airborne troops Vasily Margelov. To avoid injuries upon landing, a simplified version of the space chair - "Kazbek-D", was placed inside the machine. To reduce weight, the armored body was assembled by welding from rolled sheets of aluminum armor.
The first paratroopers inside the BMD-1 were Alexander Margelov (son of the commander of the Airborne Forces) and Leonid Zuev.
Paratroopers from Borovukha participated in all conflicts of the USSR. In 1968, during the unrest in Czechoslovakia, they took part in Operation Danube. The operation was exemplary from a military point of view: the paratroopers quickly managed to disarm and block the anti-aircraft artillery brigade, the arms factory, the garrison commandant's office and a number of other important facilities.
Museum of Technology in Borovukha. GAZ-66, or "shishiga", is a legendary car, known for its unpretentiousness and maintainability. In order to maximize its adaptation to airlift, the designers sacrificed a lot, first of all - the comfort and ease of control. But the design could withstand an overload of up to 9g and a landing speed of 10 m / s while parachuting on a special platform.
In 1979, the paratroopers were the first to enter Afghanistan and the last to leave in 1989. Then the paratroopers of the 103rd division served in the Transcaucasian border district under the command of the chief of the border troops of the KGB of the USSR (from 1990 to 1991). Here is what the Russian general Alexander Lebed wrote about this in his memoirs: “Found“ smart heads”, Who, using the growing tension in society, proposed a non-standard move - to transfer the division to the State Security Committee. No division, no problem. And ... they passed it on, creating a situation where the division was no longer "VED", but not yet "KGB". Military officers were turned into clowns. Green caps, green shoulder straps, blue vests, symbols on caps, shoulder straps and chest - landing. Among the people, such a wild mixture of forms aptly dubbed the "conductor".
Museum of Technology in Borovukha. When in 1981 this divisional-regimental airborne self-propelled artillery and mortar unit 2S9 "Nona-S" entered service, it was considered a secret vehicle. The main caliber of the 2S9 was the 2A51 120mm rifled howitzer-mortar gun. The 120 mm caliber was also chosen for a reason: the self-propelled gun could also use ammunition of a similar caliber in service with the NATO armies - it was assumed that the 2S9 would operate behind enemy lines, where ammunition delivery was impossible.
In the already independent republic, the number of airborne troops was reduced: along with sovereignty, a military doctrine was proclaimed, which was of a purely defensive nature, and the airborne units, the so-called first strike troops, did not fit into the new concept. In 1995, the 350 and 357 regiments were reorganized into brigades, and later included in the 103rd separate mobile brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.
Museum of Technology in Borovukha. Fighting vehicle 9P148 from the composition anti-tank complex"Contest". Created on the basis of the BRDM-2, it was equipped with a liftable launcher for five missiles in transport and launch containers. The missiles were launched only when the vehicle came to a complete stop. Reloading was carried out in one and a half minutes without leaving the crew from the combat vehicle. ATGM "Konkurs" is designed to destroy tanks and other armored targets of the enemy, moving at a speed of up to 60 km / h, stationary targets (firing points, fortifications such as bunkers, pillboxes), subject to optical visibility of targets.
However, the locals do not understand why, when the regiments were disbanded, it was necessary to create a brigade in a new place in Vitebsk.
In Borovukha, equipment from the boxes went directly to the landfill. And now paratroopers are transported from Vitebsk to Liozno on trailers.
The Airborne Forces Day in Borovukha is probably more appreciated than New Year... Here is the only place in the country where this holiday is celebrated in an organized manner.
There have been no airborne forces for 11 years, but still, festive events are held on August 2 every year. The money is allocated for holding, for porridge, compote, concert. Belarusian and Russian artists are coming.
On this day, a person not in a vest and without a male blue beret will be a "black sheep" in the town. Just in case, it is better to know the answer to the question about the number of lines in the parachute - 32. But there is no fountain in the town.
Local residents say that earlier, in the 90s, there was a rather tense crime situation in Borovukha: it was scary to go out into the yard in the evening, constant fights. Therefore, they created a voluntary squad from the locals. The guards quickly put things in order - now it is safe in the town at any time of the day.
Who is after us?
The 350th and 357th regiments were located at the edges of the town. The barracks of the "fifty-kopeck piece" (as the 350th regiment is called here) is now empty. The buildings have survived: the marauders did not have time to work on them. Access to them was closed, security was provided. It will not be a problem to get to the territory: step over the barbed wire and you are already there. But the signs on the other side say that it is forbidden to walk here - a fine of 500 rubles. And the dog seems to be here.
Two barracks appeared in the 30s, during the active construction of the town. The residents of Polotsk were actively involved in their construction - they were brought here for subbotniks. Another white brick is already in the 70s. It looks, by the way, even worse than the pre-war.
But the beautiful building of the dining room is already in disrepair, and the ceiling collapsed in one wing.
Dining room of the 350th shelf
It is noteworthy that the former location of the shelf is being mowed, some buildings have acquired new doors. This means that they have a master. And what, the place is excellent: a large area with its own park and access to the lake.
It was planned that the building of the unit would be transferred to the College of the Olympic Reserve, but while they thought - the helicopter regiment collapsed. Its territory seemed more compact and suitable for these purposes.
In the location of the 357th Airborne Regiment, whose territory begins at the end of the present Army Street, life has not stopped. Now it is "industrial Babylon": sewing, knitwear and industrial rubber goods are produced here, wooden windows, PVC windows and doors, building metal structures, furniture, plant protection products, instrumentation, Construction Materials, equipment for processing secondary raw materials.
Location of the 357th Regiment
Soldier's Club. Now here is a church
The huge House of Officers, the same one that Budyonny opened, could have been demolished in the 2000s, but its premises were actively bought up by small businesses. Now in the central part is being renovated. We arrived to try on a secondhand sign on the left column of the front porch.
On the right one hangs a memorial plaque dedicated to "bat" - the creator of the Airborne Forces Vasily Margelov. Did you know that he is Belarusian by nationality?
Old buildings are treated like a business. Instead of demolition - reconstruction
A local museum has opened in front of the Officers' House. The exposition was created by the inhabitants of Borovukha - who will bring a parachute, who will bring a jacket, who will have a flight jacket, who will have a door from a bunker. Many exhibits are related to the Second World War - in the forests around the town you can find items ranging from spent cartridges to the remains of a machine gun. There is even the lower part of the German ... body armor. By the way, Vladimir Komissarov also took a direct part in filling the museum. The description of the hostilities of the Polotsk fortified area is his merit.
An exposition was created across the street under open air- presented here combat vehicles Airborne Forces.
Helicopters from Borovukha
The neighbors of the paratroopers were pilots from the 276th separate helicopter regiment (Borovtsy airfield). From 1982 to February 1989, they performed combat missions in Afghanistan. On April 27, 1986, the personnel of the 4th squadron on the Mi-26 helicopters and the 3rd squadron on the Mi-8MT participated in extinguishing the reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In 2003, the regiment was disbanded, and the helicopters that remained in service were driven first to Zasimovochi, then to Machulishchi.
The territory of the helicopter regiment. It is now an Olympic Reserve College
Sergey Kozlov, a first class pilot, has been living in Borovukha since 1993. Now he is retired - he has 52 years of service. I have been to Afghanistan twice, there was a business trip to Chernobyl.
Since childhood, I dreamed of becoming a pilot. My brother was a helicopter pilot, and I, a ten-year-old boy, ran around Vitebsk in his uniform, I was terribly proud!
To the beginning Afghan war the army sorely lacked army aviation pilots, so they recruited massively pilots from the reserve.
Helicopter regiment. Photo: Victor Polyakov, zen.yandex.ru/polyakov
Everyone was asked to write a report in which there were lines: I wish to serve anywhere in the USSR. Not a word about Afghan, but everyone understood where they would be sent. I signed up voluntarily.
For retraining for a new type of helicopter, Sergei was sent to the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots. He studied on the Mi-24 for three months. Then he served for some time near the NATO borders in the GDR, where the "crocodiles" were on constant combat duty.
Mi-26 (product "90", NATO codification: Halo) - Soviet and Russian heavy multipurpose transport helicopter. It is the world's largest mass-produced transport helicopter.
It is capable of transporting people (up to 82 people), equipment and various cargoes weighing up to 20 tons. The top speed is also impressive - 295 km / h. The helicopter can cover up to 800 km (with outboard tanks - up to 2350) and rise to an altitude of 6500 meters. Photo: safaniuk.livejournal.com
Crocodiles in the sky of Afghanistan
Sergey got to Afghanistan in 1984. At that time, most often it was necessary to fly to escort the columns, search for caravans, and it happened to save the paratroopers trapped in the mountains by dushmans.
The helicopter was reliable and well protected, - recalls Sergei Kozlov. - The frontal armored glass withstood a single hit of a 30-mm projectile, and machine-gun bullets bounced off it altogether. The cockpit was also protected by steel armor. The danger for us was posed by MANPADS (portable anti-aircraft missile systems), which the West actively supplied to the Mujahideen. In my memory it was that they captured one instructor, a Frenchman with MANPADS, so then the NATO officers sent a special plane for him.
The armament of the Mi-24 made it possible to cope with any assigned task, although not everything worked flawlessly. For example, there were some problems with the YakB-12,7 four-barreled machine gun - it sometimes wedged. We learned to solve the problem in the field.
It was a powerful weapon, and so that the machine gun would not refuse to fight, only 500 rounds were loaded into the belt instead of 1470, each of which was separately lubricated with a brush. Then the whole tape came out without problems. The rate of fire was very high, sometimes it was possible not to notice that the cartridges had already run out.
In addition to the machine gun in the arsenal of the Mi-24, there were unguided aircraft missiles, anti-tank missiles "Shturm-S" and other weapons.
The American pilot, senior non-commissioned officer Jeff Staton, who has flown in the twenty-four for more than a dozen hours, praised the helicopter's capabilities: “It is as tough as a tractor. Put it in the shed for a year, then charge the batteries and you can fly right away. It runs smoothly, just like the old 1962 Cadillac. Lubricate well and you can fly it for hundreds of hours. " Photo topwar.ru
When the ammunition ran out, and this happened often, the helicopter pilots did not leave the battlefield: they imitated military approaches to the positions of the dushmans.
Was it possible to fly away when the spooks fire at the paratroopers? They did everything they could. I'll tell you: even such psychic attacks had a terrifying effect on the Mujahideen. Imagine that a huge car with cannons and machine guns is flying at you, and you will understand that even a fake attack can cause panic.
50 meters above the reactor
After returning from Afghanistan military service Sergey Kozlov continued at the airfield in Zasimovichi (Pruzhany). In 1986, their helicopters were sent to Chernobyl.
No one announced the alarm, the command simply through messengers gathered all the pilots who were in the town. The task was simple: to fly to Grodno to receive new Mi-24RHR helicopters. Already on the way, we learned that they were intended for reconnaissance of radiation in the area of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Sergey stayed in Chernobyl from September 2 to October 19. The task of its crew is to hover at an altitude of about 200 meters (according to the instructions) and measure the radiation level. By this time, the fire was extinguished, but the study was still very strong - many of those who flew over the reactor are no longer alive.
Mostly they worked at an altitude of about 150 meters - it is not so easy to hover at the desired height. Sometimes, when circumstances required it, they dropped to 50 meters.
After working on the reactor, the command tried to decontaminate the expensive helicopters: they washed them with special solutions, but this did not help. Then they decided to remove the gearbox and replace it with a new one - it’s still phonit, they did the same with the engine - the result is the same. As a result, they refused to fly on these machines and were allegedly sent to a burial ground of equipment in Ukraine.
True, there is not a single burial site for radioactive helicopters now. I think they were sold somewhere in Africa.
After dangerous work in Chernobyl, Sergei Kozlov had to return to Afghanistan again, where he stayed until the very withdrawal of troops. I personally brought three Mi-24s out of Kabul. Here he had the opportunity to test a new system designed specifically for flying in the mountains.
The thin air in the mountains of Afghanistan led to a loss of power, so the designers developed a special water injection system into the engine. Its inclusion provided an explosive increase in power, allowing you to increase the height at which the machine can operate. The balloon providing the operation of this system was right in the cockpit, and when we asked the designer what would happen if a bullet got there, he replied: a small explosion. Why do we need this? We refused to fly with a balloon.
New Borovukha
After Afgan, Sergei served in Ukraine. I found myself in Borovukha almost by accident.
When the Union collapsed, it was necessary to look for a place to serve. The first time I looked into Borovukha by accident. I looked and decided that I would never live here. Everything here was like in any military town: there is no hot water, cold water is rusty, heating is weak, and there are frequent power outages.
Pre-war DOS
But in the end I "landed" here. Then the order of the Belarusian military district was issued, which stated that it was possible to continue serving in the Belarusian army in the same position. I come to Belarus, go to the head of the army aviation. I ask where they can send me. I received a laconic and honest answer in a military manner: “Except for x. I can’t send you anywhere else. ” As a result, they were still assigned to Borovukha. The unit was staffed, there were no places, so at first I was only listed here: they paid money for two months for the title and for six months then they did not pay anything. His wife was still living in Ukraine with two children. And so we all survived on her part-time nanny in kindergarten.
Sergey recalls that it was a very difficult period in his life. Then, however, he returned to flying work, got an apartment, moved his family.
When I moved here, there was no overcrowding from the military: there are 1,400 schoolchildren alone, there are three shifts at school. Now there are fewer children - about 450 people.
In 1993 a new school was built. Surprisingly, she has a pool! You can buy a subscription and come in the evenings and on weekends for a swim. There was also a large gym, but it was declared dilapidated and demolished.
With the departure of the military, the question arose of what to do with the town, in which more than five thousand people live. In the 2000s, it was first merged with the village council and transferred to the administrative subordination of Novopolotsk.
This had a positive effect on Borovukha: a major overhaul came to old DOSs, roofs were changed in many houses, facades were painted. Now the town looks pretty decent. Here they are in no hurry to demolish old buildings - they will come in handy on the farm. Plumbing, laid back in Soviet years was frankly weak. The problem was also that no one knew where and what pipes lay. It was solved efficiently according to the VED: they increased the pressure in the system. So it was revealed weak spots for a replacement.
Kindergarten... There is another one in Borovukha, in a modern building
As a result, residents got access to all the benefits of civilization - central gas, hot water and uninterrupted power supply.
There are enough food and construction shops in the town. There is also a mini-market. At the entrance to the town there is a decent-looking cafe with a tarzan park. You can also ride horses.
On May 13, 2019, the Borovukha village officially ceased to exist: now it is a Novopolotsk microdistrict. City buses and minibuses already run here every half hour. There are even buses for the disabled. Do not forget about the railway station - trains go through it to Polotsk.
Around Borovukha there is a private sector - these are village houses, dachas of residents of Novopolotsk and former military personnel. Apartments here are in price: for a two-room apartment of 45 "squares" they ask for 24 thousand dollars.
Any local resident will tell you that it is better to live here than in the city, - says Sergey Kozlov. - Borovukha is separated from the large industrial center by Dvina - everything is in order here with the ecology. In Novopolotsk it smells like "Polymir", "Naftan", and here - a pine forest.