There is no person in the Soviet Union and on the territory of modern Russia who would not be familiar with the legendary Alpha special forces. Credible and not very stories go about the fighters of this formation. They say that they dodge bullets, master the technique of contactless combat, survive in any conditions, and much more. This is something like superheroes for the Russians.
Alpha Special Forces is the bright dream of every second boy. We are unlikely to find out what the special forces really are, but there is publicly available information that is going to be in a good picture.
History of creation
At least twice in the history of Russia , KGB officers came to power. One we all know, and the first was Yu. Andropov. On his orders and the initiative of the head of the Seventh Directorate of the KGB, General A. Beschastny, on July 29, 1974, the Alpha group was created. The special forces from the very beginning was simply called group “A” of the ODP service of the 7th KGB department. It is already unknown who came up with the idea of ​​such a harmonious name, but in 1991 the formation began to be called Alpha.
The main task of the group was the fight against terrorism, the release of hostages, vehicles, buildings, objects in the USSR and abroad. Initially, there were 40 fighters, but their number was constantly growing, and by the collapse of the Alpha Union, there were already 500 officers with branches in various cities, such as Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Alma-Ata, Kiev, Minsk, Krasnodar, Khabarovsk. Units that find themselves abroad have become the basis for the formation of national special forces of the separated countries, such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus.
In 1991, during the coup in Moscow, the Alpha special forces became a horror story for White House defenders. They scared the special forces, they were waiting. However, the officers refused to participate in the assault. Unfortunately, V.V. Putin in 1998 issued an order to reorganize the Alpha special forces, not only Group A, but also B, Vympela. The headquarters, management and support units were disbanded. Combat groups brought to the Anti-Terrorist Center. Hearing about this, representatives of the United States came to Russia to offer highly qualified specialists a job. According to official sources, none of the officers left - they decided that they would find a job in their native country.
At the moment, Office "A" includes a headquarters, 5 departments, one of which is in Chechnya, as well as regional units and services.
Groups A and B
If the special unit "Alpha" is group "A", then it is logical that there are others. The second most famous Special Forces unit is Group B, or Pennant. The fates of these two formations are strongly intertwined. There are officers who served both there and there. There were joint operations, for example, the assault on Amin’s palace - then it was the Zenit group. She did not exist for so long. “Zenith” and “Cascade” on August 19, 1981 were merged into group “B” (the official name is the Separate Training Center of the KGB of the USSR).
The main objective of Vympel was reconnaissance on enemy territory, sabotage, and the fight against terrorists. In peacetime, fighters check the security of specially protected objects of their state, perform conditional sabotage so as not to lose qualifications and maintain the protection of objects in good shape.
The fighters participated in military conflicts in Baku, Yerevan, Karabakh, Abkhazia, Nakhichevan, Chechnya, Transnistria, Moscow.
Known Operations
One of the first operations was the transportation of the Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky to Switzerland in 1976 and his exchange for L. Corvalan. Despite the nervous situation, everything went well.
The most high-profile operation, after which the Alpha group began to fear, was the assault on Amin’s palace in Afghanistan in December 1979. With the support of a battalion of paratroopers, two special forces broke through the interior with heavy fire and crushed the resistance. Despite the good security training, advantageous position and strength of 250 people, the Alpha Special Forces accomplished its mission, having lost two people during the operation. They were awarded the orders of the Red Banner posthumously.
In January in 1991, troops were deployed in Vilnius, capturing a television center and a television tower. Already after 23 hours, as agreed with the Government of Lithuania, 67 Alpha employees arrived under the guise of internal troops. It was necessary to stop broadcasting and take control of the facilities, while not allowing civilian casualties. Fighters of special forces made their way through the crowd with the help of butts, the worst section was in front of the building. The group was well lit and opened fire on them. Someone from the crowd also began to shoot. As a result, one of the employees was shot in the back. Barricades could not stop the special forces. Security was disarmed, and civilian activities were stopped.
During the riots in Moscow in 1991, special forces refused to participate in the storming of the White House. The soldiers tried not to intervene in such events when internal forces are fighting for power. Their help was needed only in negotiations. If there is an opportunity to solve the case without sacrifices, you need to go this route. Fighters think the same, because this is Alpha!
Special Forces. How to get?
Getting into an elite combat unit is not easy. Selection takes place in several stages. The FSB special forces recruit candidates from officers, warrant officers and cadets of military schools. First you need to get a recommendation from an employee of Vympel or Alpha, or from a veteran of such units. Preference is given to cadets of universities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and institutions of the FSB.
Limitations
For candidates, as well as for assault units, there are growth restrictions. The fighter should be above 175 cm. This parameter appeared due to the features of the equipment - heavy armored shields are very large and with less growth will drag along the ground. They can make an exception only if the merits of the candidate overlap with his shortcomings. For example, small flexible fighters who can crawl into narrow hatches and hard-to-reach spots can get into the Alpha special forces.
The second limitation is age. You need to be younger than 28 years old, or to have combat experience and be a native of other structures of the SPC.
Physical testing
This is not the biggest obstacle for a trained fighter or a good athlete. In group “A” the requirements are slightly higher than in “Pennant”. Alfa Russia’s special forces give their candidates less rest and more work. Exercises are standard: pull-ups, running, abs, push-ups, complex strength exercises and sparring. Hand-to-hand combat here is not the same as during certification for a maroon beret. It is necessary not only to survive, but also to show what you stand.
Passive defense is not welcome, fresh melee can give the candidate the opportunity to work. Injuries are possible, but if you are afraid of this, then you should not go to such a unit. For candidates from other groups additional requirements are presented, for example, swimming and shooting.
Special training
After a series of psychological tests and a polygraph, a conversation occurs with the candidate’s family. Consent to the service must give them. At the dedication, the fighter is presented with a corporate knife, which is used in his operations by the Alpha group. The special forces conducts training rather rigidly.
All fighters, without exception, undergo landing and mountain training and other special disciplines. In the units, the fighter studies for three years. You must also master the specialization in order to be an expert in your field. For insufficient joy expelled from the unit.
Alpha is a special unit of the FSB, and by unspoken rule, soldiers have been serving in it for at least five years. This is necessary to train a first-class specialist. Many continue to serve further.
Official losses
Despite training, Alpha officers die in operations. According to official figures, in the history of its existence, the unit lost 16 fighters. Two were killed during the storming of Amin’s palace, one - in Vilnius, was shot in the back from a crowd of civilians, one more - during the riots in Moscow in 1993. Three were immediately lost during an operation in Beslan.