2 separate brigade of special forces GRU. Heroic battle of the Pskov special forces brigade of the GRU (24 photos)

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(2nd obrspn ) - military formation of the USSR Armed Forces and.

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✪ 12 OBRSPN in Chechnya and Engenoy

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Part formation

On October 24, 1950, according to the Directive of the USSR Military Ministry No. Org / 2/395832, the Leningrad Military District was formed 76th separate special-purpose company (76th Orspn or military unit 51404) with a personnel of 120 people. 76th Orspn was directly subordinate to the headquarters of the district and was stationed in the settlement. Promezhitsy in the vicinity (at that time) of Pskov.

In 1953, in connection with the next reduction of the armed forces, many special-purpose companies were disbanded. Including 76th Orspn.

At the end of 1957, at the place of the former deployment 76th orpsn, is created 20th separate special-purpose company (20th Orspn), also subordinate to the district headquarters.

In connection with the decision of the military leadership to enlarge the special-purpose units and increase the number of their personnel, on July 19, 1962, a directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces No. 140547 was issued, according to which the Leningrad Military District should have been formed 2nd Special Forces Brigade... The creation of the brigade began on September 17, 1962 and ended on March 1, 1963.

The brigade was created on the basis of the 20th separate special-purpose company with the involvement of the officers of the 237th Guards Parachute Regiment of the 76th Guards Airborne Division, also stationed in Pskov. The involvement of airborne troops was caused by the need for specialists in airborne training.

The day of the unit was announced on December 1, 1962. 2nd separate special purpose brigade received a symbol military unit 64044 (military unit 64044) .

Formation and development of the brigade

Like all special-purpose brigades created in the early 60s (with the exception of the 3rd brigade), 2nd obrspn was a cropped formation, in which, according to the states of peacetime, the personnel was 300-350 people. According to the plans of the military command during the introduction of martial law, due to the mobilization of reserve military personnel and the conduct of 30-day training sessions, 2nd obrspn developed into a full-fledged combat-ready formation with a personnel of 1,700 people.

According to the state of peacetime, the 2nd brigade consisted of the following units:

• Brigade management;
• detachment of special radio communications;
• 2 special forces;
• 2 separate special forces (personnel);
• company of economic support.

On April 16, 1963, by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the brigade was awarded the Battle Banner.

In 1966 and 1967, the brigade was awarded the Challenge Red Banner of the Military Council of the Leningrad Military District for the high levels of combat training demonstrated at the exercises.

The personnel of the brigade took part in the exercises "Ocean-70", "Horizon-74" and a number of others.

The servicemen of the 2nd brigade were the first of the GRU formations and units to parachute from the Il-76 military transport aircraft during the Dozor-86 exercise.

To create a detachment, in addition to the personnel of the 8th brigade, servicemen from the following 3 special-purpose brigades were also involved: 2nd obrspn, 10th obrspn (Old Crimea, Ukrainian SSR) and 4th obrspn (Viljandi, ESSR).

This 186th detachment was created to participate in the so-called complex military activities. The "Veil" border zone.

After the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, the 177th separate special-purpose detachment (177th oospn), which was part of the 22nd brigade, in February 1989 was redeployed to the military town of the disbanded military unit of the Strategic Missile Forces near the settlement. Taibola of the Murmansk region and included in the 2nd obrsn.

Formation in the Armed Forces of Russia

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the 2nd separate special purpose brigade came under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

In July 1997, the 177th oospn (military unit 83395), the 2nd regiment, stationed in the Murmansk region, was disbanded. Contrary to the frequent mention in many sources about the existence of the 177th detachment in the previous point of deployment in a cropped form, this information does not correspond to reality.

• Brigade Directorate (military unit 64044) - Promezhitsa region (Pskov) and divisions under the command;

• school of junior specialists (training battalion of 2 companies) - Promezhitsa;
• detachment of special radio communications (communications battalion of 2 companies) - Pechora and Promezhitsa;
• logistics company - Promezhitsa.

• 70th separate special-purpose detachment (military unit 75242) - Pechory;
• 329th separate special-purpose detachment (military unit 44917) - Promezhitsa;
• 700th separate special-purpose detachment (military unit 75143) - Pechora;

Participation of the 2nd Special Forces Brigade in hostilities

First Chechen war

In December 1994, on the basis of the 2nd separate special-purpose brigade, a consolidated detachment was created to carry out military operations in Chechnya while restoring constitutional order. The basis for the consolidated detachment was the 700th separate special-purpose detachment (700th oospn), for the recruitment of which all 4 brigade detachments were involved (at that time the 177th oospn in the Murmansk region was not disbanded). In a short time, the detachment with a personnel of 181 people was manned in the following state:

• Directorate of the 700th oospn - 17 servicemen;
• 3 reconnaissance companies - 42 servicemen each;
• liaison group - 16 military personnel;
• a logistical support platoon - 22 servicemen.

On January 9, 1995, the detachment was sent to Chechnya and arrived in Grozny by January 18.

The 700th oospn took part in the hostilities to eliminate the militants both in the city of Grozny and in the districts of N of the item. Zakan-Yurt, Samashki, Assinovskaya and Bamut.

The losses of the detachment for more than 3 months of hostilities amounted to 3 people killed.

On April 26, 1995, the combined detachment was withdrawn from the combat zone and by the beginning of the month of May returned to the point of permanent deployment.

Second Chechen war

In connection with the complication of the situation in the summer of 1999 in Dagestan, the leadership of the RF Armed Forces began to strengthen the grouping of troops in this region.

In August 1999, a consolidated detachment was assembled from the 2nd regiment, which included one reconnaissance company from each of the 3 detachments (70th, 329th and 700th detachments). The staff structure of the consolidated detachment was similar to the consolidated detachment in the first Chechen war, with the repetition of the same ordinal numbering in the name - the 700th oospn.

In September 1999, the 700th oospn took part in hostilities in the Novolaksky district of Dagestan.

On January 1, 2000, the 700th oospn was stationed in the settlement. Achkhoy-Martan of Chechnya.

Together with other troops, the 700th oospn took part in preventing the capture of N of the item. Roshni-Chu was an adversary who tried to create a corridor for the withdrawal of militants from Grozny, which was blocked by federal troops, to Urus-Martan.

Since March 10, 2000, the 700th oospn took part in the liquidation of the blocked bandit formation of Ruslan Gelayev in the village of Komsomolsky.

By the summer of 2000, the detachment occupied positions in the vicinity of N of the item. Greyhound. By January 2001, reconnaissance groups of the 700th oospn operated in the areas of the settlement. Sharo-Argun and Itum-Kali.

In September 2001, units of the 700th oospn operated in the vicinity of the settlement. Aslanbek. In April 2002, the detachment successfully eliminated two groups of militants near N of the item. Yaryshmards.

In 2006, the detachment was withdrawn from Chechnya to the point of permanent deployment.

In total, the 2nd separate special-purpose brigade lost 47 people in the second Chechen war.

Tragedy of February 21, 2000

In mid-February 2000, several reconnaissance groups of the 700th oospn were tasked with marching protection of motorized rifle units advancing into the southern mountainous part of Chechnya. The groups had to conduct reconnaissance of the terrain in the mountainous areas adjacent to the road connecting the flat part of Chechnya with the Shatoisky region, in order to exclude the possibility of the enemy organizing an ambush on the column of troops.

8 days after the foot march through the mountainous terrain, the commanders of 3 groups marching in the vanguard received an order by radio communication to gather near the village of Kharsenoy. They should have united and expected the approach of reinforcements in the form of a motorized rifle unit. According to the command's plan, the motorized rifles were to arrive at the village of Kharsenoy by 12.00 on February 21, change the reconnaissance groups of the 700th oospn and carry out further marching protection of the column. Due to the lack of roads and snowfall, the approach of the troop convoy was delayed. The total number of 3 reconnaissance groups was 35 people, of which 8 were seconded military personnel from other military units (sappers and artillery spotters from motorized rifle units). All 3 reconnaissance groups were assembled into a consolidated detachment from the 3rd reconnaissance company of the 329th oospn.

On the night of February 20-21, 3 reconnaissance groups united for the night near the village of Kharsenoy. Lowland was chosen as the place to spend the night. The condition of the tired soldiers was critical: due to the long many-day trek in the mountains, the lack of sleeping bags and low temperatures, many of them had frostbite and colds.

Around lunchtime on February 21, at the scouts located in the lowland, from the surrounding heights, the militants who had crept up opened heavy fire from grenade launchers and automatic weapons. At the very beginning of the battle, the only radio station with batteries that had retained its charge was destroyed. Within 15-20 minutes, during a surprise attack, the militants managed to destroy 33 scouts. After collecting weapons from the dead servicemen, all the wounded servicemen were killed with point-blank shots. Only 2 soldiers managed to survive, whom the militants mistook for the dead. One of them was seriously wounded by a grenade fragment, and the other received 3 bullet wounds and a shell shock.

The reinforcement of motorized riflemen came to the scene of the tragedy only 3-4 hours later.

The causes of the tragedy were both the extreme fatigue of the personnel and the gross mistake of the group commanders who did not set up the proper outposts.

The official version of the events of February 21, 2000 near the village of Kharsenoy, announced in the press of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, differs significantly from the testimony of eyewitnesses.

In connection with this tragedy, on February 21, for the 2nd separate special purpose brigade, it was announced Memorial Day .

Russian-Georgian war

In the period from August 8, 2008 to March 7, 2009, the 329th special-purpose detachment of the 2nd brigade was in South Ossetia. There is no reliable information about participation in hostilities. As a result of an APC hitting a mine on October 6, 2008, 3 servicemen of the detachment were injured.

Heroes of the Connection

4 servicemen of the 2nd separate special-purpose brigade who died during the second Chechen war were awarded the title Hero of Russia (posthumously):

Kalinin Alexander Anatolyevich - captain, commander of the mining group of the 700th separate special-purpose detachment. The title was awarded on June 24, 2000.

Shantsev Sergey Vladimirovich - ensign, deputy commander of the reconnaissance group of the 700th separate special-purpose detachment. The title was awarded on October 24, 2000.

Samoilov Sergey Vyacheslavovich - senior lieutenant, group commander of the 700th separate special-purpose detachment. The title was awarded on June 24, 2000.

The 2nd squadron special forces brigade of the GRU, or military unit 64044, is located in the city of Pskov. The completing of the unit is carried out both on a contract basis and on a conscript basis.

History

The compound began to form in September 1962. It was finally created in 1963. It consists of several structural units: management units, schools for junior specialists, a special radio communications detachment, an MTO company, as well as the 70th, 177th, 329th and 700th separate special forces detachments.

Sleeve emblem of the 2nd separate special forces brigade

Eyewitness impressions

They note the rather easy conditions of service, the absence of bullying and competitive selection even for military service. The servicemen themselves jokingly refer to military unit 64044 as the “Parashutik kindergarten”. The soldiers are settled in rather good, renovated cockpit barracks (4 people live in the cockpit). There is a gym, a canteen and a library. The commandos eat well, they are offered several dishes to choose from. Food preparation is a civilian outsourcing. Chipok also works on site.
There is an infirmary, but they say that the necessary medicines are not always available there. You can hear good reviews about the military hospital in Pskov. You can visit soldiers in a medical facility, but only with a passport.

Bringing the recruits of the 2nd special forces brigade to the oath of allegiance to the Russian Federation

Military unit 64044 pays due attention to the leisure of military personnel. A special weekend plan is being developed: the fighters attend hockey competitions, go on excursions to the museum at the unit. Much time is devoted to the physical and sports training of employees. In particular, many are interested in how the jumps take place.
First, they jump from the training tower, which is at the stadium, then move on to more complex tasks. Jumps in military unit 64044 will be performed from MI-8 transport helicopters. For personnel and officers, different lift heights of aircraft into the air are established. So, conscripts jump from a height of 800 m, and officers - from 2000 m. There is a bonus depending on the number of jumps. Trainings in various types of combat - from hand-to-hand combat to attacks with the use of various types of weapons - are held three times a day.

Preparing for skydiving

The military unit 64044 carries out monetary allowances on VTB-24 cards. The ATM is installed at the checkpoint of the garrison. Soldiers can withdraw money accompanied by officers or contract soldiers.
The special forces receive theoretical skills in classrooms. Before taking the oath, they must study the charter. Also, during the course of a young soldier (lasts about a month), recruits are introduced to the order of the unit, they are engaged in drill and physical training. Shooting exercises are held about 3-4 times a month at the range not far from the unit. Sometimes servicemen of military unit 64044 take part in combined arms and international exercises.
As for the shortcomings of the service, several points are noted. Firstly, Pskov is located in a swampy area with a lot of mosquitoes. Secondly, the fighters take a long time to acclimatize, they often get sick, but it is allowed to transfer only vitamins from medicines. For the period of illness, soldiers can be in the infirmary or hospital.

Parachute packing lesson

The oath is taken on Saturdays at 9.00. Visitor entrance - upon presentation of a passport at the checkpoint. Both relatives and friends can come on the day of the oath, but they will be released on dismissal only on the security of the passport of the parents or wife. It is recommended to arrive at the checkpoint an hour before the event in order to find the oath table, the name of the soldier in the lists and register at the checkpoint.
The servicemen of military unit 64044 will announce the date of the oath by telephone. Taking the oath allowed photo and video filming. At the end of the event, the command gathers all the parents in the unit's club and conducts a conversation. They can conduct a short excursion around the territory of the unit or the barracks.
Soldiers acquire equipment and uniforms on their own. In Pskov, there are enough military trades, one of the shops is located not far from the unit.
You can communicate with relatives by mobile during the "soldier's hour" before going to sleep. The fighters' phones are not confiscated, but they are allowed to be used at the time set by the unit commander.

Brigade parade ground

You can visit servicemen of military unit 64044 on weekends. To get a leave of absence, a soldier must write a statement (report). Do it on Thursday, leave is granted on Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise, it will be possible to meet with the fighter only in the visitor's room at the checkpoint.
In order to get on contract service in the brigade, the applicant must:

• obtain a medical certificate not lower than Form A-1;
• pass physical standards;
• provide the data of relatives for a special check;
• have no problems with the law and no previous convictions;
• correspond to the physical parameters of the selection (young people from 18 to 35 years old with a height of at least 175 cm are admitted to the GRU special forces);
• the presence of a sports category is welcomed, for officers and warrant officers - higher education.

Information for mom

Parcels and letters

Unit address: 180004, Pskov, st. Soviet Army, military unit 64044, full name of the soldier, name of the unit:

• B - OSRS;
• ShMS: company number 1 - V, company number 2 - G, company MTO - E, special weapons company - F, commandant company - H, technical company - E.

View of the checkpoint of the military unit

The name of the company must be indicated on all correspondence, including on parcels. It is advised to transfer sweets, vitamins, plasters, stationery, "household packages", personal hygiene items, cigarettes.
Post office address: 180004, Pskov, st. Bastionnaya, 19. The department is open on weekdays from 8.00 to 20.00, on Saturday - from 9.00 to 18.00, on Sunday - from 9.00 to 14.00. For parcels, they go in groups of 10-15 people, they receive them on a military ID. The content can be checked at the headquarters.

Contact phone numbers

In the course of identifying and identifying Russian units from the invasion forces, it was possible to obtain new confirmation that among the reconnaissance and sabotage groups waging a declared war in eastern Ukraine, there are groups from the 2nd separate special purpose brigade of the GRU General Staff of the RF Armed Forces military unit 64044.

A serviceman of the 2nd Special Forces Brigade Vitaly, one might say a "veteran", took part in the seizure of Crimea, for which he was awarded a medal with the cynical title "For the Return of Crimea". Judging by the photo selection, this is his second business trip, this time to the east of Ukraine (in the photo Vitaly poses in Krasnosulinsky district (Rostov region) close to the Ukrainian border).

The fact that in the east of Ukraine there are sabotage groups of Russian special forces, in particular from the 2nd Special Forces, was noted back in April 2014

Note: The brigade is located near Pskov in n. Interiors. The brigade's area of ​​responsibility includes the Baltic States and Scandinavia, although it can be used in other directions, not for nothing its slogan "Anytime, Anywhere, Any tasks." The structure of the brigade provides for 3 main combat units - special forces detachments (battalions), consisting of several companies, as well as a special communications company (EW / RTR) and other support units. The brigade has combat experience since the Afghan war, its units also participated in the Caucasian wars - Chechnya, Dagestan. During the Russian-Georgian war in August 2008 and in the post-war period, the brigade's reconnaissance groups carried out "combat missions" in the occupied region of Samachablo (the so-called South Ossetia) Georgia.

Other GRU special forces units from the Russian invasion force group were written a little earlier:
346th brigade from Kabardino-Balkaria, Cool city

24th brigade from Siberia, Berdsk

10th Specialized Brigade from Krasnodar Territory, pos. Molkino

22nd special brigade from the Rostov region in the city of Bataysk and the village of Stepnoy

Information prepared specially for “InformNapalm”, when reprinting and using the material a link to the author and our project is required.

February 21 marks the 18th anniversary of the heroic battle of the scouts of the Pskov special forces brigade of the GRU near the Chechen village of Kharsena. In that battle with superior enemy forces, 33 people were killed, only two managed to survive. How the events of those days developed are remembered by their participants.

Soldiers of reconnaissance groups in their last raid a few days before their death.

- In the winter of 2000, General Vladimir Shamanov launched an offensive on the southern, mountainous part of the Chechen Republic. Our task was to advance along the routes of movement of the main column of motorized rifle subunits and provide their cover. But the advance of the infantry was difficult, the equipment got stuck in the mud, practically drowned. We moved through the mountains only on foot. On the fifth day, all the groups met and were re-targeted at Kharsena - this is a village like that. The task is the same - to hold the heights in order to ensure the passage of the equipment of motorized rifle subunits.

On February 1, 2000, three reconnaissance groups went forward together, since they practically did not have communications, the batteries near the radios sat down, only one was still working. The day before there was a radiogram that an infantry unit was to arrive by noon, they would have both communications and food. They had to replace us and continue to carry out this task themselves, and we had to leave. But by twelve o'clock they did not come, they could not climb the mountains. We were moving very slowly, their technique was stuck.

At that time he was at a height at a distance of about eight hundred meters. I had a lot of frostbite and colds in the group. When the battle began, I was ordered to stay at the height and hold it. Then we covered these eight hundred meters in one and a half to two hours.

And before that we had combat clashes several times, and we were ambushed. But they always came out. And so that in one battle almost everyone died - this has never happened. It was mainly the fatigue that had accumulated over the eight days of these crossings, winding through the mountains. Plus, people had already relaxed when they were told that they had come. They had already heard how the armor worked side by side, and tuned in - in fifteen or twenty minutes they would collect their things and leave.

Two of us survived. One - senior sergeant Anton Filippov - had his nose cut off with a grenade splinter, and there was just a bloody stain in place of his face. They did not finish him off, they thought he had already died. He was so conscious all this time and lay. And the second received a concussion and three bullet wounds, lost consciousness and rolled downhill.

And here's what's scary: children from the nearest village finished off the wounded along with the militants. Adults mostly walked around and collected weapons, ammunition, and children from nine to fourteen years old finished off in the head if anyone moved.

Senior Sergeant Anton Filippov says:

- I have been in Chechnya since January 17, 2000. Although this was my first business trip, I have already participated in five military exits. I served in the military in the North, in the Marine Corps, so my combat training was more or less decent. But in that battle, practically nothing came in handy.

The weather on the night of February 21 was terrible. Wet snow was falling, everyone froze like tsutsiki. And in the morning the sun came out, in February the sun was good. I remember how I poured out of all the steam. And then the sun disappeared, apparently gone beyond the mountains.

We were first hit from two sides, and then completely surrounded. They fired from flamethrowers and grenade launchers. Of course, we ourselves were largely to blame, we relaxed. But we walked in the mountains for eight days, we were tired. It was just physically very difficult to wade through the snow for so long, after that it was very difficult to fight normally. We slept right on the ground. I had to carry everything on myself, ammunition in the first place. Not everyone wanted to carry a sleeping bag as well. We had only two sleeping bags in the group - me and another fighter. I carried a walkie-talkie, batteries to it, and also a grenade launcher. There were secondments in the group - engineers, aircraft controllers, artillery spotters. There was a radio operator with them, his grenade launcher was carried by my commander, Samoilov (Hero of Russia, senior lieutenant Sergei Samoilov - Ed.), Then he gave it to me, then we changed, and I gave it to someone else. It's just that the radio operator was already completely tired. So they helped, dragged.

The batteries on my walkie-talkie are almost dead. I think that somewhere until the evening of February 21, the latter would have worked more. On the morning of the twenty-first, I handed over the last staff report to Samoilov. He ordered me to inform the command that the power of the radio is running out and we turn off the station, so that in extreme cases we can transfer something, it would be enough for one time. But when the battle began, I was unable to convey anything.

My station was about ten meters away from me, there were another six or seven submachine guns in a Christmas tree. Opposite me sat the commander, and on the right Vityok (Sergeant Viktor Chyornenky. - Ed.). At the very beginning, the commander told him to guard me with a walkie-talkie, so we always stayed together. When the battle began, the density of the fire was very high. It's like if you put a company, and at the same time everyone starts shooting (company - about a hundred people. - Ed.). All were sitting two or three people, twenty meters apart. As soon as it all started, we jumped in different directions. Samoilov fell under a tree, there was only one, and there was just a small hollow. I look at my walkie-talkie and see that its bullets are going through, piercing. So, as she stood, she remained standing.

I personally, except for grenades, had nothing with me, I was not entitled to anything else. I threw them at the very beginning where they were shooting at us. And the machine gun along with the radio remained. Samoilov had a Stechkin pistol with him and, in my opinion, a submachine gun. Our guys began to shoot back from machine guns, machine guns fired - both one and the second. Then I was told that someone was found killed in a sleeping bag. But I didn’t see anyone sleeping, I don’t know.

Someone from ours fired the longest from a machine gun. It so happened, he passed next to me. The Chechens then shouted: "Russian Vanka, surrender, Russian Vanka, surrender!" And he mutters to himself under his breath: "I'll give you now, give up, I'll give you now ...". He stood up to his full height, jumped out onto the road and just started giving in line, he was killed.

Some of the commanders - either Kalinin (commander of a special forces company, Hero of Russia Captain Alexander Kalinin. - Ed.), Or Bochenkov (Hero of Russia, Captain Mikhail Bochenkov. - Ed.) Shouted: “Rocket, rocket! .. ". I remember the scream was so wild. A rocket is a signal that something is happening. But it should be red, and I only had a lighting one. I answered him: "No red!" But he does not hear what I am shouting to him, noise, shooting. I never got an answer from him and started it myself, which it was. And immediately after that, something banged, and I was wounded by a shrapnel in the leg. Then, of course, I did not know that there was a splinter, then they told me. A splinter broke a bone on his foot, so it remained in the heel.

I turn around and ask Vitka (his head was at my feet at a height of about): "Alive?" He replies: "Alive, only wounded." "And me". And so we talked. Then again something exploded under his nose. I am Vite: "Alive?" I turn my head, and my friend lies there, wheezing, he hasn’t answered me. Apparently, he was wounded in the throat.

I was wounded a second time. If I had passed out, I would have wheezed too. Then they would have finished me off for sure. The "spirits" began to collect weapons, especially our "stechkin" ones (a pistol of the Stechkin system. - Ed.). I listened to them, some in Russian, some in broken Russian, with an accent, and some in Chechen, shouting: "Oh, I found Stechkin!" They thought that I was killed, I probably looked "commercial". The face, and not only - everything was covered with blood.

First, the "spirits" quickly grabbed the weapon and carried it off somewhere. They were not absent for long, twenty minutes maximum. Then they returned and began to finish off everyone. Apparently, there were many like Vitek, who was lying next to me and wheezing. Many guys, apparently, showed signs of life. So they all shot from our own Stechkin. I hear - clap-clap-clap! But I was lucky. I lay still, the Chechen came up to me, took off the watch from my hand, it was a simple watch, it was cheap. Then he raised his head behind his ear. Well, I think now the ear will cut, as if only to withstand. So everything hurts, and if you gasp - that's it, the end. But he, it seems to me, wanted to remove the chain from his neck. And I always wore a cross on a thread. If there was a chain, and he would start tearing it, it is not known how everything would turn out. I later recalled it in the hospital, played it over. I think it was God's will, that's why it all happened.

He did not find the chain, threw my head away, and immediately the bolt on the Stechkin twitched. I think: everything, everything, everything ... And the shot rang out, clap. I already shuddered all over, I could not resist already. Apparently, he did not notice that I shuddered. It seems that Vitka was shot.

Samoilov was lying nearby, about five meters away. I don’t know how he was killed, but the militants threw a grenade into the trench where the three of them were lying.

If I lost consciousness at the first moment and moaned, then I would definitely be finished off. And so I looked completely lifeless. A bullet wound in the arm, the rest - shrapnel - face, neck, leg. They found me, maybe four hours later, and lay awake. Apparently, he was in a state of shock, he passed out already before the helicopter, after the fifth promidol (anesthetic injection. - Ed.). First came, it seems, the infantry, with which we were supposed to meet and which was delayed. I remember that someone kept asking me: "Who is your radio operator, who is your radio operator?" I answer: "I am a radio operator." I told them everything about the broadcasting algorithm. Then they bandaged me up, after that I didn't see anything, only heard.

And I got to the hospital only the next day. From the twenty-first to the twenty-second of February I had to spend the night in the mountains, the helicopter did not fly at night. The turntables (helicopters - Ed.) Did not arrive until the morning of the twenty-second. I remember I was terribly thirsty. They gave me a drink, probably, it was possible. I also asked: "How many are left alive, how much did they put in?" They said that two are alive. He asked for a cigarette, smoked and ... woke up already in the helicopter. Our doctor was there, he told me something, calmed me down. Like, hold on, everything is fine, alive. Naturally, I asked what was wrong with my face. It was as if he was not there at all. And he let me calm down - everything is fine. Again I say, "What's wrong with the face?" He told me - no nose and no right eye. Apparently, the swollen eye was strong. Then I passed out again in the helicopter, I don’t remember what they did to me there.

Already on February 23, I woke up in the ward, regained consciousness. Naturally, I can't stand up or move anything - I have a dropper, bandaged all over. I began to touch my face with my hand. I think, let me see if there is an eye or not. I tore everything around my eyes and was delighted - I see! Then from Mozdok to Rostov-on-Don by plane, from Rostov to Moscow, to the hospital. Now I continue to serve in my home brigade.

We walked for several days, also all on ourselves. A reconnaissance company led us part of the way. The reconnaissance remained - we went on. An hour passed and we heard tears. Later they said that our reconnaissance was covered with "hailstones" (I wonder who brought it?). Coming out on Kharsena, everyone fell - just double in their eyes from tension and fatigue. Then, without giving us a rest, they set the task to advance to the height to the specialists. Already starting to rise, they heard the battle above. From the "borders" there really was hitting tightly. There were two companies of the 752nd infantry regiment. Coming to the height, it became creepy from what he saw.

The picture is as follows: a clearing stretched down the slope, densely surrounded by dense thorny bushes. The road went through the center of the meadow in B. Kharsena. The specialists settled down under the trees, standing closer to the center of the clearing. The guard was set up from the side of B. Kharsena below and for some reason on a bare spot not far from the edge of the clearing. It is not clear where the mattresses came from? I don't think they went with them. I got the impression that a parking lot had been prepared for them. A two-by-two meter square was dug, where they just lay side by side. Hike in a volley they were covered there. They found two alive, a radio operator and someone else. A lot of canned food was scattered in the clearing, we collected them. Two were remembered - they were lying side by side, trying to bandage each other.

We set the task to move down to B. Kharsenoy. Move forward - we were greeted with dense fire. They went back to the clearing. She was nicknamed - DEAD FIELD. It has already begun to get dark - we are given the task of advancing to the third group of specialists - the one that survived, tk. was on the sidelines. The company refused to move out at night. The CEP conveyed that after completing the task, the company will be taken to Mozdok for a tribunal. In short, we were also told that this area at 6 in the morning will be covered with artillery and flyers. Like: if you want - stay. In the morning they gathered all the two hundred and dragged them from the clearing into the forest so that they would not be torn. That area was really covered - we managed to retreat. Further, more fun: the head spotted in front of two spirits, walking ahead of us on the same course. Then they lit up in front of the 3rd group of specialists and went away.

The specialists did not respond to communication, nor did they respond to conventional signals with a rocket launcher. We went forward to them. Well, experts, it is clear what they thought - it was their turn. In short, a fight ensued. Their sniper, moving forward, met us. One on the forehead, the other on the neck. Our third was blown up on a stretch (wounds in the stomach). Their position was also super: there is a slope on three sides, and a high precipice from the rear. They managed to bury themselves normally. Surrounding them, they cut off the sniper. It was this sniper who realized that we were our own - he was close to us and could not change his position, got into the bag. He began to shout that they were his own. The shooting died down. Then, a little later, he led us through the mined areas to his own. Honestly, they were very lucky, and so are we. They had one wounded right through in the leg (in the pulp). In short, this is how the episode with the special forces ended.

Captain Mikhail Bochenkov (center)

Captain Bochenkov's reconnaissance group

Left Anton Filippov - one of the surviving scouts