In a person's life there are different problems, forsolutions of which require different tools. In some cases a sledge hammer is needed, in others - a surgical scalpel. Political and military issues are no less diverse. Sometimes it is necessary to move the tank columns, but sometimes the conflict can be resolved without unnecessary noise, with a jeweler's precision, removing the harmful formation with a sharp lancet. In the hands of the Russian leadership there is such an instrument. His name is the special forces of the FSB.
"Alpha", "Vympel" and "Cascade"
The youth of the eighties word "Alpha" and "Vympel"they said little. The creation of these units took place in conditions of secrecy, they recruited the best officers of state security, most often manifested themselves in Afghanistan in the initial period of hostilities. Only the initiates knew how difficult the task had to be solved by a group of specially trained KGB officers during the storming of Amin's palace. Numerous guards were neutralized, and the order was executed with minimal losses.
Today, it is possible to evaluate the politicalside of this power operation, but the professionalism of the people who implemented it is indisputable. In addition to physical training, all the members of the special group had an outstanding intellect. Two or three higher educations, at times and the academic degree, resistance to psychological overloads, knowledge of foreign languages and other personal qualities and achievements were an indispensable condition for enrolling in detachments "Vympel", "Cascade" or "Alpha". In all, they served several hundred selected fighters. The heir to this glorious cohort was the special forces of the FSB. The standards for those who expressed a desire to serve in the Russian special services remained high.
Difficult times
Since the early nineties of the twentieth centuryThe special forces of the FSB were in demand in solving complex political situations. In addition to the tasks of law enforcement and anti-terrorism, the special group was supposed to be used for political purposes. However, the highest moral qualities of the "Alpha" and "Vympel" fighters did not allow them to carry out orders, in whose legitimacy they doubted. During the coup of 1991, they refused to take the side of the Emergency Committee, and in 1993, avoiding unjustified bloodshed and risking their lives, did not open fire on his numerous defenders. This disobedience of the then leadership of the country has not forgiven these heroes. All the structures historically connected with the Soviet GB were disbanded, and the detachments were subordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, a few years later, the state security service under the name of the FSB was re-created. The spetsnaz revived.
Russian special forces today
Special forces of the FSB were needed in 1999, whenThe Novolaksky district of Dagestan was attacked by militants. New times have come, the terrorist threat has become not a hypothetical, but a very real political factor. Actions to eliminate leaders of illegal armed groups were conducted methodically, and the whole world witnessed effective actions by Russian special services. In a short period all the authoritative separatist leaders were killed or taken prisoner. News channels regularly showed reports about the capture of another leader or showed his corpse. The special forces of the FSB modestly remained behind the scenes, sometimes only in the background a silhouette of a soldier in a mask flashed in the background. Soldiers of management "A" do not aspire to fame, they have other concerns.
