Two years ago, on September 30, the Federation Council gave its consent to President Vladimir Putin to use the Russian Aerospace Forces to fight the terrorist quasi-state ISIS* in Syria. This marked the beginning of the first military operation in the history of post-Soviet Russia outside the CIS.
The conflict in Syria began in the spring of 2011 as a result of the so-called “Arab Spring”. Supported Western states organizations staged coups in the countries of the Islamic world. The unrest affected almost all of North Africa and the Middle East. However, in Syria the “revolutionaries” did not have an easy victory - the residents largest cities and the army sided with Bashar al-Assad. Both Damascus and the “moderate opposition” found themselves in a stalemate.
The balance of power was destroyed by the appearance in neighboring Iraq, which was under the control of the US Army, of a terrorist organization unprecedented in scale - the Islamic State. In just a few months, the once run-of-the-mill band of jihadists defeated, captured or lured the main Iraqi forces to their side. Almost all the weapons that the Americans handed over to their wards ended up in the hands of militants. At the end of 2014, ISIS launched an offensive in Syria.
Photo source: riafan.ru
Weakened by the civil war, the Syrian army was not ready to meet a well-prepared and well-armed enemy. The “moderate opposition” saw in the terrorists their new ally, thanks to whom they intended to take Damascus. In just a few weeks, the combined forces of militants captured most countries, and both cities and oil and gas fields came under their control. Anticipating the imminent destruction of the country, Bashar al-Assad officially turned to Russia for help in the fight against terrorism. And on September 30, 2015, Russian pilots made their first combat missions, launching missile and bomb attacks on the positions of terrorists who were not accustomed to meeting resistance.
iReactor correspondents turned to political scientist, author of the “Sense” project Ivan Arkatov with a request to tell how the participation of the Russian Aerospace Forces affected the Middle East conflict.
Photo source: rueconomics.ru
“By September 2015, the secular government of Syria was living its last days. It was clear that without external help, Syria would very soon become a victim of terrorist groups, the world center of the Islamist project, from where its fighters would go to other regions, primarily to the CIS countries Central Asia and to our North Caucasus.
In this region a serious Political Party, in which Syria became the victim, and the consequences of the fall of the Assad government would greatly affect the situation in the world, in Russia and in particular on our economy. We officially started fighting when it became clear that a fight was inevitable and Russian citizens were in direct and very serious danger.
At the time of the start of military support for Syria by the Russian Armed Forces, Assad’s government forces lost 70% of the territory of Syria. That is, not far from the borders of Russia, a huge territory controlled by terrorists was formed.
Having started hostilities, the Russian Aerospace Forces almost immediately encountered a number of systemic problems. At that time, we did not have a complete and real picture of the degradation of the Syrian armed forces. We found ourselves in a very difficult situation: we became participants in an almost lost war, and on the side of those who suffered military defeat. It became clear that the situation needed to be corrected. Not only was our prestige as a military power at stake, but also our strategic interests in the Middle East. Plus, in the near future there was the prospect of becoming the next target of a terrorist invasion.
Photo source: riafan.ru
No matter how difficult it may be, there is always potential in any situation. Two years later, we can say that Russia is doing an excellent job with the task. The diligence and enormous work of the Russian armed forces radically changed the balance of power in the Middle East. Now the government forces of Bashar al-Assad control over 87% of the country. In fact, in two years Russia solved the global terrorist threat - something that the United States and its allies could not, and most likely did not want to cope with. In addition, Russia has strengthened its position on the world stage, despite all the efforts of our Western “friends”. And also during the operation in Syria, at the beginning of 2017, the Russian military was able to test 162 types of modern weapons and modernized versions of old weapons. The demand that has appeared in the world for our weapons speaks for itself.”
Indeed, in early September, the Russian Aerospace Forces practically swept away the ISIS defenses on the outskirts of Deir ez-Zor, the last stronghold of terrorists. Today the city is practically liberated, and Russian pilots continue to chase the enemy beyond the Euphrates. The destruction of the group is happening even faster than its advance across the destroyed country. Having appreciated the lessons of the Aerospace Forces, members of the “moderate opposition” prudently hastened to disavow ties with ISIS and asked for peace with Damascus. In fact, by its very presence, Russian aviation is forcing the once irreconcilable “revolutionaries” who, in order to seize power, even entered into an alliance with terrorists, to peace. So in Once again In its history, Russia has proven that it is capable of winning even lost wars with honor and to this day stands guard over peace.
* – The organization’s activities in Russia are prohibited by a decision of the Supreme Court.
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The State Duma proposed creating private military security companies in Russia.
Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Gennady Nosovko submitted for consideration the bill “On private military-security activities.” The adoption of such a law will allow the creation of organizations in Russia that will protect the country’s economic interests in the Arctic and the Middle East. In addition, the initiative is designed to reduce the social burden by attracting more than half a million former security forces into commercial military structures, and will also allow entry into the global market for the provision of military security services.
“The adoption of this bill will make it possible to establish a legal basis for the implementation of private military security activities, guarantees of its legality, and effectively protect the interests of the individual, society and the state both on the territory of the Russian Federation and beyond its borders,” the document states.
An analysis of foreign experience shows that private military and security companies (hereinafter referred to as PMSCs) are playing an increasingly important role in the politics, economics and military sphere of developed countries of the world and, in essence, are becoming an important tool for realizing national interests without the direct participation of the state. Currently, their total number is several hundred with a total number of employees of more than a million people. PMSCs operate in more than 110 countries around the world, and the market for their services amounts to hundreds of billions of US dollars and is growing.
The United States, Great Britain, France and Israel have a significant influence on the international market for PMSC services; the presence of Chinese companies is also growing very rapidly. It is known that the main consumers of such services are transnational corporations and government agencies leading world powers.
The main functions of foreign private military companies are:
1) participation in peacekeeping operations through international organizations;
2) providing military assistance to other countries without introducing military personnel of foreign states into their territory;
3) protecting the health and life of citizens of their country abroad;
4) protection of property of individuals and legal entities abroad;
5) organizing the protection of important objects on the territory of both one’s own country and abroad.
The parliamentarian is confident that these facts cannot be ignored and taken into account when deciding on the creation of similar organizations in Russia. In the Russian Federation, private military security organizations currently do not have official status. The main reasons for this are the lack of a state strategy for their use and relevant legislation.
The lack of a clear distinction between mercenary activities and the activities of PMSCs may be a deterrent. There are differences in interpretations of the concept of “mercenary”. Previously, when the activities of companies were mainly limited to training local armies and did not involve direct participation in hostilities, it was difficult to qualify it as mercenarism. Then the role of consultants began to fade into the background, and the primary task for contract soldiers became the protection and escort of military cargo. At the same time, employees of private military companies can come into fire contact with the enemy and are often no different from combatants. In any case, their activities require additional legal regulation.
According to the introduced bill, if their activities are legislatively regulated, PMSCs will be able to take an active part in protecting national interests outside of Russia, developing international military cooperation, and also help reduce the level of military and terrorist threats by performing and providing military security work and services. Taking into account the current international situation, they could also be used in operations to combat drug trafficking, organized crime and in measures to restore public and constitutional order.
In addition to economic benefits, the creation of such companies will help solve social issues related to reforming the Armed Forces and optimizing the number of law enforcement agencies. The deputy adds that the Russian Federation will also have the opportunity to protect businesses on the territory of foreign countries with a difficult military-political situation - PMSCs can take over the protection of facilities, protecting the life and health of Russian specialists in the territory of these countries.
Legal status for soldiers of fortune
As explained Deputy Gennady Nosovko, after the government gave a negative assessment to the bill on the creation of private military companies, developed by the parliamentarian, in the summer of 2015, he decided to rewrite the bill.
“Then specialists from the relevant departments - the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB of the Russian Federation - having carefully studied the bill, considered it untimely, noting that many of its provisions contradict Russian legislation, so my colleagues and I have been reworking the document in recent months, made significant changes to it, which the experts insisted,” the deputy noted.
Gennady Nosovko said that the very name of the bill had been changed, as required by Russian legislation: “Therefore, the bill is called “On Private Military Security Activities,” and not, as previously, “On Private Military Companies.” According to the deputy, the federal law “On Private Military Security Activities” proposes to give official legal status to such companies and legalize their activities in the Russian legal space.
“All organizations will have to undergo mandatory licensing. If an organization operates in Russia, the Ministry of Defense will issue a license to it to work with information that constitutes state secret, - FSB. And if the company’s activities are carried out abroad, then it will be licensed by specialists from the Ministry of Industry and Trade,” the parliamentarian emphasized.
In addition, the bill states that private military security companies will provide military security services only in the interests of the state, therefore, only executive authorities or foreign legitimate international and government organizations on the basis of agreements with the Russian Federation can act as customers of their services. And on the territory of Russia, the provision of military security services by PMSCs is permitted on the basis of an agreement with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Defense or another federal body.
The initiative of Deputy Nosovko is also supported by the President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Colonel General Leonid Ivashov. According to him, in Russia there are half a million people willing to become employees of PMSCs that could partially replace the army.
“This is a very real figure. We are talking primarily about officers who have received good special training. As a result of various reforms or due to age, they end up on the street. It is almost impossible for them to find a job in civilian life by profession. At the same time, we need a force that, in a wartime period, could solve more serious problems than some army units,” the Colonel General is confident.
Today the Russian Federation celebrates Defender of the Fatherland Day. This holiday has a complex history. It is installed in memory supposedly former victory detachments of Red Army soldiers over German units near Pskov and Narva. However, there is reason to doubt that there was some kind of battle on February 23, 1918. It is known that on February 23, Red Army Day was held in Petrograd under the slogan “defense of the socialist Fatherland from the Kaiser’s troops.” Since 1922, the honoring of the Red Army and Navy acquired the character of a large public holiday, which began to be celebrated annually. Since 1946, the holiday began to be called the Day of the Soviet Army and Navy. In 1995 The State Duma Russia adopted the federal law “On the days of military glory (victory days) of Russia”, in which this day is named as follows: “February 23 - Victory Day of the Red Army over the Kaiser’s troops of Germany (1918) - Defender of the Fatherland Day.” In 2003, the State Duma rejected the proposal to move the date of the celebration of Defender of the Fatherland Day from February 23 to September 8 - the day of the Battle of Borodino - only 3 deputies voted in favor.
Despite the complex history of this holiday, February 23 has become the traditional professional day of the military and a holiday for all men who must be strong, courageous, capable of defending their family and homeland. Soldiers fighting for the Fatherland in “hot spots” celebrate this holiday with special feeling. Therefore, the holiday of Defender of the Fatherland has already broken away from the umbilical cord of its complex history and is living an independent life. Moreover, during the time that February 23 is celebrated in our country, many glorious, heroic events worthy of the memory of the people are associated with this day.
Defender of the Fatherland Day is a compromise name for the holiday. After 1991, it was no longer possible to celebrate the Day of the Soviet Army and Navy, and they were embarrassed to call the holiday Russian Army Day. In the 90s, the military wore civilian clothes, because those who were in uniform were attacked by various outcasts. However, the Duma came up with a streamlined name that was supposed to reconcile everyone - Defender of the Fatherland Day. The country began to propagate the idea that we are all protectors. At one time I tried to smooth the mood by saying that we all defend the Fatherland - farmers, doctors and teachers. We all stand guard over the Fatherland! But this is a pseudo-name. The Russian Army should have its own day, which would emphasize the importance of the Armed Forces in the structure of statehood, as one of the most important elements, without which the state cannot exist.
Perhaps the President will someday make a decision and return the name Russian Army Day. Of course, they now say that a separate date has appeared on the calendar - Navy Day. But there must be pride in their army, citizens must understand its importance. Many authors of "" have repeatedly recalled the words of the Emperor Alexandra III: Russia has only two allies: its army and navy.
I can't think of a better expression! Therefore, on this day, like in a drop of water, the entire valiant history of the Russian army shines from the depths of centuries. The thunder of brilliant victories shone above us! Often the army corrected the mistakes of statesmen and diplomats, enduring, oddly enough, the anger of the people and deafening glory. It couldn't be otherwise, because everything was sprinkled with blood the best people Fatherland. Military service has always been honorable in Russia, no matter how hard the Bolsheviks tried to distinguish the soldiers from the officers. The nobles served their Motherland - they bravely went into the attack with bayonets at the ready along with the soldiers. Kutuzov and Suvorov led soldiers into the attack, with whom they were of the same class. The history of the Russian army cannot be simple - it is as complex and tragic as the entire centuries-old life of the Fatherland. It doesn't need to be divided. Even among the officers of the Tsarist Army, who did not understand the ideology of Bolshevism, there was a strong sense of responsibility for the Motherland. What was kept silent was that countless royal officers served in the Red Army, which helped its formation, despite the mass destruction. One must always beware of easy assessments in understanding the spirit of the army. The Russian army lives its own life and the life of the Motherland for centuries. For the army, the main thing is to serve its people, protect and protect them, and defend the state. There is no higher mission than to defend your Fatherland. Doctors who save people may object to me. But doctors in a hospital or clinic do not risk their lives.
When someone starts talking about this topic, I always say one phrase. If war comes, everyone will go to different places, and the officers will go to the front. They will again object to me that during war everyone is drafted. Of course, but first of all they will call up people who served in the army and who went through army school. I have already said several times, but I will repeat, that only 10% of the country's citizens can be mobilized into the army in the event of war. Of these, only 3% will be first strike fighters, front line and fire fighters. Woe to the country that has no soldiers in the line of fire.
All countries have excellent technology, but the results are different. For example, not a single British rocket fired from nine rounds in Syria hit its target. And every blow of our falcons hits the bull's eye. That's why they are angry with us. In order to stop the Russian army, the West wants to create a Syrian version of Minsk-2. When Delbatsevo was burning and the militias were destroying the Ukrainian army, Minsk-2 was instantly proposed. And now, under the guise of the Syrian opposition, those who were nurtured by the United States and the EU are hiding. Now the history of the new Syria is being made near Aleppo, but the UN has become worried, calling on Russia to stop airstrikes at the moment of complete destruction of the terrorists. What does it mean? Give terrorists a break? Let the armed opposition lay down their arms and renounce the military struggle. And those who remain with weapons in their hands must be destroyed. Which is what the Russian army is doing.
I am proud to have served 38 years in our army. This is my life and responsibility. I have never been ashamed of my military service and have always carried in my heart a sense of pride that I am fulfilling the mission of a soldier. In the most difficult moments of my life, the words of the oath rang in my soul. There are many of them in Russia - there are millions of us. Therefore, Russia stands as long as it has such an army. We must do everything to strengthen and develop the Russian army, loudly speaking about its victories in school classes, student audiences and work groups. We should never forget the history of the glorious victories of the Russian army. The Day of the Russian Army and Navy should be revived in Russia.
Glory to the soldiers of Russia of all times and peoples! Long live the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation! Happy Holidays, people of Russia! Happy Holidays! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Scenario of educational event
Video tutorial
« Military personnel guarding the borders of the Russian Federation"
Date of:"__" _______ 20__
Location: _______.
Participants: 11 "F" class.
Target:
nurturing the civic-patriotic consciousness of pupils, a sense of pride in their country and its army.
Tasks:
expanding students’ knowledge about military professions;
information about military universities.
Methodological support: multimedia equipment, map of Russia, videos.
Stages of preparation and implementation
Stage I. Preparatory.
Stage II. Basic.
Stage III. Summarizing.
Progress of the event:
MESSAGE TOPICS AND PURPOSE
Educator: Good afternoon. There are guys in our class whose relatives served or are serving on the border. Also among you there are those who decided to enter the Golitsyn Border Institute of the FSB of Russia - the oldest border higher education educational institution Russia. The Institute is the successor and heir to the first OGPU border guard school, created in November 1930 in the city of New Peterhof, Leningrad Region . I suggest you watch a video about this educational institution.
Watch the video “Golitsyn Border Institute”.
We remember the names of the great commanders - Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, A.V. Suvorova, M.I. Kutuzova, G.K. Zhukov, who, together with the soldiers, officers and all the people, did not give up our land for desecration. And I think you will be a worthy successor to our heroes, known and anonymous.
MAIN PART
Watching the Video
"Special intelligence group of the border service of the FSB of the Russian Federation"
Educator: I propose the following questions for discussion .
- Who is a soldier?
- What knowledge should a soldier have?
- What qualities should military personnel have?
Children's answers.
Summarizing the conversation on issues.
Educator: Military personnel in the Russian Federation are persons serving in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, border troops, internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, railway troops, civil defense troops, as well as in military formations of other ministries and departments of the Russian Federation (legal dictionary).
Leading: The art of warfare has appeared since the formation of states and exists to this day. For the defense and protection of their territories, a constant composition of physically resilient and professional specialists is required. Even in peacetime, constant training of the armed forces is carried out. This is not only the construction of military bases and the production of equipment, but also human resources. Special educational institutions have been created to train highly qualified military personnel.
Leading: What knowledge should a soldier have? Not only theory is important here, but also the practice of preparing and conducting military operations on land, sea or in the air. Every serviceman adheres to the Charter Armed Forces, norms of international humanitarian law, as well as rules for the treatment of the wounded and prisoners. Military personnel have their own special obligations. They are not allowed to engage in entrepreneurial activity, disclose military secrets, or refuse to complete the assigned task.
Educator: Physical endurance, discipline, organization and efficiency are not full list requirements placed on military personnel. The work of military personnel is a constant risk. This requires self-control, endurance and courage. This person, like no other, must be able to work in a team. Strict discipline, respect for the honor and dignity of one's colleagues are necessary qualities in combat.
Educator: The area of the Russian Federation (together with Crimea) is 17,151 thousand. sq. km.
State border of the Russian Federation- a line and a vertical surface passing along this line, defining the limits of the state territory (land, water, subsoil and airspace) of Russia, the spatial limit of the state sovereignty of the Russian Federation.
The protection of the state border is carried out by the Border Service of the FSB of Russia within the border territory, as well as by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (air defense and naval forces) - in the airspace and underwater environment .
Russia recognizes the existence of borders with 18 states, as well as partially recognized republics. The length of the Russian border (excluding the annexation of Crimea in 2014) is 60,932 km according to the Border Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation, including 38 thousand km of maritime borders; Among the land borders, 7 thousand km of borders along rivers and 475 km along lakes stand out.
Question: Who protects the state borders of our Motherland?
Children's answers.
Summarizing answers.
Watch the video « Border Service FSB of the Russian Federation."
Leading: The border guard, as many years ago, is characterized by the highest professionalism and readiness for self-sacrifice in protecting border borders. This service can only be performed by people who are emotionally stable, balanced, internally organized, honest, principled, and capable of taking responsibility for decisions made, independent, confident in their abilities and devoted to the interests of our country.
The Border Department of the FSB of Russia exercises control over the maintenance of administrative and legal regimes at the state border. Its employees counter cross-border crime, illegal migration, prevent members of international terrorist and extremist organizations from entering the country, and the import of prohibited literature.
Educator: Air defense formations and military units of the Aerospace Forces are guarding the air borders of the Fatherland.
The training of highly professional officers for military air defense formations is carried out military educational institutions Aerospace Forces – Military Academy of East Kazakhstan region named after Marshal Soviet Union G.K. Zhukova (Tver), Yaroslavl higher education military school Air defense (Yaroslavl).
Leading: Currently, in the Aerospace Forces, the solution of air defense tasks is entrusted to the air defense-missile defense association for special purposes. The main task of the association is to protect the city of Moscow and the Central industrial region of the country, to cover objects of the highest level of state and military administration, industry and energy, groups of the Armed Forces and transport communications from attacks from aerospace. The length of the boundaries of responsibility of the association is about 4,500 km, covering the territory of more than 25 regions and three republics of Russia. Its combat composition includes air defense and missile defense units. Formations and military units of the air defense-missile defense association VKS provide protection of about 1,500 km of the State border of the Russian Federation in the airspace and control the order of its use, cover more than 260 defense facilities within the boundaries of responsibility, which amounts to more than 30 percent of the defense facilities of the Russian Federation.
Educator: As part of the duty forces of the air defense-missile defense association of the Aerospace Forces, about 1,500 military personnel and civilian specialists take up combat duty. The high intensity of combat duty is associated primarily with an increase in the intensity of air traffic within the boundaries of responsibility of the air defense-missile defense association. Every day, the duty forces of the Air Defense and Missile Defense Command of the Aerospace Defense Forces carry out radar detection and tracking of up to 800 aircraft, 10 percent of which are subject to continuous radar control with the provision of information to the Aerospace Forces Control Center. The air defense formations of the air defense-missile defense association are armed with the S-400 Triumph and S-300 Favorit anti-aircraft missile systems, Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile gun systems, capable of resisting all means of aerospace attack, including cruise ones rockets at all flight altitudes. As part of the re-equipment with new types of weapons and military equipment in 2016, the air defense units of the Aerospace Forces have already received one regimental set of the S-400 Triumph long-range anti-aircraft missile system and two divisional sets of the Pantsir-S short-range anti-aircraft missile and gun system.
CONCLUSION
Leading: For more than three centuries, the navy has reliably guarded Russia's national interests. Few people know that military sailors were equated to astronauts. Descending to great depths up to 5 thousand meters, they experience great pressure, risking their lives. Each dive is considered a high feat. Sailors are generally a special caste of the armed forces.
Watch the video “In memory of MCVP.”
Educator: The best purpose is to defend your Fatherland. (Derzhavin G.R.)
D class commander salary. The students leave.
This year is an anniversary year for the Southern (North Caucasus) Military District. For a whole century, fighters and commanders, soldiers and officers have defended and continue to defend the interests and security of our Fatherland in the South-Western strategic direction. And they do this with their characteristic professionalism, courage, and perseverance. The commander of the troops of the Southern Military District, Hero of Russia, Colonel General Alexander Dvornikov told the correspondent of the Army Collection magazine Yuri Seleznev about what stages the district had to overcome on the way to such a significant event, what peaks of field and naval training were achieved and what tasks were still awaiting solution. .
Commander of the Southern Military District, Colonel General Alexander Vladimirovich Dvornikov, was born on August 22, 1961 in Ussuriysk, Primorsky Territory.
In 1982 he graduated from the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School, in 1991 from the Military Academy named after. M.V. Frunze, and in 2005 - the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
After graduating from college, he served in the Far Eastern Military District as a platoon commander, company commander, and battalion chief of staff.
Since 1991 - deputy and then commander of a motorized rifle battalion in the Western Group of Forces.
From 1995 to 2000 - chief of staff of the regiment, regiment commander in the Moscow Military District.
From 2000 to 2003, he served in the North Caucasus Military District as chief of staff of a division, and then division commander.
In 2005, after graduating from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, he was appointed to the position of deputy army commander, and later chief of army staff in the Siberian Military District.
From 2008 to 2010 - Army Commander in the Far Eastern Military District.
In April 2012, he was appointed to the position of chief of staff - first deputy commander of the troops of the Central Military District.
Since September 2015 - commander of the Russian group of troops in Syria.
In September 2016, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, he was appointed commander of the troops of the Southern Military District.
Hero of Russia, awarded the Order "For Services to the Fatherland" III and IV degrees with swords, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree, "For Military Merit", the Order of Courage and many medals.
- Comrade Commander, probably few territorial military-administrative formations, like the Southern Military District, can be proud of such a rich history, such a large and glorious cohort of loyal sons of the Fatherland who have made a significant contribution to ensuring the defense capability of the state. Remind readers briefly how it all began?
Yes, the milestones of the long journey of our military district have the right to be a source of pride for both veterans and the current generation of military personnel. If we talk about the background of the issue, then the prerequisites for the emergence of the Caucasian Military District, namely it became the prototype of the modern Southern Military District, arose in 1816, when the legendary Russian general A.P. Ermolov created a separate Georgian, and later Caucasian, corps on the basis of the 19th and 20th infantry divisions.
After the October Revolution of 1917, the south of Russia became the scene of fierce battles for power.
To protect the new state in the fight against interventionists and internal opposition, on May 4, 1918, the North Caucasus Military District was established by Decree of the Council of People's Commissars.
Its first military leader was the lieutenant general of the tsarist army under the command of Semyon Budyonny, a major military theorist, a brilliant mathematician, and a full member of the Russian Geographical Society, Andrei Evgenievich Snesarev.
In the fire of battles Civil War As part of the district, the 1st Cavalry Army was born, units of which defeated Krasnov’s Don White Cossack Army, defended Tsaritsyn, liberated Donbass and Rostov, and reached the coast of the Azov Sea on a wide front, practically destroying the troops of Denikin’s Volunteer Army.
In 1920, under the command of an experienced officer, Knight of St. George Georgy Dmitrievich Bazilevich, the troops of the North Caucasus Military District conducted a number of successful operations in Transcaucasia, assisting Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia in liberating themselves from foreign invaders and nationalists.
In 1921, the future Marshal of the Soviet Union, Kliment Efremovich Voroshilov, was appointed commander of the district troops. Under his leadership, numerous gangs operating in the North Caucasus were eliminated.
In the period from 1924 to 1927, under the command of Nikolai Ivanovich Muralov and Ieronim Petrovich Uborevich, the North Caucasus Military District managed to take second place among the sixteen military districts of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army in terms of the level of tactical and rifle training of its personnel.
In 1937, the future Marshal and People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko, an experienced military leader who managed to invest all his rich combat experience in the operational and tactical training of troops, was appointed commander of the North Caucasian Military District troops. Komkor Gribov and Lieutenant General Kachalov, who replaced him in this post, also made considerable efforts to further improve the combat training of personnel.
The North Caucasian soldiers very soon had the opportunity to test the skills acquired during the exercises in practice: the troops that defeated the Japanese militarists in the area of Lake Khasan and the Khalkhin Gol River included two formations of the North Caucasus Military District - the 22nd Krasnodar and 32nd Infantry Divisions.
In the pre-war years, the North Caucasus District became, as they say, a source of personnel for other districts. More than 30 formations and military units of various military branches were formed here. And from the very first days of the war, the divisions and regiments trained in the North Caucasus Military District showed themselves to be very worthy.
North Caucasian soldiers crushed the enemy near Moscow and Stalingrad, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea and near Kursk, liberated Ukraine and Belarus, and reached Berlin.
The success of the counteroffensive near Moscow is to a large extent connected with the events that unfolded on the territory of the North Caucasus Military District.
The Battle of Stalingrad was the decisive battle of the entire Second World War. The victory at Stalingrad demonstrated the increased power of the Red Army and the military skill of Soviet commanders.
Cossack corps fought thousands of kilometers during the war. Operating as part of cavalry-mechanized groups, Cossack units made deep raids behind enemy lines, created a constant threat on the flanks and inflicted huge losses on enemy troops.
During the war, 538 soldiers from the district were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union for their courage, perseverance and heroism.
IN post-war years The personnel of the district vigilantly stood guard over the peaceful labor of the Motherland. Under the leadership of the commanders of the North Caucasian Military District, Belov, Romanovsky, Trofimenko, Pukhov, Zakhvataev, Eremenko, Pliev, Altunin, Litovtsev, Belikov, Postnikov, Meretskov, Skokov, the district’s troops were reorganized, large-scale exercises were conducted, and new models of military equipment were mastered.
weapons and military equipment.
In 1967, the district's services to the country were awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
We can talk for a long time about the glorious exploits performed by North Caucasian warriors, including in peacetime. Many of them have gone through the crucible Afghan war, rescued people affected by earthquakes in Dagestan and Armenia, and participated in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
A special page in the history of the district is the 90s.
Under the command of Colonel General Lev Sergeevich Shustko, the troops of the North Caucasus Military District were able to extinguish the Ossetian-Ingush conflict and save hundreds of civilians from extremist reprisals.
Under the leadership of Colonel General Alexei Nikolaevich Mityukhin, the district was able to receive and deploy on its territory a large mass of troops who arrived both from neighboring countries and from other groups of troops and districts.
At this time, a hotbed of rebellion arose again in the North Caucasus; terrorists and separatists seized power in Chechnya. The North Caucasus Military District, together with the Federal Border Guard Service, internal troops and units of the Federal Security Service, had to carry out an operation to disarm illegal armed groups.
North Caucasian warriors under the command of Army General Anatoly Vasilyevich Kvashnin managed to break the organized resistance of the militants, push illegal armed groups into the mountainous regions and create conditions for their final defeat.
The agreement on a truce and withdrawal of troops reached between the Russian and Chechen leadership did not bring the expected stability.
In 1999, a counter-terrorism operation began, which, under the skillful and decisive leadership of the commander of the North Caucasus Military District, Army General Viktor Germanovich Kazantsev and his successor, Colonel General Gennady Nikolaevich Troshev, ended in the complete defeat of the bandits.
During the military operation in Chechnya and Dagestan, more than 25 thousand military personnel of the North Caucasus Military District were awarded state awards, including 92 who received the Gold Star of the Hero of Russia.
In the mid-2000s, under the command of army generals Vladimir Anatolyevich Boldyrev and Alexander Ivanovich Baranov, the district passed more than one serious exam with honor. A program was launched to transfer units to a contract manning principle, two unique motorized rifle mountain brigades were created and equipped, and a number of large-scale exercises were conducted.
The events of 2008 became another test of strength, determination and loyalty to military duty for North Caucasian soldiers. Under the command of Colonel General Sergei Afanasyevich Makarov, formations and units of the North Caucasian Military District were able to quickly cool the ardor of the Georgian aggressors, save thousands of peaceful citizens of South Ossetia from reprisals and finally liberate the territory of Abkhazia from the invaders.
In 2010, on the basis of Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1144, the Southern Military District was formed, which, along with the troops of the North Caucasus Military District, included the Black Sea Fleet, the Caspian Flotilla, the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army and the Railway Troops. The whole burden of creation, testing and implementation of fundamentally new system control fell on the shoulders of the commander of the district troops, Colonel General Alexander Viktorovich Galkin, who passed this test with honor.
A serious exam for
troops of the Southern Military District began measures to ensure the security of the XXII Winter Olympic Games (February 2014), the 4th Caspian Summit (September 2014), the Russia-Russia Summit
ASEAN (May 2016), Russian Investment Forum (February 2017), as well as the Confederation Cup (June-July 2017). A landmark event in the life of the Southern Military District was the annual participation in the International Military-Technical Forum “Army”. Tens of thousands of spectators enjoy visiting exhibitions of military equipment and dynamic displays of the capabilities of modern weapons.
The successful completion of the assigned tasks contributed to the implementation of these events at a high organizational level, as well as to the strengthening of the international authority of the Russian Federation and its Armed Forces.
In means mass media It has been repeatedly reported about the successful actions of the district’s soldiers both during large-scale exercises and at times when they had to carry out assigned tasks in the real situation of modern military conflicts. What were the prerequisites for this and how did the personnel of the formations and units perform?
The Southern Military District was reorganized into a mobile, technically equipped inter-service group of troops capable of operating effectively on the ground, in the sky and at sea. The district's combat capabilities were adequately presented during the strategic command and staff exercises "Caucasus-2012" and "Caucasus-2016".
Taking an active part in international military-technical cooperation events, units of the Southern Military District regularly conduct joint exercises with representatives of the armed forces of various states. Joint maneuvers with the participation of military personnel from India and Pakistan were repeatedly held in the district. Also, units of the Southern Military District participate in international exercises outside the Russian Federation, including events as part of the collective rapid reaction forces of the CSTO.
The district's troops played a key role in the events of the Crimean Spring. In March 2014, military personnel of the district acted as guarantors of the security of the will of the population of Crimea and the Hero City of Sevastopol.
Since September 2015, military personnel of the Southern Military District, as part of a group of troops, have been taking part in the fight against international terrorism on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic. In 2016, the Syrian armed forces, supported by Russian aviation, managed to turn the tide in the protracted war and regain control over the territories occupied by terrorists. The crews of ships and submarines of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla played an important role in the defeat of foreign mercenaries spreading the idea of an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East.
Accurate strikes with "Calibers" naval forces our district at the bases of terrorist groups of the Islamic State banned in Russia "ISIS" contributed to the effective solution of the tasks of the military operation in the Syrian Arab Republic.
Maintaining law and order in the de-escalation zones in Syria and ensuring the security of the port of Tartus is organized by the military police units of the district.
Military personnel of the Southern Military District selflessly, sometimes at the cost of their own lives, fulfill their military duty. While saving the crew of a downed plane, sailor Alexander Pozynich, a native of the city of Novocherkassk, died in battle. The commander of one of the aviation units of the military district, an honored pilot and brave officer, Hero of Russia, Colonel Ryafagat Khabibullin, was shot down by terrorists and died. The names of the heroes are immortalized in the names of schools and streets.
An important role in stability in the South-Western strategic direction is given to military bases located outside the territory of the Russian Federation - in Armenia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The successful implementation of the tasks assigned to the district is facilitated by operational and combat training, during which more than one and a half thousand events are held annually.
Military personnel of formations of all types and branches of the military hone their professional skills in command and staff, tactical and special tactical exercises.
It should be borne in mind that the exercises are bilateral, interspecies in nature. During the maneuvers, the district's troops redeploy over significant distances in an increasingly complex dynamic situation, taking into account the nature of modern combat operations.
The transfer of forces and assets to the places where assigned combat training missions are carried out in a combined way is carried out by railway trains, military transport aviation and large landing ships of the fleet and flotilla.
Military personnel of combined arms and special formations and military units of the district achieved high results. Dozens of units have earned the right to bear the honorary title “Shock”.
Teams from the Southern Military District annually become winners and prize-winners in international army games competitions.
In 2017, military personnel of the Southern Military District took part in 14 competitions at the international stage. In 12 of them, tank crews, pilots, crews of the S-300 complex, sailors and divers, engineers, drivers, repairmen, military doctors and cooks, as well as military police and traffic police took the top step of the podium.
Alexander Vladimirovich, it is well known that combat and combat training experience is only worth something when it is actively used for vocational training military personnel, is carefully studied, generalized and implemented in everyday practice. How is the situation in these matters?
One of the important lessons that was learned from participating in the resolution of various conflict situations was the understanding that the ability to act autonomously is an important goal in the combat training system of the district troops. New methods for testing the combat readiness of formations and military units are being successfully implemented in practice in all formations of the district.
Today, the troops of the Southern Military District are actively introducing combat experience gained in modern armed conflicts. During the process of combat training, tasks are practiced as part of reconnaissance fire and strike contours, using various types of combat maneuvers. Tactical exercises of motorized rifle and tank units are carried out in cooperation with army aviation and with the involvement of crews from unmanned aerial vehicle systems.
The scale of combat training activities of the Air Force and Air Defense Association of the Southern Military District is growing every year. A striking example was an unprecedented joint live-fire exercise with formations of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army, which was held in the spring of 2017 in the Eastern Theater of Operations. Eight-hour non-stop flights of operational-tactical aviation with in-flight refueling and air strikes earned high praise for the level of combat training of military pilots.
The air force aces of the Southern Military District were able to cope with the most difficult tasks, even landing a heavy fighter on a narrow road.
Today, all the most modern aviation equipment and the latest air defense systems are in in capable hands military personnel of the Air Force and Air Defense Association. Flight and air defense units stationed in Crimea are one hundred percent equipped with the latest weapons. At military airfields, modern Su-30SM fighters, Ka-52 Alligator and Mi-28N Night Hunter helicopters are ready to carry out combat missions. The world's best S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile systems and Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun systems are on combat duty.
The arrival of new submarines and ships into the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla made it possible to significantly increase the intensity of combat training of personnel and improve the maritime training of crews.
During combat training, the personnel of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet develop practical skills in the use of new generation weapons, launching Kalibr long-range cruise missiles both from the latest frigates and from modern submarines against land and sea targets.
Caspian sailors demonstrate the highest professionalism during regular tactical exercises. The naval forces are practicing live firing and missile launches, and landing troops on the sea coast.
An important factor in the combat training of the district's troops is the level of professional training of contract servicemen, who today form the basis of permanent readiness units. I can note that recently, among residents of the southern regions, interest in contract service has increased significantly. For example, recently in four republics North Caucasus The number of citizens wishing to enroll in military service under a contract increased almost 1.5 times. The number of citizens from North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya and Ingushetia who expressed a desire to enroll in military service under a contract reached 700 people by mid-April of this year, exceeding the figure for the entire 2017 by almost 30 percent.
Of course, not all candidates meet the criteria for professional military personnel. Many applicants are eliminated at the stages of health checks, passing physical fitness standards and professional psychological tests. Only those who have passed the selection and wish to become military professionals are sent to serve in units and units of the Southern Military District. From the very first days of service, they have to become accustomed to the rather rigid rhythm of life of military collectives, to get into the right rut, so to speak. In particular, it has become common and mandatory practice in units of the district for contract servicemen to undergo an intensive combined arms training course with elements of survival. As a rule, such classes are held on the basis of one of the district’s training centers and are aimed at testing the professional qualities of soldiers and sergeants and their adaptation to the difficult conditions of military service. Over the course of a month, military personnel master survival skills in extreme environments, learn to effectively solve combat missions in the most difficult situations, and improve their skills in using standard weapons and military equipment. And this will definitely be useful to them, especially taking into account the fact that the military personnel of the Southern Military District use the latest equipment and equipment both in exercises and in real combat work.
Comrade Colonel General, often the experience and knowledge of military personnel is very useful not only when countering a real or imaginary enemy, but also in solving completely peaceful problems. For example, to protect citizens from explosive objects, from the destructive effects of natural elements and man-made factors. Do military personnel of the Southern Military District have to participate in such events?
Yes, and quite often. For example, engineering units are regularly called upon to carry out mine clearance tasks in various regions of our region. Demining teams in Chechnya and Ingushetia have fully cleared agricultural land and continue to completely clear forest areas of the republics from explosive objects.
This year, sappers from the Southern Military District will have to clear about 1.5 thousand hectares of the territory of Chechnya and Ingushetia from explosive objects; since the beginning of April 2018, they have examined more than 150 hectares of the territory of these republics, discovering about 300 explosive objects.
Mine clearance work is being carried out in 7 regions of the Chechen Republic, as well as the Dzheirakhsky region of the Republic of Ingushetia in a mountainous and wooded area at an altitude of more than 2 thousand meters above sea level. Among the explosive items discovered were more than 250 high-explosive anti-personnel mines and artillery ammunition of caliber from 30 to 152 mm. You need to know that all work is carried out by specialists of the highest class, and for mine clearance they use armored mine clearing vehicles BMR-M based on the T-72 tank with a tracked mine trawl, engineering clearing vehicles IMR-2, detectors for proximity explosive devices "Korshun". The personnel of the sapper units perform dangerous work in the OVR-2 “Falcon” sapper protective suits. Mine detection service specialists with specially trained dogs are also involved in the work.
More than 400 military personnel of engineering formations and military units of the Southern Military District were involved in demining and complete clearance of mountainous and forested areas from explosive objects, and more than 40 units of military and special equipment were involved.
In addition, sappers of the Southern Military District, in cooperation with units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, travel daily at the request of military commissariats to carry out decontamination work.
impact and destruction of unexploded bombs and shells from the Great Patriotic War.
An important point is that the district’s military units, in cooperation with rescuers, provide assistance to the population of the southern regions of Russia in eliminating the consequences of crisis situations caused by natural and man-made disasters.
In order to better organize interaction with all interested structures, we held a video conference with authorized officials of executive authorities of 15 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, on whose territory formations and military units of the Southern Military District are stationed.
During the meeting, organized on our initiative, issues related to preventing and eliminating the consequences of emergency situations, including ice jams on rivers and floods in the district’s area of responsibility, were discussed in real time.
Also at the video conference, we, together with representatives of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, determined the procedure for attracting aviation, ground equipment and personnel of the Russian Ministry of Defense in cases of emergency situations. Particular attention was paid to safety issues when cordoning off bombing areas in the event of clearing ice jams.
I can firmly say that the troops of the Southern Military District are in constant readiness to provide assistance in emergency situations and will allocate all possible forces and means to prevent and eliminate the consequences of natural disasters in which the population of the constituent entities of the Southern and North Caucasus federal districts may find themselves.
Combat training is, of course, the most important component of the life of formations and units, but it is impossible without a reliable rear and an effective social component. How are things going with this?
Against the backdrop of intense daily activity of troops, new infrastructure facilities for military camps, as well as residential buildings for military personnel, are being built on the territory of the Southern Military District.
In closed and remote military garrisons, including the territories of Russian military bases abroad, kindergartens, schools, medical institutions, sports complexes and cultural institutions have been put into operation. Since the beginning of this year, more than 150 buildings and structures have been put into operation. These are headquarters, canteens, crew-type dormitories, block-modular barracks, park areas, technical structures, including in the 150th motorized rifle division of the Southern Military District, stationed in the Rostov region, as well as facilities in Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, in the interspecies regional training center engineering troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, stationed in the Volgograd region. Construction and major repair work has been carried out on more than 450 buildings and structures. In total, more than 1.2 thousand people and about 150 pieces of equipment were involved in construction work.
I will add that to monitor compliance with quality and deadlines, a video broadcast from the construction sites of Russian infrastructure facilities was organized in the regional center of the district military base in Abkhazia.
At the stage of completion of construction there is a sports and entertainment complex with a total area of more than 10 thousand square meters, consisting of a gymnastics town, 4 basketball and volleyball courts, an athletics stadium, a field for playing mini-football, 2 obstacle courses and 2 areas for hand-to-hand combat.
It is also planned to complete construction and put into operation a residential complex of 12 two-story houses with 200 apartments for military personnel. All building frames have already been erected, and on-site water supply and sewerage networks have been laid. About 10 houses are ready for finishing work and installation of internal utility networks.
Military personnel and their families move into service apartments with already built-in necessary household appliances and furniture - electric stoves, water heaters, televisions, refrigerators, tables and chairs. Modern children's playgrounds are equipped in the local area.
In addition, a school with 200 places and a kindergarten with 150 places are being built at the military base. Completion of work is planned until December of this year.
All objects are built according to modern technologies from environmentally friendly building materials.
In accordance with the concept of development and arrangement of military camps, more than 15 facilities will be completed by the end of this year.
The command of formations and military units, in close cooperation with local administrations, resolves social issues.
We can safely say that the achievements of the district’s soldiers are a source of pride not only for the command, military teams, veteran organizations, but also for many residents of the region. Do you feel this connection?
Of course. Our main goal is for Russians and residents of the south of the country to feel protected from external threats. We have something to show people. Victory Parade, large-scale aviation celebrations, naval parades, informational and patriotic events and a whole series of festive and solemn events with the participation of troops of the Southern Military District are held annually in the regions of deployment of associations, formations and military units, leaving the most vivid impressions on everyone who was lucky enough to become a participant or see them on television.
The personnel of the district - from soldier to general, being the successor of the victorious soldiers who defended the southern borders of Russia in difficult times of its history, proudly bears the glory of the exploits of their fathers and senior comrades, considering themselves the continuers of their military labor.
Today, the successes of the military personnel of the Southern Military District evoke the respect of the people and are highly appreciated by the leadership of our country.
For services in strengthening the country's defense capability, high performance in combat training, courage and heroism shown by personnel during combat missions, the Southern Military District was awarded the Order of Suvorov by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation.
Thanks for the interesting conversation. On behalf of our readers, allow me to once again congratulate all the personnel of the Southern Military District on their glorious anniversary and wish them new heights in military training, good health and prosperity!