The coolest special forces. Elite troops of Russia: names, list and rating. How to get into Russia's elite troops
Many people have heard the expression “elite troops” in Russia, but not everyone has an idea of what this expression actually means. There are no clear criteria that would help classify this or that special unit as more prestigious. As a rule, troops that are in full combat readiness every minute and have the greatest combat capability usually deserve this title. Troops can also earn an honorary title among the people for displaying heroism and high professionalism in combat operations. IN elite Russian troops list, which are located below, included the most prestigious divisions based on the surveys conducted.
Opens a list of elite Russian troops. The main task of the special unit is anti-terrorist measures. The detachments are engaged in the release of hostages, eliminating riots, and also eliminating illegal armed groups. Also, the competence of the National Guard Troops includes the neutralization and detention of criminals who pose a particular danger to society. The special forces of this detachment celebrate their official day on March 27th.
Belongs to the most prestigious troops of the fatherland. The creation of the Armed Forces took place in 1992 of the 20th century. The main function of the special unit is to protect the territory of the country and its integrity. The Armed Forces have some of the largest reserves military equipment, as well as weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear ones. As of 2017, the number of special forces military personnel was just over a million people, and the mobilization resource was over 60 million. Recruitment of the Armed Forces occurs in two ways - conscription through the army and contract service. The state spends more than 3 trillion rubles annually on the development of the Armed Forces.
rightfully belongs to the most prestigious troops Russian Federation. He stands guard over the country, protecting it from attacks outside the land zone. The Navy is designed to conduct combat operations on water spaces. The Navy has been guarding our country for more than three hundred years. In addition to the main tasks, the competence of the special unit includes ensuring the safety of maritime activities in the vastness of the World Ocean. The Navy has high firepower and a long range, which allows it to destroy the enemy at a great distance - up to several thousand meters.
The FSSP of Russia certainly belongs to the elite troops of the Russian Federation. It includes rapid response units, which are required to undergo special training. The FSSP is armed with automatic weapons and ensures the security of courts, and also personally protects the leadership of the Federal Bailiff Service.
Included in the list of the country's elite troops. The main tasks of the special forces are to detect and eliminate terrorist groups. Other goals of the troops include carrying out special events on enemy territory.
They are considered one of the most elite troops of the Russian state. Airborne troops are engaged in special activities behind enemy lines. Also, the tasks of the special forces include capturing enemy targets and capturing the enemy. Selection for the landing force is strict in all respects. The future paratrooper must have not only good physical characteristics, but also have a stable psycho-emotional background, since airborne troops have to perform quite complex tasks. The official creation of the special forces occurred in 1992. The Airborne Forces actively participated in the Afghan and Chechen wars, and also took part in hostilities with Georgia.
is an elite special forces unit in service with the Russian state. Refers to troops that are in constant and full combat readiness. The Strategic Missile Forces are armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles with warheads. The formation of the special forces occurred in the middle of the last century. Today, the missile forces include 3 armies, which include 12 missile divisions. The Strategic Missile Forces are armed with more than three hundred complexes of various types.
Unlocks the top three most elite troops of the Russian Federation. The armed forces are designed to conduct naval operations, which include combat operations with the capture of the enemy’s coastline. In addition, the special unit also carries out other operations, including the protection of coastal areas. The main tasks of the Marine Corps are to conquer coastal territories and hold them until the main forces arrive. The special unit is part of the Russian Navy.
The elite undoubtedly includes, whose main tasks are the defense of the state in the aerospace field, the detection and complete destruction of the enemy, as well as repelling combat operations from ballistic missiles. Also, the competence of the Aerospace Forces includes identifying possible combat missile attacks and being in full combat readiness. The Russian Space Forces are part of the Aerospace Forces. The main tasks of the latter special unit are monitoring objects in space, as well as timely detection and combat defeat of space threats.
Completes the rating of the elite troops of the Russian Federation. The competence of the military unit includes solving problems of ensuring the protection of the presidential residence, namely the Moscow Kremlin. Also, the FSO component participates in protocol events and takes part in honor guards. The Presidential Regiment was formed in 1993, the official day of which is May 7.
The strongest elite units in the world are surrounded by an aura of mysticism and romance. They are the best prepared and perform the most difficult tasks. When ordinary soldiers cannot or do not want to take risks, special forces come into action.
8. "Black Storks"
Special Services Group (SSG) - Special Forces Group of the Pakistan Army.
Pakistan is not a country that you immediately think of when talking about the best elite troops. The SSG consists of 5,600 troops, distributed in eight battalions of 700 each. Each battalion is divided into platoons and groups. There are ten people in the group.
Context
Special forces, SEALs and others
Echo24 05/30/2016Turkish special forces operation in Syria
Hürriyet 05/11/2016Russian special forces in Syrian war
The Washington Post 03/30/2016Multimedia
Special Forces Soldiers
InoSMI 02/23/2015In their homeland, these fighters are called “Black Storks” due to their unique headdresses. This year “Black Storks” celebrates its 60th anniversary.
These units operate in an extremely turbulent region, where there are border clashes and religious extremism. In December 2014, Pakistani SSG forces tracked down and killed al-Qaeda operational leader Adnan Gulshair el Shukrijumha and five of his soldiers.
7. Protect the sea, shore and land
Fuerza de Guerra Naval Especial - Special naval forces, Spain.
Until 2009, the Special Naval Forces of Spain were called the Special Operations Unit (Unidad de Operaciones Especiales), after which they changed the name to the current one. The special unit is believed to number about 100 people. Their task is to protect the sea, shores and land area 50 km inland from the coast.
The unit is believed to be modeled after the British SAS and American Navy SEALs. The Spaniards conducted joint training with both of them. Like all modern intelligence agencies, Spanish forces are prepared not only to fight the enemy, but also to combat the threat of terrorism that undermines the security of the state.
6. The release of hostages in the theater ended in disaster
"Alpha", Russia.
The Alpha special unit was founded in 1974 as part of the KGB by a special decision of the head of the State Security Committee, Yuri Andropov. The decision was made as a result of the massacre on Olympic Games Ah 1972 in Munich.
The Alpha Detachment was used against terrorists in Russia and also participated in operations abroad. The unit's special specialization is the release of hostages or kidnapped persons.
The counter-terrorism operation at the Dubrovka theater in 2002 ended in disaster. 129 hostages and 39 terrorists from among the Chechen separatists died. The Alpha special squad received a torrent of criticism.
5. Performed more than 1800 operations
National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) - Special forces unit of the French Gendarmerie.
Like Alpha, GIGN was founded in 1974 as a result of the tragedy at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. It was then that it became clear that the world was face to face with a new threat - terrorism.
During its history, the special forces of the French gendarmerie carried out more than 1,800 operations and freed more than 600 hostages.
Many operations received wide resonance. For example, in 1994, 229 passengers from a plane hijacked by Algerian terrorists were rescued.
In January 2015, these special forces eliminated two terrorists behind the murders at the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris.
4. Attacked terrorists at the airport
Sayeret Mat'kal ("Sayeret Matkal") - Special Forces of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.
© AFP 2016, GPO Special forces soldiers of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces
Israel is a country that regularly becomes the target of threats and attacks, but there is hope that the Sayeret Matkal intelligence service will sooner or later correct this situation. The intelligence service is engaged, among other things, in collecting intelligence data, and is also used in critical situations.
One such situation occurred in 1976 and was called Operation Entebbe. Palestinian terrorists hijacked a French plane flying from Tel Aviv to Paris with 248 people on board. Terrorists forced the Air France airliner to change course and fly to Uganda, to Entebbe airport. Jews and Israeli citizens were separated from other passengers. The terrorists demanded that the hostages be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Otherwise, the Israelis and other Jews faced death.
The Sayeret Matkal special unit was called to the airport, where they carried out a successful operation to free the hostages. The incident was widely reported in the media around the world.
3. Created a special forces training system
Special Air Service (SAS) - Special Air Service, UK.
The SAS carried out several dangerous operations during the Second World War. After the Olympics in Munich it became clear that main threat the world changed its appearance, and the Special Air Service began to prepare for the fight against terrorism.
The British SAS in many respects turned out to be the author of the special services training system.
The 1980 photographs of British commandos storming the Iranian embassy in London have become classics. The soldiers of the unit got inside the building by descending from the roof along its facade. Then shots rang out and five of the six terrorists were killed.
2. Motto: “With strength and cunning”
Special Boat Service (SBS) - Special boat service, UK.
The Special Boat Service is the British equivalent of the Navy SEALs in the United States. While the SAS is responsible for land operations, the SBS is trained for naval operations. The motto of the special forces is “By strength and guile”.
The training for SBS soldiers is some of the toughest in the world. There are rumors that more people die during training than during armed operations. The training system includes tests of endurance, jungle survival, close combat, and intense interrogation techniques that break down the resistance of many participants.
1. Osama bin Laden was killed
Navy Seals - "Navy Seals", USA.
For many, the US Navy SEALs are the ideal example of an elite military force. The division was founded in 1962 by the decision of President John F. Kennedy.
The world situation was turbulent. After the unsuccessful capture of the Bay of Cochinos in Cuba a year before the planned overthrow of Fidel Castro, the authority of the United States and the president personally suffered a significant blow.
The unit was used in all armed conflicts involving the United States. On May 2, 2011, it was SEAL Team 6 that eliminated Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively from foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.
In the decades that have passed since the creation of the first special forces, the fight against terrorism has turned from a vocation into a real science. However, each state has its own approach to eliminating bandits who terrorize civilians in various ways. And our own, specially trained people, who can be compared with each other only in terms of efficiency and work results. 5th place. FBI HRT/SWAT. USA The special unit of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation is one of the most invisible in the media space. Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) fighters do not often appear on TV screens and news broadcasts from the United States, but these are the people who do the hardest work in the fight against terrorism and especially dangerous criminals in America. Such special forces are available at each of the 56 FBI departments, which allows them to respond to any threats with almost lightning speed. Contrary to popular belief, HRT does not replace police special forces SWAT. In case of urgent need, SWAT and HRT act together, under unified control. HRT fighters are somewhat similar to the fighters of the Russian “Alpha” or “Vympel” - getting into the American unit is considered a great honor, and only two out of ten candidates are able to pass the selection. To enroll in the HRT, you must have close to ideal health, fast and accurate shooting skills, and also pass a mental health assessment specialist. In addition to traditional small arms, the HRT is armed with helicopters and even combat boats. The “broad profile” of the work of HRT specialists - from detaining criminals to working in the coastal zone - is provided by its own teams of divers and employees of the demining center, so the FBI special forces can act autonomously and independently in almost any situation. HRT within the US law enforcement agencies is considered one of the most well-equipped: since its founding in 1983, the leadership of the FBI has drawn up a separate budget, which includes not only the purchase modern species weapons and protection, but also armored cars with mine protection. Like many foreign special forces, HRT was created in the image and likeness of the British SAS special forces, and the first groups of American special forces were trained by retired British military personnel. However, despite good equipment and funding, HRT is mainly engaged in preparation for possible combat work: the unit’s specialists spend almost every day at the shooting range. The “hunt” for the brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, suspected of organizing a terrorist attack in Boston, brought widespread fame to the HRT fighters. This also includes the protection of top officials of the state at official receptions. Employees of SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics), the US police special forces, also work almost on equal terms with HRT. Despite some differences in structure and jurisdiction, US police special forces have the most modern weapons and equipment and are almost always the first to work in critical situations. Snipers deserve special mention in SWAT. Many of the shooters are not only experienced police officers, but also professional shooters who take prizes in federal and international competitions. 
4th place. BRI/RAID/GIGN. France As in many European countries, the starting point for the creation of special anti-terrorist groups in France was the terrorist attack during the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. Almost immediately after the failure of the German special forces and the death of Israeli athletes at the hands of the Black September terrorists, several regional special forces were formed, united in 1976 into a single combat detachment GIGN - the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group. In the same year, the baptism of fire of a unique special forces unit by European standards took place: GIGN specialists freed hostages from a bus seized by militants in Djibouti. From 1980 to the mid-1990s, GIGN fighters participated in a whole series of special operations. Experts in the field of law enforcement agencies recognize the release of a hijacked Air France plane in Marseille in 1994 as one of the most difficult and successfully carried out. However, the results of the assault caused controversy in the expert community for a long time. And although the Algerian terrorists who hijacked the plane in the country of departure were eliminated, 25 passengers on the flight were injured during the assault varying degrees gravity. 
Currently, GIGN has almost 400 fighters and wide-ranging specialists - from snipers to mine-explosive experts. Together with other French special forces BRI and RAID, GIGN fighters have participated in the elimination of terrorists over the past two years - since November 2015. The GIGN special forces soldiers were subjected to the strongest criticism only once - during the liquidation of terrorists in a kosher food store in Paris, during the assault, in addition to the terrorists, three hostages were killed, but experts still disagree as to whose fault the civilians died - as a result unprofessional actions of special forces or at the hands of terrorists. The employees of the BRI special forces, a unique combat group, whose forces carry out both investigations and active actions to capture/eliminate especially dangerous criminals, are also worthy of special mention. The competence of BRI includes not only operational search activities, but also external surveillance, assaults and much more. A separate program in the training of employees, according to BRI commander Christophe Molmy, is negotiations with bandits. According to experts, BRI fighters were among the first to get to the scene of a hostage situation in a kosher food store in Paris in January 2015. French RAID special forces are also involved in particularly difficult tasks. RAID employees deservedly enjoy respect not only among colleagues in France, but also in other countries, since the unit’s fighters regularly undergo high-altitude, mountain, parachute, special canine and other types of training and courses. RAID also has traditionally strong programs for sharing experience. Including with Russian security forces. One of those who meet with RAID employees are specialists from the Central Specialist Service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow. 
3rd place. BOPE. Brazil The exotic and virtually unknown BOPE special forces from Brazil are engaged in perhaps the most dangerous and difficult work. Officers of the unit are engaged in the fight against organized crime and carry out regular raids to clear favelas of drug dealers and arms dealers. BOPE (port. Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais), or Special Police Operations Battalion, is five companies of the most experienced officers and specialists in almost all types of organized crime groups. Geography and social situation in Rio de Janeiro leaves a certain imprint on the actions of the Brazilian police special forces, created in the image and likeness of the American SWAT, adjusted for the local mentality. Operating mainly in the narrow streets of poor areas of Rio, BOPE special forces do not adhere to one single operating pattern. The mentality, as well as the tendency of favela residents to drug trafficking and other illegal activities, also leaves an imprint on the methods of delivering special forces to the place of work. In addition to armored vehicles with mine protection and armor of the fifth protection class, BOPE fighters also have helicopters at their disposal. 
The minimum set of tests for enrollment in BOPE is as follows: fire training, high-altitude/mountain training, parachute jumping, hand-to-hand and knife fighting skills in cramped conditions. On average, according to experts, up to 90% of volunteers are eliminated at the selection stage. Since 2009, BOPE has been the only special forces unit that allows women to serve. Provided that the candidate has the minimum experience for such work and passes all tests. The main difficulty when joining the BOPE service is the conditions in which Brazilian specialists have to work. The slums of Rio are mountains, a city, and a jungle practically in “one bottle.” There are practically no analogues to the special unit from Brazil, which is responsible not only for the fight against drugs and the release of hostages - the only special unit similar in the specifics of its tasks was formed in neighboring Colombia. 
2nd place. GSG-9. Germany After the Bavarian police failed to storm the terrorists and free the hostages in Munich, the German Ministry of Internal Affairs felt the need to create a special unit, unique even by world standards, whose main task would be the fight against terrorism. It took the German Ministry of the Interior less than a year to do everything - already in 1973, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, then head of the German Ministry of Internal Affairs, reported to the leadership about the formation of the battle group GSG-9 (German: Grenzschutzgruppe) - Border Protection Group. As in the case with other special forces, getting into GSG-9 from the very moment of its founding is extremely difficult. There were always more people wishing to join the Grenzschutzgruppe than there were vacancies. This is what causes some bias in the consideration of potential candidates. Preference is given to those who served in the ranks of the border guard service or the Navy: it is believed that it is the “originals” from army special forces who have the most developed skills and perform their assigned tasks faster and more efficiently than others. The personnel of GSG-9 are experienced, but young officers. Most of those who serve in GSG-9 are under thirty. German anti-terrorism specialists also have quite a few differences from foreign units. Combat groups have a pronounced “specialization”: GSG-9 has a special “marine” detachment, which is responsible for combat work with river and sea vessels of various displacements - a kind of analogue of Russian combat swimmers. The unit also includes top-class paratroopers, explosives bombers and a special “fire group”, whose main specialization is the use of special weapons in urban conditions. 
GSG-9 is considered a unique special forces unit for a number of reasons. The first reason is the almost complete absence of foreign weapons and auxiliary equipment. Almost all the “tools” for the work of the German special forces are provided by domestic and “friendly” companies - Heckler Koch, Steyr Mannlicher, Sig Sauer and others. The main feature in this case is the sending for “testing” of prototypes and experimental weapons, based on the results of work with which the manufacturer makes changes to the design. To help the GSG-9 fighters, a separate aviation detachment has been formed, capable of delivering an anti-terrorism group not only to any point in Germany , but also peace. The tasks of GSG-9, in addition to anti-terrorism work in the country, have recently also included the protection of diplomatic and other government missions of Germany abroad. Security of embassies, assistance to the intelligence services of friendly states and much more are carried out practically without interruption from the main activity. One of the most elegant operations of GSG-9 is the neutralization of a lone terrorist in Dusseldorf. The fanatic who hijacked the KLM airliner was neutralized without noise, dust or the use of weapons in a matter of seconds. The absence of American-style shooting is noted by all experts in the field of law enforcement agencies. Throughout the history of the group small arms was used by GSG-9 specialists only twice. 
1st place. ALFA/VIMPEL Russia The Special Purpose Center of the FSB of Russia is not just anti-terrorism professionals gathered under a single command. These are special people performing impossible tasks. Contrary to popular belief, domestic specialized publications place Alpha and Vympel at the top of the ratings of anti-terror groups not based on nationality. It’s just that Russian special forces carry out tasks where any other rapid reaction group fails. And European/American and any other counter-terrorism groups do not have such experience. Despite the fact that in Russia there are many special forces units that are part of the Russian Guard, Alpha are ultra-professionals in anti-terrorism work. Once formed for secret sabotage work, “Alpha” and “Vympel” in 1998 expanded the range of tasks they could solve. The Special Purpose Center of the FSB of Russia, created in 1998, clearly defined the main areas of work of the units - anti-terrorism. Yes, the tasks of the TsSN FSB and the Russian Guard differ from each other, but the most dangerous and complex “events” are carried out jointly by the specialists of the TsSN FSB and the Russian Guard. It is worth noting that not a single foreign unit has experience similar to the combat work of Russian specialists in the North Caucasus. Neither the French RAID and GIGN, nor the German GSG-9, nor many others have ever carried out operations anything like the assault on the theater center on Dubrovka. Experts explain that European experts still do not call the decision to enter the building, where the entire auditorium was held hostage not just by militants, but also by suicide bombers ready to sacrifice themselves, as anything other than “impossible.” 
European specialists cannot comprehend how in a matter of seconds it is possible to neutralize a dozen armed fanatics ready to die and at the same time neutralize all improvised explosive devices, the force of which was enough for the building of the center on Dubrovka to “fall” on the heads of the stormers. Such problems, of course, are not solved by chance, although trained people. To be invited to serve in Alpha or Vympel is still considered an honor, and not everyone inspires such trust. 95% of candidates are “weeded out” at the selection stage, and only 5% of “highest-class specialists” end up serving in the FSB TsSN. Russian anti-terrorism is specialists who can solve any problem. At sea, land, in the air and wherever the situation requires it. As experts note, there are no impossible tasks for Alpha and Vympel. There are only deadlines and execution of actions. For TsSN FSB, in addition to special programs training, special equipment is also being developed. Recently, in many videos where FSB TsSN specialists perform combat missions, one can find black, angular armored vehicles with an unusual design. These are Falcatus and Viking, developed specifically for Russian special forces. However, even before the advent of special equipment, the FSB TsSN carried out tasks that were impossible, from the point of view of Western security officials. Many foreign experts on anti-terrorism and security forces still, even 16 years later, call the operation to liberate a school in Beslan captured by militants the best among those known to the world. 
What do Chuck Norris, Sylvester Stallone, Charlie Sheen, Demi Moore and Steven Seagal have in common? Each of them, at some point in their careers, played the role of a special forces soldier. Of all the military units, it is the special forces that have an alluring charm. These soldiers differ from the rest in that they undergo separate training and meet more high requirements. IN lately many elite military units have become widely known through the media. Their regular activities include fighting terrorism, rescuing hostages, and conducting intelligence operations. The successful completion of such operations requires intensive military training, which soldiers undergo. In this list you will find ten best groups special forces from all over the world. Some of the names will probably surprise you, but don't let the media fool you.
10. GIGN, France
Our list opens with the rapid response team of the French National Gendarmerie. The group was organized after the tragic events that unfolded at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when many people were taken hostage and killed. In addition, a year earlier there had been a riot in the national prison, where many innocent people were also injured. The result of these events was the organization of an elite military group of 400 people. Specializing in anti-terrorist operations and hostage rescue, this team was never idle. They are responsible for many successful operations, including the rescue of 30 schoolchildren held hostage in Djibouti, the capture of war criminals in Bosnia, operations against Somali pirates and, of course, the release of the hostages of Air France Flight 8969 in Marseille in 1994.
9. SSG, Pakistan
In 1956, the Pakistan Army created its own special forces unit called the SSG. The number of people included in the group remained secret, and the unit itself was created following the example of British and American special forces. A fairly strict selection process is carried out here, and only 1 out of 4 recruits who have completed a 9-month training course at the airborne school, an enhanced hand-to-hand combat program and a physical training course are included in the main squad. The training program here includes three types of terrain: mountain, desert and jungle, in addition, underwater exercises are also mandatory. At the very beginning cold war SSG collaborated with American special forces, some of the military participated in the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s and in the armed invasions of India. In 2009, the organization participated in an anti-terrorist operation, foiling an attack on the police academy in Lahore and rescuing hostages captured in an attack on Pakistan's military headquarters.
8. Sayeret Matkal, Israel
This is an Israeli special forces unit focused on reconnaissance, counter-terrorism and hostage rescue outside Israel. Sayeret Matkal was founded in 1957. This includes carefully selected candidates of high physical and mental ability. The training here lasts eighteen months; it includes basic infantry school, parachute school, lessons on preventing terrorist attacks and basic reconnaissance. This unit has been involved in many large-scale operations since 1960. The most famous of these is Operation Entebbe, during which soldiers demonstrated their determination and skills. It was an operation to free hostages taken captive by Palestinian terrorists on board an airliner that had landed at Entebbe Airport in Uganda, while more than a hundred hostages were being held in the terminal building of the airport. The Sayeret Matkal group then managed to free almost everyone.
7. EKO-Cobra, Austria
As a result of the attack on Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics, the Einsatzkommando Cobra special forces unit was created in Austria to conduct anti-terrorist operations. It included 450 military personnel who had previously served in the Austrian Federal Police Forces. Training here, as in other similar troops, lasts several months, during which soldiers undergo specialized courses in shooting, language training, martial arts, and tactical and assault training courses. Full course Only those who manage to pass psychological and physical tests can pass the training. Except general subjects, here, on an optional basis, they teach diving, work with explosives and prepare future snipers. This special forces unit is the only one that managed to prevent the hijacking of an airplane during its flight. This happened in 1996, when four commandos were flying on the same plane that the hijackers were going to hijack.
6. Delta Force, USA
The full name of this group is First Operational Detachment-Delta. In addition to counter-terrorism operations, these guys take part in hostage rescues, raids and intelligence operations. The group was formed in 1977 after there was a sharp rise in terrorist attacks. The squad consists primarily of soldiers who served in US special forces such as the Green Berets and Rangers. Men who have reached the age of 21, have passed the aptitude test with high results and hold the rank of corporal or senior sergeant are accepted for training here. A series of grueling physical and psychological tests are designed to weed out the weakest. According to some estimates, only 1 in 10 soldiers completes the entire training course. In general, Delta Force's operations are kept secret.
5. JTF2, Canada
JTF2 was created in 1993 and expanded after the events of September 11, 2001. This is Canada's elite counter-terrorism unit. It serves members of the Canadian Armed Forces performing a variety of tasks. Among their duties you can even find escorting VIPs and ensuring their personal safety. This group has been involved in operations in hot spots such as rescuing hostages in Iraq, tracking down Serbian snipers in Bosnia and even participating in military conflicts in Afghanistan. And although their presence in Afghanistan was never advertised, it became known from some sources that they were involved in secret operations carried out by US Navy special forces. The operation was so secret that even the Prime Minister of Canada learned of their participation in it only a few days later.
4. Alpha Group, Russia
Alpha Group was created in the 1970s and carried out many successful operations in Afghanistan, including the storming of the presidential palace in Kabul, as a result of which no one survived. In 1985, a group was sent to Beirut to rescue four Soviet diplomats. Although they were unable to save them, there are rumors that the group took revenge for the diplomats by killing family members of those involved with the terrorists. Alpha Group was involved in a number of major counter-terrorism and hostage rescue operations, including the siege of a Moscow theater in 2002 and a school in Beslan in 2004. Hundreds of people were killed in both operations.
3. Shayetet 13, Israel
Another Israeli special forces group is Shayetet 13, associated with the Israeli Navy. Founded in 1948, the group takes part in every major Israeli operation, be it hostage rescue, counter-terrorism or intelligence. The training here lasts 20 months and constantly keeps candidates strong stressful conditions. Members of Shayetet 13 most recently took part in operations to seize ships and weapons being transported to the Gaza Strip. Their most famous operation was carried out after the 1972 Munich Olympics, when they tracked down and eliminated those responsible for organizing attacks on Israeli athletes.
2. Navy SEALs, USA
These guys have to show up in public from time to time. Navy SEALs are a special unit of American special forces created in 1962 and received almost mythical status thanks to Operation Neptune's Spear, when they killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, in Abbottabad (Pakistan) in 2011. Only the most physically and mentally resilient are accepted into the Navy SEAL squad. The training here lasts a year, and the tasks are so difficult that most candidates cannot even pass the qualifying physical fitness tests, which include swimming, push-ups, squats and running. Candidates who pass the selection tests are sent to general training, then those who have passed general training are sent to Navy SEAL introductory training, and then those who can cope with this are sent to courses vocational training Navy seals. This rigorous selection ensures that all members of these elite forces are in excellent shape and capable of carrying out the most demanding missions.
1. SAS, Britain
This special forces unit surpasses even the elite Navy SEALs in its importance. The British intelligence service SAS was founded in 1941 to work behind enemy lines and provide support to the resistance movement against the occupying forces of fascism. Mostly military personnel serve here. airborne troops. The physical requirements for candidates to join the SAS are particularly severe, requiring enormous stamina and the ability to march with a packed backpack. The final test here involves a forced march of 40 kilometers with a full backpack, and you are given 20 hours to do everything. You will also be required to swim 2 miles in an hour and a half and run 4 miles in 30 minutes. You will then be left in the jungle to test your survival skills and route-finding abilities. The final test involves a 36-hour interrogation designed to break your will. Those who cope with all the tests will be sent for further training. The SAS are trained on the same principles as MI5 and MI6 security, intelligence and counterintelligence agents.
Analyzing the special operations forces (SSO) of any country is far from an easy task, and objectively analyzing Russian special forces is doubly difficult: against the backdrop of the current reform of the army with a special emphasis on special forces, even foreign intelligence services may probably get confused. But it makes sense to take on this matter.
In the 30s of the last century, the first airborne units appeared in the USSR, which, with the demonstration of their maneuvers, shocked foreign military experts. Later, US special forces units will have their own paratroopers - this was a response to the demonstration of the potential of this type of troops created by V.F. Margelov.
The revival of airborne units with their airmobile functions began in the 50s. A historical moment is the appearance of an airborne combat vehicle (BMD): this equipment was dropped from the air and was a maneuverable combat vehicle of the Airborne Forces. In 1968, the USSR succeeded in invading Czechoslovakia precisely because the airborne units fully completed all their tasks. Then the blue beret appears - the current constant attribute of the Airborne Forces.
It is believed that with this color of the beret (before that it was red), the leadership of the USSR tried to mislead local residents so that they would confuse Soviet paratroopers and the UN “blue helmets”. But the blue beret eventually took root, and it’s impossible to imagine a paratrooper without it.
In 1999, a unit of the Russian Airborne Forces made a legendary forced march to Pristina, ahead of specialists from the British KFOR with the occupation of Slatina airport. Several hundred Russian paratroopers forced the NATO command to completely change all their original plans, because the death of even one Russian special forces soldier would be equated to an attack on all of Russia.
The Soviet and Russian landing forces also had their own “special units”: sabotage and assault battalions (DSB) or airborne special forces. Enhanced training, the possibility of landing both by parachute and on cables or by direct jump on low altitude from helicopters - this is their profile.
Marine Corps
It so happened historically that the Russian Marines did not stand out particularly in terms of the number of fighters. Here the emphasis was placed on the quality of training and on the ability to engage in battle during a drop “from the water.”
In principle, the marines of almost all countries have similar traditions. Let the “marine” status not be misleading: in the mountains of Chechnya, Russian special forces units paid special attention to the Marines, although there was never a “water landing” there.
“Alpha”, or department “A” of the TsSN FSB of Russia
When Yuri Andropov, a native of the KGB, became Secretary General of the USSR, he formed elite unit, formally designed to carry out anti-terrorism tasks in urban conditions. But in fact, the functions of this Russian special forces structure have always been much broader.
The assault on Amin's palace is the first and most high-profile operation in the history of Alpha. Well, in the future there was not a single large-scale special operation, especially in the city and in a clash with terrorists, so that this group of Russian special forces did not take part.
Perhaps not everyone knows that due to attempts to manipulate and use this fighting elite in the early 90s, the fighters went through serious demoralization, and many officers wrote letters of resignation. However, the country came to its senses in time and stopped the destructive process, returning Alpha to its former status.
And if you see somewhere an indication of the number of “Alpha”, you can only smile: the number of this group of Russian special forces is known exclusively to an extremely narrow circle of people, and neither we, nor you, nor the FSB officer on duty monitoring information on this profile (and Therefore, the reader of this article) cannot know any specifics.
“Vympel”, or department “B” of the TsSN FSB of Russia
Under the First Main Directorate of the KGB of the USSR, there was its own illegal intelligence service, modestly called “Directorate S”. It consisted of the Zenit and Cascade units, which became the platform for the appearance of the Vympel special forces group in 1981.
Under the USSR, the pennant numbered about a thousand fighters, and among the mandatory requirements for each was at least one foreign language, which had to be mastered perfectly.
If “Alpha” is a formal anti-terror group, then “Vympel” is a real “terror group”, trained to work on foreign territory. Even during the Soviet era, the Vympelovites trained to seize nuclear power plants and other strategic facilities, the security of which was warned in advance. But the seizures were always successful.
"Vympel" is a sabotage unit of Russian special forces for external use.
Russian GRU special forces
Increased military training, the most serious requirements, high recognition - the special forces of the Russian GRU are very numerous and only “conditionally secret”. However, unlike “Alpha” or “Vympel”, GRU special forces are capable of not only being targeted in isolated areas, but also performing standard combined arms missions in small combat-ready units.
It’s one thing to create a unit of up to a thousand people, but another thing to support a unit in which up to 25 thousand people can serve simultaneously in Russia as a whole. The GRU special forces are armed with standard weapons of the Russian armed forces.
Special Rapid Reaction Unit (SOBR)
In the newest Russian history SOBR has already changed its name several times, but in the end retained it. Being part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, this unit is supposed to fight organized crime, however, wider involvement of SOBR fighters was constantly encountered: and during Chechen wars, and in the current formally peaceful time.
Separate Orders of Lenin and the October Revolution Red Banner Operational Division of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (ODON)
Such a long name for this Russian special forces unit appeared in 1994, whereas previously it was called differently: Separate Special Purpose Motorized Rifle Division named after. F. E. Dzerzhinsky. And many people still know it by this name.
Military glory since the times of the USSR, constant emphasis on participation in military operations - in general, special forces as special forces.
OMON (special police unit) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
Let's be honest: this unit of the Russian police special forces had a much more difficult time in matters of reputation than everyone else.
When the USSR collapsed, it was the riot police units that got into high-profile and rather scandalous stories in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lithuania, and Latvia. Direct clashes with the civilian population in the event of mass unrest have left their mark on the unit’s reputation in modern Russia.
However, without riot police, the functioning of the country’s modern law enforcement system is impossible. So any criticism will be listened to and discreetly ignored
Detachment "Vityaz" under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
To put it simply, “Vityaz” is for the Ministry of Internal Affairs what “Alpha” is for the FSB. In principle, we can limit ourselves to this: we cannot have any data on the size of the unit or any other “hot” specifics.
Combat swimmers
In the USSR, they were jokingly called “squares”, because they recruited guys who were short (so that they could be placed in the torpedo compartment for landing along with their equipment), but very broad in the shoulders. And they have been prepared very harshly since the times of the USSR. “Barracuda”, “Dolphin”, “Omega” - all these names smack of elitism for military experts, and in response to formal statements that “these units are a thing of the past,” the experts only smile.
Information about combat swimmers of modern Russia is minimal. However, in 2008, it was combat swimmers who disabled several torpedo boats of the Georgian Navy, which predetermined the naval confrontation.
Special forces of the Russian Border Troops "Sigma"
The Russian special forces unit was actually recreated in 1994. Now Sigma fighters regularly participate in the CTO in Dagestan, but there are practically no specifics about such operations in the media.
The activities of Sigma are one of the most secret, so it is not possible to try to describe this Russian special forces on the basis of known data about Sigma from the times of the USSR.
Special forces of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia
If you want to get confused in the Russian special forces, then here you go: “Titan”, “Uraga”, Bars”, “Bars-2”, “Rosich”, “Astrakhan” - depending on the region, this unit may have its own name. It would take too long to list everything, given the territorial scale of Russia.
The special forces of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia actively took part in the hostilities in Chechnya, but its main task was to “pacify riots” in zones and colonies.
What is a “maroon beret”?
In fact, there is no separate unit that would be called “maroon berets”: such a beret can only be earned by a special forces soldier of the Russian internal troops if he passes the standards and passes all the tests.
Only a few people manage to obtain such a beret, so the concept of a “maroon beret” is a standard of the highest skill of the special forces soldier wearing it
Sabotage MTR
Official Russian television spoke about this unit in March 2013, saying that the country had never even dreamed of such special forces forces in Russia (although why did Vympel not please the journalists?). The purpose of sabotage special forces is to penetrate into the territory of a potential enemy when direct war is diplomatically impossible, dressing up in the uniform of local militias and conducting combat operations under their guise, as well as training and preparing the necessary forces in a given territory.
Subsequently, the sabotage MTR was no longer reported in the media, and the story itself was used as an “evidential argument” for the presence of Russian special forces on the territory of Ukraine by Moscow’s opponents.
