Russian military intelligence is the most closed structure of the state, the only special service that has not undergone any special changes since 1991. Where did the "bat" come from, which for many years served as the emblem of the military intelligence of the USSR and Russia, and even after the official replacement with a carnation with grenade, did not leave the headquarters of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia?
November 5, 1918 is considered to be the birthday of the Russian (in those days, Soviet) intelligence. It was then that the Revolutionary Military Council approved the structure of the Field Headquarters of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, which included the Registration Directorate, which was then the prototype of today's GRU.
Just imagine: a new department was created on the fragments of the Imperial Army, which in one decade (!!!) acquired one of the largest intelligence networks in the world. Even the terror of the 1930s, which, of course, was a blow of enormous destructive power, did not destroy the Intelligence Directorate. The leadership and the scouts themselves fought for life and the opportunity to work in all ways. A simple example: today Richard Sorge, who has already become a legend of military intelligence, and then a resident of the intelligence department in Japan, simply refused to return to the USSR, knowing that this meant death. Sorge referred to the most difficult situation and inability to leave a seat vacant.
The role played by the activities of military intelligence in the Great War is invaluable. It was almost impossible to imagine that the intelligence department, which had been destroyed for years, would completely outplay the Abwehr, but today it is an established fact. Moreover, we are talking here about military intelligence, and about agents, and about Soviet saboteurs.
For some reason, the fact that the Soviet partisans are also a project of the intelligence department is little known. Detachments behind enemy lines were created by regular officers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The local fighters did not wear the emblems of military intelligence only because it was not advertised at all. Theory and methodology guerrilla war put in the 50s and the basis of the GRU special forces being created. The basics of training, the methods of warfare, the aim for the speed of movement - everything is in accordance with science. Only now the special forces brigades have become part of the regular army, the range of tasks performed has expanded (the nuclear threat is a priority), special weapons and uniforms are being introduced, on which the symbol of military intelligence is a subject of special pride and a sign of belonging to the “elite of the elite”.
Created and trained to infiltrate the territories of aggressive states, the GRU Spetsnaz units often participated in tasks far from their main profile. Soldiers and officers of the GRU special forces were involved in all hostilities in which he took part Soviet Union. Thus, the military personnel of various reconnaissance brigades reinforced many units conducting combat operations. Although these guys no longer served directly under the emblem, but, as you know, there are no former special forces. They remained the best in any of the combat specialties, whether it was a sniper or a grenade launcher and many others.
November 5 acquired its “open” status only on October 12, 2000, when by order of the Minister of Defense Russian Federation No. 490 was established as the Day of the military intelligence officer.
The bat once became the emblem of military intelligence - it makes little noise, but hears everything.
"Mouse" on the chevrons of the GRU special forces soldiers for a very long time, they say that the first here was 12 ObrSpN. For a long time all this was unofficial, but with the end of the USSR era, the view of the “separation of duties” in armed forces ah changed. In the elite military units, they began to introduce appropriate insignia, and approved the new official symbols of military intelligence.
In 1993, when the national military intelligence was preparing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of its creation. For this anniversary, someone who is fond of heraldry from among the employees of the GRU1 decided to present a gift to his colleagues in the form of new symbols. This proposal was supported by the head of the GRU, Colonel-General F.I. Ladygin. By that time, as you know, they had already acquired their own officially approved sleeve insignia Airborne Troops, and Russian contingent peacekeeping forces in Transnistria (letters "MS" on a blue rectangular patch). We do not know whether the “heraldists-scouts” and their superiors knew about this or not, but they nevertheless circumvented the law. In the second half of October, the GRU prepared a draft report of the Chief of the General Staff addressed to the Minister of Defense with a description and drawings of two sleeve insignia: for military intelligence agencies and military special forces. October 22 F.I. Ladygin signed it "from the hand" of the Chief of the General Staff, Colonel General
M.P. Kolesnikov, and the next day the Minister of Defense, General of the Army P.S. Grachev approved the descriptions and drawings of sleeve insignia.
So the bat became a symbol of military intelligence and special forces units. The choice was far from random. The bat has always been considered one of the most mysterious and secretive creatures operating under the cover of darkness. Well, secrecy, as you know, is the key to a successful reconnaissance operation.
However, in the GRU, as well as the intelligence departments of the branches of the armed forces, districts and fleets, the sleeve insignia approved for them by understandable reasons never worn. But its numerous varieties quickly spread throughout the units and subunits of military, artillery and engineering reconnaissance, as well as anti-sabotage combat. In formations and special-purpose units, they were also widely used various options sleeve insignia made based on the approved pattern.
Each unit of military intelligence has its own unique symbols, these are various variations with a bat, and some specific sleeve patches. Very often, individual units of the Special Forces troops (Special Forces) use predatory animals and birds as their symbol - it all depends on geographical location and specific tasks. In the photo, the emblem of military intelligence 551 ooSpN, symbolizes the wolf squad, which, by the way, is still in Soviet time scouts revered, perhaps he was second in popularity after the "mouse".
It is believed that the red carnation is “a symbol of perseverance, devotion, inflexibility and determination in achieving the set goals”, and the three-flame grenada is “the historical sign of the grenadiers, the most trained military personnel of the elite units
But starting from 1998, the bat began to be gradually supplanted by the new symbol of military intelligence, the red carnation, which was proposed by the famous heraldry artist Yu.V. Abaturov. The symbolism here is extremely clear: carnations were very often used by Soviet intelligence officers as an identification mark. Well, the number of petals on the new emblem of military intelligence is five types of intelligence (ground, air, sea, information, special), five continents on the globe, five senses that are extremely developed in a scout. Initially, she appears on the insignia "For Service in Military Intelligence". In 2000, it becomes an element of a large emblem and a new sleeve insignia of the GRU, and, finally, in 2005, it finally occupies a central place on all heraldic signs, including sleeve patches.
By the way, the innovation initially caused the soldiers and officers of the special forces to rather backlash However, when it became clear that the reform did not mean the eradication of the "mouse" the storm subsided. The introduction of the new official combined-arms emblem of military intelligence did not affect the popularity of the bat among the fighters of the GRU army units; even a superficial acquaintance with the culture of tattoos in the Special Forces troops is enough here. The bat, as one of the main elements of the symbolism of military intelligence, was established long before 1993 and will probably always remain so.
One way or another, the bat is an emblem that unites all active and retired scouts, it is a symbol of unity and exclusivity. And, in general, it does not matter who we are talking about - about a secret GRU agent somewhere in the army or a sniper from any of the special forces brigades. They all did and are doing one very important and responsible thing.
So, the bat is the main element of the symbolism of Russian military intelligence, even despite the appearance of the “carnation”, it does not give up its positions: this symbol today is not only on chevrons and flags, it has also become an element of soldier folklore.
It is noteworthy that even after the replacement of the "Bat" with the "Red Carnation", not only the special forces and "pear" did not stop considering the "mice" as their symbol, but the "Bat" remained on the floor at the headquarters of the Main Intelligence Directorate, adjacent to the "Carnation", attached to the wall of the hall.
Today, the 2nd Main Directorate of the General Staff (GRU GSh) is the most powerful military organization, the exact composition and organizational structure which, of course, are a military secret. The current headquarters of the GRU has been operating since November 5, 2006, the facility was commissioned just in time for the holiday, it is here that the most important intelligence information is now coming in, and from here the command of special forces military formations is carried out. The building was designed in accordance with the most modern technologies not only construction, but also security - only selected employees can get into many "compartments" of the Aquarium. Well, the entrance is decorated with a giant emblem of the military intelligence of the Russian Federation.
The emblem of military intelligence, which unites all active and retired intelligence officers, is a symbol of unity and exclusivity.
Flag "Emblem of the military intelligence of Russia" on the grid
In accordance with the order of the Minister of Defense of October 12, 2000, the Day of the Military Intelligence Officer is celebrated annually on November 6 in Russia.
History of the GRU General Staff
Despite the fact that November 5 became a legal holiday for all military intelligence officers only in the new millennium, intelligence celebrated this date before. It was at the beginning of November 1918 that military intelligence in the Red Army took shape as a separate department - now it was not the Cheka, but the native special service that supplied the troops for information. The GRU is still developing more than dynamically today, but then the growth rate of the intelligence department could generally impress anyone.
Just imagine: a new department was created on the fragments of the Imperial Army, which in one decade (!!!) acquired one of the largest intelligence networks in the world. Even the terror of the 1930s, which, of course, was a blow of enormous destructive power, did not destroy the Intelligence Directorate. The leadership and the scouts themselves fought for life and the opportunity to work in all ways. A simple example: Richard Sorge, who has already become an element of the symbolism of military intelligence, and then a resident of the intelligence department in Japan, simply refused to return to the USSR, knowing that this meant death - he referred to the most difficult situation and the impossibility of leaving a vacant place.
Military Intelligence Games: Intelligence Agency vs. Abwehr
The role played by the activities of military intelligence in the Great War is invaluable, it was almost impossible to imagine that the intelligence agency, which had been destroyed for years, would completely outplay the Abwehr, but today this is an established fact. Moreover, we are talking here about military intelligence, and about agents, and about Soviet saboteurs who left no chance for opponents and colleagues led by Otto Skorzeny.
For some reason, the fact that Soviet partisans are also a project of the intelligence department is little known. Detachments behind enemy lines were created by career officers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the local fighters did not wear the emblems of military intelligence only because it was not advertised at all. The theory and methodology of guerrilla warfare was put in the 50s and the basis of the GRU special forces being created. The basics of training, the methods of warfare, the aim for the speed of movement - everything is in accordance with science. Only now the special forces brigades have become part of the regular army, the range of tasks performed has expanded (the nuclear threat is a priority), special weapons and uniforms are being introduced, on which the symbol of military intelligence is a subject of special pride and a sign of belonging to the “elite of the elite”.
GRU General Staff of Russia - gods of special operations and masters of analytics
Today, the 2nd Main Directorate of the General Staff (GRU GSh) is a powerful military organization, the exact composition and organizational structure of which, of course, are a military secret. The current headquarters of the GRU has been operating since November 5, 2006, the facility was commissioned just in time for the holiday, it is here that the most important intelligence information is now coming in, and from here the command of special forces military formations is carried out. The building was designed in accordance with the most modern technologies, not only construction, but also security - only selected employees can enter many of the "compartments" of the Aquarium. Well, the entrance is decorated with a giant emblem of the military intelligence of the Russian Federation.
Bat - symbolism of military intelligence
"Mouse" on the chevrons of the GRU special forces soldiers for a very long time, they say that the first here was 12 ObrSpN. For a long time, all this was unofficial, but with the end of the Soviet era, the view of the "separation of duties" in the armed forces has changed. In the elite military units, they began to introduce appropriate insignia, and approved the new official symbols of military intelligence. In 1993, the GRU military intelligence celebrated the 75th anniversary of its creation. As part of the celebration of the anniversary, several versions of the unified emblem of the Russian military intelligence were submitted for approval to the Russian Defense Ministry - a practically silent, but very well hearing bat against the backdrop of a globe, as they would say today, "won the tender."
In 1998, the symbols of military intelligence were replenished with a carnation with five petals - the symbolism here is also extremely clear: carnations were very often used by Soviet intelligence officers as an identification mark. Well, the number of petals on the new emblem of military intelligence is five types of intelligence (ground, air, sea, information, special), five continents on the globe, five senses that are extremely developed in a scout.
By the way, the innovation initially caused rather a negative reaction among the soldiers and officers of the special forces, but when it became clear that the reform did not mean the eradication of the “mouse”, the storm subsided. The introduction of the new official combined-arms emblem of military intelligence did not affect the popularity of the bat among the fighters of the GRU army units; even a superficial acquaintance with the culture of tattoos in the Special Forces troops is enough here. The bat, as one of the main elements of the symbolism of military intelligence, was established long before 1993 and will probably always remain so.
Parts of the military intelligence and special forces of the GRU
Each unit of military intelligence has its own unique symbols, these are various variations with a bat, and some specific sleeve patches. Very often, individual units of the Special Forces troops use predatory animals and birds as their symbol - everything here depends on the geographical location and the specifics of the tasks performed. In the photo below, the emblem of military intelligence 551 ooSpN symbolizes the wolf squad, which, by the way, scouts revered back in Soviet times, perhaps it was the second in popularity after the “mouse”.
One way or another, the bat is an emblem that unites all active and retired scouts, it is a symbol of unity and exclusivity. And, in general, it does not matter who we are talking about - about a secret GRU agent somewhere in the army or a sniper from any of the special forces brigades. They all did and are doing one very important and responsible thing.
So, the bat is the main element of the symbolism of Russian military intelligence, even despite the appearance of the “carnation”, it does not give up its positions: this symbol today is not only on chevrons and flags, it has already become an element of soldier folklore.
Tattoos are very popular among military personnel of various special forces around the world. Often special forces tattoos are unique paintings with a clear plot and drawing.
Russian special forces tattoos traditionally depict an assault rifle, a symbolic beret, ribbons and the abbreviation CH. Other images are also known that are characteristic of special forces tattoos.
Why do special forces soldiers need tattoos
Uninformed people may have a question about why special forces tattoos are stuffed. After all, everyone knows that the command of the army is not encouraged to wear any drawings on the body, especially if these are special forces. Nevertheless, each special forces tattoo fulfills its role: it unites military personnel into certain groups. Thanks to the drawing, you can easily identify "your own". Also, the special forces tattoo is a vivid confirmation of the heroic past. Taking into account the requirement of their command, many servicemen apply tattoos already on the “demobilization”.
Emblem of the GRU
Until quite recently, few of the inhabitants were aware of the existence of such a secret service as the Main Intelligence Directorate. Today, the topic of "special forces", including the GRU, is often touched upon by many directors and authors of action novels. As in any army formation, the tattoo tradition is also popular among the military personnel of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
Created back in 1942, it uses a bat as its symbol. The article presents what the GRU special forces tattoo looks like (photo below). The fact that the choice of the secret service fell on this creature is quite understandable: this beast is nocturnal and personifies everything that is imperceptible, secretive and shrouded in mystery. Besides the bats in many creatures cause fear. The employees of the Main Intelligence Directorate carry out their tasks, like bats, secretly and quietly. The bat is the main emblem in the GRU special forces tattoo.
What other tattoos are done in special forces
Since, in addition to the bat, the owl is also associated with the dark time of the day, the image of this creature is also used in tattoos by military intelligence officers. In other departments, images of a tiger, a leopard, a wolf, a bear, a lynx and a wolverine are very popular. They can be used by military personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and there are also patriotic symbols in the form of a double-headed eagle.
It is known that the main motive must be present in the tattoos of employees: a fist squeezing a Kalashnikov assault rifle. This drawing can be placed against the backdrop of a shield, or five pointed star. There may also be an image of this or that predator in a beret.
Often, special forces apply the image of scorpions. It symbolizes steadfastness and constant readiness to repel an attack. Scorpions are stuffed mainly by those who happened to serve in hot latitudes.
Naval Special Forces soldiers tattoo themselves with sharks and dolphins. Stuffing this or that image on the skin, the koller uses all his imagination, as a result of which the tattoos become unique pictures. They can intertwine elements used in various law enforcement agencies. Special Forces soldiers fill in the numbers of their units, the dates of their service. In addition, tattoos may contain various sayings, images of skulls in berets and parachutes.
Where should the drawing be placed?
Mostly a special forces tattoo, (exclusively in black and white, without any other colors) is applied on the chest or shoulder. The image of a bat and a scorpion is very popular among many tattoo lovers who are not related to the service in the special forces. But for civilians, so that they are not confused with former or real military personnel, it is recommended to fill the pattern on other parts of the body. A skillfully executed tattoo looks good in a small format - on the back, neck, arm or forearm. Women can wear this design behind the ear.
As the owners of tattoos assure, former special forces, the image applied to the body reminds them of the service. For other tattoo lovers, wearing such jewelry is nothing more than a tribute to fashion.
Where did the “bat” come from, which for many years served as the emblem of the military intelligence of the USSR and Russia, and, even after its official replacement with a “carnation with grenade”, did not leave the headquarters of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Russia?
Here are some hypotheses on this issue that are present on the Internet:
An investigation conducted by the Intermonitor.ru website: “We found a mention of the origin of the “Bat”, as a symbol of military intelligence, which has authorship, in an authoritative publication - the magazine “National Forecast”, published by ITAR-TASS Ural. For ITAR-TASS, in principle, it is typical to verify information - therefore, such a source deserves attention.
“The symbol of Russian military intelligence was invented by a journalist from Yekaterinburg. He claims that while serving in the special forces of the Northern Fleet in 1987, he drew the emblem for his group - a bat inscribed in a globe. She "protocolated" the overalls of all the fighters and commanders of the group. For the first time, the Severomorians publicly “lit up” the emblem in the summer of 1988 at the championship of special forces units in Pechory (now Estonian Petseri). The group then participated in the special forces championship for the first time, but performed successfully, and the emblem on the chest of the "fur seals" was remembered by the intelligence elite of the USSR. A few years later, the commander of the unit, Gennady Ivanovich Zakharov, already in the rank of rear admiral, with the "core" of his combat swimmers, went to serve in the security of President Yeltsin. And the bat, invented then for internal circulation, began to live its own life.
Due to the fact that the editorial office of Intermonitor is located in Yekaterinburg, it was possible to find eyewitnesses of this event and question them.
Former Severomorsk special forces (currently serving in a number of Russian special services), the information of the National Forecast was confirmed. According to the eyewitnesses we interviewed, that mouse was exactly like the illustration in our material, but the globe was not round, but oval. Parallels and meridians were present on it. The mouse itself was exactly the same. And yet - there was not a single letter. On overalls there was only an emblem and numbers - each fighter has his own number. For example, the number 1412 meant "141 reconnaissance groups, 2nd number."
Since the early 1990s, the GRU had an emblem in the form of a black bat spreading its wings over the globe, but in 2000 this emblem was replaced by another one - a red carnation, which was proposed by the famous heraldry artist Yu.V. Abaturov. Initially, it appears on the badge "For service in military intelligence", in 2000 it becomes an element of a large emblem and a new GRU sleeve insignia, and finally, in 2005, it finally takes center stage on all heraldic signs, including sleeve patches.
According to some media, this happened after a major scandal: “To streamline the riot of animals, birds and skulls that settled on the stripes of the military was beyond the power of even the department of military heraldry and symbols specially created in the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in 1994. On this moment no one can say for sure how many types of sleeve patches exist in the Russian army.
The last straw that overflowed the patience of military commanders was the trick of one of the GRU special forces brigades. The commandos broke into the department of heraldry and demanded that another scorpion be approved as a symbol of the brigade. The response decision was tough: a single emblem was introduced for the entire GRU.
The situation with the commandos who burst into the heraldry department, of course, is more like a fairy tale, but, nevertheless, the special forces also got a new emblem with a carnation!
The elements of the GRU emblems symbolize:
three-flame grenada (the historical sign of the grenadiers - the most trained military personnel of the elite units of the Russian army, distinguished by high combat skills, training and the ability to perform complex combat and service tasks) - the continuation of the glorious military traditions of the Russian army;
red carnation (a symbol of perseverance, devotion, inflexibility and determination in achieving goals) - essential qualities military personnel of the Directorate, formations and military units of special purpose of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
It is noteworthy that even after the replacement of the "Bat" with the "Red Carnation", not only the special forces and "pear" did not stop considering the "mice" as their symbol, but the "Bat" remained on the floor at the headquarters of the Main Intelligence Directorate, adjacent to the "Carnation", attached to the wall of the hall.
Here is such a story ... But on the Internet, there are also other eyewitness accounts who claim to have seen the emblem in the form of a bat much earlier than the 1988 event described above by Intermonitor.
Here are some of them:
- In the spring of 1987, at the annual internship of officers-students of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, demonstrative classes were held, where two officers were already with a similar emblem. When working at a training place in the RU SF, this was seen by all the officers of the Directorate, including Vice Admiral Motsak.
- Other eyewitnesses met an unofficial "mouse" in the early 80s ... And in Afghanistan in 1986-88. at the GRU special forces.
- Those who served in the SPN GRU in 1987-89 saw some of their ensigns on their shoulders. But, not against the backdrop of the globe, but separately. And ensigns served from the beginning of the 80s, so the “mouse” was already then.
- And here is the opinion of military intelligence officers of the Pacific Fleet:
“In 1993, the domestic military intelligence was preparing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of its creation. For this anniversary, someone who is fond of heraldry from among the employees of the GRU decided to present a gift to his colleagues in the form of new symbols. This proposal was supported by the head of the GRU, Colonel-General F.I. Ladygin. By that time, as is known, the Airborne Forces, as well as the Russian contingent of peacekeeping forces in Transnistria, had already acquired their own, officially approved, sleeve insignia (the letters “MS” on a blue rectangular patch). In the second half of October, the GRU prepared a draft report of the Chief of the General Staff addressed to the Minister of Defense with a description and drawings of two sleeve insignia: for military intelligence agencies and military special forces. October 22 F.I. Ladygin signed it "from the hand" of the Chief of the General Staff, Colonel-General M.P. Kolesnikov, and the next day the Minister of Defense, General of the Army P.S. Grachev approved the descriptions and drawings of sleeve insignia for military personnel of military intelligence agencies and military special forces. Both sleeve insignia depicted a bat. The bat must be golden on a blue globe (or against a target for commandos).
So the bat became a symbol of military intelligence and special forces units. However, in the GRU, as well as the intelligence departments of the branches of the armed forces, districts and fleets, the sleeve badge approved for them, for obvious reasons, was never worn. But its numerous varieties quickly spread throughout the units and subunits of military, artillery and engineering reconnaissance, as well as anti-sabotage combat. In formations and units for special purposes, various versions of sleeve insignia, made based on the approved pattern, were also widely used.
So, what is the question of when did the bat appear on the emblems of special forces and military intelligence? and who is its author? remains open...
It remains to add that the palm in the use of the image of a bat belongs to air force Great Britain and the USA: for the first time, bats appeared on the emblems of British and American squadrons back in the First World War. In the early 1920s, they became widespread in the aviation of the US Navy and Marine Corps, and in the Second world war in the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Union of South Africa. The image of a bat is used on the emblem of military intelligence South Korea and Israeli Naval Intelligence.
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Chevron of a special forces detachment means belonging to an elite unit. Special forces patches are used by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the GRU, the FSB. Collectors also love these patches and use them in military sports games, especially in airsoft.
Chevrons of the special forces of the Airborne Forces
Chevrons of the GRU special forces
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GRU The emblem of the GRU is a traditional double-headed eagle on a background of a red carnation. The carnation has five petals, and this is symbolic. They denote five types of intelligence (land, air, sea, information, special), five continents on the globe, five types of feelings that a scout needs to develop to the utmost in order to succeed. |
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Spetsnaz GRU The emblem of the GRU special forces is a bat on the background of the globe. The task of the detachment is deep reconnaissance and sabotage activities. There are disputes over what is considered a more "correct" emblem - a carnation or a bat. It can definitely be said that official documents a carnation is fixed, but the mouse is the work of the scouts themselves. However, both emblems are currently worn, and in wide circles the bat is more recognizable. |
FSIN. Here, special forces units often choose an animal emblem for themselves, after which the unit is named and which is depicted. For example, Polar Bear, Peregrine Falcon, Wolverine, Vulture, Bison. The emblem of the Federal Penitentiary Service is also taken as the basis.
Special Forces FSKN takes the coat of arms of the Federal Drug Control Service as the basis for the emblem.
By the way, special forces soldiers prefer because they are much more practical in the field.
Special forces history
In Russia, special forces appeared a long time ago: in 1746. Then jaeger divisions were organized. The emphasis in training rangers was to ensure that they did not just mindlessly follow orders, but were able to understand the situation and make the best decision on their own.
In 1817, the predecessors of the OMON were created: rapid response formations under the corps of internal guards.
Often on websites you will find information that special forces in Russia arose in 1916 in the navy. This is incorrect information. By this year in Russian Empire there were special forces in almost all branches of the armed forces. In the infantry, these are huntsmen, in the Cossack units - teams of scouts, in the Life Guards - the Rifle Battalion, in the internal troops - the Separate Corps of Gendarmes and Rapid Response Forces. In the border troops - Separate corps of the border guards.
The official date for the creation of modern special forces is considered to be 1918: the organization of units for a separate purpose.
M.S. Svechnikov, a lieutenant colonel of the imperial army and a military historian and theorist, made an important role in the development of the domestic special forces. He was a teacher at the Military Academy. M.V. Frunze formulated the concept of special forces in his lectures. However, during the years of repression, M.S. Svechnikov was shot, and the special forces were practically disbanded. We approached the Second World War, in fact, without special forces.
In the post-war period, special forces were restored almost from scratch. Information on this issue is classified, so we can not say much about modern history special forces.
It is known that at the beginning separate companies and battalions were created, later - brigades and educational establishments. Then the special forces participated in the war in Afghanistan and in the Chechen campaigns. Around this time, the special forces have their own.
