posted on Feb, 7 2004 @ 11:50 AM
Trooper from some spetsnaz CT unit..
maybe Vympel or Alpha, rifle is AS VAL..
this is the kind of weapon that SOCOM only dreams about..
9 x 39mm, silenced and is reliable and has good armor piercing capability..
More conventional type of spetsnaz.. Vladivostok OMON in Chechnya.. the wall behind tehm reads
Alluha akbar, well thats arguable as spetsnaz is
taking its group photos in front of it..
Spetsnaz really isnt any single unit..
But is a word used to describe all
Special purpose units (this is the actual meaning of the word spetsnaz..) within Russian police and armed
forces..
--
Stroming The Palace of Aman, By RedRussian:
The Palace of Aman was built on a significanly elevated area. This provided a very good all around view for the defending
personell. It was three story's high, and had very thick and stirdy walls. Most of the teams weapons could not fully
penetrate the walls. Entry into the palace consisted of one road, which was under constant obvservation by palace gaurds.
There were roughly 2000 palace gaurds (Under normal conditions) whose barracks were located on the
third story of the building. On December 27th there 200 gaurds gaurding the palace.
They were equipped heavily with 11 tanks (2 of them dug in palace entry), and with large amount of small arms.
What made the operation even more hazardous was that there was the Afghanistan Army HQ (with its own soldiers)
and a small air defense system consisting of AAA.
In addition, about 550 meters from the palace, there was a building containing a regiment of police.
The assaulting Alfa soldiers were divided into two seperate groups.
Grom (thunder): Grom had 25 men, 2 ZSU-23-4 (Shilka), 6 BTR-60's, and 6 BMP-1's.
Zenit: Zenit had 24 men (of KGB origin).
A supporting batallion of muslim origin provided cover for the assault and consisted of conscripted soldiers.
Also a small team 'Carandoy' participated. They consisted of Grom, Zenit and VDV (airborne units) personell.
A support group of 2 'Grom' soldiers and a platoon of vDV paratroops.
An explosion at a signal center in Kabul initiated the assault. Shilka's then opened fire at the palace (In Afghanistan,
many Shilka's were modified to fire upon ground objects. Their radars were removed, and different optical intruments
installed. They were very effective, particularly in the mountains due to their high elevation of turret).
'Grom's' BMP's started to move against the palace, and 'Zenit's' personell moved towards the palace using a footladder.
In order to prevent reinforcement from helping the palace, and to prevent the palace gaurds from escaping,
the Muslim support battalion fired upon the palace and incoming people with 2 Shilka's. This provided lots of support
fire due to its high cyclic rate, and large calibre ammunition. 'Carandoy's' team captured the Ministry of Foreign
Business in Kabul. The support groups of 2 'Grom' soldiers and VDV paratroops captured Afghanistan's Air Force Staff.
Four men of 'Grom' and 'Zenit' used the two tanks in front of the palace to capture the police station nearby.
In the first two minutes the BTR's and BMP's advance was under heavy fire from assault rifles and machine guns,
and antitank rocket fire. This resulted in 1 BTR destroyed and a heavily damaged BMP
(which had to be abandoned due to the extenet of it damage). This resulted in 13 of 'Grom's' soldiers being wounded.
Despite these losses, overwhelming fire by the Alfa teams killed many palace gaurds and they were able to enter the palace.
The Alfa soldier encountered a lot of resistance as they were going up stairs. Grendades and assault rifle fire were being
used against them. Alfa used their grenades and automatic fire to eliminate opposing Afghan forces.
On the second story, Alfa used grenades to clear each room. One of the grenades exploded in a study room where Amin
had been, instantly killing him. Fighting continued for a while, but eventually and quickly stopped. Alfa had taken the
palace and was now setting up defences.
Though the assault was successful, most of the assault personnel had been injured, some seriously. Wounds varried from
direct bullet wounds to shrapnel from grenades. 5 Alfa soldiers were killed in addition to the wounded.
In the morning, a parachute division landed in Bagram City (at the airport). The storming of the palace was to be the
first combat action and the start of the war in Afghanistan with the Soviet forces.
--
And what becomes to the missions and success of spetsnaz in Afghanistan or in Chechnya in general..
They have always being highly succesful in both places..
Their enemies fear them..
As usually encounter with spetsnaz is fatal to the enemy..
And many dont usualy live to tell the tale of the battle..