The 7th Guards Airborne Division (VDD) was formed on the basis of the 322nd Guards Airborne Order of Kutuzov Regiment of the 8th Guards Airborne Corps in the city of Polotsk, Belarusian Military District.
She received her baptism of fire near Lake Balaton (Hungary) in 1945 as part of the 9th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front.
On April 26, 1945, for the exemplary performance of command assignments at the front, the unit was awarded the Order of Kutuzov II degree, 6 commendations from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief were announced to her, 2065 soldiers, sergeants and officers were awarded orders and medals of the USSR for battles. April 26, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR, was established as the day of connection.
On October 14, 1948, the division was redeployed to the cities of Kaunas and Marijampol of the Lithuanian SSR. In 1956, the connection participated in the Hungarian events, and in 1968 - in the Czechoslovakia.
Division units were the first in the Airborne Forces (VDV) to master parachute jumps from AN-8, AN-12, AN-22, IL-76 aircraft, and tested a number of new parachute systems D-5, D-6. For the first time, the personnel of the division performed a practical landing after a flight at altitudes of 6-8 thousand meters using oxygen devices.
The paratroopers of the unit were repeatedly involved in such large exercises and maneuvers as "Shield-76", "Neman", "West-81", "West-84", "Dozor-86", etc. For the high combat skill shown during exercises "West-81" the division was awarded the Pennant of the Minister of Defense of the USSR "For courage and military prowess." In the course of the last three exercises, airborne combat vehicles were landed along with their crews.
May 4, 1985 for success in combat and political training and in connection with the 40th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
Between 1979 and 1989 the vast majority of officers and ensigns of the division honorably fulfilled their international duty in the Republic of Afghanistan. Many of them have received state awards.
Since August 1993, the division has been deployed on the territory of the North Caucasian Military District. In 1993-1996 military units and divisions of the 7th Guards. Airborne Forces carried out peacekeeping missions in Abkhazia.
From January 1995 to April 2004, a separate consolidated airborne battalion of the division with reinforcements carried out the tasks of restoring constitutional order on the territory of the Chechen Republic.
From February 1998 to September 1999, the military maneuver group (VMG) of the 7th airborne division carried out tasks to combat terrorists in the Botlikh region of the river. Dagestan. In August 1999, the personnel of the VMG of the 7th Airborne Division were the first to take the blow from the detachments of Chechen fighters who invaded the territory of the Botlikh region.
From 1999 to April 2004, the personnel of the division took an active part in the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus.
More than 2,500 paratroopers of the division were awarded for their courage and heroism in carrying out combat missions during the counter-terrorist operation.
In August 2008, the paratroopers of the formation participated in the operation to force Georgia to peace.
In 2012, the division, in cooperation with units of the Southern Military District and federal power structures, took part in a counter-terrorist operation in the mountainous part of the Republic of Dagestan.
By Decree of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation No. 201 dated April 20, 2015, the division was awarded the Order of Suvorov.
On May 14, 2015, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, for his merits and exemplary service to the Fatherland, the Order of Suvorov. The division at that time became the fifth owner of the Order of Suvorov in the modern history of Russia.
Since the creation of the division, 10 people have been awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. More than 2 thousand paratroopers were awarded orders and medals. For the successful completion of combat missions, courage, bravery and heroism, 18 servicemen were awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
In August 2016, the team of the 7th Guards Airborne Division (g) took 1st place in the International Army Games Airborne Platoon-2016, where representatives of the airborne troops from 6 countries such as China, Venezuela, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Egypt took part.
In 2017, the paratroopers took part in the International Army Games in the Airborne Platoon competition, which was held on the territory of the People's Republic of China.
At present, the airborne formation is equipped with the most modern weapons, military equipment, airborne and communications equipment.
Today, the paratroopers of the 7th Guards Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov, 2nd Class, Air Assault Division (Mountain) continue to improve their combat skills, and are ready to perform any assigned tasks!
Formed on 12/08/1942 on the basis of units of the 5th Airborne Corps. The division includes the 18th, 21st and 29th Guards Airborne, 10th Guards Artillery Regiments. On August 18, 1943, a grouping of the Great Germany motorized division, the 10th motorized division, two separate battalions of Tiger tanks, four regiments of self-propelled artillery, as well as separate units and subunits of the 7th, 11th and 19th Panzer divisions attacked 27 th army. The impact of a significant part of the forces of this armored mass was the first to be taken over by the 166th Infantry Division. Two of her regiments immediately fell into an encirclement, from which they emerged only on the fourth day of fierce fighting. The enemy tank wedge entered obliquely into the body of the 27th Army and advanced through Akhtyrka to the southeast. The Soviet command knew about the plans of the Nazis. That is why it moved the 4th Guards Army into the threatened area in advance. The 20th Guards Corps, which included the division, was to be the first to enter the business. On August 18, instructions were received, according to which the entire corps, having the 8th and 7th Guards Airborne Division in the first echelon, and the 5th Guards in the second, was to occupy the line of defense. To the left and somewhat behind the corps, the 21st Guards Corps marched in a ledge. Thus, the entire 4th Guards Army entered into action. On 25/8/1943 at dawn, after a short artillery attack, the division went on the offensive. The guards immediately felt a sharp drop in the combat capability of the Nazis. During the day, parts of the division advanced 15 kilometers, freeing dozens of villages and farms. The offensive developed successfully. Three divisions of the 20th Guards Corps were rapidly advancing to the southwest - the Battle of Kursk, without any operational pause, developed into a battle for the Left-Bank Ukraine. There, to the gray Dnieper, the guardsmen of the division carried their battle banners. First of all, they had to take possession of Kotelva. The Nazis carefully fortified Kotelva. The fighting for her began on August 26 and ended only 14 days later. First, the 7th and 8th Guards Divisions and units of the 3rd Guards Corps were drawn into the battle for Kotelva. 5th Guards the airborne division was unable to overcome the resistance of the units of the tank division "Dead Head", the fire of which it was stopped at the outskirts of Kotelva on the northern bank of the Kotelevka river, and fought a firefight. The enemy continuously brought up reinforcements, and soon the struggle took on a positional character. If in the early days the division's success was determined by the capture of a street or quarter, then later the fights, stubborn, fierce, were already for every house and yard. However, the command did not allow the guardsmen to get bogged down in a powerful enemy defense. The command of the corps castled the divisions to the right, along the front, struck a blow here and, bypassing Kotelva, created a threat of encirclement of the 7th German Panzer Division. This maneuver, with minimal losses, gave a major tactical gain. The Nazis were immediately forced to leave Kotelva. On the evening of September 3, units of the 5th Guards Airborne Division, which became part of the 21st Corps, completed their shift in Kotelva of the 7th and 8th divisions of the 20th Guards Army. Under the roar of guns lined up on both sides of the corridor, the 7th and 8th divisions left the "Kotelvinskaya horseshoe", marched along the front line and concentrated to strike at the flank of the enemy grouping. On the night of October 6, 1943, the leading detachments of the division began crossing the Dnieper. Throughout October, battles for bridgeheads were going on at the Dnieper borders. Neither side has achieved decisive success. The front commander took the 7th and 8th divisions from the corps and transferred them to the main sector. Only the 5th remained in the corps, which fought local battles. In the second decade of October, the 2nd Ukrainian Front dealt a strong blow from the bridgehead, which is southwest of Kremenchug. At the same time, north of Kyiv, the 1st Ukrainian Front also went on the offensive. These were not yet pincers, but under favorable circumstances they could become them and “bite off” the enemy grouping defending on the Dnieper. A regrouping began in the 4th Guards Army. The commander decided to try again to capture Novo-Georgievsky from the already existing bridgehead in the Lipovo, Kalaborok area. The 20th Guards was transferred here. rifle corps. By the evening of October 22, the 5th and 7th divisions took up their starting positions for the offensive. At the end of November, the 43rd division withstood very heavy fighting. Its 18th and 29th regiments reached the eastern outskirts of the city of Cherkasy, cutting off the enemy's retreat. Then the Nazis, in turn, surrounded ours with a counterattack of the tank and infantry divisions. The regiments of the division fought for five days surrounded. On February 11, 1944, the division is part of the 21st Guards. 4th Guards A squadron and by 12.2.1944 reached the Oktyabr-Lysyanka-Maidanovka-Zvenigorodka section, which made it possible to reliably ensure the junction of fronts from the enemy tank grouping to Lysyanka from the Rubanny Most, Rizino area. On March 5, 1944, at 6:54 a.m., the earth trembled, the air stirred up a huge volley of force, which then turned into a continuous roar of hundreds of barrels. The sharp sounds of "Katyushas" stood out. The artillery preparation lasted about an hour. At the general signal, the guards went on the attack. The battle developed unevenly. The greatest success was indicated in the left flank division, the 7th. She took possession of Olkhovets. 06/13/1945 was transformed into the 115th Guards. sd.
,
Operation Danube,
"Black January",
First Chechen War,
Invasion of Dagestan,
Second Chechen War,
Operation in the Kodori Gorge (2008)
7th Guards Air Assault (Mountain) Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Division- connection of the airborne troops of the Soviet Army of the USSR Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
History 1945-1991
The regiment received its baptism of fire near Lake Balaton (Hungary) in 1945 as part of the 9th Guards Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front.
On April 26, 1945, for the exemplary performance of command assignments, the regiment was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree.
Division units were the first in the airborne troops to master landing from An-8, An-12, An-22, Il-76 aircraft, tested a number of new parachute systems (D-5 and D-6), all generations of BMD and the 2S9 artillery system "Nona". For the first time, the personnel of the formation made a practical landing after a flight at altitudes of 6,000 - 8,000 meters using oxygen devices.
In 1956, the unit participated in the suppression of the Hungarian uprising.
In 1968, the division participated in Operation Danube to suppress the Prague Spring.
The paratroopers of the formation were repeatedly involved in such major exercises and maneuvers as Shield-76, Neman, West-81, West-84, Dozor-86. The division was awarded the Pennant of the Minister of Defense of the USSR "For courage and military prowess" for the displayed combat skills during the "West-81" exercises. In the course of the last three exercises, the BMD was landed along with the crews.
In 1971 and 1972, the division was awarded the challenge Red Banner of the Airborne Forces.
On May 4, 1985, for success in combat training and in connection with the 40th anniversary of the Great Victory, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
In 1988-1989, parts of the division participated in the suppression of the political opposition of the Azerbaijan SSR in Baku. As a result of the events in Baku, known as Black January, more than a hundred citizens died.
Plane crash near Kaluga
On June 23, 1969, the 6th Airborne Company as part of the 2nd Battalion of the 108th Guards Airborne Regiment of the 7th Guards Airborne Division was tasked with flying from Kaunas to Ryazan. In Ryazan, the personnel of the company were to conduct demonstration exercises for the Minister of Defense of the USSR A. A. Grechko.
In 1993-1996, the personnel of the unit carried out peacekeeping missions in Abkhazia. From January 1995 to April 2004, parts of the division carried out combat missions in the North Caucasus region. In 1995, the division fought in Grozny, and during the mountainous stage of the campaign, in the Vedensky and Shatoisky regions of Chechnya. For their courage and heroism, 499 servicemen were awarded orders and medals. Irretrievable losses during the two Chechen campaigns amounted to 87 people.
In July 2001, the musical group "Sineva" was created in the division, which included paratroopers - participants in the hostilities. Major Bosenko Oleg Grigoryevich became the founder of the team. Since its founding, the group has become a laureate of many Military Patriotic Song Festivals.
In 2011, a book about the division was released.
On May 14, 2015, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu presented the division with the Order of Suvorov.
Since September 2015, he has been performing tasks to ensure the security of the Aviation Group of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria at the Khmeimim airbase during the air operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Formations
Heroes
During the existence of the division, 10 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and 18 people were awarded the title of Hero of Russia. Of them:
Commander (period)
- Major General Polishchuk, Grigory Fedoseevich (1945-1952)
- Colonel Golofast Georgy Petrovich (1952-1955)
- Major General Rudakov, Alexey Pavlovich (1955-1956)
- Guards Colonel Antipov Petr Fedorovich (1956-1958)
- Guard Colonel Dudura Ivan Makarovich (1958-1961)
- Major General Chaplygin, Pyotr Vasilievich (1961-1963)
- Major General Shkrudiev, Dmitry Grigorievich (1963-1966)
- Major General Gorelov, Lev Nikolaevich (1966-1970)
- Major General Kuleshov, Oleg Fedorovich (1970-1973)
- Major General Kalinin, Nikolai Vasilyevich (1973-1975)
- Major General Kraev, Vladimir Stepanovich (1975-1978)
- Major General Achalov Vladislav Alekseevich (1978-1982)
- Guard Colonel Yarygin, Yurantin Vasilyevich (1982-1984)
- Major General Toporov Vladimir Mikhailovich (1984-1987)
- Major General Sigutkin, Alexey Alekseevich (1987-1990)
- Major General Khatskevich, Valery Frantsovich (1990-1992)
- Major General Kalabukhov, Grigory Andreevich (1992-1994)
- Major General Solonin, Igor Vilyevich (1994-1997)
- Major General Krivosheev Yuri Mikhailovich (1997-2002)
- Major General Ignatov Nikolai Ivanovich (2002-2005)
- Major General Astapov, Viktor Borisovich (2005-2007)
- Guard Colonel Kochetkov Vladimir Anatolyevich (2008-2010)
- Major General Vyaznikov, Alexander Yurievich (2010-2012)
- Major General Solodchuk Valery Nikolaevich (2012-2014)
- Major General Roman Breus (2014-present)
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Notes
Links
- Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
- V. V. Kulakov. Dissertation of the candidate of historical sciences. Krasnodar, 2003.
- Magazine "Bratishka".
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An excerpt characterizing the 7th Guards Air Assault (Mountain) Division
“Petya, you are stupid,” said Natasha.“No stupider than you, mother,” said nine-year-old Petya, as if he were an old foreman.
The countess was prepared by Anna Mikhailovna's hints during dinner. Having gone to her room, she, sitting on an armchair, did not take her eyes off the miniature portrait of her son, fixed in a snuff box, and tears welled up in her eyes. Anna Mikhailovna, with the letter on tiptoe, went up to the countess's room and stopped.
“Don’t come in,” she said to the old count, who was following her, “after,” and she closed the door behind her.
The count put his ear to the lock and began to listen.
At first he heard the sounds of indifferent speeches, then one sound of Anna Mikhailovna's voice speaking a long speech, then a cry, then silence, then again both voices spoke together with joyful intonations, and then footsteps, and Anna Mikhailovna opened the door for him. On the face of Anna Mikhailovna there was a proud expression of a cameraman who had completed a difficult amputation and was leading the public in so that they could appreciate his art.
- C "est fait! [It's done!] - she said to the count, pointing with a solemn gesture to the countess, who held a snuffbox with a portrait in one hand, a letter in the other and pressed her lips first to one, then to the other.
Seeing the count, she stretched out her arms to him, hugged his bald head, and through the bald head again looked at the letter and portrait, and again, in order to press them to her lips, slightly pushed the bald head away. Vera, Natasha, Sonya and Petya entered the room and the reading began. The letter briefly described the campaign and two battles in which Nikolushka participated, the promotion to officers and it was said that he kisses the hands of maman and papa, asking for their blessings, and kisses Vera, Natasha, Petya. In addition, he bows to Mr. Sheling, and to mme Shos and the nurse, and, in addition, asks to kiss dear Sonya, whom he still loves and remembers in the same way. On hearing this, Sonya blushed so that tears came into her eyes. And, unable to endure the looks that turned on her, she ran into the hall, ran away, whirled, and, inflating her dress with a balloon, flushed and smiling, sat down on the floor. The Countess was crying.
“What are you crying about, maman?” Vera said. - Everything that he writes should be rejoicing, not crying.
It was perfectly fair, but the count, the countess, and Natasha all looked at her reproachfully. “And who did she turn out like that!” thought the countess.
Nikolushka's letter was read hundreds of times, and those who were considered worthy to listen to him had to come to the countess, who did not let go of him. Tutors, nannies, Mitenka, some acquaintances came, and the countess reread the letter each time with new pleasure and each time discovered new virtues in her Nikolushka from this letter. How strange, unusual, how joyful it was for her that her son was the son who, almost noticeably tiny members, moved in her 20 years ago, the son for whom she quarreled with the spoiled count, the son who had learned to say before: “ pear ”, and then“ woman ”, that this son is now there, in a foreign land, in a foreign environment, a courageous warrior, alone, without help and guidance, is doing some kind of masculine business there. The entire world age-old experience, indicating that children imperceptibly from the cradle become husbands, did not exist for the countess. The maturation of her son in every season of maturation was just as extraordinary for her, as if there had never been millions of millions of people who had matured in the same way. Just as she couldn’t believe 20 years ago that that little creature that lived somewhere under her heart would scream and begin to suckle her breast and begin to speak, so now she couldn’t believe that this same creature could be that strong, a brave man, a model of sons and people, which he was now, judging by this letter.
- What a calm, as he describes cute! she said, reading the descriptive part of the letter. And what a soul! Nothing about me… nothing! About some Denisov, but he himself, it’s true, is braver than all of them. He writes nothing about his sufferings. What a heart! How do I recognize him! And how I remembered everyone! Didn't forget anyone. I always, always said, even when he was like this, I always said ...
For more than a week they prepared, wrote brillons and wrote letters to Nikolushka from the whole house in a clean copy; under the supervision of the countess and the care of the count, the necessary gizmos and money were collected for the uniform and equipment of the newly promoted officer. Anna Mikhailovna, a practical woman, managed to arrange protection for herself and her son in the army, even for correspondence. She had the opportunity to send her letters to the Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, who commanded the guard. The Rostovs assumed that the Russian guards abroad had a completely definitive address, and that if the letter reached the Grand Duke who commanded the guards, then there was no reason for it not to reach the Pavlograd regiment, which should be nearby; and therefore it was decided to send letters and money through the courier of the Grand Duke to Boris, and Boris was already supposed to deliver them to Nikolushka. Letters were from the old count, from the countess, from Petya, from Vera, from Natasha, from Sonya and, finally, 6,000 money for uniforms and various things that the count sent to his son.
On November 12, the Kutuzov military army, camped near Olmutz, was preparing for the next day for a review of two emperors - Russian and Austrian. The guards, who had just arrived from Russia, spent the night 15 versts from Olmutz and the next day, right at the review, by 10 o'clock in the morning, entered the Olmutz field.
Nikolai Rostov on that day received a note from Boris informing him that the Izmailovsky regiment was spending the night 15 miles short of Olmutz, and that he was waiting for him to hand over a letter and money. Rostov especially needed money now, when, having returned from the campaign, the troops stopped near Olmutz, and well-equipped scribblers and Austrian Jews, offering all sorts of temptations, filled the camp. Pavlohrad residents had feasts after feasts, celebrations of the awards received for the campaign and trips to Olmutz to the newly arrived Karolina Vengerka, who opened a tavern with female servants there. Rostov recently celebrated his production of cornets, bought a Bedouin, Denisov's horse, and was indebted to his comrades and sutlers all around. Having received a note from Boris, Rostov and his friend went to Olmutz, dined there, drank a bottle of wine, and went alone to the guards camp in search of his childhood friend. Rostov has not had time to get dressed yet. He was wearing a worn cadet jacket with a soldier's cross, the same breeches lined with worn leather, and an officer's saber with a lanyard; the horse on which he rode was a Don one, bought on a campaign from a Cossack; the crumpled hussar cap was smartly put on back and to one side. Approaching the camp of the Izmailovsky regiment, he thought about how he would hit Boris and all his fellow guardsmen with his fired fighting hussar look.
The guards went through the whole campaign as if on a festivities, flaunting their cleanliness and discipline. The transitions were small, satchels were carried on carts, the Austrian authorities prepared excellent dinners for the officers at all the transitions. The regiments entered and left the cities with music, and the whole campaign (which the guardsmen were proud of), by order of the Grand Duke, people walked in step, and the officers walked in their places. Boris walked and stood with Berg, now a company commander, all the time of the campaign. Berg, having received a company during the campaign, managed to earn the trust of his superiors with his diligence and accuracy and arranged his economic affairs very profitably; During the campaign, Boris made many acquaintances with people who could be useful to him, and through a letter of recommendation he brought from Pierre, he met Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, through whom he hoped to get a place in the headquarters of the commander in chief. Berg and Boris, clean and neatly dressed, having rested after the last day's march, sat in the clean apartment allotted to them in front of a round table and played chess. Berg held a smoking pipe between his knees. Boris, with his usual accuracy, with his white thin hands placed the checkers like a pyramid, waiting for Berg's move, and looked at his partner's face, apparently thinking about the game, as he always thought only about what he was doing.
- Well, how will you get out of this? - he said.
“We will try,” answered Berg, touching the pawn and lowering his hand again.
At this time, the door opened.
“Here he is at last,” shouted Rostov. And Berg is here! Oh, petizanfan, ale kushe dormir, [Children, go to bed,] he shouted, repeating the words of the nanny, over which they once laughed with Boris.
- Fathers! how you have changed! - Boris stood up to meet Rostov, but, getting up, he did not forget to support and put the falling chess pieces in their place and wanted to hug his friend, but Nikolai moved away from him. With that special feeling of youth, which is afraid of beaten roads, wants, without imitating others, to express their feelings in a new way, in their own way, if only not in the way that the elders often express it feignedly, Nikolai wanted to do something special when meeting with a friend : he wanted to somehow pinch, push Boris, but just not kiss in any way, as everyone did. Boris, on the contrary, calmly and friendly embraced and kissed Rostov three times.
They had not seen each other for almost half a year; and at the age when young people take their first steps on the path of life, both found in each other great changes, completely new reflections of the societies in which they took their first steps in life. Both had changed a lot since their last meeting, and both wanted to quickly show each other the changes that had taken place in them.
“Oh, you damn floor polishers! Clean, fresh, as if from a walk, not like we are sinners, the army, ”said Rostov with baritone sounds new to Boris in his voice and army tricks, pointing to his breeches spattered with mud.
The German hostess leaned out of the door at the loud voice of Rostov.
- What, pretty? he said with a wink.
- Why are you screaming like that! You will scare them,” said Boris. “But I didn’t expect you today,” he added. - Yesterday, I just gave you a note through a friend of Kutuzovsky's adjutant - Bolkonsky. I did not think that he would deliver to you so soon ... Well, how are you? Already shot? Boris asked.
Rostov, without answering, shook the soldier's St. George's cross hanging on the laces of his uniform, and, pointing to his bandaged hand, smiling, looked at Berg.
“As you can see,” he said.
- That's how, yes, yes! - Boris said smiling, - and we also made a glorious campaign. After all, you know, his highness constantly rode with our regiment, so that we had all the conveniences and all the benefits. In Poland, what kind of receptions there were, what kind of dinners, balls - I can’t tell you. And the Tsarevich was very merciful to all our officers.
And both friends told each other - one about their hussar revels and military life, the other about the pleasantness and benefits of serving under the command of high-ranking officials, etc.
- O Guard! Rostov said. “Well, let’s go get some wine.”
Boris winced.
“If you really want to,” he said.
And, going up to the bed, he took out a purse from under the clean pillows and ordered to bring wine.
“Yes, and give you the money and the letter,” he added.
Rostov took the letter and, throwing money on the sofa, leaned his elbows on the table with both hands and began to read. He read a few lines and looked angrily at Berg. Meeting his gaze, Rostov covered his face with a letter.
“However, they sent you a decent amount of money,” Berg said, looking at the heavy purse pressed into the sofa. - Here we are with a salary, count, making our way. I'll tell you about myself...
“That’s what, my dear Berg,” said Rostov, “when you receive a letter from home and meet your man, whom you want to ask about everything, and I’ll be here, I’ll leave now so as not to disturb you. Listen, go away, please, somewhere, somewhere ... to hell! he shouted, and at once, grabbing him by the shoulder and looking affectionately into his face, apparently trying to soften the rudeness of his words, he added: “you know, don’t be angry; dear, my dear, I speak from the bottom of my heart, as to our old acquaintance.
“Ah, pardon me, Count, I understand very well,” said Berg, getting up and speaking to himself in a throaty voice.
- You go to the owners: they called you, - Boris added.
Berg put on a clean frock coat, without a spot or a speck, fluffed up the temples in front of the mirror, as Alexander Pavlovich wore, and, convinced by Rostov's look that his frock coat had been noticed, with a pleasant smile he left the room.
- Oh, what a beast I am, however! - said Rostov, reading the letter.
- And what?
- Oh, what a pig I am, however, that I never wrote and so scared them. Oh, what a pig I am,” he repeated, suddenly blushing. - Well, send Gavrila for wine! Okay, enough! - he said…
In the letters of the relatives, there was also a letter of recommendation to Prince Bagration, which, on the advice of Anna Mikhailovna, the old countess got through her acquaintances and sent to her son, asking him to take it down for its intended purpose and use it.
- That's nonsense! I really need it, - said Rostov, throwing the letter under the table.
- Why did you leave it? Boris asked.
- What a letter of recommendation, the devil is in my letter!
- What the hell is in the letter? - Boris said, raising and reading the inscription. This letter is very important for you.
“I don’t need anything, and I’m not going to be an adjutant to anyone.
- From what? Boris asked.
- Lackey position!
“You are still the same dreamer, I see,” said Boris, shaking his head.
“And you are still a diplomat. Well, that's not the point ... Well, what are you? Rostov asked.
- Yes, as you can see. So far so good; but I confess that I would very much like to become adjutant, and not remain in the front.
- Why?
- Because, having already once gone through the career of military service, one should try to make, if possible, a brilliant career.
- Yes, that's how! - said Rostov, apparently thinking of something else.
He looked intently and inquiringly into the eyes of his friend, apparently in vain looking for a solution to some question.
The 7th Guards Air Assault Mountain Division is also part of the Russian Federation. The unit was formed at the end of the Great Patriotic War, and received its full name 3 years later.
The division participated in many armed conflicts, a large number of personnel were awarded medals and orders.
Formation
The 7th Guards Air Assault Mountain Division was formed at the end of the winter of 1945. The regiment went west. The unit took up positions in Hungary, where it received its baptism of fire. While all fronts were rapidly advancing, in the area of Lake Balaton, the Red Army erected defensive fortifications for the first time in a long time and for the last time in the entire war. This was due to Hitler's order to push back the liberation troops from Vienna. No less significant than the city itself, for the Nazis, there was an oil well. And oil, as you know, is the fuel of war.
The 7th Guards Air Assault Mountain Division took up defense in depth. The plan was developed by the Headquarters of the commander in chief. It was based on the successful experience of the battle on
The beginning of a breakthrough
The Nazis planned to push through the defenses of the Soviet troops with a quick tank strike. March 6, before dawn, the Nazis launched an offensive. After heavy fighting, they captured the necessary, from a tactical point of view, areas.
The main blow fell between two lakes, where the 7th Guards Airborne Assault Mountain Division was located. There they advanced in close formation and suppressed the Red Army with their superiority in technology. After 2 days, howitzers and MLRS systems thundered. This meant that the main forces of the Reich would soon enter the battle. By 9 o'clock in the morning the SS began to advance.
But the Nazis underestimated the resilience of the Soviet soldiers, and the offensive bogged down, the defense survived. After an unsuccessful attempt at a counteroffensive, the Nazis were no longer able to organize serious pressure on their opponents. The Red Army liberated Vienna, and the road to Berlin was finally opened.
After World War II
The 7th Guards Air Assault Mountain Division ended its participation in the Great Patriotic War, having liberated Czechoslovakia, after which it was deployed in the Baltic states. She participated in the suppression of the attempt of Nazi revanchists to commit a putsch in Hungary. After that, the command sent a division to Czechoslovakia to participate in Operation Danube.
In 1968, the government of Czechoslovakia in the majority betrayed the ideas of socialism and wanted to ask for help from NATO. In response, countries decided to militarily suppress the coup attempt. The preparation and planning of the operation took place in the strictest secrecy. The commanders on the ground did not know about specific targets and combat missions until the last minute. On August 21, Allied troops crossed the border of Czechoslovakia and occupied key political and military installations. The operation was successful, with virtually no casualties or battles.
Chechen wars
During both Chechen campaigns, the 7th Guards Airborne Assault Mountain Division was assigned various tasks. The fighters fought in the hottest spots in the North Caucasus. In 1995, they stormed Grozny, where fierce battles were fought for every lane.
Also, the 7th Guards Airborne Assault Mountain Division carried out the tasks of cleaning up the Vedeno and Shatoi districts. This is a mountainous area where the infamous Argun Gorge is located. There, the militants of the Arab mercenary Khattab defeated a convoy of federal troops during the first campaign.
Also, the combat biography of the division includes peacekeeping operations in Abkhazia and the suppression of protests in Azerbaijan during the collapse of the USSR. The personnel of the military formation is five and a half thousand people. The main equipment is airborne combat vehicles and armored personnel carriers. The nickname of the 7th division is "Buffaloes".
The 7th Air Assault Division, stationed in the Kuban, with regiments in Novorossiysk and Stavropol, is a participant in all three military operations that Russia has conducted in the Caucasus in recent history. During the "" consolidated battalion of the "seven" relocated from the Baltic to the Kuban took Grozny, Vedeno and Shatoi. Only the paratroopers of this division acted in the spring of 1995 as tactical helicopter assault forces.
Plus, a dozen business trips of the G7 paratroopers to North Ossetia and Kabardino-Balkaria to cover these regions from restless neighbors. In a word, the Caucasus has long been considered “their” region in the 7th AD. Of course, they were not without them during last year's operation to force Georgia to peace.
The 108th and 247th Air Assault Regiments deployed in Novorossiysk and Stavropol formed the basis of the grouping of Russian troops operating in the Abkhaz direction, commanded by Lieutenant General Shamanov. Having outlined the chronology of her actions in the previous material, we continue the theme with the memories of the division officers. After all, no one better than the participants in those events can describe the nature of that fleeting, but redrawing the political map of the Caucasus war.
Commander of the 7th Air Assault Division Colonel Vladimir Kochetkov:
- Our first units went to Abkhazia in early April: located near the Georgian border, the battalion tactical group of the 108th regiment became the combined arms reserve of the command of the collective peacekeeping forces. On the morning of August 8, we received the task of preparing three more of the same armored personnel carriers for dispatch, and in the afternoon at 18.30 we began loading the first of them onto large landing ships for transfer to Abkhazia by sea. All calculations and preparatory measures were carried out in advance, so the first large landing ship "Caesar Kunikov", having taken on board 150 people and 20 pieces of equipment, at 19.00 already set sail from the coast, freeing the berth for the larger large landing ship "Saratov", which takes on board up to 450 paratroopers and more than 100 vehicles. Loading it took several hours.
On the night of August 11, the first to cross the border and marched to our peacekeeping battalion stationed in Georgia was the battalion of Lieutenant Colonel Vishnivetsky. In the morning, the battalion of Lieutenant Colonel Rybalko, the BTGr of the 31st brigade and artillery went along his route. Well, after Shamanov presented an ultimatum to the enemy, Vishnivetsky's battalion moved to Senaki. The main forces, having crossed the border, also immediately go to Senaki. There was no resistance from the Georgian side.
At 22.00 on August 11, everyone concentrated north of Senaki. On August 12, we enter the air base and the brigade's town, and send the 2nd battalion to Poti, where it guards the railway and road bridges. On August 13, I receive the task of inspecting the naval base. Taking a reconnaissance platoon of the 108th regiment, 2 special forces groups and an air assault company from the Rybalko battalion, I move to the port. Nothing is known about the Georgians. We only know that some special unit is stationed at the naval base - "fur seals". Only these “cats”, apparently, turned out to be cowardly and fled before we arrived.
But at the pier, 4 light warships were moored, armed with small-caliber guns and rocket launchers. And a white border ship that contrasted with them. If those were already, as they say, not the first freshness, in some places with rust, then this one, stuffed with expensive equipment, is brand new! I would flood them right away, but I took TNT with me - just a box. After all, they were not sent to blow up ships.
Having dismantled the weapons that they could remove (and for some reason some of the ship's guns were already lying on the shore), they put TNT checkers on the remaining guns and rocket launchers and blew them up. But, having damaged the ships, they, of course, could not sink them. Therefore, we returned to this base the next day. That's when, having taken a sufficient amount of explosives, they already blew up this entire fleet properly with overhead charges. And with special diligence, of course, a white ship. Then they saw these ships already in a semi-submerged state.
At this base, as on the previous day in Senaki, no one offered us resistance. They fled like rabbits. Moreover, they fled in obvious haste. We understood this when we entered the first building, where we found fresh bread, three uncorked boxes with MANPADS and two ATGMs ready for use. Then they also found an ammunition depot, in which there are only Shturm ATGMs - more than 1,000 pieces. Never seen so many of them. They preferred to run away, having such an arsenal of weapons ...
Well, the strongest impression is the base itself. How could a small state create such an impressive military infrastructure in such a short time?! Gym, swimming pool, chic headquarters building. And everything is built on the most advanced technologies! Trying to get into the headquarters of the naval base, for example, they could not open the glass doors for a long time, which the bullet did not take! But with the help of a universal key called "sledgehammer" they still opened it. And in the secret part of the brigade they found plans to capture Abkhazia.
The 2nd and 3rd motorized infantry brigades were supposed to participate in the operation, and the forces of the 5th were supposed to occupy the Kodori Gorge. These are all regular units, for the capture of which Abkhazia was given no more than 42 hours. After that, it was planned to introduce a division from mobilized reservists into the Gali region. Well, with the help of light landing boats we had pierced, it was supposed to land troops in Sukhum and Gudauta. It turns out that our battalion sent to Abkhazia in April forced them to redraw all their plans.
When we entered Georgia, we were, frankly speaking, tuned in for battles and were ready to attack Kutaisi, but it turned out to be something like a command-staff exercise with a real enemy. But the division was shaken up well, they checked the capabilities of both people and equipment. They also saw all our problems, the most acute of which was with communication, which the Georgians successfully jammed, which made it necessary to control the units using cell phones.
Commander of the 247th Air Assault Regiment, Colonel Alexei Naumets:
- At dawn on August 12, we began to march through Georgian territory to the settlement of Khaishi. The task is to close the Kodori Gorge from Tbilisi. The test was not easy: I had to follow serpentine roads and go through 6 tunnels. At the same time, the layout of the march order was such that when moving along mountain roads, the column was ready to engage in battle with the enemy at any moment. Walking at the head of the column, I looked out and informed the chief of artillery of the places where an artillery battery could be deployed in order to support us with fire in the event of an attack by the Georgians. After all, army aviation did not participate in our cover, and, as we were oriented, there were up to 2.5 thousand Georgians in the gorge. Therefore, they went in readiness for battle, and at any moment several guns were on duty on one of the sections of the path, which then caught up with the column. At the same time, there is no riding on armor - everyone is in the landing, in readiness for battle.
Undermining was ruled out: the sappers were checking the road, and a constantly working noise generator would not allow the radio-controlled landmine to be put into operation. Moreover, the road is paved - you can’t put a landmine. On the morning of 13, when the Georgians came to their senses, the gorge was already blocked. And they, throwing their weapons and dressing in clothes, apparently confiscated from the local population, ran. Who on what, never, for example, imagined that eight people could be accommodated in the Zhiguli. And we were driving. Then the UN officers appeared, who began to take out the civilian population. What kind of population it was, it was easy to guess. For example, a family is driving in a UN car, and in it are ten men 25-30 years old, short-haired, and even wearing army boots with high berets peeking out from under civilian trousers.
Well, the strongest impression that remained after those events was the captured Buks, which, despite the fact that they were carefully hidden, we found at their air base in Senaki. Having plowed the runway of this air base with the help of explosives, they blew up two combat helicopters and an attack aircraft abandoned by the Georgians. But the radar used not only in the military, but also for civilian purposes, was not touched. Moreover, so that Saakashvili would not say later that the Russians had broken him, they left two Georgian specialists in the control room. By the way, as soon as this locator, used in the interests of the Georgian air defense, was turned off, they immediately yelled from Tbilisi on the phone: who turned off the radar there, on what basis? Taking the phone from a Georgian specialist, one of our fighters answered a question from Tbilisi: “Private Svidrigailo turned off the radar. Airborne troops of Russia. Claims should be sent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov.
Well, as trophies I brought from that war a plastic sign from the headquarters of the 2nd motorized infantry brigade and certificates of honor from one of their officers. From the Ukrainian ambassador to Iraq and the governor of the US state of Kansas. Both - for success in combat training. By the way, leaving their brigade, one of our fighters with a sense of humor left an inscription as a keepsake: “Comrade Georgians, learn military science in a real way. We'll come and check it out!"
Deputy Commander of the 247th Air Assault Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Grishko:
- The most difficult test during this campaign for us was the 120-kilometer march along the mountain roads to Khaishi. In some places they walked along such narrow serpentines that the sides of the combat vehicles literally hung over the abyss.
Having solved the problem in the gorge and leaving one company there, on August 15 they reunited in Senaki with the entire group, taking the airfield and the town under guard
2nd Motorized Infantry Brigade. Consisting of light-walled, prefabricated structures, the barracks, headquarters and residential areas of this town were a copy of the typical US Army camp familiar from the peacekeeping mission in the Balkans.
Having fled, the Georgians left a huge amount of various trophies, which could be used to judge the weapons and equipment of their army, as well as how seriously it was preparing for the invasion of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. So, in addition to the American M-16 rifles, the brigade's arsenals contained a sea of Soviet-style small arms - machine guns, machine guns, RPG-7 grenade launchers, as well as Ukrainian-made ammunition for them, moreover, manufactured mainly in 2007. From the air base alone, we took out more than 40 Urals of various aviation ammunition - from shells to aircraft cannons to aircraft missiles and ATGMs. And at positions around the airfield, we alone found about thirty Igla MANPADS. The main regimental trophy, of course, was the army air defense battery discovered by our scouts, consisting of two Buk anti-aircraft missile systems. Again, Ukrainian production.
Well, in the brigade warehouses they found a huge number of dry rations, specially made for Georgians in Turkey. Of course, we tried them, having come to the conclusion that they cannot be compared with our “green” dry rations, so beloved by the paratroopers since the second Chechen campaign (individual food rations of the Oboronprodkomplekt company. - Approx. Aut.)
Neither the residential town, nor the headquarters buildings, nor the barracks area, nor the pool, which has become the object of our envy, the likes of which are not only in the regiment, but also in Stavropol, we not only did not touch, but also protected from marauders. Because, unlike the United States, which bombed a lot of civilian facilities in Yugoslavia, they carried out a humane, let’s say, operation, without destroying “peaceful” facilities located even at enemy military bases, not to mention bridges and tunnels. Although from the point of view of tactics, by blowing up, for example, the same tunnels leading from the Georgian side to the Kodori Gorge, it was possible to deprive Georgia of passage to this mountainous region for several years.
And we did not reach Kutaisi some 57 kilometers. By the way, when we learned that Shamanov would be in command of the group, we thought that we could reach the Georgian capital. Only war in the classical sense did not happen in our direction. The work of American military instructors for several years went down the drain: the Georgians fled the battlefield.
Commander of the 108th Air Assault Regiment, Colonel Sergei Baran:
- One of our battalions, as you know, arrived in Abkhazia back in April. For the first time, the paratroopers who came to the republic saw Abkhazia as a half-ruined country, whose well-being is a thing of the past. The powerful walls and giant arched windows of houses scattered along the mountain slopes eloquently spoke of the former prosperity of this region with fabulously beautiful nature. Well, the scale of the devastation caused by the collapse of the USSR was indicated by hundreds of empty houses and the state of the railway track, which withstood the passage of only our first echelon: the second and third were no longer unloaded in the closest Ochamchira to the deployment area, but at Dranda station located near Sukhum.
Already on the third day, Georgian unmanned reconnaissance aircraft appeared over our camp. In just three months, Abkhazian air defense systems shot down 5 Georgian UAVs in the area of the BTGr camp. But they solved their problem: on the captured Georgian maps, as it turned out later, our camp was drawn in detail.
On August 8, when the Georgians attacked Tskhinval, the regiment received the task of forming another battalion tactical group on the basis of the 2nd airborne assault battalion to be sent to Abkhazia. The first BTG was commanded by the commander of the 3rd battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vishnivetsky, the second - by the commander of the 2nd Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Rybalko.
At 16.00 on August 8, we received the task of moving to the port for loading onto large landing ships. And although most of the battalion was at that time at the Raevskoye training ground, we met the shortest deadlines: at 20.30 all the equipment was already at the loading site. However, it was possible to start loading the main forces onto the large landing ship "Saratov" only after two and a half hours: the task of transferring the landing force to Abkhazia "Saratov" received, performing the transition with cargo to Sevastopol, and now, before taking us on board, he needs was to unload. Loading onto the “two-story” BDK turned out to be, frankly, not an easy task, because the regiment had no experience of such sea voyages.
The passage by sea to Sukhum took more than 15 hours, and the unloading, which began at about 22.00 on August 9, turned out to be even more difficult than loading. Moreover, the process was no longer complicated by the specifics of the ship, but by the local landscape: on a pebble beach, the equipment kept taking off its shoes, losing tracks.
At 0630 hours, Lieutenant Colonel Rybalko's BTG began marching to the area where Lieutenant Colonel Vishnivetsky's BTG was deployed, and by noon on August 10, both battalion tactical groups of the regiment were concentrated in the camp. On the same day, Vishnivetsky's armored personnel carrier began its first combat mission: having crossed the bridge over the Enguri, the battalion entered the base area of the peacekeeping battalion located on Georgian territory. In the next two days, we entered the town of the 2nd Georgian motorized infantry brigade in Senaki and the naval base of their naval forces in Poti. And there were no Georgian soldiers there, but there were many signs of their flight. In addition to abandoned armored vehicles, we found a huge amount of small arms and ammunition in the warehouses and barracks of the brigade, abandoned banners of the brigade and its battalions in the headquarters, and fresh bread and half-peeled chicken eggs in the canteen.
Trophies taken by the Novorossiysk and operating in the vanguard of both armored personnel carriers of the airborne special forces in Senaki and Poti - more than 40 armored vehicles, 5 thousand small arms, hundreds of MANPADS, more than a thousand Shturm anti-tank guided missiles, 5 small warships and 20 light landing boats on 25-30 paratroopers. At the same time, not only the quantity, but also the quality of these trophies was impressive: their BTR-80, for example, had heavy-duty Italian-made engines, and the T-72 tanks had Israeli night sights, which made it possible to conduct effective fire at night and in conditions of poor visibility.
For some reason, Georgian body armor turned out to be more comfortable than Russian ones, and their boots with high berets, outwardly not much different from ours, had not one, but two layers of leather, thanks to which they did not get wet and were significantly softer. But what struck me the most was the brigade base. Small buildings made of light-walled structures were more comfortable and more convenient than our five-story "kubrick" barracks built according to the Federal Target Program. Leaving, many officers, not to mention the fighters, thought: after what the Georgian military had done in Tskhinval, it would not be a sin to undermine this base. However, they did not do this.
Commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 108th Air Assault Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vishnivetsky:
Our battalion tactical group has been in Abkhazia since April as a combined-arms reserve of the KSPM. Therefore, it was we who were the first to cross the Enguri on the night of August 10-11 along the 300-meter bridge. Having made a night march, by 6 in the morning we reached the Urta area, where one of our peacekeeping battalions was stationed. And at 9.00 they received the following task: to be ready for combat use in the event of the enemy’s 2nd motorized infantry brigade refusing to disarm. But the brigade actually fled. The clothes scattered in all the barracks clearly indicated not an organized withdrawal, but a hasty flight.
Apparently, when we started the march from Urta to Senaki, the police warned the local military that paratroopers were coming towards them, and the Georgians decided not to tempt fate. Although, judging by the arsenals of captured equipment and weapons, they had something to meet us with. Why did they run away without accepting a fight? They probably knew that it would be very expensive for them. Although twice we were oriented to repel a Georgian tank attack. Once it was at night. To prevent Georgian tanks with good night sights from approaching imperceptibly, we highlighted the direction of their approach with illuminating mines and shells. But they did not wait for the enemy tanks. Although the pilots said they saw these tank columns. Maybe their troops were going to hold the defense near Kutaisi.
Speaking about the lessons of August last year, I would note the work of their unmanned systems and electronic warfare systems. Passing through the settlements, for some reason, we always practically remained without communication. And only then did they realize that in every police station they had equipment that suppressed our communication. Well, on their maps, our field camp, thanks to the means of unmanned reconnaissance, was literally lined up to a meter - just take it and organize shelling according to this plan.
The commander of the 1st company of the 247th air assault regiment, Captain Timofey Rasskazov:
After the departure of the main forces of the regiment, my company and I remained to control the entrance to the Kodori Gorge near the settlement of Khaishi. One night, a shabby-looking man came out to us. He said that he was from Kharkov and in 1986 he came to Kodori to work, but the local residents - the Svans - took away his passport, and all this time he, in fact, was in their slavery, working for drink and food. He said that at several bases in the gorge there were about 2.5 thousand Georgian military and a large amount of equipment, including tanks, Shilka, American Hummer SUVs and mortars.
And that all winter the Georgians with the help of equipment cleared the road leading to the Kodori Gorge, so that reinforcements and ammunition could be transferred there at any moment. Local residents, according to the narrator, did not like the Georgian soldiers standing next to them for looting: they, having entered any yard, now and then demanded food and alcohol. And they drank all the time, and the commission that came from Tbilisi gave them a good beating, finding the mortars rusty. When the war began, the Georgians, according to this peasant, did not expect that the Russians would go into the gorge not from the side of Abkhazia, but from the side of Georgia. And when a couple of Russian bombers passed over the gorge, the Georgians, leaving their base, equipment and weapons, fled. At the same time, they fled not on foot, but on cars and tractors confiscated from the Svans.
We did not clash with the local Svans who sympathized with Tbilisi, but after the truce they grew bolder, became impudent, continually asking when we would leave. And as if explaining their neutrality, they said, if only there were 50 thousand of us like you! Of course, we did not answer anything to this, although it was tempting to say that there were not 50 of us, but only 3 thousand!
Konstantin RASHCHEPKIN, Viktor PYATKOV, "Red Star".
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