The 313th anniversary is celebrated on November 27 by the Russian marines. About milestones and combat way marines - in the material journalist and military historian Alexei Sukonkin.

I don’t know how it is now, but in my, still Soviet, childhood, we went to the cinema twenty times to watch Feature Film"Single voyage", in which a handful of Soviet marines under the command of Major Shatokhin (whose role was brilliantly played by Mikhail Nozhkin), mercilessly smashed the American coastal missile base, which decided to start the Third world war. Our marines looked like real heroes, consistently and inevitably destroying the insidious enemy. For us, Soviet boys, the image of Major Shatokhin became an example of courage, courage and self-sacrifice in the name of the Motherland. Such films formed in the minds of the older generation pride in our unbending warriors, and in the younger generation - the desire to be the same heroes as in the movies.

By order of Peter the Great...

The need for such military units arose at a time when the main view sea ​​battle sailing fleet was boarding - this is when the ships deliberately mated with each other, and the teams in hand-to-hand combat decided the outcome of the fight. In such a situation, the hand-to-hand and fire training of a warrior was important, while for a simple sailor these were optional military disciplines. It was then that it was decided that specially trained boarding teams should be on board the warships. The first marines appeared in England, where the first regiment was formed in 1664. On the next year the Marine Corps was formed in the Netherlands. In 1668, a non-standard boarding team on the ship "Eagle" appeared in Russian fleet- this formation became the basis on which the necessary experience was gained for the subsequent creation of the Russian marines. On November 27, 1705, Peter the Great issued a Decree on the formation of the first regiment of marines - this date began to be considered the beginning of the history of the Russian marines.

The first regiment consisted of ten companies, which were consolidated into two battalions. In total, the regiment consisted of 1365 people, including 45 officers, 70 non-commissioned officers and 1250 privates. The regiment was armed with flintlock pistols, guns with baguettes, sabers and cleavers. The main purpose of the regiment was to carry out combat service on warships of the sailing and rowing fleet of Russia as boarding and landing teams, as well as to guard the coastal institutions of the fleet - the so-called "Admiralty battalion".

The baptism of fire of the newly formed marines took place in 1706, when a boarding party captured the Swedish boat Espern. Later, detachments of the Marine Corps took part in many military operations of the Russian fleet.

Of particular note is the capture of the French fortress of Corfu in 1799 during the Mediterranean campaign of the Black Sea squadron under the command of Admiral F. F. Ushakov. The garrison of the fortress consisted of three thousand people with 650 guns, as well as a French squadron, which included two ships of the line, a frigate and a brig.

On the ships of Ushakov's squadron there were 1,700 marines from the Baltic and Black Sea battalions. Prior to the landing of amphibious assault troops, training was carried out on boarding ships and disembarking from them ashore, overcoming natural and artificial obstacles in the water and on the shore. The plan provided for the separation of the landing force during the landing. In the first echelon of the landing, the most trained units of the Marine Corps landed. Their landing was carried out from barges, boats and boats. In the second and third echelon of the landing, the rest of the units landed, artillery was unloaded, engineering facilities for storming the fortress and ammunition. Much attention was paid to the fire defeat of the enemy before landing and during the landing by forces naval artillery and light field artillery mounted directly on landing craft. When approaching the coastline, the marines also opened rifle fire. It should be noted that for the organized management of the landed troops, the squadron headquarters developed a table of conditional signals and various planned tables of interaction and control. All this, as well as the level of training and personal courage of the marines, predetermined the success of the landing operations on the coast. Korfa capitulated.

This operation actually became the standard for many years to come - how to plan and conduct an amphibious landing ... Even modern military art involves the inclusion in the operation plan of all elements of the landing, worked out during the assault on the island and the fortress of Corfu.

In addition to being used in amphibious assaults, the marines were no less successfully used to defend the naval bases of the Russian fleet, for example, Sevastopol during the Crimean War, Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War. During the First World War of 1914-1918 in the Baltic and Black Sea Fleets two divisions of marines were formed. In terms of their organizational structure, these divisions corresponded to the structure of the infantry units of the Russian army.

Time for heroes

The formation of the Soviet marines began in December 1939, when by order of the People's Commissar Navy The USSR was instructed "... to consider a special rifle brigade of the KBF as a coastal defense unit with its subordination to the Military Council of the KBF." This was the first step towards the creation of the marines as regular special forces in the fleet. A month later, a separate rifle brigade was reorganized into the 1st Special Marine Brigade. In addition, the 6th separate company marines, and on the Danube military flotilla the 7th separate company of the marines.

With the outbreak of hostilities during the Great Patriotic War brigades, regiments and separate battalions of marines were formed in all fleets. In various areas in different time fought with the Nazis one division of the marines, 19 brigades of the marines, 35 marine rifle brigades, 14 regiments and 36 separate battalions with a total population of more than one hundred thousand people.

About history combat use You can write endlessly about the Marine Corps during the war years, but we will focus only on those formations that appeared in the Pacific Fleet and went to the front to defend our country.

For combat operations on land, the Pacific Fleet allocated more than 143 thousand sailors from ships and coastal units, which formed the backbone of the formed 61st, 62nd, 63rd, 64th, 65th, 66th, 67th, 70th, 72nd, 73rd, 84th and 92nd Marine Rifle Brigades. For their own needs (defense of the coast from a possible Japanese landing) in the Pacific Fleet in February 1942, the 13th and 14th brigades of the marines were formed, and in April of the same year the 15th brigade of the marines and the 298th separate regiment were formed marines of the Suchansky (Suchan in 1972 renamed Partizansk) coastal defense sector. These were powerful land formations that, in the event of a Japanese invasion, could make the life of the Japanese invaders on coastal land not at all sweet. For example, only the 15th Marine Brigade in state 015/188 included the 311th, 312th, 313th Marine Battalions, the 350th Submachine Gun Battalion, the 185th and 198th Artillery Battalions of the three-battery composition , the 156th anti-tank rifle company, the 140th reconnaissance company, the 443rd communications company, the 444th sapper company and the 446th automobile delivery company. The 298th Marine Regiment in state 013/284 included the 359th Marine Battalion, 328th mortar battalion, 316th machine gun battalion and 123rd artillery battalion.

Marines in Primorye. Photo: RIA PrimaMedia

However, these units did not last long - already in February 1943, the 14th and 15th brigades, as well as the 298th Marine Regiment, were disbanded, and their personnel were sent as marching replenishment to the active army (read - to the front) . It should be noted that during the year these warriors are quite calm conditions comprehended the basics of military skill, and therefore such a decision can be considered deeply justified - at the front, not conscripts went into battle, but soldiers who already knew their job. The 13th Marine Brigade remained in Vladivostok.

Soon, units of the Marine Corps were again formed at the Pacific Fleet to perform coastal defense tasks. They were the 689th separate company of the Marine Corps of the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet, as well as five separate battalions, which were evenly distributed in the most dangerous airborne areas: 354th (Russian Island), 355th (Promyslovka village, now the city of Fokino) , 358th (p. Vladimiro-Aleksandrovskoye), 364th (Vladimir and Olga bays) and 365th battalion in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bSovetskaya Gavan. The 13th Marine Brigade included the 74th, 75th, 76th, 77th, 78th Marine Battalions, as well as the 390th Machine Gun Battalion, the 138th Separate Reconnaissance Company and the 168th a separate company of anti-tank rifles. It is worth emphasizing - structurally, the marines of this period had a pronounced defensive orientation, because at that time the Soviet command did not plan any offensive operations in the Far East - there was no time for fat, the coast would be saved. In this form, the marines of the Pacific Fleet met their war - the Soviet-Japanese.

Battle for the Islands

For Marines of the Pacific Fleet fighting, which were conducted in August 1945, became the apotheosis of development, an exam for maturity and an example of courage and courage for future generations.

So the troops Soviet Union"received an order to cross the border."

August 16 to the western and southern part Sakhalin, from the ships of the North Pacific Flotilla, an amphibious assault was landed from the 365th Marine Battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel K.P. Tavkhutdinov. The passage of ships with landing troops on board through the Tatar Strait took place in the most difficult conditions of stormy weather and impenetrable fog. The disembarkation itself was carried out directly on the berths of the port and on the adjacent sandbar. Toro was cleared of the Japanese by the end of the day.

In development of the success of the first landing, the Soviet command decided to land the next amphibious assault in the port of Maoka (the modern name is Kholmsk). The landing, based on the experience of the operation already carried out in Toro, was carried out directly on the berths of the port. On August 20, the port was taken. Japanese losses amounted to more than 300 soldiers and officers killed, up to 600 captured. Fleeing from the destructive fire of the Soviet paratroopers, the samurai retreated deep into the island.

During the build-up of forces for the upcoming landing on Hokkaido, in Maoko from Vladivostok, among others, was transferred 357th rifle regiment 342nd Rifle Division. We will return to this regiment later. Remember it.

Marine Corps in Primorye. Photo: RIA PrimaMedia

After it became clear that the liberation of South Sakhalin was only a matter of time, the Soviet command turned its attention to the Kuriles. The first island from Kamchatka was Shumshu, which had the strongest Japanese garrison. The concept of the operation provided for a sudden landing with the task of seizing the bridgehead, ensuring the landing of the main landing forces and subsequently, violating the Japanese defense system, advancing on the islands of Paramushir, Onekotan and others.

At five o'clock in the evening on August 17, the convoy with the landing force on board left Avacha Bay for Shumshu Island. On August 18, at half past five in the morning in the northeastern part of Shumshu Island, the landing of an advanced landing detachment began. The Japanese coastal batteries, finding the landing force, opened heavy fire. Losing people under the deadly fire of the enemy, the forward detachment completed its immediate task - seized a bridgehead for the landing of the main landing forces. From Paramushir, the Japanese began to transfer reinforcements to Shumshu, complicating the position of our landing force. By the end of the day, the main landing force, at the cost of heavy losses, nevertheless landed on the island, and on the night of August 19, artillery units appeared on the bridgehead - this became possible after the defeat of the coastal batteries, which prevented the landing ships from approaching the coast. On August 22, having suffered a crushing defeat, the Japanese began to lay down their arms. The liberation of Shumshu Island was the decisive event of the entire Kuril landing operation - the occupation of the remaining islands did not require Soviet troops such tension.

The most important direction remained the Korean Peninsula, where the main forces of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet were turned. The main task of the fleet in this direction was to disrupt the evacuation of Japanese troops and material assets to Japan, which was achieved not only by the implementation of a sea and air blockade, but also by the capture of ports. The first such port was Yuki, which was closest to the Soviet border. The operation to capture it began on August 11 after two days of merciless bombing, which was carried out by assault and bomber regiments of the fleet aviation. At seven o'clock in the evening, the 140th reconnaissance detachment of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Senior Lieutenant Viktor Leonov landed in the port, which discovered the absence of the Japanese, who by that time had already left the port. The next day, ground troops entered the port, advancing along the coast. On the same day, Leonov's reconnaissance detachment moved to the port of Racine, which, like Yuki, was bombarded by the Soviet naval aviation. Here, after several minor skirmishes, the Japanese withdrew. The loss of the Japanese amounted to 277 people killed, while on our side there were no deaths on the coast. Inspired by such successes, the command of the Pacific Fleet decided to land the next landing - in the port of Seishin.

Marine Corps in Primorye. Photo: RIA PrimaMedia

On the afternoon of August 13, torpedo boats entered the port with scouts from the 140th detachment and a company of submachine gunners from the 13th Marine Brigade. They quickly took possession of the berthing facilities and advanced to the quarters adjacent to the port. The Japanese were stunned by such audacity of a small Soviet landing force and therefore, at first, they could not organize worthy resistance. However, by evening, the Japanese managed to cut off the landing force from the sea, as a result of which a critical situation immediately developed, threatening the death of the entire landing force. All night, the paratroopers fought off the attacks of the Japanese, saving ammunition. In the morning, the 355th battalion of marines, Major M.P. Barabolko, landed on the berths of the port, which immediately entered the city, but could not connect with the previously landed forces, and by evening it became clear to everyone that the critical situation remained. Only on the afternoon of August 15, the 13th Marine Brigade began to land in the port - about five thousand people. On August 16, the third echelon of landing troops landed, in which there were many guns, mortars, vehicles and tanks. After that, the resistance of the Japanese was finally broken. On August 17, the Japanese began to surrender en masse.

On August 14, among others, Masha Tsukanova, a battalion nurse, landed in Seishin as part of the 355th Marine Battalion. The girl, who was then only twenty years old, under enemy fire provided medical care wounded colleagues. Thanks to her exceptional courage, 52 wounded Marines not only received first aid, but were also evacuated from the battlefield! But it so happened that she was twice wounded and, unconscious, fell into the hands of the Japanese. Mocking the Soviet girl, the enemies stabbed her with knives, gouged out her eyes ... On September 14, 1945, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR "for the exemplary performance of command assignments on the front of the struggle against the Japanese imperialists and the courage and heroism shown at the same time," Red Army soldier Maria Nikitichna Tsukanova was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

After the capture of Seishin, the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral I.S. Yumashev, set the task of capturing the remaining important ports, control over which would make it impossible for the Japanese to evacuate. One of these ports was Joshin, where the 77th Battalion of the 13th Marine Brigade was landed on August 19. The battalion never met any resistance - it turned out that Joshin looked more like a fishing village than a port worthy of such high attention.

Landing at Genzan. Photo: Photo from the Pacific Fleet archive

On the morning of August 21, a reconnaissance detachment of Viktor Leonov was landed in the port of Genzan, and by lunchtime, units of the 13th Marine Brigade. Although the Japanese troops did not offer resistance, they also refused to talk about surrender - they were waiting for clear orders from their command. After tense negotiations between the commanders of the Japanese garrison and the leadership of the Soviet landing force, the outcome next day The Japanese began to surrender. As a result, about six thousand people capitulated.

Ups and downs

The war ended, and it would seem that it was necessary to live a peaceful life, but desires are one thing, and reality is another. In the autumn of 1945, immediately after the end of the Second World War, a new 15th Marine Brigade (second formation) was formed on Sakhalin, which included three battalions of Marines. A little later, the brigade will be reduced to a battalion - the 98th.

By November 26 of the same year, the 16th Marine Brigade was formed in Port Arthur, consisting of the 69th, 96th and 97th Marine Battalions.

But even this is not enough, and on January 19, 1946, another formation of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet is formed in Kamchatka - the 14th brigade (second formation), which included five battalions - the 79th, 80th, 81st, 82nd and battalion of submachine gunners.

It is clear that all this landing power was aimed at only one neighbor, with whom a peace treaty was never concluded. And it is obvious that the leadership of the USSR created conditions under which the negotiation process, or, as they say now, "political dialogue", would proceed more constructively under the pressure of several brigades of marines hanging over the islands of the metropolis.

True, in September 1947, the 13th Marine Guards Brigade was disbanded at the Pacific Fleet after it had been withdrawn from Korea. However, the process of improving the structure of the forces of the fleet did not end there, and on November 1, 1951, another brigade was formed on Russky Island - the 120th separate brigade as part of the 354th, 609th and 610th marine battalions.

Marine Corps in Primorye. Photo: RIA PrimaMedia

The next four years passed relatively quietly, but in 1955 a wave of massive layoffs swept through the fleet. In October, the 355th Guards Naval Infantry Battalion of the Shkotov Coastal Defense Sector was disbanded. In November, the 365th Guards Battalion in Sovetskaya Gavan and the 98th Battalion on Sakhalin go into oblivion. In December, the 364th battalion of the Vladimir-Olginskaya naval base and the 120th marine brigade on Russky Island will sink into oblivion, and finally the rout ends in July 1956, when the 14th brigade ceases to exist in Kamchatka.

For the next eight years, the USSR actually had no marines.

Modern look

Back in 1957, located on Sakhalin, the 342nd rifle division reorganized into the 56th motorized rifle division. Its 357th Rifle Regiment becomes the 390th Motorized Rifle Regiment. A little higher, I asked you to remember this regiment when the story was about how the 357th regiment in 1945 was transferred from Vladivostok to the port of Maoko on Sakhalin.

And now, by the directive of the main command ground forces OSH / 2 / 285110 dated July 19, 1963, the 390th motorized rifle regiment is withdrawn from the 56th motorized rifle division, transformed into the 390th separate regiment of marines and redeployed to locality Slavyanka in the south of Primorsky Krai. On Sakhalin, the regiment leaves all its heavy equipment with the exception of self-propelled anti-tank guns SU-100 and moves to a new "place of residence". Already in Slavyanka, the regiment was armed with BTR-60P amphibious armored personnel carriers and PT-76 amphibious tanks. Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Alekseevich Stepanov was appointed the first commander of the regiment.

Since 1967, on the basis of the 390th Marine Regiment and other units of the Pacific Fleet, a Marine Corps formation has been formed - the 55th Division.

Even marine units from other fleets were involved in the formation of the division. Thus, the 61st Marine Regiment of the Northern Fleet and the 336th Marine Regiment of the Baltic Fleet sent one company each to the Far East. As a result, by the end of 1968, the 55th Marine Division was formed. In the next forty years, it was the only division of the Marine Corps in the Armed Forces of the USSR.

The division received the 106th, 165th and 390th marine regiments, the 150th tank regiment, the 129th rocket artillery division, the 331st self-propelled artillery division, the 336th anti-aircraft artillery division, 509 1st separate airborne engineer battalion, 263rd reconnaissance battalion, 1484th communications battalion, 240th repair and restoration battalion, 82nd medical company, 68th automobile company, 5th company chemical protection and some other divisions.

The division began to carry out tasks for its intended purpose - combat service on the landing ships of the Pacific Fleet in different regions peace. In companies and battalions, marines spent many months away from their native shores, performing the most important tasks of command. Often, Marine Corps units directly participated in combat operations at the risk of their lives. For example, in 1969, units of the 1st Marine Battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel N. I. Nikolaenko, while on military service in Somalia, took important objects under their protection, which ensured the stability of the revolutionary government in a difficult political situation.

In total, the division completed 46 combat services, the longest of which lasted 14 months.

Soldiers of the 390th Marine Regiment in Ethiopia. Photo courtesy of the Museum of the Separate Marine Brigade in Ethiopia. Photo: Courtesy of the Museum of the Separate Marine Brigade

Soldiers of the 390th Marine Regiment in Ethiopia. Photo provided by the museum of a separate brigade of marines of the Pacific Fleet.

All this time, the process of improving the organizational and staff structure of the unit and the development of new forms and methods of warfare was going on. So, in 1970, the reconnaissance units of the division and one battalion of the 165th regiment began airborne training on an ongoing basis - the marines learned to parachute and land "assault" from helicopters. Later, the 1st battalion of the 165th regiment will be transformed into an air assault battalion and will become the real pride of the entire division.

In 1973, based on the results of a comprehensive inspection, the 390th Marine Regiment was awarded the challenge prize of the Civil Code of the Navy for the first place among the Navy units in tactical and fire training by Order of the High Command of the USSR Navy No. 0337 of November 30. This suggests that the marines of the Pacific Fleet were the BEST in the entire Soviet Navy!

Landing at Genzan. Photo: Photo from the Pacific Fleet archive

Large landing ship "Ivan Rogov" landing a landing craft on the water air cushion. Photo: Courtesy of the Museum of the Separate Marine Brigade

Firing from mortars "Vasilek" from the board of the large landing ship "Ivan Rogov". Photo: Courtesy of the Museum of the Separate Marine Brigade

In the late seventies and early eighties, artillery and anti-aircraft battalions were deployed into regiments, and, thus, the 921st artillery regiment and the 923rd anti-aircraft missile regiment appeared in the formation. Medrota became the 316th separate medical battalion, and the economic units were consolidated into the 398th material support battalion. How separate division the 1623rd anti-tank division appeared.

The division was armed with armored personnel carriers BTR-60 of various modifications, amphibious tanks PT-76, medium tanks T-55AM, combat vehicles BMP-1 infantry, 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, Grad multiple launch rocket systems, MT-12 Rapira anti-tank guns, ZSU-23-4 Shilka self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery mounts, anti-aircraft missile systems"OSA-AKM" and many other weapons.

Armored personnel carrier BTR-60P. Photo: Photo courtesy of the Museum of the Separate Marine Brigade

Amphibious tank PT-76. Photo: Courtesy of the author

Medium tank T-55AM. Photo: Photo courtesy of the Museum of the Separate Marine Brigade

Self-propelled howitzer "Carnation". Photo: Alexey Sukonkin

Anti-tank gun MT-12 "Rapier". Photo: Photo from the site "Arms"

Infantry fighting vehicle BMP-1. Photo: Alexey Sukonkin

Anti-aircraft missile system OSA-AKM. Photo: Courtesy of the Museum of the Separate Marine Brigade

Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun mount ZSU-23-4 "Shilka". Photo: Alexey Sukonkin

Self-propelled gun "Nona-SVK". Photo: provided by the press service of the Pacific Fleet

In the course of carrying out combat services, the marines had to carry out the tasks of evacuating Soviet citizens from various "hot spots". In particular, on November 20, 1977, the marines of the Pacific Fleet ensured the safe evacuation of Soviet specialists and equipment from Mogadishu (Somalia) aboard the large landing ship "50 years of patronage of the Komsomol", and a year later they ensured the evacuation of the advanced logistics base and communications center and Berbers (Somalia). Also in 1978, a marine company provided security for the evacuation of the Soviet embassy from the port of Massu in Ethiopia. In the eighties, the combined detachment of the 55th Marine Division carried out combat mission at the Cam Ranh Naval Base in Vietnam.

Although the Soviet marines worked in almost all corners of the world, the trouble came from where they did not expect ...

Restoring order in Chechnya

By 1994, the Marine Division, like all military units of that dashing time, was deprived of proper funding, support and replenishment. It was the time when the army was persecuted public opinion New Democrats, and the prestige of the service fell below the plinth. People quit en masse, looking for themselves in commerce or crime. The most ideological defenders of the Motherland remained in the service. And now trouble fell on their shoulders - after the first defeats Russian Army at the very beginning of the "operation to restore constitutional order in the Chechen Republic", an order came to the Pacific Fleet to prepare and send a regiment of marines to Chechnya.

Retired colonel says Sergey Kondratenko, chairman of the Vladivostok City Council of Veterans, at that time deputy commander of the 55th Marine Division.

Retired Colonel Sergei Kondratenko. Photo: Vasily Fedorchenko

The outcome of the case was decided not even by days, but literally hours, - says Sergey Konstantinovich. - We had to send a full-fledged regiment to Chechnya with all the means of reinforcement, conduct combat coordination of units, conduct company and battalion exercises. To replenish the 165th Regiment with personnel, we were allowed to take people from other units of the division and other parts of the fleet. With each arrival, the naval commission held a conversation, looked at what he was capable of - after all, it is clear that each unit did not give us its best specialists, but as often happens, "God, what is not good for us." We weeded out many people at the stage of selection according to moral criteria, according to health, due to personal unwillingness. Those who were enrolled in the regiment subsequently fully proved themselves as real fighters! The commander of the 165th regiment was Colonel Alexander Fedorov, the chief of staff of the regiment was Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Rytnikov, then he was replaced by Mikhail Pleshko. They armed the regiment as best they could, giving it the maximum possible firepower. Each battalion had artillery battery guns "Nona-SVK", an anti-aircraft platoon, later we introduced into each battalion a mortar platoon of three mortars of 82 mm caliber. They took everything with them - tents, stoves and even firewood! On January 13, 1995, we were already in Grozny. To say that there was a mess - it's to say nothing! The regiment was attached to the West group, commanded by General Babichev. And we went to the city - Khabarovskaya street, bus station, Chernorechye, Aldy. The conditions did not allow organizing a normal rest for people, plus, in January, we met with unusual wet weather. Feet are constantly wet, as a result, we had a lot of patients - people simply caught a cold. And at the same time, the regiment fought - constantly conducted assault operations, knocked out the enemy from the territory of the carbide plant. Later, I began to deal with the exchange of prisoners, the collection of weapons, and participated in negotiations with Aslan Maskhadov. At the end of April, the 106th regiment came to replace it, which, in addition to the Pacific, included battalions of the North Sea and the Baltic. The war in Chechnya took 63 lives from us...

After the city of Grozny, the 165th regiment moved south and proceeded to successively capture the heights that adjoined the city from the southeast. I again give the floor to Colonel Kondratenko:

These heights were strategic importance on the scale of the war in Chechnya and were the main natural obstacle hindering the advance of our troops from Grozny to the southeastern regions of Chechnya. In late January - early February, our command has already made an attempt to master these mountains. The battalion of the 245th motorized rifle regiment captured them, but the militants drove the battalion out of the mountains, while the motorized riflemen suffered heavy losses.

Our DShB was to advance on foot from the field camp into the mountains and capture the key heights of this mountainous-wooded massif. Each company was accompanied to the mountains and taken out by guides from the brigade special purpose Volga Military District, who secretly examined the area of ​​upcoming hostilities in advance.

Marine Corps in Primorye. Photo: RIA PrimaMedia

In the morning the sky was covered with clouds, it was overcast and damp. The air temperature was about zero degrees. By eleven o'clock in the afternoon, by the time the column of DSHB vehicles arrived at the field camp, a fine, tedious rain began to drizzle.

Coming off the equipment, the personnel of the company lined up along the ditch. In a short time, everyone got wet and, accordingly, froze. In some places the sailors tried to kindle fires, but the wet firewood did not burn well and therefore produced nothing but smoke. The personnel of the units, in anticipation of a long heavy march in the mountains, were lightly dressed. Some sailors even unfastened the warm linings from their winter uniforms, and some of the most dashing sailors wore only a mesh KZS over their summer uniforms. The sailors were loaded with ammunition to the limit. Even food in duffel bags often had no place, preference was given to cartridges and grenades.

At eleven o'clock, the second company went into the mountains, it was to capture heights 303.8 and 311.2 located 1-1.5 kilometers east of the village of Prigorodnoye. The second company, in order to get to these heights, had to go five kilometers. Then the first company went into the mountains, and after a while the third. The commander of the third company, Senior Lieutenant Oleg Tokarenko, before the company began to move, asked me, according to the tradition of paratroopers, to slap him on the shoulder - for good luck. I slapped him and said:

The company columns hid behind an electrical substation, located 500 meters from the field camp, and began to climb the mountains. The drizzle intensified, it was clear that over the mountains, which were to be captured by the units of the DShB, clouds were gathering stronger and stronger.

It was planned that after the companies, as soon as they occupied the near heights of the mountain range, we were to send the equipment of the units into the mountains. The armored personnel carriers were loaded with ammunition, food, warm clothes, tents and other equipment necessary for the units to fight and live in the mountains. After the subunits climbed through the pastures to the edge of the forest and disappeared from view, Major Zhivaev, the head of the engineering service of the regiment, followed them to reconnoitre routes for equipment. After a while he returned with disappointing news. Because of the rain, the soil on the slopes of the mountains became wet, and the steep country roads leading to the mountains became impassable for our armored personnel carriers. In addition, Zhivaev was unable to cross a deep ditch running parallel to the slope and dividing the mountain pasture into two parts. He also failed to get around this ditch.

This message from Major Zhivaev worried us very much, because it was clear that in the mountains the rain had turned into snow. From below we could clearly see how the mountains began to turn white. The battalion commander told us by radio that it was snowing in the mountains. We understood perfectly well what a drop in temperature meant for wet and lightly dressed sailors ...

Combat map of the 165th Marine Regiment of the Goyten Court height area. Photo: from the personal archive of Sergei Kondratenko

Mystic

Even before approaching the foot of the mountain, the first airborne assault company of the 165th Marine Regiment of the Pacific Fleet was caught by a cold rain. People who were dressed in light clothes due to the upcoming hard climb up a steep mountain were soaked through and chattered their teeth. Each was loaded with more than 20-25 kg of ammunition and weapons. Boys.

March 1995 Chechnya.

The head reconnaissance patrol went ahead, after which the officers began to raise people.

Climb! Why are we sitting? Forward!

The path went up. The rain has gone into wet snow. Everyone, without exception, was shaking from the cold, and salvation was only in motion. But movement also has a limit. They had been walking for more than ten hours, every minute expecting the start of a battle with Chechen fighters.

And when the company stopped for short halts, people simply fell and immediately fell asleep - from mortal fatigue, from prohibitive overloads. The officers raised the sailors - they had to go upstairs. To the top of the mountain.

And already almost at the very top, after ten hours of tiring ascent, one of the sailors did not get up.

They thought he didn't want to wake up.

The medical instructor beat him on the cheeks, then did artificial respiration and a direct heart massage ...

But it was all in vain. The guy died from a cardiac arrest - from a lethal overload ... in a war, after all, all deaths in their own way

December 1 marked the 45th anniversary of the formation of the 55th division - now the 155th Separate Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet.

The history of the 55th Marine Division is inextricably linked with history coastal troops Pacific Fleet, which dates back to 1806. At that time, the first naval company was formed in the port of Okhotsk, which lasted 11 years. The further development of the units of the "soldiers of the sea" dates back to the Soviet era

In 2009, the 55th Marine Division was reorganized into the 155th Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet.


The year 2013 was the most difficult and eventful year for the amphibious assault in terms of the volume of tasks performed. last decade. In the course of combat training, the Pacific Fleet marines made more than 4,500 training parachute jumps of varying complexity. About 300 drills and exercises were carried out, during which more than 400 live fire exercises were performed.


According to the command of the Pacific Fleet, the marines showed themselves well during the Russian-Chinese exercise "Naval Interaction - 2013", which took place this summer in the waters of Peter the Great Bay.
Naval units during a sudden inspection and large-scale exercises of the Pacific Fleet in July-September of this year. made an amphibious landing on the unequipped coast of Sakhalin Island. For the first time in recent history Russian servicemen of the formation from Primorye also landed on the islands of the Kuril chain.


The final episode of the maneuvers was the landing of sea and air assault forces on the coast of Providence Bay. On the coast of Chukotka, a counter battle was played between the marines of Kamchatka and Primorye.

MARINES OF THE PACIFIC FLEET PERFORMED LANDING ON THE COAST

The battalion-tactical exercise with live firing of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet took place at the Klerk amphibious assault range in South Primorye.

The fleet has noticeably intensified in recent times various exercises, and here you simply cannot do without the Marines
With the rise in alarm, a battalion tactical exercise (BTU) began with live firing of a separate airborne assault battalion of the Pacific Fleet marines.


On April 17, according to the introductory message, the air assault units at the location of the 155th Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet were suddenly raised and, after marching, boarded the landing ships and transport aircraft of the naval aviation of the fleet at the designated place.


the marines had to work out the tasks of breaking through the antiamphibious defense of a mock enemy from the air and sea, delivering simultaneous strikes against the defending forces from the sea and from the coast, and, of course, protecting the reclaimed coast.


Having reported to the command of the forces of the main landing force, they prepared a platform for the landing of an airborne tactical assault force of the advancing battalion of marines.


As part of the exercise, attack aircraft pilots on the SU-25SM "Rooks" were the first to work on the territory occupied by the enemy, who performed conditional bombing and attacking the landing site of tactical airborne assault.
The next episode according to the scenario of the exercise, the work of the reconnaissance and sabotage group of the Marine Corps was demonstrated. Fighters scouts on controlled parachute systems"Crossbow" descended from a three-kilometer height, planned exactly to the right place, destroying the enemy's stronghold.


The pilots easily distinguished the front line of the theater of operations, which the Marines marked with smoke. All targets were hit

Keeping in touch with the AN-26 naval aviation aircraft with paratroopers on board, they corrected their flight and guided the crews to the landing site. When the AN-26s lay down on a combat course, signal lights were lit on the landing site, identifying themselves and showing the strength and direction of the wind.

And white domes began to open in the sky. Having made several visits to Ana, having completed their task of delivering an airborne assault at the right time and place, the planes left for their airfield. And this is where it started...
As soon as the parachute was opened, the marines, still in the air, took out their personal weapons and fired at the enemy, who was trying to stop the landing. Having landed, the paratroopers, firing with combat "twos", hurried to the assembly point and occupied the defense, thus organizing the first stronghold of the advancing forces in the rear of the defending "enemy".
Meanwhile, KA-52 "alligators" appeared above the water's edge - the landing site army aviation, which simulated the application of artillery strikes and NARs in order to suppress the strongholds and firing points of a mock enemy for the successful landing of an already suitable amphibious assault.

Attack of the imaginary enemy from the air and sea, landing of units of the airborne assault battalion with live firing, firing of artillery and mortar crews. The final check of combat readiness of the marines of the 155th separate brigade of the Pacific Fleet took place at the amphibious assault range "Clerk".
On April 22, battalion tactical exercises of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet ended in South Primorye. All events were held as part of the final inspection of a separate 155th brigade of the Pacific Fleet marines.
The main goal of the past exercises is to work out the interaction of various units.

Everything is ready at the landing site, signal lights are on, observers are working,

Last preparations before landing, guidance of war paint ..

There is a first board, An-26 naval aviation of the Pacific Fleet

The first visits landed weapons, ammunition and equipment of the airborne tactical landing of the Marine Corps
in landing containers 82 mm mortars, and everything necessary for fighting in the rear of the "enemy"

An-26 with each entry into a limited area threw a dozen and a half marines, with such a wind, the main thing is to keep the accuracy of the landing ....

By the way, if you noticed the marines of the Pacific Fleet have switched to new D-10 systems for a year now ..

The radio operator of the landing commander is establishing communication ..

Marines rush to the assembly point, the first stage ...

The ANs continue to buzz overhead, continuing the air operation ..

Marines, observing the standards, are drawn to unit commanders ..

One of the tasks of the airborne assault of the marines was to suppress the firing points of the "enemy" from above, under the dome, still in the air - the marine was already a fighter in the air !!!
landing opens fire!!

To the place of collection of the mortar battery.

The doctor on duty will immediately treat a minor wound received during the landing

And in the sky domes, domes!!

A group of military engineers sappers goes to clean up!!

The motto of the marines is "WHERE WE ARE - TM POBEDA"

Landing boats deliver assault groups of sappers and engineering reconnaissance to the water's edge.

With them, the Germans are going to land.

Having captured the bridgehead, the advanced assault groups of the 40th infantry are preparing for the exit of the main forces of the amphibious assault.

Suitable for army aviation

In the meantime, ground attack aircraft covered the sky, ensuring the landing of amphibious assault forces

The ships have gone!!

On high-speed boats of the engineering obstacle group, they will jump ashore earlier than the main forces

Mi-8mt naval aviation, aiming .. hung on two points of support "Afghan"

Flamethrowers join the fight

officially..
The formation of the Pacific Fleet marines was unexpectedly alerted and advanced to the concentration area for loading onto landing ships and their subsequent transfer to a given area for amphibious landing.
During the BTU, the “black berets” worked out the issues of breaking through the antiamphibious defense of a mock enemy with simultaneous strikes against the defending forces from the sea and coast, as well as holding the captured section of the coast.
This time, the maneuvers had several features at once. The main one - "black berets" landed on the bridgehead not only with landing ships. One of the airborne assault companies and a mortar battery landed on the coast from the air by parachute. It was they who were the first to strike in the rear of the mock enemy and, having entrenched themselves, created a stronghold there.
The first episode of the exercises was the landing of tactical airborne troops from military transport aircraft of naval aviation of the Pacific Fleet AN-26 for operations in the rear of the defending "enemy".
Another feature of these exercises was the participation of front-line assault and army aviation. All this time, the naval paratroopers were supported by Su-25 attack aircraft, the landing of the amphibious assault was covered by Ka-52 Alligator helicopters
Colonel Andrey Borodin, head of the coastal forces of the Pacific Fleet, says: “During the exercises, the most difficult stage of amphibious assault operations was worked out - the battle for landing. The DShB of the 155th brigade was part of the air-sea assault detachment and carried out the tasks of capturing the landing point, the landing bridgehead. The battalion completed the task with a "good" rating.
The most colorful part of the exercises is the landing of marines from landing ships afloat. It was carried out with the support of warships and support vessels, aircraft and helicopters of military transport, army and attack aviation.
During the exercises, the most difficult stage of amphibious operations, the landing battle, was worked out. The servicemen of the brigade subdivision passed control classes in the main subjects of education. During the command and staff training, the brigade was rated "good" by the management of the brigade. This battalion-tactical exercise is the crown winter period learning.

Location of events

I think I won’t be mistaken if I classify Colonel Kondratenko (we have known him for more than a year) as the type of Russian officer-intellectual that we know from Lermontov and Tolstoy, Arseniev and Gumilyov. From January to May 1995, Kondratenko was in Chechnya with the 165th Marine Regiment of the Pacific Fleet and kept a diary there, recording by the day, and sometimes by the minute, what was happening around. I hope someday these notes will be published, although Sergei Konstantinovich himself believes that the time has not yet come to speak aloud about everything.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the start of the war in Chechnya, Sergei Kondratenko and my colleague, Chief Editor"New in Vladivostok" Andrey Ostrovsky has already published the fourth edition of the Book of Memory of the Primorsky Territory, where all the Primorsky people who died in the North Caucasus over the years (and those called up from Primorye) are named. New names were entered into each reprint, each time hoping that these additions were the last.

The conversation, the reason for which was this non-holiday anniversary, I will preface brief reference. Sergei Kondratenko was born in 1950 in Khabarovsk, graduated from the Far Eastern Higher School of Education in Blagoveshchensk. From 1972 to 2001, he served in a division (now a brigade) of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet, having retired from the post of deputy division commander. Later he led the regional search and rescue service, headed the organization of veterans of local wars "Contingent", now he is the chairman of the council of veterans of Vladivostok. He was awarded the Order of Courage and "For Military Merit".

The Pacific in the Caucasus: "Everything was learned on the spot"

Sergei Konstantinovich, all your life you have been studying and teaching others to fight, and with an external enemy. Remember, they told me how, as a cadet of the Far Eastern Military District in March 1969, during the battles on Damansky, you occupied positions in Blagoveshchensk on the Amur embankment ... Then it worked out. And the marines were not sent to Afghanistan. You had to fight only a quarter of a century later - already a mature man, a colonel. Moreover, the war broke out on the territory of our own country ...

Yes, many of us in the marines wrote reports, asked to be sent to Afghanistan, but we were told: you have your own combat mission. But, by the way, then our landing groups were constantly on ships in the Persian Gulf ...

June 1995 Sergei Kondratenko after returning from Chechnya

When we arrived in Chechnya, saw the destroyed Grozny, talked to civilians, we realized that there really was a genocide of the Russian population. Not only Russians spoke about this, but also the Chechens themselves, especially the old people, and we ourselves saw it all. True, some said that we should not have interfered - they themselves, they say, would have figured it out. I don't know... Another thing is that the decision to send troops was hasty, that's 100 percent.

As the division's deputy commander, I was appointed chief of the division's task force. This group is created for the convenience of control when the regiment operates at a distance from the division. Its commander was in charge of the regiment itself, and I was the first to “jump out” to the rear area, to Grozny, agreed with the Baltic Marines to transfer the tent camp to us ... During the hostilities, I ensured the interaction between the “regiment - grouping”. Then he took over the exchange of prisoners, the collection of weapons from the population. I traveled through departments. If some kind of emergency, skirmish, death, always jumped out, sorted it out on the spot. On February 18, I received a barotrauma - four of our comrades died in battle that day ... In general, I did not sit idle.

- When did you find out that you were going to fly to the Caucasus?

The fighting in Chechnya began on December 11, 1994, and on December 22, I came back from vacation and found out that a directive had come: to complete the 165th regiment to wartime states and conduct combat coordination - we have such an expression, the computer emphasizes this word. It was clear that they were preparing for Chechnya, but then I thought: just in case, the reserve is not the first echelon ... They began to give us people from ships and parts of the fleet. Of these, 50 percent were eliminated, if not more. Firstly, this is an old army tradition: they always give the very “best”. Secondly, they did not take anyone who said: "I will not go." Or if there are health problems.

At the Bamburovo and Clerk training grounds, we managed to carry out almost everything that was supposed to be done: shooting, driving ... On January 10, when it became clear that the New Year's assault on Grozny had failed, we were given the command to go to Chechnya.

- Shooting, driving - it's clear, but was the preparation of another plan? Let's say cultural?

This just did not happen, and this is a huge omission. Everything had to be found out on the spot. I loved history, but I still did not know much when I went to the first negotiations with the Chechens. At a meeting with the inhabitants of Belgatoy, an old man comes out and hugs me. I was confused at first. And then it was like that all the time - hugging a man who could kill me in half an hour. It is so customary there - the elder hugs the elder.

- What were the “black berets” not ready for?

You know, the general impression is this: we were taught one thing, but there everything was different. We did not expect much, starting with the mud and mess and ending with the use of units. Learned on the go.

- Among you were combatants?

The commander of the 165th regiment, Colonel Alexander Fedorov, commanded in Afghanistan motorized rifle battalion and applied this combat experience. In general, our percentage of losses was the lowest. Including because we were understaffed mainly at the expense of our own. I knew all the officers of the regiment from company commanders and above, many platoon officers. Few of the officers were outside. We were given people from ships and parts of the fleet, but the Marines were still the basis.

In general, the marines were well prepared. About a third of our dead are non-combat losses, but in the same 245th regiment (the 245th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Moscow Military District, replenished by the Far East. - Ed.), non-combat losses amounted to more than half. "Friendly fire" has been and will be in all wars, but much depends on the organization. In the same Book of Memory, we did not always write exactly how a person died. You can’t tell his parents that, for example, he took drugs ... And there all the vices of a citizen crawl out. In general, in war the threshold of legality is lowered. A man walks with a machine gun, his finger is on the trigger, if he doesn’t shoot first, they will shoot at him ...

- Did the Marines have any special tasks?

No, they were used as regular infantry. True, when we "forced" Sunzha, our PTS participated there - a floating conveyor. We joked: the marines are used for their combat mission!

First fight: “I could have died three times that day”

- Could you imagine then how long all this will drag on, what will result in?

On January 19, when Dudayev's palace was taken, Yeltsin announced that the military stage of restoring the operation of the Russian Constitution in Chechnya had been completed. Just in time for this date, our regiment concentrated in the rear area not far from Grozny. After reading the newspaper "Krasnaya Zvezda" of January 21, in which this statement of the President was published, I thought: fir-trees-sticks, what the hell were we being dragged from Far East?.. And on the night of January 21-22, the second battalion of the 165th regiment was brought into battle, and already
On January 22, Senior Lieutenant Maxim Rusakov died.

- The first loss of the marines of the Pacific Fleet ...

When this battle began (the battalion fought, the sailor was wounded), I immediately "jumped" into place. Not only because of the wounded: our communication was lost, interaction was lost, panic began - all this is called the first battle ... I took with me an engineer, a medic, a signalman, spare batteries for the radio station, and ammunition. We went to the carbide plant, where the units of the second battalion were located. This is Khabarovskaya street - my "native" street. And I almost flew in there - I could have died three times on this first exit. We were given a ten-page card, but we didn’t work with such cards, and I couldn’t “get it” into it. We walked on two armored personnel carriers along Khabarovsk, jumped out to the bridge over the Sunzha, but the bridge was not visible - it was blown up, and it caved in, sank. The spirits placed blocks in front of the bridge. I look through the triplex - nothing is clear, black figures are rushing about with weapons, obviously not our sailors ... We stopped and stood there for a minute or two. If they had a grenade launcher - write wasted. I look around - on the left there is some enterprise, on the pipe - a sickle and a hammer. And they told me at the headquarters of the group: a pipe with a sickle and a hammer is “carbide”. I look - the gates are opening, a figure in camouflage is waving. We jumped in there. The second point: when we drove into the yard, I drove along the wire from MON-200 - directional mines. But it did not explode - ours set a mine for the first time, the tension was weak. And when we passed there, I already opened the hatch, leaned out. It would have been severely cut - it would not have pierced the armor, but the wheels would have been damaged and the head blown off ... And the third. We drove into the yard of the carbide plant, took the wounded away, but there was no other way out. I realized that the spirits had driven us into a mousetrap and would not let us out just like that. Then I drove the armored personnel carriers to the far corner of the yard in order to disperse them as much as possible, turned the KPVT barrels to the left and ordered them to shoot from the left loopholes. I jumped out, they did not have time to shoot at us from a grenade launcher. A second armored personnel carrier immediately followed us. They fired at him, but because of the high speed of the grenade passed by. At this time, Rusakov looked out from behind the gate, and a grenade hit him ... We learned about his death after arriving at command post shelf. When it got dark, I again went to the positions of the second battalion. We managed to take out the body of Maxim only at night - the militants held the gates of the plant at gunpoint.

Ruined Grozny

I drank a glass that evening, I remembered that my patron was Sergius of Radonezh. I decided that I had chosen my limit: it flew by three times, which means it won’t kill me anymore. But he drew conclusions. And then in such cases I always analyzed and predicted.

- By the way, is “spirits” an Afghan word?

Yes, from Afghanistan, but we used it. "Bandits" - no one said. And the "Czechs" - it's already gone.

- How was life organized? What was the mood like? Were you sick?

At first it was hard - and accommodation, and food, and heating. Then people got used to it. At first, there was lice, and then baths were set up in each unit: in tents, dugouts, wagons ... Morale - at first it was very difficult, I even wonder how the sailors withstood it. After all, I was already 44 years old, I had service experience, physical training, but it was also difficult. And for the sailors... During the battle, everyone cursed terribly - they just talked obscenities during this stressful period. Then they got used to it.

At first, I had a lot of colds. The mud was terrible, it was cold, and they also sent us rubber boots ... We then threw them away. Second - skin diseases. But then they screwed up again. At first I got sick myself, I lay in bed for a day, and then, no matter how much I dangled - my legs were wet, cold, - there was nothing, not even snot.

- Did the locals complain about your fighters?

It was like that, I had to sort it all out. There was a case - after the death of senior lieutenant Skomorokhov, the guys took five drops in the evening, and the Chechens violated the curfew: movement after 18 hours was prohibited, and here a man and a young guy were driving a tractor. The man ran away, and the guy got under a hot hand - ours slapped him. The next day - booze. I understood that the Chechens had also violated, but still it was impossible to touch them ... I went to the elder - this guy's uncle, and asked for forgiveness. He offered to gather the residents, he was ready to publicly apologize, but they told me: no, you asked for forgiveness - in an hour the whole village will know.

- What were the militants armed with besides small arms? How were they with tactical literacy?

I personally once was under fire from an 82-mm mortar - a great car! Another time, I came under fire from the Grad - they poured about half a package somewhere, since there were no dead. There was an anecdote - a sailor-signaller was hiding from the "Grad" in a tent ... Then they forced everyone to dig in.

The militants knew the area well. And then, ours changed, and those remained in place. Those who survived were very well prepared. They had assertiveness, impudence... We couldn't change people like that - they come unfired, not knowing the situation... There was a sad experience with the commissioning of the 9th company, which at first remained in Mozdok at the command post of the grouping, performed commandant functions. After that, we made it a rule: an officer comes to replace him - let him first sit, listen, grow into the situation. I know this from my own experience - I couldn’t even “get it” into the map right off the bat. Or the same triplex - you can't see anything through it. Then it's always - the hatch is open, you look. If the situation is very disturbing, you look into the gap between the hatch and the armor. When I went to the first exit - I put on a helmet, a bulletproof vest ... As a result, I could not climb an armored personnel carrier - the sailors pushed me like a medieval knight! It’s somewhere on the block you can sit in a bulletproof vest ... On January 22, I put on a bulletproof vest and a helmet for the first and last time and I don’t regret it. All comes with experience.

War and Peace: “Maskhadov even invited me to visit”

- The military were dissatisfied with the February truce ...

We considered such a decision inappropriate. The initiative was on the side of our troops, and by this time Grozny was completely controlled by us. Peaceful respite was beneficial only to the militants.

During that period, I met a lot with local residents and militants. He was engaged in the collection of weapons in the villages of Belgatoy and Germenchuk, carried out the exchange of prisoners.

- I had to become a diplomat... Later you supported Troshev's negotiations with Maskhadov - how did they go?

Maskhadov's talks with Major-General Troshev, commander of the grouping of our troops in Chechnya, took place on April 28 in Novye Atagi, in the house of a local resident. At first, field commander Isa Madaev and I discussed the details. Already on the day of the negotiations, security was provided. On the other side were Aslan Maskhadov and his assistant Isa Madaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Dudayev's government Lom-Ali (I don't remember his last name), Shamil Basaev's elder brother Shirvani Basaev. Our side was represented by General Troshev, lieutenant colonel of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the captain of the FSB and myself.

Negotiations in Novye Atagi. Center - Isa Madaev, Gennady Troshev, Aslan Maskhadov.Photo from the archive of S.K. Kondratenko

Troshev came in a camouflage cap, and Maskhadov in an astrakhan cap. Troshev asks: “Aslan, why haven’t you switched to a summer uniform yet?” He replies: "And I am like Makhmud Esambaev." There was no firmness in Maskhadov's behavior, he looked unsure of himself - then they were pressed down ... Troshev clearly dominated - he joked, behaved assertively. Maskhadov understood that he was in a losing position, but his own people would not understand him if he accepted our conditions. Therefore, the main goals of the negotiations were not achieved (they wanted us to withdraw our troops, we wanted them to disarm). On the other hand, they agreed on the release of the bodies of the dead, on the exchange of prisoners. Maskhadov even invited me to visit. I told General Babichev, the commander of the Zapad group, about this, and he said: “Don’t even think about it.” Although I am sure that if I went there with Isa Madaev, everything would be fine.

In your notes you call the Khasavyurt peace shameful and tantamount to capitulation. And the second war - could you do without it?

I don't think so. First, we left our prisoners and dead there. Secondly, Chechnya has turned into a real hotbed of banditry. All these former "brigadier generals" carried out raids on the surrounding territories. Dagestan in 1999 was the last straw.

May 5, 1995, Knevichi, return from Chechnya. Left: Governor of Primorye Yevgeny Nazdratenko

As for the first war, I think it could have been avoided. In the same Ingushetia, it was also on the verge, but Ruslan Aushev (President of Ingushetia in 1993-2002 - Ed.) was awarded the rank of lieutenant general and so on. It was possible to agree with Dudayev.

The war itself does not start. And it is not the military who start it, but the politicians. But if the war starts, let the professionals, the military, deal with the war, and not in such a way that they fought, then stop - they kissed, then start again ... The most important thing is that the deaths of people could have been prevented, it was not necessary to bring to such a conflict. The war in Chechnya is the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. And what is happening now in Ukraine has the same roots.