Spetsnaz-elite - this is what they say about the GRU, which does not formally exist. Until 2018, the main body foreign intelligence was called the Main Directorate of the General Staff. In November 2018, V. Putin proposed to return the name of the Main Intelligence Directorate. The GRU differs from other law enforcement agencies in its actions without publicity, and anywhere in the world.

Scouts of the times of Tsarist Russia

Army special forces work without fuss. Information leaked to the media means the failure of the operation. The abbreviation is currently used by journalists and official prosecutors. There are well-founded historical prerequisites for this.

It is known that Ivan the Terrible, back in the 17th century, organized a guard service of the strongest Cossacks, excellently handling all types of weapons. They watched the "Wild Field" and prevented the actions of the Nogais and Tatars. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich formed the Secret Order - an intelligence unit for collecting military information about foreign enemies.

Special purpose units were also created in 1764 according to the designs of A. Suvorov and M. Kutuzov. Chasseur detachments underwent tactical and military training, were involved in sieges and raids on the enemy.

In 1811, a separate corps of internal guards was formed. The task of the fighters was to protect and restore internal order in imperial Russia. Alexander I contributed to the creation of a cavalry rapid reaction detachment, which included gendarmes. In 1842, the Plastun Cossack battalions appeared, which became the forerunners of modern military intelligence.

Special forces in the XX century

The beginning of the appearance of the GRU on the territory of modern Russia can be considered the twentieth century. After the revolution in 1917, the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs, or GUSHK, was formed. In 1918, intelligence units and units of the Cheka were created, in the 30s - detachments of saboteurs and airborne assault.

Representatives of military intelligence engaged in espionage, sabotage, disrupted communications, transport, enemy power lines, fought terror. The personnel were completely classified, they were trained according to individual programs, they were supplied with the latest weapons at that time.

The official name - the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Red Army units received in February 1942.

In 1953, the units were massively reduced, but in 1957 they formed 5 separate special forces companies and in 1962 they added the remnants of the old ones to them. Professional intelligence officers began their specialized training in 1968.

The first training regiment of special forces appeared in 1968 near Pskov, the second - in 1970 near Tashkent. Initially, the fighters were trained to confront the NATO bloc, and the main enemy of the USSR - the United States. Intelligence officials collected information in the rear, handed it over to management, engaged in sabotage, created panic, and destroyed infrastructure. The emphasis was on enemy weapons of mass destruction - missile silos, launchers, strategic aviation locations, submarine bases.

For the 1990s The department was called the Main Directorate, in 2010 it was renamed the Main Directorate of the General Staff, in 2018 - the GRU.

Today, the priority tasks of the department are undercover intelligence, collection of cyberdata, information warfare, cooperation with political forces and leaders of other countries.

Interesting! According to unconfirmed reports, special forces took part in the DRA wars, campaigns in Georgia, Tajikistan, and Syria.

What is the difference between the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and the GRU

The difference between foreign military intelligence and the GRU can only be determined by representatives of departments. As the leadership of the Foreign Intelligence Service reported, the Grushniks conduct military intelligence, and the Foreign Service conducts political intelligence. The common features of organizations are the absolute secrecy of actions and the protection of their state secrets.

The methods of operations and how the training is going on in the SVR became known from the book of the defector S. Tretyakov. He notes that in the SVR they were trained to gradually bring the source to cooperation, use portable equipment, intercept conversations, and quickly invent a legend. At the time of the collapse of the USSR, Tretyakov worked in the United States, in the building of the Russian representative office of the UN in Manhattan.

Scouts and cryptographers worked in the "submarine" - on the upper floors, poured into everyday life Americans under new identities. They were employed in US government organizations.

Important! The main goal of the SVR is the political processes in the world.

Headquarters

The location of the old headquarters of "Steklyashki" - Moscow, house number 76, going deep into the quarter on Khoroshevskoye highway near Khodynskoye field. The new headquarters in the form of a complex of buildings with a situational center, a control room, a gym and a swimming pool was finally completed in 2006. It is located on st. Grizodubova.

View of the GRU headquarters on Khoroshevskoe shosse in Moscow

Main Intelligence Directorate today

At the moment, the Russian parts of the GRU are part of a special body of the Ministry of Defense. The department is engaged in searching for and providing the government with intelligence, creating conditions for successful political processes. The department provides support to the economic, military-technical spheres.

The composition of the GRU is represented by 13 main departments, 8 auxiliary, educational institutions and research institutes. The main departments No. 1-No. 4 are engaged in interaction with the countries of the world. Department No. 5 - conducting operational intelligence, No. 6 - radio engineering, No. 7 - resolving issues with NATO. The remaining parts of the department - sabotage, the development of military technology, nuclear weapons control, information warfare, strategic doctrines.

Special Forces training takes place in:

• Military Academy of the Ministry of Defense (Moscow). "Conservatory" produces officers at 3 faculties. At the first stage, “jackets” (illegal immigrants and officers) are trained, who work under diplomatic cover and are recruiting. On the second - military attaches, on the third - officers-heads of operations outside of Russia;
• Cherepovets Higher Military School - specialists in cybersecurity and information warfare;
• Military Space Academy. Mozhaisky - hackers specializing in cyberattacks.

It is authentically known about several research institutes cooperating with the GRU:

• The 6th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense, or the Pentagon - the most informed people of the GRU are members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and are engaged in the study of the military power of foreign countries;
• Special Development Center - analysis of exploits for vulnerabilities. Level 3 data-clearers always notify the government when traveling abroad;
• the 85th main center of the special services, or Khamovniki barracks - the place of work of hackers and cryptographers-decoders;
• Day-to-Day Operations Control Center - the Novator business center is officially located on this site - the US reports that hackers involved in the attack on the Democratic Party (2016) worked here;
• 18th Central Research Institute - development of radio electronics;
• Sovinformsputnik is a space intelligence department that took pictures of Area 51 in the United States in 2000.

Interesting! To recruit students, the Center for Special Development often organizes cybersecurity competitions among school and university students.

The structure and composition of the GRU special forces

There is the most information about the elite special forces - one of the parts of the GRU. After the reform of 2010, the department was transferred to the military districts and parts of the Airborne Forces. At the moment, the GRU special forces brigades belong to the Special Operations Forces of the MTR with the main base in Kubinka.

To date, several special forces units are known:

1. 2nd scanned brigade of the ZVO - consists of management units, a school of junior specialists, a special radio communications detachment and separate special response detachments. The unit, which the military calls "Parachutik" is located in Pskov.
2. 3rd Guards separate brigade- belongs to the Central Military District, but there is information that it was disbanded.
3. 10th Mountain Separate Brigade - part of the North Caucasian Military District, deployed in the village. Molpino (Krasnodar Territory).
4. 14th brigade (separate) - formed in January 1963, is part of the Far Eastern Military District. Structural parts are located on the territory of Khabarovsk, Ussuriysk, Matveevka, Belogorsk. The personnel participated in 2 Chechen campaigns. In 2019, it received the name "Guards".
5. 16th Special Purpose Brigade - established in 1963, part of the Western Military District. She went through the war in Chechnya, peacekeeping operations, was engaged in the protection of strategic facilities in Tajikistan.
6. 22nd Guards Separate Brigade - received its name after the end of World War II, but was fully formed in 1976. Become a member of the Southern Military District.
7. 24th separate brigade - is part of the Central Military District. Fighters - participants in the war in Afghanistan and campaigns in the North Caucasus.
8. 346th brigade (separate) - until 2012, it was stationed in Prokhladny, Kabardino-Balkaria, then transferred to the Central Military District. In 2013, it received the name "Guards motorized rifle". Consists of 3 military units.
9. 25th Separate Special Purpose Regiment - located in Stavropol, initially provided security for the Sochi Olympics (2014). Included in the Southern Military District, engaged in border protection, search and destruction of illegal armed groups.

The GRU also operates 4 maritime reconnaissance points of the Black Sea, Northern, Pacific and Baltic Fleets.

What is the total population?

In total, the composition of military formations and units varies. Sources give figures of 6-15 thousand people. The GRU is also subordinate to combined arms formations, and these are 25 thousand people. About 10,000 fighters work in special forces brigades and maritime posts.

How are GRU officers selected?

The main condition under which an ordinary fighter becomes an employee of the GRU is to serve in the army. Students for training at the "Conservatory" are mainly recruited from educational institutions in Cherepovets and Ryazan, but often teachers come to all military units of the country.

Priority is given to warrant officers and officers under 28 years of age and with excellent physical health, higher education and recommendations from the leadership of the military unit. Candidates are recruited on personal matters, on the basis of conversations at home. Only then are future scouts invited to Moscow.

The selection to the GRU is competitive. Candidates take a test for knowledge of a foreign language, psychological and physical indicators.

Interesting! At interviews, photo portraits are often shown, and a person must remember the name of everyone. Often asked about preferences in alcohol, relationships with the opposite sex.

Physical check

Taking into account the fact that scouts travel tens of kilometers during raids, carry weapons and ammunition, candidates pass the standards. The required minimum includes:

• cross 3 km - 10 minutes;
• pull-ups - 25 times;
• hundred meters - 12 sec;
• bench press - 90 times;
• press - 90 times / 2 min;
• hand-to-hand combat.

After the standards, the psychological health of future fighters is checked. The psychologist checks them for stress resistance, intelligence, attentiveness, analytical skills. Often a person is tested on a polygraph (lie detector).

Important! All relatives will be checked, and parents give written consent to the service of the applicant.

What are the specialties of the GRU officers?

SWAT equipment

Most often, Grushniks work as "jackets" - they are engaged in recruiting people and collecting data under the diplomatic cover of secretaries, ambassadors, and advisers. The second popular occupation is special forces (heads of operations, ordinary fighters).

Scouts are also organizers of sabotage, information war, hackers, cryptographers, cryptographers, serve in the cybertroops, engage in trolling (for example, accusations of Russian intelligence officers of interfering in the US presidential election). A relatively “peaceful” position is a military attache.

What does the service do?

Management in their activities are guided by Art. 5 of the Law "On Foreign Intelligence". The official website of the Ministry of Defense says that the troops in the GRU are engaged in:

• providing the country's leadership with information that allows them to make decisions in the political, economic, scientific-defense, technical and environmental fields;
• creating the conditions for a secure defense and defense policy;
• promoting the development of the Russian Federation as a state.

In fact, representatives of the department are involved in:

• organization and implementation of military intelligence;
• elimination of funds nuclear strikes;
• search for military formations;
• conducting operations behind enemy lines;
• organization and implementation of sabotage;
• the formation of insurgent and partisan groups on enemy territory;
• the fight against terrorists, the neutralization of saboteurs.

Also, GRU officers can interfere with radio lines, carry out cyber attacks, introduce convincing misleading information, disrupt power supply, and eliminate important traffic intersections. Intelligence officers also reveal threats to the national interests and military security of the Russian Federation, using overt and covert methods for this.

Interesting! Foreign media accuse Russian Grushniks of military and state unrest.

How dangerous is it to work in intelligence

Some people die under mysterious circumstances:

• S. Tretyakov, who asked for political asylum from the United States, died in 2010 in a restaurant, because he choked on meat;
• Deputy head of the GRU Yu. Ivanov died during a business trip in Syria;
• defector E. Toporov died of electric shock in the bathroom;
• A. Lomanov, head of the service, was hit by a car;
• I. Sergun, the head of the department, died suddenly of a heart attack.

The greatest danger for scouts is the information they possess and the methods of obtaining it. Special forces can die from a bullet in battle or during interrogation. They occasionally become prisoners of war. "Legend" needs to be maintained for years.

What happens to former spies

Throughout their careers, GRU officers work with state secrets and acquire excellent combat skills. There are various examples of the life of representatives of the department after retirement.

Criminal activity

It is known that in the 1990s, former intelligence officers organized bombings and kidnappings. In 2005, former ensign Yu. Kolchin was convicted for the murder of deputy G. Starovoitova. Colonel V. Kvachkov organized an assassination attempt on A. Chubais, prepared an armed rebellion and terrorist attacks.

New positions

The people expelled from the United States with Anna Chapman in 2010 began to work as managers of the Transneft and Rosneft companies. V. Frolov, who recruited agent Robert Hanssen, planned to work at Izvestia, but eventually became an expert in relations between Russia and the United States. He also writes books, publishes in the Republic, and is described by The New York Times as a "prominent international pundit".

The special forces brigades of the GRU and other divisions of the department work on the principle of a “fight club”. No matter how much journalists try to expose the employees of the Russian intelligence service or look for data on its operations, this is problematic. The activities of the GRU are a state secret, for the disclosure of which there is criminal liability.

How to get into the GRU special forces? This question does not allow many boys to sleep peacefully who dream of being on a par with men in military uniform. The guys are interested in what they should prepare themselves for, what qualities they need to develop in order to enter intelligence.

Would you like to know how to get to serve in the GRU? Then read this article to the end. But let's say right away that you should not look for easy ways and hope for concessions. Service in intelligence is a very serious matter. The main enemy on the way to your dream will be banal laziness, and hard work will be your ally.

Story

The Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) dates back to 1918. In the interests of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the GRU is engaged in all types of intelligence - electronic, space and undercover. The budget and size of the organization are classified.

The GRU special forces (how to get there - read below) was created in 1950. Several main tasks were set before the department: reconnaissance behind enemy lines, the destruction of terrorists, sabotage and counterintelligence. The GRU special forces units had a huge impact on the course of the Afghan and Chechen wars. At present, the GRU is the most closed and probably the most combat-ready unit Russian army.

How to get into the GRU?

The most important thing to do is to serve in the army. Otherwise, the path to the special forces is closed. And if you want to get into the GRU, then you will have to achieve some success in the service. Sometimes upon admission to this unit they require maroon beret. Familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for a candidate for service in the GRU.

Primary requirements

1. Ensigns or officers are taken to special forces. The former should have at least a secondary education, while the latter should have a higher education.
2. Preference is given to candidates who are (or have completed) training at the Faculty of Special Forces.
3. Applicant must be at least 175cm tall. However, the lack of this parameter can be compensated by some professional qualities.
4. The age of the candidate is not more than 28 years. Fighters wishing to transfer from other units are considered separately.
5. A huge plus would be the recommendation of a paratrooper who served in the GRU.

Five main qualities of a special forces officer. Caution

Intelligence has the right to select soldiers from any army unit. The very first question that candidates are asked is: “Why are you joining the special forces?” Applicants who do not know how to get into the GRU most often answer: “To become a Hero of Russia!” These are not selected. Of course, they will become heroes, but posthumously. At the same time, they will take the lives of their colleagues. Recklessness is certainly needed, but only if the enemy pressed you against the wall. Then you can take the machine gun and shout "Hurrah!" run to the enemy. Victory, from the point of view of the GRU commando, is if you followed the order and returned alive.

When a soldier enters the special forces, from the first days they put in his head the installation: “You are the coolest!” This is an important feature psychological preparation. And you need to believe in it! If you can’t believe it, you can forget about what the GRU special forces are, how to get to serve in this department, etc. You will simply be transferred to ordinary infantry.

The paratrooper runs and shoots around the clock. At the same time, he is periodically beaten on the sly. But do not confuse this with hazing. Commanders specifically make enemy territory out of the barracks. They can come up and give a crack, throw a noose around the neck or mine the bed. All this is done with one goal: to force the commando to remain in a state of constant combat readiness. After six months of service, the soldier’s eyes “grow” at the back of his head, and he sleeps so sensitively that he wakes up at one glance in his direction.

Endurance

Advice on how to get into the GRU special forces, successfully pass the selection and interview, etc., will be useless if the fighter is not distinguished by endurance. After all, the paratrooper is helped to survive by his legs. Why? Because if the reconnaissance group is spotted, then it will be caught up and destroyed in about 6 hours. When the commando is exhausted and can no longer run, he stays in place to cover his comrades.

Endurance will be needed in the learning process. Indeed, in the first month, a fighter is allowed to sleep only 4 hours a day. The other 20 he works hard. Getting up at 6 am, then water procedures, stretching and jogging with a satchel on my back. During the run, the commander can give additional tasks: shooting, transition to the goose step, crawling, etc. After the run - hand-to-hand combat, physical training and combat tactics. And so every day.

In the GRU special forces, the stability of the psyche and the endurance of a fighter are tested "at the races." It looks like this. A group of soldiers are sent to the forest for a week without provisions. The commanders periodically chase this group, not letting anyone sleep. This continues until vomiting, loss of consciousness and other unhappy things. All those who did not pass the test are sent to combat troops. A lot of people are weeded out. Races are held every 6 months and are a kind of exam "for lice".

Determination

He trains very well during hand-to-hand combat. They put protection on the soldier and put a stronger opponent against him. This is how the determination to go to the end is formed and the fighting character is tempered. And this is not a banal beating. The paratrooper is given the opportunity to defend himself. Anyone who does not do this and surrenders is sent to serve in other troops.

Decisiveness is also trained through a series of "insolence exercises." For example, a large rat is launched into the washbasin and a naked soldier is closed with it. The fighter must strangle her. Experienced commandos know: when a rat has nowhere to go, it attacks, and this is a real "tin". As a result, if a paratrooper can kill a rat with his bare hands, then no person will be afraid of him.

Aggression

Aggression is one of the main qualities of a commando. The soldier must be afraid of the sergeant (who, by the way, knows exactly how to get into the GRU) is much stronger than the enemy, and run towards the enemy with a clear desire to completely destroy him. Hand-to-hand training fights are not complete without blood. Sergeants deliberately inflict injuries on soldiers. This is done so that they get used to the sight of blood and get angry. The commander's mate is added as a sound accompaniment. Under conditions of such severe pressure, the fighter's feelings are aggravated to such an extent that all the knowledge he received during the training period will remain with him until the end of his life.

Cleanliness

People who know how to get into the GRU intelligence will confirm that the spetsnaz are paranoid about personal hygiene. Since the fighters are very often outside the deployment point, they must be able to keep themselves clean under any conditions. Each commando who arrived at the location must immediately change clothes and wash his uniform.

Principles of training

Most of the time the paratrooper is far from the places of permanent deployment. Therefore, his physical training is to learn how to skillfully use any means at hand during training. The most important thing is the preservation of strength qualities and the development of endurance. The latter is very useful when hiking in the mountains or cycling.

Trainings are held on a daily basis. And not for the standard six or eight weeks. You need to work for at least a year. There is no special diet. You just need to eat as much as possible.

The Four Pillars of Fighter Training. Crawls and runs

Every day you have to run 10 kilometers. Sometimes on Sundays they organize a "sports festival" - a 40-kilometer run. A fighter must run ten kilometers in less than 60 minutes. At the same time, he is fully equipped (additional 50 kilograms!). Running alternates with crawling. Such exercises perfectly work out ligaments and small muscle groups. There are three types of crawling: on the back, in a plastunsky way, and moving through a minefield (a fighter crawls and feels for bumps; if something is suspicious, then he shifts to the side).

Circuit training

It has long been proven that GRU special forces training in a circular type increases the strength of a fighter to the maximum level. This principle was taken from the Soviet school of sambo and boxing. Circuit training promotes explosive strength and endurance. She also "dries" and brings up anger (hatred) towards the authorities. The number of repetitions of any exercise will depend on the mood of the sergeant.

In general, the standard circular training of the GRU special forces lasts 40 minutes. After the mentioned 10-kilometer run, a five-minute rest follows, and then 5-6 circles of exercises are performed. And they need to be performed one after another without interruption. And only after passing the full circle you can rest for 5 minutes.

The circle itself looks like this:

• Jump - jumping out of a sitting position with a clap (10 times).
• Push-ups on the fingers (20 times).
• Jump (10 times).
• Push-ups on fists (30 times).
• Jump (10 times).
• Push-ups on the fingers (5 times).

After completing the circle to failure, the press swings, and only then a break is made. Optionally, throwing stones is included in the training.

Constant load

Candidates who know how to get into the GRU special forces understand the importance of the daily workload in the army. That is, each fighter must perform a certain number (constantly increasing) of sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups on fists, etc. If you can’t do it in one workout, then you need to dial the required amount per day. This is the expression of constant combat readiness. In addition, exercises with a belt (isometry) are performed throughout the day according to the A. Zass system.

hand-to-hand combat

• Hands. Side and direct blows are the same as in boxing. But the second is very difficult to train. Only special forces with a long experience of training have a strong direct blow. Since sometimes the preparation of a fighter goes at an accelerated pace, there are no restrictions in shock equipment. You can hit from any angle and position. Moreover, it is desirable to strike the first blow to the enemy in the throat. In close combat, you must fight with your elbows. The knockout power of the blow is trained with the help of exercises with a sledgehammer (on a dug-in or recumbent tire, a fighter strikes with an iron sledgehammer in three directions: to the right, to the left and from above).
• Legs. There is no special technique. It all comes down to a hard punch to the groin. Remember, this is not a sports ground.
• Head. We turn on the head in close combat. With the frontal part we beat exclusively in the nose. If the enemy grabbed you from behind, then we hit him in the nose with the back of the head.
• stall. Just for this, fighters train strength and grip. After the enemy is knocked to the ground due to the strength of your hands, he must be finished off with a blow to the back of the head or stepped on the throat.

Conclusion

Now you know how to get into the GRU. From the reading above, it becomes clear that it is difficult not only from a moral, but also from a physical point of view. You need to be in excellent health and in excellent physical shape. In addition, it is necessary to have a stable psyche. The main thing is to decide on the main life goal. If this is a special forces service, then take action to achieve it.

Don't forget the importance of sports. They should be engaged from the school bench. Higher education is better to receive in specialized institutions where there is a faculty of special forces. This will significantly increase your chances of selection.

We hope that the article turned out to be useful, and you will no longer wonder: “How to get into special forces at all?” The GRU special forces belong to the category of elite troops, and to get there, you will have to put in a lot of effort. So go ahead. All in your hands!

The capture by the SBU of former or not quite former Russian special forces near Luhansk, their interviews and various information that surfaced in the press made it possible to take a fresh look at what is happening in the Donbass and in the Russian army. medialeaks collected what is known about the Special Forces of the GRU, where Evgeny Erofeev and Alexander Alexandrov served / are serving and summarized what the captives told.

What is the GRU special forces?

Full title: "Special Forces Units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Russian Federation» . Tasks: deep reconnaissance and sabotage activities. This is what the boys dream about and what the heroes of Call Of Duty do: the special forces get deep behind enemy lines and run through the forest, collecting information about the enemy’s weapons, destroying its fortified points and communications.

Secret troops

Since officially no special forces existed, in Afghanistan, for example, they were called separate motorized rifle battalions. Until now, the GRU has not been mentioned in the names of the compounds. Let's say Alexandrov and Erofeev were / are employees 3rd Separate Guards Warsaw-Berlin Red Banner Order of Suvorov III degree special purpose brigades . Now no one denies the existence of these troops, but the composition of the units is still classified. The number of troops of the Special Forces of the GRU is unknown, it is believed that now there are about 10 thousand of them in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

What became famous SpN GRU

The most famous operation carried out by the Special Forces was the capture of the palace of Hafizullah Amin in Kabul in 1979. Due to the irregularity of hostilities in Afghanistan, the GRU special forces were widely used against the Mujahideen. Intelligence units were attached to all military formations, so everyone who served in Afghanistan knew about the existence of intelligence officers. It was in the late 80s that the number of this type of troops reached its maximum value. The hero of Michele Placido, Major Bandura, in "The Afghan Break" is more of a bully than a paratrooper, but in 1991 it was still impossible to talk about this.

What is the difference between the SpN GRU and the Airborne Forces?

Special forces are often confused with paratroopers for a completely understandable reason: for conspiracy, the combat uniform of some units of the Special Forces of the GRU of the USSR was the same as that of the Airborne Forces. After the collapse Soviet Union the tradition has remained. For example, the same 3rd separate brigade of the Special Forces wears vests and blue berets on the parade ground. Scouts also skydive, but paratroopers have larger combat missions. Accordingly, the number of airborne forces is much higher - 45 thousand people.

What is armed with SpN GRU?

In general, the armament of the special forces is the same as that of the rest of the motorized rifle units, but there are several specific technologies. The most famous are: the special “Val” assault rifle and the special “Vintorez” sniper rifle. This is a silent weapon with a subsonic bullet speed, which at the same time, due to a number of design features, has a high penetrating power. It was "Val" and "Vintorez", according to the SBU, that were captured on May 16 from the fighters of the "Erofeev detachment". There is, however, no convincing evidence that such weapons did not remain in the warehouses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Who serves in the Special Forces of the GRU?

Due to high requirements and the need for lengthy training, most of the special forces are contract soldiers. Young people with sports training, healthy, with knowledge of a foreign language are accepted for service. At the same time, we see that it is completely ordinary people from the provinces, for them service is more good job, may be difficult and dangerous, but not a battle for an abstract idea.

Everything in life is not like in the movies

Patriotic cinema and bravura stories on TV inspire us that special forces soldiers are universal terminators. On a combat mission they can not sleep for three days, they shoot without a miss, alone with their bare hands they can scatter a dozen armed people and, of course, they don’t leave their own. But if you believe the words of the captured fighters, then quite unexpectedly for themselves, a rather large group of special forces fell into an ambush and, firing randomly, retreated in a hurry, leaving two wounded and one killed on the battlefield. Yes, they are well trained, they can run for a long time and shoot fairly accurately, but these are ordinary people who are afraid of bullets and do not always know where the enemy is waiting for them.

Not a word to the enemy

Scouts operate behind enemy lines, where the risk of being captured is quite high, respectively, soldiers and officers of the GRU special forces must be trained on how to behave in captivity, and before being sent on a mission, they must be instructed and receive a “legend”. Since these are secret troops, a secret mission, the command should have warned the fighters: you will be captured, we don’t know you, you yourself came there. It is all the more surprising that, as we see, both Alexandrov and Erofeev were absolutely not ready either for captivity, or for the fact that the country and their relatives refuse them.

SBU torture

It can be seen that both (former) commandos are genuinely shocked that the Russian authorities (and even Alexandrov's wife) said that they are not in the service of the Russian troops and it is not known how they ended up near Lugansk. This can be explained by torture, but people who are forced to say something against their will often do not make eye contact, pronounce words slowly and abruptly, or speak too correct phrases as if they had memorized the text. We do not see this on the Novaya Gazeta recording. Moreover, their words contradict the version of the SBU, which claims that the “Yerofeev group” was engaged in sabotage, while the captives speak only of observation. People who have been forced to say what they need by torture do not change their testimony so boldly.

Whether there is a Russian troops in Donbass? How many are there and what are they doing there?

The Kremlin consistently denies participation in the conflict in the Donbass of the Russian Armed Forces. The capture of the special forces, according to Kyiv, proves the opposite. However, the SBU does not say how much Russian soldiers and units is fighting in the east of Ukraine.

If you study the blogs and interviews of members of the DPR and LPR militia, the picture is as follows: large-scale military operation with the participation of Russian units, if there was, then once in late August - early September, when the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were suddenly thrown back from Ilovaisk, and the front line reached the border of Mariupol. According to various sources, there are military emissaries from Moscow in the headquarters of the DPR and LPR (just like specialists come from Washington to teach officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine). There is a possibility that separate groups of military from Russia operate on the territory of the self-proclaimed republics, but in limited numbers. As the captives rightly point out, there are a lot of people here, including real retired officers who want to fight. Alexandrov and Erofeev say that their tasks included only observation without any sabotage, this does not coincide with either the version of the General Staff of the Russian Federation or the version of the SBU.

The GRU has a new chief - General Igor Korobov (the biography raises many questions)

Lieutenant General Igor Korobov has been appointed head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.This was reported in the Russian Defense Ministry.

“The corresponding decision has been made, Igor Korobov has been appointed head of the GRU,”- explained the representative of the Ministry of Defense.

“On Monday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu presented General Korobov with the personal standard of the head of the GRU. General Korobov is introduced to the generals and officers of the head office of military intelligence. The ceremony took place at the headquarters of Glaucus. Korobov will take up his new office on Friday,” the source said.

According to information from the military department, the GRU seriously feared that a security official from other structures (for example, from Federal Service protection or the Foreign Intelligence Service), who had not previously encountered the peculiarities of working in military intelligence.

The Main Intelligence Directorate - the GRU - is one of the most closed power units: the structure, strength, and biographies of senior officers are a state secret.

The GRU is the foreign intelligence body of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the central body for managing military intelligence in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. It is the executive body and body of military command and control of other military organizations (the Ministry of Defense of Russia and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation).It is headed by the chief of the GRU, who reports to the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. The GRU and its structures are engaged in intelligence in the interests of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, including undercover, space, electronic, etc.

On November 21, 2018, after a long illness, the Chief of the GRU of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Igor Korobov, died. appointed to fulfill his duties

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the Russian military intelligence system under the command of Colonel General Igor Sergun worked very effectively. She "timely revealed new challenges and threats to the security of the Russian Federation." Military intelligence participated in the planning and implementation of the operation to annex Crimea to Russia in February-March 2014.

Since the summer of 2015, the GRU, together with the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff, has been planning a Russian air operation in Syria.

In November 2015, the head of the GRU, Colonel-General Igor Sergun, made a confidential visit to Damascus. The GRU prepared an open report at an international conference held in Moscow in the fall of 2015, which analyzed the goals and recruiting activity of the Islamic State in the Central Asian region and the republics of the Ural-Volga region and the North Caucasus.

Sergei Shoigu presents a personal standard to Lieutenant General Igor Korobov, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces. Photo: Twitter Ministry of Defense of Russia

The GRU, according to foreign sources, uses high-tech methods of data search and analysis to collect information. So, in January 2016, the German magazine Spiegel claimed that the hacker attack on the Bundestag in 2015 was initiated by Russian military intelligence. Similar actions of hackers took place in some other NATO countries.

Bloomberg points out that GRU officers are using cyberspace camouflage that the US National Security Agency is unable to reveal.Moreover, the level of competence of the GRU specialists is so high that their presence can be detected only if they themselves want it ...

For a long time, the headquarters of the GRU was located in Moscow in the Khodynka field area, Khoroshevskoye shosse, 76.After the construction of a new headquarters complex, which consists of several structures with an area of ​​​​more than 70 thousand m² with the so-called situational center and command post, the headquarters of the GRU was moved to st. Grizodubova in Moscow, 100 meters from the old complex known as the Aquarium.

Colonel General Igor Sergun, who previously headed the GRU, died suddenly on January 3, 2016 in the Moscow region due to acute heart failure at the age of 58.

As Ivan Safronov wrote earlier in the article “Intelligence Among Our Own”, posted on the portal of the Kommersant publishing house, competent persons first of all named one of his deputies instead of the deceased Igor Sergun .

Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Sergun's family and friends, calling him a man of great courage. Expressing condolences to the general's family and colleagues, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that it was under his leadership that "the Russian military intelligence system received its further development functioned with due efficiency, timely revealed new challenges and threats to the security of the Russian Federation.

Note that General Sergun headed the GRU immediately after the reforms of Alexander Shlyakhturov. The reform provided for a reduction in the number of special forces brigades, as well as the transfer of part of the units to the military districts. According to the officer of the General Staff, after the appointment of Sergei Shoigu as head of the military department, Igor Sergun carried out a structural reorganization of the GRU, rolling back some of the changes of his former chief.Already in February-March 2014, the special service played one of the main roles in the operation to annex Crimea to Russia.

Sources close to the General Staff note that the new chief of military intelligence will lead an extremely effective and balanced command, the creation of which is "the merit of Igor Dmitrievich Sergun." At the head of the GRU Sergun in last years there were at least four deputies, of whom little is known.

General Vyacheslav Kondrashov

in 2011 he was already deputy to the previous head of the GRU Alexander Shlyakhturov, in May of the same year he presented a report at the Academy of the General Staff on the performance characteristics of ballistic missiles in service in the countries of the Near and Middle East (including Iran and North Korea) .

General Sergey Gizunov

Prior to his appointment to the central office of the GRU, he headed the 85th main center of the special service, and following the results of 2009, he became the winner of the Russian government award in the field of science and technology.

Igor Lelin

in May 2000, with the rank of colonel, he was the military attaché of the Russian Federation in Estonia (he is mentioned in the report of a local publication dedicated to the laying of flowers at the memorial to the liberator soldiers on Tõnismägi Square), by 2013 he received the rank of major general and worked as deputy head of the main department personnel of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. In 2014 he was transferred to the GRU.

Igor Sergun's fourth deputy was General Igor Korobov. There is no mention of his participation in any public events, the biography of Igor Korobov is a secret “with seven seals”, but it was he who was called “a serious person” in the media and considered the most likely candidate for the vacant post.

What is reliably known about the new head of the GRU?

What details of the biography of Igor Korobov are still known?

He was awarded the orders - "For Merit to the Fatherland" 4th degree, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order of Courage, the Order "For Military Merit", the Order "For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces" 3rd degree and the medal "For Courage".

It is difficult to build a detailed biography, but the key points can be outlined. Skip school years. It is known that Igor Korobov graduated with honors from the flight department of the Stavropol Higher Military Aviation School for Air Defense Pilots and Navigators (1973-1977) and received the rank of lieutenant. For service, he arrived by assignment to the 518th Fighter Aviation Berlin Order of Suvorov Regiment (Talagi airfield, Arkhangelsk) of the 10th separate Red Banner Air Defense Army.

Young pilots who arrived in the regiment from the Stavropol school - lieutenants Faezov, Anokhin, Korobov, Patrikeev, Zaporozhtsev, Syrovatkin, Tkachenko, Fatkulin and Tyurin - were retrained for new technology in the third squadron of the regiment. After that, they were assigned to the first and second squadrons. Lieutenant Korobov got into the second.

Tu-128 long-range loitering interceptors (a total of five regiments in the USSR air defense fighter aviation were equipped with them) covered the areas of Novaya Zemlya, Norilsk, Khatanga, Tiksi, Yakutsk, etc. In those directions, in a single radar field, there were “gaps” and there were very few alternate airfields, which made the “carcass” the only effective tool covering the air borders of the country.

The second squadron of the 518th Aviation Berlin Order of the Suvorov Regiment. The squadron commander and his deputy are sitting. On the far right is Senior Lieutenant Igor Korobov (between the pilots - "Korobok"). Talagi airfield, Arkhangelsk, late 1970s.

In 1980, a personnel officer from the central office of the GRU came to the regiment, began to study personal files, selected two graduates of the SVVAULSH 1977 - Viktor Anokhin and Igor Korobov. At the interview, Viktor Anokhin refused the offer to change the profile of work. Igor Korobov agreed.

In 1981, Igor Korobov entered the Military Diplomatic Academy with a specialization in military intelligence.

Then - in various positions in the GRU, he was the first deputy head of the Main Directorate, in charge of strategic intelligence - he was in charge of all foreign residencies of the department.

In February 2016, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, he was appointed Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Apparently, the Ministry of Defense was inclined precisely towards the option that would allow maintaining continuity in the work of the special services, which General Sergun has been building in recent years.

Sources in the military department told Kommersant that the new head of the GRU will be an active intelligence officer, and not a native of other power structures. According to them, the candidacies of several deputies of Igor Sergun, who died suddenly on January 3 in the Moscow region due to acute heart failure, were considered on a priority basis.

According to Kommersant's information, the GRU feared that a security official from other structures (for example, from the Federal Security Service or the Foreign Intelligence Service), who had not previously encountered the peculiarities of the work of military intelligence, could be appointed as a new head.

The General Staff and the Ministry of Defense considered that continuity was necessary for the stable operation of the department.

The new headquarters of the Main Intelligence Directorate outside and inside

Currently, the GRU is actively involved in planning the Russian air operation in Syria, and also provides data from space, electronic and undercover intelligence to the top military-political leadership of the country.

Given the importance of this work, it can be assumed that the new head of the GRU enjoys the full confidence of the Russian leadership.

GRU structure

It is difficult to judge the current structure of the GRU, but judging by open sources, the GRU includes 12-14 main directorates and about ten auxiliary directorates. Let's call the main ones.

The first Office includes the countries of the European Commonwealth (except the UK).

The Second Directorate is the countries of North and South America, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

The Third Directorate is the countries of Asia.

The Fourth Directorate is the countries of Africa.

The Fifth Directorate is responsible for operational intelligence.

Sixth - electronic intelligence.

The Seventh Directorate works for NATO.

Eighth Directorate - sabotage (SpN).

The Ninth Directorate deals with military technology.

Tenth - the military economy.

Eleventh - strategic doctrines and weapons.

The twelfth is the provision of information wars.

In addition, there are auxiliary departments and departments, including the department of space intelligence, the personnel department, the operational and technical department, the administrative and technical department, the department of external relations, the archival department and the information service.

General military training of GRU officers is carried out in the Novosibirsk Higher Military command school. Specialties:

“use of military intelligence units”

“use of special intelligence units” .

Special training for GRU officers is at the Military Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Faculties:

strategic undercover intelligence,

agent-operational intelligence,

operational-tactical intelligence .

The structure of the GRU also includes research institutes, including the well-known 6th and 18th Central Research Institutes in Moscow.

2018-11-22T21:22:11+05:00 Alex Zarubin Analysis - forecast Defense of the Fatherland Figures and faces army, biography, GRU, intelligence, RussiaThe GRU has a new chief - General Igor Korobov (biography raises many questions) Lieutenant-General Igor Korobov has been appointed head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. This was reported in the Russian Defense Ministry. "The corresponding decision has been made, Igor Korobov has been appointed head of the GRU," the representative of the Ministry of Defense explained. “On Monday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu presented General Korobov with a personal...Alex Zarubin Alex Zarubin [email protected] Author In the middle of Russia

These people prefer not to put their lives on public display. The GRU special forces do not even have their own designation, name. And the most interesting thing is their secrecy in their work. After all, special forces work in all parts of our planet, and its representatives can be dressed in absolutely any clothes, including the uniform of the army of Great Britain or other countries.

Spetsnaz is an elite unit of the military forces of the Russian Federation. Many films are made about special forces soldiers, books and articles are written about their hard work for the glory of the motherland. True, the cinematic performance is most often either embellished or understated. Only the best of the best are worthy of service in the GRU, which is why very strict selection rules have been created for them. And the most banal training day can shock ordinary person, in no way connected with the service in the law enforcement agencies of the country.

On TV or on the Internet, they will never tell or write about the real operations of the special forces, most often the noise rises because of the failure, but, fortunately for everyone, this practically does not happen.

What is GRU

Each country has its own military structures, and it just so happened that foreign intelligence performs one of the most important roles in protecting its state. In the Russian Federation, such functions are performed by the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, which means the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. However, the predecessor of this name was the Main Intelligence Directorate. This is how the GRU decoding will sound.

Initially, it conducted its reconnaissance and sabotage activities in the interests of the Soviet Union, and was also the central body of military intelligence.

Intelligence under the king

Even before the overthrow of the monarchy, under tsarist Russia, sabotage and reconnaissance groups operated. These were specially trained military units. If we recall the reign of Ivan the Fourth, then it was he who in the 16th century was the founder of the guard service, which consisted of Cossack detachments. All warriors were tested for physical health and brilliant weapon skills (cold and firearms). Since in those days the Tatars constantly raided Moscow, the main purpose of these detachments was to monitor the surrounding territories in order to prevent an attack.

At a later time, Alexei Mikhailovich already revealed the Secret Order to the country. The intelligence officers of the order collected and structured all messages and informative reports about possible enemy attacks and about the activities of countries in the neighborhood.

In 1764, Suvorov and Kutuzov put forward the idea of ​​creating special detachments of rangers. Their operations were carried out in parallel with the main tsarist army. Jaegers staged raids and ambushes, and also attacked the enemy in the mountains, forests and other difficult areas. These were the so-called beginnings of special forces. And in 1810, Barclay de Tolly established the Expedition for Secret Affairs.

History of the GRU

When in the USSR, after the famous revolution, the workers 'and peasants' Red Army was formed, there was a need to form a special unit, which was supposed to take over the performance of intelligence functions. On this occasion, in 1918, the Bolsheviks came to the creation of the Field Headquarters of the Revolutionary Council. One of the components of this headquarters was a special department for registering, collecting and processing information that was obtained by intelligence officers. As a result, counterintelligence activities were completely shifted to the shoulders of the Field Headquarters.

In 1921, the Intelligence Department of the Red Army Headquarters was formed, it was engaged in intelligence not only in difficult and war times, but also in peacetime, they were one hundred percent covered by intelligence work. IN Soviet time undercover intelligence was carried out. In the countries neighboring the Union, special detachments of partisans were created, which carried out subversive operations.

In 1934, intelligence control was transferred to the People's Commissar of Defense. There were successful missions during the Spanish war, but even such a high-ranking structure as the country's intelligence was touched by the tragedy of repression. And by the beginning of World War II, half of the intelligence service was shot. Since 1942, we have known Razvedupr under the familiar name GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate).

The first special forces units in the USSR

In 1950 comes out secret decree on the formation of special groups whose task was to conduct sabotage operations on the side of the enemy. All the military districts of the Union were equipped with such units, forty-six companies were created in total, each consisting of one hundred and twenty soldiers. And it was they who were the basis for the creation of special forces in 1962. After 6 years, they formed a special regiment for training employees.

The initial purpose of creating such units was to carry out sabotage operations in the war with NATO and to confront the United States in cold war. The image of these actions was the collection and denunciation of all information from the enemy rear to the headquarters of the GRU, sowing panic in settlements where the civilian population lives, undermining important infrastructure facilities, large-scale actions to destroy enemy headquarters. Weapons of mass destruction were strategically important, special forces destroyed missile silos, airfields used by long-range enemy aircraft, launchers, bases with submarines.

The Afghan war was fought with the active participation of GRU agents, and the special forces played an important role during the unrest in the North Caucasus. Moreover, Tajikistan and Georgia also did not go unnoticed by elite units during their hostilities ( last war with Georgia in 2008). At the moment, the Syrian war is taking place with the participation of Russian special forces.

Now the command of the GRU is giving orders to act not only by force, but also by information.

The renaming from the Soviet name took place in 2010. Everyone who is in the service of the GRU (decoding - the Main Intelligence Directorate) celebrates their holiday on the fifth of November, dedicated to military intelligence officers.

Management Goals

The GRU is not only a foreign intelligence agency, but also controls other military organizations in Russia, and also appears as an executive military force.

The goals of Russian intelligence can be divided into three points:

• The first is to provide all information intelligence data, first of all, to the President of our country and then in order of precedence of "roles" (Ministry of Defense, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Security Council) in the issue of protecting the borders and internal integrity of the Russian Federation. This information is necessary for maintaining internal and foreign policy and so on.
• The second is to provide suitable conditions for the successful implementation of political action in the field of defense and security.
• Third - intelligence contributes to the rise in economic sphere, scientific and technical developments and military security of the Russian Federation.

Headquarters

The first headquarters of the GRU was located on Khodynka. The new one was built 11 years ago and is a large complex of different buildings. The area of ​​​​the headquarters is huge - about seventy thousand square meters. For physical training of security forces inside there is even a sports complex with a swimming pool. The construction of such a grandiose project cost the country nine billion rubles. There is a special forces complex on Grizodubova Street.

Bat

Probably, everyone saw in the photographs or in the news the stripes on the uniform of the GRU officers in the form of a bat. Where did this animal in the emblem of the GRU come from? According to some sources, one of the Yekaterinburg journalists during the service decided to draw an emblem for his unit. It happened in 1987, and the bosses and colleagues liked the bat inside the globe so much that it was immediately printed on the entire uniform of the special forces.

flower theme

To understand what the GRU is today, you can look at the meaning of the modern emblem. At the moment (since 2002), the bat has been replaced by a red carnation, it means stamina and devotion. The emblem of the GRU is the personification of an adamant decision to achieve the goal. The three-flame grenada is explained as an honorary badge with a historical past; it was awarded to the best military among the elite units.

True, in the new headquarters, the mouse, laid out on the floor, remained adjacent to the flower.

What does it consist of

Information about the structure of the GRU, its special forces at the moment is as follows:

• Western military district with the second brigade.
• The tenth brigade, mountain, operates in the North Caucasus.
• The special forces who participated in the Afghan and Chechen campaigns were from the fourteenth brigade of the Far East.
• The Western Military District has a sixteenth brigade, it also participated in Chechen wars and in the protection of PSBs in Tajikistan.
• The Southern Military District is being defended by the twenty-second brigade. Has a guards rank after the Great Patriotic War. Here is the twenty-fifth regiment of special forces.
• The Central Military District is equipped with fighters from the twenty-fourth brigade.
• A unit of the 346th brigade is located in Kabardino-Balkaria.
• Fleet on pacific ocean, Baltic and Black, North Seas is equipped with its own special reconnaissance units.

What is the total number

For a better understanding of what the GRU is, it is worth paying attention to the absolute secrecy about the number of its fighters. Since the activities of the special forces are inaccessible to mere mortals, there are no reliable sources about the real size of the GRU headquarters. Some say that there are six thousand of them, and some say that there are fifteen thousand people.

Moreover, in addition to the existing special forces units, general military detachments are also subordinate to the GRU, and their number is approximately twenty-five thousand fighters.

Training centers

At the moment, you can train as a special forces fighter in higher educational institutions Ryazan and Cherepovets. The Ryazan Airborne School trains specialists for sabotage activities. Exists in the Russian Federation and Military Academy Ministry of Defense. It has three faculties: strategic undercover intelligence, tactical and undercover-operational intelligence.

You can enter only by owning several foreign languages and passing a special list of requirements.

Selection of fighters

What is required from candidates entering such serious institutions for study? Passing entrance tests is a very laborious process, but with the help of personal patience and accumulated knowledge, as well as physical strength, you can enter.

Absolute physical health- This is an indispensable requirement for all applicants. But the future commando does not have to be two meters tall and have a large muscle mass, because the most important thing in this matter is endurance. Arranged raids are usually accompanied by fairly heavy burdens and can take many kilometers.

The standards for admission, for example, include running three kilometers in ten minutes, it is imperative to pull yourself up twenty-five times, the hundred-meter run must fit in twelve seconds, there must be at least ninety push-ups from the floor, the same number of times you need to do an exercise for the press (here given just two minutes). One of the most important skills in the work of a special forces soldier is the possession of hand-to-hand combat.

This is followed by a very meticulous physical examination. A person must have unshakable stress resistance. His head must be in working order in any situation. To do this, use trained psychologists, and then the candidate is checked on the "lie detector". The whole family and even distant relatives are being checked by special state security agencies. Parents must unsubscribe to the leadership about their consent that their son will serve in a special forces unit.

Preparation for service in special forces

Long hard training, learning proper hand-to-hand combat (it is believed that it tempers the spirit and character of a fighter), fighting with the use of various objects (not only melee weapons), fights with initially stronger and more experienced opponents - all this awaits a recruit when training in such a serious subdivision. It is at these moments that the fighter realizes what the GRU is.

From the first day of training, there is a program to suggest that all of them, special forces soldiers, are the best not only among Russian military structures, but also in the whole world.

One of the difficult tests that are given specifically to find out whether a person can survive his physical potential is a long stay in a waking state, a load of transcendent physical and psychological actions. And, of course, training in the possession of small arms (of all kinds).