Legendary faces of the KGB Spetsnaz.

[16 OBr SpN]

Here are some of the faces of people who are the legends of the KGB's Special Forces ("Zenit", "Kaskad", and later "Vympel", and "Alfa").

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/drozdov.jpg - Yuriy Drozdov. Head of Department "S", KGB.

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/kozlov-1.jpg - Evald Kozlov. Hero of Soviet Union. The first commander of "Vympel". Took part in storming of the Presidential Palace in Afghanistan.

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/gerasimov.jpg - Dmitry Gerasimov. Veteran of "Vympel", later bacame its commander.

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/pleshkunov.jpg - Boris Pleshkunov. Began his service in SpN GRU, later was transferred to "Vympel". Also taught at KUOS. KUOS translates as Officers Contingent Improvement Courses; that's where all officers from "A" and "V" graduated.

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/kozlov-2.jpg - Vladimir Kozlov. Veteran of "Vympel". Currently, works in the government.

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/beskov.jpg - Boris Beskov. Served in "Zenit" during Afghan conflict. Later became a commander of "Vympel".

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/zaicev.jpg - Gennadiy Zaytsev. Ex-commander of "Alfa"

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/rozin.jpg - Valeriy Rozin. Officer of "Zenit" and "Kaskad". Later became deputy commander of "Vympel"

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/kim.jpg - Viktor Kim. Officer of "Zenit" and "Kaskad", and later one of the unit commanders in "Vympel".

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/golov.jpg - Sergey Golov. The last director of KUOS. Officer of "Zenit".

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/starov.jpg - Alexander Starov. Officer of "Zenit", "Kaskad", and "Vympel".

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/mel%60nik.jpg - Yuriy Mel'nik. Commander of the unit in "Vympel". Officer of "Zenit" and "Kaskad".

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/osipov.jpg - Grigoriy Osipov. Officer of "Zenit", and "Vympel".

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/meshkov.jpg - Alexander Meshkov. Officer of "Vympel".

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/klimov.jpg - Sergey Klimov, a.k.a. Karas'. Officer of "Kaskad", Afghanistan, Kabul.

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/korneenkov.jpg - Nikolay Korneenkov. Served in SpN GRU (5 OBr SpN). This photo is taken in Vietnam.

http://www.fsb.ru/images/press/2003/karpuhin.jpg - Viktor Karpuhin. RIP. Hero of Soviet Union. Ex-commander of "Alfa". Stormed the Presidential Palace in Afghanistan.

http://www.agentura.ru/specnaz/bezopasnost/kuos/Boyarinov.gif - Grigoriy Boyarinov. RIP. First commander of KUOS. Commanded the operation "Storm-333" (storming of Afghan presidential palace). Died during that operation. Received the Medal "Hero of Soviet Union" posthumously.

[no photo] - Rustam Tursunkulov. Served in 154 OO SpN, a.k.a. "Muslim Batallion" (15 OBr SpN). Commander of the platoon which took part in storming of Presidential Palace in Afghanistan. Later, got transferred to "Vympel". Currently retired.

Regards,
16 OBr SpN

[Hammy]

This photo is taken in Vietnam.

Wow. What were you guys doing in Vietnam and when were you there?

[duck]

Intresting to see a Korean-Russian at such a high level in an elite unit. Any idea on how other ethnic minorities were represented in GRU's "Vympel" or KGB's "Alfa?

[n.ignomo]

On these pics they all look nice and sweet. Guess they weren't that much in real.

[hist2004]

Great post 16 OBr SpN-

The Tadzh-Bek palace that these individual’s assaulted was incredibily fortified. Amin’s security brigade manned positions within the palace, machine gun positions outside the palace on the palace hill, the traffic control posts on the approach road, and an over-watch position on the nearby mountain. The security brigade also maintained a ring of encircling positions around the palace. The security brigade headquarters caserne was near the over-watch position. Three DRA tanks were on the over-watch position from where they could fire on anyone crossing the open ground to attack the palace. A DRA antiaircraft regiment occupied high ground overlooking the palace to protect it from air attack. The regiments’s twelve 100mm antiaircraft guns and sixteen dual-barreled DShK heavy machine guns could also fire on ground targets on the palace approaches. There were a total of some 2,500 DRA personnel protecting the palace. In addition, there were two tank brigades garrisoned near Kabul that could rapidly intervene.

Regards,
Hist2004

[Tom The Hunter]

KGB!
NO COMMENT! :backhand:

[anonymous individual]

Intresting to see a Korean-Russian at such a high level in an elite unit. Any idea on how other ethnic minorities were represented in GRU's "Vympel" or KGB's "Alfa?

I want to know that too.

[Raistlin]

Intresting to see a Korean-Russian
Are you sure it's Korean? My guess would be Mongolian. Or maybe one of the northern folk.

[duck]

Intresting to see a Korean-Russian
Are you sure it's Korean? My guess would be Mongolian. Or maybe one of the northern folk.

Kim is maybe the most popular Korean family name. Mongolian names are longer and have a unique form.

[Grach]

Intresting to see a Korean-Russian at such a high level in an elite unit. Any idea on how other ethnic minorities were represented in GRU's "Vympel" or KGB's "Alfa?
Would you like the full list of all past and current members? Hold on a second, let me get it for you....

[PsihoKeke]

Seeing this topic I had a hope that it is second coming of 16 OBr SpN. No such luck though, hust the usual necromancy.

[pacifist]

Wow. What were you guys doing in Vietnam and when were you there?

My thoughts exactly. WTF?

[Rudolph]

My thoughts exactly. WTF?

maybe same thing the cubans were doing, advising?

[pacifist]

maybe same thing the cubans were doing, advising?

I've heard that few russians died in Son Tay raid, though it's not mentioned in this article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ivory_Coast

[Loke-Gao-Zhu]

beautiful men

[Difool]

Wow. What were you guys doing in Vietnam and when were you there?

Same what U.S.Americans did in afghanistan in the 80s:
Mainly training.
There is that ducumentary "Legend of Vympel", in which they show what the Russian SF did in Vietnam. I got it from Youtube. http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=XZJrB62Qv8o&feature=related

[Mousepad]

Same what U.S.Americans did in afghanistan in the 80s:
Mainly training.
There is that ducumentary "Legend of Vympel", in which they show what the Russian SF did in Vietnam. I got it from Youtube. http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=XZJrB62Qv8o&feature=related

Actually in this vid they say, they were trained by Vietnamese in jungle warfare, same in Nikaragua. If it's what you mean.

[Difool]

Actually in this vid they say, they were trained by Vietnamese in jungle warfare, same in Nikaragua. If it's what you mean.

Oh. Not quite. My russian is not so good. I think they both learned from each other.

[2495]

Over 3000 Russian soldiers known as 'Russian Experts' fought in Vietnam. There was a parade in the early 1990s where a group of veterans got together and laid it bare as to what they were doing and when.

[drunkpunk]

http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/korneenkov.jpg - Nikolay Korneenkov. Served in SpN GRU (5 OBr SpN). This photo is taken in Vietnam.




thanks for sharing this rare photo.

[specialweapons]

Over 3000 Russian soldiers known as 'Russian Experts' fought in Vietnam. There was a parade in the early 1990s where a group of veterans got together and laid it bare as to what they were doing and when.


I would venture to say we probably did the same when the Russians were in Afghanistan. It will be decades before it is known.

[matthew.manhorn]

I wonder how many of these dudes ended being heads of the Russian mafia.


http://www.politika-magazine.ru/%B957/images/meshkov.jpg

This guy reminds me of some dude in GTA 4

[drunkpunk]

I would venture to say we probably did the same when the Russians were in Afghanistan. It will be decades before it is known.

rambo III was released in 1988. the director Peter MacDonald obviously knows.