317 airborne regiment Afghanistan third company. Faces of the Afghan War - dedicated to Eduard Anuchin
Belarus Belarus
(abbr. 103rd Guards Airborne Division) - a formation that was part of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.
History of formation
The Great Patriotic War
The division was formed in 1946, as a result of the reorganization of the 103rd Guards. rifle division.
On December 18, 1944, on the basis of an order from the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, the 103rd Guards Rifle Division began to be formed on the basis of the 13th Guards Airborne Division.
The formation of the division took place in the city of Bykhov, Mogilev region, Belarusian SSR. The division arrived here from its previous location - the city of Teykovo, Ivanovo region of the RSFSR. Almost all of the division's officers had significant combat experience. Many of them parachuted behind German lines in September 1943 as part of the 3rd Guards Airborne Brigade, ensuring our troops crossed the Dnieper.
By the beginning of January 1945, the division's units were fully equipped with personnel, weapons, and military equipment (the birthday of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division is considered to be January 1, 1945).
She took part in the fighting in the area of Lake Balaton during the Vienna Offensive Operation.
On May 1, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated April 26, 1945 on awarding the division the Order of the Red Banner and Kutuzov, 2nd degree, was read to the personnel. 317th And 324th Guards Rifle Regiment divisions were awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and 322nd Guards Rifle Regiment- Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree.
On May 12, units of the division entered the Czechoslovakian city of Trebon, in the vicinity of which they camped and began planned combat training. This marked the end of the division's participation in the battles against fascism. During the entire period of hostilities, the division destroyed more than 10 thousand Nazis and captured about 6 thousand soldiers and officers.
For their heroism, 3,521 servicemen of the division were awarded orders and medals, and five guardsmen were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Post-war period
By May 9, 1945, the division was concentrated near the city of Szeged (Hungary), where it remained until the end of the year. By February 10, 1946, she arrived at the site of her new deployment in the Seltsy camp in the Ryazan region.
On June 3, 1946, in accordance with the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the division was reorganized into 103rd Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree airborne and had the following composition:
- Division management and headquarters
- 317th Guards Order of Alexander Nevsky Parachute Regiment
- 322nd Guards Order of Kutuzov Parachute Regiment
- 39th Guards Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree parachute regiment
- 15th Guards Artillery Regiment
- 116th Separate Guards Fighter Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion
- 105th Separate Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division
- 572nd separate Keletsky Red Banner self-propelled division
- separate guards training battalion
- 130th separate engineer battalion
- 112th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Company
- 13th Separate Guards Communications Company
- 274th delivery company
- 245th field bakery
- 6th separate airborne support company
- 175th separate medical and sanitary company
On August 5, 1946, personnel began combat training according to the airborne forces plan. Soon the division was redeployed to the city of Polotsk.
In 1955-1956, the 114th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division, which was stationed in the area of the Borovukha station in the Polotsk region, was disbanded. Its two regiments - the 350th Guards Red Banner Order of Suvorov, 3rd class, parachute regiment and the 357th Guards Red Banner Order of Suvorov, 3rd class parachute regiment - became part of the 103rd Guards Airborne Regiment divisions. The 322nd Guards Order of Kutuzov, 2nd Class, Parachute Regiment and the 39th Guards Red Banner Order of Suvorov, 2nd Class, Parachute Regiment, previously part of the 103rd Airborne Division, were also disbanded.
In accordance with the General Staff Directive of January 21, 1955 No. org/2/462396, in order to improve the organization of airborne troops by April 25, 1955 in the 103rd Guards. Airborne Division has 2 regiments left. The 322nd Guards was disbanded. pdp.
In connection with the translation guards airborne divisions to a new organizational structure and an increase in their numbers were formed as part of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division:
- 133rd separate anti-tank artillery division (numbering 165 people) - one of the divisions of the 1185th artillery regiment of the 11th Guards Airborne Division was used. The point of deployment is the city of Vitebsk.
- 50th separate aeronautical detachment (numbering 73 people) - aeronautical units of the regiments of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division were used. The point of deployment is the city of Vitebsk.
On March 4, 1955, a Directive of the General Staff was issued on streamlining the numbering of military units. According to it, on April 30, 1955, the serial number of 572nd separate self-propelled artillery battalion 103rd Guards Airborne Division on 62nd.
December 29, 1958 on the basis of order of the USSR Minister of Defense No. 0228 7 separate military transport aviation squadrons (ovtae) An-2 VTA aircraft (100 people each) were transferred to the Airborne Forces. According to this order, on January 6, 1959, by the Directive of the Commander of the Airborne Forces in the 103rd Guards. airborne department transferred 210th separate military transport aviation squadron (210th ovtae) .
From August 21 to October 20, 1968, 103rd Guards. The airborne division, by order of the government, was on the territory of Czechoslovakia and participated in the armed suppression of the Prague Spring.
Participation in major military exercises
103rd Guards Airborne Division participated in the following major exercises:
Participation in the Afghan War
Combat activity of the division
On December 25, 1979, units of the division crossed the Soviet-Afghan border by air and became part of the Limited Contingent of Soviet Troops in Afghanistan.
Throughout its entire stay on Afghan soil, the division took an active part in military operations of various sizes.
For the successful completion of assigned combat missions in the Republic of Afghanistan, the 103rd division was awarded the highest state award of the USSR - the Order of Lenin.
The first combat mission assigned to the 103rd Division was Operation Baikal-79 to capture important installations in Kabul. The operation plan provided for the capture of 17 important objects in the Afghan capital. Among them are the buildings of ministries, headquarters, a prison for political prisoners, a radio center and television center, a post office and a telegraph office. At the same time, it was planned to blockade the headquarters, military units and formations of the DRA Armed Forces located in the Afghan capital with paratroopers and units of the 108th Motorized Rifle Division arriving in Kabul.
Units of the division were among the last to leave Afghanistan. On February 7, 1989, the following crossed the State Border of the USSR: 317th Guards Parachute Regiment - February 5, Division Control, 357th Guards Parachute Regiment and 1179th Artillery Regiment. The 350th Guards Parachute Regiment was withdrawn on February 12, 1989.
The group under the command of Guard Lieutenant Colonel V.M. Voitko, the basis of which was a reinforced 3rd Parachute Battalion 357th Regiment (guard commander Major V.V. Boltikov), from the end of January to February 14, was guarding the Kabul airport.
At the beginning of March 1989, the entire division's personnel returned to their previous location in the Belarusian SSR.
Awards for participation in the Afghan War
During the Afghan war, 11 thousand officers, warrant officers, soldiers and sergeants who served in the division were awarded orders and medals:
On the division's battle banner, the Order of Lenin was added to the Orders of the Red Banner and Kutuzov, 2nd degree, in 1980.
Heroes of the Soviet Union of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division
For the courage and heroism shown in providing international assistance to the Republic of Afghanistan, by Decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the following military personnel of the 103rd Guards were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. wdd:
- Chepik Nikolai Petrovich (Russian). Website "Heroes of the Country".
- Mironenko Alexander Grigorievich (Russian). Website "Heroes of the Country".- April 28, 1980 (posthumous)
- Israfilov Abas Islamovich (Russian). Website "Heroes of the Country".- December 26, 1990 (posthumous)
- Slyusar Albert Evdokimovich (Russian). Website "Heroes of the Country".- November 15, 1983
- Soluyanov Alexander Petrovich (Russian). Website "Heroes of the Country".- November 23, 1984
- Koryavin Alexander Vladimirovich (Russian). Website "Heroes of the Country".
- Zadorozhny Vladimir Vladimirovich (Russian). Website "Heroes of the Country".- October 25, 1985 (posthumous)
- Grachev Pavel Sergeevich (Russian). Website "Heroes of the Country".- May 5, 1988
Composition of the 103rd Guards. Airborne Division
- Division Office
- 317th Guards Parachute Regiment
- 357th Guards Parachute Regiment
- 1179th Guards Red Banner Artillery Regiment
- 62nd separate tank battalion
- 742nd Separate Guards Signal Battalion
- 105th separate anti-aircraft missile division
- 20th separate repair battalion
- 130th separate guards engineer battalion
- 1388th separate logistics battalion
- 175th Separate Medical Battalion
- 80th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Company
Note :
- Due to the need to strengthen division units 62nd separate self-propelled artillery division armed with outdated ASU-85 self-propelled artillery mounts, in 1985 it was reorganized into 62nd separate tank battalion and received T-55AM tanks for service. With the withdrawal of troops, this military unit was disbanded.
- Since 1982, in the division's line regiments, all BMD-1s have been replaced by the more protected and powerfully armed BMP-2s, which have a long service life
- All regiments were disbanded as unnecessary airborne support companies
- The 609th separate airborne support battalion was not sent to Afghanistan in December 1979
Division in the period after the withdrawal from Afghanistan and before the collapse of the USSR
Business trip to Transcaucasia
In January 1990, due to the difficult situation in Transcaucasia, they were reassigned from the Soviet Army to the Border Troops of the KGB of the USSR 103rd Guards Airborne Division and the 75th Motorized Rifle Division. The combat mission of these formations was to strengthen the detachments of border troops guarding the state border of the USSR with Iran and Turkey. The formations were subordinate to the PV KGB of the USSR from January 4, 1990 to August 28, 1991. .
At the same time, from the 103rd Guards. VDD were excluded 1179th Artillery Regiment of the Division, 609th separate airborne support battalion And 105th separate anti-aircraft missile division.
It should be noted that the reassignment of the division to another department caused mixed assessments in the leadership of the USSR Armed Forces:
It must be said that the 103rd division is one of the most honored in the airborne forces. It has a glorious history dating back to the Great Patriotic War. The division never lost its dignity anywhere in the post-war period. Glorious military traditions lived firmly in it. This is probably why in December 1979 the division in. was among the first to enter Afghanistan and among the last to leave it in February 1989. The officers and soldiers of the division clearly fulfilled their duty to the Motherland. During these nine years the division fought almost continuously. Hundreds and thousands of its military personnel were awarded government awards, more than ten people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, including generals: A. E. Slyusar, P. S. Grachev, Lieutenant Colonel A. N. Siluyanov. This was a normal, cool airborne division, which you wouldn’t put your finger in its mouth. At the end of the war in Afghanistan, the division returned to its native Vitebsk, essentially to nothing. In almost ten years, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. The barracks housing stock was transferred to other units. The landfills were looted and seriously dilapidated. The division on its native side was greeted by a picture reminiscent, in the apt expression of General D.S. Sukhorukov, “an old village cemetery with lopsided crosses.” The division (which had just emerged from combat) faced an impenetrable wall of social problems. There were “smart heads” who, taking advantage of the growing tension in society, proposed an unconventional move - to transfer the division to the State Security Committee. No division - no problem. And... they handed it over, creating a situation where the division was no longer “Vedevaesh”, but also not “KGB”. That is, no one needed it at all. “You ate two rabbits, I didn’t eat one, but on average - one each.” Military officers were turned into clowns. The caps are green, the shoulder straps are green, the vests are blue, the symbols on the caps, shoulder straps and chest are airborne. The people aptly dubbed this wild mixture of forms “conductor.”
Details Created 05/06/2013 08:40 Updated 01/04/2014 14:32
The regiment was formed in the city of Bykhov, Mogilev region of the Belarusian USSR. The formation began on December 29, 1944 and ended on January 8, 1945. The basis of the formation was the 3rd Guards Airborne Brigade of the 13th Guards Airborne Division. When formed, the regiment was given the name “317th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 103rd Guards Rifle Division.”
From December 29, 1944 to January 15, 1945, the 317th Guards Rifle Regiment was stationed in the city of Bykhov, Mogilev Region.
From January 15, 1945 to February 21, 1945, the 317th Guards Rifle Regiment marched from Bykhov station to Titsobicki station (Hungary).
From 02/25/1945 to 05/09/1945, the 317th Guards Rifle Regiment took part in battles in Hungary and Austria.
By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 26, 1945, for the battles during the defeat of an enemy tank group southwest of Budapest and crossing the Rab River, the 317th Guards Rifle Regiment was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky and a special diploma of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
From 07/09/1945 to 01/09/1946, the 317th Guards Rifle Regiment was stationed in the village of Aldier (Hungary) and the city of Szeget (Hungary).
From 01/09/1946 to 08/01/1946, the 317th Guards Rifle Regiment was stationed in the village of Seltsy, Ryazan Region.
From June 15, 1946 to June 25, 1946, in the Seltsy camp, Ryazan region, on the basis of the 317th Guards Rifle Order of Alexander Nevsky Regiment, the 317th Guards Landing Airborne Order of Alexander Nevsky Regiment of the 103rd Guards Airborne Regiment was formed. Red Banner Order of Kutuzov Airborne Division.
From 08/01/1946 to 05/09/1948, the 317th Guards Landing Airborne Regiment was stationed in the city of Polotsk.
From May 20, 1948 to December 25, 1979 in the city of Vitebsk. By Directive of the Commander of the Airborne Forces No. 1466131 dated 02/18/1949, the 317th Guards Airborne Order of Alexander Nevsky Regiment of the 103rd Guards Airborne Red Banner Order of Kutuzov Division was renamed and given the name 317th Guards Airborne Order of Alexander Nevsky Regiment.
In 1968, the 317th Guards Landing Airborne Regiment participated in a tactical landing exercise in the GDR.
On December 25, 1979, the 317th Guards Parachute Regiment in full force was transferred by air from the airfields of Vitebsk and the populated area. Balbasovo (Orsha) to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA), to provide international assistance in defense against revolutionary conquests and aggressions.
The pride of the paratroopers was the exploits of fellow guard senior sergeants Nikolai Chepik and Alexander Mironeno. They were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously, and they were forever included in the unit's lists.
By order of the USSR Minister of Defense dated April 30, 1980, for exemplary performance of tasks in providing international assistance to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, displaying high moral and business qualities, high skill, determination and courage, he was awarded the pennant of the USSR Minister of Defense.
On January 5, 1990, the 317th Guards Parachute Regiment as part of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division was withdrawn from the Airborne Forces and transferred to the border troops of the KGB of the USSR.
On August 27, 1991, the 317th Guards Parachute Regiment as part of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division was withdrawn from the border troops of the KGB of the USSR to the disposal of the Ministry of Defense and the USSR.
On October 2, 1991, the 317th Guards Parachute Regiment as part of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division was transferred to the Airborne Forces.
On July 15, 1992, the 317th Guards Parachute Regiment became part of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus with the assignment of the code name 52287.
On September 1, 1995, the 317th Guards Parachute Regiment was reorganized into the 317th Separate Guards Mobile Brigade, which included its successor, the 3171st Separate Guards Mobile Battalion.
On September 20, 2002, on the basis of the 317th, 350th separate Guards mobile brigades and the management of mobile forces, the 103rd Guards separate mobile Order of Lenin, Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree, named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR brigade was formed with the presentation of the Battle Banner 103 1st Airborne Division, and the 317th Separate Guards Battalion - the Battle Banner of the 317th Parachute Regiment with the name "317th Separate Guards Order of Alexander Nevsky Mobile Battalion".
On November 5, 2002, the Chief of the Main Staff of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus presented the Battle Banner to the 317th Separate Guards Order of Alexander Nevsky mobile battalion.
Paratroopers of the renowned 317th Separate Guards Order of Alexander Nevsky Mobile Battalion repeatedly took part in numerous exercises, during which they improved airborne and field training, techniques and methods of conducting combat operations, and mastered new types of weapons and equipment.
Since 2005, the battalion has taken part in parades for the Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus.
How many of their boys, born in Belogorsk, Amur Region, visited Afghanistan? Nobody thought...
It’s like in the Afghan song - “Ask the desert how many there are”! I became aware of several names and among them Edik Anuchin.
Anuchin Eduard Dmitrievich
senior warrant officer of reconnaissance company 103 airborne division 317 pdp
Born on November 23, 1959 in Belogorsk, Amur Region. He graduated from high school in Bolgrad.
On October 23, 1978 he was drafted into the Armed Forces of the USSR. Served in the Kerkinsky border detachment of the KGB of the USSR from 1978 to 1980.
He graduated from the airborne ensign school in Rukla in Lithuania.
Since October 1983, he fulfilled his international duty in the DRA - he was the foreman of the reconnaissance company of the 103rd Airborne Division of the 317th Airborne Division.
He took part in 17 combat operations and 28 ambushes (but who counted them?).
During combat operations in the Logar gorge region, when one of the company platoon commanders was wounded, he took command of the platoon.
Tragically died on October 22, 1985. For courage and bravery he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner (posthumously). Buried in Bolgrad, Odessa region.
We could put an end to this. Born, studied, died...
But the comments under the Afghan photographs of his friends indicate that Eduard was the most combative, one of the best warrant officers of the 40th Army. Not the best in his reconnaissance company and not even in his 103rd Guards Airborne Division, but in the whole army. And that means something! Such a high praise was given to him by his fellow servicemen who were side by side with him during combat operations.
Therefore, I wanted to write about him in more detail. But the more I understood this topic, the more I realized that I needed to write not only about him alone. I won’t lie, there was a moment when I wanted to give up this idea, but my friends convinced me that I needed to write!
Edik spent his childhood until he was 10 years old in Belogorsk, where at that time 60% of the population were military - units of the 98th Guards Airborne Svir Red Banner Order of Kutuzov Division were located in the city. Many boys in the city dreamed of becoming soldiers. They and even the girls jumped with a parachute.
Edward's father, Dmitry Stepanovich Anuchin, served as an ensign in the 299th airborne regiment, which was relocated to Bolgrad in September 1969. In Bolgrad, he served as a senior warrant officer in a separate squadron of the 98th Airborne Division - a flight mechanic on the AN-2.
Anuchin's mother, Evdokia Alekseevna, was an employee of the Soviet army and worked in a parachute repair shop. Dmitry Stepanovich - Honored Master of Parachuting. He has over 3000 jumps. Naturally, the father was an example for his son. It was in such an atmosphere that Edward's character was formed. Some even consider him a hooligan and a lover of fights. Even then, Edik stood out among his peers for his character, he did not let anyone down, it seemed that he was not afraid of anything or anyone except his father. And when he happened to do something, he called an older comrade with him, hoping that the punishment would be less, but his father was adamant... And Edik was grateful to his father for such an upbringing!
In Bolgrad (where his parents moved with the division), Eduard graduated from high school and a driving school in Izmail, went to work at the Etalon plant, from there he was drafted into the border troops in the city of Kerki on the border of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The Kerkinsky border detachment turned into a legend in the 80s.
While serving in Kerki, he took part in flights to the neighboring side to destroy gangs of Mujahideen. On one of the flights, he was in the same helicopter with the head of reconnaissance of the KSAPO troops, Major General A.A. Artykbaev, during the operation he showed courage and Artykbaev nominated him for the medal “For Courage”.
After demobilization, he entered the Higher Command Red Banner School named after Kirov in Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz). He was a deputy platoon commander and took part in pacifying the riot (Ossetian revolution of 1981). But he failed to graduate from college; due to the injury he received, he was discharged.
This is how eyewitness Oleg Borisenko describes these events.
“...The fourth-year special platoon cadets stomped their boots down the corridor. The platoon commander, Edik Anuchin, left the classroom. Then he returned and took two cadets with him.
They brought ten or eleven soldiers' helmets, and an R-105 radio.
“That’s it, damn it,” Anuchin explained. “While the “grabbers” were clicking, all the helmets were dismantled by other platoons. You are the battalion commander's radio operator! - Edik told me and put the walkie-talkie in his hands, adding:
- You are not entitled to a helmet. If anything, you can cover yourself with a cap.
- From whom? - I asked.
- Not from anyone, but from what! From the stones, idiot! There, rhinoceroses are already dismantling the monument to Sergo Ordzhonikidze! And it’s marble, you’ll hit it on the head, then you’ll spend your whole life showing figs to sparrows.
- And the rest? Are there not enough helmets for a platoon? - I didn’t let up. As a battalion Komsomol organizer, I had some right to argue with junior commanders.
Anuchin climbed onto a stool standing at the commander’s table.
- Attention platoon! Do as I do! - With these words, he turned the brim of his cap with his ears down.
We have all become like captured Germans being led around Moscow...
Forming up on the parade ground! - the command rang out.
We went out into formation, and in front of our noses were freshmen, led by the arms of fourth-year cadets, with broken faces and heads. They also had protective equipment, forty helmets for three companies - no more.
- One senior cadet or sergeant, with a bandage on his head, shouted:
Where are you going with your bare hands??? Break stools and disassemble the legs.
I realized that there were no rubber sticks at the school. Immediately asking myself a question and breaking the platoon stool, I thought:
- How can I hit a living person on the head with a ribbed wooden leg? It will hurt him! But so far only the fourth-year cadets were in pain. I consoled myself with the fact that a wooden leg was still better than a bullet. After all, the twelfth company was given live ammunition, and they sat in the barracks awaiting the command “Fas”..."
And off we go... we used fists, sticks, pieces of granite, paving stones, bird cherry, explosive bags... The cadets got good combat experience.
After his injury, Eduard was discharged, but he did not give up, but threw away all his medical documents and went to enroll in the airborne ensign school in Rukla in Lithuania, specifically the paratrooper school, because he simply did not see himself any other way. His father’s personal example, lessons learned in the service, participation in hostilities in the DRA, all this led him to the path of a military man.
In November 1983 he was already in Afghanistan.
From the memoirs of Misha Khodjaev (Nasrullo).
“On the first day of his arrival in the company, I was the company duty officer and the company was put on alert, since he had not yet been enlisted, I gave him my weapon. And from his first minutes in Afghanistan, he found himself in a combat zone! We were brought together by the fact that he served in his military service in my native place in Turkmenistan. I was a translator. Translated from Afghan into Russian. He translated what the prisoners and civilians in the company, regiment and division were talking about. Once I was sent to deep civilian intelligence, listened to what the Afghans were talking about and collected information. I went to war with Edward many times. And how many times he was in war and in ambushes, no one can say, I can’t even count mine. And 1984 and 1985 were the most active years in combat operations.”
From the memoirs of Andrey Polishchuk
..."Anuchin Edik came to the company when I was there. And he fit into the life of the company with me. Well done, he fit in! Being accepted by the soldiers and being one of them was worth a lot. Not everyone fit in. The reconnaissance unit lived by its own, unspoken, rules . They had their own criteria for assessing people: soldiers and officers. I’m not idealizing, but these men’s “playing games” were in spirit for me. But it didn’t suit everyone. Edik, I suppose, also had a blast. Those who didn’t fit in were out, man he left on his own or was “removed.”
There were about forty people in the company with officers. They were subordinate only to the chief of intelligence and the chief of staff of the regiment. When they went to war, they gave help to an artillery fire spotter, a signalman, a mortar crew, a chemist, a sapper, and a medical instructor. There were about fifty people in total.
From the memoirs of Nikolai Frolov
...- “As soon as our feet set foot on the soil of Afghanistan, representatives from the 317th infantry regiment came to our regiment and came up to us and asked: “Who wants to go into reconnaissance?”
Of course, we turned out to be the fastest. They needed to recruit two gunner and gunner operators. The company location where we immediately arrived was empty, because the company was at war.
When the company returned, our acquaintance began - we saw completely brown guys, lean as goitered gazelles. Of course, we were immediately forced to disassemble the ammunition and take it to the weapons room. Then there was cleaning in the company, dinner, and only after that the foreman lined us up. He was a little tipsy, he tells us, “If any of you can repeat what I will now perform on the horizontal bar, then he will be freed from the “youngsters”, i.e. will not fly on various orders from old-timers. In short, he begins to spin the sun on the horizontal bar without safety belts. Our jaws dropped and we realized that we couldn’t escape from running around. This was the first acquaintance with the foreman.
Then I personally got to know him better. For the first year, I drove the armor as a gunner operator on an armored personnel carrier, and the mechanic was Zhenya Svetlitsky, and after successful shooting, the foreman chose our crew to travel on various combat missions.
Eduard told us to call him Zhora. And only in front of the officers did they address him as required by the regulations - Comrade Senior Warrant Officer. I have never met such people in my life, he was truly brave! And he even carried out combat missions with a little fanaticism, and of course he instilled this in all of us. We, watching him sign with a felt-tip pen on anti-personnel mines, tried to imitate him in this and in general wanted to be like the foreman in everything.
In the absence of the officer, Zhora acted as platoon commander. There was great confidence in him, and we considered it an honor to go into the mountains under his command. Not all warrant officers in the division went to war, but our Zhora always did. Because this man was born for combat. I was generally amazed at his fearless soul. That’s why we say about him that he is the most combative of all ensigns!
Once, when I was on the armor, we were ambushed on the Gardez road. I used up all the ammunition, and the guys manually helped me equip the belts so that I could fire. At this time, the sergeant major was on top of the car and was firing from a machine gun. Through the sight, we saw turbans and bloody pieces of meat flying away. It was just HELL, and we all came out of this hell. The machine gun barrels became orange. Upon arrival at the regiment, I realized that I had become deaf and had burned my cheek on a machine gun while loading the belt. You should have seen Zhora at such moments - he turned into a tough comrade.
I remember how we landed on Panjshir, and as always, they were already waiting for us there! The shelling was so dense that it was impossible to raise your head. The sergeant major gives the command: “Capture group forward, followed by a cover group, run!” We take the mountain literally in one breath. And when you run, there are ricochet fountains nearby. Thanks to the foreman, we stayed alive and took the mountain!
One day our company, together with the division’s reconnaissance company, set out for an ambush. We walked all night through the mountains, covering about 50 kilometers. In the morning we reached the deployment site, we climbed the last hill, already exhausted, and we were given the order to build observation posts. Then there was a dream with guards posted, and finally the spirits appeared. There were seven of them, walking at a distance from each other, stretched out about twenty meters. We let them get closer and a very tough firefight began; they immediately killed three of them on the path, and two more a little lower in the gorge. Two ran up the mountain and lay down in the drainage, and the seventh (we later realized this) climbed the opposite mountain and pecked at us as a sniper. Two people in the drain were also destroyed. And they forgot about the seventh. One of our soldiers was mortally wounded, and a bullet entered the platoon’s neck, passed next to the carotid artery and came out next to a vertebra - a guy was born in his shirt! Everyone was tired, company commander Dmitry Gorbunov gave the command to rest, climbed the hill and settled down. In the morning we saw that seventh one, only he had already gone far away. And according to reconnaissance data, in this gorge there were three warehouses with ammunition and things - sleeping bags, mountain equipment, in general, everything necessary for mountain warfare. We combed the entire gorge, but found nothing. And we walked along the path several times with a large stone lying nearby, which was cut like a knife and on this cut there were lines - inscriptions. From the outside it seemed to us like they usually write “Vasya was here.” But it’s Zhora Anuchin who says, “Let’s stop at this cobblestone and compare it with the map and the terrain. And he was one hundred percent right. It really was a map - we found all the warehouses using this cheat sheet. This is how, thanks to the ingenuity of the foreman, weapons, ammunition and equipment were eliminated.
In the photograph, reconnaissance company 317 airborne division 103 airborne division with the Commander of the USSR Airborne Forces D.S. Sukhorokuvym in the center, Regimental Commander A.V. Kinzersky to the right. Company commander Lieutenant A.N. Kolpachenko is on the right (now Lieutenant General). Kabul, summer 1985, parade ground near the wall of the presidential palace. After the ceremonial march on the occasion of the arrival of the commander. He flew to the division and was in the company, having heard about the events in Kunar, this is in Jalalabad. Then the reconnaissance and a separate divisional reconnaissance reconnaissance, together with other guys, struggled on diamond mines with a “black stork” - that was the name of the gang of spirits, in which there were nigers and various mercenaries along with frostbitten “narics” and fans of Islam. There, through our efforts, more than five hundred of these “monsters” were destroyed. Of course, the guys on breadcrumbs helped from the air. On our side there were also losses then - three killed and fifteen wounded. Severe injuries were mainly to the extremities, because fired cartridges with explosive bullets. The helicopters did not fly for a long time, and the guys’ limbs were dying due to the applied tourniquets and the heat. After all, there is a tropical area with palm trees and monitor lizards running a meter long, plus mosquitoes, scorpions, phalanges, and snakes. To everything else you need to add diseases - from jaundice to tropical fever and typhus.
New 1985 met at war, in the mountains. Zhora brought a real Christmas tree, only God knows where he got it! But obviously he ordered it somewhere in advance, he was prudent! They dressed it up with improvised means - instead of toys there were cartridges, grenades, rocket launchers, and they made rain out of bandages.
Zhora with a guitar and the guys at an impromptu New Year's table.
Zhora was a skilled warrior! And he also knew how to relax. And mind you, officers and soldiers won’t just sit down and eat cans of stew. Well, of course, we had everything to take a good break from the war, otherwise we could go crazy. It was different... It also happened that we went to the hospital at night, but it was easy to be captured. Then there was a bloody “price tag” - for each killed soldier of the Afghan army - seven thousand, for a party activist - up to 15 thousand, for an officer - 30 thousand, for a destroyed tank - 100 thousand Afghanis. An increased coefficient was set for "shuravi".
As we called him, come with us! But he refused, so he said: “I’ll go to one more war and that’s it!” When I received a letter from the “boy” about the death of the foreman, I cried bitterly.
Edward was then 25-26 years old, but for soldiers 18-20 years old he was a great authority! He was different from everyone, not only in his age and stern appearance (by nature, Edik was physically very strong, and the only one of the guys who twirled the “sun” on the crossbar without safety belts), but also in his combat experience, skills, ability to lead and treat all your neighbors in a fatherly manner.
He was an exemplary leader of the soldiers of his company, responsible for the correct performance of their service, for military discipline, internal order, and the safety of weapons and other property. He obeyed the company commander and, in the absence of the officer, performed his duties perfectly. It’s not for nothing that his comrades consider him the best warrant officer of all times! He saved the lives of many soldiers.
And let one of his childhood friends think that being a foreman is not his path! But can someone decide for him what is his and what is not his?! He proved the opposite with his attitude towards his subordinates! He was a leader from birth and had charisma and special magnetism in communicating with people of different classes! He was a technician with an excellent memory and strong determination. All these qualities allowed him to be a good specialist in his field and a humane, caring foreman!
From the memoirs of Ramil Faizov
...He was a good man and an excellent commander. Once my mother wrote a letter to him; apparently I hadn’t written for a long time when I was young. So he forced me to write a letter, sealed it himself and sent it... I even felt ashamed!
From the memoirs of Ignat Popov
...Zhora always made decisions that were not ordinary, bold, and convincing.
I remember in September 1985, he and five soldiers were ambushed, machine gun fire was coming from the cave and there were two firing points at the top. There was a tree growing not far from the cave. Edik called the fighter and explained to him the combat mission - to run to this tree, that if he cannot accomplish this, then everyone here will die. All hope is in him! The guys lay down and began to fire distractingly, and in the meantime the fighter ran to the tree and completed the task assigned to him - he fired a shot from the "Bumblebee" right at the cave. After that, the rest of the guys ran up and took seven people out of the cave! The five of them brought seven people to the field base. The spirits were furious and could not understand how this happened. At the base, a place was set aside for the prisoners and a sentry was posted.
Zhora in the villages, after combing, wrote notes to the hospitable hosts that the chief of intelligence of the airborne forces, Zhora or Georges, had been here and conducted an inspection. Thus, he convinced the farmer that if our people come, show the note, and they will no longer check you. There was some special courage in this!
Those who did not serve in Afghanistan may not understand, but those who served will not judge!
From the memoirs of Igor Moiseev
...Zhora and I traveled quite a bit around Kabul. Once in the Komsomolsk region, I decided to exchange an old lighter that didn’t burn for a new one in the dukan. The dukan-man noticed this and began to be indignant. Then Zhora punched him, broke the window glass and put a mink hat on his head, and told me to choose any lighter.
In battle, he was like a top, a completely different person, in the good sense of the word, a warrior without a tower, he worried about everyone, strived for the best and foresaw the worst, and at the base he became a calm, balanced and caring foreman! The most courageous and courageous foreman, he loved and respected the personnel of the reconnaissance company very much. He deserves much more!
...Sin, of course, but also laughter! You can’t erase it from your memory! One day Georges comes to see me - he has a serious face, and is up to something. Addresses: “Comrade Senior Lieutenant! Winter flannelette blue boots for officers have arrived at the clothing warehouse, may I receive them?” I told him: “Georges, no one wears them here, why do we need them?” He: “Allow me to get it after all! I’ll give it to the Afghan guard, they’re freezing!” "Okay, you've got a bubble!" In the evening, happy Georges poured 100 grams for the officers at dinner, and oh well! The next morning... all the officers of the Afghan Guard ran out to exercise in... blue officer's underpants!!! They proudly parade around the Palace! It turns out that Georges sold our long johns to the Afghans as... "shuravi" tracksuits! That was the foreman! The whole regiment laughed! Well, how can I punish him for this? Although of course they were punished.
From the memoirs of Igor Korostelev
..."....I knew him. I greeted him. I was a soldier, and he was a senior warrant officer. These are different categories, he was much higher in rank than me. But he spoke like a simple person to a person. According to the regulations, you are supposed to give honor to the senior in rank. I acted as required by the regulations. But one day he said: “You don’t need to salute - just say hello and that’s it.” We are all human!" He helped with cigarettes when we ran out, although I did not serve in his reconnaissance company. There was another incident (I don’t think it’s necessary to write about this), but it means a lot to me. I remember it for the rest of my life! And I will never forget Eduard Anuchin, the foreman of our reconnaissance company. He was going on vacation with the Union. I remember he bought a fox fur coat for his wife with his salary! Showed this fur coat and asked whether it was a beautiful fur coat or not. And then asked: “Soldier, what should I bring you?” from your homeland? What could I ask for? I am a simple soldier, and he is a sergeant major... and I randomly said that I wanted to drink beer. I haven’t drank beer for a year and a half. You have no idea... The first three days when he returned from vacation to Kabul, he met with his friends, and then came out of his room and said: “Soldier come in! I came in and he takes out a bottle of beer!!! Gives me and says: “I promised!!! It was a shock!!! The whole platoon drank it one sip at a time! Our Soviet beer! That's the kind of person he was...
How painful it was to learn about his death! He said: “I’m going to the last war of my life.” When they came back from the fighting, I approached the sappers and asked: “How did it go?” I heard in response that Zhora was killed... everyone was simply depressed by this event... He was a man with a capital M. Respected ordinary soldiers. I helped them as much as I could.
It was scary to see the pain of his friend, who came from vacation; he left before Eduard for the Union. Edward gave gifts for his wife through him. The ensign said that he spent a month at home with his wife, and then went to Eduard’s house to give gifts to his wife. I went to them, and there was a coffin with Edward...
From the memoirs of Dmitry Gorbunov
...Ensign Anuchin was the foreman of the reconnaissance company, I was the company commander. We fought a lot and well with him! He was a real fighter and comrade. He was respected throughout the regiment, the soldiers loved him. When this tragedy happened, I was already a battalion commander, and my former reconnaissance company acted separately. However, I personally conducted the investigation.
The bottom line: the reconnaissance company, after completing the mission, returned at night in a column of the main forces on armor. Ahead, sappers discovered a mined section of the road and were clearing mines. The column stood up. Eduard was riding in the cabin of his Ural, which contained the company's supplies. I'm hungry. He sent the driver to the back to find and bring him a canned “Tourist’s Breakfast” snack. The fighter was gone for a long time, so he went on his own. He opened the canned food and began to eat from a knife, standing in the doorway of the kung ("Ural" with a kung covered with boards on the inside).
Following the Ural, 5 meters away there was a BMP-2, in which a young colleague, taking advantage of the stop, decided to study the hardware of the 30 mm rapid-fire aircraft gun, which was installed on the BMP-2, and asked the sergeant-gunner-operator about this. He gave him his place, turned off all the electrical circuits and began to show him. But a young and inexperienced colleague ACCIDENTALLY pressed his foot on a mechanical trigger, the presence of which he did not even suspect! A burst of 3 HE (high explosive fragmentation charge) shells was heard! Right into Edik's chest and stomach!!! He was torn into two parts and died instantly.
The driver, Kaizafar Rashitovich Valiakhmetov, who stood behind the foreman, also died. Zafar was a great guy, very modest and quiet, but he took great care of the car, it was always in good working order and clean. And the car was cut into a colander.
This is not a heroic death for the sergeant major. How many times was he in battle, was not even wounded even once, and then three days before his departure and a month before his birthday he died so absurdly!
Posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
But the memory of the dead is sacredly preserved by their comrades in arms, their families and loved ones.And this memory will live as long as we remember it. And we have no right to forget about this!
Link to photo album -
Russia
Belarus
103rd Guards Airborne Division(abbr. 103 Guards Airborne Division) - airborne force, which was part of the Airborne Forces of the USSR and Russia and, for a short time, was part of Armed Forces of Belarus. The division was formed in 1946, as a result of the reorganization 103rd Guards rifle division. In 1993, the division was reorganized into a brigade.
History of formation
In accordance with the resolution Council of Ministers of the USSR dated June 3, 1946, the 103rd Guards Rifle Division was reorganized into the 103rd Guards Red Banner Order of Kutuzov 2nd degree airborne, consisting of: Division Administration, 317th Guards Order of Alexander Nevsky Parachute Regiment, 322nd Guards Order of Kutuzov 2nd degree parachute regiment, 39th Guards Red Banner Order of Suvorov 2nd degree parachute regiment, 15th Guards Artillery Regiment, units and support units. On August 5, 1946, personnel began combat training according to the plan of the Airborne Forces. Soon the division was redeployed to the city Polotsk.
Combat path connection
Major military exercises and plans for using the formation in the event of the outbreak of World War III
In 1970, the division participated in the Brotherhood in Arms exercises, which were held in GDR; in 1972, she took part in the Shield-72 exercise; in 1975, the division's guardsmen were the first in the USSR Airborne Forces to make parachute jumps from high-speed aircraft An-22 And IL-76; The division also took part in the Spring-75 and Avangard-76 exercises. In February 1978, combined arms exercises took place on the territory of Belarus “ Berezina", in which the 103rd Guards Airborne Division also took part. For the first time, paratroopers in full force with equipment and weapons parachuted from Il-76 aircraft. The actions of the paratroopers during the exercises were very highly appreciated by the highest Soviet military command.
Compound
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The division was formed as follows:
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| 103rd Guards Airborne Forces in Afghanistan on Wikimedia Commons |
According to the directive General Staff dated January 21, 1955 No. org/2/462396 in order to improve the organization of the Airborne Forces, by April 25, 1955, two regiments remained in the 103rd Guards Airborne Division, it was then that the 322nd Guards was disbanded. pdp. In connection with the transfer of the Guards Airborne Divisions to a new organization and an increase in their numbers, the following were formed as part of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division: the 133rd Separate Anti-Tank Artillery Division (numbering 165 people), one of the 1185- th artillery regiment of the 11th Guards Airborne Division. Deployment point: Vitebsk; The 50th separate aeronautical detachment (numbering 73 people), used aeronautical units of the regiments of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division. Deployment point is the city of Vitebsk. .
By a directive of the General Staff of March 4, 1955, in order to streamline the numbering of military units, from April 30, 1955, the number was changed - the 572nd separate self-propelled artillery division of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division to the 62nd separate self-propelled artillery division. Based on the order of the USSR Minister of Defense dated December 29, 1958 No. 0228, seven separate military transport aviation squadrons of An-2 military transport aircraft of the Air Force (100 people each) were transferred to the Airborne Forces. By directive of the Commander of the Airborne Forces of January 6, 1959, separate military transport aviation squadrons were transferred to the airborne divisions, and the 210th separate military transport aviation squadron was transferred to the 103rd Guards Airborne Division.
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| Award ceremony for officers on the parade ground | On top of one of the Afghan mountains | The convoy is walking along an Afghan mountain road |
List of commanders
| Rank | Name | Years |
|---|---|---|
| guard colonel | Stepanov, Sergei Prokhorovich | 1944–1945 |
| guard major general | Bochkov, Fedor Fedorovich | 1945–1948 |
| guard major general | Denisenko, Mikhail Ivanovich | 1948–1949 |
| guard colonel | Kozlov, Viktor Georgievich | 1949–1952 |
| guard major general | Popov, Illarion Grigorievich | 1952–1956 |
| guard major general | Aglitsky, Mikhail Pavlovich | 1956–1959 |
| guard colonel | Shkrudnev, Dmitry Grigorievich | 1959–1961 |
| guard colonel | Kobzar, Ivan Vasilievich | 1961–1964 |
| guard major general | Kashnikov, Mikhail Ivanovich | 1964–1968 |
| guard colonel | Yatsenko, Alexander Ivanovich | 1968–1974 |
| guard major general | Makarov, Nikolai Arsenievich | 1974–1976 |
| guard major general | Ryabchenko, Ivan Fedorovich | 1976–1981 |
| guard major general | Slyusar, Albert Evdokimovich | 1981–1984 |
| guard major general | Yarygin, Yurantin Vasilievich | 1984–1985 |
| guard major general | Grachev, Pavel Sergeevich | 1985–1988 |
| guard major general | Bocharov, Evgeniy Mikhailovich | 1988–1991 |
| guard colonel | Kalabukhov, Grigory Andreevich | 1991–1992 |
After the collapse of the USSR
Personnel of the 103rd Guards Separate Mobile Brigade during a demonstration performance
On May 20, 1992, by directive of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Belarus No. 5/0251, the 103rd Guards Airborne Order of Lenin, Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov Division was included in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. In 1993, on the basis of the management of the 103rd Guards. The Airborne Forces Directorate of the Mobile Forces of the Republic of Belarus was created. Based on the 317th Guards. PDP - 317th separate mobile brigade. Based on the 350th Guards. PDP - 350th separate mobile brigade. Based on the 357th Guards. PDP - 357th separate training mobile battalion. The 1179th artillery regiment of the division was disbanded. At the end of 2002, the 317th separate mobile brigade Armed Forces of Belarus handing over the battle banner of the 103rd Guards. vdd. From now on it bears the name 103rd separate mobile brigade (Belor. 103rd Guards Special Mobile Brigade).
Famous military personnel
- Kirpichenko, Vadim Alekseevich- Lieutenant General, First Deputy Head of the First Main Directorate of the KGB (intelligence). As part of the 103rd Guards. SD as a foreman participated in battles at Lake Balaton in 1945
see also
- Mobile forces of the Republic of Belarus
Notes
Literature
Links
| Russian Airborne Forces | ||
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Brigades withdrawn from the Airborne Forces: 11th Separate Airborne · 27th Guards Separate Motorized Rifle · | |
