Another 24/02/20 bratishka.ru Sigma: how to fight a secret Russian special forces in Chechnya
They hated and feared smugglers, corrupt customs and a division title, the names and ranks of his soldiers, knew not even the soldiers at checkpoints, where they were based. They are the special forces of the border troops “Sigma”. The unit lasted only 9 years, but during that time managed to write his name in the annals of military glory of Russia. The commandos participated in the battles, was wounded once, even their helicopter crashed, but none of them died.
the Birth of “Sigma”
At all times, the guards were considered the elite and stood apart from the rest of the armed forces. When talking about the guards in the head once there is a sustainable phrase: “They took the first blow of the enemy.” This is true, but this is only part of their tasks, a list of which is much more wide and varied.
Russia has the world’s largest border and it lies in different climatic conditions. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the borders were totally unequipped and unprepared to meet the enemy. The power crisis has led to the emergence of tensions in the North Caucasus, than immediately took advantage of by external forces. Through Chechnya and Dagestan, the country has begun to penetrate not only the representatives of the underworld, and along with them huge quantities of contraband, but also the agents of foreign States and terrorist networks.
the Usual customs cordon couldn’t hold back all this criminal stream: lacked neither the strength nor the material resources, and sometimes corruption corroded the border fortifications, destroying them as well as armored spearheads of the enemy.
the Last straw was the attack on the 12th frontier Outpost of Moscow frontier group in Tajikistan in 1993. A detachment of Afghan and Tajik militants tried to break into the territory of the Republic from Afghanistan. At the beginning of the attack the phoneline on the gate was cut, and the radio destroyed, the staff managed to convey only information about the outing of spooks. Guards 11 hours restrain their onslaught, lost 25 men killed, after which a decision was made to move to the other side of the Outpost.
In 1994, may 17, the new commander of the Federal border service, Colonel-General Andrei Nikolaev signed a decree on the formation of a special unit of the border troops, which was called “Sigma”. With the name, incidentally, is related anecdotal story. It was rumored that when Nikolaev asked why Sigma (the 18th letter of the Greek alphabet), he replied with a phrase from the movie “Operation “y”: “nobody guessed.”
Gear with your own hands
Lead created by the subdivision appointed officer of group “A” – the famous “alpha” – Lieutenant Colonel Igor Mitrofanov. The choice on it fell not only due to the fact that he was an excellent combat and tactical training – others in the “alpha” do not serve, but because he graduated from frontier school and behind him was service in the border troops. Home base for the military “Sigma” is staged in Moscow. While the division was Yaletown, the commander personally repaired and plastered the premises of the barracks and headquarters.
the Formation was difficult. The personnel collecting the crumbs everywhere, wondered what weapons would be most appropriate for the service. The expedition was carried out to develop combat coordination. Soldiers were given guns and camouflage, but that’s about the outfit forgot. But it is the army, where such trivia no one cares and the command can give orders to produce the missing equipment. So I had to make it manually from scrap materials.
In
First combat mission Sigma was implemented in late 1995 in Dagestan. At that time the local customs offices, both on track and on the railway, was completely corrupt. From Azerbaijan freely you could easily bring anything, and enjoyed the militants who flooded into the time the territory of the North Caucasus. Azerbaijan was a kind of transit point for militants from Turkey, which subsequently penetrated into Dagestan and Chechnya.
the head of the Outpost, who used to take money and turn a blind eye on the contents of the container were not happy with such reinforcements. But all his questions to the chief of the operational-military Department border guards in Dagestan that people are profits and what they would do, he did not get a specific answer, it only besieged: “This doesn’t concern you, shut up and listen to what you order. Now the commander arrived group directs the work of the frontier”.
that same evening a group of special forces quietly came to the first checkpoint and spread out on his flanks. The local commander again tried to swing right, but was hard-put Mitrofanov in place. Reluctantly obeying, he withdrew from the positions of his men and departed.
Only for the first night the scouts detained 32 illegal immigrants-offenders. The news of the new strict captain spread through the neighborhood instantly.
“Almost morning, I went out of the tent, as I was approached by two local hats, – says Igor Mitrofanov. – Proposed skip without examination two trucks, promising for 5 thousand dollars each. After I ordered to detain them, they directly on a plowed field has developed such a speed that I even for a moment thought they were gone.”
the Result was not long in coming: in a matter of days, the flow of illegals were stopped. After that, the commandos defiantly gathered, shot and left. Watching them local, very happy, but they didn’t know what to replace them came the second group the same group. And again the first night was arrested 25 people. Later on this plot was intercepted by foreign spies.
In may 1996, Sigma provided security during the visit of Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, the President of the self-proclaimed Ichkeria, who arrived for talks with Boris Yeltsin with the protection of the fighters. Special forces should have prevented their entry from the plane, which they successfully managed without the use of weapons.
But in addition to these routine tasks, “Sigma” was involved in more serious operations which are still secret. But it is worth noting that after the raids, special forces assaults on the roadblocks and checkpoints are reduced to zero.
End of “Sigma”
In 2003, when the Federal border service were combined with the FSB, “Sigma” was disbanded. Motivated by the fact that the FSB already has its special forces and its duplicate contain inappropriate. The commanders of the border guard forces called the decision wrong, but in the army, orders are not discussed. Meanwhile, their words proved to be prophetic, because in 2007, the FSB initiated the establishment of a new special, which was similar to those performed by “Sigma”.
Vasily Khodarev
Source:
© Russian Seven
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