Vympel (Pennant)

THIS TEXT CURRENTLY BEING EDITED

The decision on creation of group Vympel ( Pennant ) was accepted at the closed session of ministerial Council USSR and agency of the central committee communist party of the Soviet Union. The commander of group became kontr - admiral of sea frontier parts Evald Kozlov. 
Problems of group: realization reconnaissance - subversive operations, struggle with terrorist and guerilla groups in territory of other states, protection and evacuation of the citizens and establishments USSR abroad, capture of the important objects of the opponent (HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATION, NUCLEAR POWER STATION, chemical and enterprises of oil etc.), protection of the important objects against the saboteurs of the opponent. All these operations should be conducted at interaction with intelligence investigation. During war in Afghanistan the employees were occupied with investigation, data gathering, acts of sabotage. They have penetrated into groups of mujahideen, Pushed together
groups among themselves, order a misinformation, freed the soldier from captivities. In 1991 to problems of group the problem on clearing of the terrorists of the grasped important objects was added.
The group worked in the training, conducted of KGB (improvement of actions on suppression of actions of subversive groupings of the enemy). The group Vympel worked as terrorist. The employees of local departments of KGB and MVD, internal troops conducted operations on a finding and detention of "saboteurs" - employees of group. For "acts of sabotage" on the training the important objects - air defense system of the country, missile complexes, enterprise for an armament production (chemical and nuclear), railway missile complexes, nuclear power stations , chemical and enterprise of oil got out. Usually operations of group Vympel were conducted at once on three - four objects and consist at once of several problems: a collection of information about object, reception of samples of production, kidnapping of the important employee, penetration on object, act of sabotage. The local bodies received the information, that in their region the subversive group has landed and then intense struggle began. Everyone, who worked in such doctrines, received wide experience on the structure. 
The skeleton of group was made by(with) the employees of former group of Zenith working in assault of palace of Amin (Afghanistan). The group submitted to the head of department "ó" (illegal agency abroad) of PGU (first senior management) of KGB. The base of group was near a village Balashiha (near Moscow). In group took the employees of KGB, military experts. Each candidate long checked: studied his(its) file, conducted conversations and tests. Then the candidate enlisted in selection group. Here candidate passed tests and tests within 2 months. Each morning, irrespective of weather, recruits left on a street for physical preparation. The physical exercises came to an end run on the crossed district of 9 kms. Then the throws in the complete loading of weight about 40 kg were conducted a transition (weapon, radio station, pack with equipment and equipment etc.) - 60 - 70 kms. Sometimes with overcoming of water. After 2 months the basic rate of preparation - from 3 till 5 years began: Physical preparation, hand-to-hand battle, fire preparation, driving, mine - explosive preparation, radiopreparation, country-study and foreign languages, tactics of small groups, investigation, para-landing preparation, mountain climbing, diving preparation, medical preparation. 
Physical preparation: run 10 - 15 kms. On the crossed district with the complete loading, wringing out, pulling up, work with a bar, on beams, extension of legs, sports run.
Hand-to-hand battle: shock and dash of technique, skill of a conducted battle with use of a cold steel (knife, axe, shoulder blade etc.). 
Driving: all types of transport - automobile and lorries, armored vechicles, helicopters and planes.
Mine - explosive preparation: all kinds domestic and foreign mine - explosive devices, receptions of mining and demining, manufacturing of self-made explosive devices from improvised materials.
Country-study and foreign languages: study of foreign languages, study of features of different regions of the world, tradition and customs. The knowledge of two foreign languages - one perfectly, another to be able to read and to translate with the dictionary was necessary, to conduct interrogations.
The employee of group should perfectly shoot from all kinds of the weapon - domestic and foreign. 
On trainings the tactical operations in the rear of the opponent for various problems were fulfilled. The actions on the crossed district, in a wood, in city, at the industrial enterprises, in premises(rooms) were fulfilled. All employees had maximum formation(education). By 1991 in group there were more than 1000 employees. From them 90 % - officers. The maximal age of the employees - 40 years. The group was divided into branches (team) - 10 - 20 employees. The branches could be united in larger subdivisions.
After putsch of 1991 group resubordinated to a security service. Then group was included into structure of agency of federal safety of Russian Federation. Then since January 24, 1992 the group was included in structure of the Ministry of safety of Russia. The problems of group - antiterrorism, struggle with the dealers by drugs, armed criminals, organized criminality have changed. Known operations of this period: in 1992 in Moscow 10 employees of group have taken a gang 14 armed gangsters with 1 million false dollars. In 1993 - have prevented attempt of export of radioactive materials from region of Ekaterinburg. Frequently group carried out the tasks in " hot points ". In 1993 the group Vympel has refused to carry out the order of the president Elzin about assault of a building of parliament in Moscow (it was is freed from the leaders of opposition and their armed supporters by group Alfa at support of group Vympel without shots and blood). After that the president Elzin has issued a decree about disbandment of the Ministry of safety of Russia. Vympel resubordinated to MVD. After that the majority of the employees have left group, alterred by sawing in various governmental and power(force) bodies, in commercial structures. The group actually has ceased to exist.