Spot All The Things That Are Wrong In This Russian Military ‘Special Tactical Exercise’ Propaganda Video

In Tskhinvali, special forces servicemen of the Southern Military District took part in a special tactical exercise https://t.co/xcnthziVZv#DefenceMinistry #RussianArmy #SMD #CombatTraining #Exercises pic.twitter.com/xnKM4mzxkH

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) February 8, 2022

Task & Purpose: Everything wrong with the Russian military’s ‘special tactical exercise’ propaganda video  

Not today, Ivan.  

The eyes of the world are on Eastern Europe as Russia menaces the Ukrainian border, poised to escalate its ongoing 8-year invasion there amid speculation that NATO ally states may increase military support by sending actual troops into the country. Yet despite fears that the Russian military buildup on the Ukrainian border may spark the next big war, there are legions of naysayers who crow in breathless admiration of Russia’s military strength for one simple reason: Russia is allegedly going to run NATO’s shit because while the U.S. military was busy making commercials featuring two gay moms, goofing off in the barracks making TikTok videos, or issuing maternity flight suits, Russians were supposedly doing manly shit like push-ups, backflipping and throwing sharpened entrenching tools, and legalizing domestic violence.  

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WNU Editor: The above video, while short, is an eye-opener. I sent the link to one of my cousin's who served in the military (albeit a long time ago), and even he was surprised on how bad it was. 

The Russian Defense Ministry's post on this exercise is here .... In Tskhinvali, special forces servicemen of the Southern Military District took part in a special tactical exercise.

Why Soviet Special Forces Loved Their Adidas

Soviet command was against the appearance of any publications with photos that featured the shoes. Reuters  

Russia Beyond: Why the Soviet Special Forces loved Adidas - and how they tried to hide it 

Adidas sneakers were a mainstay in the Soviet Olympic team. Then, the shoes were sold under a completely different name. Later, however, they were seen being worn by the Spetsnaz in Afghanistan. 

Despite the Soviet Union’s official disdain for all things Western, there was actually an active and close partnership between the USSR and the “amoral” West. The ties were, of course, never acknowledged publicly, but their proof remains in foreign media and the Soviet internal archives. Adidas was one of these points of convergence. 

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WNU Editor: Two of my cousins served in special forces in the Soviet-Afghan war. Even to this day they still love their Adidas.

Russian Special Forces Are Using Western Equipment

Most of the equipment of this Russian 'Vympel' special forces diver can be identified as Western. In some cases equipment may be Russian copies of Western designs. H I Sutton (Inserts Russian MOD, Vitaly V. Kuzmin)

Forbes: Image Shows Russian Special Forces Using Western Equipment

Russia’s famous Spetsnaz special forces have a long and proud tradition. Until recently their unit identity was wrapped up in distinctly Russian clothing and equipment. The camouflage schemes, load carrying ‘webbing’ and helmets were instantly recognizable. That was up until recently. Today they are looking increasingly Western and wear kit from countries including America, France and Italy.

The above image shows a Russian ‘Vympel’ dive team member wearing the latest gear. Vympel is one of the leading FSB (Federal Security Service - the modern day KGB) special forces units. The only part of the equipment that is recognizable as Russian, aside from the Velcro flag patch on his American helmet, is is weapon. The magazines in his chest pouches reveal that he would be carrying a Viyaz-SN submachine gun. This is a 9mm weapon based on the famous Kalashnikov family of weapons.

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WNU Editor: I have been noticing this trend for the past two years. For example. When I posted this tweet (below), I had to look closely on who is the U.S. soldier, and who is the Russian officer. The soldier on the right is the U.S. officer.

Epic photo: a #Russia/n and #American military officers discussing on-the-ground de-confliction (allegedly taken earlier this year somewhere in N.#Syria) pic.twitter.com/lsCNYXo15E

— Maxim A. Suchkov (@m_suchkov) May 27, 2020

Russian Special Forces Day Celebrated With Action-Packed Video

RT: They dive from the sky & gun down panicked enemy: Russian special forces day celebrated with action-packed VIDEO

Russia’s highly secretive Special Operations Forces, which get the most demanding and sensitive tasks and may go deep into enemy territory, are marking their professional day. Here is how the commandos look in action.

The SpecOp branch of the Russian military fields highly trained fighters, who know how to infiltrate behind enemy lines and wreak havoc with sabotage, organizing guerilla forces and other forms of clandestine action.

It was created over a decade ago as a distinct command, directly answering to the General Staff, but it only got a professional holiday in 2015. A video showcasing skills and equipment of the Russian commandos was published by the Defense Ministry on Thursday to mark the day.

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WNU Editor: Impressive video.

Russian Special Forces Are Training With American Assault Rifles

Zero Hedge: Why Are Russian Special Forces Training With American Assault Rifles?

One of the most unusual stories to start the week is coming from VladTime, a Russian news agency, who reported Russian Special Forces have been exercising with American M4 carbines this month, with additional reports of how some of these soldiers are currently buying western weapons.

Military officers of the 45th Spetsnaz Airborne Brigade, a special reconnaissance and special operations military unit of the Russian Airborne Troops, said soldiers practiced shooting targets, reloading, and assembly and disassembly of the M4 last week.

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WNU Editor: This is the reason why they like the M4 .... The main reason Russian Special Forces like the M4 firing a 5.56 X 45 NATO round, versus the Kalashnikov AK-47 firing a 7.62X39, is that the weapon is more lightweight, ergonomic, and more accurate.

Mini-Subs For Russian Special Forces

Defense One: Russia’s Special Operators Are Getting Futuristic Mini-Subs

Originally designed for oil exploration, the six bathyspheres are to arrive by 2022.

The next time Vladimir Putin decides to put “little green men” in a country illegally, Spetsnaz troops might arrive in a futuristic deep-diving submarine, according to Russian media outlet Tass.

Originally commissioned by Gazprom for inspecting and working on underwater pipelines, the spherical submersibles — more properly called bathyscaphes — feature super-strong acrylic windows in a titanium frame. They can be transported to their missions aboard civilian or military ships, carry three troops to a depth of 2.5 kilometers, and run for a whole day on a single charge, Tass said.

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WNU Editor: Delivery date is in 2022.

Russian Special Forces Servicemen Battle For The Maroon Beret

Soldiers who have already earned their maroon berets watch as the hopefuls crawl through a muddy swamp

Daily Mail: Russian soldiers batter each other in bloody boxing bouts as part of gruelling endurance tests required to earn the maroon beret

* The special task force servicemen battled for the enviable status symbol in Mordovia on Friday
* Tests include a cross country race, 12-minute boxing matches and showing skills with weapons
* 'Psychological manipulation' group run alongside them hurling abuse and trying to put them off

Jaw-dropping pictures show Russian soldiers battering each other in boxing gloves and crawling through muddy swamps during a brutal endurance test.

Servicemen of the special task force units of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service were put through their paces on Friday as they battled for their maroon berets in Mordovia.

The enviable garment is a symbol of courage and competence which distinguishes specially-trained elite forces from regular soldiers.

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WNU editor: My cousin gave me his airborne blue beret when he got his maroon beret. And even though it has been many years since he served, that maroon beret holds a place of honor in his office at work.

No One Talks About This Russian Special Forces Unit (SOBR)

Russian Special Force SOBR (СОБР) - Special Rapid Response Unit (YouTube)

Charlie Gao, National Interest: This Is the Russian Special Forces Unit No One Talks about—until Now.

After being renamed OMSN in 2002, and OSN in 2011, the organization’s name finally reverted to SOBR in 2012. Control of the SOBR units was transferred to the new Russian Rosguard (known sometimes as the Russian National Guard) from the MVD in 2016, along with OMON and VV units. This effectively deprived the MVD of any real counterterror or paramilitary operational capabilities. As of 2016, SOBR was listed as having a strength of eighty-seven detachments and approximately 5,200 men.

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WNU Editor: Think of local city police SWAT unit.

How 16 Russian Special Forces Took Out 300 Syrian Rebel Fighters In Syria

The video shows the Russian Special Operation Forces' actions in Syria.

Sputnik: Tactical Superiority: How 16 Russian Special Forces Took Out 300 Terrorists

A group of officers from the Russian Defense Ministry's Special Operations Forces was decorated with medals for showing unprecedented courage in the fight against terrorists in Syria; the decree to this effect was earlier issued by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

May 10 saw four officers from the Russian Defense Ministry's Special Operations Forces awarded medals for showing extraordinary courage combatting terrorists in Syria, according to Russia's Rossiya-24 television channel.

The relevant decree was earlier issued by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Rossiya-24 reported.

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WNU Editor: What I found interesting about this Sputnik report was not the story on the medals that these Russian Special Forces personnel received for their actions in Syria, but the above video on Russian Special Operation Forces' actions in Syria. The video is in Russian, but it shows how far Russian Special Forces have gone in just a few years.

Russian TV Shows For The First Time Russian Special Forces Operating In Syria (Video)

Zero Hedge: Russia Releases First Ever Video Footage Of Its Special Forces Operating In Syria

In a first of its kind event, Russian television today showed what it says is the first footage of Russian special forces fighting on the ground in Syria.

Elite Russian units in Syria take part in search and rescue operations, assassinations of key rebel figures and coordination of air strikes, according to footage broadcast on state-owned channel Rossiya 24 on Sunday. Groups of heavily armed soldiers were shown coordinating sniper attacks, using robotic tanks and inspecting rebel corpses.

The presenter of the weekly news program said the footage was filmed in Syria but did not give details.

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WNU Editor: The translation is lousy .... but this must see video says it all.

Russian Special Forces Are Shaping The Fight In Syria

Washington Post: How Russian special forces are shaping the fight in Syria

The troops that recently recaptured Palmyra, Syria, from the Islamic State included Syrian, Iranian and Hezbollah forces. And on Monday, Russian officials said there was another group that contributed to the victory: Russia’s elite special forces, also known as Spetsnaz.

Russian troops are nothing new to the Syrian ground war. Since their arrival in September, the Russians have used naval infantry to secure a key port in Tartus and the perimeter of an airfield in Latakia. But Russian special forces operating on the front — aside from a small number of artillery and tank units — have remained mostly out of the public eye.

With the seizure of Palmyra, though, that is no longer the case. Russian officials announced Monday that Palmyra was “liberated with participation of Spetsnaz and military advisers.” The Islamic State took Palmyra in May and shortly after partially destroyed a number of the city’s historic sites.

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WNU Editor: I am sceptical that they are having having that much of an impact on the overall war .... but in battles for the Syrian town of Palmyra, their presence has probably helped, especially in assisting in the targeting for Russian air strikes.

Russia's Special Forces

New graduates to the Russian interior ministry special forces (OMON) hold their weapons after finishing their training during a ceremony in the southern Russian city of Stavropol July 20, 2011. REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko

Russia's 'Zaslon' Military Operators Are So Shadowy They Make Ninjas Look Like Amateurs -- Mark Galeotti, Business Insider/Moscow's Shadows

There is quite a cult that has grown up around Russia’s Spetsnaz special forces, with books, movies and exposes both serious and farcical alike. Names such as Alpha and Vympel have become well known. Indeed, some could almost be considered franchises: as far back as the 1990s, veterans of the Alphaspetsgruppa had set up private security firms, trading on their unit’s formidable reputation (see, for example, Tsentr-Al’fa).

The one exception appears to be Zaslon (‘Screen’), a very shadowy unit established, by what accounts we have, in 1998 as a special forces unit for the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service). Trained to operate abroad, in everything from hostage-rescue to assassination missions, it continues to shun publicity.

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My Comment: My nationality is Russian .... and Russia's special forces have always been a fascinating subject for me. But even I have had a difficult time getting info on these elite special forces. Kudos to Mark Galeotti for getting at least some intel and info on these groups, and sharing it with us.

Russia Creates A Special Operations Command

Russian Special Forces. Photo from Russian Military Photos

Russia's New Tip of the Spear -- Dmitri Trenin, Foreign Policy

What's got the Kremlin so worried that it created a Special Operations Command?

Addressing the Russian National Security Council meeting on May 8, President Vladimir Putin said that the forthcoming departure of U.S. and coalition forces from Afghanistan confronts Russia with a more precarious situation on its southern borders. Valery Gerasimov, Russia's chief of the General Staff since November 2012, who was also present at the meeting, had announced last month the formation of a Special Operations Command -- Russia's version of SOCOM. According to Gen. Gerasimov, the new command will include a special forces brigade, a training center, and helicopter and air transportation squadrons. These forces will be used exclusively outside Russian territory, including in U.N.-mandated operations. Creation of a separate SOCOM is not a new idea; it had been presented to Anatoly Serdyukov, who retired last fall as defense minister amid allegations of corruption in the Ministry of Defense (MOD), and who rejected it. The new minister, Sergei Shoigu, decided differently. What's behind this about face?

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My Comment: The Russians have always had special forces .... the difference now is that they are structuring it along the same lines that America's Special Forces are structured under. After-all .... a big war with nuclear weapons is not what Russian forces will soon be finding themselves fighting in .... it is the smaller conflicts in the Caucasus and in Central Asian states that they will be deployed to, and they will be battling against small but determined guerrilla movements.

Torture And Murder Widely Used By Russian Special Forces In Chechnya

Picture taken 13 February 2007 shows soldiers of the Russian special forces searching a battle-ground site near the village of Ishkhoi-Yurt in Chechnya. Getty Pictures

Russian Death Squads ‘Pulverise’ Chechens -- Times Online

Elite commandos have broken their silence to reveal how they torture, execute and then blow captives to atoms to obliterate the grisly evidence.

THE hunt for a nest of female suicide bombers in Chechnya led an elite group of Russian special forces commandos to a small village deep in the countryside. There they surrounded a modest house just before dawn to be sure of catching their quarry unawares.

When the order came to storm the single-storey property, dozens of heavily armed men in masks and camouflage uniforms - unmarked to conceal their identity - had no difficulty in overwhelming the three women inside. Their captives were driven to a military base.

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My Comment: And we in the U.S. quibble over bitch slapping the planner of the 9/11 attacks to obtain more information.

Sigh .... we may gaze at our navel and argue that torture may or may not work .... but the Russians clearly believe that it does.