The Spetsnaz (Russian: Войска специального назначения, English: Special Purpose Forces) are the special forces of Russia, founded in 1949 under the Soviet Union. The Spetsnaz was originally a reconaissance company, but in 1957 they became battalions and in 1962 grew to brigades. During the Cold War, the Spetsnaz engaged in numerous secret operations for the USSR, and their legacy was maintained under the Russian Federation.
History[]
Cold War[]
A Spetsnaz soldier in urban camouflage.
The "Special Purpose Forces" were founded in 1949 as reconaissance comapnies with special goals, with the goal of taking out enemy nuclear weapons systems. These companies were to operate only 200 kilometers away, but in 1957 the first five Spetsnaz battalions were formed, followed with the formation of brigades of Spetsnaz in 1962 to reach 750 kilometers to the rear.
Their goals in the Cold War were to destroy vital NATO communications logistics center, sabotage positions behind enemy lines, and assassinate key government leaders and military officers. During the 1960s, Spetsnaz units took part in operations against their capitalist enemies across the world, with their operations including the assassination of doctor Daniel Clarke in Kowloon in 1968, clashes with the United States' Black Ops unit of the CIA in both mainland America and in Germany, and assisting the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) during the Vietnam War.
Their true size was always classified, with their size in 2008 being classified just as well as their size during the Cold War. Spetsnaz members were trained in various arts such as hand-to-hand combat, swimming, and shooting, and they were fierce warriors.
Russian Federation[]
Even after the fall of the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991, the Spetsnaz remained an integral part of Russia, serving as the special forces of the new country. They fought in the Tajik Civil War, First Georgian-Abkhazian War, Chechen Wars, Russo-Georgian War, and the Donbass War, with their operations in the Ukraine in 2014-2015 being kept secret at first. The Spetsnaz fought in conflicts around the globe without the knowledge of other countries, and they proved to be worthy rivals of the United States' Navy SEALs, US Army Rangers, and their other special forces. The Spetsnaz was involved in counter-terrorism operations in the Caucasus, with assisting Donetsk People's Republic fighters during the Donbass War, and with training Syrian Arab Army troops during the Syrian Civil War, among several other covert operations.