The main goal of the past exercises was to work out the interaction of various units.

Initially, the formation of the Marine Corps was unexpectedly alerted and advanced to the area of ​​concentration for loading onto landing ships and their subsequent transfer to a given area for the landing of amphibious assault forces.

During the maneuvers, the "black berets" worked out the issues of breaking through the antiamphibious defense of the "enemy" with simultaneous strikes on the defending forces from the sea and coast, as well as holding the captured section of the coast.

This time, the exercises had several features at once. The main one - "black berets" landed on the bridgehead not only with landing ships. One of the air assault companies and mortar battery landed on the coast from the air, from military transport aircraft naval aviation Pacific Fleet An-26. Descending by parachute from a height of three thousand meters, these units were the first to strike at the rear of the mock enemy and, having entrenched themselves, created a stronghold there.

Another feature of these exercises was the participation in them of front-line assault and army aviation. All this time, the naval paratroopers were supported by Su-25 attack aircraft, and the landing of the amphibious assault was covered by Ka-52 Alligator helicopters.

During the exercises, the most difficult stage of amphibious operations, the landing battle, was worked out. The DShB of the 155th brigade, as part of the air-sea assault detachment, performed the tasks of capturing the landing point, the landing bridgehead. The battalion completed the task with an assessment of "good".
Colonel Andrey Borodin, head of the coastal forces of the Pacific Fleet

The most colorful part of the exercise is the amphibious landing of marines from landing ships afloat. It was carried out with the support of warships and support vessels, aircraft and helicopters of the military transport, army and attack aviation.

The exercises of the marines continued until late in the evening. Both the commander of the district troops and Moscow military experts recognized the actions of the marines as effective and well-coordinated.

During the exercises, the most difficult stage of amphibious operations, the landing battle, was worked out. The servicemen of the brigade subdivisions passed control classes in the main subjects of training. The actions of the military were assessed during the command-staff training as "good". This battalion-tactical exercise is the "crown" winter period learning.

In the battle for Racine, the Japanese lost 277 people. killed and 392 people. were taken prisoner. Landing losses amounted to 7 people. killed and 37 wounded.

On August 14, troops of the 1st Far Eastern Front captured the city of Mishan, and on August 15, Mudanjiang. Japanese troops under the blows of the Soviet Army hastily retreated. After the fall of Yuki and Rashin, the Japanese still had the port of Seishin, which was connected by rail to the center of Manchuria, where the defeated enemy units retreated. In the current favorable environment, the command Pacific Fleet decided to land an amphibious assault in the port of Seishin in order to prevent Japanese troops from withdrawing by sea.

The following were allocated to the landing force: the 13th Marine Brigade (5 thousand people) under the command of Major General V.P. Trushin, the 355th Separate Marine Battalion under the command of Major M.P. detachment and company of the 62nd separate battalion. In total, there were 5971 people in the landing force. For its transportation and artillery preparation for the landing, the destroyer Voikov, the minelayer Argun, 8 patrol ships, 7 minesweepers, 12 landing ships, 18 torpedo boats, 6 patrol boats and 7 transports.

Participation of the marines of the Pacific Fleet in the war with Japan in 1945

From the air, the landing was supported by 188 bombers and 73 fighters. The advance detachment of the landing included a reconnaissance detachment, a company of submachine gunners and a company of the 62nd separate battalion. Colonel A. Z. Denisin, head of the intelligence department of the fleet headquarters, was appointed commander of the detachment.

The advance detachment of the landing party left Novik Bay on August 13 at 07:00 in six torpedo boats. At 13:38, the boats swiftly and boldly broke into the port and landed a landing party, which captured the bridgehead on the coast. The Japanese, pulling up reserves, launched several counterattacks.

To support the first throw, the fleet headquarters allocated a machine-gun company of the 62nd machine-gun battalion (80 people), which at 18:30 landed on the Military Pier of the Seishin port from torpedo boats. However, such a small reinforcement could not provide significant assistance to the landing force. The machine-gun company did not establish contact with the encircled group and was itself isolated by the enemy. The landing position was becoming critical.

On August 14, at 4:55 a.m., the 355th battalion (the first landing echelon) under the command of Major MP Barabolko was delivered to Seisin on a patrol ship and a minesweeper.

The divisions of the battalion landed on the dam and on the Military Quay and immediately went into battle. The first company of the battalion advanced to the peninsula and went on the defensive in the area of ​​the shipyard. The second company occupied the Seishin railway station and soon connected with the landing group of Colonel Denisin. These units, repelling the attacks, went on the defensive and on the southern outskirts of the city.

To combat the landing, the Japanese command brought into battle more and more units of the Ranan fortified area. The position of the paratroopers deteriorated sharply. But they continued to steadfastly hold the occupied line of defense.

On the night of August 16, the marines under the command of political officer Captain Kochetkov repulsed 16 enemy attacks. A platoon of scouts under the command of Lieutenant P.F. Puzikov went on the attack more than 10 times. The scouts destroyed several bunkers and freed 50 chained Koreans and Chinese.

In these battles, the Komsomol organization of the company Mishatkin performed a heroic feat. In one of the hand-to-hand fights, he was surrounded by Japanese soldiers. The Marine fired back to the last bullet. When his machine gun fell silent, the Japanese rushed to take him prisoner, but he drew the last anti-tank grenade and blew himself up along with the Japanese soldiers surrounding him.

All attempts by the enemy to cut off the marines from the coast were unsuccessful.

The 355th battalion and Denisin's paratroopers fought back to the pier and took up defensive positions right off the coast. To assist them, a detachment of 25 people was formed from the crews of the ships. under the command of captain 3rd rank G. V. Ternovsky. The sailors of the detachment fought courageously and steadfastly. Sailors V. G. Moiseenko, Komarovsky, Sidorkin and Chernoshein, who destroyed several bunkers, especially distinguished themselves in battles. Being surrounded, the paratroopers steadfastly repelled enemy attacks.

The Marines did their duty honorably and held the bridgehead. In the battles for Hill 182.9, they repulsed 12 Japanese attacks.

Exceptional courage in the battles on the bridgehead was shown by the party organizer of the machine-gun company, Sergeant K. P. Biryulya, who replaced the wounded company commander during the battle. For personal heroism, courage and skillful control of the battle, K.P. Biryula was awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union.

During August 14, the landing force, having repelled several more Japanese attacks, held a bridgehead of 300–400 m along the front.

The main forces of the brigade left Vladivostok at 05:00 on August 14 on 6 patrol ships, 10 landing craft, 3 minesweepers and 4 big hunters.

On August 15, ships with landing troops entered the port and, under heavy enemy artillery fire, landed units of the 13th Marine Brigade, which, having broken enemy resistance at the piers, began the battle to capture the city on the same day.

The means of strengthening the brigade, consisting of two artillery battalions, a mortar battalion (34 guns, 12 mortars), 7 tanks, 3 self-propelled artillery mounts and about 100 vehicles were delivered to Seishin on the night of August 16 on transports as part of the third echelon of the landing force.

On the morning of August 16, parts of the brigade, reinforced by the arrivals artillery units and tanks, resumed the offensive.

By the end of August 16, the landing party completely captured the port and the city of Seishin, during the fighting more than 3 thousand enemy soldiers and officers were killed and captured.

For the shown steadfastness, courage and heroism, the 13th brigade and the 355th marine battalion were transformed into guards, and most personnel awarded with orders and medals. Several people, including Major General V.P. Trushin, Major M.P. Barabolko, Captain 3rd Rank G.V. Ternovsky and sailor V.G. Moiseenko were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and Hero of the Soviet Union Art. Lieutenant V.N. Leonov was awarded the second Gold Star medal.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was posthumously awarded to the sailor-nurse Masha Tsukanova, who carried more than 50 seriously wounded paratroopers from the battlefield.

After the loss of the Seishin naval base, the retreating Japanese troops could use the ports of Odentzin and Genzan for evacuation. On August 18, in order to capture the port of Odencin, the 77th battalion of the 13th brigade was landed, reinforced by a company of submachine gunners. In total, 700 people participated in the landing. On August 20, another battalion of the 13th brigade landed at the port of Genzan and captured it. Thus, units of the Marine Corps, with the support of aviation and ships, occupied the main ports of North Korea. With the loss of which the Japanese command lost the opportunity to evacuate its troops.

landings in North Korea had their own characteristics. All of them were landed in ports. At the same time, tanks operated as part of the main forces of the landing, which significantly increased their strike force. At the same time, there were significant shortcomings during the landing. So, in a number of cases, a large time interval was allowed between the landing of echelons, which negatively affected the build-up of landing forces for the development success. This made it possible for the enemy in a number of cases to concentrate superior forces against the landing force, which forced units and formations of the Marine Corps to switch to a long-term defense.

It should be noted that the 13th Marine Brigade was landed without artillery and mortars, which were delivered to Seishin only the next day, which also had a negative impact on the effectiveness of these formations in combat operations on the coast.

During the Yuzhno-Sakhalin offensive operation the 365th separate battalion of the marines and the 2nd battalion of the 113th rifle brigade (total 1,500 people) were allocated to capture the Toro area, Esutor (Southern Sakhalin), including 654 marines.

At the sea crossing, the landing detachment included: a patrol ship, four small and two large sea ​​hunter, 21 torpedo boats, four minesweepers, a transport and a boat minesweeper. 80 aircraft were allocated for aviation preparation of the landing and support of landing operations on the coast. It is characteristic that boats of the Kawasaki type and patrol boats were used as landing craft. The landing force was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel K.P. Tavkhutdinov, Captain 1st Rank A.I. Leonov was appointed commander of the landing.

Ships with four landing echelons left Sovetskaya Harbor on the evening of 15 August. The landing began on 16 August at 05:17. After a stubborn battle, the marines captured the city of Toro by 6 o'clock, after which the Japanese began to withdraw in the direction of Taihei and northeast of Toro. By 20.00, the landing force reached the northern outskirts of the city of Yama-Sigai.

On August 17, landing units, with the support of aviation, after a stubborn battle, captured the city of Yama-Sigai. Then, pursuing the retreating enemy, they broke into the port of Esutora, where at 5.00 they joined up with the 22nd separate machine-gun company, landed in the port from torpedo boats.

The landings in Toro and Esutora greatly contributed to the successful offensive of the 56th rifle corps and the defeat of the enemy grouping in the border zone in the southern part of Sakhalin Island.

On August 20, the combined battalion of sailors, who left the Soviet harbor, overcoming strong resistance from the Japanese, landed in the port of Maoka. Following this, the main landing forces were landed - parts of the 113th rifle brigade and a combined battalion of sailors under the command of Captain V.I. Ovsyannikov, who completely captured the city by 16 o'clock.

On August 23, an amphibious brigade consisting of three combined battalions of sailors left Maoka on a minelayer, 8 minesweepers, 2 large and 2 small hunters, accompanied by 6 torpedo boats, in order to capture the port of Otomari. Major Gulchak commanded the brigade. On August 24, along the route of the landing, the port of Khonto was occupied by a company of the combined battalion. At dawn on August 25, the combined landing brigade, not meeting organized resistance enemy landed at Otomari. On the same day, all Japanese units located in South Sakhalin capitulated.

Simultaneously with the landing of troops in the ports of South Sakhalin, the Kuril landing operation was carried out.

The most fortified islands of the Kuril chain were Syumusyu (Shumshu) and Paramushir, which were defended by a reinforced Japanese infantry division. The possession of these islands predetermined the fate of the others.

The advance detachment of the landing consisted of a battalion of marines (without one company), a company of the 60th Marine Border Detachment and a company of submachine gunners. The detachment was commanded by Major T. A. Pochtarev. The detachment was faced with the task of seizing the bridgehead on the island of Shumshu, and then, building on success, advance deep into the island. An hour after the landing of the advance detachment, according to the plan, the first echelon of the landing force was to land as part of the reinforced 138th rifle regiment 101st rifle division.

Units of the 373rd Rifle Regiment of the same division, reinforced by an artillery battalion and a company of marines, landed in the third echelon. At the same time, it was planned to land a demonstrative landing in Nakagawa Bay three hours after the landing of the advance detachment.

Before landing, each paratrooper was given a leaflet calling with honor to fulfill combat mission, as well as "Memo to a paratrooper". On the eve of the landing, several exercises were held, in which boarding ships and tactical interaction were practiced.

During the day of August 17, and also immediately before the landing, aviation, and then coastal artillery, attacked the landing area. At 05:00 on August 17, the ships left the Avacha Bay and headed for the landing area.

At 04:22 on August 18, they approached the shore and landed a unit of the forward detachment in 40 minutes. Due to poor visibility, the ships could not approach exactly the intended points, and the forward detachment was landed between the capes of Kokutan-saki and Kotomari-saki.

The Japanese units defending here tried with all their might to throw the paratroopers into the sea. However, the landing force, supported by naval and coastal artillery fire, stubbornly moved inland to heights 165.0 and 171.0. Marines, reflecting counterattacks, destroyed over 200 soldiers and officers and knocked out 15 enemy tanks. But the enemy, having a significant superiority in forces and means, began to push the landing units.

At this time, the immortal feat was accomplished by six sailors led by Lieutenant Technician A. M. Vodynin. In the battles on the island of Shumshu, having taken a position in the ditch of the road, the marines repelled several enemy attacks. During one of them, the Japanese crept up to the sailors from the rear and suddenly fired on them. A. M. Vodynin was mortally wounded, the sailor Vlasenko was wounded. One of the Japanese soldiers with a strong blow of the bayonet knocked the foreman of the 2nd class to the ground. Babich, then, pulling out the bayonet, swung to strike a second blow, but was struck by a well-aimed shot from sailor Udartsev. At a tense moment in the battle, the Japanese command brought tanks into battle. At this time, the marines had only one anti-tank and several bundles hand grenades. The first to meet the tanks, bleeding, Vodynin rose and, advancing a few meters, knocked out the lead tank, and then, clutching an anti-tank mine to his chest, rushed under the second tank. Following the commander, raising a bunch of grenades high above his head, I. Kobzar moved forward, but he was struck down by a machine-gun burst. They rushed with bundles of grenades under enemy tanks and died the death of heroes, privates Rynda, Vlasenko. Petty Officer 2nd Class Babich crawled close to the tank and threw a grenade, but was stunned by the blast wave. He regained consciousness only a few days later in the hospital.

Thus the immortal feat of five marines Black Sea Fleet under the command of N. D. Filchenkov, the heroes of the Pacific repeated.

The landing of the main landing forces began on the morning of August 18 and was carried out under heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire. Berths made of life rafts and logs were equipped for unloading guns and tanks. The disembarked units went into battle on the move.

On the afternoon of August 18, the main forces of the landing - units of the 101st Infantry Division, together with the units of the first throw, went on the offensive and, after a five-hour battle, occupied heights 165.0 and 171.0. The fight was stubborn. Heights changed hands three times.

The advance of the paratroopers to the height of 171.0 was hampered by a double embrasure pillbox, under heavy fire from which the sailors lay down.

The detachment commander, assessing the situation, decided to destroy this firing point. A group of marines under the command of foreman of the 1st article N. A. Vilkov began to covertly, crawling to the pillbox. Nikolai Vilkov and sailor P. I. Ilyichev were the first to crawl to the target and, throwing several grenades, silenced the pillbox. However, when the smoke from the grenades dissipated, the pillbox again opened machine-gun fire. At that moment, Vilkov rushed to the pillbox and closed its embrasure with his chest. Taking advantage of this, the paratroopers went on the attack, but they were blocked by machine-gun fire from another embrasure of the pillbox. At this critical moment, the feat of the foreman of the 1st article N. A. Vilkov was repeated by the sailor P. I. Ilyichev, who, having no more grenades, closed the embrasure of the Japanese pillbox with his body. The Marines went on the attack again.

For the exemplary performance of a combat mission, courage and heroism shown in battle, many sailors, foremen and officers were awarded orders. Major P. I. Shutov, commander of the forward detachment, Major T. A. Pochtarev, commander of the marine battalion, and N. A. Vilkov, foreman of the 1st article, were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. P. I. Ilyichev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in 1958.

In the battles for the liberation of the islands of the Kuril ridge, the sailors Volchenko and Tyurikov performed a feat, covering their commander from an enemy bullet. In stubborn battles, the paratroopers occupied island after island. August 22, having suffered complete defeat The Japanese began to surrender.

These days on southern islands Small combined battalions (landing detachments) of the Marine Corps under the command of Captains Kh. Kh. Kamalov and V. I. Ovsyannikov were landed on the Kuril ridge of Iturup and Kunashir.

In total, about 60 thousand Japanese soldiers and officers were disarmed and captured in the Kuril Islands.

The Red Banner Amur Flotilla also took an active part in the war with Japan. Working closely with ground forces, the sailors of the flotilla provided them with significant assistance in defeating the Kwantung Army. The flotilla took part in the capture of the cities of Fugdin, Jiamusi, Sanxing, Harbin and many others. settlements located on the banks of the Amur, Ussuri and Sungari. During the ten days of the offensive, the main forces of the flotilla fought 900 km from Fuyuan to Harbin.

In the battles for Fuyuan, the foreman of the 1st article Nikolai Golubkov performed a feat. He led a group of sailors from the gunboat Proletary, landed ashore along with a battalion of the 630th Infantry Regiment. On the shore, their advance was stopped by machine-gun fire from a Japanese bunker, which was about 70 meters away. Golubkov, quickly overcoming a section of open terrain, destroyed the bunker, but he himself died. On September 14, 1945, N. N. Golubkov was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. At the site of the death of a marine, local residents erected a monument with the inscription: "To the man who defeated the dragon." As a result of successful hostilities in the Far East Soviet army and Navy from August 9 to 19, they defeated the main forces of the Kwantung Army, the grouping of Japanese troops in South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.

South Sakhalin and Kurile Islands became Soviet again. For exemplary performance of combat missions and heroism, hundreds of marines were awarded orders and medals. More than ten people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

The 13th brigade, the 355th and 365th separate battalions of the marines were transformed into guards.

fighting 355th separate battalion of the marines and the reconnaissance detachment of the Pacific Fleet in the Seisin landing operation on August 14-15, 1945

Combat operations of the 355th separate battalion and the 13th marine brigade in the Seisin landing operation from August 15 to 16, 1945

Combat operations of the marines in the Kuril landing operation August 18 - September 1, 1945

Combat operations of the marines as part of the landing on the island of Shumshu 08/16/1945

Begrov V. N. South Sakhalin and Kuril operations. August 1945. M. 1959. S. 18.

Zimonin V. P., Zolotarev V. A. and others Decree. op. S. 593.

Begrov V. N. Decree. op. S. 81.

Kamalov Kh. Kh. Decree. op. S. 211.

Red Banner Pacific Fleet. P.229.

MARINES OF THE PACIFIC FLEET PERFORMED LANDING ON THE COAST

The battalion-tactical exercise with live firing of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet took place at the Klerk amphibious assault range in South Primorye.

The fleet has noticeably intensified in recent times various exercises, and here you simply cannot do without the Marines
With the rise in alarm, a battalion tactical exercise (BTU) began with live firing of a separate airborne assault battalion of the Pacific Fleet marines.


On April 17, according to the introductory message, the air assault units at the location of the 155th Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet were suddenly raised and, after marching, boarded the landing ships and transport aircraft of the naval aviation of the fleet at the designated place.


the marines had to work out the tasks of breaking through the antiamphibious defense of a mock enemy from the air and sea, delivering simultaneous strikes against the defending forces from the sea and from the coast, and, of course, protecting the reclaimed coast.


Having reported to the command of the forces of the main landing force, they prepared a platform for the landing of an airborne tactical assault force of the advancing battalion of marines.


As part of the exercise, attack aircraft pilots on the SU-25SM "Rooks" were the first to work on the territory occupied by the enemy, who performed conditional bombing and attacking the landing site of tactical airborne assault.
The next episode according to the scenario of the exercise, the work of the reconnaissance and sabotage group of the Marine Corps was demonstrated. The reconnaissance fighters on the Arbalet controlled parachute systems descended from a three-kilometer height, planned exactly to the right place, destroying the enemy stronghold.


The pilots easily distinguished the front line of the theater of operations, which the Marines marked with smoke. All targets were hit

Keeping in touch with the AN-26 naval aviation aircraft with paratroopers on board, they corrected their flight and guided the crews to the landing site. When the AN-26s lay down on a combat course, signal lights were lit on the landing site, identifying themselves and showing the strength and direction of the wind.

And white domes began to open in the sky. Having made several visits to Ana, having completed their task of delivering an airborne assault at the right time and place, the planes left for their airfield. And this is where it started...
As soon as the parachute was opened, the marines, still in the air, took out their personal weapons and fired at the enemy, who was trying to stop the landing. Having landed, the paratroopers, firing with combat "twos", hurried to the assembly point and occupied the defense, thus organizing the first stronghold of the advancing forces in the rear of the defending "enemy".
In the meantime, KA-52 "alligators" of army aviation appeared above the water's edge - the landing site, imitating artillery strikes and NARs in order to suppress strong points and firing points of a mock enemy for the successful landing of an already approaching amphibious assault.

Location of events

I think I won’t be mistaken if I classify Colonel Kondratenko (we have known him for more than a year) as the type of Russian officer-intellectual that we know from Lermontov and Tolstoy, Arseniev and Gumilyov. From January to May 1995, Kondratenko was in Chechnya with the 165th Marine Regiment of the Pacific Fleet and kept a diary there, recording by the day, and sometimes by the minute, what was happening around. I hope someday these notes will be published, although Sergei Konstantinovich himself believes that the time has not yet come to speak aloud about everything.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the start of the war in Chechnya, Sergei Kondratenko and my colleague, Chief Editor"New in Vladivostok" Andrey Ostrovsky has already published the fourth edition of the Book of Memory of the Primorsky Territory, where all the Primorsky people who died in the North Caucasus over the years (and those called up from Primorye) are named. New names were entered into each reprint, each time hoping that these additions were the last.

I will preface the conversation, the occasion for which was this non-holiday anniversary, with a brief background. Sergei Kondratenko was born in 1950 in Khabarovsk, graduated from the Far Eastern Higher School of Education in Blagoveshchensk. From 1972 to 2001, he served in a division (now a brigade) of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet, having retired from the post of deputy division commander. Later he led the regional search and rescue service, headed the organization of veterans of local wars "Contingent", now he is the chairman of the council of veterans of Vladivostok. He was awarded the Order of Courage and "For Military Merit".

The Pacific in the Caucasus: "Everything was learned on the spot"

Sergei Konstantinovich, all your life you have been studying and teaching others to fight, and with an external enemy. Remember, they told me how, as a cadet of the Far Eastern Military District in March 1969, during the battles on Damansky, you occupied positions in Blagoveshchensk on the Amur embankment ... Then it worked out. And the marines were not sent to Afghanistan. You had to fight only a quarter of a century later - already a mature man, a colonel. Moreover, the war broke out on the territory of our own country ...

Yes, many of us in the marines wrote reports, asked to be sent to Afghanistan, but we were told: you have your own combat mission. But, by the way, then our landing groups were constantly on ships in the Persian Gulf ...

June 1995 Sergei Kondratenko after returning from Chechnya

When we arrived in Chechnya, saw the destroyed Grozny, talked to civilians, we realized that there really was a genocide of the Russian population. Not only Russians spoke about this, but also the Chechens themselves, especially the old people, and we ourselves saw it all. True, some said that we should not have interfered - they themselves, they say, would have figured it out. I don't know... Another thing is that the decision to send troops was hasty, that's 100 percent.

As the division's deputy commander, I was appointed chief of the division's task force. This group is created for the convenience of control when the regiment operates at a distance from the division. Its commander was in charge of the regiment itself, and I was the first to “jump out” to the rear area, to Grozny, agreed with the Baltic marines to transfer to us campground... During the hostilities, he ensured the interaction of "regiment - grouping". Then he took over the exchange of prisoners, the collection of weapons from the population. I traveled through departments. If some kind of emergency, skirmish, death, always jumped out, sorted it out on the spot. On February 18, I received a barotrauma - four of our comrades died in battle that day ... In general, I did not sit idle.

- When did you find out that you were going to fly to the Caucasus?

The fighting in Chechnya began on December 11, 1994, and on December 22, I came back from vacation and found out that a directive had come: to complete the 165th regiment to wartime states and conduct combat coordination - we have such an expression, the computer emphasizes this word. It was clear that they were preparing for Chechnya, but then I thought: just in case, the reserve is not the first echelon ... They began to give us people from ships and parts of the fleet. Of these, 50 percent were eliminated, if not more. Firstly, this is an old army tradition: they always give the very “best”. Secondly, they did not take anyone who said: "I will not go." Or if there are health problems.

At the Bamburovo and Clerk training grounds, we managed to carry out almost everything that was supposed to be done: shooting, driving ... On January 10, when it became clear that the New Year's assault on Grozny had failed, we were given the command to go to Chechnya.

- Shooting, driving - it's clear, but was the preparation of another plan? Let's say cultural?

This just did not happen, and this is a huge omission. Everything had to be found out on the spot. I loved history, but I still did not know much when I went to the first negotiations with the Chechens. At a meeting with the inhabitants of Belgatoy, an old man comes out and hugs me. I was confused at first. And then it was like that all the time - hugging a man who could kill me in half an hour. It is so customary there - the elder hugs the elder.

- What were the “black berets” not ready for?

You know, the general impression is this: we were taught one thing, but there everything was different. We did not expect much, starting with the mud and mess and ending with the use of units. Learned on the go.

- Among you were combatants?

The commander of the 165th regiment, Colonel Alexander Fedorov, commanded in Afghanistan motorized rifle battalion and applied this combat experience. In general, our percentage of losses was the lowest. Including because we were understaffed mainly at the expense of our own. I knew all the officers of the regiment from company commanders and above, many platoon officers. Few of the officers were outside. We were given people from ships and parts of the fleet, but the Marines were still the basis.

In general, the marines were well prepared. Approximately a third of our dead are non-combat losses, but in the same 245th regiment (245th Guards motorized rifle regiment Moscow military district, replenished by the Far East. - Ed.) non-combat losses were more than half. "Friendly fire" has been and will be in all wars, but much depends on the organization. In the same Book of Memory, we did not always write exactly how a person died. You can’t tell his parents that, for example, he took drugs ... And there all the vices of a citizen crawl out. In general, in war the threshold of legality is lowered. Man walks with a machine gun, finger on trigger, will not shoot first - they will shoot at him ...

- Did the Marines have any special tasks?

No, they were used as regular infantry. True, when we "forced" Sunzha, our PTS participated there - a floating conveyor. We joked: the marines are used for their combat mission!

First fight: “I could have died three times that day”

- Could you imagine then how long all this will drag on, what will result in?

On January 19, when Dudayev's palace was taken, Yeltsin announced that the military stage of restoring the operation of the Russian Constitution in Chechnya had been completed. Just in time for this date, our regiment concentrated in the rear area not far from Grozny. After reading the newspaper "Krasnaya Zvezda" of January 21, in which this statement of the President was published, I thought: fir-trees-sticks, what the hell were we being dragged from Far East?.. And on the night of January 21-22, the second battalion of the 165th regiment was brought into battle, and already
On January 22, Senior Lieutenant Maxim Rusakov died.

- The first loss of the marines of the Pacific Fleet ...

When this battle began (the battalion fought, the sailor was wounded), I immediately "jumped" into place. Not only because of the wounded: our communication was lost, interaction was lost, panic began - all this is called the first battle ... I took with me an engineer, a medic, a signalman, spare batteries for the radio station, and ammunition. We went to the carbide plant, where the units of the second battalion were located. This is Khabarovskaya street - my "native" street. And I almost flew in there - I could have died three times on this first exit. We were given a ten-page card, but we didn’t work with such cards, and I couldn’t “get it” into it. We walked on two armored personnel carriers along Khabarovsk, jumped out to the bridge over the Sunzha, but the bridge was not visible - it was blown up, and it caved in, sank. The spirits placed blocks in front of the bridge. I look through the triplex - nothing is clear, black figures are rushing about with weapons, obviously not our sailors ... We stopped and stood there for a minute or two. If they had a grenade launcher - write wasted. I look around - on the left there is some enterprise, on the pipe - a sickle and a hammer. And they told me at the headquarters of the group: a pipe with a sickle and a hammer is “carbide”. I look - the gates are opening, a figure in camouflage is waving. We jumped in there. The second point: when we drove into the yard, I drove along the wire from MON-200 - directional mines. But it did not explode - ours set a mine for the first time, the tension was weak. And when we passed there, I already opened the hatch, leaned out. It would have been severely cut - it would not have pierced the armor, but the wheels would have been damaged and the head blown off ... And the third. We drove into the yard of the carbide plant, took the wounded away, but there was no other way out. I realized that the spirits had driven us into a mousetrap and would not let us out just like that. Then I drove the armored personnel carriers to the far corner of the yard in order to disperse them as much as possible, turned the KPVT barrels to the left and ordered them to shoot from the left loopholes. I jumped out, they did not have time to shoot at us from a grenade launcher. A second armored personnel carrier immediately followed us. They fired at him, but because of the high speed of the grenade passed by. At this time, Rusakov looked out from behind the gate, and a grenade hit him ... We learned about his death after arriving at command post shelf. When it got dark, I again went to the positions of the second battalion. We managed to take out the body of Maxim only at night - the militants held the gates of the plant at gunpoint.

Ruined Grozny

I drank a glass that evening, I remembered that my patron was Sergius of Radonezh. I decided that I had chosen my limit: it flew by three times, which means it won’t kill me anymore. But he drew conclusions. And then in such cases I always analyzed and predicted.

- By the way, is “spirits” an Afghan word?

Yes, from Afghanistan, but we used it. "Bandits" - no one said. And the "Czechs" - it's already gone.

- How was life organized? What was the mood like? Were you sick?

At first it was hard - and accommodation, and food, and heating. Then people got used to it. At first, there was lice, and then baths were set up in each unit: in tents, dugouts, wagons ... Morale - at first it was very difficult, I even wonder how the sailors withstood it. After all, I was already 44 years old, I had service experience, physical training, but it was also difficult. And for the sailors... During the battle, everyone cursed terribly - they just talked obscenities during this stressful period. Then they got used to it.

The first time hurt a lot colds. The mud was terrible, it was cold, and they also sent us rubber boots ... We then threw them away. The second is skin diseases. But then they screwed up again. At first I got sick myself, I lay in bed for a day, and then, no matter how much I dangled - my legs were wet, cold, - there was nothing, not even snot.

- locals complained about your fighters?

It was like that, I had to sort it all out. There was a case - after the death of senior lieutenant Skomorokhov, the guys took five drops in the evening, and the Chechens violated the curfew: movement after 18 hours was prohibited, and here a man and a young guy were driving a tractor. The man ran away, and the guy got under a hot hand - ours slapped him. The next day - booze. I understood that the Chechens had also violated, but still it was impossible to touch them ... I went to the elder - this guy's uncle, and asked for forgiveness. He offered to gather the residents, he was ready to publicly apologize, but they told me: no, you asked for forgiveness - in an hour the whole village will know.

- What were the militants armed with besides small arms? How were they with tactical literacy?

I personally once was under fire from an 82-mm mortar - a great car! Another time, I came under fire from the Grad - they poured about half a package somewhere, since there were no dead. There was an anecdote - a sailor-signaller was hiding from the "Grad" in a tent ... Then they forced everyone to dig in.

The militants knew the area well. And then, ours changed, and those remained in place. Those who survived were very well prepared. They had assertiveness, impudence... We couldn't change people like that - they come unfired, not knowing the situation... There was a sad experience with the commissioning of the 9th company, which at first remained in Mozdok at the command post of the grouping, performed commandant functions. After that, we made it a rule: an officer comes to replace him - let him first sit, listen, grow into the situation. I know this from my own experience - I couldn’t even “get it” into the map right off the bat. Or the same triplex - you can't see anything through it. Then it's always - the hatch is open, you look. If the situation is very disturbing, you look into the gap between the hatch and the armor. When I went to the first exit - I put on a helmet, a bulletproof vest ... As a result, I could not climb an armored personnel carrier - the sailors pushed me like a medieval knight! It’s somewhere on the block you can sit in a bulletproof vest ... On January 22, I put on a bulletproof vest and a helmet for the first and last time and I don’t regret it. All comes with experience.

War and Peace: “Maskhadov even invited me to visit”

- The military were dissatisfied with the February truce ...

We considered such a decision inappropriate. The initiative was on the side of our troops, and by this time Grozny was completely controlled by us. Peaceful respite was beneficial only to the militants.

During that period, I met a lot with local residents and militants. He was engaged in the collection of weapons in the villages of Belgatoy and Germenchuk, carried out the exchange of prisoners.

- I had to become a diplomat... Later you supported Troshev's negotiations with Maskhadov - how did they go?

Maskhadov's talks with Major-General Troshev, commander of the grouping of our troops in Chechnya, took place on April 28 in Novye Atagi, in the house of a local resident. At first, field commander Isa Madaev and I discussed the details. Already on the day of the negotiations, security was provided. On the other side were Aslan Maskhadov and his assistant Isa Madaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Dudayev's government Lom-Ali (I don't remember his last name), Shamil Basaev's elder brother Shirvani Basaev. Our side was represented by General Troshev, Lieutenant Colonel internal troops Ministry of Internal Affairs, FSB captain and me.

Negotiations in Novye Atagi. Center - Isa Madaev, Gennady Troshev, Aslan Maskhadov.Photo from the archive of S.K. Kondratenko

Troshev came in a camouflage cap, and Maskhadov in an astrakhan cap. Troshev asks: “Aslan, why haven’t you switched to a summer uniform yet?” He replies: "And I am like Makhmud Esambaev." There was no firmness in Maskhadov's behavior, he looked unsure of himself - then they were pressed down ... Troshev clearly dominated - he joked, behaved assertively. Maskhadov understood that he was in a losing position, but his own people would not understand him if he accepted our conditions. Therefore, the main goals of the negotiations were not achieved (they wanted us to withdraw our troops, we wanted them to disarm). On the other hand, they agreed on the release of the bodies of the dead, on the exchange of prisoners. Maskhadov even invited me to visit. I told General Babichev, the commander of the Zapad group, about this, and he said: “Don’t even think about it.” Although I am sure that if I went there with Isa Madaev, everything would be fine.

In your notes you call the Khasavyurt peace shameful and tantamount to capitulation. And the second war - could you do without it?

I don't think so. First, we left our prisoners and dead there. Secondly, Chechnya has turned into a real hotbed of banditry. All these former "brigadier generals" carried out raids on the surrounding territories. Dagestan in 1999 was the last straw.

May 5, 1995, Knevichi, return from Chechnya. Left: Governor of Primorye Yevgeny Nazdratenko

As for the first war, I think it could have been avoided. In the same Ingushetia, it was also on the verge, but Ruslan Aushev (President of Ingushetia in 1993-2002 - Ed.) was awarded the rank of lieutenant general and so on. It was possible to agree with Dudayev.

The war itself does not start. And it is not the military who start it, but the politicians. But if the war starts, let the professionals, the military, deal with the war, and not in such a way that they fought, then stop - they kissed, then start again ... The most important thing is that the deaths of people could have been prevented, it was not necessary to bring to such a conflict. The war in Chechnya is the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. And what is happening now in Ukraine has the same roots.

Attack of the imaginary enemy from the air and sea, landing of units of the airborne assault battalion with live firing, firing of artillery and mortar crews. The final check of combat readiness of the marines of the 155th separate brigade of the Pacific Fleet took place at the amphibious assault range "Clerk".
On April 22, battalion tactical exercises of the Marine Corps of the Pacific Fleet ended in South Primorye. All events were held as part of the final inspection of a separate 155th brigade of the Pacific Fleet marines.
The main goal of the past exercises is to work out the interaction of various units.

Everything is ready at the landing site, signal lights are on, observers are working,

Last preparations before landing, guidance of war paint ..

There is a first board, An-26 naval aviation of the Pacific Fleet

The first visits landed weapons, ammunition and equipment of the airborne tactical landing of the Marine Corps
in landing containers 82 mm mortars, and everything necessary for fighting in the rear of the "enemy"

An-26 with each entry into a limited area threw a dozen and a half marines, with such a wind, the main thing is to keep the accuracy of the landing ....

By the way, if you noticed the marines of the Pacific Fleet have switched to new D-10 systems for a year now ..

The radio operator of the landing commander is establishing communication ..

Marines rush to the assembly point, the first stage ...

The ANs continue to buzz overhead, continuing the air operation ..

Marines, observing the standards, are drawn to unit commanders ..

One of the tasks of the airborne assault of the marines was to suppress the firing points of the "enemy" from above, under the dome, still in the air - the marine was already a fighter in the air !!!
landing opens fire!!

To the place of collection of the mortar battery.

The doctor on duty will immediately treat a minor wound received during the landing

And in the sky domes, domes!!

A group of military engineers sappers goes to clean up!!

The motto of the marines is "WHERE WE ARE - TM POBEDA"

Landing craft assault groups of sappers are delivered to the water's edge and engineering intelligence..

With them, the Germans are going to land.

Having captured the bridgehead, the advanced assault groups of the 40th infantry are preparing for the exit of the main forces of the amphibious assault.

Suitable for army aviation

In the meantime, ground attack aircraft covered the sky, ensuring the landing of amphibious assault forces

The ships have gone!!

On high-speed boats of the engineering obstacle group, they will jump ashore earlier than the main forces

Mi-8mt naval aviation, aiming .. hung on two points of support "Afghan"

Flamethrowers join the fight

officially..
The formation of the Pacific Fleet marines was unexpectedly alerted and advanced to the concentration area for loading onto landing ships and their subsequent transfer to a given area for amphibious landing.
During the BTU, the “black berets” worked out the issues of breaking through the antiamphibious defense of a mock enemy with simultaneous strikes against the defending forces from the sea and coast, as well as holding the captured section of the coast.
This time, the maneuvers had several features at once. The main one - "black berets" landed on the bridgehead not only from landing ships. One of the airborne assault companies and a mortar battery landed on the coast from the air by parachute. It was they who were the first to strike in the rear of the mock enemy and, having entrenched themselves, created a stronghold there.
The first episode of the exercises was the landing of tactical airborne troops from military transport aircraft of naval aviation of the Pacific Fleet AN-26 for operations in the rear of the defending "enemy".
Another feature of these exercises was the participation of front-line assault and army aviation. All this time, the naval paratroopers were supported by Su-25 attack aircraft, the landing of the amphibious assault was covered by Ka-52 Alligator helicopters
Colonel Andrey Borodin, head of the coastal forces of the Pacific Fleet, says: “During the exercises, the most difficult stage of amphibious assault operations was worked out - the battle for landing. The DShB of the 155th brigade was part of the air-sea assault detachment and carried out the tasks of capturing the landing point, the landing bridgehead. The battalion completed the task with a "good" rating.
The most colorful part of the exercises is the landing of marines from landing ships afloat. It was carried out with the support of warships and support vessels, aircraft and helicopters of military transport, army and attack aviation.
During the exercises, the most difficult stage of amphibious operations, the landing battle, was worked out. The servicemen of the brigade subdivision passed control classes in the main subjects of education. During the command and staff training, the brigade was rated "good" by the management of the brigade. This battalion-tactical exercise is the crowning achievement of the winter training period.