Based on the experience of the use of Western special operations forces (SSO), the Kremlin created its own version of the elite 1st operational detachment of special purpose “Delta” of the U.S. army, better known as special forces “Delta”. This is the new Russian formation is called the Command of the special operations forces abbreviated as CPSR. Russian General staff announced the establishment of this command in March 2013. Although it is a relatively young unit, its soldiers learn quickly, and during its brief existence, they have already received very considerable combat experience. Although CPSR, most likely, does not receive such generous funding as “Delta” or an elite unit of the naval forces of the United States DEVGRU (more commonly known as Navy seals Team six), it copes with its tasks.
As the British elite regiment of the Special airborne services (Special Air Service regiment) — Colonel Charlie Beckwith (Charlie Beckwith) when it is created as the sample used the unit of “Delta”, — the Russian CPSR has such a large amount of expensive equipment and infrastructure support, as the us military. “Of course, they have no money to specialized helicopters for the airlift, — said Mike Coffman (Mike Kofman) from the Center of naval analysis (Center for Naval Analyses) in an interview with the correspondent of the journal National Interest. It meant much modified helicopters MH-60 Black Hawk us Joint special operations command, who in 2011 took part in the RAID in Pakistan, which was eliminated Osama bin Laden. “Somehow the MTR did his work long before there was such a machine,” he added.
CPSR has achieved some remarkable successes — the most notable of these was the seizure by Moscow of the Crimean Peninsula and the rejection of him from the Ukraine in 2014. “The first combat use of CPSR was quite the memorable annexation of the Crimea, especially the capture in the initial phase of the Crimean Parliament, said Kofman in an interview with the news site Brief Cipher. — As a result of this operation got the nickname “polite people”, under this title, the Russian special forces today appear in popular culture”.
This elite unit is also involved in the Russian intervention in Syria. “In September 2015 CPSR appeared in Syria, where it plays an increasingly important role in the support of Russian military operations, — said Kofman in an interview with Cipher Brief. — There CPSR participates in a variety of operations, from evacuation of the flight recorder of downed in November 2015, the Russian su-24M to the intelligence purposes for the application of cruise missile strikes, the organization of subversive actions and ambushes behind enemy lines, eliminate important targets, and operations of retaliation against certain militant groups.
According to reports, four soldiers of the special operations forces were killed in Syria — two of them majored in coordination with the air force during the strikes, and it allows you to get some idea about their tasks. Overall, CPSR, apparently, played a key role during the battle for Palmyra in the spring of 2016, and it is very actively supported the breakthrough of the Syrian army towards Aleppo last fall”.
However, the 2,000-strong CPSR — on this indicator it is probably only vaguely reminiscent of the sibling to the “Delta” Joint special operations command of the United States — is still in the process of formation, and Russia continues to increase its capabilities. This unit is part of a larger community of special forces in Russia, known as the special Forces and units to conduct special operations related to such intelligence agencies as the FSB. According to Kofman, special forces units exist in the Russian ground forces, and, in addition, there are Marines and the airborne brigade in General this community, apparently, consists of 9 — 10,5 thousand people.
“CPSR is a relatively new addition to the Russian tool kit. The main philosophy of this command is to prepare cohesive teams and not individual soldiers, — said Kofman in an interview with the Cipher Brief. There are five areas in which spetsializiruyutsya individual units, however, all fighters learn the basic skills, which include skydiving, scuba diving, the maintenance of urban fighting and the protection of the military leadership in war zones.
Another focus of the training of Russian soldiers special forces sniper training is, and here we invested in personnel and equipment. These forces also have its own air command, attached them, and appropriate combat support and, in accordance with the existing concept, they must act independently from the rest of the armed forces. Today at the disposal of Russian special operations forces are rotary-wing aircraft, located in Torzhok, as well as being in constant readiness transport aircraft in Tver”.
CPSR — along with the rest of the Russian special operations forces will increase their capabilities as you gain experience and integration of additional features. Russian special operations forces, undoubtedly, are among the most formidable opponents, and at some point they will be able to challenge American forces.
