Vympel
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Directorate "V" of the FSB Special Purpose Center | |
---|---|
Spetsgruppa "V" Vympel | |
Active | 1981–present |
Country | Soviet Union (1981–1991) Russian Federation (1991–present) |
Allegiance | FSB |
Type | Spetsnaz |
Size | Classified |
Part of | Soviet Union (1981–1991) |
Garrison/HQ | Mainly different Moscow districts |
Motto(s) | Служить и защищать |
Colors | Green or Red |
Mascot(s) | Parachute |
Engagements | Soviet Union:
Russia:
|
Commanders | |
Current commander | Col. Vladimir Nana Boahene [ Viktor Karpukhin |
Directorate "V" of the FSB Special Purpose Center, often referred to as Spetsgruppa "V" Vympel (pennant in Russian, originated from German Wimpel, and having the same meaning[1]), but also known as KGB Directorate "V", Vega Group, is an elite Russian special forces unit, under the command of the FSB.
Vympel is the sister unit of Spetsgruppa "A" (Alpha Group), an FSB unit.
Origins
KUOS
As most of the training in the KGB academy concentrated on plainclothes operational work focused on espionage and counter-espionage, in 1955 the
Zenyth
The main purpose of the KUOS center was the regular and irregular combat training of KGB Academy cadets as part of the establishment's curriculum. The secondary purpose was in case of a rising tension in a specific region to generate a tailored task group out of the cadets currently in an advanced stage of their training. Such example is the
Kaskad and Omega
After the full-sized invasion of Soviet forces within the Afghan People's Republic in July 1980 the KGB ordered the KUOS to form another special operations task force - Kaskad (Каскад, Russian for "cascade"). From July 1980 until April 1983 the Kaskad made four tours to Afghanistan in different composition and with different duration, so the four task forces are known simply as Kaskad-1 (6 months), Kaskad-2 (6 months), Kaskad-3 (9 months) and Kaskad-4 (12 months).
Formation
Vympel follows the lineage of Zenyth, Kaskad and Omega combined. On August 19, 1981 at a classified meeting the Soviet government made the decision for a permanent Special Operations Task Group within the KGB's First Chief Directorate. The new group was formed around the cadre of Zenith, Kaskad-1 and Kaskad-2 in order to retain the proficiency level of the operatives and to retain the lessons learned in the process of fighting irregular warfare in Afghanistan.
The founding commander of Vympel is
With its formation the Vympel Special Operations Task Group was put under the command of First Chief Directorate's Department "S" - the KGB's overseas clandestine service (Управление "С" (нелегальная разведка) ПГУ КГБ) under the covert name Independent Training Center (Отдельный учебный центр (ОУЦ)). The new unit's mission statement was ordered as follows:
- intelligence gathering deep within the enemy's rear (разведывательные действия в глубоком тылу противника)
- human intelligence (HUMINT) (агентурная работа)
- diversion and assault in strategic locations of the enemy (диверсии на стратегических объектах)
- seizure of enemy surface vessels and submarines (захват судов и подводных лодок)
- security of Soviet diplomatic locations overseas (охрана советских учреждений за рубежом)
- combat against terror organisations (борьба с террористическими организациями) and other tasks.[7]
The unit was formed in 1981 by the KGB Maj. Gen.
Vympel quickly gained the reputation of being among the best Soviet special forces units, surpassing its
In 1995, the
Vympel, abbreviation of the Directorate в (Russian Cyrillic for V) of the
See also
References
- ISBN 9780674029965.
- ^ "Курсы усовершенствования офицерского состава (КУОС)". www.kuos-vympel.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2017-12-05.
- ^ "Операция "Шторм 333"". www.kuos-vympel.ru.
- ^ "Оперативно-разведывательный боевой отряд "Каскад"". www.kuos-vympel.ru.
- ^ Administrator. ""Омега" оСпН КГБ СССР". war.afgan.kz.
- ^ "Козлов Эвальд Григорьевич". www.warheroes.ru.
- ^ "История Группы специального назначения "Вымпел" КГБ СССР". 19 August 2011.
- ^ Barry, Ellen (June 29, 2010). "'Illegals' Spy Ring Famed in Lore of Russian Spying". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
- ^ Hackard, Mark (17 April 2015). "KGB Spetsnaz & World War III". Espionage History Archive. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
- ^ "Berlin Assassination: New Evidence on Suspected FSB Hitman Passed to German Investigators". bellingcat. 2021-03-19. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
External links
- Boris Volodarsky, License to Kill, Wall Street Journal, 20 December 2006
- Kolpakidi, Aleksandr. Ликвидаторы КГБ. Спецоперации советских спецслужб 1941-2004. — М.: Яуза; Эксмо, 2004.
- Hackard, Mark. "KGB Spetsnaz and World War III." Espionage History Archive, Retrieved 08-24-2015.