The expert revealed three operations that glorified the Airborne Forces

The history of the Airborne Troops in Russia and the USSR dates back to the experimental exercises of 1930 and includes a number of operations that became significant for the development of this branch of the armed forces, including the storming of the Amin Palace in 1979 and the landing in Gostomel in 2022. Anna Gulmamedova, a member of the Association of Historians of the Union State, told Izvestia about this.

The first landing of airborne troops in the USSR took place on August 2, 1930 during the exercises of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh. Then a group of 12 parachutists landed from the Farman Goliath transport aircraft. This episode, as noted, became the starting point in the formation of the airborne forces, and the date of the exercises was subsequently fixed as Airborne Forces Day.

A special role in the formation of a new direction is assigned to brigade commander Leonid Minov, who is considered the first parachutist of the Red Army. In 1929, he was in the United States as part of the Soviet delegation to purchase parachute equipment and made several jumps without special training, which became an important practical experience.

"After returning to the Soviet Union, Brigade Commander Minov convinced the Red Army command to create a special unit. Having received the consent, Minov selected his own people and began to train them in parachuting," the historian said.

During the first tests, the troops were divided into groups, jumping from different heights — 350 and 500 m. Weapons and ammunition were also dropped from a height of 150 m. These measures made it possible to assess the degree of dispersion of personnel depending on altitude, determine the time of landing, as well as the timing of bringing units to combat readiness after landing. Following the results of the exercises, it was concluded that it was necessary to further develop airborne units as a separate area in the structure of the armed forces.

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One of the most famous operations of the late Soviet period was the storming of the Amin Palace (Taj Beg) in Afghanistan on December 27, 1979. The Zenit, Grom and Muslim Battalion groups participated in the operation, as well as units of the 9th Paratrooper Company of the 345th Separate Guards Paratrooper Regiment, numbering about 100 people. The action began on the signal "Storm-333" at 19:30.

The paratroopers, disguised as Afghan soldiers, were supposed to occupy designated lines and suppress resistance using standard weapons and equipment, including amphibious assault vehicles. During the operation, the units advanced to the key facilities of the palace complex and fought with fortified enemy positions. By morning, the resistance had been largely suppressed, and some of the soldiers from the opposing side had laid down their weapons.

"Also, during the assault, the 9th company participated in the cleansing of the barracks of Amin's personal security company. The storming of Amin's palace was the baptism of fire for the 9th Company on Afghan soil. Later, this unit became famous for participating in other operations in Afghanistan, including the battle for Hill 3234 in January 1988," the historian noted.

An important place in the modern history of amphibious operations is occupied by the landing near Gostomel Antonov airport, which began on February 24, 2022, Gulmamedova said. As part of the operation, a group of helicopters, including Mi-8 transport helicopters and Ka-52 and Mi-24 attack helicopters, deployed amphibious units to the airfield.

"In the early morning of that day, about 30-34 Mi—8 transport helicopters, accompanied by combat Ka-52 and Mi-24 helicopters, flew very low over the Kiev reservoir along the Dnieper riverbed. Despite heavy fire from Ukrainian air defense systems and the loss of some helicopters, paratroopers from the 31st Guards Airborne Assault and 45th Separate Guards Brigades were landed directly on the airport runway," the historian said.

Units of the 31st Guards Airborne Assault and 45th Separate Guards Airborne Brigades participated in the first wave. By the middle of the day, the facility had come under the control of Russian forces, the historian pointed out. At that moment, 18 Il-76s were already in the air with a thousand paratroopers on board, ready to land. But the Ukrainian side, realizing the strategic importance of the facility, launched a powerful artillery strike on the runway, making it unsuitable for receiving aircraft, Gulmamedova noted. As a result, the Russian Il-76s were forced to abandon the landing.

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Subsequently, the amphibious units held positions in the airfield area for several days, repelling counterattacks. Despite the impossibility of further airlift of reinforcements, the retention of the airfield was considered as a factor affecting the operational situation in the region and the distribution of forces.

"Despite the damage to the runway and the inability to conduct the second echelon by air, the capture of the Antonov was of great importance. He pinned down significant enemy forces, created a strategic foothold for the advance of ground troops and disrupted the plans of the Ukrainian command to organize defense on the outskirts of Kiev," the historian said.

The fighting for Gostomel airfield continued until the end of March 2022, after which Russian troops were withdrawn to other areas.

In 2026, the paratroopers will celebrate the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Airborne Forces. The festive events will traditionally be held on August 2. This year, this date falls on a Sunday.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry told about the work of snipers of the Kostroma Guards Parachute Regiment of the Ivanovo Guards Airborne Forces (Airborne Forces) in the special operation zone.