42nd naval reconnaissance point. Special Forces of the Russian Navy. Landing of naval special forces on the water: order and technique

The secret unit "Kholuy" of the Pacific Fleet, also known as 42 MCI Special Forces (military unit 59190), was created in 1955 in Maly Uliss Bay near Vladivostok, later relocated to Russky Island, where scouts-saboteurs are still undergoing combat training. There are many legends about these guys, their physical training admired, they are called the best of the best, the cream of the SWAT.

Foreword
“Suddenly for the enemy, we landed at a Japanese airfield and entered into negotiations. After that, we, ten people, were taken by the Japanese to the headquarters of the colonel, the commander of the aviation unit, who wanted to make hostages out of us. I joined the conversation when I felt that with us, the representative of the Soviet command, captain 3rd rank Kulebyakin, as they say, "pushed up against the wall." Looking into the eyes of the Japanese, I said that we had fought the entire war in the west and had enough experience to assess the situation, that we would not be hostages , but rather we will die, but we will die together with everyone who is at headquarters. The difference is, I added, that you will die like rats, and we will try to escape from here. Hero Soviet Union Mitya Sokolov immediately stood behind the Japanese colonel. Hero of the Soviet Union Andrey Pshenichnykh locked the door with a key, put the key in his pocket and sat down on a chair, and Volodya Olyashev (honored master of sports after the war) lifted Andrey together with the chair and placed him right in front of the Japanese commander. Ivan Guzenkov went up to the window and reported that we were not high, and Hero of the Soviet Union Semyon Agafonov, standing at the door, began tossing anti-tank grenade.
The Japanese, however, did not know that there was no fuse in it. The colonel, forgetting about the handkerchief, began to wipe the sweat from his forehead with his hand and after a while signed the act of surrender of the entire garrison.- this is how naval intelligence officer Viktor Leonov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, described just one military operation in which a handful of daring and brave naval intelligence officers of the Pacific Fleet literally forced a large Japanese garrison to lay down their arms without a fight. Shamefully capitulated three and a half thousand Japanese samurai.
It was the apotheosis of the combat power of the 140th Naval Reconnaissance Detachment, the harbinger of the modern naval special forces, which everyone knows today under the incomprehensible and mysterious name "Holuai".

origins
And it all started back in the years of the Great Patriotic War. Then the 181st reconnaissance detachment successfully operated in the Northern Fleet, performing various special operations in the rear of enemy troops. The crowning achievement of this detachment was the capture of two coastal batteries at Cape Krestovoy (which blocked the entrance to the bay and could easily defeat the landing convoy) in preparation for the landing in the port of Liinakhamari (Murmansk region).
This, in turn, ensured the success of the Petsamo-Kirkenes landing operation, which became the key to success in the liberation of the entire Soviet Arctic. It is even hard to imagine that a detachment of several dozen people, having captured only a few guns of German coastal batteries, actually ensured victory in the entire strategic operation, but, nevertheless, this is so - for this reason, the reconnaissance detachment was created in order to sting the enemy with small forces in most vulnerable spot…
The commander of the 181st reconnaissance detachment, Senior Lieutenant Viktor Leonov, and two of his subordinates (Semyon Agafonov and Andrei Pshenichnykh) became Heroes of the Soviet Union in this short but important battle.

In April 1945, part of the personnel of the 181st detachment, led by the commander, was transferred to the Pacific Fleet to form the 140th reconnaissance detachment of the Pacific Fleet, which was supposed to be used in the upcoming war with Japan. By May, the detachment was formed on Russky Island in the amount of 139 people and began combat training. In August 1945, the 140th reconnaissance detachment participated in the capture of the ports of Yuki and Rashin, as well as the naval bases of Seishin and Genzan. As a result of these operations, chief foreman Makar Babikov and midshipman Alexander Nikandrov of the 140th reconnaissance detachment of the Pacific Fleet became Heroes of the Soviet Union, and their commander Viktor Leonov received a second Hero star.
Nevertheless, at the end of the war, all such reconnaissance formations in the Soviet Navy were disbanded as they were supposedly unnecessary.

But soon the story turned around...

From the history of the creation of parts special purpose: In 1950, separate special-purpose companies were formed in the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union in each army and military district. In Primorsky Krai, in particular, three such companies were formed: the 91st (military unit No. 51423) as part of the 5th combined arms army stationed in Ussuriysk, the 92nd (military unit No. 51447) as part of the 25th combined arms army stationed at the Fighter Kuznetsov station and the 88th (military unit No. 51422) as part of the 37th Guards Airborne Corps stationed in Chernigovka. The special purpose companies were tasked with searching for and destroying the most important military and civil facilities, including means of nuclear attack by the enemy. The personnel of these companies were trained in conducting military intelligence, mine-explosive business, made parachute jumps. For service in such units, people were selected who, for health reasons, were fit for service in the airborne troops.

The experience of the Great Patriotic War showed the indispensability of such units for decisive action on enemy communications, and in connection with the unleashing by the Americans " cold war", the need for such units became very clear. The new units showed their high efficiency already at the first exercises, and the Navy became interested in units of this kind.

Rear Admiral Leonid Konstantinovich Bekrenev, head of intelligence of the Navy, wrote in his address to the Minister of the Navy: "... given the role of reconnaissance and sabotage units in the general system of fleet reconnaissance, I consider it necessary to carry out the following measures: ... to create ... reconnaissance and sabotage units of military intelligence, giving them the name of separate naval reconnaissance divisions ..."
At the same time, Captain First Rank Boris Maksimovich Margolin theoretically substantiated such a decision, arguing that "... the difficulties and duration of the training of scouts - light divers makes it necessary to prepare them in advance and systematic training, for which special units must be created ...".

And so, by the Directive of the Main Naval Staff of June 24, 1953, such special intelligence formations are being formed in all fleets. In total, five "reconnaissance points for special purposes" were formed - in all fleets and the Caspian flotilla.

In the Pacific Fleet reconnaissance post created on the basis of the directive of the General Staff of the Navy No. OMU / 1 / 53060ss of March 18, 1955. However, June 5, 1955 is considered the "Day of the unit" - the day when the unit completed its formation and became part of the fleet as a combat unit.

Holuay bay
The very word "Kholuai" (as well as its variations "Khaluai" and "Khalulai"), according to one version, means "dead place", and although disputes on this subject are still ongoing and sinologists do not confirm such a translation, the version is considered quite plausible - especially among those who served in this bay.

In the thirties, on Russky Island (at that time, by the way, its second name was also widely practiced - Kazakevich Island, which disappeared from geographical maps only in the forties of the twentieth century) was the construction of antiamphibious defense facilities in Vladivostok. Defense facilities included coastal long-term firing points - bunkers.
Some specially fortified pillboxes even had their own names, for example, "Stream", "Rock", "Wave", "Bonfire" and others. All this defensive splendor was served by separate machine-gun battalions, each of which occupied its own sector of defense.
In particular, the 69th separate machine-gun battalion of the Vladivostok Coastal Defense Sector of the Pacific Fleet, located in the area of ​​​​Krasny Cape in Kholuai (New Dzhigit) Bay, served firing points located on Russky Island. For this battalion in 1935, a two-story barracks and headquarters, a canteen, a boiler room, warehouses and a stadium were built. Here the battalion was stationed until the forties, after which it was disbanded. barracks long time were not used and began to collapse.

And in March 1955, a new military unit with very specific tasks, the secrecy of whose existence was brought to the highest limit.

The first deputy head of the GRU, Colonel General I. Ya. Sidorov, receives a report from the commander of the special forces group.

In open use among the “initiates”, the unit was called the “Irtek Recreation Center” of the Main Naval Base “Vladivostok”. The unit also received the code name of military unit No. 59190 and the open name “42nd Naval Intelligence Special Purpose Point”. the people used to have a "folk" name for the unit - "Kholuai" - after the name of the bay.

So what was that part? Why is there a lot of various legends around it, both then and today, sometimes bordering on fantasy?

Birth of a legend
The formation of the 42nd Marine Special Purpose Reconnaissance Point of the Pacific Fleet began in March and ended in June 1955. During the formation of the duties of the commander, captain of the second rank Nikolai Braginsky temporarily performed, but the first approved commander of the new unit was ... no, not a scout, but the former commander of the destroyer, captain of the second rank Pyotr Kovalenko.

For several months, the unit was based on Ulysses, and the personnel lived on board the old ship, and before leaving for the permanent deployment point on Russky Island, reconnaissance sailors at the submarine training base underwent an accelerated diving training course.

Arriving at the location of the unit in Holuay Bay, the reconnaissance sailors first of all took up ... construction work, because they had to somehow equip their housing, and no one was going to help them in this matter.

On July 1, 1955, the unit began single combat training of future reconnaissance divers under the training program for special forces units. A little later, the combat coordination of groups began.

In September 1955, the newly formed naval special forces took part in their first exercises - having landed on boats in the Shkotovsky region, naval reconnaissance reconnaissance of the Abrek naval base and elements of its anti-sabotage defense, as well as highways in the rear of the conditional "enemy".

Already at that time, the command of the unit came to the understanding that the selection for naval special forces should be as tough as possible, if not cruel.
Candidates for service, who were called up from the military registration and enlistment offices or transferred from the training units of the fleet, were waiting for severe trials - during the week they were subjected to extreme loads, which were reinforced by severe psychological pressure. Far from everyone survived, and those who could not stand it were immediately transferred to other parts of the fleet.

But those who survived were immediately enlisted in the elite unit and began combat training. This test week became known as "hellish". Later, when the United States created its SEAL units, they adopted our practice of selecting future fighters as the most optimal, allowing us to quickly understand what this or that candidate is capable of, whether he is ready to serve in parts of the naval special forces.
The meaning of this "personnel" rigidity boiled down to the fact that commanders initially had to clearly understand the abilities and capabilities of their fighters - after all, special forces operate in isolation from their troops, and a small group can only rely on themselves, and, accordingly, the importance of any team member rises many times. The commander must initially be confident in his subordinates, and subordinates in their commander. And that's the only reason "entry to the service" in this part is so strict. It shouldn't be otherwise.

Looking ahead, I will say that nothing has been lost today: the candidate, as before, will have to go through serious trials that are inaccessible to most even physically well-trained people.

In particular, the candidate must first of all run ten kilometers in heavy body armor, meeting the running standard provided for running in sneakers and sportswear. If you don't fit in, no one will talk to you anymore. If you ran on time, then you immediately need to perform 70 push-ups from the lying position and 15 pull-ups on the horizontal bar. Moreover, it is desirable to perform these exercises in a "pure form". Most of the people, already at the stage of jogging in a bulletproof vest, choking from physical overload, begin to wonder, "do I need this happiness, if it happens every day?" This is where true motivation comes in.
If a person seeks to serve in the naval special forces, if he knows for sure what he wants, he passes this test, but if he has doubts, then it is better not to continue these torments.

At the end of the test, the candidate is placed in the ring, where three hand-to-hand combat instructors fight with him, checking the person for readiness for the fight - both physical and moral. Usually, if a candidate has reached the ring, this is already an "ideological" candidate, and the ring does not break him. Well, and then the commander, or the person replacing him, is already talking to the candidate. After that, the harsh service begins ...

There are no discounts for officers either - everyone passes the tests. The main supplier of command personnel for Kholuai are three military schools - the Pacific Naval (TOVVMU), the Far Eastern Combined Arms (DVOKU) and the Ryazan Airborne (RVVDKU), although if a person wants, then nothing prevents an officer from other schools to enter the service in the naval special forces - there would be a desire.
As a former special forces officer told me, having expressed a desire to serve in this unit in front of the head of intelligence of the fleet, he immediately had to do push-ups from the floor 100 times right in the admiral's office - Rear Admiral Yuri Maksimenko (head of intelligence of the Pacific Fleet in 1982-1991), despite the fact that the officer went through Afghanistan, and was awarded two military orders. This is how the chief of intelligence of the Pacific Fleet decided to cut off the candidate if he did not complete such an elementary exercise. The officer completed the exercise.

At various times, the unit was commanded by:
Captain 1st rank Kovalenko Petr Prokopevich (1955–1959);
Captain 1st rank Guryanov Viktor Nikolaevich (1959–1961);
Captain 1st rank Petr Ivanovich Konnov (1961–1966);
Captain 1st rank Klimenko Vasily Nikiforovich (1966–1972);
Captain 1st rank Minkin Yuri Alekseevich (1972–1976);
Captain 1st rank Zharkov Anatoly Vasilyevich (1976–1981);
Captain 1st rank Yakovlev Yuri Mikhailovich (1981–1983);
Lieutenant Colonel Evsyukov Viktor Ivanovich (1983–1988);
Captain 1st rank Omsharuk Vladimir Vladimirovich (1988-1995) - died in February 2016;
Lieutenant Colonel Gritsay Vladimir Georgievich (1995–1997);
Captain 1st rank Sergey Veniaminovich Kurochkin (1997–2000);
Colonel Gubarev Oleg Mikhailovich (2000-2010);
Lieutenant Colonel Belyavsky Zaur Valerievich (2010-2013).

Teachings and service
In 1956, naval scouts began to master parachute jumps. Usually, the training camp took place at the airfields of naval aviation - by subordination. During the first training camp, all personnel performed two jumps from a height of 900 meters from Li-2 and An-2 aircraft, and also learned how to land "assault" from Mi-4 helicopters - both on land and on water.

A year later, naval reconnaissance officers had already mastered the landing of submarines lying on the ground through torpedo tubes, as well as returning to them after completing the task at coastal facilities of a mock enemy. Based on the results of combat training in 1958, the 42nd naval reconnaissance point became the best special unit of the Pacific Fleet and was awarded the passing pennant of the Commander of the Pacific Fleet.

In many exercises, scouts developed the necessary skills, acquired special knowledge and expressed their wishes regarding the composition of the equipment. In particular, back in the late fifties, naval intelligence officers formulated requirements for weapons - they should be light and silent (as a result, samples of special weapons appeared - small-sized silent pistols MSP, silent grenade launchers "Tishina", underwater pistols SPP-1 and submersibles APS, as well as many other special weapons). Also, the scouts wanted to have a waterproof outerwear and shoes, and the eyes had to be protected from mechanical damage with special goggles (for example, four types of goggles are included in the kit today).

In 1960, the staff of the unit was increased to 146 people.

By this time, they had already decided on the specialization, which was conditionally divided into three areas:
- part of the personnel was represented by reconnaissance divers, who were supposed to be engaged in reconnaissance of enemy naval bases from the sea, as well as to mine ships and port facilities;
- some of the sailors were engaged in conducting military intelligence - in other words, having landed from the sea, they acted on the shore as ordinary land intelligence officers;
- the third direction was represented by radio and electronic intelligence specialists - these people were engaged in conducting instrumental reconnaissance, which made it possible to quickly detect the most important objects behind enemy lines, such as field radio stations, radar stations, technical observation posts - in general, everything that emitted any signals on the air and was subject to destruction in the first place.

The naval special forces began to receive special underwater carriers - in other words, small underwater vehicles that could deliver saboteurs over long distances. Such a carrier was the two-seat Triton, later also the two-seat Triton-1M, and even later the six-seat Triton-2 appeared. These devices allowed saboteurs to quietly penetrate directly into enemy bases, mine ships and moorings, and perform other reconnaissance tasks.
These were very secret devices, and the story was all the more "horrible" when the officer of the naval special forces, covertly escorting containers with these devices (in civilian clothes under the guise of a regular freight forwarder) suddenly heard with a tremor in his knees how a slinger was in charge of reloading a container from a railway platform on the truck, loudly shouted to the crane operator: “Petrovich, lift carefully, there are NEWTs” ... and only when the officer pulled himself together, calmed down and calmed down a little, he realized that no top-secret information had been leaked, and the unlucky slinger just had meaning THREE TONS of the weight of the container (that's how much the "Triton-1M" weighed), and not the most secret "Tritons" that were inside ...

For reference:
"Triton" - the first carrier of open-type divers. Diving depth - up to 12 meters. Travel speed - 4 knots (7.5 km / h). Range - 30 miles (55 km).
"Triton-1M" is the first carrier of closed type divers. Weight - 3 tons. Diving depth - 32 meters. Travel speed - 4 knots. Range - 60 miles (110 km).
"Triton-2" is the first group carrier of closed type divers. Weight - 15 tons. Diving depth - 40 meters. Travel speed - 5 knots. Range - 60 miles.
Currently, these models of equipment are already outdated and withdrawn from service. All three samples were installed as monuments on the territory of the unit, and the decommissioned apparatus "Triton-2" is also presented at the street exposition of the Museum of Military Glory of the Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok.

Currently, such underwater carriers are not used for a number of reasons, the main of which is the impossibility of their covert use. Today, the naval special forces are armed with more modern submarine carriers "Siren" and "Proteus" of various modifications. Both of these carriers allow covert landing of the reconnaissance group through the submarine's torpedo tube. "Siren" "carries" two saboteurs, and "Proteus" is an individual carrier.

Insolence and sport
Some of the legends about "Kholuy" are connected with the steady desire of the military personnel of this unit to improve their reconnaissance and sabotage skills at the expense of their own comrades-in-arms. At all times, the "holuai" brought a lot of problems to the people of the daily outfit, serving on ships and in coastal units of the Pacific Fleet.
Often there were cases of "training" abductions of orderly, duty documentation, theft of vehicles from careless military drivers. It cannot be said that the command of the unit specifically set such tasks for the scouts ... but for the successful actions of this kind, reconnaissance sailors could even receive a short vacation.

There are many fairy tales about how special forces "with one knife they throw it away in the middle of Siberia, and he must survive and return to the unit".
No, of course, no one is thrown anywhere with one knife, but during special tactical exercises, groups of intelligence officers can be thrown into other regions of the country, where they are given various training reconnaissance and sabotage tasks, after which they need to return to the unit - preferably unnoticed . At this time, the police, internal troops and state security agencies are intensively looking for them, and citizens are announced that they are looking for conditional terrorists.

In the unit itself, sports have been cultivated at all times - and therefore it should not be surprising that at present, practically at all naval competitions in power sports, martial arts, swimming and shooting, prizes are usually occupied by representatives of the "Kholuai". It should be noted that preference in sports is given not to strength, but to endurance - it is this physical skill that allows the marine scout to feel confident both on foot or ski crossings, and in long-distance swimming.
Unpretentiousness and the ability to live without frills even gave rise to a peculiar saying on "Kholuay": "There is no need for something, but you can limit yourself in something."
It contains a deep meaning, which largely reflects the essence of the Russian Navy's naval intelligence officer - who, being content with little, is capable of accomplishing a lot.

Healthy spetsnaz chauvinism also gave rise to a special audacity of scouts, which became the pride of the fighters of the naval special forces. This quality was especially clearly manifested during the exercises, which were and are being carried out almost constantly.

One of the admirals of the Pacific Fleet once said: "The guys of the naval special forces were brought up in the spirit of love for the Motherland, hatred for enemies and the realization that they are the elite of the fleet. Not to feel their own superiority over others, but in the sense that they spend huge folk remedies, and their duty, in which case, to justify these costs ... ".

I remember, in my deep childhood, in the mid-eighties, on the embankment near S-56, I saw a sailor wandering alone, who had a paratrooper badge on his chest. At that time, a ferry was loading on the pier, next to Russky Island (there were no bridges then). The sailor was stopped by a patrol, and he presented his documents, gesticulating frantically, pointing with his hand at the ferry, which was already raising the ramp. But the patrol, apparently, decided to detain the sailor for some fault.
And then I saw a whole performance: the sailor sharply pulled the cap on the senior patrol over his very eyes, snatched his documents from his hands, slapped one of the patrolmen in the face, and rushed headlong to the departing ferry!

And the ferry, I must say, had already moved away from the berth by one and a half to two meters, and the sailor-paratrooper overcame this distance in a graceful jump, grabbed the rails of the ferry, and there the passengers already pulled him on board. For some reason, I have no doubts in which part that sailor served ...

Return of the legend
In 1965, twenty years after the end of World War II, Captain First Rank Viktor Leonov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, came to the unit. Several photographs have been preserved, in which the "legend of the naval special forces" is captured with the military personnel of the unit, both with officers and sailors. Subsequently, Viktor Leonov will visit the 42nd reconnaissance point several more times, which he himself considered a worthy brainchild of his 140th reconnaissance detachment ...

Combat use
In 1982, the moment came when the Motherland demanded the professional skills of naval commandos. From February 24 to April 27, a full-time special forces group performed the tasks of combat service for the first time, being on one of the ships of the Pacific Fleet.

In 1988-1989 she was in combat service for 130 days reconnaissance group, equipped with Siren submarine carriers and all necessary combat means. A small reconnaissance ship from the 38th brigade of reconnaissance ships of the Pacific Fleet delivered the Kholuayevites to the place of the combat mission. It is too early to say what these tasks were, because they are still hidden by a veil of secrecy. One thing is clear - some enemy has become very ill these days ...
In 1995, a group of servicemen of the 42nd Naval Reconnaissance Special Purpose Point took part in a military operation to restore the constitutional regime in the Chechen Republic.

The group was attached to the 165th regiment operating there marines of the Pacific Fleet and, according to the opinion of Colonel Sergey Kondratenko, Senior Head of the Pacific Fleet Marine Corps in Chechnya, acted brilliantly. Scouts in any critical situation kept their composure and courage. Five "holuaevites" laid down their lives in this war. In 1996, a monument to servicemen of the unit who died in the line of duty was erected on the territory of the unit.

Why the US Navy SEALs adopted "hell week" from this unit as the best practice for selecting future fighters

The secret unit "Kholuy" of the Pacific Fleet, also known as 42 MCI Special Forces (military unit 59190), was created in 1955 in Maly Uliss Bay near Vladivostok, later relocated to Russky Island, where scouts-saboteurs are still undergoing combat training. There are many legends about these guys, their physical training is admired, they are called the best of the best, the cream of special forces. Each of them could become the main character of an action movie. Today RIA PrimaMedia publishes material military historian and journalist Alexei Sukonkin about the legendary part of "holuai". In 1993-94, he served in the special forces unit of the ground forces, but from time to time their part was also in the naval special forces.

Foreword

“Suddenly for the enemy, we landed at a Japanese airfield and entered into negotiations. After that, we, ten people, were taken by the Japanese to the headquarters of the colonel, the commander of the aviation unit, who wanted to make hostages out of us. I joined the conversation when I felt that with us, the representative of the Soviet command, captain 3rd rank Kulebyakin, as they say, "pushed up against the wall." Looking into the eyes of the Japanese, I said that we had fought the entire war in the west and had enough experience to assess the situation, that we would not be hostages "But we'd rather die, but we'll die together with everyone at headquarters. The difference is, I added, that you'll die like rats, and we'll try to get out of here. Hero of the Soviet Union Mitya Sokolov immediately stood behind the Japanese colonel. Hero of the Soviet Union Andrei Pshenichnykh locked the door with a key, put the key in his pocket and sat down on a chair, and Volodya Olyashev (honored master of sports after the war) lifted Andrei together with the chair and put it right in front of d Japanese commander. Ivan Guzenkov went up to the window and reported that we were not high, and Hero of the Soviet Union Semyon Agafonov, standing at the door, began tossing an anti-tank grenade in his hand. The Japanese, however, did not know that there was no fuse in it. The colonel, forgetting about the handkerchief, began to wipe the sweat from his forehead with his hand and after a while signed the act of surrender of the entire garrison.

This is how the naval intelligence officer Viktor Leonov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, described just one military operation in which a handful of daring and brave naval intelligence officers of the Pacific Fleet forced a large Japanese garrison to lay down their arms literally without a fight. Shamefully capitulated three and a half thousand Japanese samurai.

It was the apotheosis of the combat power of the 140th Naval Reconnaissance Detachment, the harbinger of the modern naval special forces, which everyone knows today under the incomprehensible and mysterious name "Holuai".

origins

And it all started during the Great Patriotic War. Then the 181st reconnaissance detachment successfully operated in the Northern Fleet, performing various special operations in the rear of enemy troops. The crowning achievement of this detachment was the capture of two coastal batteries at Cape Krestovoy (which blocked the entrance to the bay and could easily defeat the landing convoy) in preparation for the landing in the port of Liinakhamari (Murmansk region - ed.). This, in turn, ensured the success of the Petsamo-Kirkenes landing operation, which became the key to success in the liberation of the entire Soviet Arctic. It is even hard to imagine that a detachment of several dozen people, having captured only a few guns of German coastal batteries, actually ensured victory in the entire strategic operation, but, nevertheless, this is so - for this reason, the reconnaissance detachment was created in order to sting the enemy with small forces in the weakest spot...

The commander of the 181st reconnaissance detachment, Senior Lieutenant Viktor Leonov, and two of his subordinates (Semyon Agafonov and Andrei Pshenichnykh) became Heroes of the Soviet Union in this short but important battle.

In April 1945, part of the personnel of the 181st detachment, led by the commander, was transferred to the Pacific Fleet to form the 140th reconnaissance detachment of the Pacific Fleet, which was supposed to be used in the upcoming war with Japan. By May, the detachment was formed on Russky Island in the amount of 139 people and began combat training. In August 1945, the 140th reconnaissance detachment participated in the capture of the ports of Yuki and Rashin, as well as the naval bases of Seishin and Genzan. As a result of these operations, chief foreman Makar Babikov and midshipman Alexander Nikandrov of the 140th reconnaissance detachment of the Pacific Fleet became Heroes of the Soviet Union, and their commander Viktor Leonov received a second Hero star.

Nevertheless, at the end of the war, all such reconnaissance formations in the Soviet Navy were disbanded as they were supposedly unnecessary.

But soon the story turned around...

From the history of the creation of special purpose units: In 1950, separate special-purpose companies were formed in the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union in each army and military district. In Primorsky Krai, in particular, three such companies were formed: the 91st (military unit No. 51423) as part of the 5th combined arms army stationed in Ussuriysk, the 92nd (military unit No. 51447) as part of the 25th combined arms army stationed at the Fighter Kuznetsov station and the 88th (military unit No. 51422) as part of the 37th Guards Airborne Corps stationed in Chernigovka. The special-purpose companies were tasked with searching for and destroying the most important military and civilian facilities, including enemy nuclear weapons, deep behind enemy lines. The personnel of these companies were trained in military reconnaissance, mine-explosive business, and made parachute jumps. For service in such units, people were selected who, for health reasons, were fit for service in the airborne troops.

The experience of the Great Patriotic War showed the indispensability of such units for decisive action on enemy communications, and in connection with the unleashing of the Cold War by the Americans, the need for such units became very clear. The new units showed their high efficiency already at the first exercises, and the Navy became interested in units of this kind.

Rear Admiral Leonid Konstantinovich Bekrenev, head of intelligence of the Navy, wrote in his address to the Minister of the Navy:

"... given the role of reconnaissance and sabotage units in the general system of reconnaissance of fleets, I consider it necessary to carry out the following measures: ... to create ... reconnaissance and sabotage units of military intelligence, giving them the name of separate naval reconnaissance divisions ..."

At the same time, Captain First Rank Boris Maksimovich Margolin theoretically substantiated such a decision, arguing that "... the difficulties and duration of the training of scouts - light divers make it necessary to prepare them in advance and systematic training, for which special units should be created ...".

And so, by the Directive of the Main Naval Staff of June 24, 1953, such special intelligence formations are being formed in all fleets. In total, five "reconnaissance points for special purposes" were formed - in all fleets and the Caspian flotilla.

In the Pacific Fleet, its own reconnaissance point is being created on the basis of the directive of the General Staff of the Navy No. OMU / 1 / 53060ss of March 18, 1955.

However, June 5, 1955 is considered the "Day of the unit" - the day when the unit completed its formation and became part of the fleet as a combat unit.

Holuay bay

The word "Kholuai" itself (as well as its variations "Khaluai" and "Khalulai"), according to one version, means "dead place", and although disputes on this subject are still ongoing and sinologists do not confirm such a translation, the version is considered quite plausible - especially among those who served in this bay.

In the thirties, on Russky Island (at that time, by the way, its second name, Kazakevich Island, which disappeared from geographical maps only in the forties of the twentieth century, was also widely practiced) was the construction of antiamphibious defense facilities for Vladivostok. Defense facilities included coastal long-term firing points - bunkers. Some specially fortified pillboxes even had their own names, for example, "Stream", "Rock", "Wave", "Bonfire" and others. All this defensive splendor was served by separate machine-gun battalions, each of which occupied its own sector of defense. In particular, the 69th separate machine-gun battalion of the Vladivostok Coastal Defense Sector of the Pacific Fleet, located in the area of ​​​​Krasny Cape in Kholuai (New Dzhigit) Bay, served firing points located on Russky Island. For this battalion in 1935, a two-story barracks and headquarters, a canteen, a boiler room, warehouses and a stadium were built. Here the battalion was stationed until the forties, after which it was disbanded. The barracks were not used for a long time and began to collapse.

And in March 1955, a new military unit with very specific tasks was settled here, the secrecy of whose existence was brought to the highest limit.

In open use among the “initiates”, the unit was called the “Irtek Recreation Center” of the Main Naval Base “Vladivostok”. The unit also received the code name of military unit No. 59190 and the open name “42nd Naval Intelligence Special Purpose Point”. the people used to have a "folk" name for the unit - "Kholuai" - after the name of the bay.

So what was that part? Why is there a lot of various legends around it, both then and today, sometimes bordering on fantasy?

Birth of a legend

The formation of the 42nd Marine Special Purpose Reconnaissance Point of the Pacific Fleet began in March and ended in June 1955. During the formation of the duties of the commander, captain of the second rank Nikolai Braginsky temporarily performed, but the first approved commander of the new unit was ... no, not a scout, but the former commander of the destroyer, captain of the second rank Pyotr Kovalenko.

For several months, the unit was based on Ulysses, and the personnel lived on board the old ship, and before leaving for the permanent deployment point on Russky Island, reconnaissance sailors at the submarine training base underwent an accelerated diving training course.

Arriving at the location of the unit in Holuay Bay, the reconnaissance sailors first of all took up ... construction work, because they had to somehow equip their housing, and no one was going to help them in this matter.

On July 1, 1955, the unit began single combat training of future reconnaissance divers under the training program for special forces units. A little later, the combat coordination of groups began.

In September 1955, the newly formed naval special forces took part in their first exercises - having landed on boats in the Shkotovsky region, naval reconnaissance reconnaissance of the Abrek naval base and elements of its anti-sabotage defense, as well as highways in the rear of the conditional "enemy".

Already at that time, the command of the unit came to the understanding that the selection for naval special forces should be as tough as possible, if not cruel.

Candidates for service, who were called up from the military registration and enlistment offices or transferred from the training units of the fleet, were waiting for severe trials - during the week they were subjected to extreme loads, which were reinforced by severe psychological pressure. Far from everyone survived, and those who could not stand it were immediately transferred to other parts of the fleet.

But those who survived were immediately enlisted in the elite unit and began combat training. This test week became known as "hellish". Later, when the United States created its SEAL units, they adopted our practice of selecting future fighters as the most optimal, allowing us to quickly understand what this or that candidate is capable of, whether he is ready to serve in parts of the naval special forces.

The meaning of this "personnel" rigidity boiled down to the fact that commanders initially had to clearly understand the abilities and capabilities of their fighters - after all, special forces operate in isolation from their troops, and a small group can only rely on themselves, and, accordingly, the importance of any team member rises many times. The commander must initially be confident in his subordinates, and subordinates in their commander. And that's the only reason "entry to the service" in this part is so strict. It shouldn't be otherwise.

Looking ahead, I will say that nothing has been lost today: the candidate, as before, will have to go through serious trials that are inaccessible to most even physically well-trained people.

In particular, the candidate must first of all run ten kilometers in heavy body armor, meeting the running standard provided for running in sneakers and sportswear. If you don't fit in, no one will talk to you anymore. If you ran on time, then you immediately need to perform 70 push-ups from the lying position and 15 pull-ups on the horizontal bar. Moreover, it is desirable to perform these exercises in a "pure form". Most of the people, already at the stage of jogging in a bulletproof vest, choking from physical overload, begin to wonder, "do I need this happiness, if it happens every day?" This is where true motivation comes in.

If a person seeks to serve in the naval special forces, if he knows for sure what he wants, he passes this test, but if he has doubts, then it is better not to continue these torments.

At the end of the test, the candidate is placed in the ring, where three hand-to-hand combat instructors fight with him, checking the person for readiness for the fight - both physical and moral. Usually, if a candidate has reached the ring, this is already an "ideological" candidate, and the ring does not break him. Well, and then the commander, or the person replacing him, is already talking to the candidate. After that, the harsh service begins ...

There are no discounts for officers either - everyone passes the tests. The main supplier of command personnel for Kholuai are three military schools - the Pacific Naval (TOVVMU), the Far Eastern Combined Arms (DVOKU) and the Ryazan Airborne (RVVDKU), although if a person wants, then nothing prevents an officer from other schools to enter the service in the naval special forces - there would be a desire.

As a former special forces officer told me, having expressed a desire to serve in this unit in front of the head of intelligence of the fleet, he immediately had to do push-ups from the floor 100 times right in the admiral's office - Rear Admiral Yuri Maksimenko (head of intelligence of the Pacific Fleet in 1982-1991), despite the fact that the officer went through Afghanistan, and was awarded two military orders. This is how the chief of intelligence of the Pacific Fleet decided to cut off the candidate if he did not complete such an elementary exercise. The officer completed the exercise.

At various times, the unit was commanded by:

Captain 1st rank Kovalenko Petr Prokopevich (1955–1959);

Captain 1st rank Guryanov Viktor Nikolaevich (1959–1961);

Captain 1st rank Petr Ivanovich Konnov (1961–1966);

Captain 1st rank Klimenko Vasily Nikiforovich (1966–1972);

Captain 1st rank Minkin Yuri Alekseevich (1972–1976);

Captain 1st rank Zharkov Anatoly Vasilyevich (1976–1981);

Captain 1st rank Yakovlev Yuri Mikhailovich (1981–1983);

Lieutenant Colonel Evsyukov Viktor Ivanovich (1983–1988);

Captain 1st rank Omsharuk Vladimir Vladimirovich (1988-1995) - died in February 2016;

Lieutenant Colonel Gritsay Vladimir Georgievich (1995–1997);

Captain 1st rank Sergey Veniaminovich Kurochkin (1997–2000);

Colonel Gubarev Oleg Mikhailovich (2000-2010);

Lieutenant Colonel Belyavsky Zaur Valerievich (2010-2013);

Let the name of today's commander remain for the time being in the coastal fog of military secrets ...

Teachings and service

In 1956, naval scouts began to master parachute jumps. Usually, the training camp took place at the airfields of naval aviation - by subordination. During the first training camp, all personnel performed two jumps from a height of 900 meters from Li-2 and An-2 aircraft, and also learned how to land "assault" from Mi-4 helicopters - both on land and on water.

A year later, naval reconnaissance officers had already mastered the landing of submarines lying on the ground through torpedo tubes, as well as returning to them after completing the task at coastal facilities of a mock enemy. Based on the results of combat training in 1958, the 42nd naval reconnaissance point became the best special unit of the Pacific Fleet and was awarded the passing pennant of the Commander of the Pacific Fleet.

In many exercises, scouts developed the necessary skills, acquired special knowledge and expressed their wishes regarding the composition of the equipment. In particular, back in the late fifties, naval intelligence officers formulated requirements for weapons - they should be light and silent (as a result, samples of special weapons appeared - small-sized silent pistols SMEs, silent grenade launchers "Tishina", underwater pistols SPP-1 and underwater assault rifles APS, as well as many other special weapons). Also, the scouts wanted to have waterproof outerwear and shoes, and the eyes had to be protected from mechanical damage with special goggles (for example, four types of goggles are included in the kit today).

In 1960, the staff of the unit was increased to 146 people.

By this time, they had already decided on the specialization, which was conditionally divided into three areas:

Part of the personnel was presented reconnaissance divers who were supposed to be engaged in reconnaissance of enemy naval bases from the sea, as well as to mine ships and port facilities;

Some of the sailors were engaged conducting military intelligence- in other words, having landed from the sea, they acted on the shore as ordinary land reconnaissance;

The third direction was introduced specialists of radio and electronic intelligence- these people were engaged in conducting instrumental reconnaissance, which made it possible to quickly detect the most important objects behind enemy lines, such as field radio stations, radar stations, technical observation posts - in general, everything that emitted any signals on the air and was subject to destruction in the first turn.

The naval special forces began to receive special underwater carriers - in other words, small underwater vehicles that could deliver saboteurs over long distances. Such a carrier was the two-seat Triton, later also the two-seat Triton-1M, and even later the six-seat Triton-2 appeared. These devices allowed saboteurs to quietly penetrate directly into enemy bases, mine ships and moorings, and perform other reconnaissance tasks.

These were very secret devices, and the story was all the more "horrible" when the officer of the naval special forces, covertly escorting containers with these devices (in civilian clothes under the guise of a regular freight forwarder) suddenly heard with a tremor in his knees how a slinger was in charge of reloading a container from a railway platform on the truck, shouted loudly to the crane operator: " Petrovich, pick it up carefully, there are TRITONS here."... and only when the officer pulled himself together, stopped trembling and calmed down a little, he realized that no leak of top-secret information had occurred, and the unlucky slinger just had in mind THREE TONS of the weight of the container (that's how much "Triton-1M" weighed), and not the most secret "Tritons" that were inside ...

For reference:

"Triton" - the first carrier of open-type divers. Diving depth - up to 12 meters. Travel speed - 4 knots (7.5 km / h). Range - 30 miles (55 km).

"Triton-1M" is the first carrier of closed type divers. Weight - 3 tons. Diving depth - 32 meters. Travel speed - 4 knots. Range - 60 miles (110 km).

"Triton-2" is the first group carrier of closed type divers. Weight - 15 tons. Diving depth - 40 meters. Travel speed - 5 knots. Range - 60 miles.

Currently, these models of equipment are already outdated and withdrawn from service. All three samples were installed as monuments on the territory of the unit, and the decommissioned apparatus "Triton-2" is also presented at the street exposition of the Museum of Military Glory of the Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok.

Currently, such underwater carriers are not used for a number of reasons, the main of which is the impossibility of their covert use. Today, the naval special forces are armed with more modern submarine carriers "Siren" and "Proteus" of various modifications. Both of these carriers allow covert landing of the reconnaissance group through the submarine's torpedo tube. "Siren" "carries" two saboteurs, and "Proteus" is an individual carrier.

Insolence and sport

Some of the legends about "Kholuy" are connected with the steady desire of the military personnel of this unit to improve their reconnaissance and sabotage skills at the expense of their own comrades-in-arms. At all times, the "holuai" brought a lot of problems to the daily duty personnel serving on ships and in the coastal units of the Pacific Fleet. Often there were cases of "training" abductions of orderly, duty documentation, theft of vehicles from careless military drivers. It cannot be said that the command of the unit specifically set such tasks for the scouts ... but for the successful actions of this kind, reconnaissance sailors could even receive a short vacation.

There are many fairy tales about how special forces "with one knife are thrown out in the middle of Siberia, and he must survive and return to the unit."

No, of course, no one is thrown anywhere with one knife, but during special tactical exercises, groups of intelligence officers can be thrown into other regions of the country, where they are given various training reconnaissance and sabotage tasks, after which they need to return to the unit - preferably unnoticed . At this time, the police, internal troops and state security agencies are intensively looking for them, and citizens are announced that they are looking for conditional terrorists.
In the unit itself, sports have been cultivated at all times - and therefore it should not be surprising that at present, practically at all naval competitions in power sports, martial arts, swimming and shooting, prizes are usually occupied by representatives of the "Kholuai". It should be noted that preference in sports is given not to strength, but to endurance - it is this physical skill that allows the marine scout to feel confident both on foot or ski crossings, and in long-distance swimming.

Unpretentiousness and the ability to live without frills, even gave rise to a peculiar saying on the "Kholuay":

"There is no need for something, but you can limit yourself in something."

It contains a deep meaning, which in many respects reflects the essence of the naval intelligence officer of the Russian Navy - who, being content with little, is able to accomplish a lot.

Healthy spetsnaz chauvinism also gave rise to a special audacity of scouts, which became a source of special pride for the fighters of the naval special forces. This quality was especially clearly manifested during the exercises, which were and are being carried out almost constantly.

One of the admirals of the Pacific Fleet once said:

"The guys of the naval special forces were brought up in the spirit of love for the Motherland, hatred for enemies and the realization that they are the elite of the fleet. Not to feel their own superiority over others, but in the sense that huge public funds are spent on them, and their duty, in if anything, justify these costs ... ".

I remember in my deep childhood, in the mid-eighties, on the embankment near the C-56, I saw a lonely wandering sailor with a parachutist badge on his chest. At that time, a ferry was loading on the pier, next to Russky Island (there were no bridges then). The sailor was stopped by a patrol, and he presented his documents, gesticulating frantically, pointing with his hand at the ferry, which was already raising the ramp. But the patrol, apparently, decided to detain the sailor for some fault.

And then I saw a whole performance: the sailor sharply pulled the cap on the senior patrol over his very eyes, snatched his documents from his hands, slapped one of the patrolmen in the face, and rushed headlong to the departing ferry!

And the ferry, I must say, had already moved away from the berth by one and a half to two meters, and the sailor-paratrooper overcame this distance in a graceful jump, grabbed the rails of the ferry, and there the passengers already pulled him on board. For some reason, I have no doubts in which part that sailor served ...

Return of the legend

In 1965, twenty years after the end of World War II, Captain First Rank Viktor Leonov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, came to the unit. Several photographs have been preserved, in which the "legend of the naval special forces" is captured with the military personnel of the unit, both with officers and sailors. Subsequently, Viktor Leonov will visit the 42nd reconnaissance point several more times, which he himself considered a worthy brainchild of his 140th reconnaissance detachment ...

In 2015, Viktor Leonov returned to the unit forever. On the day of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the reconnaissance point, a monument to the real legend of the naval special forces, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Nikolayevich Leonov, was unveiled on the territory of the military unit in a solemn ceremony.

Combat use

In 1982, the moment came when the Motherland demanded the professional skills of naval commandos. From February 24 to April 27, a full-time special forces group performed the tasks of combat service for the first time, being on one of the ships of the Pacific Fleet.

In 1988-1989, for 130 days, a reconnaissance group equipped with Siren submarines and all the necessary combat equipment was in combat service. A small reconnaissance ship from the 38th brigade of reconnaissance ships of the Pacific Fleet delivered the Kholuayevites to the place of the combat mission. It is too early to say what these tasks were, because they are still hidden by a veil of secrecy. One thing is clear - some enemy has become very ill these days ...

In 1995, a group of servicemen of the 42nd Naval Reconnaissance Special Purpose Point took part in a military operation to restore the constitutional regime in the Chechen Republic.

The group was attached to the 165th Marine Regiment of the Pacific Fleet operating there, and, according to the opinion of the senior head of the Pacific Fleet Marine Corps group in Chechnya, Captain First Rank Sergei Kondratenko, acted brilliantly. Scouts in any critical situation kept their cool and courage. Five "holuaevites" laid down their lives in this war. Ensign Andrei Dneprovsky was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

From the award list:

"…organized the training of a freelance reconnaissance group of the battalion and skillfully acted as part of it. On February 19, 1995, in a battle in the city of Grozny, he personally saved the lives of two sailors and carried the body of the deceased sailor A. I. Pleshakov. On the night of March 20-21, 1995, while performing a combat mission to capture the height of Goyten-Kort, the reconnaissance group of A.V. Dneprovsky secretly approached the height, identified and neutralized the outposts of militants (one was killed, two were taken prisoner). Later, in the course of a short-lived battle, he personally destroyed two militants, ensuring an unhindered approach of the company to the height and the completion of a combat mission without losses.…".

On the same day, he died heroically, performing the subsequent task ... In 1996, a monument was erected on the territory of the unit to the military personnel of the unit who died in the line of military duty.

Names engraved on the monument:

Hero of Russia Ensign A. V. Dneprovskiy

Lieutenant Colonel A. V. Ilyin

Michman V. N. Vargin

Midshipman P. V. Safonov

Chief ship foreman K. N. Zheleznov

Petty officer 1 article S. N. Tarolo

Petty officer 1 article A. S. Buzko

Petty officer 2 articles V. L. Zaburdaev

Sailor V. K. Vyzhimov

Holly in our time

Today, "Kholuy" in a new guise, with a slightly changed structure and number, after a series of organizational events, continues to live its own life - in its own special, "special forces" way. Many cases of this part will never be declassified, and books will be written about some more. The names of the people who serve here today are closed to the public, and rightly so.

Naval scouts even today sacredly honor their combat traditions, and combat training does not stop for a second. Every day, the “holuaevites” are engaged in a variety of activities: they train diving (both real in the sea and in a pressure chamber), achieving the proper level of physical fitness, practicing techniques hand-to-hand combat and methods of covert movement, learn to shoot from the most different types small arms, study new technology, which is supplied to the troops in abundance today (there are even combat robots in service now) - in general, they are preparing at any moment by order of the Motherland to complete any assigned task.

It remains only to wish our scouts to realize their combat skills only on training grounds...

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Characteristics

• 420 OMRP

420 Marine Reconnaissance Point was formed in 1986. The place of deployment of 420 MCI is the city of Polyarny, Murmansk region.

To form 420 MCI, officers and scout divers from the personnel of 561 naval reconnaissance points based in the Baltic Fleet were sent to the Northern Fleet. But in the process of training, problems arose with acclimatization to the harsh northern conditions and low water temperatures, so it was decided to equip the unit with residents of the northern region. The structure included two combat detachments: a detachment of divers - scouts and a detachment that carried out radio and electronic intelligence.

Initially, the staff of 420 RSPPN was 185 people, later their number was increased to three hundred.

To ensure diving diving, a group of reconnaissance divers was assigned a diving ship BM-71, equipped with special devices, including a pressure chamber. In addition, to fulfill the assigned tasks, the detachment of 420 MRPs was assigned torpedoes, the speed of which exceeded 30 knots (60 km / h).

Simultaneously with combat training, the personnel began to collect intelligence information about the objects of the alleged enemy, located in Iceland and Norway. In total, there were more than forty such objects, four of them were hydroacoustic coastal stations. The first detachment of 420 MCI worked against the VGAS, the second was collecting information about NATO aviation based in Northern Norway, the RRTR detachment was engaged in NATO radar warning points in Northern Norway.

To increase the combat capability of groups of divers - reconnaissance, separate combat posts were created, which contained the property of the detachments necessary for the performance of combat missions, which significantly reduced the time required for the group to be put on alert.

To train the personnel of the 420 MCI in conditions close to real, objects with a location and infrastructure similar to NATO were selected in the Northern Fleet.

The specificity of combat training in the conditions of the North is primarily associated with the harsh natural and weather conditions, and the purpose of the initial stage of training was to study the capabilities of a person, both physical and psychological, in these conditions. To do this, the group landed from a helicopter far from the base, and made a forced march across the tundra for a distance of about two hundred kilometers.

Much attention in the exercises was given to survival during low temperatures. For example, an igloo was built from snow, in which it was necessary to live for some time.

During the exercises, various methods were worked out for detachments of 420 MRPs to reach the rear of a possible enemy, the most acceptable of which was the sea.

The tasks were complicated by the terrain: almost the entire coast of Norway is indented by rocky fjords, access to which is very difficult. To solve this problem, they began to use a collapsible sapper cat, which was thrown into stones. Also, in order to climb the rocks of the fjords, the personnel of military unit 40145 underwent mountain training.

In the course of solving combat missions, reconnaissance divers of the 420th naval reconnaissance point arranged a check of the level of defense and security of the Northern Fleet's naval bases. To do this, they penetrated the territory of protected objects and "mined" them. The task of the sailors was to detect and "clear" the object.

Special Forces of the Marine Corps of the Russian Federation are specialized forces that are part of the Russian Navy. The soldiers of this unit have special training in order to conduct reconnaissance and subversive activities at sea and areas close to the coastline. They are sometimes called combat swimmers, but in fact, their specialty sounds like “reconnaissance diver” correctly. Most of their operations are aimed at reconnaissance of enemy positions, therefore, units such as ground intelligence are subordinate to the General Staff of the GRU.

Tasks and structure of the special forces of the Russian Navy

Many realize that the special forces are more prepared and perform tasks that cannot be performed by other units, but to fully understand it is necessary to know what missions the Russian special forces of the Marine Corps perform.

Missions performed by naval special forces:

• Landing operations that are carried out on the water.
• Mining coastal bases of the enemy and his ships.
• Reconnaissance or destruction of naval or coastal missile attack facilities or objects by which they are controlled.
• Reconnaissance of the location of the enemy in sea or coastal areas, regulation of air strikes and the work of ship artillery.

When a country is not in a state of war, it seems that these skills are not in demand, but this is not entirely true, of course, they are not massively used, but naval special forces help counter terrorist organizations. After all, hostage-taking on ships or resort areas can cause quite a lot of panic.

The Marine Corps is working out interaction with other military formations, which helps to develop coordination of actions in case of local or global conflicts.

On the this moment Special Forces Navy includes 4 MCI (marine reconnaissance point). Their number corresponds to the number of fleets that exist in the Russian Federation.

Name:

1. Military unit 59190 -42 is a separate marine reconnaissance point for special purposes in the Pacific Fleet. Located in the Vladivostok region.
2. 561OMRP Special Forces in the Baltic Fleet. Located in the village of Parusnoe, Baltic region.
3. 420 OMRP SpN in the Northern Fleet. Located in the village of Polyarny, Murmansk region.
4. Military unit 51212 - 137 OMRP Special Forces in the Black Sea Fleet. Located in the city of Tuapse.

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The location of naval reconnaissance points is not accidental, they are located on the territory in such a way that it would be more convenient for the GRU of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to work with them in this region. A fully staffed staff should consist of 4 autonomous groups of 14 people.

It is important to note that the technical staff that ensures the serviceability of equipment and communication with combat groups is 20% larger than the number of fighters.

In each point there are 3 groups, each of which has its own specialization. Of course, they can perform general missions, but personalized training allows you to get the greatest advantage over the enemy.

Specialization:

1. The preparation of the first group is aimed at the most rapid and complete destruction of objects located in coastal areas. At the same time, their training is connected not only with water, but is also in many respects similar to the one that the ground detachments of the GRU go through.
2. The preparation of the second group is aimed at the inconspicuous collection of information about the location of the enemy.
3. The training of the third group is unique, and includes a large number of trainings for moving inconspicuously in the water, which is very important, because the main task of such fighters is mining.

But all these units, although they differ in-depth skills in a certain area, but at the same time have common skills. So, all of them should work well when landing from the air, land or sea. Therefore, physical and psychological health is especially important, which is why they get into these troops only after the most difficult tests.

Selection in the naval special forces

A soldier undergoing contract service, a cadet of a naval school, or a conscript who wants to connect his life with work in the army can get into the naval special forces. But it is important to understand that in order to overcome all the loads, a certain physical form will be required.

Body type:

• Height should be approximately 175 cm.
• Weight fluctuates around 75-80 kg.

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First, the profiles of those who are not suitable for scuba diving are screened out. Whether it's health problems or an inappropriate physique. After that, the remaining applications carefully study the psychological conclusion. Personal qualities especially important for special forces.

Stages of testing for suitability for service in the Marine Corps of the Russian Federation:

• First, they check the physical form, and select only those who have completed the task. A man must go through a forced march of 30 km, carrying 30 kg of ammunition.
• Those who have withstood the physical test are subjected to psychological stress, this is necessary in order to find out their reaction to a long stay in an unusual situation, with an unknown enemy. The easiest way is a night in the cemetery, when applicants must spend the dark time of the day among the graves. This place influences the psychological state quite strongly, and 3% of the participants are eliminated.
• Testing with a simulated torpedo tube. To pass the test, it is necessary to swim in a narrow enclosed space of 12 m. The width of the pipe is 53 cm, which is very narrow for a person in a light diving suit. Together with the surrounding water, this test reveals even the slightest manifestation of claustrophobia or hydrophobia.
• Blowing off the helmet takes place underwater, when the competitor must first dive to a shallow depth and open the mask so that the water fills the helmet. After that, the mask is returned to its place, and the water is bled through a special valve. Quite a serious test, showing whether the candidate can remain calm in critical situations on which his life depends. In this case, both the passed test and the failure of the first attempt are considered normal results. But if the candidate cannot cope with himself several times, then he is eliminated.

• For the final test of physical endurance and mental toughness, applicants are required to swim 1.5 km underwater using a diving suit. In this case, the air cylinder had a pressure of 170 atmospheres. When a person was in a calm state, used the correct breathing technique, the pressure decreased only by 4-6 atmospheres. But if a man did not breathe correctly (through his mouth), panicked or showed another state of altered consciousness, then the pressure could drop to 30 atmospheres.
• Special forces are not saboteurs of a loner, so mutual trust and an atmosphere in the team are important for them. Due to the fact that there were quite a lot of previous tests, and it was impossible to complete them in 1 day, the remaining fighters already know each other quite well. Therefore, everyone is given lists with fellow students, and they are asked to determine with whom they would like to work in pairs. The higher the number, the less desire to cooperate with this person. Those with the most points are eliminated.

The secret unit "Kholuy" of the Pacific Fleet, also known as 42 MCI Special Forces (military unit 59190), was created in 1955 in Maly Uliss Bay near Vladivostok, later relocated to Russky Island, where scouts-saboteurs are still undergoing combat training. There are many legends about these guys, their physical training is admired, they are called the best of the best, the cream of special forces. Each of them could become the main character of an action movie. Today RIA PrimaMedia publishes material military historian and journalist Alexei Sukonkin about the legendary part of "holuai". In 1993-94, he served in the special forces unit of the ground forces, but from time to time their part was also in the naval special forces.

Foreword

“Suddenly for the enemy, we landed at a Japanese airfield and entered into negotiations. After that, we, ten people, were taken by the Japanese to the headquarters of the colonel, the commander of the aviation unit, who wanted to make hostages out of us. I joined the conversation when I felt that with us, the representative of the Soviet command, captain 3rd rank Kulebyakin, as they say, "pushed up against the wall." Looking into the eyes of the Japanese, I said that we had fought the entire war in the west and had enough experience to assess the situation, that we would not be hostages "But we'd rather die, but we'll die together with everyone at headquarters. The difference is, I added, that you'll die like rats, and we'll try to get out of here. Hero of the Soviet Union Mitya Sokolov immediately stood behind the Japanese colonel. Hero of the Soviet Union Andrei Pshenichnykh locked the door with a key, put the key in his pocket and sat down on a chair, and Volodya Olyashev (honored master of sports after the war) lifted Andrei together with the chair and put it right in front of d Japanese commander. Ivan Guzenkov went up to the window and reported that we were not high, and Hero of the Soviet Union Semyon Agafonov, standing at the door, began tossing an anti-tank grenade in his hand. The Japanese, however, did not know that there was no fuse in it. The colonel, forgetting about the handkerchief, began to wipe the sweat from his forehead with his hand and after a while signed the act of surrender of the entire garrison.

This is how the naval intelligence officer Viktor Leonov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, described just one military operation in which a handful of daring and brave naval intelligence officers of the Pacific Fleet forced a large Japanese garrison to lay down their arms literally without a fight. Shamefully capitulated three and a half thousand Japanese samurai.

Victor Leonov and comrades after the battle for Seishin. Photo: from the archive of the Red Star

It was the apotheosis of the combat power of the 140th Naval Reconnaissance Detachment, the harbinger of the modern naval special forces, which everyone knows today under the incomprehensible and mysterious name "Holuai".

origins

And it all started during the Great Patriotic War. Then the 181st reconnaissance detachment successfully operated in the Northern Fleet, performing various special operations in the rear of enemy troops. The crowning achievement of this detachment was the capture of two coastal batteries at Cape Krestovoy (which blocked the entrance to the bay and could easily defeat the landing convoy) in preparation for the landing in the port of Liinakhamari (Murmansk region - ed.). This, in turn, ensured the success of the Petsamo-Kirkenes landing operation, which became the key to success in the liberation of the entire Soviet Arctic. It is even hard to imagine that a detachment of several dozen people, having captured only a few guns of German coastal batteries, actually ensured victory in the entire strategic operation, but, nevertheless, this is so - for this reason, the reconnaissance detachment was created in order to sting the enemy with small forces in the weakest spot...

The commander of the 181st reconnaissance detachment, Senior Lieutenant Viktor Leonov, and two of his subordinates (Semyon Agafonov and Andrei Pshenichnykh) became Heroes of the Soviet Union in this short but important battle.

Twice Hero of the USSR Viktor Leonov. Photo: wikipedia.org

In April 1945, part of the personnel of the 181st detachment, led by the commander, was transferred to the Pacific Fleet to form the 140th reconnaissance detachment of the Pacific Fleet, which was supposed to be used in the upcoming war with Japan. By May, the detachment was formed on Russky Island in the amount of 139 people and began combat training. In August 1945, the 140th reconnaissance detachment participated in the capture of the ports of Yuki and Rashin, as well as the naval bases of Seishin and Genzan. As a result of these operations, chief foreman Makar Babikov and midshipman Alexander Nikandrov of the 140th reconnaissance detachment of the Pacific Fleet became Heroes of the Soviet Union, and their commander Viktor Leonov received a second Hero star.

Nevertheless, at the end of the war, all such reconnaissance formations in the Soviet Navy were disbanded as they were supposedly unnecessary.

But soon the story turned around...

From the history of the creation of special purpose units: In 1950, separate special-purpose companies were formed in the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union in each army and military district. In Primorsky Krai, in particular, three such companies were formed: the 91st (military unit No. 51423) as part of the 5th combined arms army stationed in Ussuriysk, the 92nd (military unit No. 51447) as part of the 25th combined arms army stationed at the Fighter Kuznetsov station and the 88th (military unit No. 51422) as part of the 37th Guards Airborne Corps stationed in Chernigovka. The special-purpose companies were tasked with searching for and destroying the most important military and civilian facilities, including enemy nuclear weapons, deep behind enemy lines. The personnel of these companies were trained in military reconnaissance, mine-explosive business, and made parachute jumps. For service in such units, people were selected who, for health reasons, were fit for service in the airborne troops.

The experience of the Great Patriotic War showed the indispensability of such units for decisive action on enemy communications, and in connection with the unleashing of the Cold War by the Americans, the need for such units became very clear. The new units showed their high efficiency already at the first exercises, and the Navy became interested in units of this kind.

Rear Admiral Leonid Konstantinovich Bekrenev, head of intelligence of the Navy, wrote in his address to the Minister of the Navy:

"... given the role of reconnaissance and sabotage units in the general system of reconnaissance of fleets, I consider it necessary to carry out the following measures: ... to create ... reconnaissance and sabotage units of military intelligence, giving them the name of separate naval reconnaissance divisions ..."

At the same time, Captain First Rank Boris Maksimovich Margolin theoretically substantiated such a decision, arguing that "... the difficulties and duration of the training of scouts - light divers make it necessary to prepare them in advance and systematic training, for which special units should be created ...".

Descent under water. Photo: from the archive of Igor Dulnev

And so, by the Directive of the Main Naval Staff of June 24, 1953, such special intelligence formations are being formed in all fleets. In total, five "reconnaissance points for special purposes" were formed - in all fleets and the Caspian flotilla.

In the Pacific Fleet, its own reconnaissance point is being created on the basis of the directive of the General Staff of the Navy No. OMU / 1 / 53060ss of March 18, 1955.

However, June 5, 1955 is considered the "Day of the unit" - the day when the unit completed its formation and became part of the fleet as a combat unit.

Holuay bay

The very word "Kholuai" (as well as its variations "Khaluai" and "Khalulai"), according to one version, means "dead place", and although disputes on this subject are still ongoing and sinologists do not confirm such a translation, the version is considered quite plausible - especially among those who served in this bay.

In the thirties, on Russky Island (at that time, by the way, its second name, Kazakevich Island, which disappeared from geographical maps only in the forties of the twentieth century, was also widely practiced) was the construction of antiamphibious defense facilities for Vladivostok. Defense facilities included coastal long-term firing points - bunkers. Some specially fortified pillboxes even had their own names, for example, "Stream", "Rock", "Wave", "Bonfire" and others. All this defensive splendor was served by separate machine-gun battalions, each of which occupied its own sector of defense. In particular, the 69th separate machine-gun battalion of the Vladivostok Coastal Defense Sector of the Pacific Fleet, located in the area of ​​​​Krasny Cape in Kholuai (New Dzhigit) Bay, served firing points located on Russky Island. For this battalion in 1935, a two-story barracks and headquarters, a canteen, a boiler room, warehouses and a stadium were built. Here the battalion was stationed until the forties, after which it was disbanded. The barracks were not used for a long time and began to collapse.

The first deputy head of the GRU, Colonel General I. Ya. Sidorov, receives a report from the commander of the special forces group. Photo: from the archive of V. M. Fedorov

And in March 1955, a new military unit with very specific tasks was settled here, the secrecy of whose existence was brought to the highest limit.

In open use among the “initiates”, the unit was called the “Irtek Recreation Center” of the Main Naval Base “Vladivostok”. The unit also received the code name of military unit No. 59190 and the open name “42nd Naval Intelligence Special Purpose Point”. the people used to have a "folk" name for the unit - "Kholuai" - after the name of the bay.

So what was that part? Why is there a lot of various legends around it, both then and today, sometimes bordering on fantasy?

Birth of a legend

The formation of the 42nd Marine Special Purpose Reconnaissance Point of the Pacific Fleet began in March and ended in June 1955. During the formation of the duties of the commander, captain of the second rank Nikolai Braginsky temporarily performed, but the first approved commander of the new unit was ... no, not a scout, but the former commander of the destroyer, captain of the second rank Pyotr Kovalenko.

For several months, the unit was based on Ulysses, and the personnel lived on board the old ship, and before leaving for the permanent deployment point on Russky Island, reconnaissance sailors at the submarine training base underwent an accelerated diving training course.

Arriving at the location of the unit in Holuay Bay, the reconnaissance sailors first of all took up ... construction work, because they had to somehow equip their housing, and no one was going to help them in this matter.

On July 1, 1955, the unit began single combat training of future reconnaissance divers under the training program for special forces units. A little later, the combat coordination of groups began.

In September 1955, the newly formed naval special forces took part in their first exercises - having landed on boats in the Shkotovsky region, naval reconnaissance reconnaissance of the Abrek naval base and elements of its anti-sabotage defense, as well as highways in the rear of the conditional "enemy".

Special Purpose Group. Photo: from the archive of Igor Dulnev

Already at that time, the command of the unit came to the understanding that the selection for naval special forces should be as tough as possible, if not cruel.

Candidates for service, who were called up from the military registration and enlistment offices or transferred from the training units of the fleet, were waiting for severe trials - during the week they were subjected to extreme loads, which were reinforced by severe psychological pressure. Far from everyone survived, and those who could not stand it were immediately transferred to other parts of the fleet.

But those who survived were immediately enlisted in the elite unit and began combat training. This test week became known as "hellish". Later, when the United States created its SEAL units, they adopted our practice of selecting future fighters as the most optimal, allowing us to quickly understand what this or that candidate is capable of, whether he is ready to serve in parts of the naval special forces.

The meaning of this "personnel" rigidity boiled down to the fact that commanders initially had to clearly understand the abilities and capabilities of their fighters - after all, special forces operate in isolation from their troops, and a small group can only rely on themselves, and, accordingly, the importance of any team member rises many times. The commander must initially be confident in his subordinates, and subordinates in their commander. And that's the only reason "entry to the service" in this part is so strict. It shouldn't be otherwise.

Looking ahead, I will say that nothing has been lost today: the candidate, as before, will have to go through serious trials that are inaccessible to most even physically well-trained people.

Marine scouts with American weapons. Photo: from the archive of Igor Dulnev

In particular, the candidate must first of all run ten kilometers in heavy body armor, meeting the running standard provided for running in sneakers and sportswear. If you don't fit in, no one will talk to you anymore. If you ran on time, then you immediately need to perform 70 push-ups from the lying position and 15 pull-ups on the horizontal bar. Moreover, it is desirable to perform these exercises in a "pure form". Most of the people, already at the stage of jogging in a bulletproof vest, choking from physical overload, begin to wonder, "do I need this happiness, if it happens every day?" This is where true motivation comes in.

If a person seeks to serve in the naval special forces, if he knows for sure what he wants, he passes this test, but if he has doubts, then it is better not to continue these torments.

At the end of the test, the candidate is placed in the ring, where three hand-to-hand combat instructors fight with him, checking the person for readiness for the fight - both physical and moral. Usually, if a candidate has reached the ring, this is already an "ideological" candidate, and the ring does not break him. Well, and then the commander, or the person replacing him, is already talking to the candidate. After that, the harsh service begins ...

There are no discounts for officers either - everyone passes the tests. The main supplier of command personnel for Kholuai are three military schools - the Pacific Naval (TOVVMU), the Far Eastern Combined Arms (DVOKU) and the Ryazan Airborne (RVVDKU), although if a person wants, then nothing prevents an officer from other schools to enter the service in the naval special forces - there would be a desire.

As a former special forces officer told me, having expressed a desire to serve in this unit in front of the head of intelligence of the fleet, he immediately had to do push-ups from the floor 100 times right in the admiral's office - Rear Admiral Yuri Maksimenko (head of intelligence of the Pacific Fleet in 1982-1991), despite the fact that the officer went through Afghanistan, and was awarded two military orders. This is how the chief of intelligence of the Pacific Fleet decided to cut off the candidate if he did not complete such an elementary exercise. The officer completed the exercise.

A special purpose group performs a task in Kamchatka, 1989. Photo: from the archive of Igor Dulnev

Captain 1st rank Kovalenko Petr Prokopevich (1955–1959);

Captain 1st rank Guryanov Viktor Nikolaevich (1959–1961);

Captain 1st rank Petr Ivanovich Konnov (1961–1966);

Captain 1st rank Klimenko Vasily Nikiforovich (1966–1972);

Captain 1st rank Minkin Yuri Alekseevich (1972–1976);

Captain 1st rank Zharkov Anatoly Vasilyevich (1976–1981);

Captain 1st rank Yakovlev Yuri Mikhailovich (1981–1983);

Lieutenant Colonel Evsyukov Viktor Ivanovich (1983–1988);

Captain 1st rank Omsharuk Vladimir Vladimirovich (1988-1995) - died in February 2016;

Lieutenant Colonel Gritsay Vladimir Georgievich (1995–1997);

Captain 1st rank Sergey Veniaminovich Kurochkin (1997–2000);

Colonel Gubarev Oleg Mikhailovich (2000-2010);

Lieutenant Colonel Belyavsky Zaur Valerievich (2010-2013);

Let the names of today's commanders remain for the time being in the coastal fog of military secrets ...

Teachings and service

In 1956, naval scouts began to master parachute jumps. Usually, the training camp took place at the airfields of naval aviation - by subordination. During the first training camp, all personnel performed two jumps from a height of 900 meters from Li-2 and An-2 aircraft, and also learned how to land "assault" from Mi-4 helicopters - both on land and on water.

A year later, naval reconnaissance officers had already mastered the landing of submarines lying on the ground through torpedo tubes, as well as returning to them after completing the task at coastal facilities of a mock enemy. Based on the results of combat training in 1958, the 42nd naval reconnaissance point became the best special unit of the Pacific Fleet and was awarded the passing pennant of the Commander of the Pacific Fleet.

In many exercises, scouts developed the necessary skills, acquired special knowledge and expressed their wishes regarding the composition of the equipment. In particular, back in the late fifties, naval intelligence officers formulated requirements for weapons - they should be light and silent (as a result, samples of special weapons appeared - small-sized silent pistols SMEs, silent grenade launchers "Tishina", underwater pistols SPP-1 and underwater assault rifles APS, as well as many other special weapons). Also, the scouts wanted to have waterproof outerwear and shoes, and the eyes had to be protected from mechanical damage with special goggles (for example, four types of goggles are included in the kit today).

In 1960, the staff of the unit was increased to 146 people.

By this time, they had already decided on the specialization, which was conditionally divided into three areas:

Part of the personnel was presented reconnaissance divers who were supposed to be engaged in reconnaissance of enemy naval bases from the sea, as well as to mine ships and port facilities;

Some of the sailors were engaged conducting military intelligence- in other words, having landed from the sea, they acted on the shore as ordinary land reconnaissance;

The third direction was introduced specialists of radio and electronic intelligence- these people were engaged in conducting instrumental reconnaissance, which made it possible to quickly detect the most important objects behind enemy lines, such as field radio stations, radar stations, technical observation posts - in general, everything that emitted any signals on the air and was subject to destruction in the first turn.

The naval special forces began to receive special underwater carriers - in other words, small underwater vehicles that could deliver saboteurs over long distances. Such a carrier was the two-seat Triton, later also the two-seat Triton-1M, and even later the six-seat Triton-2 appeared. These devices allowed saboteurs to quietly penetrate directly into enemy bases, mine ships and moorings, and perform other reconnaissance tasks.

These were very secret devices, and the story was all the more "horrible" when the officer of the naval special forces, covertly escorting containers with these devices (in civilian clothes under the guise of a regular freight forwarder) suddenly heard with a tremor in his knees how a slinger was in charge of reloading a container from a railway platform on the truck, shouted loudly to the crane operator: " Petrovich, pick it up carefully, there are TRITONS here."... and only when the officer pulled himself together, stopped trembling and calmed down a little, he realized that no leak of top-secret information had occurred, and the unlucky slinger just had in mind THREE TONS of the weight of the container (that's how much "Triton-1M" weighed), and not the most secret "Tritons" that were inside ...

For reference:

"Triton" - the first carrier of open-type divers. Diving depth - up to 12 meters. Travel speed - 4 knots (7.5 km / h). Range - 30 miles (55 km).

"Triton-1M" is the first carrier of closed type divers. Weight - 3 tons. Diving depth - 32 meters. Travel speed - 4 knots. Range - 60 miles (110 km).

"Triton-2" is the first group carrier of closed type divers. Weight - 15 tons. Diving depth - 40 meters. Travel speed - 5 knots. Range - 60 miles.

Currently, these models of equipment are already outdated and withdrawn from service. All three samples were installed as monuments on the territory of the unit, and the decommissioned apparatus "Triton-2" is also presented at the street exposition of the Museum of Military Glory of the Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok.

Currently, such underwater carriers are not used for a number of reasons, the main of which is the impossibility of their covert use. Today, the naval special forces are armed with more modern submarine carriers "Siren" and "Proteus" of various modifications. Both of these carriers allow covert landing of the reconnaissance group through the submarine's torpedo tube. "Siren" "carries" two saboteurs, and "Proteus" is an individual carrier.

Insolence and sport

Some of the legends about "Kholuy" are connected with the steady desire of the military personnel of this unit to improve their reconnaissance and sabotage skills at the expense of their own comrades-in-arms. At all times, the "holuai" brought a lot of problems to the daily duty personnel serving on ships and in the coastal units of the Pacific Fleet. Often there were cases of "training" abductions of orderly, duty documentation, theft of vehicles from careless military drivers. It cannot be said that the command of the unit specifically set such tasks for the scouts ... but for the successful actions of this kind, reconnaissance sailors could even receive a short vacation.

There are many fairy tales about how special forces "with one knife are thrown out in the middle of Siberia, and he must survive and return to the unit."

No, of course, no one is thrown anywhere with one knife, but during special tactical exercises, groups of intelligence officers can be thrown into other regions of the country, where they are given various training reconnaissance and sabotage tasks, after which they need to return to the unit - preferably unnoticed . At this time, the police, internal troops and state security agencies are intensively looking for them, and citizens are announced that they are looking for conditional terrorists.

In the unit itself, sports have been cultivated at all times - and therefore it should not be surprising that at present, practically at all naval competitions in power sports, martial arts, swimming and shooting, prizes are usually occupied by representatives of the "Kholuai". It should be noted that preference in sports is given not to strength, but to endurance - it is this physical skill that allows the marine scout to feel confident both on foot or ski crossings, and in long-distance swimming.

Unpretentiousness and the ability to live without frills even gave rise to a peculiar saying on "Kholuay":

"There is no need for something, but you can limit yourself in something."

It contains a deep meaning, which largely reflects the essence of the Russian Navy's naval intelligence officer - who, being content with little, is capable of accomplishing a lot.

Healthy spetsnaz chauvinism also gave rise to a special audacity of scouts, which became the pride of the fighters of the naval special forces. This quality was especially clearly manifested during the exercises, which were and are being carried out almost constantly.

One of the admirals of the Pacific Fleet once said:

"The guys of the naval special forces were brought up in the spirit of love for the Motherland, hatred for enemies and the realization that they are the elite of the fleet. Not to feel their own superiority over others, but in the sense that huge public funds are spent on them, and their duty, in if anything, justify these costs ... ".

I remember, in my deep childhood, in the mid-eighties, on the embankment near S-56, I saw a sailor wandering alone, who had a paratrooper badge on his chest. At that time, a ferry was loading on the pier, next to Russky Island (there were no bridges then). The sailor was stopped by a patrol, and he presented his documents, gesticulating frantically, pointing with his hand at the ferry, which was already raising the ramp. But the patrol, apparently, decided to detain the sailor for some fault.

And then I saw a whole performance: the sailor sharply pulled the cap on the senior patrol over his very eyes, snatched his documents from his hands, slapped one of the patrolmen in the face, and rushed headlong to the departing ferry!

And the ferry, I must say, had already moved away from the berth by one and a half to two meters, and the sailor-paratrooper overcame this distance in a graceful jump, grabbed the rails of the ferry, and there the passengers already pulled him on board. For some reason, I have no doubts in which part that sailor served ...

Return of the legend

In 1965, twenty years after the end of World War II, Captain First Rank Viktor Leonov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, came to the unit. Several photographs have been preserved, in which the "legend of the naval special forces" is captured with the military personnel of the unit, both with officers and sailors. Subsequently, Viktor Leonov will visit the 42nd reconnaissance point several more times, which he himself considered a worthy brainchild of his 140th reconnaissance detachment ...

Leonov arrived at the Naval Special Forces unit, 1965. Photo: from the archive of V. M. Fedorov

In 2015, Viktor Leonov returned to the unit forever. On the day of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the reconnaissance point on the territory of the military unit, a monument to the real legend of the naval special forces, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Nikolayevich Leonov, was unveiled in a solemn ceremony.

Monument to Leonov. Photo: Sergey Lanin, RIA PrimaMedia

Combat use

In 1982, the moment came when the Motherland demanded the professional skills of naval commandos. From February 24 to April 27, a full-time special forces group performed the tasks of combat service for the first time, being on one of the ships of the Pacific Fleet.

In 1988 - 1989, for 130 days, a reconnaissance group equipped with Siren submarines and all the necessary combat equipment was in combat service. A small reconnaissance ship from the 38th brigade of reconnaissance ships of the Pacific Fleet delivered the Kholuayevites to the place of the combat mission. It is too early to say what these tasks were, because they are still hidden by a veil of secrecy. One thing is clear - some enemy has become very ill these days ...

In 1995, a group of servicemen of the 42nd Naval Reconnaissance Special Purpose Point took part in a military operation to restore the constitutional regime in the Chechen Republic.

The group was attached to the 165th Marine Regiment of the Pacific Fleet operating there and, according to the opinion of the senior head of the Pacific Fleet Marine Corps group in Chechnya, Colonel Sergei Kondratenko, acted brilliantly. Scouts in any critical situation kept their cool and courage. Five "holuaevites" laid down their lives in this war. Ensign Andrei Dneprovsky was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

From the award list:

"…organized the training of a freelance reconnaissance group of the battalion and skillfully acted as part of it. On February 19, 1995, in a battle in the city of Grozny, he personally saved the lives of two sailors and carried the body of the deceased sailor A. I. Pleshakov. On the night of March 20-21, 1995, while performing a combat mission to capture the height of Goyten-Kort, the reconnaissance group of A.V. Dneprovsky secretly approached the height, identified and neutralized the outposts of militants (one was killed, two were taken prisoner). Later, in the course of a short-lived battle, he personally destroyed two militants, ensuring an unhindered approach of the company to the height and the completion of a combat mission without losses.…".

On the same day, he died heroically, performing the subsequent task ... In 1996, a monument was erected on the territory of the unit to the military personnel of the unit who died in the line of military duty.

Names engraved on the monument:

Hero of Russia Ensign A. V. Dneprovskiy

Lieutenant Colonel A. V. Ilyin

Michman V. N. Vargin

Midshipman P. V. Safonov

Chief ship foreman K. N. Zheleznov

Petty officer 1 article S. N. Tarolo

Petty officer 1 article A. S. Buzko

Petty officer 2 articles V. L. Zaburdaev

Sailor V. K. Vyzhimov

Holly in our time

Today, "Kholuy" in a new guise, with a slightly changed structure and number, after a series of organizational events, continues to live its own life - in its own special, "special forces" way. Many cases of this part will never be declassified, and books will be written about some more. The names of the people who serve here today are closed to the public, and rightly so.

Service in the Naval Special Forces - Business of real men!. Photo: Alexey Sukonkin

Naval scouts even today sacredly honor their combat traditions, and combat training does not stop for a second. Every day, the “holuaevs” are engaged in a variety of activities: they train dives (both real in the sea and in a pressure chamber), achieving the proper level of physical fitness, practice hand-to-hand combat techniques and methods of covert movement, learn to shoot from a variety of types of small arms, study new equipment , which is supplied to the troops in abundance today (there are even combat robots in service now) - in general, they are preparing at any moment by order of the Motherland to complete any task.

It remains only to wish our scouts to realize their combat skills only on training grounds...