Authoritative illustrated analysis of the history of the military Special Forces units of the Soviet Union and Russian Federation.
When the shadowy, notorious Spetsnaz were first formed, they drew on a long Soviet tradition of elite, behind-the-lines commando forces from World War II and even earlier. Throughout the 1960s–70s they were instrumental both in projecting Soviet power in the Third World and in suppressing resistance within the Warsaw pact.
As a powerful, but mysterious tool of a world superpower, the Spetsnaz have inevitably become the focus of many 'tall tales' in the West. In this book, a peerless authority on Russia's military Special Forces debunks several of these myths, uncovering truths that are often even more remarkable.
Since the chaotic dissolution of the USSR and the two Chechen Wars, Russian forces have seen increasing modernization, involving them ever more in power-projection, counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism and the Spetsnaz have been deployed as a spearhead in virtually all of these operations.
This fully illustrated book packed with details such as orders-of-battle, equipment and operational doctrine offers a unique, absorbing guide to the secrets of the Spetsnaz, their most noteworthy missions and personalities.
By:
Mark Galeotti (New York University New York USA)
Illustrated by:
Johnny Shumate (Illustrator)
Imprint: Osprey
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 248mm,
Width: 184mm,
Spine: 7mm
Weight: 213g
ISBN: 9781472807229
ISBN 10: 1472807227
Series: Elite
Publication Date: 20 May 2012
Audience:
General/trade
,
Professional and scholarly
,
ELT Advanced
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction: overview; background in Russian history and culture The Spetsnaz Tradition: special units of the Bolshevik Red Guard, and behind-the-lines NKVD operations in World War II /Cold Warriors: foundation by GRU, 1950 Operations 1960s–70s: Angola, Czechoslovakia, etc, and order-of-battle 1980 Operations in Afghanistan, and order-of-battle Spetsnaz after the USSR: the turmoil of the 1990s Tajikistan and Moldova, imitation units in post-Soviet states Operations in Chechnya, the Chechen Spetsnaz Modern Spetsnaz: increasing strength and importance Naval Spetsnaz, and order-of-battle 2013 Special Weapons Index
Reviews for Spetsnaz: Russia’s Special Forces
Spetsnaz: Russia s Special Forces chronicles everything from their origins to recent headlines.The Spetsialnogo naznacheniya (Special Designation) troops have carvedout a reputation for ruthless efficiency, proficiency and ferocity. However, theSpetsnaz seem to be rather misunderstoodand to some extent even mythologized.Mark Galeotti, an internationallyrecognized expert, traces their history whileoutlining the evolution of their organization, missions and character. Their uniforms, equipment and weapons are detailed in depth.Galeotti shows how the Spetsnaz are thecornerstone of a new Russian way of warthat stresses deception, surprise and speed, ensuring that they will maintain their elitestatus for the foreseeable future. --Toy Soldier & Model Figure magazine
