FSB’s Directorate-A or “Alpha Group“ - Special Forces

Support / Поддержка: Donationalerts - Paypal - Teespring Store - Webmoney USD - Z789416365352 Webmoney EUR - E518067593070 Webmoney RU - R788497986526 Historically, the term referred to special operations units controlled by the main military intelligence service GRU (Spetsnaz GRU). It also describes task forces of other ministries (such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs ODON and Ministry of Emergency Situations’ special rescue unit) in post-Soviet countries. Russian special forces wear different berets depending on the branch of the armed forces they belong to. As Spetsnaz is a Russian term, it is typically associated with the special units of Russia, but other post-Soviet states often refer to their special forces units by the term as well, since these nations also inherited their special purpose units from the now-defunct Soviet security elite units of the Soviet Armed Forces and Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are controlled, for the most part, by the military-intelligence GRU (Spetsnaz GRU) under the General Staff. They were heavily involved in secret operations and training pro-Soviet forces during the Cold War and in the wars in Afghanistan during the 1980s and Chechnya during the 1990s and 2000s. In 2010, as a result of the 2008 Russian military reform, GRU special forces came under the control of the Russian Ground Forces, being “directly subordinated to commanders of combined strategic commands.“ However, in 2013, these Spetsnaz forces were placed back under the GRU. The Russian Airborne Troops (VDV, a separate branch of the Soviet and Russian Armed Forces) includes the 45th Guards Spetsnaz Brigade. In 2009, a Directorate of Special Operations was established that reported directly to the General Staff not the GRU to establish the Special Operations Forces which in 2013 became the Special Operations Forces Command. Most Russian military special forces units are known by their type of formation (company, battalion or brigade) and a number, like other Soviet or Russian military units. Two exceptions were the ethnic Chechen Special Battalions Vostok and Zapad (East and West) that existed during the 2000s. ALPHA: Spetsgruppa “A“, also known as Alpha Group (a popular English name), or Alfa, whose official name is Directorate “A“ of the FSB Special Purpose Center (TsSN FSB) (Russian: Спецназ ФСБ “Альфа“), is an elite, stand-alone sub-unit of Russia’s special forces. It is a dedicated counter-terrorism task force of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), which primarily prevents and responds to violent acts in public transportation and buildings. It was created by the Soviet KGB in 1974. Although little is known about the exact nature of its primary directives, it is speculated that the unit is authorised to act under the direct control and sanction of Russia’s top political leadership, similar to its sister unit, the Directorate “V“ (Vympel), which is officially tasked with protecting Russia’s strategic installations. It is also available for extended police duties, for paramilitary operations, and for covert operations, both domestically and internationally. Управле́ние «А» Це́нтра специа́льного назначе́ния Федера́льной слу́жбы безопа́сности Росси́йской Федера́ции (Управле́ние «А» ЦСН ФСБ Росси́и) — специальное подразделение Центра специального назначения Федеральной службы безопасности Российской Федерации. Образовано 29 июля 1974 года под названием Группа «А» Седьмого управления КГБ СССР в СССР и продолжает свою деятельность в современной России. Среди журналистов и обычных людей известно больше под названием Гру́ппа «А́льфа» или просто «А́льфа», ставшим известным брендом. Вместе со спецподразделением «Вымпел» группа «Альфа» представляет собой элиту советского и российского спецназа, которая обеспечивает безопасность страны и решает сложнейшие задачи на высоком профессиональном уровне. Аналогичные по сути спецподразделения антитеррора имеются во многих странах мира. A source / Источник