Correspondent Federal News Agency I interviewed the commander of the detachment, first released to the place of death of the 6th company.
20 years ago at the height of the battle took place 776 in Chechnya Argun Gorge, It went down in history as a feat 6th company of Pskov paratroopers.
In battle, which lasted from 29 February to 1 Martha, 90 Russian airborne 6th company 2nd battalion 104th Guards airborne regiment 76th Guards airborne division restrained gang Chechen fighters and mercenaries of up 2,5 thousand (other estimates about 2 thousand) human.
killing 84 Russian warrior and, According to various estimates, from 400 to 600 thugs.
Even on the scale of the Great Patriotic War heroism 6th company of Pskov paratroopers looks like an outstanding. However, any event written in the context of its time. To begin with "zero" it was… When this writer first heard from the media about this event, It presented itself in the memory of something epic, a feat akin to detachment Evpatii Kolovrat.
Almost one and a half decade before that we are told about the idea of inferiority of Russia's past and even more its present inferiority. Dominant media explanations of our great victories: "Piled with corpses". And in the present, taught us, Russian army and even corpses fill is not capable of "Chechen separatists", despite the overwhelming superiority in manpower and military equipment.
And indeed, it seemed at times: where now take heroism in our demoralized army. In addition, the army then in the minds of many as it existed in itself, divorced from, what people lived on "citizen".
I remember, how fellow students on the eve of the storming of Grozny on New Year 1995, surprised, why I was so concerned about, how events will unfold somewhere, very far away in the Caucasus. Odnova live: generation of "PI" tried to convince, that the main thing in life money, and all the fun, that you can buy them. And it convinced many.
But those 90 Pskov paratroopers, who decided to stand up to the end. But their, judging by the radio intercepts, militants tried to lure money: offered half a million dollars, that terrorists could easily escape retribution.
therefore 1 March justifiably can be called not only during the day feat 6th company, but also a day of revival Russian self-belief, to your hard, but courageous path.
Over the years, there were many interpretations of the heroic death of the 6th company. Including clearly malicious, aimed to tarnish this feat, prevent him from becoming one of the pillars of the Russian spirit.
But the strength of this feat is, that even the stories about the Chechen terrorists, what, allegedly, Pskov paratroopers hit the "angels of God", look helpless attempt to hide his, primarily moral, defeat. Yes, Rota died, but it turned out to be stronger than the spirit of fighters and mercenaries. And the consequences of that victory affect our present, will be felt in the future.
Federal news agency asked a few questions Andrei Lobanov, who commanded the special forces detachment summary, the first was on the spot death of the 6th company.
- Why is your party could not be before the end of the fight to come to the aid of the 6-th company? There were objective reasons for this?
- At the beginning of the battle, we were based at an altitude of Dargenduk 14.10 three kilometers from the heights 776. Before that we just performed the tasks in conjunction with the departments 2 and 3 Battalions of the 104th Guards Airborne Regiment of the 76th Guards Airborne Division. 29 February 2000 , we came up with the task, rested. Last night I said my signalman: "Commander, at the bottom there is something strange ". Children from the 6th company in the 700 meters below us were. We heard the sounds of battle. I had a good Japanese radio scanner and finder. We heard on the radio the fight from start to finish. How and what happened there.
- What happened next?
- We are comrades, heard on the radio that the tide of battle, We decided to, it is not necessary to reopen the wounds of native. Let the record will remain between us. We came to the battlefield 1 March around 12 noon. Hurry to come we just could not. We urgently given the task, We formed a group of Special Forces soldiers from the group "Vympel" and two enhanced mouth of the Kuban 108th Airborne Assault Regiment.
Degree descent with our height was large enough - about 70 degrees, we walked slowly. In addition, they were carefully, tested, there is a nearby ambush. In some places the snow was deep.
We reached the height Dostavalova. There the paratroopers of the 6th company equipped the trench before the fight at the height of 776. height Dostavalova, by the way, It is convenient for the defense. Was seen, that the boys broke down, We left part of things and went. We have set roadblock at this altitude. Then bypass on the heights reached the height 776. We passed trails, which were sometimes filled with blood. This "ghosts" left, they had many wounded. Later intelligence confirmed: they wounded militants were many, lots of. I can not tell you everything, We then worked on the gang ... we found all.
On high 776 we saw the whole picture of the battlefield. After it passed 6-7 hours. Bright sunshine. Us there were several officers, we, as professionals, clearly restored the entire picture of the battlefield. The exact number of casualties among the militants set was difficult, but it is much more than a hundred people, that's for sure. About twenty bandits were thrown on the battlefield, sprinkled with snow. Why they are not taken out - I do not know. Usually, "spirits" Try not to leave the dead bodies.
- There are different versions of the, both died 6 th company.
- The heroism of the 6th company no doubts. Where I found them fighting, There they fought. The Group is engaged focal defense. no confusion: We did everything correctly, professionally, as the situation permits.
Was seen, several wounded were finished off with a headshot. Imagine: leaning against the tree sits a contractor or Ensign, he was all bandaged, a semicircle next to it are men. they were shot, tied to each other and at the same place died. All lying around the paratroopers killed in battle, but the bandaged soldier, apparently, He remained alive, when the height of went "spirits". They have finished it in focus, was seen, the shot is made in person.
- You've been both Chechen campaigns. We have seen many examples of heroism of our soldiers?
- a feat was a lot of. Not once comrades cover each other, risking their lives. There were examples, when our tanks are not left wrecked tanks, They continued to fight, showed themselves. Or, you can recall the history of the protection of the railway station in Grozny. Ryazan paratroopers went there, helped the infantry, which strongly pokromsat. Help them get, We occupied the station and kept him hard enough. Marines of the Northern Fleet, Infantry 131st Maikop brigade, also displayed heroism. Examples were a lot of dedication. Just 6 th company - an example, when one unit showed heroism. And if you understand, a lot of examples can be found, on which you can bring up the rising generation.
I do believe, that children must be dealt with. Do not give them gadgets, just not to cry, and look good patriotic films with them, read books.
I have one of his sons has also a veteran of the fighting. A second son, and that five years was not yet, He knows the names and surnames of all the Soviet actors, who fought in the Great Patriotic War.
Author: Oleksiy Polubota
