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| Afghanistan |
| 35 years ago: 'We were the last to leave Kabul airfield' |
| 2024-02-14 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [RedStar] February 15 is the Day of Remembrance of Russians who performed their official duties outside the Fatherland. by Alexander Kolotil All wars come to an end. 35 years ago, Soviet troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan. This military campaign lasted 3,341 days - just under nine years and two months. At one time, the author of these lines had the opportunity to interview a famous military leader, former commander of the 40th Army (in 1982–1984), Army General Viktor Fedorovich Ermakov, Chairman of the Council of the All-Russian Public Organization of Veterans of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. They started talking about the withdrawal of the limited Soviet contingent. I asked Viktor Fedorovich a question: “The Soviet troops were sometimes accused of leaving weapons and military equipment for the Afghan army, which were then used by the Taliban... “This is nonsense,” answered Army General Viktor Ermakov. – Such statements have no basis in reality. Let me start with the fact that the limited Soviet contingent was equipped with weapons that were modern by the standards of that time. Afghan government troops also had Soviet weapons, but, as a rule, one step lower. If, for example, we had T-62 tanks, then the Afghans had T-55. When the 40th Army left Afghanistan, it left in full force, with its standard weapons and equipment. And the weapons and military equipment that later ended up with the Taliban came to them from the Afghan government troops. This was easy to notice even from television reports. Thus, the 40th Army “did not give anything to the dushmans,” and blaming us for this is completely unjustified. We left only prepared and equipped residential camps and administrative buildings, which for the most part were looted in the very first days after the signing of the acts on their transfer. We also took property from our warehouses, which were mainly located in Puli-Khumri and Termez... *** Five years ago, I had the opportunity to publish an interview with the former commander of the 40th Combined Arms Army, Hero of the Soviet Union, full holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, Colonel General Boris Vsevolodovich Gromov. I will give a fragment regarding the withdrawal of troops. I asked the following question: “You said that the withdrawal of troops from Kabul began on January 2, 1989.” When did the last unit leave the Afghan capital? “The last unit of the 40th Army left Kabul on February 4,” Colonel General Boris Gromov answered me. – On January 25, 1989, there were still 30,000 soldiers and officers of the Limited Contingent of Soviet Forces in Afghanistan. At the final stage of the withdrawal, the 40th Army was still a fairly powerful formation. While ensuring the withdrawal of troops, units of the 40th Army continued to carry out tasks to protect communications, sensitive zones and other facilities. In particular, 26 battalions were deployed to guard roads in the eastern direction. More than 4,500 military personnel served at 199 outposts and posts. As before, the command of the 40th Army paid great attention to the protection of Kabul. One hundred and two outposts surrounded the city within a radius of twenty-five kilometers. In addition, special forces units and the 103rd Airborne Division conducted search and reconnaissance operations along the probable routes of movement of the Mujahideen. Twenty-seven outposts and outposts were used to protect and defend the capital's airfield. In total, more than four and a half thousand people operated in the vicinity of Kabul. As I already said, the last unit of the 40th Army left Kabul on February 4th. And on February 8, the sequential removal of the personnel of the 40th Army from the outposts on the Kabul-Salang Pass road was completed. Two days later, our units were completely withdrawn from the pass section, and the route itself was transferred to the protection of government troops. And on February 15, 1989, the withdrawal of units of the 40th Army from the territory of Afghanistan was completed. Thus, the Soviet Union fully complied with the Geneva Agreements. *** I will focus on this phrase of the military commander: “Twenty-seven outposts and outposts were used to protect and defend the capital’s airfield.” The last military units of the 40th Army were already at the State Border of the USSR, and in Kabul, at the airfield, the paratroopers of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division still remained until the end of the day - February 14th. *** The other day I met with two colonels, veterans of the Airborne Forces - Alexander Grigorievich Golota and Vladimir Petrovich Savitsky. I had the opportunity to participate with Colonel Vladimir Savitsky in the entry of troops on December 25, 1979. Then he commanded the 105th separate anti-aircraft missile artillery division. But Colonel Alexander Golota participated in the withdrawal of troops. From September 1987 to January 1989, he performed international duty in Afghanistan. Both officers have military awards: Colonel Savitsky - the Order of the Red Star and "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree, and Colonel Golota - the Order of the Red Star and "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree, as well as the medal "For military merits." I asked Colonel Alexander Golot to talk about how the personnel of the 3rd Parachute Battalion of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment of the 103rd Airborne Division, who were the last to leave, were withdrawn from the Kabul airfield. “I served as the deputy commander of this battalion for political affairs, at that time my military rank was guard captain,” Alexander Grigorievich began his story. – I was no longer at the Kabul airfield that day – February 14th. The fact is that on January 18, 1989, the bulk of the personnel under my leadership left for the territory of the Soviet Union. First it was the Uzbek city of Fergana, and then we arrived at the permanent location of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment - in the Belarusian settlement of Borovukha-1. But everything connected with the final withdrawal of my battalion is known to me down to the very last detail. It should be noted that our battalion for a long time carried out tasks to ensure the daily safe operation of the international airport in Kabul and the military airfield located in direct contact with it. The most important task was to prevent the Mujahideen from shelling them with MLRS and various artillery pieces from the north-eastern side of the outskirts of Kabul. The daily combat activities of the battalion at outposts, mainly mountain ones, also included the elimination of any possibility of illegal armed groups entering its area of responsibility - Deh-Sabz, which means “Green Village” - to carry out terrorist and subversive activities among the civilian population. Each village, mountain range and land plots of farmers, as well as caravan routes were under the supervision of battalion personnel. All points of possible penetration of the Mujahideen into the area of responsibility and delivery of rockets for shelling the airfield and Kabul airport were targeted. Together with the armed units of the Afghan army, enormous explanatory and propaganda work was carried out with the local population. All this allowed the international airport of Kabul to function for a long time - without emergencies. At the beginning of January 1989, the second and final phase of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan began. Units of the 3rd battalion also began the phased transfer of outposts, buildings located there, some property and equipment to units of the Army of the Republic of Afghanistan. It was the 3rd Parachute Battalion, commanded by Guard Major Vladimir Viktorovich Boltikov, as the most well-coordinated and combat-ready unit, whose personnel knew all the features of the terrain around the airfield and airport, and had the opportunity to protect and defend them. In addition, until January 15, 1989, the battalion was supposed to ensure the daily evacuation of the management of the Limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, as well as civilian specialists. Based on the assigned tasks, it was necessary to supplement and strengthen the battalion with other units of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment. The battalion tactical group, in addition to three understaffed parachute companies (company commanders - guard captains Vasily Semyonov, Alexander Zhadan, guard senior lieutenant Nikolai Nikulnikov), included artillerymen, sappers, fire fighters, and reconnaissance officers. This tactical group was headed by the chief of staff of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Mikhailovich Voitko. For almost a month, the personnel of this battalion tactical group successfully carried out tasks to ensure the smooth operation of Kabul airport. One more thing needs to be noted. At the beginning of February 1989, this battalion group was left alone at the airport, without regimental support. The main units of the Guards 357th Parachute Regiment, as part of a convoy or by air, left the territory of Afghanistan. Until the last days of this battalion's stay in Afghanistan, its personnel continued to serve at the 17th, 18th and 19th outposts located near the Paymunar pass, on the mountain ridge running along the airport. From these “high-rise buildings” he was visible as if in the palm of his hand. Finally, it’s time for “H”. Morning of February 14, 1989. From 9.00, all the armored vehicles remaining in the battalion were handed over to the Afghan side, and to demonstrate the departure of the last Soviet OKSVA soldiers from the Republic of Afghanistan, two dozen of the most photogenic paratroopers were selected and presented to Soviet and Western correspondents of various media. Right on the runway of the Kabul airfield, in front of the opened ramp of the An-26 aircraft, the commander of the 8th parachute company of the guard, Captain Alexander Zhadan, reported to the senior commander about the readiness of the personnel to leave for the territory of the Soviet Union. At 12.00, the personnel were solemnly thanked for their military work and international assistance to the Afghan people and, boarding the plane, were sent to the territory of the USSR. The last Soviet soldier to leave Afghan soil in this long-term war was Junior Sergeant Sergei Ryabinin from the 8th Airborne Company. His photo from the An-26 plane spread all over the world. Due to the fact that each fighter of the battalion group was accountable and had his own combat mission, the plane was supposed to circle over the territory of Afghanistan and return back after the press left... But something went wrong again... Seeing that the press representatives did not leave runway and airport territory, and watching the circling plane, the pilots headed for the airfield of the city of Osh, located on the territory of the Kyrgyz SSR. This is how driver-mechanic of BMP No. 782 Alexander Poryadin from the 8th parachute company told me about the last minutes of his stay in Afghanistan: “I handed over my car to representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Afghanistan (tsaranda) literally a few minutes before takeoff. It was a pity to the point of tears. This was the last military equipment of our battalion transferred to the local military. We boarded the IL-76 directly with weapons. The “bras” (unloading), as well as the RD-54 (paratrooper’s backpack) with full ammunition, were with us and were located directly on the floor of the aircraft.” WE WERE THE LAST TO LEAVE KABUL AIRFIELD By evening, the loading and mooring of vehicles with special communications on one of the sides of the Il-76 was completed. The staff serving it were also there. The other two airships housed the personnel of the battalion tactical group, their weapons, equipment and ammunition. And this is how the former deputy commander of the 3rd parachute battalion for armament of the guard, Major Kurbon Gupronovich Yusupov, recalled those last minutes of being on the territory of the Afghan airport: “When the loading of equipment and weapons, property, ammunition and personnel was completed, it began to get dark. Aircraft technicians began to close the ramps of their winged machines. Running from plane to plane, I suddenly saw that right on the runway, near the landing gear wheel, there was a button accordion left by someone! I just felt sorry for the musical instrument. Grabbing him and hugging him to me, I jumped onto the ramp of the plane and began to squeeze inside with difficulty. The ship’s flight engineer turned on the lift mechanism, and the ramp began to slowly rise upward, hiding the lights of the Kabul airport from us forever.” At 18:10 local time, the planes, one after another, began to take to the sky and head for the State Border of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. A few minutes later, all three aircraft flew over that ominous place where nine years ago the Afghan mountains forever took the lives of forty-seven people who were the first on the “Afghan Frontier” to defend the southern borders of our Motherland... Colonel Vladimir Savitsky enters the conversation: - Yes, We recently opened a memorial to these heroes, on the day of the 44th anniversary of the entry of troops, in Borovukha-1, Vitebsk region... It is very noteworthy that it was from the Kabul airfield on December 25, 1979 that the main stage of Operation Baikal began for the 103rd Guards Airborne Division -79,” here, at the Kabul airport, nine years later, the military stay of the Vitebsk paratroopers on Afghan soil ended... I’ll add a little to Alexander Grigorievich’s story. It is clear that the paratroopers returning home to their native land still did not believe that the time had come for the end of hostilities and that the war was over for them. After some time, the ship’s commander announced via loudspeaker that the plane had crossed the border of the USSR. Joy lit up on the faces of the fighters. Everyone rejoiced... Already late in the evening the paratroopers flew to the city of Fergana, in the Uzbek SSR. A new, as it seemed to many, peaceful stage was approaching in the life of the personnel of the 3rd battalion of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment. Upon the arrival of the battalion on Soviet soil, measures began to pass border and then customs control. All other issues were immediately resolved - storage of existing weapons and equipment, equipment, availability and accounting of ammunition, temporary accommodation of military personnel on the territory of a military camp. This is how the former commander of the 9th parachute company, who in the future will become the commander of the 31st Guards Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, holder of six military orders, reserve colonel Nikolai Sergeevich Nikulnikov, recalls the events of 35 years ago: “Immediately after landing the aircraft on the runway of the Fergana airfield, we had to solve a lot of “unusual”, or rather, half-forgotten issues of the life and activities of military units in peaceful conditions during the Afghan war. This lasted for several hours. When the company sergeant major, after placing weapons in the gun room and checking personnel, gave the command “all clear,” the clock showed half past twelve on the night of February 15, 1989.” And the battalion headquarters, under the control of Guard Major Viktor Vladimirovich Yasonov, continued to work, sum up the results of the withdrawal, and clarify the tasks for the upcoming transfer of the battalion to the point of permanent deployment. However, in the morning, the commander of the 3rd battalion was informed of an unexpected decision by the command of the Airborne Forces - the personnel would be involved in conducting a military operation to assist the government of the Republic of Afghanistan in the event of an aggravation of the situation in general in the country and in particular in the city of Jalalabad. Units of the Fergana 387th separate training parachute regiment of the Airborne Forces (regiment commander - Hero of the Soviet Union, then Guard Colonel Alexander Petrovich Soluyanov) were also on high alert. It was on the basis of this regiment that the 3rd Parachute Battalion of the Guards 357th Parachute Regiment had to be located and prepare to carry out the assigned task. For almost a month and a half, the battalion tactical group was actively engaged in combat training and was in readiness “number one” for its immediate transfer again to the territory of Afghanistan. Psychologically, it was very, very difficult for everyone to withstand this. Especially against the backdrop of the fact that all the media reported the reaction of both the world community and the Soviet people to the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of Afghanistan. However, after the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the Afghan government still managed to keep the internal political and military situation in the country under its control, and the battalion personnel finally received an order to leave for their permanent deployment point. On March 25, 1989, three Il-76 aircraft, taking off from the Fergana airfield, headed for the Borovtsy airfield, which is located a few kilometers from the Belarusian military town of Borovukha-1. Towards evening, having softly landed and turned around, they froze on the airfield runway. The side ramps began to slowly open. The first to be seen by the soldiers who returned from the war were the commander of the 357th Guards Parachute Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Sergeevich Filippov, and the deputy regiment commander for the political part of the Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Evgenievich Ivanov. Like two fathers, they greeted their soldier sons, who had finally returned to their homeland “from that undeclared Afghan war.” For the 3rd Parachute Battalion of the Guards 357th Parachute Regiment, wartime life is finally over. During the withdrawal of troops on the Battle Banner of the 103rd Guards Airborne Division, among the front-line awards was the Order of Lenin, which the personnel of the illustrious formation were awarded for valiantly performing combat missions, and one of the division’s regiments - the Guards 350th Parachute Airborne Division - was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. The 345th Separate Guards Parachute Regiment was also awarded the Order of the Red Banner. |
| Posted by:badanov |