To the 40th anniversary of DMB-71

In the heat of the exchange of memories between us, fellow soldiers of the ZabVO, who flooded over me after the discovery of the "Brotherhood of the ZabVO" forum, I am posting this post on 13.09.10: 21:32:

“There is one nuance that should be definitely mentioned. I open my military ID and see that the assignment of ranks and class is signed by the commander of military unit 55345. The commander is Mashinsky.

Today Google says that this v / ch is the frequency response. Located in Chita. Chehorda ".

I’m ashamed to admit, but in this way, for the first time in 40 years, I carefully read my War Card.

military unit 55345 is the 10th aerospace defense brigade (military unit 55345, 672000, Chita)

The Okrug (headquarters - Chita) was subordinate since February 1979 to the Main Command of the Far East Troops (GKDV) with headquarters in Ulan-Ude

2 military districts (ZBVO, FEVO). On its territory, including Mongolia, 3 combined-arms armies (29th, 36th, 39th), formations of central and district subordination were stationed. Air support for the district was carried out by the 23rd Air Force, and air cover by the 54th Separate Guards Air Defense Corps.

23rd Air Red Banner Army of the Trans-Baikal Military District (headquarters - Chita). It was formed in August 1967. Then Japan sharply increased the composition of its armed forces, the turbulent situation was on the southern borders of the state. It was necessary to create an operational formation, which became the 23rd Air Army. Over the 30 years of its existence, it has trained more than one thousand air fighters and ground aviation specialists. Among them are Lieutenant General Gorbenko, who was awarded the title of Hero of Russia for his participation in hostilities in Chechnya and Hero of the Soviet Union. In 1974 she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for strengthening the southeastern borders. Today this banner is kept in the central museum of the Armed Forces in Moscow. http://chita.rfn.ru/rnews.html?id=35163&cid=7

Given the reduction in the late 1980s. for 1989, the withdrawn from Mongolia fighter-bombers regiments, reductions also affected the composition of the army on our territory.

The composition of the army: 44th mixed air corps (29th fighter-bomber and 246th fighter air divisions), 30th fighter-bomber.

On Soviet territory, as part of the 23rd Air Army of the Trans-Baikal Military District, there was a formation of front-line aviation, which interests me with its deployment. This is the 30th air division of fighter-bombers (Steppe, near the station Olovyannaya, Chita region). And it has three shelves worthy of attention:

1.58th Aviation Old Russian Red Banner Regiment of Fighter-Bombers (Steppe): MiG-27

2.189th Guards Brest Order of Suvorov Aviation Regiment of Fighter-Bombers (Borzya): Su-17

3.101st separate reconnaissance aviation regiment (Chindant-2, near Borzya): Su-17MZR since 1976 (formed in 1969) http://www.chita.ru/news/20380/

Among them, it is the 101st regiment that is necessary and sought after for me. If I am wrong, then I ask those who have other, more accurate information about which regiment I should find out to speak out.

At the end of the 1960s. in the context of a further increase in military tension in relations with the People's Republic of China, the troops of the ZabVO worked out the issues of covering the state border with available forces and means, as well as with the supply of reserves from the depths of the country. Despite the objective difficulties in the deployment of troops, new divisions arrived at the ZabVO.

In the summer of 1969, the Minister of Defense of the USSR conducted major strategic exercises in the Far Eastern region with the participation of the headquarters and troops of the Far Eastern, Trans-Baikal, Siberian and Central Asian military districts. The command of the 39th combined-arms army was deployed on the territory of Mongolia, and in Transbaikalia the Borzinsky army corps was reorganized into the 36th combined-arms army. The Directorate of the ZabVO was deployed according to the states corresponding to the needs of the formation of the front-line command.

In February 1979, in connection with the invasion of Chinese troops into Vietnam, the Main Command of the Far East was deployed in Chita, which united the troops of the Trans-Baikal and Far Eastern military districts, and the composition Soviet troops in Mongolia was somewhat strengthened. In general, however, the grouping of Soviet troops in Transbaikalia (and in Far East in general) did not have and could not have the forces capable of withstanding the multimillion-strong People's Liberation Army of China in hostilities that go beyond border conflicts.

As it warmed in the second half of the 1980s. In Soviet-Chinese relations, the grouping of Soviet troops in Mongolia was initially somewhat reduced, and in May 1989 the Soviet leadership announced the withdrawal of 2 tank and 1 motorized rifle divisions in full strength from the Mongolian People's Republic within the next two years. This, and soon the complete withdrawal of troops from Mongolia.

By the way, there is another round date associated with the profile of my research - the Air Force, its history. It cannot be ignored. A rare coincidence in subject matter. In the Oktyabrsky microdistrict of Chita, 12 October 100 years ago, the history of the Transbaikal aviation began. " There is a memorial sign in honor of the event that the self-taught pilot Ivan Vinogradov made a demonstration flight for his fellow countrymen. .http: //www.chita.ru/review/24711/

And now I will express my personal observations of 1970, the so-called. "Factual" and what I was able to establish thanks to personal connections with fellow soldiers.

1. I have witnessed the flights of the MiG-17, but not the Su-17, which cannot be confused with each other. Apparently they entered service later.

2. Many specialists from the communications division were simply transferred to the airfield in Chindant, which indicates the fact that construction was still ongoing and workers were required for this reason.

a) next to the PRTs there was a base of Aerostats, their unit was assigned to our unit, but at the end of the summer 75 of them were transferred somewhere. And at the same time, another company from Ekabpilis (?) Was added to our unit. There were two regiments in our garrison, a reconnaissance regiment for Mig21 and a regiment for Su17m, two BAO and a communications battalion of three companies.

b) in 1975, in the summer, an engineering battalion was placed in the hangar of the airport. He was engaged in the construction of a new airfield further than the previous one.

c) from the 30s there was a flight school, then after the war bombers were based, I was even introduced to a former radio operator gunner. After the event on Damanskoye, they began to urgently strengthen the border of Mongolia and the USSR with China to Vladivostok. A regiment from Barnaul was transferred to our garrison - a settlement in the Altai Territory, in honor of him or out of habit, the residential settlement of our garrison became Barnaul.

In the XX century, Soviet troops entered the territory of Mongolia several times, in 1921, 1939, 1945. The movements of troops were associated with the need to repel external aggression against the Mongolian state and fulfill the tasks of defending the country from a potential military threat from outside. The Soviet troops stationed in Mongolia, unlike other allied countries, did not form the so-called. "Group of troops", and were directly part of the Trans-Baikal Military District.

V March 1925 after the elimination of the White Guard detachments, the Soviet Union withdrew its troops from the Mongolian People's Republic.

March 12, 1936 in Moscow, the Protocol on Mutual Assistance between Mongolia and the USSR was signed (the protocol was signed as with a sovereign state, although according to the Soviet-Chinese agreement of 1924 Mongolia was recognized as part of China):

The governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Mongolian People's Republic decided to formalize in the form of this Protocol the gentlemen's agreement existing between them since November 27, 1934, providing for mutual support by all measures in preventing and preventing the threat of military attack, as well as providing each other with assistance and support in the event of attacks by some third party against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Mongolian People's Republic - for which purpose we have signed this Protocol.

Article I. In the event of a threat of an attack on the territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Mongolian People's Republic from a third state, the Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Mongolian People's Republic undertake to immediately discuss the situation that has arisen and take all measures that could would be needed to fence the security of their territory.

Article II. The governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Mongolian People's Republic undertake, in the event of a military attack on one of the Contracting Parties, to provide each other with all kinds of assistance, including military assistance.

Article III. The governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Mongolian People's Republic take for granted that the troops of one of the parties, which are by mutual agreement on the territory of the other party, in order to fulfill the obligations set forth in Articles I or II, will be withdrawn from the respective territory immediately upon passing through volume of need, just as it took place in 1925 with regard to the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic.

1936-1937.

Since 1937, in accordance with this protocol, units of the Red Army of the USSR Armed Forces have been deployed in Mongolia. The main source for their temporary replenishment was 11th Mechanized Corps, stationed in Transbaikalia, from which, for two years, a secondment took place for a certain time military units and connections.

So from the 6th mechanized brigade of the 11th mechanized corps, a rifle and machine gun battalion, an artillery battery and a reconnaissance company were seconded. From the 32nd mechanized brigade of the 11th mechanized corps, the 3rd tank battalion was seconded.

In January 1936, on the basis of the 3rd tank battalion of the 32nd mechanized brigade, the rifle battalion of the 6th mechanized brigade, a motorized armored regiment was formed, which left for the territory of Mongolia. In October 1936, the personnel of the armored regiment, leaving the material part, returned, and the personnel trained in the 11th mechanized corps left for Mongolia.

According to the directive of the Military Council of the ZabVO No. 48593 dated August 16, 1937 32nd mechanized brigade of the 11th mechanized corps was renamed into a special mechanized brigade and included in the 57th Special Rifle Corps with a place of deployment on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic (formed by order of the NCO No. 0037 of September 4, 1937 on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic with the operational subordination of NGOs). (Approx. Comp .: to clarify the dates of orders ...)

For three weeks, a special mechanized brigade made a march from the deployment site in Ulan-Ude to Undurkhan, by September 7, 1937, the head marching outpost of the mechanized brigade reached Chairen, and by September 14, the brigade in full force arrived under its own power in Undurhan.

(Note: the spelling is preserved from the original source)

Thus, at the end of 1937, troops arrived in Undurkhan that were part of the 57th Special Rifle Corps..

Composition of 57 USC, as of September 1937:

• Special motorized armored regiment. (Former Motorized Armor Regiment). The regiment commander, Major V.A.Mishulin.
• Special motorized armored squad.
• 7th motorized armored brigade. Dislocation in the city of Zamyn-Uude, (in the Mongolian People's Republic from August 12, 1937; in the corps from September 1937 -). Brigade commander Colonel Nikolai Vladimirovich Feklenko, (1936-1938).
• 9th motorized armored brigade (formerly Special motorized armored brigade). The brigade commander, brigade commander Vasily Fedorovich Shipov, was arrested. The brigade commander, Major, Colonel Stepan Ivanovich Oleinikov (as of 07/01/38, removed on 08/30/39).

  Composition:
  - 241st armored battalion,
  - 240th reconnaissance battalion,
  - 196th rifle and machine gun battalion,
  - 64th communications company,
  - 44th - combat support company,
  - 294 repair and restoration company,
  - 9th motor transport - platoon,
  - 392nd field bakery,
  - 98th special department of the GUGB NKVD.

• Special mechanized brigade (in the corps from September 14, 1937 - ...). Dislocation in Undurkhan (Under-Khan) in the Mongolian People's Republic.
• A separate communications battalion of the 11th MK, (seconded from the 11th MK ZabVO on August 29, 1937; in the corps from September 1937 - ...).

Composition of 57 USC, as of September 1938:

• 36th Motorized Division. Composition: 106th, 107th and 108th rifle regiments. Division commander brigade commander Ivan Timofeevich Emlin, colonel, brigade commander from 06/15/1937, arrested in 1937 or early 1938. Division commander Ivan Petrovich Dorofeev (vrid 2.06.1938-?), Major, colonel.
• 7th motorized armored brigade.
• 8th motorized armored brigade (from September 1938 - ...). See Motorized Armored Regiment and later Special Motorized Armored Regiment. Brigade Commander Major, Colonel Vasily Alexandrovich Mishulin (07.1938-03.1941) Was stationed in the city of Bain-Tumen (Mongolian People's Republic).
• 9th motorized armored brigade. The brigade commander, Major, Colonel Stepan Ivanovich Oleinikov (on 07/01/1938, removed on 08/30/1939). The brigade commander, Colonel Ivan Vladimirovich Shevnikov (08/30/1939-1.04.1941).
• 11th Light Tank Brigade (Special Mechanized Brigade until 1938). The brigade commander, Colonel N.V. Feklenko (as of 07/01/1938). She was stationed in Undurkhan (Under-Khan) in the Mongolian People's Republic.

In connection with the aggravation of the situation in the Far East Special Red Banner Far Eastern Army by order of NCO No. 0107 dated On June 28, 1938, it was deployed to the Red Banner Far Eastern Front ( from 23 July 1938 - Far Eastern Red Banner Front, NCO order No. 0146). The troops of the front united in two armies - the 1st (former Primorskaya group) (1st OKA, headquarters - Voroshilov) and 2nd and Khabarovsk groups of forces (headquarters - Khabarovsk). By decision of the Main Military Council from August 31, 1938 by order of NCO No. 0040 dated September 4, 1938 the front was abolished, the troops were reorganized into two separate armies with direct subordination of the NKO: the 1st separate Red Banner and the 2nd OKA.

Composition of 57 USC, as of June 1939:

• 36th moto rifle division... The composition of the division: 24th, 76th and 149th rifle regiments. Divisional commander Major, Colonel Ivan Petrovich Dorofeev (vrid 2.06.1938-?). The division commander, brigade commander Daniil Efimovich Petrov (06.1939-01.1941).
• 7th motorized armored brigade. Brigade commander Colonel Konstantin Konstantinovich Chistyakov (03.38-10.39).
• 8th Light Tank Brigade (July 6, 1939)
• 9th motorized armored brigade. Brigade Commander Major Colonel Stepan Ivanovich Oleinikov (as of 07/01/1938, removed on 08/30/1939)
• 5th motorized rifle and machine gun brigade (July 6, 1939).
• 11th light tank brigade. The brigade commander Colonel Mikhail Pavlovich Yakovlev (09.1938 - died 07.12.1939), (from 09.09.1938 brigade commander). She was stationed in Undurkhan (Under-Khan) in the Mongolian People's Republic.
• 100th Mixed Aviation Brigade. Brigade commander…. Was stationed in the Mongolian People's Republic. Composition:
  - brigade management;
  - 70th Fighter Aviation Regiment (38 aircraft, fighters); Regiment commanders ...; Major Zabaluev Vyacheslav
  Mikhailovich (from June 1939). Armament: fighters I-15bis and I-16 in the amount of 38 aircraft.
  - 150th Bomber Aviation Regiment (29 aircraft, high-speed bombers);
  - Service units.
• 22nd Fighter Aviation Regiment. Regiment commander Nikolay Georgievich Glazykin. Military commissar of the regiment V. N. Kalachev. From the 23rd mixed air brigade of the Trans-Baikal Military District. Armament: I-15bis and I-16.

By decision of the Main Military Council from July 5, 1939... to combine the actions of the 1st and 2nd OKA, ZabVO, 57th special building during the fighting on R. Khalkhin Gol the Office of the front (Chita) group was formed (order of the NKO No. 0030 dated July 5, 1939).

By order of NCO No. 0036 dated July 19, 1939 G. 57th Special Corps reorganized into 1st Army Group .

Battle of Khalkhin Gol

In April-September 1939, Soviet troops (57th Special Corps, reorganized into the 1st Army Group) participated in armed conflict near the Khalkhin-Gol river with the Kwantung Army in the east of Mongolia, on the border with Manchuria (the puppet state of Manchukuo). By August 31, the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic was completely cleared of Japanese troops. On September 15, 1939, an agreement was signed between The Soviet Union, Mongolia and Japan on the cessation of hostilities in the area of ​​the Khalkhin-Gol River.

1940 year

By order of NCO No. 0029 dated June 21, 1940... the reorganization of the troops of the Far East and the ZabVO was carried out: the front group was disbanded and the 2nd OKA, the Far Eastern Front was created again, to which the 1st Red Banner Army was subordinate, the 2nd Red Banner (Blagoveshchensk) and 15th (Sungaria) armies, a number of formations, the Pacific Fleet and the Amur Red Banner Flotilla, re-formed by this order; The Military Council of the ZabVO obeyed the newly formed 16th (Borzinskaya) and 17th Army (re-formed from the 1st Army Group) , a number of connections, a detachment of ships of the Amur flotilla.

1941 - 1945 years

In February 1941, a new mobilization plan (MP-23) was approved, which provided for a significant reorganization of the armored forces: 21 mechanized corps, 60 tank, 30 motorized divisions were deployed. Among them was formed 29th Mechanized Corps.

Formation 29 Mechanized Corps (29MK) began in March 1941 as part of 17th Army of the Trans-Baikal Military District(hereinafter ZabVO) on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic.

The composition of the 29th Mechanized Corps:

• Hull management
• 57th Panzer Division formed in 1941 as part of the 29th Mechanized Corps of the 17th Army of the ZabVO on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic on the basis of the 8th motorized armored and 50th light tank brigades. Division management in Bayan-Tereme(now locality Shinabulag). Coordinates: 47 ° 8'6''N 112 ° 25'22''E.

  57TD Roster
  - 114 and 115 tank regiments,
  - 57th motorized rifle regiment,
  - 57th howitzer artillery regiment,
  - 57 separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion,
  - 57th reconnaissance battalion,
  - 57th pontoon battalion,
  - 57th separate communications battalion,
  - 57th medical and sanitary battalion,
  - 57th motor transport battalion,
  - 57th repair and restoration battalion
  - 57 field auto bakery,
  - 755 field post station,
  - 327 field cash desk of the State Bank.

• 61st Panzer Division formed in April-May 1941. Division management in g. Tamtsak-Bulake.

  61TD roster
  - the 29th mechanized corps in the 17th army of the ZabVO on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic in the city of Tamtsak-Bulak.
  - the 141st tank regiment was formed on the basis of the 11th light tank order of Lenin brigade named after brigade commander M.P. Yakovlev,
  - 142nd Tank Regiment - based on the 7th Motorized Armored Order of Lenin and the 6th Light Tank Red Banner Brigade,
  - 61st motorized regiment - based on the 61st and 118th cavalry regiments of the 15th cavalry division,
  - 61st howitzer artillery regiment - based on the 22nd cavalry artillery division of the Red Banner,
  - 61st anti-aircraft artillery division - based on the 20th anti-aircraft division of the 22nd cavalry division.

• 82nd motorized rifle division. In March 1941, the 82nd Motorized Rifle Division was reorganized into 82nd Motorized Division(see 82nd Rifle Division and 6th Guards Motorized Rifle Division) and entered into the 29th Mechanized Corps of the 17th Army of the ZabVO. It was located on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic in Bain-Tumen(Now Choibolsan).
• Body parts:
  - 30th Motorcycle Regiment.

But already May 7, 1941 management of the corps and corps units by decree of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR "On new formations in the Red Army" was disbanded and is directed to the formation of other directorates of the units.

• 57th Panzer Division 57th separate tank division in the 17th army of the ZabVO ... It was stationed on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic in Bayan-Terem.
• 61st Panzer Division after the disbandment of the corps administration, it became 61st separate tank division in the 17th army of the ZabVO ... It was stationed on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic in the city of Tamtsak-Bulak.
• 82nd Motorized Division after the disbandment of the corps management, it became a separate part of the 17th Army of the ZabVO.

Transbaikal front (abbreviated names Zab.F, Zabfront) formed September 15, 1941 on the basis of the Trans-Baikal Military District. The 17th Army became part of the troops of the Trans-Baikal Front.

Initially, the Trans-Baikal Front included 17th Army(USSR) and 36th Army(THE USSR).

In subsequent years, the Trans-Baikal Front included:

• 12th Air Army (USSR) (1 August 1942)
• Trans-Baikal Air Defense Army (April 30, 1945)
• 39th Army (USSR) (20 June 1945)
• 53rd Army (USSR) (1 July 1945)
• 6th Guards Tank Army (USSR) (1 July 1945)
• Cavalry-mechanized group of Colonel-General I.A.Pliev (July 5, 1945)

During the Great Patriotic War The Trans-Baikal Front sent 16 divisions (11 rifle, cavalry, three tank, motorized rifle) and two brigades (rifle and artillery) to the Soviet-German front. In total - about 300 thousand people, more than 2 thousand guns and mortars, over 1.4 thousand tanks.

In the next part of our review, we will focus mainly on the troops of the 39th Army, tk. It was the units of the 39th Army that were stationed on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic in subsequent years.

1945 war with Japan

The question of the USSR's entry into the war with Japan was resolved at a conference in Yalta on February 11, 1945 by a special agreement. It provided that the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan on the side of the Allied Powers 2 to 3 months after the surrender of Germany and the end of the war in Europe. Japan rejected the demand of the United States, Great Britain and China on July 26, 1945 to lay down their arms and surrender unconditionally.

May 1, 1945 39th Army was withdrawn from the Insterburg region in the Baltic States to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command, then was redeployed to Mongolia and on June 20 was included in the Trans-Baikal Front.

On August 8, 1945, the USSR declared war on Japan. On August 9, the troops of the Trans-Baikal, 1st and 2nd Far Eastern fronts, in cooperation with the Pacific Fleet and the Amur River Flotilla, began military operations against Japanese troops on a front of more than 4 thousand kilometers.

On the night of August 9, 1945 without artillery and aviation preparation 17th Army began hostilities and went on the offensive. By the end of the day, the main forces of the army had advanced to a depth of 50 km, and the advanced units, having covered about 70 km in a day, reached the area of ​​Lake Tabun-Nur. On the third day of the Khingan-Mukden operation, in cooperation with the Soviet-Mongolian cavalry-mechanized groups, the troops of the 17th Army approached the southwestern spurs of the Big Khingan mountain range. In the subsequent days of the operation, the army's troops successfully overcame it, and also repulsed enemy counterattacks in the Linxi area. By the end of the day on August 14, 1945, the 17th Army captured the Dabanshan-Jingpeng line. The city of Wudancheng was liberated on August 16. At the end of August 1945, in cooperation with the mechanized cavalry group of the front, the main forces of the 17th Army entered the Lingyuan area, and one of the army divisions - on the coast of the Liaodong Bay near the city of Shanhaiguan. In the same place On August 31, 1945, the 17th Army ended the hostilities.

39th Army as part of the Trans-Baikal Front, she also participated in the 1945 Soviet-Japanese war. During the front-line offensive Khingano-Mukden operation (August 9 - September 2), the army's troops struck from the Tamtsag-Bulag salient at the troops of the 3rd front of the Kwantung Army and the left flank of the 4th separate army. Having defeated the enemy troops covering the approaches to the passes of the Big Khingan, the army captured the Khalun-Arshan fortified area. Developing an offensive on Changchun, it advanced 350-400 km with battles and, having captured Ulan-Khoto and Solun (Manchuria), by August 14 reached the central part of Manchuria. Having deployed an offensive to the south, parts of the army, in cooperation with the 6th Guards Tank Army, liberated Mukden on August 19, Changchun on August 20, entered Kwantung and occupied Dalniy (Dalian) on August 21, and Port Arthur (Lushun) on August 22.

On October 9, 1945, the Trans-Baikal Front was disbanded. Front field management reorganized into management Transbaikal-Amur Military District, with the inclusion of the armies of the Trans-Baikal Front. Mongolian formations and units of the mechanized cavalry group returned to the troops of the Mongolian People's Republic.

In July-August 1946, the 17th Army of the USSR was disbanded.

Again Trans-Baikal Military District was formed May 25, 1947 during the division of the Trans-Baikal-Amur Military District. It included the territories of the Buryat-Mongolian ASSR (later - the Buryat ASSR), the Chita region (including the Aginsky Buryat-Mongolian national / Aginsky Buryatsky autonomous region), and Khabarovsk region(excluding the Kamchatka and Sakhalin regions, which were part of this region at that time). Until 1953, he was subordinate to the High Command of the Far East. In 1953, after the abolition of the East Siberian Military District, the Irkutsk Region (including the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug) and the Yakutsk Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic were included in the ZabVO, and the Khabarovsk Territory became part of the Far Eastern Military District. Since that time, the territory of the ZabVO has remained unchanged. The group of Soviet troops in Mongolia was under his command.

60s

By the end of the 60s, the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) had created a powerful northern grouping, in which by the end of the 1960s there were nine combined-arms armies (44 divisions, of which 33 were field and 11 were mechanized). They had more than 4.3 thousand tanks and 10 thousand guns and rocket launchers. In the group's reserve were the formations of the people's militia of up to 30 infantry divisions, in terms of training and combat readiness practically not inferior to the regular troops, not to mention the possibilities of replenishing losses at the expense of truly innumerable human resources. This grouping allowed the PLA to deploy troops along the entire border with a density of up to a company for every 200-300 m of the front.

The forces of the DalVO and ZabVO opposing the Chinese army did not look so impressive, or rather, incomparable. Yet, until recently, China was considered a reliable ally, to support which considerable funds were allocated. And it was not at all consoling that the combat potential of the PLA hanging over our border was almost exclusively Soviet military equipment and weapons. By this time, Transbaikalia had long been considered rear and was supplied according to the "leftover" principle. The fortifications and defensive lines on the border were built and equipped in the pre-war years, when Karbyshev (then still in the rank of engineer-colonel) was in charge of the work here. In addition, Khrushchev's famous “solutions to the disarmament problem” were not spared, and during the army cuts, even these small forces underwent a decent “cut” (needless to say, these measures were carried out unilaterally). Motorized rifle regiments were reduced to battalions, artillery regiments - to divisions, three tank divisions (13th, 111th, and 5th Guards) were completely disbanded, and the management of the 6th Guards. Tank Army withdrawn beyond the Urals. As a result, the district had only the Borzinsky army corps, and the previously rather powerful air army by the beginning of 1964 was reduced to the Aviation Department of the ZabVO. It was also obvious that the Chinese military had a good idea of ​​the state of the troops and the military infrastructure of Transbaikalia. According to experts of the GRU and the Operations Directorate of the General Staff, in the event of full-scale hostilities, the advancing fronts of the Chinese will be able to reach their operational lines in a matter of days, moving forward at a rate of 15-20 km / h and up to 200-250 km per day. The steppe nature of the terrain played into the hands of the enemy - rare copses and a small number of rivers and other natural obstacles made it possible, after breaking through the border, to develop an offensive in any direction.

It took quick and decisive measures to remedy the situation (according to Clausewitz: "wars are won ahead of time"). Without much advertising (Damansky was still ahead), the Government and the Ministry of Defense of the USSR took a number of measures to restore the defenses of the districts bordering on the troubled neighbor.

In the summer of 1967, the redeployment of troops from the central districts to the Far East and Transbaikalia began, primarily tank and motorized rifle formations. The 21st Guards arrived from the Baltic States to the Far East Military District. etc., from the Leningrad Military District to the ZabVO - 2 Guards. etc. 5 Guards were stationed here. td, 32 td, 66 td, 49 and 111 td. By the early 1970s, in the ZabVO, the army corps was deployed into the 39th Combined Arms Army, while at the same time an advanced group of 39 A was formed on the territory of Mongolia. The total number of tank formations on the border with China reached seven (including one training division), in each of they had more than 330 tanks.

In accordance with the directive of the USSR Ministry of Defense of July 22, 1967, two dozen air regiments were assembled in the ZabVO, consolidated into the 23rd Air Army. The predominance of strike bomber and fighter-bomber aviation in them largely made it possible to compensate for the numerical superiority of the opposing group, since in the "wild steppes of Transbaikalia" they became relatively easy prey for aviation.

Tense environment in 1979

In 1979, combat aviation regiments from the territory of Ukraine and Belarus were transferred to airfields in Mongolia.

In this difficult situation, the Soviet Union took on such a difficult mission - restoring peace and justice by demonstrating military force... But joking with China, playing half-measures and half-hearted actions, is impossible in principle, and in the current situation of the already begun aggression against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, this path was a dead end. In Moscow, they decided to act, as they say, without simplifications and indulgences.

In the period from March 12 to March 26, 1979 (with the aim of exerting military pressure on China in connection with its aggression against Vietnam), in accordance with the decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU, military and naval teachings.

In total, twenty combined-arms and aviation divisions took part in the exercises. The total number of troops involved in the exercise was more than 200 thousand personnel, over 2.6 thousand tanks, about 900 aircraft and 80 ships.

The largest were military exercises in Mongolia, in which six motorized rifle and tank divisions took part, three of which were additionally introduced into the Mongolian People's Republic from Siberia and Transbaikalia. In addition, two brigades, up to three aviation divisions, as well as formations and reinforcement units were involved in activities on the territory of this republic.

Combat coordination of troops was carried out during the exercises. Connections and parts in difficult climatic and natural conditions made long-distance marches from Siberia to the Mongolian People's Republic (more than 2 thousand km). The troops regrouped by rail and were airlifted.

In the border areas with China, the issues of organizing defense, repelling an enemy invasion, delivering counterattacks and organizing counterattacks were practiced.

By the early 1980s, the following were based on the territory of the MPR: 39th Army(five divisions, including two tank, commander - General V. Momotov) and 44 Aviation Corps of the 23rd Air Army, consisting of two divisions (fighter and fighter-bomber, commander - Lieutenant General S.G. Ivanov).

The anti-aircraft missile division of the air defense was also located here, separate brigade obstacles and barriers (ten battalions) - the only one in the Armed Forces, a separate communications brigade, an anti-aircraft missile technical base and a number of other units. In total, at that time, there were over 100 thousand military personnel of the district on the territory of Mongolia.

The army units of the 39th Army were staffed according to wartime states and were kept in full force, up to a regiment of combat helicopters. The divisions were stationed along the Chinese border in the Choir, Shive-Gobi and Mandal-Gobi regions, as well as near the major Mongolian cities - Ulan Bator, Boganur, Erdenet, Bulgan and Cholbaisan.

1988 YEAR

The 39th Combined Arms Army (headquarters - Ulan Bator (Mongolia)) included two tank divisions, three motorized rifle divisions, a reconnaissance brigade, two anti-aircraft missile brigades, a radio engineering brigade, a separate communications regiment, two engineering regiments, an air assault battalion, a battalion Electronic warfare, a separate helicopter regiment, a separate radio battalion.

This situation persisted until mid-1986, when by decision Supreme Commander-in-Chief M.S. Gorbachev, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of the MPR began. At the same time, the repeated statements of the Mongolian government that Mongolia would not be able to ensure its sovereignty without the help of the USSR were not taken into account.

The withdrawal of troops from Mongolia took 28 months. On February 4, 1989, a Soviet-Chinese agreement was signed to reduce the number of troops on the border. On May 15, 1989, the Soviet leadership announced the partial and then complete withdrawal of the 39th Army of the Trans-Baikal Military District from Mongolia. The army consisted of two tank and three motorized rifle divisions - more than 50 thousand servicemen, 1816 tanks, 2531 armored vehicles, 1461 artillery systems, 190 aircraft and 130 helicopters. On September 25, 1992, the completion of the withdrawal of troops was officially announced. The last Russian soldiers left Mongolia in December 1992.

During the withdrawal of troops, hundreds of apartment buildings were transferred to the Mongolian side, great amount barracks, clubs, officers' houses, hospitals (in each garrison), school buildings, kindergartens, etc., etc. The Mongols, accustomed to living in their yurts, could not and did not want to use the buildings abandoned by the Soviet group, and soon all of this was destroyed and plundered.

MODERN DEFENSE COOPERATION

Close cooperation between Russia and Mongolia has been established through the armed forces. On May 21, 2008, the Minister of Defense paid a visit to Mongolia Russian Federation, who was received by President N. Enkhbayar and held talks with his counterpart J. Bathuyag. A medium-term program of military-technical cooperation has been signed and is being implemented. According to the agreed schedule, supplies to Mongolia of military equipment and weapons from the presence of the Russian Ministry of Defense began. After a 15-year hiatus in Mongolia during November of this year. large-scale joint military exercises are being conducted. On November 3-4, 2008, who took part in the opening ceremony of the restored memorial complex of G.K. Zhukov in Ulan Bator, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation A.G. Burutin was received by the Prime Minister of Mongolia S. Bayar, Minister of Defense L. Bold and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Mongolia Ts. Togo. On December 29 last year, the Russian Defense Minister had a conversation with his Mongolian counterpart L. Bold, who was passing through Moscow.

PHOTO ALBUM PAGES

The story of one tragic landing
(to the question of the exercises of the 106th Airborne Division in Mongolia at the beginning of 1979)

In the history of the Soviet Airborne Forces, there were and still are many non-
the issues studied. And, of course, there are reasons for this. Od-
one of the poorly illuminated problems of the historiography of the Winged Guard
are the facts of the tragic death of Soviet paratroopers during the training
niy in peacetime.
Such an almost unexplored page in the annals of the Soviet landing
that is the history of the exercises of the 106th (Tula) airborne division
zii on the Mongolian-Chinese border in February 1979, when
more than 40 airborne troops were injured. This tragedy, hidden by the
by the USSR from Soviet people, could obviously not have happened,
if the top leadership of these major teachings abstained
from an ill-conceived order to drop the guards on the Mongol
land in completely unacceptable conditions.
Our version of this story is as follows. The beginning of 1979 was marked by
a new aggravation of Soviet-Chinese relations. This process is trained
caught by geopolitical and other factors, has become
bed after the death of the famous Chinese leader Mao Tse Tung in
1976, when China's new political leadership, led by Deng Xiao
Ping began to revise some of the previous principles of external
PRC policies. XI Congress of the CPC proclaimed openly anti-Soviet
well. Moreover, at the same time, it was introduced into the Constitution of the PRC (according to
decisions of the XI Congress of the CPC) a major amendment, in accordance with which
the swarm of the USSR was proclaimed the first enemy of China. At the same time,
long-suffering Vietnam was also proclaimed as China.
who died in the war with the American invaders. Vietnam turned
which by this time was heading for a single social republic, sought
conduct an independent foreign policy aiming at friendship
with the countries of the socialist camp. Vietnam's leadership also
begins to pursue a course of rapprochement with neighboring Laos, a small
country (3.4 million people), which chose socialism.
China's envious and malicious leaders are in such a position
affairs haunted, which ultimately led to the war. 17 February 1979
China carried out aggression against Vietnam.

On the same day, 12 China
divisions on a front of 1200 km invaded Vietnamese territory.
The Soviet Union, bound by allied obligations with friendly
military Vietnam, could not indifferently react to this event.
Already on February 19 in the government newspaper Pravda it was published
the statement of the leadership of the USSR was taken. This statement stated,
“That China's attack on Vietnam once again testifies to
how irresponsible are the fate of the world in Beijing, with what
with a criminal lightness, the Chinese leadership is using weapons. " The statement also referred to the assurance of the USSR to fulfill
the obligations assumed by the Soviet side under the treaty of friendship and co-
cooperation between the USSR and Vietnam.
What was the practical support of the Soviet demarche?
According to the official version of Soviet historiography, the USSR rendered
additional aid to friendly Vietnam in the form of supplies,
providing military advisors, etc. In the second volume of "History
foreign policy of the USSR "(M., 1986) on this occasion says:" One
At the same time, the Soviet Union took measures to provide additional
additional assistance to Vietnam, the supply of everything it needed
to repel the aggressor ".
Already on February 19, 1979, a group of advisers (20 people), headed by
General of the Army G. Obaturov arrived in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
After assessing the situation on the spot and listening to the reports of the Vietnamese leadership
of the General Staff, Soviet specialists convinced the Vietnamese leader
Le Duan to transfer the army corps from Kampuchea to Langshonskoe
direction, as well as redeploy in the same direction re-
active division BM-21.
A group of different councils participated in repelling the Chinese aggression.
specialists (pilots, signalmen, missilemen, etc.). Unfortunately not
there were no casualties among Soviet officers. In March 1979, under
Da Nangom (port in South Vietnam) crashed during landing
Vietnamese airliner AN-24, on board of which were Air Force General Malykh
and five instructor officers. They all died.
However, the USSR took another action to put pressure on China.
thai. To intimidate the aggressive neighbor, it was decided to hold on
the Mongol-Chinese border, a demonstration of military power, figuratively
stealing, shake your weapons and flex your muscles. Few people today
knows that in Mongolia, a vassal state of the USSR at that time (since
1967) there was a group of thousands of Soviet troops in the same
becoming the 39th combined arms army stationed on the Mongolian land
le. It consisted of several motorized rifle and tank divisions,
subordinate to the Trans-Baikal Military District. At the beginning
1979 three divisions were transferred to Mongolia from Siberia and Zabay
kalya. In this situation, it was decided to use advanced
parts of the 39th Army as a political club against the aggressor -
China. In February-March 1979, large combined-arms
exercises in the military districts bordering China in Mongolia and
The Far East. These unprecedented maneuvers were attracted
about 200 thousand people. From Ukraine and Belarus was transferred
combat aviation. In the demonstration of forces, it was also decided to engage
and a whole unit of Soviet airborne forces.
Logically, it was reasonable in this demonstration to involve
vat those parts of the Airborne Forces that were stationed in the Far East. Od-
However, the main forces of the Airborne Forces were located on the western borders of the USSR, and
also in Transcaucasia and in Central Asia... On the Far Eastern borders with
China, only the 11th separate DShB, stationed in Mogoch, near
Cheats. This one of the first airborne assault brigades was created in 1968 and was located
in the operational subordination of the Trans-Baikal Military District. But this
they decided not to touch the brigade.
The choice of the top military leadership fell on the 106th Guards
Airborne Red Banner Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree
division. Why was it decided to use this airborne unit?
106th (Tula) Airborne Division was rightfully considered one of the best formations
Winged Guard. It is no coincidence that this particular division took part in
repeatedly in responsible and experimental exercises, as well as
performed high government assignments. Here are some examples
moat.
In 1957, the Tula paratroopers ensured the landing of the first
space shells with four-legged astronauts - dogs Bel-
ka, Arrow, Chernushka. And a few years later, the guardsmen of the 106th Airborne Division
were honored to meet the landing site of cosmonaut Yuri
Gagarin.
In the late 50s. (already under V.F.Margelov) soldiers of the Tula division
Airborne Forces participated in extreme climatic landing in
the vastness of the Arctic. In the midst of Margelov's reforms of the Airborne Forces in the early 70s
x years. Tula paratroopers were among the first to begin to master the new de-
santy armored vehicles BMD-1 and armored personnel carriers. The award was the pennant of the USSR Ministry of Defense
"For courage and military valor." Tula division repeatedly
was involved in extinguishing forest fires in the Moscow region and in the Central
tralnoe Non-Black Earth Region.
The question arises: why exactly the 106th Airborne Division was decided to airborne
on the Mongolian-Chinese border? After all, this division was
stationed near Moscow and, obviously, was aimed at European
sky theater of military operations. Why did not they choose the airborne divisions, dislocation
cited in Transcaucasia (104th Kirovbad Airborne Division) and Central Asia
(105th Fergana Airborne Division)? These units of the Winged Guard were trained
chen to fight in a mountainous desert area. Obviously,
the reasons are to be found in the political realm. At the beginning of 1979 in
Iran was uneasy. Iranian discontent with the Shah's despotism
regime threatened to turn into a revolutionary explosion, which happened
November 10-11, 1979 The monarchical regime in Iran was overthrown, and by
the Muslim clergy came to power, led by Ayatollah R. Kha-
me. It was also restless in neighboring Afghanistan, where in April
1978, overthrowing the Daud regime, the PDPA communists came to power. V
this, then still friendly country, a civil war flared up,
a threat was created that Soviet troops would be drawn into the civil strife of the DRA.
Therefore, the 105th and 104th Airborne Forces were on the alert.
106th Airborne Division, although it was considered a "forest" division, nevertheless
had the experience of landing in the mountainous desert area. Back in 1966
The 137th Guards Airborne Regiment took part in the large
exercises on the territory of the Transcaucasus and successfully landed on
mountainous firmament. In 1978, the same 137th regiment, as part of the experiment, de-
was sent to a mountainous desert territory.
So the choice was made. The 106th Airborne Division was transferred to Mongolia.
From fragmentary sources it is difficult to accurately determine in
Is the full complement of the Tula division headed for exercises in a distant
Mongolia.
In the book " Airborne troops Russia "states:" In
In 1979, the division was alerted and a few days later
participation in exercises on the territory of Mongolia ”.
Armada of military transport aircraft with Tula paratroopers
and armored vehicles on board went to the East. It was almost un-
an approximate airborne campaign of several
thousand kilometers. The landing liners flew at high altitude. For
Several landings were made during refueling of aviation fuel.
The researcher cannot determine the exact location of the exercise.
succeeded. It is only known that the landing took place in the desert
Gobi in a few kilometers of the Mongolian-Chinese border. In our
disposal is a valuable memoir
reproduce a dramatic picture of what happened. This is remembered
air force officer (helicopter pilot) V.G. Domracheva included in the collection
nickname “Scorched by Afgan. Participants of the Afghan War are speaking. "
At the beginning of 1979, this officer served in a squadron of transport helicopters.
years, providing transportation of goods throughout Mongolia, on the territory
the theory of which many Soviet military units were deployed.
As is clear from the memoirs of V.G. Domrachev and some others
sources, the exercises were led by a group of high-ranking officers
ditch led by the First Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR march
scrap by Sergei Leonidovich Sokolov, on whom now depended
the fate of the landing, for it was this man who had to give the command
for landing in frosty and very windy weather.
V.G. Domrachev recalls: “A piercing wind blew. Blades
the helicopter flapped like the wings of a bird. “If the wind does not calm down, then you-
there will be no landing cages, ”I thought.
Forty minutes later, a messenger from the head of the field came to us.
tov and told us to prepare for the meeting of the main group of the helicopter
comrade with the leadership of the teachings. We had to show to sit down
landing site helicopters.
Ten minutes later, a real pandemonium began -
one after another, helicopters with officers of a high
rank.
There were 10 helicopters in the village, but there was no Main one, and a place near the tribune
remained free. The officers went to the podium, and immediately appeared
helicopter with the Chief. When Marshal Sokolov appears, the situation
perked up, the officers ran and fussed. After short talks
seats were taken on the podium, and one after the other at intervals of one
a minute from the north, IL landing aircraft began to appear
76.
An onboard technician approached me and asked: “Commander, is it possible
will such a wind throw paratroopers? "
"They shouldn't," I replied, "it's murder!"
The movement of the generals began in the stands, he approached Sokolov
commander of the Airborne Forces and reported that a strong wind and a drop should be carried out
it is impossible (it is highlighted by us - D.S.). He lowered his head, shook her and said
hall: “Let's make a trial landing - from one plane of people,
of the two, technique. " No one objected, everyone began to silently observe
impending tragedy.
From the side of the leader of the drop, the words were heard:
I allow! "
So, the order was received. Military transport liners one by one
Gim soared into the sky. In the belly of the planes were personnel of 137
1st regiment of the 106th Airborne Division with standard armored vehicles. At the forefront
divisional landing were soldiers of the reconnaissance regiment. Besides times
there were BMD-1 driver mechanics in one plane, and
also the officers of the regiment. In the second IL-76 plane there were three
bathrooms "beemdeshki".
The advanced detachment of Tula paratroopers, as already noted,
had to land with equipment in truly extreme conditions
in the months of the Mongolian winter. Who served in the Airborne Forces, maybe, probably,
put what the guardsmen felt in those minutes, some of whom
it was, alas, destined to live the last minutes. The angel of sorrow was already expecting
souls of warriors who were prepared for a terrible death in the Mongol
earth.
The landing began. At this moment, the wind strength reached 40
meters per second - a crazy figure for a landing. Che-
a few minutes after the start of the drop, several paratroopers (according to
some reports more than 10 people) crashed to death on the
the unbroken desert firmament. Several dozen guardsmen from the terrible
On contact with the ground, they were injured and mutilated. Crashed and
all three BMDs. The release of the main forces of the airborne regiment was immediately canceled.
whether.
This is how the mentioned eyewitness describes the death of the landing: “Under one
two points appeared from the flying planes, under the next
two more, which after a few seconds grew into a canopy of a parachute
comrade with equipment.
The parachuted equipment was rapidly approaching
to the ground, increasing before our eyes. The surrounding people were carried away by what is happening
they did not even notice how the landing force “rained down” from the next plane.
nicknames.
Two kilometers from the stands, amphibious equipment began to land.
ka. Braking systems where worked, and somewhere did not work. I AM
for the first time I saw how the towers fly off from the BMD when they hit the ground. "Good
sho that there are no people there, ”said someone from behind. These words became like
a signal: everyone remembered that the paratroopers had also been thrown out. Again, not
conspiring, raised their heads and saw how the whole sky was dotted with
parachute floors.
The paratroopers bravely fought the wind, trying to land-
Xia as close as possible to the landing equipment, but, having touched the ground, somehow
helplessly hung on the straps and, without getting to their feet, dragged along
filled with canopies of their parachutes across the desert.
For the first moment there was silence in the stands. Everyone understood that
happens, but no one could say a word.
Suddenly someone shouted in a loud voice: “Pilots, urgently launch
helicopters and collect the wounded. " We rushed to the helicopters, launched
them and flew to the victims. Had to fly through the desert
further the paratroopers, release the onboard equipment and the right
pilot so that they extinguish the parachutes and bring the paratroopers into the cockpit
helicopter. Each helicopter had five or six casualties. Pe-
dust, blood, snow mixed. Moans, screams. There were also the dead.
We transported them to a field hospital and flew away to carry out our
tasks. Later we learned that of the 108 paratroopers, exactly half of the
guilt, but the teachings continued, the losses too. "
Of course, the drop of the main landing force was canceled, thereby
the life and health of paratroopers from other units was saved
shelf. Airborne assault planes already in the air, deploying
shis, they began to return.
The exercises were completed, units and subdivisions of the 106th Airborne Forces on
transport aviation returned to the "winter quarters". Warriors of the 137th
the regiment returned to Tula by railroad communications.

Is it possible to raise the question of personal responsibility at that time
him commander of the airborne forces General D. Sukhorukov for the tragic events
tia in Mongolia at the beginning of 1979? To answer this unequivocally, of course,
hard. Probably, the posing of this question is fair and historically
appropriate. After all, we are talking about the man who commanded our
Winged guard and could influence in one way or another the described
my events. But D. Sukhorukov is not V.F. Margelov. Willpower and bold
the status of these historical subjects is unequal. Of course, Sukhorukov and
as a commander, and as a veteran of the Airborne Forces, and as a person, mentally
shaft for the tragedy that happened on the Mongolian-Chinese border. This and
clear. But it seems that inside his being he felt
guilt for the deaths of the paratroopers, although he had a hard time openly admitting this
but. Therefore, it is no coincidence that in his memoirs (“Records of the commander-
go-paratrooper ") about the tragic landing D. Sukhorukov writes in passing:
“It was necessary to land on a naked stone, gray as cement,
desert. On the day of the landing, a strong wind rose. The first
the reconnaissance company was going to jump. It was a leap to hell.
The main force drop was canceled. Aircraft located
already in the air, turned around and began to return to their airfields.
Soon the division was transported by military transport aircraft
aviation and partly by rail to places of permanent
dislocation.
The exercise showed the real possibility of military transport
aviation to carry out in a short time a transfer over long distances -
an airborne division in full force with military equipment.
The paratroopers gained experience in preparing for landing on strangers
airfields, but at the same time, some questions of the rear
security and a number of others, on which decisions were later made "
.
And that's all. About the tragedy that happened on this territory, about the death and
mutilation of almost 50 paratroopers from the Tula division, ex-commander
The Airborne Forces chose not to write.
Why? Perhaps because I felt my share of guilt in
what's happened? Who knows…
What did the "Iron Man" feel, V.F. Margelov, when he
became aware of what happened in Mongolia? It is clear that. Newly minted
the retired inspector, of course, felt pain with all his heart and
Renne mourned the dead guardsmen. There is no doubt that the "landing
Dad "then asked the question more than once: who gave, in fact, a crime
ny order to start the landing?
Indeed, who? Available source materials,
Unfortunately, there are no people at our disposal to answer the question. Logically
things, the decisive word, obviously, was for the person who commanded
then gave teachings. And it was Marshal S.L. Sokolov, a longtime mischief
parent V.F. Margelova. According to the recollections mentioned
eyewitness, helicopter pilot V.G. Domrachev, the order came from
Marshal S.L. Sokolov. Answer exactly the question
The then commander of the 106th Airborne Division, E.N. Podkolzin, but
his soul has long since ascended to pro patria.
Thus, 1979 turned out to be a landmark for the fate of the Soviet
Airborne Forces. Resigned from the post of commander of the Winged Guard V.F. Margelov,
the Margelov era has also gone into oblivion. And, probably, it is symbolic that this
the event was marked by the fact of the tragic landing of the Tula de
santnikov in Mongolia. According to an ancient philosophical maxim, nothing
there is no accident in our life. Several months will pass, and in
the same 1979 in airborne history the era of the nine-year war will begin in
Afghanistan, in which our paratroopers will have to fight
present with a daring enemy, to fight in Margelov style, while maintaining the
me elite Soviet army... 106th Airborne Division until the end of the XX century. to this day co-
kept a reputation for being an excellent airborne unit.
In this division, not only glorious traditions are preserved,
wives of the great V.F. Margelov, but a modern
combat experience gained in local wars and conflicts.
It is believed, for example, that in the 80s 70% of the officers and warrant officers of Tul-
divisions fought in Afghanistan.
A third of a century has passed since the tragedy in February
1979 in Mongolia. The ashes of the dead soldiers have long decayed in zinc
coffins.
Marshal S.L. Sokolov, who became after Marshal D.S. Ustinova Mi-
Minister of Defense of the USSR, lived a long, dignified life. He passed away-
Xia recently, in 2012 at 102 years of age. Did he remember before leaving
to another world about the paratroopers who were killed and crippled by those unfortunate
training exercises? God will judge him. Undoubtedly, future historians of the Airborne Forces more than once
return to coverage of the events in question in Mongolia. Let it go
they will be able to restore and make public the names and titles of those soldiers
Winged Guards, who heroically carried out the order, in a peaceful
time that doomed some of them to destruction.
Tragic landing
(to the blessed memory of the guardsmen of the 137th Airborne Regiment,
killed in exercises in Mongolia in February 1979)

Troopers have been thrown into the mouth of death
And the fates of the warriors have come true;
Keeps track of a karmic guarantor
So that the gates for the warriors to Paradise are opened.
* * *
The wind raged over the desert,
Domes crack and tear
And the marshal is intoxicated with pride,
He is silent, and God will judge him.
* * *
The frozen ground is hard as stone,
Our landing is fighting against this firmament.
Death came for 10 soldiers;
Oh, how many tears of relatives will be shed.
* * *
Blood sprinkled on the landing field
The wounded soldiers are dragged by the domes.
And many in that nightmare will be saved;
Fate saved them from fierce death.
* * *
Who is to blame for the landing tragedy?
That proud marshal who gave the order
Doom people to death? He is not worthy
To be understood, justified among us?

V 1987 year The government of the USSR, in agreement with the Mongolian authorities, made a decision on the phased withdrawal of the grouping of Soviet troops (39 armies) from the territory of Mongolia.

A state-significant decision, like many military-political steps of those years, was taken suddenly for the military side, including for the leadership of the Trans-Baikal Military District.

Grouping of troops in Mongolia was a large military organism, in fact, a third of the entire district, its face and pride. Seven divisions (including aviation) and more than 200 units, the most complex infrastructure, tens of thousands of human destinies. The 39th Army was commanded by Lieutenant General Yu.I. Momotov, V.T. Shevtsov, V.S. Tretyakov, L.S. Maiorov.

In the capital Ulan Bator there was a large garrison of Soviet troops. In the endless Mongolian steppes, there are dozens of military garrisons, airfields, bases, warehouses, housing, product pipelines and even 4 swimming pools. All the best in the ZabVO was there - in the Gobi desert, the steppes of the nomads. It was created by builders from scratch. Take 51st Panzer Division... She was stationed in the town of Ulan-Orkhon on the banks of the most picturesque river. There were excellent conditions for engaging in combat training, a modern park area with technological lines, an excellent tank training ground, where ideal conditions were created for training tank crews in mountainous desert areas. In the town, officers, warrant officers and members of their families, civilian personnel did not experience difficulties: a school, a garrison officers' house, a hotel, a household plant, modern residential buildings. Families did not know the special housing and household problems that existed in other garrisons in the district. A snag in one - the distance to the nearest railway line is more than a hundred kilometers. Delivery of materiel only by road. One can imagine the large costs that the state cost to maintain such a garrison. And there were dozens of such towns in endless Mongolia.

In a short time, planning was carried out for the redeployment and deployment of the withdrawn troops in new places, measures for the moral and psychological adaptation of servicemen and their family members, responsible persons were identified, operational groups were created, the necessary forces and resources were allocated.

By the time of the withdrawal, the grouping of the 39th Army consisted of the following main formations and units:

- 2 Guards Tatsinskaya Red Banner Order of Suvorov Tank Division (Choibolsan), withdrawn to Mirnaya, Bezrechnaya.
- 12 Amur Motorized Rifle Division (Boganur), withdrawn to Divisionnaya station.
- 41 motorized rifle division (Choir), withdrawn to Sherlovaya Gora station.
- 51 tank division (Bulgan (Ulan-Orkhon), withdrawn to Naushki.
- 91 Melitopol Red Banner Motorized Rifle Division (Mandal-Gobi), withdrawn to Nizhneudinsk.
- 149 Ural - Khingan Red Banner Motorized Rifle Division (Erdenet).
- 20 reconnaissance brigade (Arbay-Khare);
- 25 reconnaissance brigade;
- 2065 separate battalion OsNaz (Sein-Shand);
- 46 brigade material support(Ulan Bator);
- 195 a separate communications regiment;
- 904 separate air assault battalion;
- 255 separate radio relay battalion;
- 77 separate electronic warfare battalion;
- 70 anti-aircraft missile brigade;
- 71 radio engineering brigade;
- ;
- 373 a separate helicopter regiment;
- 313 pontoon bridge regiment;
- 622 a separate repair and recovery battalion;
- 203 separate reconnaissance artillery battalion.
Air Force units:
- 68 separate transport and combat helicopter regiment (Nalaikha);
- 29 Amur Fighter and Bomber Aviation Division (Ulan Bator);
- 43 Sevastopol Red Banner Order of Suvorov Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Choibolsan);
- 266 Iap (Nalaikha);
- 246 iad (Choir).

The beginning of the withdrawal of our troops from the territory of Mongolia can be considered the redeployment 91st motorized rifle division to the south-west of the district. In the summer of 1987, the division commander, Major General V. Suslov, was given the task of withdrawing. From the headquarters of the 29th Army, the deputy chief of staff, Major General S.K. Lopukhov. The general leadership was entrusted to Lieutenant General V.M. Semenova. From the construction department, the deputy head of the construction department, Colonel V.I. Popov.

There were only 30 vacant apartments at the site of the future deployment. It was necessary to rebuild a military town. We worked around the clock. In record time - in 27 days, the "box" of a sixty-apartment building was erected.

Five such houses for the 91st division were commissioned. Without a lot of fanfare and unnecessary advertising. A dormitory for young families of officers and warrant officers was built from two prefabricated panel barracks. The housing problem of this garrison was solved as soon as possible.

51st Guards Tank Division commanded by Major General V.N. Lepikhov, had to be relocated to an extremely difficult place for arrangement. There were abundant hills, a narrow ground for excavation work, and an inconvenient terrain created additional difficulties. To reduce the construction time, they decided to use prefabricated metal storage facilities that were removed from the territory of Mongolia. Colonel V. Popov, Lieutenant Colonels V. Kuznetsov, A. Prosviryakov, together with representatives of military units, supervised the work in the areas. The design documentation was compiled by Major V. Momonov. The district command took into account the experience of motorized riflemen. The construction of open storage sites has become optimal, and also exemplary for the area.

The leadership of the district and the 39th Army, thanks to the initiative and selfless work of the personnel on the ground, managed to rebuild in a short time a good base for the withdrawn troops in Transbaikalia.

What was left in Mongolia? There was no one to live in the luxurious houses of the 101st series. The Mongols have neither people nor money to maintain their residential towns in working order. Among Mongolian and Russian entrepreneurs, there were buyers for some military camps in the capital Ulaanbaatar and the Mant garrison. Everything else was transferred to the Mongolian side free of charge. In 19 garrisons there are 181 military towns6 5 thousand buildings and structures, of which 358 residential buildings, 110 hostels, 124 canteens, 528 barracks, 71 soldiers' clubs, 22 schools. In addition, 7 military airfields with service and support buildings were transferred.

JV Ulan Batorskaya Railway”Also did not miss her chances. We paid for the carriage of goods to Russia not in rubles - in Swiss francs, 850 francs per wagon.

Environmental groups have been created in each compound. They were given engineering, automobile and other equipment, with the help of which land reclamation was carried out, the consequences of the life of the troops during a long stay on Mongolian land were eliminated. Only after the signing of the act did the "ecologists" consider their work finished. By 1990, the command of the 39th Army was disbanded and a combat command group was created.

The main stages of the withdrawal: 1987 - 91st Motorized Rifle Division, 1989 - 51st TD, 1990 - 41st and 2 TD, 1991 - 12th Motorized Rifle Division, parts of the army kit were withdrawn at the same time. The number of withdrawn troops amounted to 79,960 servicemen, 26,247 units of military equipment and weapons were redeployed.

The most powerful group for decades, as the Americans planned in Europe, and from 1987 to 1992 was completely redeployed and deployed on the territory of our country.
The troops are gone. Good-neighborliness between Russia and Mongolia, the military cooperation of the two armies remained.

How many abandoned garrisons in our country, no one ever counted, and even more so no one thought about the fate of the people who remained to live in these places. It seems to me that this problem remains untouched in most cases, the authorities forget about these places and the people who exist there.

Perfect, Peaceful, Borzya, Domna, Bada, Clear, Steppe, Dauria ... V Soviet years in Transbaikalia, dozens of military camps were built. For the most part along the federal highway "Chita-Zabaikalsk", which leads directly to our neighboring China.

Everything was thought out to the smallest detail. Military units and townships were equipped and kept in full combat readiness. So in the 70s and 80s of the twentieth century, living behind such a military shield was absolutely not scary. Today, following the same route, observing abandoned and dilapidated military buildings and five-story buildings, you are horrified: did people really live here once ...

Garrison Mirnaya

Peaceful in Soviet times It was considered the best, exemplary garrison.In the 60-90s, numerous military units were located here: motorized rifle, tank and artillery. Three to five-story barracks, car parks, storage facilities, shooting ranges and training grounds for tactical exercises, more than a dozen five-story residential buildings (DOS) for officers and their families.

Always clean and welcoming town, turned into ruins - or better to say "ghost town". And looking at the arch of the central entrance, one can see the individuality and beauty of this particular garrison. And I can't even believe that a few years ago a carefree children's laughter was heard in the garrison, young mothers walked with strollers, shops were open, garden, at school clubs and sports sections were working, and the next Saturday ball was being prepared in the officers' house, in general life went on as usual. And it all ended at one point when the order came to disband the garrison.

Near the garrisons, as in those days, there is a small village in which they live and work on subsidiary plots locals... For whom theirs "burenka" is, in most cases, both a source of income and a breadwinner in the house. And the ruins of a once prosperous town rise above the village. Looking around the present garrison, it seems that all living things here have died from some kind of epidemic or radiation. slabs and bricks. The pulled out foundation gives the impression that some kind of underground animals unknown to science are found here, which upturn these huge masses of bricks and cement.

And the pieces of slabs hanging from the houses that are still holding on to pieces of steel that have not rotted create the impression that the town came under fire from powerful artillery and everyone fled in panic, leaving only silent witnesses, the ruins of houses, of these events.

No, but all the same it is more reminiscent that some small local war about which they did not tell anyone and about which they very quickly forgot, but it is not clear with whom this war was?
There was no nuclear explosion, no epidemic, no war, but only one of the abandoned and unnecessary military garrison!

Garrison Flawless

Six kilometers from Mirnaya there is Bezrechnaya station. Once upon a time, the Bezrechninsky garrison was considered one of the most powerful in Transbaikalia. An entire tank division was stationed here. The large and solid garrison was disbanded quickly, without place, in a working order, however, like all the other Trans-Baikal garrisons. Now, on the site of the military town, you can see only piles of broken bricks, pieces of concrete and thickets of weeds. For fifteen years, five-story barracks, headquarters, artillery depots, vehicle fleets, and boiler rooms have collapsed. Millions of weighty Soviet rubles invested in their construction have been crushed. The remains of a concrete fence indicate that the Soviet army was once stationed here.

Garrison Yasnaya

The Yasnaya rocketry garrison survived in the 90s, but changed owners. After the disbandment of the missile division, its place was taken by units of the Siberian Military District. With the arrival of the infantry, the access control to the military town has sunk into eternity. We quickly painted over a visual rocket-themed propaganda. Due to the smaller number of personnel, a number of facilities were closed. It became allowed to travel by personal transport along the streets of the town.

Local residents also contributed. All orphaned and not very objects were quickly dismantled piece by piece. For example, the stadium was stolen. All the rooms were literally bare, the benches disappeared. The same fate befell the medical warehouses, the educational building closer to the shooting range, the drive of helicopter pilots, etc.

But, in spite of everything, Yasnaya, in comparison with other garrisons of Transbaikalia, is in one of the first places. There are minibuses to Chita, a polyclinic and a hospital are working, there is a cellular connection.

Garrison Steppe

Following Mirna and Bezrechnaya, looking back at the glimmering life of the military town in Yasnaya, the military town at the Steppe station also dies. On December 1, 2010, the troops were officially withdrawn from the garrison. The checkpoint is open, some of the five-story DOSs look at the world with empty and dark windows. Life stops, ceases to exist.

Dauria Garrison

Once the military town of the village of Dauria was an example of order and cleanliness. This whole idyll lasted until the military units were withdrawn from here. Since the barracks were empty, state property has remained virtually unguarded.
Dilapidated buildings today pose a real danger, overhanging structures can collapse at any time, especially since these objects have become a regular pilgrimage site for brick cutters. However, the overlap can also collapse from a passing car. When the military left, there were about a hundred structures, according to local administration officials. Now about three dozen.

Bad Garrison

Bada was a powerful military center of the Trans-Baikal Military District (ZabVO) - here, in addition to the pilots, there were many military units, including an engineering brigade, a tank regiment, etc.

Now 80% of the parts have been withdrawn