It's been twenty-six years since the last Soviet soldier left Afghanistan. But many participants in those long-standing events have left a spiritual wound that still aches and hurts. How many of our Soviet children, still very young boys, died in the Afghan war! How many mothers shed tears at zinc coffins! How much blood of innocent people has been shed! And all human grief lies in one small word - "war" …
How many people died in the Afghan war?
According to official data, about 15 thousand Soviet soldiers did not return home to the USSR from Afghanistan. So far, 273 people are listed as missing. More than 53 thousand soldiers were wounded and shell-shocked. The losses in the Afghan war for our country are colossal. Many veterans believe that the Soviet leadership made a big mistake by getting involved in this conflict. How many lives could have been saved if their decision had been different.
Until now, disputes about how many people died in the Afghan war do not stop. After all, the official figure is nottakes into account the pilots who died in the sky, who were transporting cargo, soldiers returning home, and came under fire, nurses and paramedics caring for the wounded.
Afghan war 1979-1989
On December 12, 1979, a meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU decided to send Russian troops to Afghanistan. They have been located in the country since December 25, 1979 and were supporters of the government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Troops were brought in to prevent the threat of military intervention from other states. The decision to help Afghanistan from the USSR was made after numerous requests from the leadership of the republic.
The conflict broke out between the opposition (dushmans, or Mujahideen) and the armed forces of the government of Afghanistan. The parties could not share political control over the territory of the republic. A number of European countries, Pakistani intelligence services and the US military provided support to the Mujahideen during the hostilities. They also provided them with ammunition supplies.
The entry of Soviet troops was carried out in three directions: Khorog - Faizabad, Kushka - Shindad - Kandahar and Termez - Kunduz - Kabul. The airfields of Kandahar, Bagram and Kabul received Russian troops.
The main stages of the war
The stay of the USSR armed forces in Afghanistan consisted of 4 stages.
1. December 1979 - February 1980. Phased entry and deployment of Soviet troops on the territory of the republic.
2. March 1980 - April 1985. Conducting active operations jointly with Afghan unitsfighting.
3. May 1985 - December 1986. Soviet aviation, sapper units and artillery supported the actions of the Afghan troops. Controlled the import of ammunition from abroad. Six Soviet regiments returned to the USSR during this period of time.
4. January 1987 - February 1989. Soviet units continued to support the Afghan troops in their combat operations. Preparations were underway to return home and a complete withdrawal of Soviet troops was carried out. It lasted from May 15, 1988 to February 15, 1989, led by Lieutenant General Boris Gromov.
The Afghan War (1979-1989) lasted a little less than ten years, 2238 days to be exact.
The heroism of the Soviet soldier
Heroes of the Afghan war are probably known to many citizens of Russia. Everyone heard about their brave deeds. The history of the war in Afghanistan has many courageous and heroic deeds. How many soldiers and officers bore the hardships and hardships of military operations, and how many of them returned to their homeland in zinc coffins! They all proudly call themselves Afghan warriors.
Every day the bloody events in Afghanistan are becoming more and more distant from us. The heroism and courage of Soviet soldiers are unforgettable. They have earned the gratitude of the Afghan people and the respect of the Russians by fulfilling their military duty to the Fatherland. And they did it selflessly, as required by the military oath. For heroic deeds and courage, Soviet wars were awarded high state awards, many of whichthem posthumously.
In the list of awardees
More than 200,000 servicemen were awarded orders and medals of the USSR, 11,000 of them posthumously. 86 people received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 28 of them never found out about him, as the award came too late.
In the ranks of the Afghan heroes there are representatives of different types of troops: tankers, paratroopers, motorized riflemen, aviators, sappers, signalmen, etc. The fearlessness of our soldiers in extreme conditions speaks of their professionalism, endurance and patriotism. The feat of the hero, who shielded the commander with his chest in battle, cannot leave anyone indifferent.
We remember, we are proud…
The heroes of the Afghan war are not very willing to remember the events of the war years. They probably do not want to reopen old wounds that are still bleeding, one has only to touch. I would like to highlight at least some of them, because the feat should be immortalized in years. The soldiers who died in the Afghan war deserve to be talked about.
Private N. Ya. Afinogenov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously. He covered the retreat of his colleagues while performing an important combat mission. When he ran out of ammunition, he destroyed himself and the dushmans who were nearby with the last grenade. Sergeants N. Chepnik and A. Mironenko did the same when they were surrounded.
There are dozens more such examples of self-sacrifice. The cohesion of Soviet soldiers, mutual assistance in combat, solidarity of commanders and subordinates cause a specialpride.
Private Yuri Fokin died trying to save a wounded commander. The soldier simply covered him with his body, preventing him from dying. Guards Private Yuri Fokin was posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Star. Soldier G. I. Komkov performed an identical feat.
Striving at the cost of their lives to fulfill the order of the commander, to protect their comrade, to preserve military honor - this is the basis of all the heroic deeds of our soldiers in Afghanistan. The current defenders of the Motherland have someone to take an example from. How many of our guys died in the Afghan war! And each of them is worthy of the title of hero.
How it all started
The history of the Afghan war is tragic. In 1978, the April Revolution took place in Afghanistan, as a result of which the People's Democratic Party came to power. The government proclaimed the country a democratic republic. MN Taraki took over as head of state and prime minister. X. Amin was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
On July 19, the Afghan authorities offered the USSR to bring in two Soviet divisions in case of emergency. Our government made small concessions to resolve this issue. It proposed to send one special battalion and helicopters with Soviet crews to Kabul in the coming days.
On October 10, the Afghan authorities officially announced the sudden death of Taraki from a serious incurable disease. Later it turned out that the head of state was strangled by officers of the presidential guard. The persecution of Taraki's supporters began. The civil war in Afghanistan has actually already begun inNovember 1979.
Decision to send troops into Afghanistan
The deceased head of state Taraki wanted to be replaced by a more progressive figure. Therefore, after his death, Babrak Karmal took over the post.
On December 12, after coordinating his actions with the commission of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Brezhnev decided to provide military assistance to Afghanistan. On December 25, 1979, at 15:00 Moscow time, the entry of our troops into the republic began. It should be noted that the role of the USSR in the Afghan war is huge, as the Soviet units provided all possible support to the Afghan army.
The main reasons for the failures of the Russian army
At the beginning of the war, luck was on the side of the Soviet troops, proof of this is the operation in Panjshir. The main misfortune for our units was the moment when Stinger missiles were delivered to the Mujahideen, which easily hit the target from a considerable distance. The Soviet military did not have the equipment capable of hitting these missiles in flight. As a result of the use of the Stinger by the Mujahideen, several of our military and transport aircraft were shot down. The situation only changed when the Russian army managed to get their hands on some missiles.
Change of power
In March 1985, power in the USSR changed, the post of president passed to M. S. Gorbachev. His appointment significantly changed the situation in Afghanistan. The question immediately arose of the Soviet troops leaving the country in the near future, and some steps were even taken toimplementation of this.
A change of power also took place in Afghanistan: B. Karmal was replaced by M. Najibullah. The gradual withdrawal of Soviet units began. But even after that, the struggle between the Republicans and Islamists did not stop and continues to this day. However, for the USSR, the history of the Afghan war ended there.
The main reasons for the outbreak of hostilities in Afghanistan
The situation in Afghanistan has never been considered calm due to the republic's location in a geopolitical region. The main rivals who wanted to have influence in this country were at one time the Russian Empire and Great Britain. In 1919, the Afghan authorities declared independence from England. Russia, in turn, was one of the first to recognize the new country.
In 1978, Afghanistan received the status of a democratic republic, after which new reforms followed, but not everyone wanted to accept them. This is how the conflict between the Islamists and the Republicans developed, which as a result led to a civil war. When the leadership of the republic realized that they could not cope on their own, they began to ask for help from their ally - the USSR. After some hesitation, the Soviet Union decided to send its troops to Afghanistan.
Memory Book
Further and farther away from us is the day when the last units of the USSR left the lands of Afghanistan. This war left a deep, indelible mark, covered in blood, in the history of our country. Thousands of young people who had not yet had time to see the life of the guys did not return home. Like thisscary and painful to remember. What were all these sacrifices for?
Hundreds of thousands of Afghan soldiers went through serious trials in this war, and not only did not break, but also showed such qualities as courage, heroism, devotion and love for the Motherland. Their fighting spirit was unshakable, and they went through this cruel war with dignity. Many were wounded and treated in military hospitals, but the main wounds that remained in the soul and are still bleeding cannot be cured by even the most experienced doctor. Before the eyes of these people, their comrades bled and died, dying a painful death from wounds. The Afghan soldiers have only the eternal memory of their fallen friends.
The Book of Memory of the Afghan War has been created in Russia. It immortalizes the names of the heroes who fell on the territory of the republic. In each region there are separate Books of Memory of soldiers who served in Afghanistan, in which the names of the heroes who died in the Afghan war are entered by name. The pictures from which young handsome guys look at us make the heart shrink from pain. After all, none of these boys are already alive. “In vain the old woman is waiting for her son to go home…” - these words have been engraved in the memory of every Russian since the Second World War and make the heart shrink. So let the eternal memory of the heroes of the Afghan war remain, which will be refreshed by these truly sacred Books of Memory.
The outcome of the Afghan war for the people is not the result that the state has achieved to resolve the conflict, but the number of human casu alties, which is in the thousands.
