The current army youth was only born when "porridge was being made" in Afghanistan. And today's 18-to 20-year-olds, at least many of them, find it difficult to understand their peers of the early eighties. How they were really eager to go where it was hot, where it was possible to challenge fate, to confirm the inner impulses of youthful maximalism. In reality, the guys beat the doorsteps of military enlistment offices with the only request-to send them to Afghanistan. Those who were already in the ranks also pestered their commanders with the same thing.

There is now a widespread belief that Afghanistan was a mistake. For whom and what exactly? I want to know more about this, of course. And not from the lips of politicians. The price of their "true word" is now known.

Our current interlocutors - Igor Urazaev and Vladimir Kolybabinsky-were there when they were twenty years old, were, as they say, at the cutting edge. Urazaev finished his military service in Afghanistan in the intelligence company. Kolybabinsky served as a lieutenant there. How did they perceive the events then, and what has changed in their assessments now?

I. Urazaev (time of service in the Limited contingent of Soviet troops in the DRA from December 1979 to June 1980):

"If it wasn't for the Afghan, my career as an officer might have been different. At least the first stars on the shoulder straps received two years earlier. In 1979, I was enrolled in the 1st year at the Sverdlovsk Military School. There he entered after a year of military service in the Vitebsk Airborne Division. Shortly before the first official reports on the entry of troops into the DRA, the Soldier's telegraph reported on possible serious events near the southern borders of the country. Almost all of our training platoon, as well as a large part of the guys from our course, wrote reports with a request to send them to serve in Afghanistan for a while. Such naivety, and most importantly, the activity and mass character of the political department and the "osobists"were very scared. In fact, the patriotic actions of the cadets were called a demarche, and, of course, the so-called instigators were also found. Your humble servant is one of those "switchmen". One way or another, but I, the deputy commander of an advanced platoon, was expelled from school due to poor academic performance.

In a very short time, I was already with my former colleagues from the reconnaissance company of the Vitebsk division near Kabul. So, even if it was not quite smooth, with rough edges, but I still got to Afghanistan, in other words, I achieved what, in general, I was striving for.

I will say more, if before Afghanistan I had some doubts about my life choice, then there I almost decided on my future. I saw the real officers in the case, learned the true value of what is called military brotherhood.

V. Kolybabinsky (served in the OKSV from November 1985 to December 1987):

- I still consider the years of service in Afghanistan, and this was the time of lieutenant formation, the most memorable period in my life. I graduated from the Ryazan VVDKU, Got to serve in the Pskov division, in the regiment-the initiator of the social competition. That was something!

When there was an opportunity to be replaced in Afghanistan, I did not hesitate. My wife had to be misled. I told her that I was being sent out on a team and the decision had already been made. I myself had to go and almost persuade the head of the division's personnel department. My wife was pregnant, and I didn't have enough housing. In short, the circumstances are not in my favor. But nothing, I sent my wife to my parents, so the housing issue disappeared by itself.

No, I didn't run away from difficulties. But somehow I felt that a lot of what we were doing was like a squirrel in a wheel. And interestingly, in many ways I was right. The service in Afghanistan was quite different ... I. Urazaev:

- What helped us out in Afghanistan and then what was missing in Chechnya? Going through the service "beyond the river", we were sure: "This is necessary." Ideological work practically did not fail. We were constantly and not unsuccessfully convinced that our sometimes risky and dangerous service, in general, on foreign soil, is nothing more than protection on the far approaches of the southern borders of the country. And without exaggeration, I will say that we were really proud of the task assigned to us and tried to do it better.

We had no time for philosophical assessments. Now I probably look at the Afghan campaign differently. In part, apparently, these events turned out to be a political adventure. But as for the combat use of troops, we have passed a good school. It was a hardening of both professional training and moral and psychological development, which later helped me a lot. It was easier in school, because I understood it well: what they teach you here is necessary, and it will all come in handy.

V. Kolybabinsky:

- What immediately surprised me at my new place of service was the striking difference in relations between people. And between all, as they say, categories. Most of all, I was struck by the attitude of soldiers to officers. They immediately made it clear to me that I was the commander of my platoon, and that I was "king, god, and military commander"to my men. Submission is unquestioning, respect is sincere. At first, I had an experienced deputy platoon commander, Sergeant Shestopal. It turned out that at the initial stage, he even took care of me somehow. Before the operation, he will show you on his fingers, tell you what to do, when, for example, we approach the hill or when we need to go around it, who should be sent ahead, who should be left behind, how to place signalmen, observers, etc. You can't explain all the martial science in the instructions. Details and nuances were passed on to each other, from shift to shift. The soldier-officer spike was strong.

I. Urazaev:

- In Afghanistan, my idea of the commander was formed. There I formulated it as follows:"The lieutenant brought me to the mountains - only he can bring me back." This is what I later defined for myself as a commander's credo.

Of course, there the officers played a huge role for us. In most cases, they served as an example to us. But even in us, as I believe, the commanders believed, something we all had in common and united. So many years have passed, and the opportunity is given-we meet. My commanders are well-deserved people. Platoon commander Alexander Ivanovich Lentsov now commands the division, General. Deputy company officer, now Colonel, Komar Gennady Ivanovich serves at the headquarters of the Airborne Forces. Another former platoon leader, Yuri Nikolaevich Khizhnyak, teaches science to future officers in Ryazan.

V. Kolybabinsky:

- Literally from the first day in Afghanistan, I was given to understand that I was a platoon commander. Not a responsible person, not a senior team member, but the commander of his own unit. That's a big difference. They trust me. I make the decision, and I'm responsible for it. I have nothing to be ashamed of, either for myself or for my subordinates. We knew how to fight then, we practically did not go out of combat, and we knew how to save people. Be

And this is how they remember this war, too. Afghan children welcome " Shuravi "

we have at least a few units with the "Afghan school", I will say unequivocally that no massacre would have occurred in Chechnya. After the first serious clashes, the militants were careful not to contact us. :

- It seems to me that in a large-scale sense, the Afghan and Chechen parallels look somewhat strained. There are a lot of differences. Another question is that everyone who has been to one and the other war, willingly or unwittingly made comparisons. Of course, the training of our units in Chechnya was noticeably inferior to that of the Soviet Army. But after all, we were already in our southern republic not for a day, not for two. We learned a lot along the way. And here, of course, the Afghan experience has played a role. I tried to put myself in the place of my subordinates, giving orders, always thinking about the soldier's perception. I think it helped me to solve my tasks successfully.

V. Kolybabinsky:

"There are still quite a lot of Afghan officers and warrant officers serving in the army." However, every year our ranks are thinning - time passes. And it is very disappointing that our combat experience is practically not used. Combat training in the troops barely glimmers, this is at best. But if we miss the moment now, if we continue only to fight for the survival of the army, we will lose something that will be difficult to acquire later-combat training. It's sad if you ever have to step on the same rake again.

FROM THE EDITORIAL OFFICE. The ending of the conversation of the "Afghans"turned out to be minor. Yes, in fact, optimism in this case is not justified. People who have been through two wars, hot spots, say what they think, give an assessment of what they see. They are sincere in their statements, there is no doubt about that. The track record of our interlocutors is also convincing. We will not, however, give it (at the request of our authors) in full. Let's limit ourselves to the fact that we note: Heroes of the Russian Federation, holders of military orders Lieutenant Colonel Kolybabinsky and Major Urazaev continue to serve the Fatherland. They believe that their experience and knowledge are still needed by the army. We also believe in it.

Permanent link to this publication: