February 15, 1989 At 10.00 local time the last Soviet soldier crossed the border, dividing the Soviet Union and Afghanistan on the bridge across the Amu Darya River near the small Uzbek city of Termez. This soldier was Lieutenant General B. V. Gromov, who closed the last column of the 40th Army, which symbolizing completion of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan After many years and bloody war.

Crossing an invisible face - the state border, the commander of the army suspended and, turning towards Afghanistan, quietly, but clearly said several phrases that do not lie on paper, and then said to correspondents: "There is not a single serviceman of the 40th army for my back . So ended the Afghan war, which began and lasted more than 9 years. The war that claimed the lives of more than 14 thousand and crippled more than 53 thousand Soviet citizens and more than a million Afghans.

On February 7, 1980, a meeting of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee was held, where the issue of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan was considered. The Soviet leadership at the meeting regarding the withdrawal of troops was negative.
In particular, D. F. Ustinov said: "I think that you will need a year, or even a half until the situation in Afghanistan stabilizes, and before that we cannot think about the withdrawal of troops, otherwise we can nourish a lot of trouble." L. I. Brezhnev: "I think we need to even increase the contingent of troops in Afghanistan." A. A. Gromyko: "After some time, the troops will definitely be derived from Afghanistan. It seems to me that we should think about what contractual obligations to establish between the parties after such that it would be possible to bring troops. We need to ensure complete security of Afghanistan. "

At the end of February 1980, again, on the initiative of L. I. Brezhnev, the question of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan was worked out. It was believed that, overthrowing H. Amin, consolidating the new Afghan government B. Karmaly, they fulfilled their task.
But J. V. Andropov, D. F. Ustinov, were opposed to the withdrawal of troops, and possibly A. A. Gromyko, so they did not make it. Probably, the decision was influenced by a sharp exacerbation of the situation in Kabul at the end of February: the Soviet embassy was fired, several of our citizens were killed. Then government forces hardly managed to overclock thousands of crowds of fanatics.

In May 1981, the Ambassador of the USSR to Dog F. A. Tabyev at the meeting of military advisers outlined the official point of view on the prospects for the stay of the Soviet troops in Afghanistan: "We assumed that in a short time, no more than a year, using the army as a deterrence, not imposing in Combat, create conditions for establishing and strengthening the new leadership and develop a new stage of the revolution. And then, while global public opinion does not have time to negatively respond, withdraw the troops. But the year has passed and it turned out that the leadership of Afghanistan does not have its own military support for the protection of the country. Therefore, now, for the next two years, the task of creating an Afghan army, combining, to the ruled government ".

In early 1982, the UN Secretary-General Perez de Cuang, his deputy D. Cordoves and others, were connected to active participation in the settlement of the Afghan problem. 12 rounds of negotiations were organized, 41 discussions with the participation of Soviet, Afghan, American and Pakistani diplomats. As a result, a package of documents on the withdrawal of troops was prepared.
In Moscow, immediately after coming to power Yu. V. Andropov, they answered positively on these proposals.
On May 19, 1982, the Soviet ambassador in Pakistan officially confirmed the desire of the USSR and the DRA to appoint the timing of the conclusion of the contingent of Soviet troops. Yu. V. Andropov was ready to submit an eight-month-old troop conclusion program. But at that time confrontation between the USSR and the United States intensified. South of Yu. V. Andropov left. D. Cardians handed over his project to Moscow and Washington, but did not receive the answer.

After coming to power K. U. Chernenko, the negotiation process in Afghanistan was suspended, although the military all persistently asked the conclusion of troops.

The negotiation process was resumed only in 1985 after the election of M. S. Gorbachev by the Secretary General of the CPSU Central Committee. In October 1985, the Politburo was tasked to accelerate the decision on the withdrawal of Soviet troops. At the same time, the authorities of Afghanistan were notified of our solid intention to bring their troops. B. Karmala commented on this decision: "If you go now, next time you have to introduce a million soldier."

In February 1986, at the XXII Congress of the CPSU M. S. Gorbachev reported that the plan of the phased conclusion of the Soviet troops was developed and will be fulfilled immediately after a political settlement. In May 1986, instead of B. Karmal, NDPA was elected to the post of Secretary General of the Central Committee of the CCP (Nadzhib). B. Karmal went to "rest and treatment" in the USSR.
At the meeting of the Politburo on November 13, 1986, a large-scale task was raised: for two years, the conclusion of our troops from Afghanistan (in 1987 to withdraw half of the troops, and in 1988 - the remaining 50%).

On April 14, 1988, a number of documents were signed with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan and Pakistan in Geneva, a number of documents designed to put the end of bloodshed. The guarantors of the fulfillment of the agreements were made by the USSR and the United States, in accordance with which the USSR assumed the obligation to bring their troops from Afghanistan into a nine-month period since May 15, 1988. During the first three months, it was planned to withdraw half of all troops.
Pakistan and the United States should have stopped any interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. A plan-schedule of troops on April 7, 1988 was signed by the Minister of Defense Marshal D. T. Yazov. By this time, their number in Afghanistan was 100.3 thousand people. The conclusion was planned to be carried out in parallel through two border points - thermez (Uzbekistan) and a cabin (Turkmenistan).

By carrying out the planned withdrawal of the troops, the USSR continued to provide a significant military assistance to Afghanistan. The accelerated pace was the preparation of Afghan specialists, reserves of material resources were created in key areas and on guard outposts. The 40th Army continued to participate in battles with Mujaheds, strikes were applied on the databases of militants with R-300 missiles and aviation from the territory of the Soviet Union.

The closer the period of the start of the second stage of the withdrawal of troops was approached, the more concern the Afghan leadership showed. In September 1988, President of Afghanistan Sujibullah in a conversation with generals V. I. Varennikov, head of the representative office of the USSR Ministry of Defense in Afghanistan, and B. V. Gromov,
The commander of the 40th Army, attempted to delay Soviet troops in Afghanistan. Military command unambiguously expressed this proposal. However, such a position of Afghans found an understanding of some of the leaders of the USSR. Under their pressure, the challenge of the troops changed. The second stage of the withdrawal of troops from Kabul was to begin in November 1988, and in accordance with the new directive of the Ministry of Defense, it began only January 15, 1989

But this is not limited to this. In January 1989, President Nadzhibullah during meetings in Kabul with the USSR Foreign Minister E. A. Shevardnadze and
The Chairman of the KGB V. A. Kryuchkov persistently asked to leave volunteers in Afghanistan from the composition of the 40th Army in the amount of 12 thousand people for the protection of the international airport in Kabul and the strategic highway Kabul-Hiraton.
E. A. Shevardnadze gave instructions to prepare proposals for the Commission Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee on Afghanistan.
General V. I. Varennikov conveyed his negative response, despite the fact that it was proposed to establish cash payments to volunteers - officers of 5 thousand rubles, and soldiers for 1 thousand rubles per month. At the same time, the military stressed that if the decision still be accepted, it is necessary to leave a group of at least 30 thousand people.
Before taking the final decision, V. I. Varennikov gave an order to suspend the conclusion of the troops, since otherwise the left objects would have to beat with battles and losses.
Pause lasted 10 days, until January 27, 1989 and still common sense prevailed. At the meeting of the Commission, the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee on Afghanistan decided not to leave the troops, but to ensure their full conclusion on time.

On February 4, 1989, the last division of the 40th Army left Kabul. In addition to the Soviet embassy, \u200b\u200bonly small security forces remained in the capital, the management of the Operational Group of the USSR Ministry of Defense and the Office of the Chief Military Advisor, who already flew to their homeland.

February 15, 1989 From Afghanistan, Soviet troops are fully bred. The conclusion of the troops of the 40th Army was led by the last commander of a limited contingent (OXVA) Lieutenant-General Boris Gromov.

There is still a discussion about the reasons that prompted the USSR to intervene into the internal affairs of Afghanistan, and the feasibility of this step. The only thing that does not need comments are the terrible price that our country paid. About a million of Soviet soldiers and officers were held through the Afghan war, which took the lives of almost 15 thousand Soviet citizens and tens of thousands made people with disabilities, in addition, the uncountable number of Afghan rebels and civilians died.

Winners or defeated?

Disputes about what status Soviet military contingent in 1989 left Afghanistan - as a winner or defeated. However, no one calls the winners in the Afghan War, the opinions were divided about whether this war lost or did not lose the USSR. According to one point of view, the Soviet troops cannot be considered defeated: first, the task of full military victory over the enemy and control over the main territory of the country has never been officially not officially not raised. The task was to relatively stabilize the situation, to promote the strengthening of the Afghan government and prevent possible external intervention. With these tasks, according to supporters of this position, the Soviet troops coped, besides, not a single substantial defeat.

Opponents claim that in fact the task of a complete military victory and control over the Afghan territory was, but it could not be fulfilled - the tactics of the partisan war was applied, in which the final victory is almost unattainable, and the main part of the territory has always been controlled by Mujahideen. In addition, it was not possible to stabilize the position of the Socialist Afghan government, which, as a result, three years after the withdrawal of troops, it was overthrown. At the same time, no one disputes that significant military losses and economic costs have played a major role in the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. It was estimated that during the USSR war spent $ 3.8 billion annually on Afghanistan (3 billion - on the military campaign itself). The official losses of the Soviet troops 14427 people killed, more than 53 thousand injured, more than 300 prisoners and missing. At the same time, it is believed that the real number of dead is 26 thousand - in official reports they were not taken into account wounded, which died after transportation to the territory of the USSR.

Nevertheless, despite all the difficulty, inconsistency and political assessment of these events, it should be noted that the Soviet soldiers, military advisers and specialists who were in the drag were fully faithful to their military duty and fulfilled it. Eternal fame heroes!

From Afghanistan (date - May 15, 1988) and its completion (date - February 15, 1989). But before we learn what Afghanistan represented during these years.

In this country in 1987, the policy of national reconciliation began to be implemented. According to her, the NDPA refused officially from the monopoly on power. In 1987, in July, the law on political parties was published, which approved the Presidium of Rev. Revo. He regulated the activities and creation of various political parties. Only in October, the resolution at the NDPA conference was approved and signed, in which the tasks of strengthening unity were indicated. After all, the split on the "Parchs" and "Chalk" - two wings of one party - continued to act.

Constitution and President of Afghanistan

In Kabul, on November 29, the Supreme Council (Loya Jirga) took place. It was approved by the Constitution of the country, the President of State - Nadzhibulla was elected, who announced the parliament delegates to continue until July 15, 1988, policies aimed at stopping fire. The conclusion of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan was supposed to be carried out in coordination of the parties for 12 months.

Termination of major fighting

Since the beginning of 1987, the USSR troops stopped conducting offensive fighting. In clashes, they joined only in the event of an attack on their deployment. According to B. V. Gromov, Colonel-General, who commanded the 40th army, respond or proactive actions, depending on the situation, the commander should be carried out only in order to eliminate the possibility of the mass death of people.

Opposition offensive

Already since January 1987, from the second half of the month, a decisive offensive was carried out by the opposition against the Afghan and Soviet garrisons. Peaceful villages were also not left without attention. Mujahedam The presence of the 40th Army prevented the achievement of the goals they set for the overthrow of the Government of the DR. Opposition Parties At the same time, the policy of national reconciliation was regarded as a manifestation of state power, so they strengthened the struggle aimed at overthrowing it. The combat activity of the Mujahedov rose in the conditions of cessation of fire by government and Soviet troops.

Operation "Mainer"

In November-December of the same year, the "Mainer" operation was carried out, aimed at unlocking the host. Dress, taking advantage of the fact that there were no Soviet parts in the district of the host, they were restored by the fall of 1987, one of the largest transshipment bases called "Javara". She managed to defeat Soviet troops in the spring of 1986. There was a danger of creating a temporary government of the opposition forces in the host. Therefore, it was decided to carry out a large military operation of the Soviet and Afghan troops, to ensure the population of food and others necessary, to disrupt the intentions of the opposition, aimed at creating their own government of Afghanistan.

Preparation for the operation

This operation participated in the forces of the 201st and 108th motorized rifle divisions from the 40th Army and others. They were brought by the army of Afghanistan the means and forces of five infantry divisions, several special purpose divisions, one tank brigade. In addition, more than 10 government security and tsarandoy battalions participated.

Sophisticated was the situation. At first it was supposed to master the chant-chanda pass. It is located at an altitude of about 3 thousand meters. In this area, the opposition group consisted mainly from the jadran tribe, which did not obey any government at all. The tribe acted as his leaders considered it necessary. Jelaluddine, one of his immigrants, carried out the management of Mujaheds in the 1980s.

Strugging operation "Mainer"

Since negotiations with the Jelaluddine results were not brought, on November 23, it was decided to begin the operation of the "Mainer". Advanced parts on November 28 mastered the chain-chanda pass. After that, negotiations began with the leadership of the jadran tribe. However, the troops on December 16 were forced to continue fighting. On the highway on December 30, cars were moved to the host.

Geneva agreements

M. S. Gorbachev in December 1987, during his visit to the United States, said that soon it was planned to start the conclusion of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. In Geneva, the Delegation of the USSR, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States was soon satisfied. The goal was to develop an optimal political decision concerning the Afghan problem. In 1988, April 14, 5 main documents were signed on the stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan. They entered into force a month later - May 15. For these agreements, Soviet troops pledged to leave Afghanistan, and Pakistan and the United States to completely stop helping Afghan rebels.

The beginning of the withdrawal of troops according to Geneva arrangement

The USSR performed strictly all obligations taken over. Already in 1988, on August 15, an approximately half of the troops of a limited contingent was derived. The following directions were identified, according to which the conclusion of Soviet troops from Afghanistan was to be implemented: in the West - Cook, Shindand, Kandahar, in the East, the routes were united in Kabul for troops from Jelalabad, Gardez and Gazni, then they were sent through Slang to Thermis and bullets -Humery.

Opposition renews its activity

From May 15 to August 15, 1888, Soviet troops were derived from such garrisons like Gazni, Jalalabad, Kandahar, Gardes, Firebad, Lashkarkha and Kunduz. Fights with the opposition at the same time did not stop. Of course, the opposition would be a mediocre, if it did not take advantage of this convenient case. The beginning of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan was noted by the fact that oppositionists with even greater appearance began to act at this time. Regular steel from the middle of May shelling Kabul missiles. Curved previous trails came to life. For them, military equipment was supplied to the Mujahedam. Revived urgently and created in zones border with Iran and Pakistan, warehouses, bases, strengthening. The supply of weapons increased dramatically, they included the Land-Earth missiles (they reached the range of their actions to 30 km), Stinger and others.

Capturing the cities of the Maidanchahra and Calate

Of course, the result of this immediately affected. Afghan aviation activity has declined significantly. Armed opposition detachments from May 15 to October 14 were shot down by 36 helicopters and 14 aircraft owned by the Afghan Air Force. There were also attempts to master the provincial centers. Mujahideen detachments on June 24, for a while, it was possible to capture the city of Maidanchahr, which is the center of the province of Vardak. In battles for the city from the opposition, more than 2 thousand people took part. A long siege and storm was subjected to a calam, the center of the province of Zabol. The troops, taped here from other areas, defeated the precipitated, but the village - the settlement, whose residents were about 7 thousand people, turned out to be very destroyed.

Results of the 40th Army for 1988

The conclusion of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan - 1989. However, before the army left, she has been done a lot of work. B. V. Gromov (in the photo below), Colonel-General, in the book called "Limited Contingent" summed up the results for 1988.

He reported that during 1988, the activities of the 40th Army led to a significant weakening of opposition detachments. It was conducted with the divisions of Afghanistan's efforts to calculate areas located along the highways. During operations after unsuccessful negotiations with the opposition, impressive damage to the Mujahedam was applied. Soviet troops were captured by more than a thousand mountainous zenitary plants, as well as more than 30 thousand reactive shells, about 700 mortars and 25 thousand mines. Forces of the 40th Army in 1988, in his second half, seized 417 caravans owned by opposition. They followed from Iran and Pakistan. Mujaheds Nevertheless, still represented some danger to the government.

Prevent coup in Kandahar

After the care of troops in November, the oppositionists have conspired with officials of the 2nd Army Corps and tried to jointly seize power in Kandahar. I managed to prevent this coup. However, the situation was not discharged. As the Soviet parts remained less and less in the drake, the situation continued to heat in some provinces.

40th Army leaves Afghanistan

Geneva agreements were fulfilled by the USSR. The completion of the conclusion of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan was held on February 15, 1989. It was then that the 40th army left the country. The events that occurred after the conclusion of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan was reaffirmed, confirmed that the state-QWW status was maintained only due to their presence.

Final Operation

Soviet troops January 23, 1989 began the final operation - the seizure of the Salang pass. About 600 Mujahidees and 3 Soviet soldiers were killed for 2 days of combat. South Salang was thus cleared of the Ahmad-Shah Masuda troops, after which he was transferred to the troops of Afghanistan.

The end of the resistance of Najibulla

In 1989, February 15, in accordance with previously signed by Geneva agreements, the conclusion of Soviet troops from Afghanistan was completed. This largely meant the end of the resistance of Najibulla. However, the conclusion of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan did not lead to immediate collapse in the country of the Soviet regime. For another three years, M. Nadzhibulla not only controlled the largest cities, but also applied strong blows on the opposition. As an example, the opposition to the opposition's troops, which took place in April 1989 near Jalalabad. Nadzhibul simultaneously successfully reincarnated in a nationwide leader, anticipating further events after the collapse of the USSR.

The day of the conclusion of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, as you remember - February 15, 1989. However, the leaders of the United States and the USSR only at the end of 1991 announced the cessation of military supplies of the Mujaheds and the Government of Naddjibulla from January 1, 1992. If Nerzhibulla did not throw in the mercy of fate, Moscow is probably the authorities at a significant part of Afghanistan would be in the hands of politicians, pro-Russians oriented. Further patronage of the Communists of Afghanistan, of course, could hardly be taken with understanding in the world. In addition, support after 1991 former communists contradicted the tasks of the foreign policy of the then Russia. Therefore, Nadzhibulla was doomed.

The value of the withdrawal of the troops

The date of the conclusion of Soviet troops from Afghanistan is very important in the latest history of our country. The Afghan war continued from 1979 to 1989 is a sharp topic for discussions to this day. The conclusion of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan was held 2 years before the collapse of the USSR. This is one of the latest significant events in the history of the state. After 1991, there is another country - the Russian Federation, the life in which has changed significantly and continues to change to this day. However, the events that occurred in 1989, Russia's residents remember today. In 2014, February 15, the Russians celebrated an important date - 25 years of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. On this day, Shoigu awarded the participants of the Afghan war medals, other solemn events were conducted.

On February 15, 1989, the territory of Afghanistan left the last Soviet parts. Before the bridge across the border river Amu Daryu, Colonel-General Boris Gromov, the future governor of the Moscow region, and then the commander of a limited contingent in Afghanistan, jumped from the armored personnel carrier to cross the border on foot. Special correspondents "News" N. Sautin and V. Kuleshov attended.

Photo: TASS / Victor Budan, Robert Nosenel, Khojaev I.

"Today, thousands of people who gathered on the high bank of the Amudarya are observed as on the bridge connecting our country and Afghanistan, armored cars are going. On the first BTR, under the Guards Banner - Lieutenant Alexey Sergachev, who started a simple soldier in Afghanistan, "wrote in the editorial board of the newspaper on February 15, 1989.

However, Boris Gromov and those who followed the part with him left Afghanistan far from the last - behind his back there were also border guards and special forces, covering outgoing troops (they will be in Soviet territory only in the evening of the same day), as well as several hundred military personnel remaining in Afghan captivity.

The Afghan War, which lasted 10 years, from 1979 to 1989, cost the lives of thousands of Soviet soldiers - official statistics published back in 1989, estimated losses of 13 thousand people, but this figure did not take into account those who later died from wounds in hospitals . According to other researchers, losses could exceed 20 thousand people. Izvestia remembers what happened in Afghanistan in those years why the Soviet Union decided to enter troops and as events in this country are associated with a large-scale geopolitical game that the Russian and British Empire began.

A year before the commissioning of Soviet troops, in 1978, civil war began in Afghanistan. At the end of April, the People's Democratic Party came to power, as a result of the April Revolution, the People's Democratic Republic has come to power, which proclaimed the Democratic Republic in the country and the goal of conducting a number of reforms. Against opposition spoke, expressing the interests of the conservative Islamic world. The political confrontation broke into the war. In 1979, the new leadership of Afghanistan appealed to the USSR with a request to support, however the difficulties threatened with such interference were so obvious that the Soviet leadership responded with refusal, although the Soviet garrison on the border with Afghanistan for security reasons was strengthened. In total, about 20 will go to the Soviet leadership for the next year.

Approximately at the same time, US President Jimmy Carter signed a secret decree under which the United States supported the forces of the opposition, including the rebels weapons and conducted training in military camps.

However, in the autumn of 1979 in Afghanistan, the split inside the NDPA party - by order of a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Party of Hafizule Amina was arrested, and then Her leader Nur Mohammad Taraki was killed. Amin, coming to power, turned terror, which shakes the Positions of the NDPA. Fearing coming to power in Afghanistan supported by the United States of the Opposition Forces, on the side of which the Mujahideen was performed on the side, the USSR decided to enter the troops and conduct an operation to overthrow an amine. Numerous letters previously sent by the Afghan leadership of the Soviet government were used as a reason.

What the USSR was important to Afghanistan

Afghanistan, located at the junction of Central and South Asia, serves as a peculiar point of intersection of the interests of world powers fighting for domination over the Central Asian region. It is a strategic location that historically attracted the attention of a number of states.

For the USSR, conflict in Afghanistan was all the more important that it borders with three countries, then part of the Union - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Unrest inside the country could pose a threat to calm in the republics, and the coming to power of the opposition supported by NATO forces in the conditions of the Cold War was all the more undesirable.

However, armed conflict of the 1980s, which took place in the confrontation between the Soviet Union and Western countries, became a kind of continuation of a geopolitical dispute for almost two centuries. At the beginning of the XIX century, the interests of the Russian Empire, who expanded their presence in Central Asia in order to gain access to the goods of Asian peoples, as well as stop raids to their southern territories, faced the interests of the British Empire, interested in preserving their influence in India and nearby territories. In the 1830s, Russian representatives won the first diplomatic victories in Kabul, which was followed by a series of Anglo-Afghan wars, which launched almost to the end of the century. By the beginning of the 20th century, the confrontation will be preserved soon at the level of intelligence, with the light hand of Reddard Kipling, having received the name of the "big game". By the end of World War II "Game" gradually comes to no. But the conflict of interest will remain.

Operation "Storm"

At the end of 1979, when the beginning of the commissioning of troops in Afghanistan, the new Afghan president, amine, thanked the USSR for the decision to provide military assistance and ordered to assist Soviet troops. And in December of the same year, Soviet special forces began operations "Storm" - the storm of the Kabul residence of Amina.

In the afternoon of December 27, the Presidential Cook of Azerbaijani Mikhail Taliban, who was an agent of the KGB, poisoned the dishes submitted at the dinner. When the President of Afghanistan and the guests felt bad, the Afghan leader's spouse caused doctors from the Soviet Military Hospital - ignorant of the special operation, they assisted to all those present.

In the evening of the same day, the assault began, as a result of which not only the presidential residence, but also the buildings of the General Staff of the Afghan Army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Communications Nodes, Radio and Television. Hafizulla Amin was killed. The Soviet military doctor of Kuznechenkov, who was at that moment inside the palace. Almost all the assault participants were injured, 20 Soviet soldiers were killed during the assault, as well as the head of the operation - Colonel Boyarian.

However, the main goal of the Soviet leadership was achieved - instead of Amin, Kabl was delivered to Kabul from the USSR, and the "second stage of the revolution" was proclaimed in the country.

Photo: TASS / Victor Budan

Other "9th Rota"

Despite the fact that the Soviet contingent in Afghanistan was within ten years, active fighting developed over five years - from March 1980 to April 1985. The same five-year plan had most of the most tragic events in the history of the Soviet contingent in the country. And the biggest losses - over 2 thousand people - fell 1984.

On February 29, within the framework of the Coonarsky offensive, the first in the history of this war, the collision of Airborne Forces with Mujaheds - in battle with rebellious units, previously speaking on the side of government troops, killed 37 servicemen, and total losses for the raid amounted to 52 people. Later, experts noted that the cause of such large losses in this battle was the disorientation of the command on unusual terrain.

At the same time reached a peak and confrontation in the international arena - because of the conflict in Afghanistan, Western countries boycotted Olympiad-80 held in Moscow, and the Soviet athletes did not go to the Olympiad-84, held in Los Angeles.

Soviet servicemen had to fight on an unfamiliar territory, which, however, knew the participants of local opposition-minded armed detachments - Mujahideen or Dushman. However, the danger was not always associated with the actions of the Mujahideen. Sad glory acquired a tunnel on Slang Pass: On February 23, 1979, 16 servicemen suffocated because of the formed plugs, and three years later, in 1982, because of the traffic jam, almost 180 people died under his arches - 62 of them were Soviet soldiers. In 1985, another 17 people froze to death after their division was forced to swell at the glacier in the Schutun gorge.

The way home

The main condition for the withdrawal of troops in the USSR was the cessation of external intervention in the inner life of Afghanistan. In 1983, the conversations about the conclusion of the contingent began to sound more and more often, at the same time an eight-month-old program for the conclusion of Soviet troops from the territory of Afghanistan was practically completed, however, due to the illness of the Soviet leader, Yuri Andropov, the question was removed from the agenda. The end of the Afghan conflict was postponed for another five years - in April 1988, the Geneva Agreement on the settlement of the situation around the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, whose guarantors of the USSR and the United States will be signed in Switzerland. In accordance with the document, the USSR pledged to bring its contingent on time from May 15 to February 15, 1989, and the United States and Pakistan - to stop supporting the rebels.

Soviet units began returning to their homeland, for many of them it meant the beginning of a new life, to wait for which they had to be more than one year.

"Do not believe, but life has developed so that for six years I have been waiting for me Larisa Lobzhanidze, a student from Tiraspol. Write: Let it be prepared for the wedding, food, "- shared with the correspondents of Izvestia, who were present at the bridge over Amu Darya, Lieutenant Victor Captain, deputs of a softener.

However, to survive 10 months, which remained before returning to their homeland, not everyone will be able. During the withdrawal of troops due to the attacks of the Mujahideen, according to the American newspaper The Washington Post, about 500 soldiers will be killed. There was among them and the photoorpondant Izvestia, 29-year-old Alexander Secretarians.

"He died in Afghanistan in May last year, when only the preparation for the conclusion of our troops began. Sasha then extended a business trip until May 15. And how he carefully prepared! How I dreamed of best to get off for the history of the first column, going home! And, of course, I thought: I would close on May 15 and I will surely come here on February 15 ... these two dates then tied Geneva for all of us, "R. Armeev in the room" Izvestia "on him on February 15, 1989, dedicated to the conclusion of troops .

Photo: TASS / George Nadezhdin

The remaining in Afghan

The Afghan war was worth his life not only to ordinary soldiers and officers, as well as civil specialists, many of whom were captured or died during terrorist attacks organized in Kabul and other cities of the country, but also to representatives of the command staff.

In 1981, when leaving the attack on the KP enemy, a helicopter was destroyed, in which Major General Khahalov was located - all those who were on board died. In 1985, the Mig-21 fighter was shot down by MiG-21, who piloted Major General Vlasov. The pilot managed to erase, but after the landing he was captured. For the search for the general, the most large-scale search operation was deployed, but she did not give results - the general was shot in captivity shortly after his identity was established. In total, five Soviet generals were killed in Afghanistan.

And even after Boris Gromov in 1989 crossed the Symbolic Bridge of Friendship through Amu Darya, and the bombed divisions of the division returned to their homeland, the Afghan war ended not for everyone.

According to official statistics, 417 servicemen were captured in captivity in captivity. 130 of them were released before the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, but the conditions for the liberation of the rest were not stipulated by Geneva agreements. It is believed that about eight people were transferred to the enemy, 21 people were released with the help of the Soviet Captive Committee created by Russian emigrants in the United States, and after liberation they emigrated to the West. More than a hundred captives died - including trying to escape from the camps.

"There, behind Amu Darya, the world has not come. But there is still hope, and she will be restored in the heart of each of our soldiers, which will be restored by agreement in Afghanistan, "the news" News "N. Soutin and V. Kuleshov wrote on the day of conclusion.

The Afghan conflict, which caused the input of troops in 1979, was not allowed to the end - the collision in the country continues until now.

Evgeny Sheskaya

The conclusion of our troops from Afghanistan began on May 15, 1988, in accordance with Prisoners in April 1988, Geneva agreements on the political settlement of the situation around the DR. The USSR pledged to bring his contingent into a nine-month term, that is, until February 15 of the next year. According to official reports, in the first three months, Afghanistan left 50,183 military personnel. Another 50,100 people returned to the USSR in the period from August 15, 1988 to February 15, 1989

On February 15, 1989, Lieutenant-General Boris Gromov, according to the official version, became the last Soviet servicemen who crossed the border of the two countries along the bridge of friendship. In fact, on the territory of Afghanistan, both Soviet soldiers who have captured to dusts and the divisions of the border guards, who covered the conclusion of the troops and returned to the territory of the USSR only in the afternoon of February 15th. The border troops of the KGB of the USSR performed the tasks of the protection of the Soviet-Afghan border with individual divisions in Afghanistan until April 1989

February night, ice armor
On the rocks, the light of the headlights, the machines in the boots.
The column leaves from under the fire.
We go to the border
We go to the border!

Water rinsing in river bed
And the dark in the mountains tracers sparkles
Today is the last jerk, men!
Last jerk - and we are on the border.

Afghan! You as a wound in the souls of soldiers.
I know - you will dream of night.
After all, here along the roads of obeliski stand
Before the border, until the border.

This war does not happen to miracles.
Not all guys are destined to return.
They watch us from heaven,
They help us go to the border.

Here we will come out and make your moms: "Now
Do not pray for us at night! "
God will help us and we are without loss
We do up to the border, we do up to the border

"Rubbers!" Watch head reported
And steel light dyed
And quietly on the air said the commander:
"Fighters! Will live! After all, we are on the border! "

This war ended
And with us now nothing will happen
No wonder you kept stored, the foreman.
Come on, get out - we are already on the border!

Sergey Terekhov

We performed my soldier's duty with honor

The population of Afghan kishekov accompanied us mostly friendly. In some settlements, people came out with flowers and wonderfully waved. During the march, a single shot was made. In the places of possible ambushes and in settlements by agreement with generic authorities on board our combat vehicles, elders were sitting, who served as a kind of guarantors of the security of our servicemen. We did not go to debt among the population. They were transferred to our well-hazed towns with an established infrastructure. A special value was artesian wells that became sources of water supply of many kislakov.

Of course, for our soldiers, sergeants, ensigns and officers, the return to their homeland has become a real holiday. In a freshly dyed outfit, with linked residents, deployed panels, on which the names of the units were written, our warriors looked effectively when crossing the border. On the side of combat vehicles were inscriptions: "I returned, mom!" In all directions, the points of sanitary treatment were deployed, everyone was happy with pleasure after the road, the uniforms were disinfected, the combat technique and weapons were put into order. Kitchens did not smoke. Almost all over the border, the sense of soldier teased the smell of the delicious Turkmen, Uzbek and Tajik Plov. And old and small border settlements met our warriors. On rallies dedicated to the exit from Afghanistan, the leaders of republics, border areas, soldiers and international officers were made. Parents came to meet their sons from many regions of the USSR. They sincerely thanked the officers for the return home of their indignant boys. After heavy lunch and dinner, the Motomagonian groups took march and made a march in advance prepared areas of basing along the state border with Afghanistan.

By this time, we all dived into the "Perestroika", there were hot spots already inside the USSR, some of the motometric and ardent assault groups were urgently transferred to other regions. The protection and protect the Afghan border remained an increasing number of forces and funds, which was extremely negatively affected during the subsequent events already in Tajikistan. The media began the open defamation of the causes and the consequences of our stay in Afghanistan, extremely negatively affecting the moral and psychological state of the organizationalists. With many of them, I still have a correspondence. Many do not find their place in our market market of profit and deception, but the absolute majority is confident that we fulfilled your soldier's duty with honor and dignity.

From the memories of Ivan Mikhailovich Korobeynikova, Lieutenant General, from 1983 to 1990. who performed international debt in Afghanistan, from 1987 to 1990. As chief of troops of the Central Asian Border County KGB of the USSR

Proper lighting

On the withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan, it has already been written and written quite a few. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of pages in this epopea, which few people know about. About one, with a smaller to the anecdoticity, the episode I want to tell. It was in October 1986.

The conclusion of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan began with the fact that 6 regiments were introduced to their homeland, 3 of which are tank. By and large, from the point of view of today, and the most appropriateness, the decision is correct - in fact, what is the sense of tanks in the mountainous area? They stood only on the checkpoints, but on the heads - in the humiliating (for "armor"!) The role of artillery points. So we decided to bring the tank parts, taught by the world opinion this step as an act of goodwill, the peacekeeping gesture and an attempt to make a good mine with a bad game - they say, we fulfilled our mission, now let the people liberated from the medieval slavery ... and t. d.

The first part of the Union was to go tank regiment, which was part of the 5th Guards Division, which was then stationed in Shindande, and in the era of change at all ceasing its existence. On the celebrations dedicated to the wires of the regiment, dozens and dozens of journalists from all over the world were supposed to come. But ours went out! Accordingly, we had to be sure to be the first to notify the whole world about this "Gesture of Good Will"! .. And at the same time do it so that no confusion does not happen.

And then someone from smart people invented how to organize everything with the maximum degree of reliability.

The script was discharged to the smallest detail. The personnel of the regiment was supposed to be lined up in front of the slender rows of military equipment and each journalist, regardless of which country and the publication he represents, could ask any of the participants in the action. That is, the maximum of publicity and openness. But after all, it was the era of a grand shown, even if it was in her depleting! In those days, most people, despite the proclaimed publicity, were still preferred not to express their own opinion!

Therefore, the staff of the regiment was built in such a way that the first rank was solid, monolithic, without cleansing, which could be penetrated. Consequently, any journalist had the opportunity even with the help of a microphone telescopic rod to reach only - maximum! - To the third rank. Then everything was already, as they say, the case of technology. The first three sherings were strangely compiled from the people who: a) they spoke well and understood in Russian and b) were reliable and proven and guaranteed, reliable that they did not lie anything more superfluous. These guys distributed questionnaires and "answers" from the good hundreds of items that they were obliged to go out - a list of what they may ask that they should answer these questions. Well, in the rear ranks they put those who are not able to memorize and voice the gradual text in advance.

However, it is still a trifle, then the show turned out to be even more "cool." The fact is that specifically for Soviet journalists, just in case, was organized by the "okay" rehearsal of the output. During the day to the true ceremony, the regiment was built on the wasteland. Personal composition was filmed on camera, photographed, soldiers and officers took interviews in front of the lens. So it is realistic when foreigners hurriedly clicked the camera shutters, dreaming to convey their information first, the captured films already lay on the CT.

Nevertheless, when journalists from thirty with a further leading world news agencies arrived at the showing of the demonstration of the first of six regiments of the world, our correspondents were trying. And they shot, and asked ... In short, they behaved in the same way as their foreign colleagues.

... Radded fanfares, the regiment stretched out into the column and went towards herata and further to the Union. The correspondents of the chairs rushed to healopters ... And then suddenly it turned out that a pass was closed somewhere on the highway, clouds were closed, the snow went, the Typhoon was formed, the hurricane crashed, hacked the tsunami ... In short, departure to Kabul, from which journalists could transfer their information to the relatives The publication is postponed indefinitely.

The most ridiculous thing is that one of our photojournalists penetrates this trick. Having received a message about bad weather on the highway for the truth, he rushed to the editorial office of the Guardian's divisional newspaper, which at that time headed by Major Victor Dakhno, so that, not losing time, print photos that would have to get into tomorrow's room. For the needs of the representative of the Central Military Newspaper "Red Star" urgently converted a living room into a photo laboratory. And suddenly ... and suddenly give "weather". True, not for everyone ... Our journalists break off, they urgently upload them to the "turntable" and - flew. Distributed foreign journalists can not understand anything. After all, they are not good, that in the performance of the performance they only assigned the role of extras. Only when the Soviet journalists arrived in Kabul and sent their own, already authentic, reports to Moscow, the weather above the passes suddenly normally normalized and foreigners allowed to fly to the capital of Afghanistan. So we, as it was accepted, turned out to be ahead of the planet all. Americans with their factories, the Japanese with their technique, the Germans with their punctuality - all of them in operationalism behind the writer-relieving brethren of the Soviet Union.

Spelled, the right word, rub!

Nikolai Starodnov. Video Russian Military Historical Society .

On February 15, 1989, the Afghan campaign was stopped, which was led by the Soviet Army in Afghanistan. In the years t. N. "Perestroika" and in the course of liberal reforms of the 90s, this war was actually put in the guilt of the USSR-Russia, and not only by Western public and seemingly "his" Russian.

Soviet soldiers put out, almost invaders, the invaders who strangle the free Afghan people.

In the light of the gradual revival of common washed in Russia, recent years, more and more people understand that M. Gorbachev is a criminal and one of his crimes was the conclusion of troops from Afghanistan, and then from the GDR.

Why?

The conclusion of the troops was the geopolitical passing of the positions of the USSR in the world, in fact M. Gorbachev capitulated, showed that all victims are in vain, we lost.

The USSR-Russia betrayed the Soviet regime of Nadzhibully, to bring not only troops, but also ceased to other assistance (, ammunition, military specialists, integrations). After that, Sujibullah lasted two more years, i.e. the potential for this power was. We support him, Afghanistan could remain our ally. This Moscow showed how we accoverate to the allies, naturally without adding respect for themselves in the world.

Human losses, huge financial costs (up to 1 billion dollars a year), investments in Afghan infrastructure, education, medicine, everything was lost.

The USSR-Russia has lost a strategically important territory, the most Asian Center, from where you can influence Iran, Pakistan, India and China. And NATO from the United States in 2001 she was taken, and it is unlikely to leave soon - by building numerous military bases that can be a bridgehead, for the invasion of Iran, China, India, Russia.

The problem of smuggling weapons and drugs was not solved and became only stronger, at least 30 thousand young people (3 divisions) die from the Afghan heroin, and in the whole (!) War, which was from 1979 - to 1989, we raised about 14 thousand killed. That is, in fact, the Soviet army, carried relatively small losses - for a year he dies from an accident in two more times more people than 10 years of war. Spells to fight! The Soviet Army received an invaluable experience of war. And I would win if it were not for the determination of the highest and leadership, and then the direct betrayal of Gorbachev. For example: In Afghanistan, the War of Pakistan was led against us, it was necessary to apply a couple of rocket-bomb strikes on the presidential palace, for the inspection, so as not to climb into other people's affairs.

Currently, Russia is once again called in Afghanistan, the President of Afghanistan H. Karzai comes to Moscow. Sorry to help, i.e. the problem is not solved. Again, you need to arm local law enforcement agencies, deliver free weapons, helicopters, learn local drug politics, at our expense to restore the infrastructure of the country.

After the withdrawal of troops, we got the troubles from our borders (the civil war went down), in Afghanistan, which threatens to throw in Central Asia, and there are not far away.

Let us sum up: M. Gorbachev committed an act of betrayal of the Soviet Union and his peoples, starting the conclusion of troops from Afghanistan. This is one of his hardest crimes in a series of many.