15th independent Special Forces Brigade GRU

15-я отдельная бригада специального назначения ГРУ

Military Unit: 64411; from 1985: 71351; from 1988: 64411

Activated 1.1.63 in Chirchik, Tashkent Oblast, as the 15th Special Forces Brigade GRU.

Organisation:

• 1st Battalion

• 2nd Battalion

• 154th independent Special Forces Unit (military unit: 35651 while in Afghanistan) - activated 4.79

3.4.78 renamed 15th independent Special Forces Brigade GRU.

The 154th independent Special Forces Unit was secretly deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, 5.12.79, and went on to Kabul to secure the presidential palace - the palace was stormed 27.12.79, together with two KGB combat teams and men from the 345th Guards Parachute Regiment - the 154th independent Special Forces Unit returned home to Chirchik 10.1.80.

The 154th independent Special Forces Unit returned to Afghanistan 26.10.81 - cover designation was 1st Motorised Rifle Battalion - based at Akcha (10.81 - 7.82), Aibak (8.82 - 2.84) and Jalalabad (2.84 - 5.88) - from 25.3.85 attached to the 15th independent Special Forces Brigade GRU headquarters which had arrived in Afghanistan - the unit crossed the border 18.5.88, and returned home.

Organisation in Afghanistan:

• 154th independent Special Forces Unit (Jalalabad)

• 177th independent Special Forces Unit (Gazni and Kabul)

• 334th independent Special Forces Unit (Asadabad)

• 668th independent Special Forces Unit (Bagram, Baraki and Kabul)

1.90 transferred to the KGB.

12.94 taken over by Uzbekistan.

Headquarters:

• Chirchik, Tashkent Oblast, 1.63 - 25.3.85 [41 31 44N, 69 38 44E]

• Jalalabad, Afghanistan, 25.3.85 - 15.2.89 [34 25 07N, 70 29 01E]

• Chirchik, Tashkent Oblast, 15.2.89 - 6.90 [41 31 44N, 69 38 44E]

• Azadbash, Tashkent Oblast, 6.90 - 12.94 [41 33 03N, 69 37 10E]

Subordination:

• Turkestan Military District, 1.63 - 3.85

• 40th Combined Arms Army, 3.85 - 2.89

• Turkestan Military District, 2.89 - 1.90

• KGB/FSB, 1.90 - 12.94