The plan for destroying the enemy in the fortified region was as follows: Conduct a 32-kilometer road march in the early hours of 12 April and in the morning air assault two battalions close to the enemy strong points. The battalions would destroy the enemy security elements and then, exploiting success, would engage the reserve; capture the stores, strong points and firing positions; and then blow up the enemy fortifications.

The day before the operation, the brigade commander and his assistants diligently studied the map and aerial photographs of the objective, determined the more expedient flight path, determined the LZs and calculated the time necessary to carry out the mission. The troopers who would participate in the operation trained in air assaults, taking out sentries and capturing supply caches. During preparations, special attention was given to coordination and command and control.

Map 26: Air assault brigade destroys the Melava fortified regions.

In accordance with the plan, the brigade moved out on its road march at 2030 hours on 11 April under black-out drive conditions. Due to the heavily mined roads, the brigade arrived three hours late at the staging area. They immediately began to load the helicopters.

Thanks to the skillful actions of the Deputy Brigade Commander, Colonel A. V. Maslov and the high level of training of the commanders of the 1st and 2nd Battalions (Captain A. V. Andreev and Major A. I. Samusev), the helicopters were ready for flight at the appointed time – 0630 hours. Using nap-of-the-earth flying, the helicopter pilots flew undetected to the mountain side of the strongpoints and landed the force at 0644 hours on 12 April. Mi-24 helicopter gunships supported the insertion while artillery fire closed down the enemy firing points. Simultaneously, two pair of Mi-8 MT helicopters hit the DShK heavy machine gun and the guards’ barracks.

The fight for the dominant heights lasted 17 minutes. Our force lost two KIA and three WIA, while the enemy, caught totally unawares, lost several dozen men. The next 24 hours were spent rooting out the survivors of the guerrilla forces. We captured a huge supply of arms and ammunition. The number of captured launch bombs alone surpassed 1,000.

Frunze Commentary: The success of the operation was achieved by thorough preparation, a high state of training for the troopers and helicopter crews, and a penetrating analysis of the enemy situation. The qualitative study of the enemy and terrain led to a correct understanding of the situation, defined the probable enemy courses of action, and resulted in a superior combat plan for our forces. The successful actions of our units and subunits at night allowed us to seize the enemy mountain positions with minimal casualties. The mountains should have been the enemy’s ally in battle. Instead, they were ours. Finally, the careful coordination and all-encompassing support of our combat allowed us to carry out the assigned task on time.

Editor’s Commentary: The force failed to clear the roads ahead of time and was three hours late. This appears to be a failure to conduct proper reconnaissance. Throughout this chapter, units are getting lost and getting surprised. Helicopters are being shot down. No one appears to be looking into these areas before the main force arrives. Apparently, the Soviet Army did not always employ pathfinder-type units prior to air assaults. Perhaps it should have. Most of the difficulties encountered seem to be due to a failure to use reconnaissance forces properly.

Why did the force perform the night march to a field helicopter staging site anyway? Jalalabad has a perfectly good airfield. The 56th Separate Air Assault Brigade could have flown from Gardez to Jalalabad and then staged out of the Jalalabad airfield. Apparently, they could have flown the same nap-of-the-earth route and achieved the same surprise.

Soviet air assault tactics and techniques evolved rapidly in Afghanistan. The Soviets relied on helicopter maneuver to replace the mobility that they were unable to realize from their tanks and armored personnel carriers on Afghanistan’s rugged terrain. Armored vehicles were restricted to the roads and valley floors. Soviet infantry were uninspired conscripts who were generally reluctant to close with the dedicated and motivated mujahideen. The Soviet advantage was found in the skies. The Soviet helicopter gunship was a very significant system in the war. Their Mi-24 HIND was the most dreaded and effective weapons system employed against the mujahideen until 1988, when “Stinger” portable surface-to-air missiles limited their ability to range freely over resistance-controlled areas. The Soviet military would have liked to employ far more helicopters in Afghanistan, however, the lack of maintenance facilities, the increased logistics demand and the lack of secure operating bases prevented this. The Soviets were unwilling (or unable) to make a larger logistic and psychological commitment to the war.

Next: Chapter 4: Defense and Outpost Security

Footnotes

1. S. A. Urban served in the Republic of Afghanistan from December 1981 through April 1984 as a platoon leader and then a company commander in an air assault battalion. He was awarded the “Order of the Red Star”. [return]

2. The 66th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (ed.). [return]

3. V. V. Kovalev served in the Republic of Afghanistan from June 1983 through July 1985 as a platoon leader, company commander and battalion chief of staff. He was decorated with the “Order of the Red Star” and the Republic of Afghanistan order “For Valor”. [return]

4. The 70th Separate Motorized Brigade (ed.). [return]

5. The 4th Air Assault Battalion (ed.). [return]

6. V. G. Chabanenko served in the Republic of Afghanistan from December 1983 through June 1985 as a battalion commander. [return]

7. The 103rd Airborne Division (ed.). [return]

8. V. V. Selivanov served in the Republic of Afghanistan as the Chief of Intelligence of an airborne regiment. [return]

9. KHAD (ed.). [return]

10. The 103rd Airborne Division (ed.). [return]

11. V. G. Istratiy served in the Republic of Afghanistan from 1984 through 1986 as a company commander. [return]

12. The 4th Air Assault Battalion of the 70th Separate Motorized Rifle Battalion (ed.). [return]

13. Similar to the U.S. LAW (light anti-tank weapon) (ed.). [return]

14. S. I. Pariy served in the Republic of Afghanistan from September 1985 through October 1987 as the chief of staff of an airborne battalion and as a airborne battalion commander. He was awarded the “Order of the Red Star” twice and the Afghanistan “Order for Bravery.” [return]

15. The 103rd Airborne Division (ed.) [return]

16. N. G. Ten’kov served in the OKSVA as the Deputy Chief of the Operations Section of a Separate Brigade. He received the order “For Service to the Fatherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR” Third Class. [return]

17. The 56th Separate Air Assault Brigade stationed in Gardez (ed.). [return]

Chapter 4:

Defense and Outpost Security

The Soviet and Afghan government forces seldom went over to the defense in Afghanistan, so we have little defensive experience from the Afghanistan war. This was the result of several factors: there was no continuous front line; our assigned mission was to defeat the guerrilla forces; the nature of the mujahideen forces was to hit and run; and we enjoyed a qualitative and quantitative superiority in units, equipment and weaponry over the enemy. When we defended, most often it was subunits (platoons, companies and battalions) that went over to the defense.