Engineer (sapper) troops. Sapper armies

Everyone knows well what combat missions artillery performs, what tankers are needed for, and also what marines, special forces and paratroopers do. But not even everyone who serves in the Russian army today, let alone the civilian population, can clearly talk about the role of the Russian engineering troops. At best, to the question: “Who are the engineering warriors?” civilians will answer simply - they are sappers, because they are constantly mining and clearing things, blowing up and building. And some “knowledgeable” people, upon hearing the name “engineer troops,” will wave their hands dismissively and say that these are ordinary soldiers from Stroybat.

In reality, the Russian engineering troops have absolutely nothing to do with the construction battalions. First of all, these are mobile special forces units (barrage units, territory clearing brigades, assault groups, etc.), which accompany the main forces in offensive operations and conduct comprehensive engineering reconnaissance of specific terrain squares. In addition, they are designed to quickly solve various technical support problems. military operation with the participation of infantry units and other units of the Russian ground forces. In 2017, active units of the Russian Engineering Troops (IT) solemnly celebrated 316 years of service in the ranks of the Russian army. And today they are considered one of the most popular branches of the Armed Forces.

Over three centuries, Russian military engineers have gone through a rather thorny path of development and formation as an independent branch of the military, but at the same time, these brave soldiers have always demonstrated an unbridled desire to serve their Motherland. For the first time, professional training and education of engineering fighters in various specialties began to be carried out back in 1701. According to the personal order of Tsar Peter I Alekseevich the Great, the first special educational school was created in Russia on the basis of the then main governing body - the Pushkar order. In the “training”, professional and experienced artillerymen and, together with them, specialized specialists - military engineers - were prepared for future military service in the army. The very next year, graduates of the school were sent to the existing army mining units for further service. Later, pontoon teams were also formed.

Over the centuries-old history of the engineering troops, in the memory of chroniclers, military historians and ordinary eyewitnesses of that time, there was practically not a single “high-profile” battle in which military personnel of the IW units did not directly participate. This only confirms the fact that their role in any land battle was fundamental and extremely important. Russian warrior-engineers, not having theoretical knowledge and sufficient experience, and also not having the proper technical equipment, were able to show themselves in all their glory in many fierce battles. The soldiers distinguished themselves during the Battle of Poltava and the difficult Crimean War. The soldiers of the engineering troops made a huge contribution to the victory under the command of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov during the storming of the Izmail fortress. Later, for this valiant feat of arms, the great Russian commander was awarded the highest rank of generalissimo, and the IV soldiers who participated in the battle were presented with state orders.

Regardless of the nature of the hostilities, detachments of engineering troops almost always arrive at the “meeting point” before everyone else. They check the territory for mines and other explosive devices, construct river crossings, and, if necessary, quickly build safe passages through enemy minefields. Military engineers, on duty, are faced with “dirty work”, and very often carry out their direct duties while under massive enemy fire. No matter how loud it may sound, not a single army in the world is able to completely do without engineering troops. In Russia, Military Engineer Day is celebrated annually on January 21.

Origins of the Corps of Engineers

According to ancient chronicles, the first officially confirmed information about warrior-builders in Rus' appeared back in 1016 AD. The soldiers who were in the sovereign's service differed significantly from the classical city planners, who were called carpenters, stone craftsmen and “city dwellers” foundries. It was customary to call military engineers differently - city workers or bridge workers. In fact, even the word “city” itself had a completely different meaning in the ancient Russian language. It did not mean a populated area, but a military settlement similar to a fortress, in which it was convenient to carry out defensive actions.

Warrior-builders also differed from ordinary army soldiers and patrol units. The tasks of organizing the defense of cities were entrusted to their shoulders. From some ancient Russian chronicles of the tsarist period of the 9th–10th centuries, which have survived to this day, it is known that many military engineers had extensive knowledge of the art of war. They did not just sit in fortified cities, coming up with a plan for organizing defense, but built various military fortifications that were used against enemy troops. In the second half of the 17th century, warrior-engineers who were on the royal military service, actually became elite soldiers. And there were reasons for this.

By the beginning of 1200 Julian calendar the “fragmentation” of Rus' into separate feudal principalities began. Against the background of these processes, the construction of castles and new defensive fortifications intensified. The services of military engineers became in demand, and the soldiers themselves received decent salaries for their work. This served as a fairly powerful impetus for the further development and improvement of military engineering in Russia. In addition to constructing defensive structures, soldiers discovered and implemented new opportunities for engineering support and combat support for offensive operations.

In 1242, Russian troops were able to defeat German soldiers “to smithereens” right on the ice of Lake Peipus in the Pskov region on the border with Estonia. During the fierce battle, military engineers put into practice not only standard field-type fortifications, which were built taking into account the terrain, but also used special defensive structures designed for a long period of operation. The warrior-builders of Rus' distinguished themselves in 1552, when, by order of Tsar Ivan IV, in less than a month they built the fortress city of Sviyazhsk, where the support base of the Russian troops involved in the siege of Kazan was located.

Development of military affairs in the 17th–18th century.

In 1692–94 the last Tsar of All Rus', Peter I Alekseevich, personally supervised the conduct of experimental training maneuvers using engineering communications and defensive fortifications. At the same time, for key basis The tactical “experiments” were based on the then popular scientific works of a French military engineer named Sebastien Le Prêtre de Vauban. The fortified cities of the Grand Marshal subsequently became a World Heritage Site and are today under the protection of UNESCO. Therefore, it is not surprising that all countries of the world, including Tsarist Russia, tried to copy his inventions.

Tsar Peter I made a lot of efforts to create regular IW units in 1712, and it was he who insisted on the use of transport means and the construction of field fortifications, which made it possible to provide offensive combat operations that unfolded on land with the necessary weapons and technical equipment. Subsequently, this made it possible to actively develop and implement new ways to strengthen state borders. However, Peter I began to seriously engage in the professional training of military engineers much earlier.

The official history of the development of IV units dates back to January 21, 1701, when Peter I Alekseevich decided to create the Pushkarsky Prikaz school in Moscow, where officer ranks of artillery regiments and individual army engineering formations of the regular troops of Russia were to undergo tactical training. This experience turned out to be successful, and already 18 years later, in 1719, a new school was opened, but in St. Petersburg. The military regulations of Peter I, which replaced the old “cannon and military regulations” proposed by Anisim Mikhailov, marked the beginning of the restructuring of the regular units of the Russian army, which had a positive effect on the level of its combat effectiveness. Some time later, in 1722, the tsar introduced the famous Table of Ranks, in which all officer ranks of engineering formations of the Russian army became “head and shoulders above” infantrymen and cavalrymen.

In the 1750s, units of the engineering troops were subordinate to the Chancellery of Artillery and Fortification. During this period, they experienced a rapid surge in development and an invaluable contribution to the “common cauldron” was made by the talented General-Chief of the Engineering Troops Hannibal Abram Petrovich. Thanks to his efforts, the popularity of military builders increased sharply. Towards the end of the 18th century, the number of military forces in the active Russian army increased almost 3–4 times. This opened up new opportunities for the development of the defense of the Russian state.

In 1757, frame-canvas pontoons first appeared in service with the Russian army - they were intended to secure floating supports on the water, which in turn were used by military engineers to build a temporary floating bridge with a lifting capacity of up to 3.5 tons. In 1797, at the instigation of Emperor Paul I, regular army battalions necessarily included one mining company, which carried out military construction activities during offensive campaigns, and was also engaged in camouflaging various objects on land and building field structures. Thus, already at the end of the 18th century, the development of engineering troops was in full swing, which made it possible to significantly strengthen the combat power of the Russian Empire.

IW units in the era of great wars

Before the start of the war with Napoleonic France, which began in 1812, about ten miner and pioneer units of the engineering troops were formed in Russia. In addition, support for combat ground operations was provided by artillery pontoon teams. Another 14 companies were stationed in fortified fortresses. However, they were staffed only by conductors and officers. The need for manpower was compensated by infantrymen and volunteers from among the local population.

One sapper and two pioneer regiments from the existing IV battalion took part in the foreign campaigns against France. If we talk about exact numbers, then at the time of World War II there were about 45 regular combat engineering units in the Russian army. Sapper and mining army detachments were engaged in the construction of long-term defensive fortifications, which were used to protect fortresses, as well as in offensive operations. While the pioneer companies actively carried out work to improve travel routes, bridge crossings and field fortifications. Pontoon teams were engaged in constructing floating bridges across rivers.

During the Crimean War, which took place in 1853-56, in which the army Russian empire was forced to confront the coalition of European states, two cavalry pioneer divisions were involved, performing important tasks in constructing defensive “heights,” as well as 9 battalions of sappers. It should be noted that at that time the IW separated from the artillery and became an independent branch of the military. And although the successes of the Russian army in this battle were very doubtful, military engineers proved themselves to be courageous, persistent and brave fighters. Actually, other military units also showed their best side, but the defeat itself was more of a political nature and was due to “mistakes” in strategic calculations made by the army command.

In the Russian-Turkish War, which broke out in 1877-1878. units of the engineering troops achieved previously unprecedented results - the number of regular units exceeded 20,000 military personnel. At the same time, new vacancies were opened in the specialties of aeronautics and pigeon communications. By the end of the 19th century, engineering troops provided technical support for almost all offensive operations of Russian infantry, cavalry detachments and artillery regiments. In addition, the soldiers took an active part in the construction of fortresses, and also carried out important engineering problems when arranging travel routes and laying new radiotelegraph lines.

Contribution to the victory of the USSR in World War II

In the Soviet army, the primary purpose of the IW was technical support for offensive and defensive infantry combat operations. In the conditions of a tough war, the forces of ordinary soldiers and officers competently planned and successfully implemented all the necessary conditions for the rapid advancement of the main offensive units of the Soviet army. IW special forces carried out tasks to camouflage military installations, construct defensive fortifications, including anti-tank ditches, and other command orders. In many ways, it was thanks to the timely and coordinated actions of military engineers that the German occupiers faced insurmountable obstacles on the way to Soviet fortified areas of strategic importance.

During the Second World War, battalions and detachments of the USSR IV gained enormous experience and prospects for subsequent development. Technical capabilities improved, and the range of military tasks constantly expanded. At the same time, the role of IW soldiers increased. Almost from the first days of the invasion of the fascist invaders into the territory of the USSR, they actively participated in the preparation and conduct of defensive battles - they dug trenches, cleared roads, created defensive fortifications and erected water crossings using pontoons. Together with other army units, military engineers steadfastly held back the powerful onslaught of German forces.

On the Northern and Western fronts, IW special forces acted as mobile mobile barrage units. They covered the retreat of the main forces of the Soviet army, destroying river crossings, mining fields and creating insurmountable zones of artificial obstacles, which forced the Germans to slow down. And on the Kola Peninsula, the soldiers of the engineering troops, together with the surviving motorized riflemen, without tanks and artillery, were able to actually completely block the advance of the Germans in this direction.

When organizing the defense of the Russian capital, by decision of the highest ranks of the Supreme Command of the Army, 10 mobile mobile units were urgently formed, which carried out combat missions right in front of the fascists, mining the passage of tanks and destroying road communications. Thanks to the work carried out, during the attack on Moscow in one of the areas, German units lost about 200 units of heavy armored vehicles and about 140 units of trucks with weapons and ammunition. For this valiant feat, the soldiers were presented with high state awards. True, many of them received medals and orders posthumously.

In 1942–43, when Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive, military engineers of the Red Army had to hastily restore previously destroyed bridges and build new river crossings. In addition, the tasks of clearing mines from the territories that the Germans “marked” before retreating fell on their shoulders. In winter, it was also necessary to lay column tracks in meter-long snowdrifts. However, this task was successfully solved in a short time. Whereas many retreating German units were simply captured in the snow, not having special equipment to clear the territories, and became easy money for Soviet soldiers. With the start of a full-scale winter counteroffensive in 1942, teams of reconnaissance and demolition officers were deployed every day to the enemy rear.

Assault engineering units often had to perform army-wide military missions. For example, during a fierce battle in the Lithuanian city of Vilna, soldiers of the fourth sapper brigade of the IV were personally able to neutralize and destroy about 2 thousand Germans, take about 3 thousand soldiers prisoner and free more than 2.5 thousand Soviet prisoners of war and ordinary citizens who were in a local concentration camp. As a result of the Second World War, about 800 soldiers of the IW units became Heroes of the Soviet Union, and about 300 people were solemnly awarded the Order of Glory.

Secondary tasks of the Engineering Troops

The profession of a military engineer is quite multifaceted and universal - adapted to any needs. Experienced IW specialists in Russia are equally in demand both in wartime and peacetime. After the end of World War II, military personnel from engineering units were involved in the Afghan War, and also took direct part in peacekeeping missions in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Today, Russian engineering troops are conducting active military activities to clear mines in Syria. They accomplished many feats during periods of “calm.” The brave soldiers of the IW provided enormous assistance in eliminating the consequences of the large-scale man-made disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which occurred in 1986.

In peacetime, special units of the engineering troops of the Russian Armed Forces, together with the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other federal departments, carry out measures to evacuate the population from dangerous areas, as well as liquidate negative consequences Emergencies of both man-made and natural nature. Among the primary tasks of the IW are the construction and subsequent operation of bridges and pontoon crossings on the country’s waterways, extinguishing forest fires, disposal of nuclear waste, and eliminating life-threatening consequences of the collapse of emergency industrial facilities. This is only a small part of all the secondary tasks that Russian engineering troops regularly have to perform.

Pontoon crossing technology

One of the key tasks of engineering troops is to construct safe passage routes through water areas. A pontoon crossing is the result of the painstaking work of dozens of soldiers and a rather complex engineering process that requires extreme care and attention. In order for a prefabricated structure made of floating elements to become a full-fledged crossing, you need to know the entire technology of this process from “A to Z”. First, floating conveyors are launched into the water, with the help of which the future floating crossing is gradually and scrupulously assembled. If necessary, the structure is insured on water by river boats. On small bodies of water you can do without them. Engineer troops connect all the elements manually, and then control the crossing from the shore and water.

Pontoon military crossing has many advantages. Firstly, structures on pontoons are practical and highly transportable: they can be easily moved in a collapsible state on land, and then, if necessary, transported by water. But the primary advantage is the high speed of installation, which allows you to quickly transport the necessary equipment or people across any water obstacle. In the capable hands of Russian engineering troops, this mechanism works clearly and smoothly. With the right approach, you can build a pontoon crossing 400–500 meters long in just a few hours.

However, this technical engineering structure also has obvious disadvantages. For example, in busy areas of water bodies they interfere with river navigation. But if this issue can be resolved at the planning and preparation stages of the operation, then others remain relevant to this day. Floating pontoon supports are highly dependent on water level, wind speed and wave speed. We also have to come to terms with the fact that in winter, in conditions of freezing, the use of pontoon crossings is simply impossible. And if basic operating rules are not followed, floating bridges can even “float away” in an unknown direction. A similar curiosity occurred in 2005 during the construction of pontoon supports on the Condoma River.

Insignia of engineering units

One of the main attributes of the engineering troops of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is the classic emblem. In the central part there is a double-headed eagle, which, according to the good old tradition, is depicted with wings spread to the sides. In his claws he firmly holds 2 axes (a traditional army symbol of IW), which are located crosswise in relation to each other. This heraldic sign acts as the official coat of arms. As a rule, this army symbol can be found on the gates of the engineering unit, special equipment and military headquarters buildings. The history of the emblem goes back more than 200 years - it first appeared in 1812.

If we talk about award badges, the most important is the medal with a moire ribbon “Veteran of the Engineering Troops”. This memorable award is intended only for military personnel with length of service who have honorably fulfilled their personal duty to the Motherland and retired to a well-deserved retirement. On the obverse of the medal is the coat of arms of the Russian Armed Forces, below is the “branded” sign of the modern-style engineering troops (2 crossed axes and a flaming grenade). Also on the front part there are traditional symbols of the Russian Armed Forces - laurel and oak branches. The reverse of the award medal depicts a small five pointed star, which is surrounded by the jagged “borders” of a classic military fortification.

The official flag of Russian military forces is a double-sided rectangular banner. Main symbol depicted as a 4-pointed white cross, the edges of which widen towards the outside of the flag and touch the four red and black rays. In the central part there are depicted the blade of a track-layer, a sea anchor, a flaming grenade with lightning diverging in different directions, as well as two axes crossed with each other. The upper part of the “exposition” is framed by a gear wheel.

The traditional lapel badge of Russian military forces units is intended to be worn in the corners of the collar of a military uniform, as well as on officer shoulder straps. This emblem, in addition to traditional engineering hatchets and a bulldozer blade, depicts an anchor, a mine and lightning bolts diverging to the sides. The symbol denotes belonging to the Russian engineering troops. Also widely used in everyday life is the breastplate emblem of the 1994 model with the image of a lapel symbol and the inscription: “Engineer Troops.”

Armament and technical equipment

At the height of World War II (1943–44), many Soviet special forces engineering troops adopted the modified CH-42 body armor. Such powerful uniforms were mainly equipped with the soldiers of the assault units of individual combat engineer brigades, which were subordinate not to the general staff, but directly to the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. During the war, the engineering troops were also called “armored infantry” or “battleships”, since soldiers in CH-42 body armor looked quite clumsy compared to other units of the Soviet army. Nevertheless, a steel breastplate, made of 36SGN steel with a thickness of 2 mm, was able to protect against machine gun bullets and small fragments.

Today, the operating special forces of the Russian Engineering Troops use the most modern technology and equipment to carry out combat missions. Military personnel of sapper brigades of special forces of the IW are equipped with unique protective clothing of a new generation. The kit is capable of protecting against the explosion of anti-personnel mines and an improvised explosive device with a warhead capacity of about 1 kg in TNT equivalent. In addition to standard firearms, engineer soldiers performing important mine clearance tasks also use new powerful Korshun class mine detectors. A modern military locator detects anti-personnel mines and other hidden explosive devices at a distance of up to 30 meters in any type of soil, in snow, as well as under asphalt and even concrete floors. “Korshun” was successfully used by Russian military personnel when carrying out mine clearance work in Syria.

When there is an urgent need to inspect and clear a vast area of ​​land from land mines and other explosive devices, military engineers have no choice but to put into practice “brute force” - a self-propelled mine clearing unit called the UR-77 “Meteorite”. IN wide circles This miracle technique is better known under the unofficial pseudonym “Snake-Gorynych”. It was adopted by the engineering troops back in 1977, but even today this machine is superior to some modern world analogs produced in the West. The UR-77 destroys any explosive devices in its path, providing military equipment and soldiers with a safe corridor with a total length of almost 200 meters and a track width of 6 m.

The engineering troops of the Russian Federation have a wide variety of equipment and equipment. To quickly overcome ground obstacles and artificially created obstacles, engineering mechanized bridges of the TMM-6 class, as well as earlier modifications, are widely used. Soldiers of the engineering troops, depending on the situation, use in practice special equipment designed for the comprehensive mechanization of earthmoving or road work. In addition, the IV brigades are armed with universal multi-wheeled track-laying vehicles of the PKT-2 class and tank bridge-laying vehicles of the MTU-72 class.

To quickly overcome water obstacles, mobile diving stations, transportable pontoon parks and floating trailers are used. In emergency situations, special “Exit” kits are used, designed for the urgent evacuation of tank crews. The engineering troops are also equipped with truck cranes, sawmills and powerful military excavators. Such a variety of technical means makes it possible to perform the most complex tasks with minimal time.

Special equipment of the Russian engineering troops

BAT-2 - indispensable assistant in almost any engineering field. This army track-laying machine, like a sewing knife, has several working tools that are necessary for laying column tracks. BAT-2 also has special crane equipment with a lifting capacity of up to 2 tons. Despite the huge number of additional units and mechanisms, in practice this equipment is a fairly obedient, responsive and very fast machine, capable of accelerating up to 70 km/h.

In addition to performing its direct duties, BAT-2 has proven itself well in clearing terrain from snowdrifts and snow debris in the winter. Instead of the friction and planetary turning mechanism traditional for heavy military equipment, the BAT-2 tracklayer is equipped with 2 onboard gearboxes. For greater maneuverability on rough terrain, the caterpillar drive is equipped with rubber-metal hinges. Activation of one of the three modes of a powerful bulldozer occurs using standard hydraulic equipment. The weight of BAT-2 together with power units and additionally installed equipment is 39.7 tons.

IMR-1- engineering barrier vehicle. Built on the basis of the T-55 tank. In just 1 hour, it is capable of turning 300 meters of solid rubble into a road suitable for the passage of conventional vehicles. It is distinguished by stronger hull armor, since very often the vehicle has to perform tasks under enemy fire. A manipulator with a gripper is used to install logs into the ground. The IMR-1 has a very small visibility, therefore, together with the mechanic, a commander-operator is also sent to complete the task, who supervises the driver’s actions in the process of manipulating the crane installation. The body of this armored vehicle has enough powerful protection from radioactive radiation.

The installed working equipment has 3 main operating modes: two-blade, grader and bulldozer, which makes this type of equipment a real all-rounder in military affairs. The suspension is an individual torsion bar, the maximum speed over rough terrain is about 20 km/h. The weight of the IRM-1 engineering vehicle is 37.5 tons.

MDK-3- an army armored vehicle for digging pits, which can quickly dig a ditch 3.5 m wide and deep, and the length of the ditch can be any. This car is equipped with a turbocharged 12-cylinder engine producing 710 horsepower. The weight of the machine is 39 tons. Maximum speed up to 80 km/h over rough terrain. For digging a pit, a special rotary-type working body is provided, and there is also a baking powder and a cutter. The rotor's performance is quite high - in 1 hour, this technique is capable of digging about 350–450 cubic meters of soil.

The external tool of the MDK-3 engineering special equipment is a milling cutter that looks like a meat grinder knife. Actually, its functions are similar. It is the cutter that first “bites” into the ground and feeds the loosened mass into the second wheel - the rotor, which rotates much faster than the cutter and throws the soil to one side. The rotor and the huge working cutter are driven by a gearbox. Its gears are rotated by a driveshaft with a diameter the size of a telegraph pole. But the main movement of all mechanisms is determined by the hydraulic motor.

There is another gearbox combined with the gearbox, and for finishing works MDK-3 has a small blade that levels the shelter, making the walls vertical, and also quickly builds convenient access points. The maximum burial depth is 5 meters. Being at a depth, in order not to get sick from exhaust fumes, driver mechanics use a first-class standard air purification and ventilation system made in Russia, which can even withstand radioactive dust. By the way, you can also control the earthmoving machine while digging a pit using a remote control from outside the cab.

Where are military engineers trained?

If you intend to become a sapper in the Russian engineering forces, then documents for full-time training can be submitted to the admissions committee of the 66th interdepartmental training center, which is located in the Moscow region. In this educational institution you can become a specialist in the mine detection service. In addition to the theoretical foundations of minecraft, cadets have the opportunity to consolidate their acquired knowledge in practice. For this purpose, the training center uses a separate military training ground in Nikolo-Uryupino, where tactical and special training and testing of the latest robotic systems are held.

The Combined Arms Academy of the Russian Armed Forces, which is located in Moscow, is rightfully considered the forge of engineering personnel, where professional training of officers of the Russian army is carried out. The duration of study in the chosen specialty is 5 years. After graduating from the institute, cadets are awarded the junior officer rank of “lieutenant” and are given a state-issued diploma of a qualified specialist. The training time is counted towards the total military experience. You can also undergo training in the structural unit of the university - Tyumen Higher VIKU named after. Marshal A.I. Proshlyakov. Detailed information can be obtained from the official website of educational institutions.

If you intend to obtain an associate degree in computer science, then you should contact regional training centers Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. One of these centers is located in the city of Volzhsky, the other in Kstovo. Please note that getting into the engineering corps for permanent service is possible only under a contract, so it is best to decide in advance on the choice of a higher education institution or a specialized center to obtain the coveted “crust” of a qualified specialist.

Benefits of serving in the Army Corps of Engineers

The salary of contract soldiers depends on the region of service. On average, salaries vary between 25–40 thousand rubles. In addition, various monthly allowances, lifting and annual financial assistance are additionally provided. Modern army makes it possible not only to earn good money, but also to provide for the family. There is another significant advantage in contract service. After the first contract, any serviceman has the right to enter into a military mortgage. It works differently than a civilian one - while the service is ongoing, the state fulfills loan obligations. But even if a contract soldier decides to become a civilian, no one will take away his apartment or house. In this case, the serviceman will independently pay off the remaining debt to the bank.

The social package of a contract soldier, among other things, includes the opportunity to receive free education, free medical care and rehabilitation support, as well as food and clothing allowances. Soon the term of the first contract is planned to be reduced to 2 years. At the same time, a unified system of discounts will be created when contract workers purchase public goods and services. It is also planned to develop a project for preferential lending to contract soldiers of the engineering forces. The main directions in matters of improving contract service are to create favorable living conditions, optimize monetary allowances, improve social conditions and improve the status of engineering troops who serve under contract. In addition, social protection and the rights of military personnel and members of their families are guaranteed.

How do military engineers serve today?

The Russian Engineering Troops are a real gold nugget, an alloy of science and courage. And there is not a bit of exaggeration in this. Quickly laying a road for the safe movement of vehicles, clearing mines from the territory where hostilities are taking place, and providing water and electricity to populated areas in the event of an emergency is an invisible but necessary job. And here we cannot do without professional soldiers serving on a contract basis. That is why modern Russian engineering troops consist of 80-90% trained contract soldiers.

You will not find traditional army armored vehicles in IW brigades. These units are armed with their own unique “monsters” made of metal, each of which has its own specific characteristics. Some machines are designed to clear debris, others make passages in minefields, and still others build bridges across rivers and reservoirs. Separate battalions of engineering troops also perform different tasks. For example, a mine clearance battalion clears areas near populated areas from unexploded shells. Only contract soldiers serve here. In one day, an engineering battalion is capable of clearing up to 5 hectares of land from landmines.

It is impossible to carry out such a colossal amount of work manually, so special equipment comes to the aid of the soldiers. Today, the newest mine clearing machine “Uran-6” is of particular importance. This is a robotic minesweeper that is controlled from a distance. This technique is actively used to clean urban areas, as well as foothill areas. Also today, soldiers of the engineering troops are mastering the latest model of a mine detector, which was nicknamed “Kite” in the Russian army for its unique technical characteristics. Today, engineering troops are developing by leaps and bounds, and automation plays a key role in reforming IW units.

In terms of the level of military training in terms of using special equipment, soldiers of engineering brigades are considered one of the best in the Russian army. A well-thought-out material and educational base helps to hone skills. Many units have their own engineering camp, a waterport for pontoon crossings and a training ground with an obstacle course where driving and fire training are taught. Combat brigades are staffed on a mixed basis - contract soldiers in the most popular army specialties are accepted for service:

• part-commander;
• deputy platoon commander;
• medical instructor;
• electrician-communicator;
• driver mechanic.

At the beginning of service, a probationary period is provided for all contract soldiers. Unconfident and weak-willed soldiers who simply cannot cope with the tasks and responsibilities assigned to them are eliminated by the principle of natural selection after the probationary period (3 months). Only the most persistent guys, ready for self-sacrifice, get into the service. Contract soldiers live in service apartments and cockpit-type barracks. Alternatively, it is allowed to rent housing in a nearby locality. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense compensates part of the money for renting an apartment or private house.

It is possible to conclude a contract for military service in the ranks of the engineering troops through the representative office of the Ministry of Defense. Absolutely any law-abiding citizen of the Russian Federation (without a criminal conviction) over the age of 19, who has a state diploma of complete secondary education and has served in military service in active military units of the Ground Forces or the Navy, can submit the appropriate application. Entrance tests for all applicants for contract service in the army are carried out at specially created regional selection points. These tests are complex and multi-level competitions, including a mandatory test of psychological stability, as well as a test of physical fitness.

On December 1, 2014, in the city of Murom (Vladimir Region), they began to form a centrally subordinated engineer brigade. The brigade was formed in order to increase the capabilities of engineering troops and the efficiency of their use, create a reserve to solve unexpected problems and strengthen troop groups in strategic directions. The brigade is in the reserve of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

As part of the brigade, for the first time since the Great Patriotic War, an assault and barrage battalion has been revived, designed to ensure the unimpeded advancement of general purpose forces in urban areas, which can significantly increase the efficiency of actions when storming buildings, while minimizing losses.

This time I was able to observe the work of the “stormtroopers” with a “watering can” and a notepad. From personal impressions: one of my most interesting army races.

Our and your questions are answered by Guard Senior Lieutenant Dmitry Anatolyevich F., commander of the assault and barrage company of the 1st Guards Engineer-Sapper Brest-Berlin Red Banner Order of Suvorov and Kutuzov Brigade.

1. Just a little bit about yourself

I have always wanted to serve in the army; I have been in military service since 2005. He graduated from a military school in St. Petersburg and, by the will of fate and his own, ended up in the ranks of the 1st Guards Engineer-Sapper Brest-Berlin Red Banner Order of Suvorov and Kutuzov Brigade. Our brigade of central subordination was formed on December 1, 2014 in the city of Murom (Vladimir region). I’m happy with my service in the brigade, this is exactly what I like to do.

2. Since time immemorial, there have been rumors that engineering troops are needed only for building bridges and installing/removing mines. They also say that you can involve them in digging everything. What else is included in the range of real tasks of modern engineers?

The Corps of Engineers, of course, not only builds bridges and places and removes mines. We are engaged in fortification, engineering reconnaissance of the area, we can equip approaches and lines for the convenience of our troops or make them unsuitable for the advance of enemy troops, make a passage through minefields or secure an entire direction for the maneuver of our troops. Building bridges and crossings over water barriers is also our area of ​​responsibility.

In addition, military engineers provide troops in the field with electricity and water, including drinking water. We can greatly complicate enemy reconnaissance operations: where necessary, military engineers use camouflage and concealment of important objects or, conversely, imitation and arrangement of false objects, for example, using inflatable models of military equipment.

We operate on land and at sea; in addition to army engineering units, the engineering troops also have naval or marine engineering units.

3. What are the tasks of the assault unit of military engineers?

The immediate tasks of my unit are clearing and assault. Demolition, simply put, is the elimination of enemy barriers (including mines) using various methods, and assault is the destruction of the enemy at fortified points and entire areas. Plus ensuring the unhindered movement of infantry, artillery, tankers and other forces following us through enemy territory.

Units similar to ours were widely used in the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War, there is enough information on them. Modern military conflicts, of course, differ markedly from the situation on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, but there are also many common features. The creation of assault units is a call of the times and an adequate response to modern military realities.

4. What are the specifics of “stormtroopers”? Are there units with similar specifics in the RF Armed Forces?

It turns out that the specifics of assault engineers include part of the work performed by Special Forces units, some of the tasks are consonant with those assigned to airborne assault units, and in terms of work in urban conditions, rubble and buildings, we in some sense overlap with the specifics of police special forces (SOBR) and FSB special forces. In the modern RF Armed Forces there is nothing similar to us (and with similar tasks).

5. What kind of heavy equipment are the “stormtroopers” armed with?

The battalion has clearing and assault companies (of heavy equipment - BTR-82A armored personnel carriers and Typhoon-K armored vehicles) and companies of special heavy engineering equipment (engineering clearing vehicles - IMR-3, mine clearing installations - UR-77 "Meteor").

We are armed with robotic equipment (mine clearance and fire extinguishing robots); specially trained military personnel of the robotic equipment company work with robotics.

6. What small arms do assault units have?

From small arms at us this moment AK-74 with under-barrel grenade launchers and AKS-74, PK, PKT (well, plus a 30-mm cannon on an armored personnel carrier) are available. What you want is that you really need a sniper weapon. But the issue here is not so much about weapons; it is necessary to introduce snipers into our staffing table. A group that approaches a building or ruins, and especially during operations in urban environments, needs sniper support. This can prevent losses in the group and facilitate the advancement to the point of “work.”

As for small arms, I would like to replenish our arsenal with AK assault rifles of the “hundredth” series. And, of course, we need a replacement for the legendary PM. This is exactly what I am entitled to according to my staff. But I would like to replace it with an APS (Stechkin automatic pistol).

7. If you had a choice not only of domestic pistols, but of any pistols in general, what would you like to have with you in battle as a short-barreled personal weapon?

APS pistol.

8. And from heavier weapons?

Possibly flamethrowers. There are certain plans for them, we are an experienced unit, perhaps they will be implemented.

9. How are your communications?

We have all the new items appearing in the aircraft. I don’t see any problems with communication, including communication between the fighters of the assault group.

10. What are the “stormtroopers” equipped with?

I'll start with OVR-3Sh. The mine clearance suit (assault version) is comfortable and well thought out. Of course, it needs individual adjustment, but that's normal. About weight and convenience I will say this: all daylight hours today I was actively moving around the building in OVR-3Sh. I’m tired, of course, but, without exaggeration, I’m ready to pass the physical training standards right now. Feelings of comfort come with time, the suit must “get used to” the person, then he can work normally in it.

The suit has three sizes in total, but this is not the most popular option. There is a natural limitation - the “attack aircraft” must be of average build. A big soldier is a big target and won’t be able to get through everywhere; a small soldier may not have enough physical strength in battle to do hard physical work.

The level of protection of the suit is determined by armor panels placed in special “pockets” on the chest, sides, groin, etc. Whatever protection class they have is the same as the suit. We have panels of the 6th protection class, they shot at a suit with such a panel from an SVD with an armor-piercing incendiary bullet from ten meters. No penetrations were recorded. The visor on the helmet holds a pistol bullet. And, of course, fragments.

The molle straps on the suit are comfortable. They allow you to place the necessary equipment exactly where it is most convenient for you.

"Warrior". I approve. Except, perhaps, for the location of the “unloading” on the chest. It must be moved to the hips, otherwise in fire contact it is not possible to minimize your own silhouette in the “lying” position, because you have to lie on the “armor” and compartments with magazines placed on top of the “armor.”

In addition, if a unit is camping for the day or overnight, surveillance and security are ensured, the soldier can take off his “armor” for the duration of the rest, without parting with his ammunition. This won't work in Ratnik. First you need to remove the unloading with ammunition and then the “armor”. And one more detail: a well-loaded “unloading” with equipment and ammunition in its current form, when worn for a long time, leads to excessive back fatigue.

Multitools. There are regular and personal ones. It is not forbidden to have one purchased personally. I personally have just this one, I bought it before the regular ones arrived. In general, I would say that the standard multitool is normal and allows you to solve the whole range of problems, but there are better tools. Life can depend on such an element of equipment as a multitool in our work, so I personally consider it wrong to save on a compact tool.

Probably not everyone knows that once a sapper had only a knife from such tools. During the war years in the Red Army it was a Finnish-type universal knife, and they did everything with it. In the post-war Soviet Army it was already a folding knife “Demolition Man” with several blades. The “Demolition Man” made it possible to unscrew something, cut it off (for example, a fire cord), pierce something, expose and strip the wire. With a modern multitool, there is more room for maneuver. Generally speaking, today you can’t live without a multitool; it’s like a third hand.

Machete. Or the assault knife “Sapper”. Domestic. Chops, cuts, sharpens easily. I won't say anything bad about him.

For supplies in general. Let me note that we have no shortage of anything. Among the regular allowances there are many new products. It is not forbidden to somehow “upgrade” your personal property. This, by the way, again allows us to summarize personal practical experience and broadcast it to the entire department. One bought something, brought it, showed it, checked it in action - oh, you can take it! A reliable and functional item never hurts. Again, electrical tape and room for improvements and personal modifications have not been canceled.

One of the things that is already obvious is that we need hooks for machine gun magazines. This is especially important for the “Warrior”: if you put three magazines in each cell, it’s not very convenient to get it out without a hook, and it might fall out in a hurry.

The OVR has special fastening rubber bands for magazines, which prevent you from losing the magazine while moving. A small thing, but an important one. Other pouches don’t have this little detail, we modify them to suit ourselves because it’s proven and convenient. There is adopted third-party experience. The SOBR noticed that the “shield guard” had spare magazines taped to his pistol with a bandage or duct tape on his left hand. If you feel the urge to reload, you do it without taking your hands away from the shield. We also have two types of shields in service - light and heavy. You can combine three shields into one. The heavy shield is equipped with wheels, which can be very convenient in a building.

11. Who staffs the assault units of the engineering troops?

Both “contract soldiers” and “conscripts”. When recruiting our battalion, it is customary to pay close attention for contract servicemen who have served military service or who previously served as “contract soldiers” in reconnaissance units and special forces, in the military. We highly value their previously acquired skills.

For me, as a company commander, a desirable candidate for a unit looks something like this: “contract soldier”, age - 20-25 years, athlete, physically developed, strong build. I'll pay attention to height and weight. Previously acquired sapper skills and a driver’s license will be an advantage for the candidate. It’s great if the candidate has previously received a military specialty, for example, a machine gunner or radio operator. And a very important aspect for me personally, as a commander, is the desire of the candidate to serve in our battalion. More than 30 such “selected contract soldiers” came to us in six months. There could have been noticeably more, but no one canceled our selection and elimination.

It is easier to teach something new to someone who wants to serve in an assault unit. Every “contractor” with us, at a minimum, knows how to shoot, drive an armored personnel carrier, handle explosives and provide first aid. And, of course, follow safety rules.

12. How are things going with shooting training?

We pay special attention to shooting training; our practice is constant and systematic. An assault unit that is not capable of shooting well cannot, in my opinion, be called an “assault” unit. An “attack aircraft” must be fluent in standard weapons. The same applies to mine-explosive specifics. In addition, you must, at a minimum, be able to handle foreign types of small arms. While we are forming, not all models have the opportunity to meet “live”; we make do with electronic documents and outline notes, but the command is carrying out work towards expanding and replenishing the material base specifically for us.

13. Is there a shortage of personnel or certain specialists?

At the moment, I cannot say that we have a shortage of personnel. Our own “cadres” are working, and there are many who want to join us. The same applies to conscript soldiers; immediately after the KMB (young soldier course), the majority strive to serve in our battalion. The motivation of the “conscripts” is different: some “by hearsay,” others see how and what we do during daily combat training. There's a lot of it.

Some people are surprised that we also have drill training. What would it be like without her? This is the foundation of group combat. He who is good in the ranks is also good in battle, since Suvorov’s times known fact. To increase the level of coherence of a unit, combat troops are indispensable. Fire, sapper, special, physical training - we have something to do in the service. I personally observe how a set of measures turns yesterday’s boys into today’s men. Including through morning physical exercises.

14. Is physical training just a struggle for “good sports shape” or are there other super-useful aspects?

Our military personnel generally have increased physical activity. However, over time, this “increased” level is leveled out due to personal growth, people are constantly developing and at some point in time you begin to regard high loads as normal. You just become stronger and more resilient. This is also an observation from personal experience.

15. How much does the “average contract soldier” earn in an assault unit?

On average, a “contract worker” receives about 30 thousand rubles, and if he is successful and persistent in terms of individual physical training, has (and can confirm) sports “class”, then he receives the right to a cash bonus of 10-15 thousand rubles. Maintaining excellent personal fitness, as you can see, pays well. In such a matter as working on oneself personally, I consider a financial incentive to be very useful.

16. Is there any equipment that is not yet available, but would like to have specifically for the commander of an assault company?

UAV. We don’t have these yet, but personally they make my job of making decisions based on operational intelligence much easier. I had experience interacting with UAVs.

Without touching on technology, I think that it would be very useful for us, as a young unit with unique specifics, to be able to attract outside experts and instructors. For learning. We are now actively forming a base of combat experience, and this is where the instructor experience of “narrow” specialists from other units is invaluable to us. For example, I would like to master the nuances of operations in the mountains, to study in practice the experience of the same police SOBR in working in a building, instructors from the Special Forces intelligence service would introduce them to their experience of operations in the forest. All this needs to be summarized, accumulated and adapted.

We are now filming our classes followed by debriefing and analysis. We learn continuously. Again, let me remind you that our “contract soldiers” who come from special units also become sources of new knowledge and, to some extent, act as instructors. This is precisely part of my job as a commander: to highlight the main thing, summarize, adapt, accumulate and pass it on to subordinates.

In this vein, in the near future we have plans to cooperate with the Special Operations Forces (SSO). From what I can tell you about this, this will be a practical course of comprehensive training, conducted by MTR instructors at the MTR base for all our officers and “contract soldiers.” This training course awaits me, too. It’s great that we have such an opportunity and it’s very correct that cooperation with the MTR is intended to be permanent. After all, we were also created as a unit to perform special tasks within the framework of engineering and sapper topics.

17. If your unit were given the task “Take Konigsberg!” - how would you act?

It’s not right to plan an assault on Koenigsberg right away, “on your knees”, in a couple of minutes. But if we are given a similar task, we will complete it. Speaking in general: the personal armor protection of a soldier has advanced greatly since then, modern small arms, armored vehicles, mine clearance installations - in general, Keninsberg, modeled after the last years of the war, does not look absolutely impregnable from today. Moreover, our grandfathers took it without all of the above.

By the way, we studied the experience of both Chechen companies when they had to fight in low-rise urban areas. UR-77s were successfully used there. Why are human sacrifices needed when a fortified building with militants inside can be remotely bombarded with an UR-77 and only after that can be cleared by personnel. Although there was often nothing left to clear there after the UR.

Sometimes it happens that you need to break into a building through a hole in the wall. Which still remains to be done. Here it is important to have maximum information about the building and the enemy: what kind of building it is, what approaches, who is inside, how many there are, what they are armed with. Based on this data, we determine the tactics for a specific case: which of the groups in what composition works on the first floor, which on the second, who covers the central and emergency entrances and exits.

Let's say, sometimes it is more convenient to enter simply through the door, and sometimes from above, breaking through the ceiling or roof. If the situation and the door allow, you can do without an explosion, using hydraulic shears or a circular saw. You can’t really tell it in a nutshell and without specifics. In the general case, one person, under the cover of a group, approaches a building, sets a charge (there are many different ones) and detonates an explosive in one of the following ways. Then the assault is through the breach or simultaneously through the breach and other entry points.

18. Suppose we are talking about a large one-story brick house, with up to 30 people inside, presumably these are militants of ISIS, banned in the Russian Federation, and, probably, all of them are armed. What should I do?

Adjust the UR-77. If such equipment is not available, then we will have specialists who can carefully “fold” the building. This is not the pinnacle of a demolitionist's qualifications; there are more difficult tasks.

19. Is it true that mine clearance is a thing of the past, and now everything that was mined is simply destroyed?

Yes, everything is correct if we are talking about “neutralizing” on site or evacuating an explosive device for subsequent destruction. A sapper is a highly qualified specialist; unnecessary risk is contraindicated for a specialist; he can still save someone’s life. Why bother with neutralization once again, when without danger to others you can destroy an explosive device with a water cannon, an overhead charge, destroy it on the spot with a directed explosion without subsequent detonation, and at least primitively and reliably pull it off with a “cat” or simply shoot it? It’s only in the movies that the wires are cut when the brilliant “good guy” has to outplay the brilliant “bad guy.”

But cases when it is necessary to neutralize on site or remove an explosive device for subsequent destruction are also in practice. This is exactly the job for a highly qualified sapper specialist, which involves risk to life. A huge amount of experience has been accumulated in this part of the world, including from the time of the Great Patriotic War. And in modern engineering troops there are plenty of real geniuses of mine-explosive work.

20. What useful things can you do in peacetime? Are engineering troops involved, say, in civil defense tasks?

Recruited as needed. We can conduct reconnaissance in the area of ​​a natural disaster, accident or catastrophe. We can work as rescuers. We can work as firefighters. We can provide first aid and evacuate. We can build a bridge and create a crossing. We can work underwater, we have our own divers. In general, we can save the lives of people in distress or in an emergency zone.

21. What is considered a sign of professional excellence? Pilots, for example, perform complex aerobatics at low altitudes, snipers wrist watch They hit from 300 meters, but what about the “attack aircraft”?

A good stormtrooper engineer returns alive after successfully completing a combat mission.

Part two, photographic

I arrived at the unit while it was still dark, before getting up.

Had breakfast in the soldiers' canteen.

For breakfast we were given millet porridge with gravy, chicken, lard, cow butter, bread, chicken egg, sweet tea, caramel, gingerbread, cookies, milk.
Lard and chicken on my plate in double size, I finally found the first vegetarian in the army! The whole lieutenant colonel turned out to be.

Cabbage, carrots, beans, peas for breakfast to choose from. I couldn’t eat everything, even though I was hungry. Breakfast, by the way, was enough for a whole day of running around the outskirts of Murom; the food was good, satisfying, although not the most delicious.

After breakfast we went to meet the military engineers from the clearing and assault company. By prior agreement, they were to demonstrate the process of putting on new protective equipment.

OVR-3Sh has three standard sizes.

Costumes are transported and stored in bags like these. The round compartment is for a helmet.

The main components of the OVR-3Sh are laid out on the table: on the left you can see fragments of the cooling system, a lightweight jacket, trousers, a sleeveless vest and a protective helmet.

The cooling system consists of two parts - a sweatshirt and a “underpants”.

Lightweight flexible plastic hoses are sewn throughout inner surface sweatshirts and long johns.

Hoses drive water from such a tank using an electric motor. The battery lasts for about a day of operation. The coolant is supposed to be ordinary water with ice (with ice!?).

Generally speaking, I don’t really understand about ice: in winter there is a lot of it, but a cooling system is not needed, but in summer where can you get it? It was not possible to find out how effectively ordinary water (without ice) will cool the user.

In any case, a system filled with drinking water can serve as a portable water supply.

The cooling system is put on with tubes to the body directly onto the thermal underwear. Connectors for connecting to a water tank are visible.

In winter, the cooling system is not required, was put on for demonstration purposes only. On top of thermal underwear and a cooling system (or without the latter), a lightweight jacket like this is put on; in fact, these are just sleeves, while the jacket serves as a forced load-bearing element.

A lightweight jacket is more convenient for two people to put on and adjust, but the task is quite feasible for anyone alone. Lacing on the back prevents the suit from moving around the body and regulates the “movement” of the arms and shoulders and overall comfort.

Following the jacket, trousers are put on.

The trousers are connected to the jacket with special straps on latches, they are visible on the left in the picture.

All that remains is to put on a “sleeveless vest” with shoulder pads.

There are special “pockets” for placing armor panels on the sides, chest and groin of the suit.
Panels may vary depending on in this case They have a 6th class of protection, they can withstand a point-blank shot from an SVD with an armor-piercing incendiary bullet.

The shoulder protection works on the same principle, only it is flexible and not so high class protection. But it reliably protects against splinters, cuts and burns.
Armored helmet "Warrior Kiver RSP" with visor. The visor holds a 9mm pistol bullet.

The visor on the helmet is removable. In the picture it just came out of the cold, so the room was fogged up. It fogged up much less outside, so I paid special attention.

The shield, made of three-layer plastic, is heavy, extremely transparent, but greatly changes the center of gravity of the helmet. Helmet mounting points allow you to place a variety of items on the helmet, such as a flashlight.

Communications, hearing protection and connection point for a mine detector.

Attack engineer in OVR-3Sh. The visor has been removed from the helmet.

To demonstrate progress in individual armor protection for “stormtroopers,” they brought a pair of modern replicas of the CH-42 steel cuirass breastplates. The cuirasses were specially made for demonstration purposes at one of the enterprises based on drawings and photographs, and the fastening elements and “damper” were sewn by one of the officers with his own hands.
The steel helmet, as you can see, is not the most authentic, but it’s a real deal. But an infantry shoulder blade with the stamp “1917”.

Layout of teaching staff. It’s strange to see such “new-made” inscriptions on weapons made in the USSR. This also applies to our domestic “layout designers”.
Or is there some special valor in the emasculation (sometimes simply barbaric) of an old but military weapon? Or is this some kind of legal requirement?

Due to numerous requests from interested parties, some photographic details from life multitool NS-2 and the assault knife "Sapper".
The case with the standard multi-tool is visible on the left fighter’s left thigh.

Using the multitool for its intended purpose.

Multitool in a case. A table knife from a soldier's canteen for scale.

The case can be attached to a waist belt or equipment in several ways.

Assault knife "Sapper". A sheath with an assault knife is visible on the stormtrooper's right thigh.

The assault knife “Sapper” immediately attracted my attention due to its fairly common grammatical errors. Just in case, I inform you that in the phrase “Armed Forces of Russia” all words should be written with capital letters. But in the phrase “Engineering Troops” the word “troops” would be correctly written with a small capital letter.

I talked with the users of Minesweeper, they expressed themselves in the spirit that such a knife is useful and necessary, and there are no complaints about this particular product yet.
But a secret doubt crept into my mind: I had the amazing experience of owning and using a miracle survival knife, which proudly bore a similar “moose” brand.

Corps of Engineers from the Napoleonic Wars.

Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - formation (special troops) of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, intended for engineering support (equipment of the territory of military (combat) operations, engineering reconnaissance and escort of troops (forces) on the offensive, and so on).

The engineering troops include command and control bodies, institutions, enterprises, engineer-sappers, road engineers, pontoon and other formations, military units and subunits.

The engineering troops finally separated from the artillery, becoming an independent branch of the military. By the end of the first quarter of the 19th century, their number exceeded 21 thousand people, which accounted for about 2.3% of the total armed forces. In 1873, a Special Meeting on the strategic position of the country was established in Russia, which, based on a plan developed by Eduard Ivanovich Totleben, decided to carry out a complex of military construction work.

Over the course of 35 years, military builders built the fortresses of Novogeorgievsk, Warsaw Citadel, Zegris, Brest-Litovsk, Osovets, Kovno, Ivangorod, Dubro outpost and various fortifications and structures.

For more details, see the website: Spurs on “OVS” - Organization of the Armed Forces - Creation of the Russian Railways.

Aeronautics gradually took its place in the Russian army. In the second half of the 19th century, balloons were in service. At the end of the century, a separate aeronautical park operated, which was at the disposal of the Commission for Aeronautics, Pigeon Post and Watchtowers. During the maneuvers of 1902-1903. methods of use were tested in Krasnoe Selo, Brest and Vilna balloons in artillery and for aerial reconnaissance (surveillance).

Convinced of the feasibility of using tethered balls, the War Ministry decided to create special units at the fortresses in Warsaw, Novgorod, Brest, Kovno, Osowiec and Far East, which included 65 balls. The production of airships in Russia began in 1908. At the same time, the Engineering Department was distrustful of the idea of ​​​​using aviation for military purposes.

Only in 1909 did it propose to the Training Aeronautical Park to build 5 airplanes. Then the military department purchased from foreign companies several Wright and Farman aircraft. Meanwhile, several private enterprises for the production of engines and aircraft arose in Russia. Some of them were subsidiaries of French factories. From 1909 to 1917 More than 20 aviation enterprises emerged in Russia.

The problem of communications in military affairs acquired great importance in the 20th century. The first initiatives to introduce the telegraph took place during the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, which brought enormous benefits in command and control of troops; they led to the wider use of technical means of communication. The telegraph and telephone took a leading place in troop control. The most widely developed were mobile lines intended for commanding troops directly in the theater of war. At the end of the 19th century, the number of telegraph parks under the jurisdiction of the Main Engineering Directorate was 17 (975 versts) in Central Russia and 2 (130 versts) in the Caucasus. In addition, 55 communication centers (423 versts) were created in the fortresses.

In 1912, standards for supplying corps with communications equipment were established. Each corps, consisting of two infantry divisions (8 infantry regiments), one sapper battalion (one telegraph and three sapper companies) and one field engineering department, was equipped with 20 telegraphs, 193 telephone sets and 333 miles of cable.

Automobile troops.

One of the reasons for the slow introduction of cars into the military economy was underdevelopment highway networks. In 1884, the construction of highways was entrusted to the War Ministry. Thanks to his efforts, from 1885 to 1900, the highways St. Petersburg - Pskov - Warsaw with branches to Riga and Mariupol, Moscow - Brest - Warsaw with branches to Kalisz and Poznan, Kyiv - Brest, the Pskov - Kyiv road and some others were built. In the 1880s, the first runway (in the form of wooden flooring or wooden rails) was built near Krasnoye Selo to test the Mozhaisky aircraft. Airfield construction received significant development in 1905-1910, when the first airfield complexes were built in a number of cities in the country.

The increased role of engineering troops was shown by the Russo-Japanese War. At the beginning of the war, the engineering formations of the Manchurian Army had only 2,800 people. — by the end of the war they numbered 21 thousand.

By this time, in the Far East there were:

· engineer battalions - 20;

· pontoon battalions - 4;

· aeronautical battalions - 3;

· telegraph battalions - 2;

· serf sapper companies - 4;

· mine mouths - 5;

· aeronautical companies - 1;

· spark mouths - 2;

· serf telegraphs - 1 (Beskrovny L.G., 1986)

The further development and technical equipment of the engineering troops, especially during the First World War, as well as the incredible overload of the administrative bodies of the engineering troops due to the sharp increase in the number of aviation, automobile units, and armored vehicle units led to the separation of aviation and automobile units into independent branches of the military.

The number of engineering troops by the beginning of 1917 amounted to 6% of the total number of the army.

Monument to sappers of the Great Patriotic War in front of Izmailovskaya gymnasium No. 1508 in Moscow

Both in Soviet times and now, the main purpose of the Engineering Troops is engineering support for combat operations. Engineering support for combat operations of troops was organized and carried out with the aim of creating the necessary conditions for troops to timely and covertly advance, deploy, maneuver, successfully carry out combat missions, increase the protection of troops and objects from all types of destruction, to inflict losses on the enemy, and to hinder enemy actions.

· destruction and neutralization of enemy nuclear mines;

· making and maintaining passages in barriers and destruction;

· arrangement of passages through obstacles;

· demining of terrain and objects;

· preparation and maintenance of routes for troop movement, transportation and evacuation;

· equipment and maintenance of crossings when crossing water barriers;

· engineering measures to camouflage troops and objects;

· engineering measures to restore the combat capability of troops and eliminate the consequences nuclear strikes enemy;

· extraction and purification of water, equipment of water supply points.

The engineering troops performed engineering support tasks that required special training of personnel, the use of engineering equipment and engineering ammunition. In addition, their tasks include the destruction of enemy equipment and manpower with mine-explosive and nuclear mine weapons.

The creation of engineering troops was necessary for the reason that it was necessary to carry out tasks that related to engineering support during combat operations. These are special forces who have undergone training and struck the enemy with engineered ammunition.

History of the creation of engineering troops

Engineering troops began their existence in Ancient Greece; in those days they were called excavation units. Their task was to build defensive structures along the border and set up camps.

The chronicle of 1016 indicated that these were builders who were in military service and were good at martial arts. The engineering troops received their legal existence in 1701. A little later, they already became an independent army, and by the time the Russian-Turkish war began, their number already amounted to 2.8% of the entire field army. They lived up to expectations during the Patriotic War and the Battle of Borodino.

When the First World War began, the Russian army, under the strict leadership of the engineering troops, erected various defensive structures that were thousands of kilometers long. One of such defenses was the heroic Osovets and Brusilovsky breakthrough.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the engineering troops had at their disposal a lot of educated military builders, their number amounted to 6% of the total army.

The main tasks of military engineers

The Russian Engineering Troops must perform the following important tasks:

• Conducting engineering reconnaissance of enemy terrain and targets;
• control over fortifications during the construction of defensive positions;
• installation of barriers;
• creation of various facilities for water crossings;
• preparing the routes along which the movement and maneuver of troops will take place;
• carrying out all measures to camouflage the army;
• carrying out water purification and water supply points for the army;
• direct participation in clearing the territory where weapons of mass destruction were used;
• destruction of chemical industry enterprises and much more.

Celebrating January 21st

Engineer Troops Day in Russia is celebrated on January 21. This holiday began to be celebrated from the moment the President of the Russian Federation issued a decree in 1996. The head of the country singled out this day for the invaluable contribution he made Russian army into the country's defense potential. In the same year, the country's Minister of Defense issued a decree to celebrate January 21 every year as the day of the Russian Engineering Troops.

This date will be remembered by all residents due to the fact that, according to the Decree of Peter the Great, a special school was created in Moscow on January 21, 1701. At first, the school prepared military engineers for service, but a year later all graduates joined the Russian army.

Corps of Engineers: our days

Today, the engineering troops of the Russian Federation consist of units, divisions and formations, each of which has its own purpose. The troops are divided according to their purpose into:

• assault barriers engineers;
• engineer troops;
• positional;
• camouflage engineers;
• pavements;
• pontoon;
• water treatment and extraction engineers;
• engineering and construction;
• amphibious.

The engineering troops, photos of which are provided below, exist in various structures: in the Federal Border Service, in the Ministry of Defense, in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 100% hope is placed on these troops to solve the most difficult problems with regard to engineering support. These decisions imply the availability of modern equipment and weapons, as well as well-trained personnel.

One of the main tasks of the army is to fully counteract mine terrorism. This was due to the fact that in Lately The threat of global terrorism has increased sharply. This question is included in the task of many today security forces and is still being decided by them.

The Sapper Army became part of one of the organizations of the engineering troops at the time when the Patriotic War began. Their task was to promptly carry out the construction of rear lines for defense, build and repair roads, bridges, and also train engineering units for the front.

Engineer-sapper troops were invited to carry out mine clearance in the area of ​​the active front. These troops made a huge contribution to the engineering preparation of the defense of not only Moscow, but also other, no less important cities.

The first and third sapper armies, together with the residents near Moscow, built the following:

• more than 3,700 fire structures were erected;
• anti-tank ditches were dug that stretched for 325 kilometers;
• More than 1,300 kilometers of forest debris have been developed.

The engineer army is the main base where military personnel are accumulated to undergo training in the engineering unit of the army and front-line subordination. From this base, more than 150,000 people joined the front-line formations, as well as rifle units.

Famous figures of the engineering troops

Many famous figures, composers, generals, scientists and inventors were included in the Russian engineering troops. These included Field Marshal Kutuzov, Marshal Ogarkov, Marshals of the Engineering Troops Shestipalov, Proshlyakov, Aganov, Vorobyov, Kharchenko and many others. Many military engineers were named Heroes of Russia, and this figure is very high.

In 2002, Daniil of Moscow was declared the patron saint of the Heavenly Engineering Troops. This event indicated that the dedicated work of the engineering troops found understanding in the Orthodox Church.

January 21, Engineering Troops Day, in addition to the Russian Federation, is also celebrated in Belarus.

The role of engineering troops in peacetime

• Maintain the combat potential of the military army to achieve combat readiness to repel an attack.
• Preparation of command and control bodies for the conduct of military operations with their direct purpose.
• Accumulation military equipment, weapons and supplies, in the quantity in which they are necessary for military operations.
• Taking direct part in restoring peace and maintaining it.
• Taking direct part in eliminating the consequences of disasters.
• Carrying out operational equipment of the country's territory.

The role of engineering troops in wartime

The engineering troops, the photo of which is provided below, perform the following role in wartime:

• carry out all tasks that are clearly specified in the strategic deployment plan;
• suppress all military conflicts as much as possible;
• carry out repelling actions against enemy aggression with military troops ready to attack;
• Together with other troops, they carry out defensive and offensive operations to destroy the enemy.

Invaluable contribution of the troops

The troops have always taken an active role in all battles to defend the Fatherland. They carried out successful military operations during the Patriotic War, during the defense of Sevastopol, during the First World War and the Russian-Japanese War.

They received special distinction during the Patriotic War. For their exploits and defense of the Motherland, many were awarded orders, some received the title of Hero, and some became holders of the Order of Glory.

January 21, the Day of the Russian Engineering Troops, is significant for the siege of Izmail, as well as the provision of military operations in Afghanistan, the successful resolution of cases in Abkhazia, Herzegovina, Tajikistan and many other countries.

For three hundred years, troops have occupied one of the highest places in the Russian Armed Forces. They make an invaluable contribution to eliminating the consequences of accidents and disasters, and when clearing mines from explosive objects.

One of the very important feats of the engineering troops was the liquidation of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Today, the most recognized battalion is the engineering battalion, which is engaged in reconnaissance and mine clearance. Their work every day is full of danger, for this they are respected by the entire Russian people. Today they are mastering completely new equipment - military excavators, various means for detecting explosives and complex water purification stations.

In the Russian Armed Forces, the engineering troops have an excellent record, which shows their commitment to the Motherland, the traditions and heroism of military engineering.

Today, the engineering troops courageously continue the work of their fathers and grandfathers. They help save thousands of human lives during natural disasters, perform dangerous service in the hottest spots on the planet and eliminate man-made disasters and the consequences of accidents.

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Engineering Troops of Rus'.

Until the 17th century, the word city was often referred to as fortifications, denoting defensive walls with this term. The fragmentation of feudal Rus' into many principalities, which began at the end of the 12th century, led to the construction of fortresses and structures of various types throughout almost the entire territory. The high level of Russian military engineering art of that time is evidenced by both the skillful construction of fortifications and the improvement of engineering measures in ensuring offensive operations of troops.

Chroniclers date the first information about warrior-builders in Rus' to 1016. In Ancient Rus', the simplest types of military engineering work were performed by warriors, and to carry out more complex ones, craftsmen were attracted, among whom were " mayors"engaged in the construction of fortifications," bridge workers"who built bridges and crossings," master of vicious deeds "who built siege engines are vices.In the 14th century, the people who supervised such work began to be called " thoughts" from the word "to reflect", thereby emphasizing the intellectual nature of their work. In the meaning of the official title, the term "reflection" began to be used in the 16th century from the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

In 1242, the Russians defeated the Germans on the ice of Lake Peipsi. Russian troops skillfully used both long-term defensive structures and field fortifications, made taking into account the characteristics of the terrain.

Miniatures of Nikon's facial chronicle, XVI century I Osterman volume.

The first Russian military engineer considered a clerk Ivan Grigorievich Vyrodkov , who led military engineering work in the Kazan campaign of Ivan the Terrible in 1552.

In the second half of the 15th century, a single body for managing military construction work was created represented by the engineering unitPushkar order , who began to develop drawings and supervise the construction of defensive structures. The first of the Russian military regulations that have come down to us, summarizing military engineering experience, is the “Charter of Military and Cannon Affairs Concerning Military Science.” It was compiled at the beginning of the 17th century by the voivode boyar Anisim Mikhailov .

In 1692 and 1694, under the leadership of Peter I, apparently the first engineering training maneuvers were carried out, during which the construction of defensive structures was worked out, using the work of the most famous military engineer of that period Marshal of France Vauban .

In 1700, during the Northern War during the siege of Narva, they also acted miners. This is the first mention of them in historical materials. As part of the artillery regiment, which then united all the field artillery of the active army, a miner company was formed in 1702, and in 1704 a pontoon team was introduced into the staff of this regiment, the number of personnel of which had not yet been determined. At the same time, personnel specialists for them were trained in engineering school , opened at the Cannon Yard in Moscow by decree of Peter I of January 10 (21), 1701.

Creating regular army, Peter I paid special attention to the development of artillery and engineering troops. He gave them harmonious organizational forms that did not yet exist in the West. The whole matter of organization, armament and combat training was put on a scientific basis.

On February 8 (19), 1712, by decree of Peter I, the organizational structure of the engineering troops was approved; three were added to the staff of the artillery regiment engineering departments with a total number of 148 people. Miner company consisting of 3 officers and 72 lower ranks, it was intended to erect fortifications at artillery positions and perform engineering work during attack and defense. Pontoon Team ensured artillery crossings through water barriers using improvised means and consisted of 2 officers and 34 lower ranks. Engineering team in the amount of 8 officers and 29 lower ranks was intended to organize the entire engineering service artillery regiment, and, if necessary, its specialists were sent to infantry units to supervise military engineering work carried out by their personnel.

Thus, Peter I legislated the creation of engineering troops in the Russian army and on February 8 (19)noted as Day of the Engineering Troops of the Russian Army .

To train engineering personnel, they are creating engineering schools . The first was in 1708 in Moscow, in 1712 it was further expanded, but this was not enough and on March 17, 1719, an engineering school was established in St. Petersburg. In each of these schools, 100 - 300 people studied annually, the duration of training ranged from 5 to 12 years. Military engineers enjoyed great advantages in the army, their salaries differed from the salaries of army officers, and the most successful in engineering were promoted to the highest ranks before others.

Where do the sappers come from...

Sappers(French sapeur - to dig) - from the beginning of the 17th century. The name of the soldiers of the French army who were engaged in constructing tunnels under enemy fortifications and destroying them. Subsequently most common name personnel of the engineering troops.

From the “Charter of military, cannon and other matters relating to military science”,

prepared in 1621 Onisim Mikhailov

based on "foreign military books".

...to ensure combat operations of the siege army have four ensign 406 people each trench diggers, a hundred horokopov and a ferry fleet crew with 5 plows (flat-bottomed wooden vessels transported on carts). Organizationally, these formations were supposed to be part of the artillery.

Prapor(Old Slavonic - banner, banner) - the banner of a squad, detachment and other formations of the Russian army in the 15th-17th centuries. The number of formations was determined by the number of ensigns. Here prapor means detachment.

Chance diggers(German Schanze - trench, fortification; the name of field and temporary fortifications of the 17th-18th centuries) - warriors who built such fortifications.

Horokopy- the name of the soldiers of the Russian army of the 16th-17th centuries who carried out underground mine work to destroy the walls of the besieged enemy fortress.

Lower ranks- category of military personnel in the Russian army up to1917, which included persons with non-commissioned ranks and privates.