Spetznazunits became integrated into Soviet war planning. Begin-
ning with the Battle of Moscow, Spetznazformations disrupted the
German rear areas and logistical networks
The security service always had an ability to conduct terrorist op-
erations, killing dangerous émigrésand defectors. It was not until
June 1974, however, that the KGBcreated its own Spetznaz forma-
tion, Group Alpha, which was responsible for operations against ter-
rorism and “extremists” within the Soviet Union. In December 1979,
Group Alpha was tasked with capturing the presidential mansion of
Afghanistan president Amin and killing him and his entourage. Al-
pha’s work in Afghanistan, as well as other GRU and KGB Spetznaz
successes, created concerns about the threat of Soviet special forces
in the West. Spetznazbecame a subject of misinformation in the
Western press: Soviet Spetznazforces were reported to have a corps
of sinister women killers and credited with operations in Alaska that
never took place.
As the Soviet Union slowly disintegrated in the late 1980s, Group
Alpha was increasingly used against domestic enemies. In January
1991, Alpha stormed the main television station in Vilnius, Lithuania,
killing several civilians. It also operated in Latvia and Azerbaijan.
During the August putsch, Alpha was reportedly ordered to storm
the Russian White House (the parliament building) in central
Moscow and kill President Boris Yeltsin. Alpha commanders, how-
ever, refused the order, citing its illegality.
Group Alpha is now subordinated to theFSB(Federal Security
Service). GRU andMVD special forces units, as well as Alpha,
have been engaged in operations against insurgents and terrorists
and in Chechnya since the early 1990s. In the summer of 2004,
Spetznaztroops stormed a school held by Chechen terrorists in
southern Russia. In the resulting firefight, all the terrorists, hun-
dreds of hostages, and several members of Alpha perished. Russian
Spetznazunits, reportedly well trained and well armed, continue to
play a critical role in Russian security, counterterrorism, and war
fighting. However, these special forces are still developing new
strategies for operating against domestic enemies. Operations in-
side Russia have generated casualties that in the West would be
seen as unacceptable. Liaison with Western services may have an
impact on Russian use of deadly force.250 •SPETZNAZ(SPESIALNOGO NAZNACHENIYA)06-313 P-Z.qxd 7/27/06 7:57 AM Page 250