OSNAZ (Russian: [voiska] osobogo naznacheniya, ОСНАЗ = [войска] особого назначения, "special purpose [detachments]") or ChON (Russian: chasti osobogo naznacheniya, ЧОН= Части особого назначения were special forces troops within the KGB (its predecessors and its successor, Federal Security Service) and the MVD. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Note: This article is about the KGB of the Soviet Union. ... The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Федера́льная слу́жба безопа́сности Росси́йск&#1086... Modern emblem of Russian MVD Russian Gendarme officers in the 1860s The Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del (MVD) (Министерство внутренних дел) was the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the imperial Russia, later USSR, and still bears the same name in the Russian Federation. ...

OSNAZ has always been shrouded in a veil of mystery and remains so even to this day. There is no OSNAZ headquarters as the various groups were formed within the various directorates as needed.

During the Great Patriotic War the OSNAZ of the NKVD fought on the frontlines against the Nazi Germany as VDV in the form of Airborne regiments/Brigades, with some units achieving "Guards" status at the end of the conflict. The Eastern Front1 was the theatre of combat between Nazi Germany and its allies against the Soviet Union during World War II. It was somewhat separate from the other theatres of the war, not only geographically, but also for its scale and ferocity. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... VDV flag. ... Guards (Russian: гвардия) or Guards units (Russian: гвардейские части) were and are elite military units in Imperial Russia, Soviet Union and Russian Federation. ...

KGB/FSB OSNAZ

The known KGB OSNAZ units were as follows: Note: This article is about the KGB of the Soviet Union. ...

• Alpha Group or Spetsgruppa A - formed in 1974 in the Seventh Chief Directorate
• Beta Group or Spetsgruppa B- also formed in the Seventh Chief Directorate, time unknown
• Vympel or Pennant - formed in August 1981 within the First Chief Directorate as a "sabotage" and covert action unit behind enemy lines. Mission redefined in the late 90s.
• Kaskad or Cascade - formed in the 8th Directorate, time unknown
• Grom or Thunder - VIP/VVIP Protection Unit
• Delfin or Dolphin - a combat diver "incursion" unit similar to the U.S. Navy SEALs.

It is known that several have survived the fall of the Soviet Government and still exist, with the Alpha Group being the most famous. A member of the FSB Alpha Group, equipped with the silenced AS VAL assault rifle. ... BETA GROUP or Spetsgruppe B was created within the First Chief Directorate of the KGB with similar duties to those of Alpha Group, Not known if it still exists or was merged with other OSNAZ units within the KGB. Categories: Special forces of Russia ... Emblem of Vympel Vympel (Russian: Вымпел meaning Pennant, also known as Vega Group or Spetsgruppa V) is a Russian counter-terrorism unit. ... The First Chief Directorate (Russian: Первое Главное Управление) [or-PGU] of the Committee for State Security (KGB), was the organization responsible for foreign operations and intelligence collection activities by the training and management of covert agents, intelligence collection management, and the collection of political, scientific and technical intelligence. ... Kaskad or casade was established within the Eight Chief Directorate of the KGB (the Guards Directorate)to possibly function as a SWAT team to assist the main guards in the performance of their duties. ... Grom (Thunder) is a division of the FSB responsible for VVIP (Very Very Important People) security. ... A Very Important Person, or VIP (pronouced vee-eye-pee) is a person who is accorded special privileges due to his or her status or importance. ... VVIP stands for Very Very Important Person, a title usually reserved for heads of state, such as presidents, monarchs, prime-ministers and the Pope. ... Delfin may refer to one of the following. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

MVD OSNAZ

The Ministry for Internal Affairs (MVD) has several OSNAZ units, such as SOBR. Other MVD units such as Vityaz and "Rus" are classed as Spetsnaz units. They act under the aegis of their corresponding GUVD MVD (Main Internal Affairs Directorate of the Interior Ministry). They are not secret or classified units, even if their operations may be classified. Modern emblem of Russian MVD Russian Gendarme officers in the 1860s The Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del (MVD) (Министерство внутренних дел) was the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the imperial Russia, later USSR, and still bears the same name in the Russian Federation. ... The Special Rapid Reaction Unit or SOBR (Russian: специальные отряды быстрого реагирования = Spetsialnyye Otryady Bystrogo Reagirovaniya) is an elite commando unit of the Russian Interior Ministry, involved in anti-criminal operations. ... Modern emblem of Russian MVD Russian Gendarme officers in the 1860s The Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del (MVD) (Министерство внутренних дел) was the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the imperial Russia, later USSR, and still bears the same name in the Russian Federation. ... Vityaz unit emblem Vityaz (Russian: , Knight) is a Russian Spetsnaz unit of the MVD. Vityaz is assigned specifically to counter-terrorism duties. ... Rus is a special forces unit (OSNAZ) of the Interior Troops (VV), of the interior ministry (MVD) of the Russian Federation. ... Russian special forces showcasing their skills For the Swedish EBM band, see Spetsnaz (band). ...

Caveat: OMON is not an OSNAZ unit. Regular police forces (militsiya) also have their special purpose units (OMSN). MVD OSNAZ units and MVD Interior operative troops (such as ODON operatives) usually wear green or olive berets, the most skilled servicemen being awarded with a purple beret (краповый берет, krapovy beret) after succeeding in a tough competition held every year. The latter OSNAZ members are commonly called krapoviki. The OMON insignia OMON (Russian: Отряд милиции особого назначения; Otryad Militsii Osobogo Naznacheniya, Special Purpose Detachment of Militsiya) is a generic name for the system of special units of militsiya (state police) within the Russian and earlier the Soviet, Ministerstvo Vnutrennih Del (MVD; Ministry of Internal Affairs). ... A member of a Russian special purpose police team (OMSN), equipped with a 9A91 submachine gun. ... At September 16, 2002 SOBR was officially dissolved. ... Modern emblem of Russian MVD Russian Gendarme officers in the 1860s The Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del (MVD) (Министерство внутренних дел) was the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the imperial Russia, later USSR, and still bears the same name in the Russian Federation. ...

SVR OSNAZ

Zaslon is a possible name for a suspected and highly secret OSNAZ organization within the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki (Служба внешней разведки) (SVR) is Russian for Foreign Intelligence Service and is the name of Russias primary external intelligence agency. ...

Russian Navy

OSNAZ is the name for Russian Navy Special Forces. Formed into 1,000 man brigades, one per Fleet. Each brigade consists of several small battalions. The Russian Navy or VMF (Russian: Военно-Морской Флот (ВМФ) - Voyenno- Morskoy Flot (VMF) or Military Maritime Fleet) is the naval arm of the Russian armed forces. ...

See also

• Spetsnaz
• Special Forces
• commando
• OMON