There is nothing like it in Russia. Sofrinskaya special purpose brigade. There is no one like it in Russia History of the Sofrino Brigade

Located in the village of Totskoye-4, Orenburg Region, it belongs to the Volga Military District. Represented by 21 separate Guards Red Banner Omsk-Novoburg Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky motorized rifle brigade. This is the only large combat-ready garrison located on the Central Asian border.

History of military unit 12128

The history of the unit begins in 1941, when it was listed as the 21st Totsk Guards Motorized Rifle Division. Since 1945, it was transferred to Halla (GDR), in 1992 again to Totskoye-2, receiving the rank of peacekeeping. Officers and soldiers military unit 12128 took part in military operations on the territory of South Ossetia, Transnistria, Chechnya, Georgia and Abkhazia. After the military reform in 2008-2009, the unit was renamed the 21st Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade.

Eyewitness information

One of the rooms in the cockpit

Military unit 12128 is located in a village with complete and necessary infrastructure. Totskoye, although small in size, is quite developed: there are shops, cafes, a clinic, a hotel, a post office, and banks. On the territory of the unit itself there is a post office, a parade ground, a chipok, a library, a canteen, and an infirmary. There is no hospital, the soldiers undergo examinations and treatment in the infirmary at the garrison medical unit and in the village clinic. The area of the unit along the entire perimeter is recorded by video cameras. The soldiers live in a dormitory, divided into cubicles, 4-5 people per room. Each cabin has everything necessary for personal hygiene: washing machine, shower, toilet. Everything is kept clean and in good order. Soldiers who have served for six months or more live in the barracks, and family officers serving under contract can live in a special dormitory or outside the unit in the village.

Canteen of military unit 12128

In military unit 12128 there is a cozy canteen that meets sanitary requirements. Civilian cooks also do the cooking in military unit 12128. The food for military personnel is balanced and meets all necessary standards. The canteen menu is designed so that the fighter receives the necessary elements for a healthy body along with food. Specially hired workers are also involved in cleaning. But Saturday is a park and maintenance day for all soldiers.

The Oath taking also takes place on Saturdays at 10:00 am. Afterwards, soldiers can go on leave until 20:00 on Sunday evening. Before this, the serviceman must write a statement in advance addressed to the unit commander before Thursday. To do this, the parents or wife must leave their document (for example, a passport or driver's license). If the employee does not go on leave, then relatives and friends can meet him at the unit checkpoint. Conscripts are allowed telephones. But during training they must be turned off, and during inspections they are handed over to the unit commander. He makes an entry about this in the journal, and the soldiers put their signature. All messages, calls and visits to social networks are checked. There is a program from the Megafon company called “Call Mom”, and therefore all employees are issued SIM card data. If someone needs a SIM card from another operator, then there are two Euroset branches in the village. Military personnel receive monetary allowances. It is credited to the Sberbank card. On the territory of the military unit there is his ATM and another one - “Pushkin”. In addition, in Totsky-4 there are ATMs and branches of Ros Agricultural Bank and VTB-24.

Relatives can also send a money transfer to the card. There are several ways:

through online banking (for Sberbank and VTB-24);
transfer at a bank branch;
transfer from one card to another.

October 10, 1988 in the village. In Ashukino, Sofrino, near Moscow, on the basis of the 504th training regiment of the Internal Troops, the 21st ObrON operational brigade was formed, which became part of the units of the Internal Troops of the USSR. The reason for the creation of the new unit was the increasing incidence of interethnic conflicts that took place in the late 1980s in the union republics. Over its almost thirty-year history, the brigade’s personnel took part in hostilities more than once, and also guarded important government facilities.

Internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

This branch of the military has existed in the Soviet Union since the late 1930s. The VV's tasks included responsibilities for protecting important government facilities and maintaining public safety. In the 1990s, dozens of paramilitary units were divided along territorial lines by the former republics.

They acquired the status of official explosives only in 1992, when the corresponding law was adopted by the president. During the first and second Chechen wars, brigades of internal troops were involved in establishing constitutional order in zones of local armed conflicts. The Sofrin brigade was no exception. In the conditions of hostilities, the brigade personnel showed courage and bravery. Many of the guys were awarded high awards, some posthumously.

History of the Sofrinsky brigade

Two months after the establishment of military unit 3641, in December 1988, the first oath of conscripts took place, and already in February 1989, the personnel were transferred to Azerbaijan. Thus began the path of glory of the Sofrino brigade; military personnel participated in all serious conflicts that took place on the territory of the Russian Federation or the CIS from the late 1980s to the present day. Particularly frequent visits took place in the early to mid-1990s, when violent clashes for independence took place in almost all former republics.

Today, the brigade provides assistance to internal affairs bodies during rallies, sports competitions, and protects strategic military and medical facilities. Military personnel regularly patrol railway stations and have the right to detain suspicious persons. At the same time, in the event of an emergency, personnel are always ready to quickly respond and relocate to any point.

Participation in military conflicts

Over the course of two years (from 1989 to 1991), the 21st Sofrin brigade visited Georgia, where it held back an angry crowd during street rallies near Gruzteleradio, Uzbekistan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Dagestan, North Ossetia, and Armenia. Since the beginning of the Chechen War in 1995, the unit’s personnel regularly took part in the liberation of the republic from radical Islamists. With the participation of the explosives, several districts of the city were recaptured. The history of the brigade's glory included a battle where 34 servicemen were able to repel an enemy that outnumbered them several times.

After the end of the first Chechen war, the brigade was stationed in Dagestan, where it maintained law enforcement and escorted columns of military equipment. From 1999 to 2003 soldiers of the Sofrino unit were on the territory of Chechnya. After the liberation of Grozny, for several more years they participated in the liquidation of the remnants of terrorist groups.

At the end of the 1990s, the Sofrin brigade, as part of the Northern Joint Group of Forces, carried out special operations in many populated areas of Chechnya. Thus, Urus-Martan was liberated from terrorists. The personnel of the unit enjoyed fame not only among the Russian troops, but also among the terrorists who tried not to get involved with the Sofrinites.

Goals and objectives

The many years of military experience of the 21st Obron VV of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation were not in vain. Today this unit is considered one of the most prepared in terms of solving important government problems. The main tasks of the explosives are:

ensuring the internal security of the state and its interests;
implementation of public security during mass events or in places of conflict;
protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens from criminal attacks.

The internal troops have a good technical base, allowing them to respond quickly and efficiently if necessary. The VV has armored vehicles, aircraft, sea vessels and motor vehicles at its disposal. Since the 1990s, the troops have had their own intelligence service, following the example of the army.

Heroes and awards parts

Over the 29 years of its existence, 109 people were killed and more than 500 were injured. The most tragic and at the same time heroic moment in the history of the brigade was the unequal battle near Bald Mountain in Chechnya. The special forces bravely withstood the onslaught of the enemy, who were much superior in numbers, for 5 hours. The detachment was able to complete the task, but when retreating it was forced to draw fire on itself. To this day, the military merits of the Sofrin brigade in Chechnya are honored and remembered. Every year, memorial rallies are held on the territory of the unit with the laying of flowers at the monument dedicated to fallen soldiers.

One of the servicemen of the Sofrinsky brigade, Oleg Babak, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously. He died in Azerbaijan, fulfilling his duty as an officer to the last. On April 7, 1991, together with a group of military personnel, he went to the village of Yukhary Dzhibikily, where a local resident was killed. Upon arrival at the site, the detachment was surrounded by Armenian militants. Babak did not lose his head and fired back until his death. Thanks to his heroic actions, his fellow soldiers and civilians survived. In 2012, a monument to Oleg Babak was unveiled at the Ashukinskaya station in the Moscow region.

Scandal

Despite the well-deserved fame of the Sofrinskaya brigade of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, scandals have not escaped it. In 2002, at the Sofrino station, two special forces soldiers serving in military unit 3641 got into a bloody fight with the seller of a commercial stall. As a result, two people died and one was injured. Opinions about this incident differed in the opposite direction. The unit claimed that the soldiers were provoked into a fight by civilians, while the media reported that the enraged military tried to forcefully take a bottle of vodka from the seller.

It is known that that evening several officers and soldiers who served in the war in Chechnya and other hot spots celebrated the birthday of one of their colleagues. And at night, in an army truck, they went to a neighboring village to buy alcoholic drinks. According to one of the guards, drunken servicemen began to pester the girl-seller, and a verbal altercation and fight ensued. Then the guard pulled out a rifle and shot first in the air and then at the officers. One died on the spot, the other was seriously injured. As the special forces fled in a hurry, another soldier was crushed by a truck. The security guard was detained that same night, and a criminal case was opened. And the unit underwent serious disciplinary checks.

Service

Today, the separate operational brigade 21 includes: three battalions, a reconnaissance company and other additional units. For a soldier, getting here is considered an honor. There was an opinion about it as one of the safest units and devoid of signs of hazing.

The service is based on the general principles specified in Art. 37 of the “Law on Military Duty”. Soldiers of the Sofrinsky brigade undergo combat training, participate in exercises and perform work on the internal support of the unit. Since the unit has recently become part of the National Guard, there are some differences in the assigned outfits.

Soldiers live in barracks designed for 70 people. Each conscript has his own sleeping place and bedside table. Once a week the unit holds a bath day. There is a medical unit on the territory of the paramilitary institution. However, in case of complex illnesses or injuries, soldiers are transported to nearby hospitals of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Information for parents of conscripts

As of 2017, the military unit established a monthly allowance of 1,100 rubles. Such small numbers are due to the fact that part of it is financed from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and not from the Ministry of Defense. Every serviceman has the right to receive parcels from relatives or friends. Postal address of the Sofrinsky brigade of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: 41250, Moscow region, pos. Ashukino, st. Lesnaya, 1a, military unit 3642 and the soldier’s full name.

Carrying personal mobile phones is prohibited; you can contact the conscript through the company command or officers who are allowed to carry a phone. You can only arrive on a date on Saturday before lunch; the schedule is drawn up in advance. During your visit, you can donate necessary household items and food, with the exception of perishable items.

Driving directions

Military unit 3641 is located 55 km from Moscow, you can get there from the Yaroslavsky station by train or from the station. m. "VDNKh" by bus No. 388 with a transfer to the stop. "Sofrinsky Bridge" to minibus No. 48. There is no parking for civilian cars near the part, so it is better to leave cars in the village.

A meeting with a conscript lasts several hours; there are no hotels in Ashukino, so if it is impossible to go to Moscow, you can stay overnight in nearby settlements: Mogiltsy, Sofrino-1 or Sergiev Posad.

The Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation have always been on the front line, participating in the resolution of many conflicts both on the territory of Russia and in neighboring states. The Sofrin brigade has a special position in the Ministry of Internal Affairs; it is considered one of the best in terms of combat training. The personnel earned the trust of the authorities back in 1993, when the command of the unit flatly refused to storm the building of the Supreme Council during the events. Officers and soldiers confirmed their loyalty to the oath.

In 2013, an experiment began to staff the 21st operational brigade with contract employees, the goal of which was to create conditions for maintaining troops in constant combat readiness. As planned by the command, the Sofrinsky brigade in the event of armed conflicts was supposed to carry out combined arms combat, as well as be able to navigate and conduct reconnaissance operations in cities and mountainous terrain. Thus, within a year of the experiment, a team of professionals capable of performing the most important combat missions was formed.

The location of the 21st separate Guards Red Banner Omsk-Novobug Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky motorized rifle brigade, or military unit 12128, is the village of Totskoe-2, Orenburg region. Now military unit 12128 is the only large combat-ready unit near the borders of the Central Asian direction and belongs to the Volga Military District.

Story

The predecessor of the brigade was the 27th Totsk Guards Motorized Rifle Division, created in 1941. From 1945 to December 1992 she was in Halle (GDR), and then was redeployed to Totskoye-2. In 1992, it received peacekeeping status, and the personnel and officers of the unit participated in peacekeeping operations in Transnistria, South Ossetia, Georgia, Chechnya and Abkhazia.
Due to the military reform of 2008-2009. The division was reorganized into the 21st separate guards motorized rifle brigade. The unit regularly takes part in all-Russian and international exercises, where it wins prizes.

Unit Day celebration

Eyewitness impressions

The infrastructure of the village of Totskoye, in which military unit 12128 is located, is sufficiently developed for a small settlement. There are several cafes, a hotel, a clinic, a post office, shops, an Officers' House and ATMs.
As for the conditions of service in military unit 12128, eyewitnesses note good material and living conditions. For example, the fact that military personnel live in crew dormitories designed for 4-6 places. Washing machine, shower and toilet - one per cabin. Recruits, soldiers who have served for six months and those who are finishing their service live in separate barracks. A dormitory is provided for family contract officers. They can also rent housing in the village itself.

On the territory of military unit 12128 there is a post office, chipok, parade ground, library, infirmary, canteen and ATM. CCTV cameras are installed along the perimeter of the garrison. Civilians are responsible for organizing meals and cleaning the area. But on Saturday the soldiers have their traditional park and maintenance day.

One of the rooms in the cockpit

Mobile phones are carried by military personnel, but must be turned off during classes or exercises. During inspections, communication equipment is handed over to the unit commander (a corresponding entry is made in the log book) to view messages, calls and visit their accounts on social networks. Soldiers receive Megafon SIM cards as part of the “Call Mom” program at the military registration and enlistment office. If you need to buy a SIM card from one of the mobile operators, then in Totsky-4 there are two Euroset stores.
The oath of office in a unit such as military unit 12128 takes place on Saturday at 10.00 am. After this, the fighters are allowed leave until 20.00 on Sunday on the security of a document from one of the parents or wife (passport or driver's license). To go on leave, a serviceman must write an application addressed to the unit commander before Thursday. Relatives should know that they can only “pick up” a soldier before the weekend until 17.00. Otherwise, his leave period is shortened and he can only be seen from 10.00 – 11.00 the next day. If a serviceman has not been released, relatives and friends can visit him in the visiting room at the checkpoint of the unit.

Canteen of the 21st Motorized Rifle Brigade

As for monetary allowance, employees of military unit 12128 receive it on a Sberbank card. On the territory of the garrison there is its ATM and another one of the Pushkin Bank, and in Totsky-4 itself there is an ATM of Rosselkhozbank and VTB-24. For withdrawing money from cards of other banks at terminals in a part or village, a commission of 100 rubles is charged. You can top up your soldier card like this:

Transfer of online banking (practised for VTB-24 and Sberbank of Russia);
At bank branches. The sender needs a passport, employee details (full name, card and passport number);
Transfer to a card of one bank from a card of another (mainly an online banking system) for any amount. A commission is charged: for VTB-24 – 50 rubles, and for Sberbank of Russia – 30 rubles.

The function of the hospital in Totskoye is performed by the infirmary at the medical unit and the clinic in the village. Sometimes a serviceman is sent to hospitals in Orenburg (contact details are listed below).

In the club parts

Information for mom

Parcels and letters

Unit address: 461134, Orenburg region, pos. Totskoye-4, military unit 12128, full name of the soldier, number/letter of the unit (check with him).
The post office is located in the unit, but there are two post office workers. Sometimes a military postman from among conscript soldiers helps with sorting letters, parcels and money transfers. He also picks up parcels and letters once a week. The following transfers are allowed:

Disposable machines and personal hygiene items;
Knipser (nail scissors are prohibited);
Threads, fabric for collars and 3 needles (in the assortment of domestic military stores - “household package”);
Shoe cream and brush;
Laces and insoles;
Warm socks, thermal underwear, gloves and hat;
Stationery;
Cigarettes (only 1 block allowed);
Sweets.

1. History
2 Eyewitness impressions
3 Information for mom
- 3.1 Parcels and letters
- 3.2 Contact numbers
4 Your visit
- 4.1 How to get there
- 4.2 Where to stay

The location of the 21st separate Guards Red Banner Omsk-Novobug Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky motorized rifle brigade, or military unit 12128, is the village of Totskoe-4, Orenburg region. Now military unit 12128 is the only large combat-ready unit near the borders of the Central Asian direction and belongs to the Volga Military District.

Story

The predecessor of the brigade was the 21st Totsk Guards Motorized Rifle Division, created in 1941. From 1945 to December 1992 it was located in Halle (GDR), and then was redeployed to Totskoye-2. In 1992, it received peacekeeping status, and the personnel and officers of the unit participated in peacekeeping operations in Transnistria, South Ossetia, Georgia, Chechnya and Abkhazia.
Due to the military reform of 2008-2009. The division was reorganized into the 21st separate guards motorized rifle brigade. The unit regularly takes part in all-Russian and international exercises, where it wins prizes.

Unit Day celebration

Eyewitness impressions

One of the rooms in the cockpit

Canteen of the 21st Motorized Rifle Brigade

Transfer of online banking (practised for VTB-24 and Sberbank of Russia);
At bank branches. The sender needs a passport, employee details (full name, card and passport number);
Transfer to a card of one bank from a card of another (mainly an online banking system) for any amount. A commission is charged: for VTB-24 – 50 rubles, and for Sberbank of Russia – 30 rubles.

In the club parts

Information for mom

Parcels and letters

Disposable machines and personal hygiene items;
Knipser (nail scissors are prohibited);
Threads, fabric for collars and 3 needles (in the assortment of domestic military stores - “household package”);
Shoe cream and brush;
Laces and insoles;
Warm socks, thermal underwear, gloves and hat;
Stationery;
Cigarettes (only 1 block allowed);
Sweets.

21 OBRON is a separate operational brigade of the internal troops of the National Guard (military unit 3641). Located in the village of Ashukino, Moscow region.

There is no official website. Up-to-date information regarding conscription service and other information of concern to parents, including reviews, can be obtained here.

The 21st operational brigade is a unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This connection appeared in 1988, at the same time the first call took place.

Soldiers of the Sofrino brigade took part in many military conflicts, including international ones: in Nagorno-Karabakh, Fergana, Vilnius, Baku. They also took part in both Chechen campaigns, which claimed the lives of many soldiers and officers.

Over the entire period of its existence, the brigade lost 109 soldiers who died while performing their duties. One of them, Lieutenant Oleg Yakovlevich Babak, was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the USSR and forever included in the list of unit personnel.

Service

The organization of the service, with the exception of some outfits, does not differ from the service in other units. Military personnel guard facilities in Moscow, and are especially often called upon to ensure order during holidays and other public events.

The outfits differ due to the fact that the unit belongs to the National Guard. There are orders for the canteen, cleaning barracks, bathrooms, and others. In addition to them, soldiers clear the territory of the unit from snow, which is what conscripts do in regular units of the Ministry of Defense.

Soldiers study regulations, take part in various exercises, and undergo physical training.

Accommodation

Accommodation in barracks-type dormitories. The premises are large, designed for 70 people. Each soldier is assigned his bedside table.

The barracks have sports corners, bathrooms, and rest rooms. Once a week there is a bath day.

Meals in the dining room. Due to the fact that the unit does not belong to the Ministry of Defense, there is a canteen outfit.

Many people get sick at the beginning of their service. This is largely due to natural stress. There is a sanitary unit, but the medicines in it are the most common. Severe cases are treated in a hospital, or they may also be sent for treatment to another military unit (6892).

On the territory of the unit there is a store where you can buy food and other necessary things. It accepts cards.

Contentment

The salary for employees of unit 3641 is 1,100 rubles for 2017. This is almost 2 times less than in other parts. The difference is due to the fact that the unit does not belong to the Ministry of Defense, but is subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There are other orders in this area, including those relating to allowances.

Telephone communications

Phones are not provided, so they are taken away. Issued once or twice a week at the discretion of the commander. However, if there is an urgent need to communicate, then there are soldiers who, due to their nature of service, must always be in touch.

Command telephone numbers can be taken at the oath. They are not publicly available. It is recommended to call in emergency situations; lack of communication with a soldier does not apply to this.

Parcel address

41250, Moscow region, Pushkinsky district, pos. Ashukino, st. Lesnaya, 1a, in h 3641, subdivision, full name.

The parcels are collected from the post office by the soldiers themselves, accompanied by an officer or contract soldier. They receive them not strictly when they arrive, but as it happens, so the parcel can lie in the mail for a long time.

Oath

The oath takes place on Saturday mornings. Usually it starts at 10 o’clock, but can be moved to 11. Units begin to be allowed into the territory 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony. Before this, everyone is registered, so you must have documents with you. After the oath, everyone is invited to the club, where the command answers questions from parents.

Dismissal may not be given. The issue is decided according to the situation: there were cases when, before the oath, there was information that there would be no dismissal, but the soldiers were released, but the opposite happened: communication took place only in the visiting room.

Since they may not be released on leave, you need to prepare food that the soldier will take with him. There is no need to put in perishable products; they will still be taken out during inspection.

Visits

You should find out about possible dismissals after taking the oath yourself. They are usually not practiced. The soldier can be seen at the checkpoint in the visiting room, and food can be given to him there. He will not be allowed to bring in medicines or alcohol, nor will he be allowed to carry perishable foodstuffs.

There is a schedule for dates: on Saturday from lunch to 6 pm, since it is before lunch in all parts of the PCB. On Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm.

The room has a kettle, microwave, tables and chairs.

How can I get to

Ashukino is located not far from Moscow (about 55 km). From there you can get there by train or bus and minibus.

From Yaroslavsky station by train. Get off at Ashukinskaya station.
From Art. VDNKh metro station by bus No. 388, get off at the Sofrinsky Post stop, then change to minibus No. 48 (get off at the Ashukinskaya platform stop).
There is also a train from Sergiev Posad to Ashukino.

From the station you will need to walk a short distance to the checkpoint.

Where to stay

There are no hotels in either Ashukino or Sofrino. But there are in nearby settlements: Sofrino-1 (it is located away from Sofrino), in Mogiltsy and the village. Lesnoy. You can also stay directly in Moscow or Sergiev Posad. There is a train from Sergiev Posad to Ashukino.

Another option is to look for housing through advertisements for apartments for rent on Avito or other similar sites.