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From: maxzilla.UUCP!waltm@bu.edu (Walt Mattison)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Special troops and their purposes
Message-ID: <1991May9.064204.13109@amd.com>
Date: 8 May 91 13:43:40 GMT
References: <1991May7.062227.12192@amd.com> <1991May8.034632.11471@amd.com>
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From: maxzilla.UUCP!waltm@bu.edu (Walt Mattison)


In article <1991May8.034632.11471@amd.com> cmort@ncoast.org writes:
>>From: a481@mindlink.bc.ca (J.D. Frazer)
>>4) What is the difference between the Soviet Spetnaz and their Desant units?
>Spetsnaz usually wear the uniforms of the Desantniki, but are drawn from 
>throughout the armed forces.  The Spetsnaz get more specialized training
>and equipment.  They relate to the Desantniki in way similar to the 
>relationship between the 82nd Abn. Div. and the Ranger Bn.s

This is not exactly correct. The SPETSNAZ are more along the lines of
the US Army Special Forces than the Rangers. They wear the uniform that they
need for the mission. If a sterile mission they could be wearing US Army
BDUs...who knows? They are not under the direction of the military, but under
the organization of the GRU which is the military Intelligence community
much like the DIA here. During operations they are assigned to the front 
commanders who then provide the mission. Although they are perfectly capable
of conducting Ranger type missions they have the additional task of insurgency
and counter-insurgency missions which serve to separate the SPETSNAZ from
the shock troops of the airborne or recon units.  

walt

	[ I'd recommend Victor Suvorov's _The Spetsnaz_ for an inside
	  look.  Actually I'd recommend all his books. --CDR ]