Annually on November 13, our country celebrates the Day of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops of Russia. Until 1993, they were called the chemical troops, after - the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops of the Russian Armed Forces - special troops in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the main purpose of which is to protect the country's armed forces from weapons of mass destruction using a variety of special equipment for this. In 2018, the RCB protection troops celebrate their 100th anniversary.
The official history of the modern Russian troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection has its own report dated November 13, 1918, when, on the basis of the order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic under number 220, the chemical service of the Red Army was formed, and the process of creating the first bodies and units of anti-chemical protection began. However, in reality, the formation of chemical troops began in the Russian Imperial Army during the First World War.
It was the events of the First World War that became the prologue to the emergence of the modern NBC defense troops of the Russian Armed Forces. The first units of chemical troops appeared in the Russian army in 1915, and by the end of the next year, 12 chemical gas teams were created in the troops, as well as 10 flamethrower teams and 4 flamethrower batteries. The rifle units were actively creating anti-chemical defense detachments. In 1917, in the divisions and regiments of the Russian army, gas mask teams were formed, which were entrusted with the tasks of training soldiers in anti-chemical protection, preparing and repairing gas masks, conducting meteorological and chemical observation, and alerting troops about a chemical attack from the enemy.
After the revolutionary events and the end of the civil war in the country in 1924-1925, within the framework of the reform, the foundations were laid for the creation of the chemical service of the Red Army, as well as the chemical troops, a very important step was taken towards the creation of a centralized management of them. On August 15, 1925, a special Military Chemical Directorate was formed under the head of the supply of the Red Army. The main purpose of its creation was to unite the management of the supply of military-chemical property and the conduct of research work in the country in the development of new means of protection and weapons of the chemical troops. By the beginning of 1925, chemical units were present in all rifle and cavalry regiments of the Red Army, and in 1927 - in divisions and brigades.
Immediately before the Great Patriotic War in 1939-1940 in the USSR, separate battalions of PHO - anti-chemical defense and separate degassing battalions of district and central subordination were formed. Degassing companies were formed as part of armies, corps and rifle divisions, and in regiments - platoons of PHO and flamethrower teams. In tank brigades and divisions, separate flamethrower-chemical companies and battalions were formed, which were intended for flamethrowing and setting up camouflage smoke screens. As part of naval bases and in the fleets, divisions of APO and smoke camouflage were formed.
The development of the chemical troops continued during the Great Patriotic War, as there was a threat of the use of chemical weapons by Germany. And after the end of World War II, the troops faced new challenges and threats. The emergence and spread of nuclear weapons, as well as bacterial (biological) agents that could be used for combat purposes, led to the emergence of new urgent tasks to protect troops from the damaging factors of new types of weapons of mass destruction. The solution of these tasks was entrusted to the chemical troops.
In April 1986, the USSR and the world were shocked by the news of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The Chernobyl disaster became an example of a modern severe man-made accident and a severe test for the country's armed forces, including the chemical troops. Chemical troops performed a huge amount of work in conditions of high radiation levels during the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. For the heroism and personal courage shown at the same time, hundreds of soldiers and officers of the chemical troops were presented to various government orders and medals. The experience of eliminating the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant demonstrated the need to create special mobile formations of chemical troops, which in the period from 1986 to 1989 were created in all military districts of the country.
The chemical troops underwent a severe test during the hostilities in Afghanistan and Chechnya, where aerosol and flamethrower-incendiary means were widely used. The experience gained in battles introduced significant changes in the tactics of actions of flamethrower units of troops, determined the further improvement of their organizational structure. In August 1992, the chemical troops were renamed the radiation, chemical and biological defense troops. The new name fully reflects the tasks for which they are intended.
Today, the core of the RChBZ troops of the Russian Armed Forces is made up of separate brigades, regiments and battalions, which include units capable of performing the entire range of RCB protection measures. The main tasks of the RCB protection troops today include:
- identification and assessment of the radiation, chemical and biological situation, the scale and consequences of destruction of radiation, chemically and biologically hazardous objects;
- ensuring the protection of formations and units of the Russian Armed Forces from the damaging factors of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and radiation, chemical, biological contamination;
- reducing the visibility of troops and important objects;
- elimination of the consequences of accidents (destruction) and man-made disasters at radiation, chemically and biologically hazardous industrial facilities;
- inflicting losses on enemy troops through the use of flame-throwing and incendiary means.
Flag of the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops of the RF Armed Forces
RCB protection is carried out in full, not only when fighting with the use of weapons of mass destruction, but also without the use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons by the enemy and includes:
- nuclear explosion detection;
- radiation, chemical, biological reconnaissance of the area and control;
- collection and processing of information about radiation, chemical, biological conditions;
- notification of military units about RCB infection;
- carrying out special treatment (degassing, decontamination and disinfection) of military and special equipment, weapons, structures and other objects, as well as sanitization of the personnel of the armed forces;
- aerosol counteraction to enemy reconnaissance and targeting means.
Today, the NBC protection troops of the Russian Armed Forces have accumulated quite a lot of experience, which is being implemented not only in the troop training system, but also in educational, scientific and methodological activities. Nowadays, much attention is paid to the study and subsequent implementation of the experience gained by the troops in the course of local wars and armed conflicts into elements of combat training. In this regard, in the period from 2015 to 2018 alone, 29 exercises of various levels were held in Russia, including 8 exercises jointly with the forces of the federal executive authorities at the chemical industry and nuclear power facilities of the country.
Every year in Russia, on the basis of the results of assessing the effectiveness of the use of NBC protection means, weapons and special equipment, scientific research is carried out, which are aimed at improving these means and methods of their combat use. Taking into account that in recent years increased attention has been paid to the country's defense capability, the RCB system for the protection of troops is constantly evolving. This is mainly due to the provision of the army and navy with modern models of weapons and chemical weapons protection. For example, by the end of 2018, the share of modern models in the troops will be more than 65 percent, and by 2020 - at least 70 percent.
RKhM-6 of the 27th separate NBC protection brigade at an exercise to eliminate the consequences of conventional chemical contamination in the Kursk region on March 21, 2018
Special attention is paid to the development of various robotic systems for the NBC defense troops. At the same time, the very first "robots" in the Armed Forces appeared precisely in these troops and were intended for solving special tasks. These include mobile robotic complexes KPR and remotely controlled robots of radiation and chemical reconnaissance RD-RKhR, which are standard equipment of military units and formations of NBC troops. The listed robotic systems allow servicemen to carry out tasks of conducting chemical and radiation reconnaissance in conditions of high concentrations in the air and on the ground of hazardous chemicals and high levels of radiation, making it possible to exclude the presence of personnel in hazardous areas as much as possible.
Today, officers are trained for the RChBZ troops at the Military Academy of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense named after Marshal of the Soviet Union Timoshenko. This academy is famous for its traditions and highly qualified graduates. Nowadays, there are about 200 candidates of sciences and 30 doctors of sciences among the teaching staff of the Academy, and 13 scientific schools are successfully working at the departments of the Academy. In its field, the Military Academy of NBC Defense is one of the most advanced higher educational institutions in the world; more than a thousand students and cadets are trained in it. Today, education at this university is conducted with the widespread use of automated learning systems, an extensive electronic library has been created. The growing attractiveness of military service in the Russian Federation attracts attention to the university and the beautiful half of humanity. Over the past two years, VA RKhBZ has been recruiting girls. In 2018, the competition at the academy was more than 6 people per place.
The training of specialists and junior commanders of the NBC protection troops in 10 military registration specialties for the needs of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is carried out in the 282nd Transylvanian Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Training Center for Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops. The classroom, command and field training and material base created in the center makes it possible to carry out the process of training junior specialists of the RChBZ troops with sufficient quality in an environment that is as close as possible to the real one.
Cadets of the 282nd Training Center of the NBC Defense Troops practice their skills in the "Ratnik" combat outfit and in the PMK-4 gas mask
According to Major General Igor Anatolyevich Kirillov, Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops of the Russian Armed Forces, in 2019 it is planned to carry out a set of measures in the country that will be aimed at improving the system of radiation, chemical and biological protection of the troops and the population of Russia. Among other things, an interdepartmental exercise should take place, within the framework of which, together with the federal executive authorities, the issues of ensuring the integrated safety of a radiation hazardous facility in modern conditions will be worked out. The teaching is significant, as it is being conducted for the first time. The culmination of the training of the RChBZ troops next year will be a special exercise "Zashchita-2019". Within the framework of Zashchita-2019, the effectiveness of new approaches to fulfilling the assigned tasks will be assessed, taking into account the rearmament of troops with modern weapons, as well as new models of military and special equipment. The announced plans for 2019 only emphasize that the RChBZ troops are developing in our country as dual-use troops capable of solving various tasks both in wartime and in peacetime when eliminating the consequences of various man-made accidents and disasters at radiation, chemically and biologically hazardous enterprises. industry.
According to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, today the troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection successfully solve important and complex tasks of organizing the protection of the Armed Forces and the population of Russia from the consequences of the use of various types of weapons of mass destruction, take part in eliminating the consequences of man-made disasters and natural disasters.
On November 13, Voennoye Obozreniye congratulates active servicemen, as well as veterans of the radiation, chemical and biological defense troops on their professional holiday.
