The origins of the Soviet-Chinese armed conflicts on the border are a thing of the past. The process of territorial delineation between Russia and China was long and difficult.
On November 20, 1685, the Russian government decided to send a "great and plenipotentiary embassy" to the Amur region to conclude a peace treaty with the Qing Empire, open trade and establish the state border.
On January 20, 1686, the tsar's decree was issued, which ordered “the okolnichy and governor of Bryansk Fedor Alekseevich Golovin to go as great and plenipotentiary ambassadors to Siberian cities in the Selenginsky prison for treaties and to calm the quarrels between the Chinese the initial regimental commander, who will be sent for that. The embassy was accompanied by a retinue of 20 people, and 1400 Moscow archers and service people.
On August 29, 1689, 50 yards from the fortification of Nerchinsk, after lengthy and difficult negotiations, a congress of embassies was held, at which negotiations were completed and an agreement on territorial delimitation and the establishment of peaceful relations between Russia and the Qing Empire was signed. However, the non-identity of the names of rivers and mountains in the Russian and Manchu copies of the agreement, the non-delimitation of a number of sites and the absence of maps allowed for different interpretations of the provisions of the agreement.
The basis for the delimitation according to the following, the Kyakhta Treaty of 1727, was the principle of "actual ownership", that is, according to the existing guards, where there were none - in villages, ridges and rivers.
The Aigun Treaty of 1858 established a border along the banks of the Amur and Ussuri border rivers, while the area from Ussuri to the Sea of Japan remained undefined.
The Beijing (Supplementary) Treaty of 1860 completed the delimitation between China and Russia in the Far East, confirming the provisions of the Aigun Treaty and defining a new Russian-Chinese border from the Ussuri River to the coast of the Sea of Japan. However, the Beijing Treaty, while securing the eastern part of the border, only outlined its western part.
In 1864, the Chuguchag Protocol was concluded, according to which the western part of the border was demarcated, but in connection with the occupation of the Ili region by Russia and the annexation of the Kokand Khanate, border problems again moved to the forefront.
The St. Petersburg Treaty of 1881 returned the Ili region to China, confirming the description of the border according to the Chuguchag Protocol.
The Qiqihar Treaty of 1911 clarified the border between both countries on the land section and the Argun River. However, no joint demarcation work was carried out.
In the late 20s and early 30s. the so-called. The "red line" drawn on the exchange card-annex to the Beijing Treaty and laid mainly along the Chinese coast. As a result, 794 out of 1,040 islands on the Amur River were declared Soviet [2].
In the early 60s, the Soviet-Chinese contradictions of a political and ideological nature intensified.
In 1964, at a meeting with the Japanese delegation, Mao Zedong said: “There are too many places occupied by the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union covers an area of 22 million km2, and its population is only 200 million people”[3]. Almost immediately, the Chinese leadership laid claim to $ 1.5 million.km2 (22 disputed areas, of which 16 are in the western and 6 in the eastern part of the Soviet-Chinese border). The Chinese government announced that a number of territories in the regions of Primorye, Tuva, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and the republics of Central Asia were ceded to Russia as a result of unequal treaties imposed on China.
On February 25, 1964, consultations began in Beijing on the clarification of the Soviet-Chinese border. The Soviet delegation was headed by a plenipotentiary representative in the rank of Deputy Minister P. I. Zyryanov (head of the Main Directorate of the Border Troops of the KGB under the USSR Council of Ministers), the Chinese - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Tseng Yong-chuan.
In the course of six months of work, the border was clarified. It was decided to leave the questions that arose on the ownership of a number of islands on the Argun River “outside the brackets” in order to consider this issue separately. However, N. S. Khrushchev, declaring: "Either everything or nothing" [4].
Meanwhile, the situation on the Soviet-Chinese border was aggravated. Violations began to be demonstrative. If from October 1964 to April 1965 there were 36 cases of 150 Chinese citizens and military personnel entering Soviet territory, then only in 15 days in April 1965 the border was violated 12 times with the participation of more than 500 people, including military personnel. In mid-April 1965, about 200 Chinese, under the cover of military personnel, crossed into Soviet territory and plowed 80 hectares of land, arguing that they were occupying their own territory. In 1967, 40 anti-Soviet provocations were organized. In the same year, the Chinese side tried to unilaterally change the line of the border at a number of sections [5].
A particularly difficult situation has developed in the areas of the Pacific and Far Eastern border districts. According to the memoirs of Major General V. Bubenin, Hero of the Soviet Union, who was in 1967 the head of the 1st frontier outpost of the Imansky (Dalnerechensky) border detachment, since the fall of 1967 a Chinese radio station has been operating in all border areas of the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories. In her programs, she fiercely criticized the CPSU and the Soviet government for breaking with the CPC, for revisionist policies, for conspiracy with world imperialism led by the United States against China [6].
Simultaneously with this, fierce battles took place between border guards and provocateurs in the area of the Kirkinsky and Bolshoi islands. This is how V. Bubenin recalled this time:
In August 1968, the Chinese managed to drive out the Soviet border patrols from the islands of Kirkinskiy and Bolshoi and urgently establish crossings. In response, warning fire was opened, and then, with the help of mortar fire, the crossings were destroyed.
The head of the Pacific Border District, Lieutenant General V. Lobanov, reported at the end of the year: “On the border passing along the Ussuri River, in 1968 more than 100 provocations were suppressed, in which 2,000 Chinese participated. Essentially, all this took place in the areas of two border posts on the right flank of the detachment”[8].
Alarming information also came through the intelligence line. Major General Y. Drozdov, resident of the First Main Directorate of the KGB9 in China in 1964-1968, recalls:
The Soviet government tried to take control of the situation on the border. On April 30, 1965, a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR "On strengthening the protection of the state border of the USSR in the areas of the Eastern, Far Eastern and Pacific border districts" was adopted, according to which the border zone was restored to the depths of the territories of rural (settlement) Soviets and cities adjacent to the border, the width of the border strip was increased to 1000 m.
In the districts, 14 maneuver groups, 3 divisions of river ships and boats were formed. The number of border troops was increased by 8,200 people, including 950 officers. The Ministry of Defense has assigned 100 officers to the posts of chiefs of outposts and their deputies. The border detachments received 8,000 assault rifles, 8 armored boats, 389 vehicles and 25 tractors.
According to the decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR of February 4, 1967 "On strengthening the protection of the state border of the USSR with the People's Republic of China" in 1967-1969. the Trans-Baikal border district, 7 border detachments, 3 separate battalions of patrol ships and boats, 126 border outposts, 8 maneuver groups were formed. The Ministry of Defense transferred 8 armored boats, 680 career officers, 3,000 sergeants and soldiers to the border troops, 10,500 people were additionally called up. The density of protection of the Chinese border was increased 5 times, from 0.8 people / km (1965) to 4 people / km (1969) [11].
In the winter of 1968-1969. the first battles with provocateurs began on Damansky Island, located 12 km from the 1st outpost "Kulebyakiny Sopki" and 6 km from the 2nd outpost "Nizhne-Mikhailovka" of the Imansky (Dalnerechensky) border detachment.
Opposite the 2nd outpost there was a Chinese border post "Gunsi" of 30-40 people. The observation post of the 2nd outpost monitored the movements of the Chinese and, as soon as they approached the island, the outpost rose at the command "In the gun!" its reserve was advanced to the island.
Here, the Soviet border guards first encountered the PLA servicemen. Initially, the Chinese soldiers did not remove their weapons from their shoulders and rather quickly squeezed out of the island. However, in December, the Chinese used weapons for the first time, this time like clubs. V. Bubenin recalled: “They removed carbines and machine guns from their shoulders and, waving them, rushed at us. Several of our soldiers immediately received a strong blow … Strelnikov and I gave orders to our soldiers to use the butts … A new battle on the ice began”[12].
After this clash, both outposts were reinforced with a detachment reserve, however, for almost a month, the Chinese did not appear at the border. The reserve left back to the detachment and, literally a couple of days later, on January 23, 1969, the Chinese again went to the island. And it all started anew.
At the end of January, real hand-to-hand fighting began on the island. The Chinese attacked with bayonets attached. After an hour-long battle, the Chinese were driven to their shore. The border guards seized five carbines, a submachine gun, and a TT pistol. Having examined the seized weapons, the border guards saw that almost everywhere the cartridge was sent to the chamber [13].
After the report on this battle, the detachment's reserve and a commission checking weapons and ammunition arrived at the outposts. Before the departure of the commissions, the ammunition load was removed from the armored personnel carriers of the outposts, by order of the chief of artillery equipment.
February passed calmly. Everything seemed to have stopped. However, in the 1920s, an incomprehensible rumble began to be heard from the direction of China, and bulldozers were recorded by border guards, clearing the road to Damanskoye.
Throughout February, the border was guarded according to a reinforced version. The strongholds of the outposts were cleared of snow, and regular trainings were conducted to enter these points. In places of duty, trenches dug in the summer were also cleared.
The border was guarded along the main coast. The outfits did not go to the island.
At the end of February, the deputy chiefs of the outposts were summoned to the detachment for training. The detachment's reserves, the maneuvering group and the sergeant's school, departed for army exercises, more than 200 km from the outposts, where, together with army units, they worked out the tasks of repelling the armed forces of a potential enemy.
On March 1, the weather didn't work out since the night. A blizzard arose, and in the evening the snowfall intensified. On the night of March 2, on their shore, against Damansky Island, using unfavorable weather, the Chinese concentrated up to an infantry battalion, two mortar and one artillery battery.
With the forces of three infantry companies, up to three hundred people, they went to the island, the two remaining companies took up defensive positions on the shore. The battalion's command post was located on the island, and a wire connection was established with the coast. All personnel were dressed in camouflage coats. On the island, the Chinese dug up cells and disguised themselves. The positions of mortar and artillery batteries, large-caliber machine guns were located so that it was possible to fire direct fire at armored personnel carriers and Soviet border guards.
At 10.40 (local time) on March 2, about 30 servicemen of the Chinese border post "Gunsi" began to move towards Damansky.
The observation post of the 2nd outpost on the Kafila hill reported on the advance of the Chinese. The head of the outpost, senior lieutenant I. Strelnikov raised the outpost "Into the gun!" …
Strelnikov's group (15 people) moved on an APC, Buinevich with 5-6 border guards in a GAZ-69 car, the third group, under the command of junior sergeant Yu. Babansky, in a GAZ-66 technical assistance brigade car.
At the same time, at the command "Into the gun!", The 1st outpost was raised. The head of the outpost, senior lieutenant V. Bubenin, with 22 border guards moved to the aid of Strelnikov.
By 11 o'clock, the groups of Strelnikov and Buinevich arrived at the southern tip of the island. Having detached 13 people under the command of Sergeant V. Rabovich to pursue a group of Chinese walking along the eastern coast of the island, Strelnikov and Buinevich went to meet a group of Chinese who had stopped on the channel. At this time, Babansky's group approached the island.
In response to Strelnikov's demands to leave Soviet territory, the Chinese opened fire, shooting Strelnikov's group. Rabovich's group, following along the coast, went beyond the earthen rampart and was ambushed. Of the 13 border guards, only G. Serebrov survived. He later recalled: “Our chain stretched along the coast of the island. Pasha Akulov ran ahead, followed by Kolya Kolodkin, then the others. Egupov ran in front of me, and then Shusharin. We chased the Chinese, who went along the rampart towards the bush. There was an ambush. We barely jumped out onto the rampart when they saw three Chinese soldiers in camouflage coats below. They lay three meters from the rampart. At this time, shots were heard at Strelnikov's group. We opened fire in response. Several Chinese ambushed were killed. He was shooting in long bursts”[14].
Seeing this, Babansky ordered to return fire. The Chinese transferred artillery fire to Babansky's group, armored personnel carriers and vehicles. Both vehicles were destroyed and the armored personnel carrier was damaged.
Around 11.15 - 11.20, the reserve of the 1st outpost arrived at the battle site. Hearing the shooting, Bubenin ordered to dismount and began to move in the direction of the shooting. After about 50 meters, they were attacked by the Chinese.
The border guards lay down and returned fire. Unable to withstand the fire, the Chinese began to retreat, but as soon as the last survivor reached the shelter on Bubenin's group, heavy automatic and machine-gun fire was opened. After 30-40 minutes, the border guards ran out of ammunition, and the Chinese opened mortar fire. Bubenin was wounded and lost consciousness. Having come to his senses, he ordered to retreat under the protection of the coast. He himself, having received a second wound, managed to run to the armored personnel carrier and take the place of the shooter. The APC bypassed the island along a channel from the north and collided with a Chinese company. For the Chinese, the appearance in the rear of the armored personnel carrier was unexpected. Bubenin opened fire from machine guns. In response, the Chinese pulled out a gun for direct fire. One shell hit the engine compartment, knocking out the right engine, the second in the turret, smashing machine guns and shelling Bubenia. By this time, the armored personnel carrier had shot all its ammunition, its slopes were pierced, but it managed to retreat to its bank.
From the 1st outpost in a GAZ-69 car, a reserve arrived under the command of the foreman of the outpost Sergeant P. Sikushenko. They delivered all the wearable and most of the transportable ammunition load of the outpost, all machine guns, a PG-7 grenade launcher and shots for it.
Bubenin with a landing party got into the armored personnel carrier of the 2nd outpost and again attacked the Chinese. This time, he passed through the positions of the Chinese on the island, defeating the defenders within 20 minutes and destroying the battalion's command post. However, leaving the battle, the armored personnel carrier was hit and stopped. The Chinese immediately concentrated mortar fire on it, but the group was able to retreat to the island, and later to their shore. At this time, the reserve of the 2nd outpost16 approached the battlefield, and, having completed more than a 30-kilometer march, the reserve of the 3rd outpost. The Chinese were driven off the island and the fighting practically ceased [17].
According to official data, up to 248 Chinese soldiers and officers were killed in this battle, 32 soldiers and officers were killed by the border guards, and one border guard was captured [18].
The fight was fierce. The Chinese finished off the wounded. The head of the detachment's medical service, Major of the Medical Service V. Kvitko, said: “The medical commission, which, apart from me, included military doctors, senior lieutenants of the medical service B. Fotavenko and N. Kostyuchenko, carefully examined all the dead border guards on Damansky Island and found that 19 the wounded would have survived, because they were not fatally wounded during the battle. But they were then finished off like Hitler with knives, bayonets and rifle butts. This is incontrovertibly evidenced by cut, stabbed bayonet and gunshot wounds. They shot at close range from 1–2 meters. Strelnikov and Buinevich were killed at such a distance”[19].
By order of the Chairman of the KGB under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the frontier posts of the Imansky (Dalnerechensky) border detachment were reinforced with personnel and equipment. The detachment was assigned a link of Mi-4 helicopters, mangroups of the Grodekovsky and Kamen-Rybolovsky detachments on 13 armored personnel carriers. The command of the Far Eastern Military District assigned to the detachment command 2 motorized rifle companies, 2 tank platoons and 1 battery of 120-mm mortars of the 135th motorized rifle division. Reconstruction of the routes for the advance of troops and the lines of deployment of support detachments were carried out.
The Chinese did not lag behind. By March 7, the grouping of Chinese troops was also significantly strengthened. In the Daman and Kirkinsk directions, they concentrated up to an infantry regiment, reinforced with artillery, mortars, and anti-tank weapons. Up to 10 large-caliber long-range artillery batteries were deployed 10-15 km from the border. By March 15, on the Guberovo direction, it was concentrated up to a battalion, on the Iman direction - up to an infantry regiment with tanks, on Panteleimonovskoye - up to two battalions, on Pavlo-Fedorovskoye - up to a battalion with reinforcements. Thus, the Chinese concentrated an infantry division with reinforcements [20].
