Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska! The VDV is a branch of the Russian military. They are a rapid reaction and infiltration force, comprised of 5 divisions and 1 brigade. Only a few small airborne drops were carried out in the first desperate days of Operation Barbarossa, in the vicinity of Kiev, Odessa, and the Kerch peninsula during World War Two. Those small drop units have now grown into a modern, fierce, fighting force. The VDV took place in some of the most pivotal battles of World War Two and had a very direct connection with the demise of the German occupation over Prague, Chernigov, Odessa, Brest, and Danzig, and was largely resposible for the liberation of the Belorussian front. When the motherland calls, the VDV answers! VDV units were some of the first elements of the Russian retaliation in South Ossetia against Georgia in 2008. 76th "Chernigov" Airborne, and 98th "Ivanovo" Airborne division's took place in the liberation of Tskhinvalli and eventually pushed into Georgia itself, defeating every line of opposition until Georgia finally surrendered days later. The VDV participated in the rapid deployment of Russian forces stationed in Bosnian city Ugljevik, in and around Pristina airport during the Kosovo War. Streaming into Kosovo's capital, NATO found itself face-to-face with the Russian troops. American officials did, for their own reasons, publicly downplayed the significance of the confrontation, but it is impossible to deny that, this event points dramatically to an exacerbation of tensions between the major powers. About 370 Russian paratroopers in BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers prevented the US from seizing control of Kosovo's key airport. Serb T-55 tanks and self-propelled artillery hidden in surrounding villages were seen moving into the Russian sector of the airfield. And after more than 6 rounds of negotiations, a week of NATO aircraft being bared from the area, and a tense standoff. Russia was given a key role in the Kosovo war which arguably saved Serbia from NATO bombardment. In a move that stunned both NATO and American officials, a convoy of Russian soldiers moved into Kosovo's capital at about 1 a.m. to the crackle of celebratory gunfire, honking horns and thousands of cheering Serbs. The modern VDV uses a plethora of lethal weapons and armor to achieve its objectives. Armor: ☭ - BMD-1M (Infantry fighting vehicle fitted with a 73mm smooth-bore gun) ☭ - BMD-2M (Infantry fighting vehicle fitted with a 30mm automatic cannon, and 9M113M guided ATGM) ☭ - BMD-3 (Infantry fighting vehicle fitted with a 30mm auto-cannon, and 9K111 ATGM's) ☭ - BMD-4 (Infantry fighting vehicle armed with 100mm, and 30mm cannon's and 7.62mm coax.) ☭ - Sprut-SD (Light tank fitted with a smooth-bore 120mm main gun) ☭ - 2s23 "Nona-SVK" (Mortar vehicle fitted with a 120mm gun mounted on a BTR-80 chassis) ☭ - 2s9 "Nona-S" (Mortar vehicle fitted with 120mm gun) ☭ - BTR-80 / BTR-80A (Armored Personnel Carrier fitted with 14.5mm heavy gun or 30mm cannon) ☭ - ASU-85 (A self-propelled gun system armed with an 85mm main gun) ☭ - Kamaz, Ural, and GAZ (Transport trucks) Weapons: ☭ - AK-74M (Main assualt rifle) ☭ - AKS-74 (AK-74 with skeleton stock) ☭ - AKS-74U (Special purpose assault weapons with shortened barrel) ☭ - RPK-74 (Light machine gun) ☭ - PMK "Pecheneg" (7.62mm general purpose machine gun) ☭ - Dragunov SVD (7.62mm snipers rifle) ☭ - Dragunov SVU (7.62mm "bullpup" snipers rifle) ☭ - GP-30 (underbarrel 40mm grenade launcher) ☭ - AGS-17 (Automatic grenade launcher) The VDV is unrivaled in the world in force projection, Russian airborne unit's deploy both armored fighting vehicles and heavily armed soldiers to form a fighting force that is second to none. The ability of Russia's airborne military to present a sizable armored force first makes it unique.

• published: 08 Nov 2009
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