In a fierce battle with the Chechen rebels died 6th company of the 104th Regiment of the 76th Pskov Airborne Division.

March 1, 2000 in Chechnya at a height of 776 (in the Argun Gorge) in a fierce battle with the Chechen rebels died 6th company of the 104th Regiment of the 76th Pskov Airborne Division. Of the ninety paratroopers, took the fight to the superior forces of terrorists, killing 84, including 13 officers. They did not flinch, did not give up until the end of his military duty performed by stopping the promotion of gangs.




Then, in February 2000, ended with the military phase - an important stage - the second Chechen war. After the fall of Grozny and châteaux (the last major population centers in Chechnya, remain in the hands of insurgents), according to the federal command, broken militants were split into small groups and dispersed mountain bases. However, the militants were concentrated. Most of their commanders, including Shamil Basayev and Khattab, offered to break in a northeasterly direction, toward the Dagestan border. One of the most obvious ways of retreat was the Argun Gorge. Just near the village of Ulus-Kert then concentrated, according to various sources, from 1, 5 to 2, 5 thousand well-trained fighters. On the part of federal troops to cover this area, among other units, and was sent to 6 th company - combined unit of paratroopers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel M.Evtyuhina guard, who had been given the task - to take line four kilometers south-east of Ulus-Kert, for the purpose of to prevent a possible incursion by fighters in the direction of Vedeno.



6th company entrenched in dominant height of 776. But the militants have gone through. Battle of Ulus-Kert began on 29 February 2000 and continued through the following day. Although the paratroopers received no assistance other than breakthrough 10 scouts 4th company fire support and artillery units, they fought to the death. Gunners "worked" on the heights of the night. On the morning of March 1 began a melee, and at the critical moment, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Yevtyukhin called artillery fire "on yourself!" On March 2, the remaining fighters swept Aviation and artillery attack. The rescue comrades sought and soldiers of the 1st company of the 1st Battalion. But during the river crossing Abazulgol they were ambushed and had to gain a foothold on the shore. Only the morning of 2 March, they were able to break through, but it was too late - the 6th company died, survived only 6 Fighters. Losses militants according to the federal forces ranged from 400 to 700 people. The remaining militants managed to break out of the Argun Gorge. They fled to the mountains and escaped. Later, some field commanders were killed. Death paratroopers left without assistance and cut off from reinforcements, has caused a large number of questions from the public and the relatives of the victims to the authorities and the military command. According to many military analysts and media representatives, the death of 6-th company was caused by a number of errors and miscalculations of the Russian command. August 2, 2000, the day of the 70th anniversary of the Airborne Forces, President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Pskov division and personally apologized to the relatives of victims of "blunders that have to pay for the lives of Russian soldiers", admitting guilt of the Kremlin. But years later, neither the president nor the Military Prosecutor's Office has not clarified exactly who committed these blunders, paid a soldier's life.



Subsequently, all the dead paratroopers were forever inscribed in the list of the 104th Guards. Presidential Decree 22 paratroopers was awarded the title of Hero of Russia (21 posthumously), and 68 were awarded the Order of Courage (63 posthumously). All of them - the guys from the 47 republics, territories and regions of Russia and the republics of the former Soviet Union. Memory Pskov paratroopers dedicated to movies "Honour", "breakthrough", "Russian victim of" musical "Warrior Spirit" book "Company," "breakthrough," "Step in immortality," the song. They are named after streets of his native city, in schools, where studied heroic paratroopers, a memorial plaque. They put monuments in Moscow and Pskov. Nonetheless, the anniversary of the battle at the official level, is usually not observed. Commemorative events in the last days of February - beginning of March are held, as a rule, by the non-governmental organizations and relatives.



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