The destruction of a large convoy in Afghanistan

Lieutenant colonel Arthur Derevianko:
- For the operation of 17 of my soldiers was awarded the Order of the Red Star

Lieutenant colonel ARTHUR Derevianko:
- In all my service in Afghanistan not lost a single soldier platoon of which I commanded. Guys say that I am a lucky, lucky & quot;

Lieutenant Derevyanko became famous because his group found and eliminated one of the biggest of all the Afghan campaign caravans with weapons. That battle lasted more than six hours, the Soviet side has not lost a single soldier. After that went to Moscow idea of awarding Lieutenant Derevyanko Order of Lenin and Hero of the Soviet Union. Yes, just a well-deserved award, he did not get ...

"During this operation all 17 of my soldiers was awarded the Order of the Red Star»
- Why you did not become a Hero of the Soviet Union?
- It is necessary to ask the boss. Later I learned that my award was someone at the top - whether the intelligence chief of the army, or someone else. At the end of this operation I was awarded the Order of the Red Star. For Afghanistan, I was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and three - the Red Star.
- Probably, the operation of a lifetime?
- Up to the last detail! It was June 3, 1987. We were able to hold a huge caravan of weapons - more than 200 camels. Later it turned out that it was one of the largest abandoned caravan in the history of the Afghan war. Frankly, we ran it almost by accident. And it was so. One kind of fighting were so-called Inspection helicopter flights - for the study of a site area, inspection of vehicles and peaceful caravan moving day. And that's just flying in front leaving the gorge group of Mi-8 helicopters, which were called "bees," and two helicopters cover the Mi-24, nicknamed "the crocodile", we spotted a moving caravan.

I gave the order to put the helicopter to make an inspection of the caravan. A helicopter sat near the head of the caravan, and my - closer to the middle. When we were with the fighters very close to the caravan, we saw at once that it is loaded weapon. By the camels were strapped recoilless rifles, anti-aircraft mountain launchers, mortars and rockets (RSy) ... Imagine: there is a string of camels, and a single person. All the mahouts, spooks, barely seeing our helicopters scattered. But camels kept going.

And here in front of me the task - how to stop the camels, do not let them get away with guns ... only one answer - to eliminate. And quickly, before "spirits" do not come to their senses and rushed to beat the caravan. I gave the order to destroy the camels. Of course, at first glance, it may seem cruel, but we must understand that we simply do not have the right to leave dushmans weapons and animals: they would use them again for the transport of weapons, and the weapons would be used against us. At this time, our helicopters fly to the base for help. And as soon as the "bees" and "crocodiles" out of sight, "spirits" rushed to the attack. The situation is a stalemate: we have only 17 people, and no air cover. Having taken a perimeter defense, we started to shoot.

While I was with binoculars surveyed a part of the territory from the "green stuff", as we called green spaces in me because of the shelter took aim two Dushman. Of course, I could not see them. But Vladimir Bondar, deputy company sergeant, spotted them. He pushed me, and he fell: machine gun beg him both legs, smashing the bones. So, if it were not for Vladimir, the fight would be my last. Volodya then written off, and unfortunately, he became an invalid of the second group. Who lives under the beautiful ancient city.

But back to that memorable day. We barely had time to tie Volodya - and began what is called hell. The fact that the village was close to where exactly the expected convoy with weapons. And there realized that the caravan took "shuravi" (Soviet troops from Persian "shura" - advice. - Ed.). So when our helicopters flew away, "spirits" of the village moved to beat the caravan. On the other hand, from the pass, came a group dushmans who guarded the caravan. In general, we squeezed on both sides.

In a nutshell, it is impossible to convey the state, except to say that we barely had time to reload. When our helicopters flew with a support group to pick up weapons from the caravan and give us ammunition, spooks and we slightly abated breath. As soon as the turntable flew again started shooting ...

- How to continue the fight?
- With half-past five in the morning until 13 o'clock in the afternoon. Only hours 14 the evacuation. I remember when our group already was loaded into the helicopter, one soldier said: "Look, how many sheep!" Look: on the mountain huge amount of moving in our direction points. And I suddenly realize that this is not the sheep, and the "spirits". Realizing that we are leaving, they decide to attack us again. And again it started ... But the operation still brought to the end: all the weapons were evacuated, and the caravan was destroyed. Then the whole ground in the battalion was scored weapons: mortars, grenade launchers, recoilless rifles. And anti-aircraft installation of the mountain and about 500 rockets, 12-barrel rocket launcher and new at the time rocket launcher to fire at 17 kilometers. During this operation, all 17 of my men received the Order of the Red Star. Volodya Cooper, who saved my life, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

- Many people have you lost that fight?
- I have for all my life no one was killed soldiers. Once the guys stepped on armored personnel carriers (APC. - Ed.), Exploding mines, but still alive. This figure, which I, as the commander of the group can be proud of. My soldiers told I lucky, lucky.