Editing Spetsnaz (section)

== 2000's-present ==
[[File:RIAN archive 835340 Antiterrorist operation in Makhachkala.jpg|thumb| Russian FSB Spetsnaz are particularly active. Conducting 119 [[Targeted killing|targeted operations]] in the [[North Caucasus]] in 2006 alone, during which they killed more than 100 members of terrorist groups.<ref name="Day"/>]]
By the mid-2000s, the special forces gained a firm upper hand over separatists and terrorist attacks in Russia dwindled, falling from 257 in 2005 to 48 in 2007. Military analyst [[Vitaly Shlykov]] praised the effectiveness of Russia's security agencies, saying that the experience learned in Chechnya and Dagestan had been key to the success. In 2008, the American [[Carnegie Endowment]]'s Foreign Policy magazine named Russia as "the worst place to be a terrorist", particularly highlighting Russia's willingness to prioritize national security over civil rights.<ref name="rp_biberman">{{cite web|url=http://russiaprofile.org/politics/a1213293768.html|title=No Place to Be a Terrorist|last1=Biberman|first1=Yelena|publisher=Russia Profile|date=6 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006085439/http://russiaprofile.org/politics/a1213293768.html|archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> By 2010, Russian special forces, led by the FSB, had managed to eliminate the top leadership of the Chechen insurgency, except for [[Dokka Umarov]].<ref name="saradzhyan_eliminating">{{cite web|url=http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Articles/Detail//?ots591=4888caa0-b3db-1461-98b9-e20e7b9c13d4&lng=en&id=114375|title=Eliminating Terrorists, Not Terror|last1=Saradzhyan|first1=Simon|publisher=International Relations and Security Network|date=31 March 2010}}</ref>

From 2009, the level of terrorism in Russia increased again. Particularly worrisome was the increase in suicide attacks. While between February 2005 and August 2008, no civilians were killed in such attacks, in 2008 at least 17 were killed and in 2009 the number rose to 45.<ref name="saradzhyan_increase">{{cite web|url=http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Articles/Detail//?ots591=4888caa0-b3db-1461-98b9-e20e7b9c13d4&lng=en&id=125818|title=Russia's North Caucasus, the Terrorism Revival|last1=Saradzhyan|first1=Simon|publisher=International Relations and Security Network|date=23 December 2010}}</ref> In March 2010, Islamist militants organised the [[2010 Moscow Metro bombings]], which killed 40 people. One of the two blasts took place at Lubyanka station, near the FSB headquarters. Militant leader [[Dokka Umarov|Doku Umarov]]—dubbed "Russia's [[Osama bin Laden]]"—took responsibility for the attacks. In July 2010, President [[Dmitry Medvedev]] expanded the FSB's powers in its fight against terrorism.

<!-- This is the content not related to the article -->In 2011, Federal Security Service exposed 199 foreign spies, including 41 professional spies and 158 agents employed by foreign intelligence services.<ref name="RIA Novosti">{{cite news|url=http://en.ria.ru/russia/20120207/171195509.html|title=Russia Busted 200 Spies Last Year – Medvedev|publisher=RIA Novosti|date=7 February 2012}}</ref> The number has risen in recent years: in 2006 the FSB reportedly caught about 27 foreign intelligence officers and 89 foreign agents.<ref name="Day">{{cite web|url=http://grani.ru/Politics/Russia/FSB/m.115994.html|title=Story to the Day of Checkist|publisher=grani.ru}}</ref> Comparing the number of exposed spies historically, the then-FSB Director [[Nikolay Kovalyov (politician)|Nikolay Kovalyov]] said in 1996: "There has never been such a number of [[spy|spies]] arrested by us since the time when German agents were sent in during the years of World War II." The 2011 figure is similar to what was reported in 1995–1996, when around 400 foreign intelligence agents were uncovered during the two-year period.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

===Anti terrorist operations prior to 2014 Sochi Olympics===
Olympic organizers received several threats prior to the Games. In a July 2013 video release, Chechen Islamist commander Dokka Umarov called for attacks on the Games, stating that the Games were being staged "[[Ethnic cleansing of Circassians|on the bones of many, many Muslims killed]] ...and buried on our lands extending to the Black Sea."<ref name=rferl-caucasusthreat>{{cite news|title=Caucasus Emirate Leader Calls On Insurgents To Thwart Sochi Winter Olympics|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/sochi-olympics-terrorism-umarov/25035408.html|website=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=3 July 2013|access-date=3 September 2017}}</ref> Threats were received from the group [[Vilayat Dagestan]], which had claimed responsibility for the [[Volgograd bombings]] under the demands of Umarov, and a number of National Olympic Committees had also received threats via e-mail, threatening that terrorists would kidnap or "blow up" athletes during the Games.

In response to the insurgent threats, Russian special forces cracked down on suspected terrorist organizations, making several arrests and claiming to have curbed several plots,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Novogrod|first1=James|author2=Becky Bratu|url=http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/24/22434874-inside-russias-pre-olympics-terrorist-crackdown?lite|title=Inside Russia's pre-Olympics terrorist crackdown|date=14 October 2014|work=NBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009144603/http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/24/22434874-inside-russias-pre-olympics-terrorist-crackdown?lite|archive-date=9 October 2014}}</ref> and killed numerous Islamist leaders including Eldar Magatov, a suspect in attacks on Russian targets and alleged leader of an insurgent group in the Babyurt district of Dagestan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2014/01/21/21412981.html?cid=rssnewsworld|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141006151515/http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2014/01/21/21412981.html?cid=rssnewsworld|url-status=usurped|archive-date=6 October 2014|title=Russian police kill Islamist militant leader before Olympics|work=canoe.ca|access-date=16 October 2014}}</ref> Dokka Umarov himself was poisoned on 6 August 2013, and died on 7 September 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fuller|first=Liz|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/insurgency-commanders-divulge-of-umarovs-death/25467747.html|title=Insurgency Commanders Divulge Details Of Umarov's Death|publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]|date=23 July 2014|access-date=3 September 2017}}</ref>

===Insurgency in the Caucasus===
{{main|Insurgency in the North Caucasus}}

Although crime has been markedly reduced and stability increased throughout Russia compared to the previous year, about 350 militants in the North Caucasus have been killed in anti-terror operations in the first four months of 2014, according to an announcement by Interior Minister [[Vladimir Kolokoltsev]] in the [[State Duma]].<ref>{{cite web |title=МВД России ликвидировало за 4 месяца более 350 боевиков |url=http://news.mail.ru/incident/18522286/ |access-date=31 July 2015 |work=Новости Mail.Ru |archive-date=4 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104210524/https://news.mail.ru/incident/18522286/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 23 September 2014, Russian news agencies marked the 15th anniversary of the formation of the ''Unified Group of Troops (''OGV'', or ''ОГВ'')'' in the North Caucasus. The OGV is the inter-service headquarters established at [[Khankala]], Chechnya to command all Russian (MOD, MVD, FSB) operations from the start of the second Chechen war in 1999.

Since its inception, the OGV combined operations has conducted 40,000 special missions, destroyed 5,000 bases and caches, confiscated 30,000 weapons, and disarmed 80,000 explosive devices and in the process has killed over 10,000 insurgents in the time frame of 15 years. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) noted that the decoration [[Hero of the Russian Federation]] has been awarded to 93 MVD servicemen in the OGV (including 66 posthumously). Overall, more than 23,000 MVD troops have received honors for their conduct during operations.<ref>{{cite web |date=23 September 2014 |title=ОГВ на Кавказе за 15 лет уничтожила более 10 тысяч боевиков |url=http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20140923/1025263743.html |access-date=31 July 2015 |work=РИА Новости}}</ref>

Russian spetsnaz forces participated in the [[2014 Grozny clashes]].{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

===Russo-Ukrainian War===
{{Main|Russo-Ukrainian War}}
[[File:VOA-armed men 01-03-14.jpg|thumb|Russian [[Little green men (Russo-Ukrainian War)|troops without insignia]] at the building of the [[Verkhovna Rada of Crimea|Verkhovna Rada]] of the [[Autonomous Republic of Crimea]] during its [[Capture of the Crimean Parliament|capture]].]]
According to multiple Western sources and Ukraine, Spetsnaz unit of the VDV RF took part in the [[annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation]]. Several hundred members of the [[45th Detached Reconnaissance Regiment|45th Detached Guards Spetsnaz Regiment]] and the 22nd Spetsnaz brigade were sent in, disguised as civilians.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/99776d16-a621-11e3-9818-00144feab7de.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/99776d16-a621-11e3-9818-00144feab7de.html |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Ukraine crisis: Pretext and plotting behind Crimea's occupation|date=7 March 2014| agency=Financial Times|access-date=8 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Putin admits unmarked soldiers in Ukraine were Russian; optimistic about Geneva talks|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/putin-admits-unmarked-soldiers-ukraine-russian-optimistic-geneva-talks/|publisher=Public Broadcasting Service|author=Willis Raburu|date=17 April 2014|access-date=30 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/f28913f6-1d8f-11e4-8f0c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3OCOWuUky | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210231238/https://www.ft.com/content/f28913f6-1d8f-11e4-8f0c-00144feabdc0#axzz3OCOWuUky | archive-date=10 December 2022 | url-access=subscription | title=Photos and roses for GRU's 'spetsnaz' casualties | date=8 August 2014 | agency=Financial Times | access-date=8 January 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Woloshyn|first=George|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/op-ed/george-woloshyn-take-the-fight-to-the-enemy-376153.html|title=George Woloshyn: Take the fight to the enemy|agency=Kyiv Post|date=26 December 2014|access-date=8 January 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226123628/http://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/op-ed/george-woloshyn-take-the-fight-to-the-enemy-376153.html|archive-date=26 December 2014}}</ref>

====Russian invasion of Ukraine====
{{Main| Russian invasion of Ukraine}}

Russian Spetsnaz units have been used in the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] beginning in early 2022, they were initially tasked with going after high-ranking Ukrainian officials, including president [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] in order to decapitate the Ukrainian command and control structure, with the objective being to foster chaos. Like other Russian plans during the start of the invasion, the Russian Spetsnaz failed to take out Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian leadership.<ref name="x160">{{cite web | last=Atlamazoglou | first=Stavros | title=Russia's Elite Spetsnaz Special Forces 'Devastated' in Ukraine War | website=The National Interest | date=31 October 2024 | url=https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia%E2%80%99s-elite-spetsnaz-special-forces-devastated-ukraine-war-213488 | access-date=31 October 2024}}</ref>

The Russian military was not dissuaded by the failure, and continued to use spetsnaz in the conflict, particularly deploying them when conventional Russian forces faced significant resistance. This caused the heavy attrition rate suffered by the Russian forces to also reach the Russian Spetsnaz, according to a Pentagon leak in April 2023, all but one of five Spetsnaz brigades that had participated in the war had suffered significant losses by late summer 2022. According to the estimate, one of the separate Spetsnaz brigades in question had only ″125 personnel active out of 900 deployed.″ The casualties were expected to have increased following the [[2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive|Ukrainian counteroffensive]] in September 2022 that liberated hundreds of square miles of territory in a few days, during this offensive, the GRU's Third Guards Spetsnaz Brigade, considered one of the most elite Russian units, was caught in the retreat and had to fight a defensive action in the town of [[Lyman, Ukraine|Lyman]]. A report by the BBC assessed that the Spetsnaz unit lost up to 75% of its men during this action.<ref name="x160"/><ref name="n569">{{cite web | last=Porter | first=Tom | title=Russia's prized Spetsnaz commando units have suffered a 95% casualty rate in Ukraine, leaked documents and photos show | website=Business Insider | date=14 April 2023 | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-spetsnatz-units-suffer-95-casualty-rate-in-ukraine-leaks-2023-4 | access-date=31 October 2024}}</ref><ref name="r491">{{cite web | title=Pentagon leaks: Russian special forces decimated by Ukraine war | website=Al Jazeera | date=14 April 2023 | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/14/pentagon-leaks-russian-special-forces-decimated-by-ukraine-war | access-date=31 October 2024}}</ref>

The high amount of losses suffered in Ukraine are expected to leave a strategic capability gap, since special forces unlike conventional units cannot be ″mass-produced″, the leaked Pentagon documents estimated that it would take Russia up to ten years to reconstitute its special operations capability, and this estimate referred to outdated 2022 figures. Although there are no figures concerning Spetsnaz losses after the summer of 2022, the extremely heavy losses suffered by the entire Russian forces suggest that Spetsnaz units have continued to take significant losses in the invasion.<ref name="x160"/><ref name="r491"/>

===Syrian Civil War===
{{Main|Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War}}

"War on the Rocks" reports that various Russian special missions units have been openly supporting Syrian army units, and along with the [[Russian Aerospace Forces]], have been invaluable in pushing back anti-government forces.<ref>{{cite web|last=Galeotti |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Galeotti |url=https://warontherocks.com/2016/03/the-three-faces-of-russian-spetsnaz-in-syria/ |title=The Three Faces of Russian Spetsnaz in Syria |publisher=Warontherocks.com |date=21 March 2016 |access-date=3 September 2017}}</ref>

At the peak of the deployment, there was a detachment of approximately 250 [[Special Forces of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces|GRU spetsnaz]] soldiers, probably drawn from several units, including [[Russian commando frogmen|naval spetsnaz]] from the 431st Naval Reconnaissance Point, while SOF operators from the [[Special Operations Forces (Russia)|KSSO]], reportedly conducted mainly sniper/counter-sniper, sabotage and reconnaissance missions behind enemy lines.<ref name="publications.gc.ca">{{Cite web|url=http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/mdn-dnd/D4-10-21-2017-eng.pdf|title = Information archivée dans le Web}}</ref>