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Alpha Group (Ukraine)

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Special Group "Alpha"
Spetshrupa "A"
The badge of SBU Alfa Group
Active3 March 1990–present
Country Soviet Union (1990–1991)
 Ukraine (1991–present)
BranchSpetsnaz of the KGB
(1990–1991)
Spetsnaz of the SBU
(1991–present)
TypeSpecial forces
RoleSpecial operations
Direct Action
Hostage Rescue
Special Reconnaissance
Military Intelligence
SizeClassified
Garrison/HQKyiv
Nickname(s)Alpha Group, Alpha (Alfa)
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander		Yevhenii Khmara[2]

Special Group "Alpha" is an elite Ukrainian Spetsnaz group, branch of the Security Service of Ukraine; and a successor of the Soviet Union's Alpha Group.[3] Group Alpha is one of the top divisions of the special forces of Ukraine.

History

On 28 July 1974, Alpha Group was created on the orders of the KGB Chairman, Yuri Andropov, in the aftermath of the 1972 Munich massacre. It might have been established as a response to West Germany's creation of Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (or GSG 9).[3] By attaching a special-purpose unit to the office of the First Chief Directorate in Moscow (later the Seventh Directorate[4]), it was hoped that the Soviet Union's defensive capacity against terrorist attacks would increase significantly. At the time, other, more offensive special forces of the KGB included the groups Zenit and Kaskad/Omega. Another important mission for Alpha was to provide security for the Soviet leadership against enemy special forces in times of crisis or war.[5]

Later, territorial Alpha units were established across the Soviet Union. An Alpha detachment in Ukraine was created on March 3, 1990, when the order was given to the Chief of the 7th Directorate of the KGB to establish 10th group (Kyiv) Group 'A' Services EIR 7th Directorate of the KGB. The selection process was rigorous. Of the initial 120 KGB candidates, only 15 passed the rigorous selection course to establish the first detachment under the leadership of commander Peter Feliksovich Zakrevskii.[6]

Post breakup of the USSR

The Kyiv territorial unit of Group "A" was converted into Service "C" of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in 1992.[6] Nevertheless, it has continued to be informally called "Alpha", until June 23, 1994, when by the decree of the President of Ukraine on the basis of service "C" of the SBU was created Directorate "A" (Alpha). At this point in the SBU's groups "A" consists of five offices and regional offices based in each regional center of Ukraine.

Alpha Group operators after the Battle of Kramatorsk

2014 Ukrainian crisis

In April 2014, in the aftermath of the Revolution of Dignity, when Ukraine's Alpha snipers were alleged to shoot at the protesters,[7][8] it was purged and reorganised,[9] and soon used by the new government against the pro-Russian separatist forces in the war in Donbas. Late April 2014 three officers were captured by members of the Donbas People's Militia armed group led by Igor Girkin[a] in the town of Horlivka, after which they were beaten up and shown on Russian television;[10] the SBU spokeswoman said the separatists acted on a tip from infiltrators inside the agency.[11]

The SBU Alfa defector Alexander Khodakovsky, a former Alfa commander for Donetsk Oblast who has deserted from Ukrainian service along with several of his men following the revolution, became the commander of the rebel Vostok Battalion and later was given the post of security minister of the separatist Donetsk People's Republic.[12]

Russian invasion of Ukraine

File:UA SSU "Alpha" in liberated Kupiansk 02.jpg
Alpha Group operators entering Kupiansk on a Novator armoured vehicle during the Kharkiv counteroffensive

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Alpha group (according to Ukrainian sources) ambushed and wiped out a convoy in northern Kyiv, around Hostomel, composed of Chechen paramilitary (the "Kadyrovtsy") heading to the city.[13] The Alpha Group was present in Kharkiv, defending the city at the Battle of Kharkiv. During the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive, the Alpha Group re-captured several settlements such as Kupiansk.[1]

The Alpha Group conducted operations to capture fifth-columnists, Russian sympathizers, spies and infiltrators.[14]

File:UA SSU "Alpha" in liberated Kupiansk 01.jpg
Alpha Group operators posing after liberating Kupiansk during the Kharkiv counteroffensive

Operational record

From its inception in 1994 to 2010, members of the special unit carried out more than 7,000 operations, from weapons seizure to anti narcotics operations, to apprehension of organized gang members, with no casualties sustained.[15]

The unit suffered its first casualty in June 2014, fighting against Russian separatists and possibly, Russian special forces, in the war in Donbas. As of 2018, ten SBU Alpha operators lost their lives in the conflict.[16]

  • Alpha group operators in 2017
    Alpha group operators in 2017
  • Alpha Group operators in 2020
    Alpha Group operators in 2020
  • SBU and Alpha Group personnel arresting organizers of a Pyramid scheme in 2020
    SBU and Alpha Group personnel arresting organizers of a Pyramid scheme in 2020
  • Operators with drone, unknown date.
    Operators with drone, unknown date.

Equipment

Name Image Country of origin Type Caliber Details
Glock 17  Austria Semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum
Heckler & Koch USP  Germany Semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum
PSM  Soviet Union Semi-automatic pistol 5x45x18mm
PB  Soviet Union Semi-automatic pistol 9x18mm Makarov
Stechkin AP  Soviet Union Pistol 9x18mm Makarov
SIG Sauer MCX  United States Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO
.300 AAC Blackout 		Used by SBU Alpha SOF.[17]
AKS-74U  Soviet Union Carbine 5.45x39mm
Fort-500T [uk]  Ukraine Pump action 12 gauge Developed in the late 1990s. It is fitted with the CAA CBS retractable stock. Used by police forces and security service of Ukraine.[18]
B&T MP9 File:MP9.png  Switzerland Submachine gun 9×19mm Parabellum Were bought in 2007 for use by SBU.[19][20]
H&K MP5  Germany Submachine gun 9×19mm Parabellum
FN P90  Belgium Submachine gun FN 5.7x28mm NATO More than 30x P90LV were bought in 2008.[20]
VSS Vintorez  Soviet Union Submachine gun 9×39mm [21]
Sako TRG-22  Finland sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO
Blaser R93 Tactical 2  Germany sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO [22]
SIG Sauer SSG3000  Germany sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO [23]
Brugger & Thomet APR  Switzerland sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO Made under license by Tactical Systems as the TS.M.308/338.[24]
Desert Tech SRS  United States sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO Were bought in 2016[25]
Desert Tech HTI  United States anti-material rifle .50 BMG Were bought in 2020[26]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ At the time, Girkin was known by the alias "Igor Strelkov".

References

  1. ^ a b "Ukraine Pushes On With Counteroffensive As Russian Invasion Enters 200th Day". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 11 September 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-09-17. Retrieved 2022-09-18. The SBU posted images on Telegram of a group of Ukrainian soldiers with the caption: "Specialists of the SBU's special operations center 'A' in Kupyansk, which was and always will be Ukrainian!"
  2. ^ "Zelenskyy appoints new chief of Special Operations Forces of Security Service of Ukraine". Ukrainska Pravda. 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b David Cox (2001). Close Protection: The Politics of Guarding Russia's Rulers. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-275-96688-1. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  4. ^ "The Early Yeltsin Years". Archived from the original on 1 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) by Jonathan Littell.
  5. ^ Hackard, Mark (17 April 2015). "KGB Spetsnaz & World War III". Espionage History Archive. Archived from the original on 2017-10-20. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
  6. ^ a b "Международная Ассоциация Ветеранов Подразделений Антитеррора "Альфа"". Alfa.org.ua. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  7. ^ Jamie Dettmer (30 March 2014). "Exclusive: Photographs Expose Russian-Trained Killers in Kiev". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 2014-04-04. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  8. ^ Golitsina, Natalya (3 April 2014). "Photos Link Yanukovych's Troops To Maidan Massacre". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 2014-07-24. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  9. ^ "Separatystycznym batalionem Wostok dowodził były dowódca ukraińskiego specnazu" (in Polish). Wiadomosci.gazeta.pl. 2014-07-21. Archived from the original on 2014-07-24. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  10. ^ "Video: Ukrainian intelligence officers detained by pro-Russian separatists". The Telegraph. 2014-04-27. Archived from the original on 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
  11. ^ Grytsenko, Oksana (2014-04-28). "Separatists acted on a tip to capture SBU officers, Ukraine's security service says (VIDEO)". Kyiv Post. Kyivpost.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-03. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
  12. ^ Weiss, Michael (11 July 2014). "All Is Not Well in Novorossiya". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  13. ^ "The subdivision of the National Guard Forces Command of the Chechen Republic is destroyed near Kiev, commander of the regiment Tushaev is killed - Ministry of Defense of Ukraine". Interfax-Ukraine. 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  14. ^ "Ukraine cracks down on 'traitors' helping Russian troops". AP NEWS. 2022-04-29. Archived from the original on 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
  15. ^ ""В Ираке бойцы "Альфы" получают меньше других, а служат дольше"". Archived from the original on 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2019-03-09.
  16. ^ "Пам'ятаємо | Альфа". Archived from the original on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2019-03-09.
  17. ^ "Спецподразделение "Альфа" и боевые машины: СБУ будет работать в день выборов 2019 – фото и видео". 24 Канал (in Russian). 30 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2022-05-19. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  18. ^ "Pump action shotgun "Fort-500T"". www.skopjesos.com.mk. Archived from the original on 2022-05-31. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  19. ^ "wiw_eu_ukraine - worldinventory". 2016-06-03. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  20. ^ a b "UNODA Occasional Papers No.16: Assessing the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, April 2009". United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) Occasional Papers. 2012-06-13. doi:10.18356/fc99a96f-en. ISBN 9789210556835. ISSN 2412-1258. Archived from the original on 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  21. ^ "Фотовиставка: "Служу українському народу і спецназу!" :: Товариство учасників бойових дій "Спас-Україна"". Archived from the original on 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
  22. ^ "Фотовиставка: "Служу українському народу і спецназу!" :: Товариство учасників бойових дій "Спас-Україна"". www.spas.net.ua. Archived from the original on 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  23. ^ "Профессионалы: Украинская «Альфа»: терроризм не пройдет". 2015-09-23. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  24. ^ "Ukrainian copies of Swiss Brügger & Thomet APR rifles used during protests in Kiev - Armament Research Services (ARES)". 2014-02-24. Archived from the original on 2022-05-23. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  25. ^ "Timeline". deserttech.com. Archived from the original on 2019-08-30. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  26. ^ "DESERT TECH - Tomorrow's Weapons". deserttech.com. Archived from the original on 2022-07-07. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
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