A special report 03.03.2002 (2002)

The name of the program is "DESANT". 60 years ago, the counteroffensive of our troops near Moscow culminated in an airborne assault in the rear of the Germans.

It was the largest paratrooper landing - twelve and a half thousand people.

Nothing was said about this operation before because only about two thousand people survived.

Today, during the 60th anniversary of the Vyazma operation, we can and should talk about it.

The Russian Airborne Forces are celebrating this date with large-scale exercises.

During the exercises, a mass landing will be dropped in that very place, near Vyazma.

Video: Airplane cockpit, paratroopers with parachutes jumping out of the plane.

Filming during the paratrooper's flight.

A platoon of paratroopers marches with a song near the building.

View of a wooden church.

Veterans on the street talk about the airborne assault in the rear of the Germans.

In the church, priest Father Mikhail, the chief priest of the Airborne Forces, speaks about the landing of airborne troops in the rear of the Germans and their feat.

Caption: Temple of the Prophet Elijah, 45th Special Forces Regiment of the Airborne Forces.

Veterans and paratroopers in the church listen to the priest.

Chronicle b/w February 1942 Western Front: Explosion in a snow field, paratroopers in white camouflage suits ski across a snow field, shell explosions, Marshal Zhukov and generals look at a map, landing of troops from airplanes, paratroopers in the sky, paratroopers in white camouflage suits crawl across a snow field, Soviet paratroopers fire a machine gun, a paratrooper in a camouflage coat fires a machine gun, a soldier in a trench, a cannon on wheels, explosions in a field, paratroopers on skis, a medic bandages the head of a wounded soldier, paratroopers in white camouflage suits ski across a snow field.

A lecturer in a museum near a panoramic painting of a landing, talks about a military operation behind enemy lines.

Panorama of the painting.

Kulik Yuri, commander of the Airborne Forces reconnaissance battalion, tells veterans about the built alley to the heroes of the Chechen war.

Bragin Nikolai, an officer of the Airborne Forces headquarters, shows the premises where the paratroopers are preparing for the exercises.

A paratrooper shows a scout's knife.

Bragin Nikolai, colonel of the Airborne Forces headquarters, talks about a scout's knife.

Bragin Nikolai, colonel of the Airborne Forces headquarters, enters a classroom, paratroopers stand up from their desks.

Bragin Nikolai, colonel of the Airborne Forces headquarters, receives a report from an Airborne Forces officer.

Bragin Nikolai, colonel of the Airborne Forces headquarters, talks to paratroopers.

Geographical map of the landing.

Paratroopers practice hand-to-hand combat techniques on the parade ground.

Paratroopers near infantry fighting vehicles.

Soldiers at a parachute jumping training ground.

Soldiers, hanging on slings, practice a parachute jump.

The Airborne Forces training ground.

Kirisenko Andrey - correspondent talks about the upcoming exercises.

Officers in front of a scale map with terrain models receive an assignment before the start of the exercises in the headquarters tent.

An officer uses a pointer to show the movement of the landing force on the map to complete the tasks.

Officers make notes in notebooks.

View of the terrain model of the exercises and a group of officers.

The soldier on duty announces a combat alert in the barracks.

The paratroopers get out of bed, make their beds, put on their uniforms, receive ammunition, take machine guns, and run out of the building along the corridor.

The commander gives the order, to the vehicles.

The soldiers run up to the hangar, open the gates.

The infantry fighting vehicle drives out of the hangar gates and turns around on the concrete.

Chronicle b/w February 1942 Western Front: paratroopers in white camouflage suits, taking parachutes, go to board planes.

Airborne troops with parachutes on the airfield in a column going to board a military plane.

The chevron on the sleeve says "Tula 106th ha.

Airborne troops".

The paratroopers are looking into the camera lens.

The paratroopers enter the aircraft cabin via the stairs.

The paratroopers attach the parachute carbines to the rope in the aircraft cabin.

Troops disembarking from an Il-76 military transport plane.

Paratroopers in the sky.

B/W chronicle: Soviet planes in the sky above the area.

The plane door opens, paratroopers ready to jump in the cabin.

A green light comes on on the display board.

The paratroopers jump out of the plane door and parachute out of two cabin doors.

B/W chronicle: Soviet planes in the sky above the area, paratroops disembarking.

Troops disembarking from an Il-76 military transport plane.

Paratroopers jump out of the plane door and parachute drop.

An Il-76 plane in the sky and parachute canopies.

A parachutist lands.

A group of parachutists lands.

The parachute canopy drags a parachutist along the ground.

A group of parachutists lands on a snow-covered field.

B/W chronicle: Soviet parachutists land, put on skis.

Two fighters in the sky.

A soldier takes off his parachute backpack, checks his machine gun.

Paratroopers in white camouflage suits with backpacks and ammunition run across a snow field.

A paratrooper who has landed talks about her impressions of the parachute flight, her upcoming trip to Chechnya, and her lack of fear.

A paratrooper who has landed tells a correspondent that it is difficult to put into words the sensations of the flight.

The command is given to prepare the weapon for the attack.

A soldier inserts a magazine with cartridges into a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

An officer speaks on the radio.

Soldiers in white camouflage suits with backpacks and ammunition are lying on the snow.

A soldier fires a flare gun.

Platforms with cargo are parachuted from the cargo compartment of the plane.

Platforms with cargo are parachuted from the plane.

A platform with cargo on four parachutes in the sky.

Platforms with cargo shoot off their parachutes upon landing.

A paratrooper says that the task has been set to capture an object and conduct a raid to the specified point.

Soldiers in white camouflage suits with backpacks and ammunition are lying on the snow.

Caption: Defense of a simulated enemy.

A paratrooper in a trench talks about exercises and an upcoming mock battle.

A paratrooper in a trench fires a machine gun.

Soldiers of the "simulated enemy" fire back from machine guns and retreat.

Kirisenko Andrey - a correspondent talks about the progress of the exercises.

A group of paratroopers in white camouflage suits and an infantry fighting vehicle advance across a snow field.

The whistle of signal flares, smoke over the forest.

Soldiers in white camouflage suits with backpacks and ammunition lie in the snow, explosions in the field, black smoke.

A paratrooper lying in the snow with a machine gun tells a correspondent that he loves chocolate, which he does not get in the canteen and in the Airborne Forces service at his own request.

A group of paratroopers in white camouflage suits advance across a snow field, firing machine guns.

A paratrooper lying in the snow with a machine gun tells a correspondent that he was in Chechnya.

A group of paratroopers in white camouflage suits crawl across the snow, rise and enter the battle.

An officer in front of the paratrooper formation reports to General Georgy Ivanovich Shpak about the victorious completion of the operation.

Georgy Ivanovich Shpak and officers on the podium, the Russian flag.

The Airborne Forces banner.

Georgy Ivanovich Shpak communicates with the crew of the infantry fighting vehicle.

The BMP driver answers questions from General Georgy Ivanovich Shpak.

Georgy Ivanovich Shpak commands the BMP driver to get out of the vehicle.

Georgy Ivanovich Shpak puts on a tanker's helmet.

Andrey Kirisenko - correspondent talks about General G. I. Shpak.

Georgy Ivanovich Shpak controls the BMP while sitting in the driver's seat.

In the military unit, Sergei Mikhailovich Mironov - Chairman of the Federation Council and Georgy Ivanovich Shpak - Commander of the Airborne Troops of the Russian Federation.

Sergei Mikhailovich Mironov - Chairman of the Federation Council talks about his service in the Airborne Troops and the role of the Airborne Troops in the defense of the country.

Paratroopers with the Airborne Troops flag in white camouflage suits on skis walk across a snow field.

A platoon of paratroopers with machine guns in white camouflage suits marches naked through wet snow.

The paratroopers in formation chant, Glory to the Airborne Forces.