Day of the Russian Military Peacekeeper
On November 25, military personnel of the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation celebrate their professional holiday
The Day of Russian "Blue Helmets" was established in 2016 by decree of the President of the Russian Federation
The history of the Russian peacekeeping forces (MPF) is usually counted from November 25, 1973 On this day, the first Soviet military observers arrived in Egypt as part of the UN peacekeeping mission The task of the mission was to maintain the truce regime in the Suez Canal area after the fifth Arab-Israeli war in the protracted Middle East conflict
Since 1974, military observers in the USSR were trained at the Higher Officer Courses "Vystrel" in Solnechnogorsk near Moscow
In 1991, Russia, as a successor state to the collapsed USSR and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, continued to participate in peacekeeping operations (PKOs) At that time, Russian military observers worked in Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Western Sahara, Mozambique, Cambodia, as well as on the border of Kuwait and Iraq
With the collapse of the USSR, armed conflicts broke out in several former Soviet republics The Russian military contingent carried out peacekeeping activities in Transnistria (since 1992), in the area of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict (1992-2008), the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1994-2008), in Tajikistan (1993-2001)
Russian MS participated in many UN operations during the Yugoslav crisis During 1992-1995 The 554th separate infantry battalion (Rusbat) operated as part of the UN forces In their area of responsibility in the East sector, the peacekeepers deployed checkpoints to separate Serbs and Croats, served as part of patrols and at observation posts In 1995-1997, the 629th separate infantry battalion participated in UN operations in Sarajevo In 1995-2003 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, an airborne brigade of the Russian Ministry of Defense operated together with international forces, and in the period 1999-2003 Russian "blue helmets" as part of UN units ensured security in Kosovo
Peacekeepers of the Russian Ministry of Defense participate in UN missions in numerous “hot spots” in Africa In addition to military observers, the Russian Ministry of Defense provides sappers, field hospitals, special equipment, as well as aviation support: combat and transport-combat helicopters Over the years, they participated in PKOs in Angola (1995-1996), Burundi (2004-2006), Sierra Leone (2000-2005), Sudan (2006-2012), Chad and the Central African Republic (2008-2010) and other areas military operations
In 2005, under the auspices of the UN, the 15th separate guards motorized rifle brigade was formed, which is stationed in the village Roshchinsky near Samara Here, military personnel are trained to participate in peacekeeping operations The brigade includes 3 motorized rifle battalions, a reconnaissance battalion, and support companies The unit is equipped with light weapons (caliber up to 82 mm), modern armored personnel carriers, wheeled vehicles, reconnaissance and communications systems, and UAVs
The brigade (military unit 90600) is staffed only by contract soldiers To conclude a contract, you must pass a medical examination, know a foreign language, have driving experience and a category B license, own a firearm, serve in the Ministry of Internal Affairs for at least 5 years, undergo training at a peacekeeping center in Moscow, and pass the appropriate exams