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On August 2, the renowned Guards Airborne Forces of Russia are celebrating the 94th anniversary of their formation. Over the course of its history, the Airborne Forces have come a long way from individual airborne detachments within the Air Force to a separate branch of the military, which is the elite of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Today, the Airborne Forces are highly mobile, equipped with modern weapons and military equipment, dynamically developing in accordance with the requirements of the time, a component of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Even before the birth of the Airborne Forces, at the end of the 20s of the last century, the air delivery of individual, few units of the Red Army by air was successfully used to combat the Basmachi. For the first time on August 2, 1930, parachute landing of personnel was used during exercises of the Moscow Military District. This date is considered to be the birthday of the Airborne Forces. The further development of military art could not but affect the tasks assigned to the Airborne Forces. If at the beginning of their existence individual airborne detachments could solve individual tasks of tactical significance behind enemy lines, then from the late thirties of the 20th century the troops were entrusted with carrying out tasks at the operational level. An example of this is the participation of airborne formations of the Red Army in the defeat of the Japanese on the Khalkhin Gol River in 1939, participation in the operation to annex Bessarabia in 1940, the Vyazma airborne operation of 1942, the use of airborne assault forces to assist the troops of the Voronezh Front when crossing the Dnieper River. In September 1941, the Airborne Forces became an independent branch of the military. Subsequently, being the reserve of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the troops more than once carried out tasks on the front line of Afghanistan, in the first and second Chechen companies, and also solved problems of restoring constitutional order in the former Soviet republics, peacekeeping operations in the Balkans and forcing Georgia to peace, where troops again have proven their high training and professionalism. Today, the Airborne Forces honorably carry out the most difficult tasks during a special military operation. Being an example of unparalleled courage, perseverance and bravery, they act boldly and decisively, show heroism and mutual assistance. As the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Andrei Belousov noted in his congratulations, from the first days of its creation, the “winged infantry” has played an important role in ensuring the security of the state. Paratroopers always fulfill their official duty with honor and demonstrate the highest professionalism, perseverance and courage.
