| Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska! The VDV is a branch of the Russian military. They are a rapid reaction and infiltration force, comprised of 5 divisions and 1 brigade. Only a few small airborne drops were carried out in the first desperate days of Operation Barbarossa, in the vicinity of Kiev, Odessa, and the Kerch peninsula during World War Two. Those small drop units have now grown into a modern, fierce, fighting force. The VDV took place in some of the most pivotal battles of World War Two and had a very direct connection with the demise of the German occupation over Prague, Chernigov, Odessa, Brest, and Danzig, and was largely resposible for the liberation of the Belorussian front. When the motherland calls, the VDV answers! VDV units were some of the first elements of the Russian retaliation in South Ossetia against Georgia in 2008. 76th "Chernigov" Airborne, and 98th "Ivanovo" Airborne division's took place in the liberation of Tskhinvalli and eventually pushed into Georgia itself, defeating every line of opposition until Georgia finally surrendered days later. The VDV participated in the rapid deployment of Russian forces stationed in Bosnian city Ugljevik, in and around Pristina airport during the Kosovo War. Streaming into Kosovo's capital, NATO found itself face-to-face with the Russian troops. American officials did, for their own reasons, publicly downplayed the significance of the confrontation, but it is impossible to deny that, this event points dramatically to ... |
