Basic training seems fairly generic to me.

And real war is pretty much the same on both sides. Kill the enemy.

The training in the snow is probably not normal training for a few countries like it would be in Russia.

What was that little dance at the end of the first movie?

Good post.

These are, in all likleyhood not Spetnaz, they have no need to advertise as they are purely volonteer force. Invitation only. And like other countries they don't want to show the faces of their people. Security to the max.
The training is hard. The failure rate for new personel is high and can be deadly. Life fire exersizes are the norm. They don't tolerare failure. They may be the best at their job worldwide.
As a side note they as developed a new martal arts for hand to hand combat.
The History channel has shown a documentry that is propaply more accurate in its depiction of this force.

Spetsnaz make good tv watching with some beers and a takeaway...but they are not the top dog when it comes to Russian special forces.And have hardly shown themselves to be impressive,atleast when we compare to other forces in the world.Like i said though,not top dog...and im not talking super uber secret forces.

What are you talking about? Spetsnaz GRU/OMON/ALFA are probably the most proven special forces in the world. They do only what needs to be done, and they do it without mercy or question.

I would choose functional Spetsnaz over flashy Delta Force any day

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi
What are you talking about? Spetsnaz GRU/OMON/ALFA are probably the most proven special forces in the world. They do only what needs to be done, and they do it without mercy or question.

I would choose functional Spetsnaz over flashy Delta Force any day

Well, the Delta Force and other US special forces are constrained by a code of conduct which Spetsnaz are not. As seen in the past on multiple occasions, they will kill as many citizens as it takes to wipe out the opposing force.

Examples being Beslan school massacre where negotiations were not an option at the expense 334 people, 186 were children.

SPETSNAZ.. IMO, are probably if not the most proficient SF in the world, as mentioned above by Bearack they are not hung up and regulated by health & safety regs, are these not the chaps that parachuted on to MOUNT EVEREST if my memory serves 27 jumped but only 12 survived, and it was counted as a successful mission, the only guys that seem to come close are 2nd REP foreign legion they have the record for the lowest jump, again H&S, regs don't seem to apply to these guys, just my opinion

Originally posted by foxhoundone
SPETSNAZ.. IMO, are probably if not the most proficient SF in the world, as mentioned above by Bearack they are not hung up and regulated by health & safety regs, are these not the chaps that parachuted on to MOUNT EVEREST if my memory serves 27 jumped but only 12 survived, and it was counted as a successful mission, the only guys that seem to come close are 2nd REP foreign legion they have the record for the lowest jump, again H&S, regs don't seem to apply to these guys, just my opinion

Killing just under half of the squad to parachute on to mount everest(?) is hardly proficient..plain stupid if you ask me.

Programmed psychopaths, with a mentalists training ability. They are the elite, seen some of thier training programs.

Psychopaths usually feel no pain, well these guys are programmed to kill with no fear of pain.

Bunch of Rambos for hire.

Seen some on spike television, they look like professional hitmen.

[edit on 8-7-2009 by menguard]

you have to remember it was during the cold war they got there unit into the Guinness book of records, take one on the chin for uncle Stalin so to speak, my guess it was voluntary and you know how much the Russians like there vodka, and to put the conspiracy into it how many defected ??

Russian Special Forces-Specnaz

The problem when discussing ANY such units is that we as the public don't know the half of it... Are they the best of the best? That's debatable.

Whats not debatable is the fact that they are some pretty tough hombres.

heard a little story about the SPETNAZ, from the chetzian conflict, the rebels captured a squad of Russian conscripts and executed them and posted it on you tube, the SPETNAZ guys saw it and went crazy, they stormed their stronghold and executed every last member of that group man women child, the whole lot, not many western forces could do that and not get life in jail....

In my opinion Special Forces differ only from normal soldiers in their preparedness to kill. I've worked with many SF guys, or elites as the British seem to prefer to be called. I've even completed the All Arms Commando Course, the Arctic Warfare Course and the French Commando Course, in no way did I feel special after doing these courses, just a more willing approach to my job. They can be quite intimidating as they do receive more training and can be a bit fitter than ordinary soldiers, but in no way are they 'Supermen'. I was trailed by a couple of Spetsnaz during the Cold War, they were members of SOXMIS and very nice chaps.
On the side my two favourite anecdotes are the SAS trooper who got knocked out by a senior aircraftsman at RAF St Athens, and watching a Delta Force training session at Adana Air Base which consisted of a game of baseball.
One thing I will add, never, I mean never, mess with the Gurkha's.

the GUKRHAS ,that brings back memories SOXMIS (good to see ya back)
i was representing my regiment at BISLEY shooting competition, and was put into the butts for shooting practice.. they scared the life clean out me with there eyeballing the could out-stare anything, but like any British army TOM.... they could moan for Britain lol

[edit on 8-7-2009 by foxhoundone]

Hey foxhoundone, didnt see your previous posts, sorry buddy. Yeah you gotta love em. My fondest memory of them was seeing them in their regimental blazers, shirts and ties picking up the ladies of the night around Millbay Rd in Plymouth the mucky little buggers. Have you heard the story of them on the plane on D Day? Im going from memory but the Sargent Major's informed their at the jump height and he refuses to let his men jump, so th Penguin says "You're supposed to be the bravest soldiers in the world, why wont you jump?" Off Johnny goes to speak to his men and comes back and says we'll jump at (cant remember the exact height but it was very very low) feet. "But your parachutes wont open at that height!" comes the reply. "Oh we got parachutes?" Classic

i remember them when they did cover for the "secret nuke sites" on Salisbury plain, all you see was there wee faces poking out of their helmets they must have worn their entire issue of clothing, and they looked miserable as anything, but game though. there was two them bayonets fixed shouting ARMY HALT HANDS UP, or words to that effect (lmao) and we were in an old 432, (APC) ,

Originally posted by Bearack
Examples being Beslan school massacre where negotiations were not an option at the expense 334 people, 186 were children.

Yes, many people died during the Beslan massacre, but that was due to the incompetence of the terrorists. They were standing on pressure panels connected to bombs, and one of them detonated without warning. This is when Spetsnaz rushed in.

The theater seige was a tragic mistake though because of how many civilians died from the experimental knockout gas that the government used... but think of the alternative. Sacrifice is necessary sometimes if you want to save them all.