05B3S

I didn't want to insult You. I speciall posted a smile. Don't forget that we're talking about mid 90's. There were only 3 SN VV detachments in that time. "Rosich" looked more GRU style (gorkas an A-belts) due to close relations with 22nd SpN Bde. "Vityaz" an "Rus'" were supplied by MVD. There weren't "private purchase" gear. You simply cann't buy it. It was a time of total poverty. For example in 1996 tour "Rus'" didn't received any resupply. If You are so sure, show me clear photos of russians wearing Gran' suits in 95-97, please. ORLY? Everyone uses "TTsKO" instead of "Butan" and "VSR" instead of "Barvikha". And so what? 500 years earlier everyone thought that the Earth is flat. You may call this camo anyway You want. But SMK is suit, not the camo pattern. The unofficial names of the camo are "Орех" and "Талый Ñнег" :) Check it with Your russian friends ;) Man, I didn't even start it. At first, I'm russian without quotes. Secondly I'm perfectly know how many russian people know about this war now. Forget about "better". The average level of knowledge is little more than "nothing". :( And frankly speaking I think very high about western collectors and reenactors of that era. I know how hard is to find info and gear even in Russia...

LOL. It's very interesting to see how the western collectors are trying to feign designation which never existed. :) Many "thanks" to Mr. Desmond. SMK in nothing more then "Специальный маÑкировочный коÑтюм". "Gran" was a little commercial company not official MVD supplier. Many private companies made clothing or backpacks in this pattern in 90's. Early 90's MVD gear must have early ANA's "Star" or NPO SM's "Shield" markings. In 1st war official suppliers of MVD were only ANA and NPO SM. I have a lot of MVD gear including both of these suits http://i039.radikal.ru/1102/d5/09a19e9849c6.jpg and some vests http://s50.radikal.ru/i130/1102/79/a8395622e43d.jpg This camo patterns NEVER had an official designations with the exeption of the upper left "Kaskad-2" vest

"Vityaz". February 1996. The assault of Novogroznenskoye. http://radikal.ru/F/s44.radikal.ru/i103/1101/f5/cc463f24e5ec.jpg.html http://radikal.ru/F/i017.radikal.ru/1101/9a/7703d6f130f1.jpg.html http://radikal.ru/F/s009.radikal.ru/i309/1101/be/b0c1d3559e38.jpg.html http://radikal.ru/F/i019.radikal.ru/1101/24/0bfdbacde714.jpg.html http://radikal.ru/F/s007.radikal.ru/i300/1101/17/b1b57a925b53.jpg.html http://radikal.ru/F/s52.radikal.ru/i136/1101/02/a68cb1c8d257.jpg.html NPO SM winter suits, ANA M-V or V-95 vests, RD-54s, 2nd Gen. AKS's (with plum handguard).

One belt across the chest, the other around the waist. http://s014.radikal.ru/i328/1102/b9/b06a9167bf2d.jpg http://i010.radikal.ru/1102/62/f064c7084afc.jpg Nice work

If You need "something about russian", You may use default BIS units ;)

Frankly speaking, making the addon of correct mid-90's era russian infantry is the most difficult thing in all russian\soviet oriented addonmaking. Now the addon is really more closed to VDV

There are mostly 7th Airborne and VV troops. Don't You see soviet VDV patches? Or black Kora-1 body armor? The only pics with infantry (245th MRR) are #21, #23, #24 and #25. I'll try to post some more pics 276th MRR. The only unit that stormed Grozny twice. Summer 1996. http://radikal.ru/F/s50.radikal.ru/i130/1004/a0/e32df6f6eaa0.png.html http://radikal.ru/F/s005.radikal.ru/i211/1004/69/48c382554f3c.png.html http://radikal.ru/F/i072.radikal.ru/1004/41/9636e8b235e1.png.html to be continued ---------- Post added at 11:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 AM ---------- More 276th http://s07.radikal.ru/i180/1102/b1/290eda95887a.png http://s58.radikal.ru/i160/1102/44/22e17d39fb5f.png http://s011.radikal.ru/i318/1102/4d/2bc6a7ee38a5.png http://i006.radikal.ru/1102/7b/864fe2d25085.png ---------- Post added at 11:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 AM ---------- 276th. late January 1995 http://i055.radikal.ru/1102/21/ade63495b73f.png http://s003.radikal.ru/i202/1102/92/1ee55c9ceccb.png http://s008.radikal.ru/i306/1102/bb/374d6b14ddf9.png http://i048.radikal.ru/1102/4c/4b71610d0969.png ---------- Post added at 11:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 AM ---------- 694th "Ermolov" Bn. February-March 1996 On parade in Prokhladny just before the deployment. http://s011.radikal.ru/i316/1102/55/9a1675bd92ff.png After a month of heavy fighting. http://s47.radikal.ru/i118/1102/14/689108cd55ef.png http://s008.radikal.ru/i303/1102/eb/8d66785e790e.png ---------- Post added at 11:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:43 AM ---------- 166th MRBde. Spring 1996. "Pacification" of Vedeno valley. http://s42.radikal.ru/i096/1102/19/15aa545dc097.png http://s57.radikal.ru/i155/1102/4c/ed15311e7b5a.png http://s001.radikal.ru/i194/1102/d6/8c82f22f9c8c.png http://i013.radikal.ru/1102/70/b14cd2177f7b.png ---------- Post added at 12:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:52 AM ---------- 324th MRR. March 1995. Just after the fall of Argun (town). http://s57.radikal.ru/i156/1102/05/8a3309b7ceb0.png http://s006.radikal.ru/i214/1102/bc/54edc9835cb6.png http://s39.radikal.ru/i086/1102/80/a5feae2886f7.png http://s012.radikal.ru/i320/1102/f9/53b2f60ec039.png http://s008.radikal.ru/i305/1102/36/4da3c4e008cc.png I think that's enough. If someone has more questions, you may ask freely. I gladly provide all reference info that I have.

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OMG!!! Ushanka-sniper ashes knok in my heart. :D It was common but not in infantry. If You want I'll provide You a couple of videos...

johncage I want to thank You for Your work at fist but there are a lot of mistakes in the addon. Frankly speaking it's one big mistake. It's not Your fault. It's from the lack of the info. I'll try to help You with it. It's impossible to make general impression of the 95-96'period russian grunt. Sometimes even the regiments in one division differed from each over. But there were some general things. 1) No camo for the enlisted (with the exeption of 205th MRBde. It was stationed in Khankala). Troops wore afghankas mostly. In some units (166th MRBde, 136 MrBde) old soviet M66\73 were issued. This man - Pavel Zyabkin, wrote a novel "Soldiers of Unfortune" later about his combat tour with 166th. 2) No helmets\body armor from summer of 1995. Contractors which consisted the bulk of the infantry units from that time til the end of war, disliked them. 6B3 and 6B5 are too heavy for mountain raids. Afghan era 6B2 flack vests were in VEEEERY short supply. On the contrary VDV and VV units manned by draftees mostly wore body armor obligatorily. ---------- Post added at 12:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 AM ---------- Some officers and recon troops often bartered vests from MVD units. About the mistakes of the addon. 1) 6B5 HAS pockets. And remove this strange belts, please. 2) The collars of pre'97 winter jackets are far more wider 3) REMOVE all SPLAV gear. It didn't exist in 95-97. 4) VOG-25 pouch is wrong. Here is the right one Troops often made belts from them. 5) Patches of the russian armed forces were rarely worn in infantry: a) Most of the army hated Eltsin's government. b) Afghankas, unlike "Barvikhas" (the correct designation of VSR) were supplied without any patches 6) Remove the black balaclavas. Issued balaclavas were brown. And it was rare thing in infantry. Simple black hat would be well enough PS Also I have a lot to say about Vityaz but I'm waiting for moderators approvement of my photo post.

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