Operation Storm-333

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Operation Storm-333

Tajbeg Palace in 1987. Photo by Mikhail Evstafiev

Date	December 27, 1979
Location	Tajbeg Palace, Kabul
Result	Soviet victory, overthrow and death of Hafizullah Amin

Belligerents

Soviet Union

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

Commanders

Gen. Yuri Drozdov
Col. Grigoriy Boyarinov†

Hafizullah Amin†

Strength

661

2,500

Casualties and losses

19 killed, more than 50 wounded

400 killed and wounded; 1,700 captured

v • d • e Soviet war in Afghanistan

U.S. involvement – *Storm-333* – Khost – Panjsher – Maravar Pass – Badaber Uprising – Zhawar – Jaji – Magistral – Hill 3234 – Arrow – Soviet withdrawal

Operation Storm-333 («Шторм-333») was the name of the special operation on December 27, 1979 in which Soviet troops stormed the Tajbeg Palace in Afghanistan and killed President Hafizullah Amin and his 300 elite guards.

Several other government buildings were seized during the operation, including the Ministry of Interior building, the Internal Security (KHAD) building, and the General Staff building (Darul Aman Palace). Alpha Group's veterans call this operation one of the most successful in the group's history.

[edit] Soviet forces and losses

Taking part in the operation were 24 men from «Гром» ("Thunder") unit of Alpha Group, and 30 operators from another special KGB group: «Зенит» ("Zenith"). There were also 520 men from the 154th Separate Spetsnaz Detachment of the USSR Ministry of Defence, known as the "Muslim battalion" because it consisted exclusively of soldiers from the southern republics of the USSR, and 87 troops of the Air Landing company. ^[1]

In the operation Alpha Group lost 2 men, Zenith group lost 3, the Muslim battalion 5, and the Air Landing company 9. More than 50 were wounded in total.^[2]