Battle for Hill 3234

Battle for Hill 3234
Part of the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan
View from hill 3234, a photo from the personal files of S. V. Rozhkov.
Date 7–8 January 1988 Location Paktia Province, near the Afghanistan–Pakistan border 33°20′53″N 69°18′10″E / 33.3481°N 69.3028°E / 33.3481; 69.3028Coordinates: 33°20′53″N 69°18′10″E / 33.3481°N 69.3028°E / 33.3481; 69.3028 Result Soviet victory
Belligerents
Soviet Union	Afghan militants Pakistan Army
Commanders and leaders
Sergey Tkachyov	Jalaluddin Haqqani unknown
Strength
39	200–400 250
Casualties and losses
6 killed 28 wounded	200–250 killed

The Battle for Hill 3234 was a successful defensive battle fought by the 345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment, Soviet Airborne Troops, in Afghanistan against a force of 200 to 250 Mujahideen rebels in January 1988. Two of the soldiers killed, Vyacheslav Alexandrovich Alexandrov and Andrey Alexandrovich Melnikov, were posthumously awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. All of the paratroopers in this battle were given the Order of the Red Banner and Order of the Red Star.

The battle was dramatized in the 2005 movie The 9th Company.

In November 1987, the Soviet 40th Army under General Boris Gromov began Operation Magistral to open the road from Gardez to Khost near the Pakistani border. Khost had been cut off for months by mujahideen led by Jalaluddin Haqqani and had to be resupplied by air. Negotiations were undertaken with the local Jadran tribe as well as with Haqqani. These talks did not succeed, mostly due to the unshakable resolution of Haqqani who wanted to control the city as the core of his independent Afghan state and as a base for future incursions deeper into the country. Before the operation, there was also a widespread propaganda campaign, with a special radio station set up, calling on the Jadran people to cease supporting the mujahideen and leave the combat areas.

Even during the negotiations, a detailed operation plan was formed and the required forces put on alert. After talks finally collapsed, the offensive was set in motion. The operation involved the 108th and 201st Motor Rifle Divisions and the following paratroopers: 103rd Guards Airborne Division (345th Regiment) and 56th Brigade. They were supported by five infantry divisions and a tank division of the Afghan government. Prior intelligence and aerial reconnaissance had identified a number of important fortified rebel held sites on the road between Kabul and Khost. Fortifications included a minefield with mines about 3 km deep, 10 BM-21 rocket launchers, numerous anti-aircraft guns and DShK heavy machine gun positions, recoilless guns, mortars and RPGs. The rebels were well prepared for defense and made the main pass and the surrounding hills impenetrable. The Soviet command was aware that a direct attack would be suicidal and therefore decided to trick the rebels into revealing their positions. On October 28, 1987, a fake landing was made in the areas controlled by the mujahideen, throwing dressed up mannequins from the air. Thanks to this, a reconnaissance aircraft was able to transmit the coordinates of rebel positions to the air force and after several air strikes and a four-hour-long artillery barrage, Operation Magistral began.

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