Russian commando frogmen
| Russian Marine Commando | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941 – present |
| Country | Russia |
| Branch | Russian Navy |
| Type | Spetsnaz |
| Size | 480 - 800 |
| Part of | GRU (operational subordination) |
| Nickname(s) | "Frogmen" |
Russian Marine Commando (informally called "frogmen" in civilian media), are a Russian Naval Spetsnaz unit under operational subordination to the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).
According to high-ranking Russian officers, the Russian commando frogmen are the Russian equivalent to the US SEAL Team Six and Israel's Shayetet 13.
SpN PDSS (Противо-диверсионные силы и средства, Protivo-Diversionnye Sily i Sredstva; Anti-diversionary forces and means), are elite units of special purpose anti-sabotage divers, which appeared in the Soviet Navy at the end of the 1960s to counter possible attacks by frogmen. Their name in full is (о) СпН ПДСС, [отряды] Специального назначения по борьбе с подводными диверсионными силами и средствами ((o) SpN PDSS, [otryady] Spetsial'nogo naznacheniya po bor'be s podvodnymi diversionnymi silami i sredstvami; Special-purpose combat [units] with underwater diversionary forces and means).
Before 2000/2001 they were called ОБ ПДСС, Отряды по борьбе с подводными диверсионными силами и средствами (OB PDSS, Otryady po bor'be s podvodnymi diversionnymi silami i sredstvami; Combat units with underwater diversionary forces and facilities).
Officially there are no Naval Spetsnaz units in any of the former Soviet states, except for Ukraine which inherited theirs from the Soviet Black Sea Fleet. In order to have Naval Spetsnaz on the Black Sea, the Russian Navy transferred the OMRP of the Caspian Flotilla under the Russian Black Sea Fleet command. They sometimes used false names and numbers called "Legends" (cover-up). For example, the Naval Spetsnaz Unit in the Baltic Fleet uses the cover-name Аварийно-спасательная школа №49 (Avariyno-spasatel'naya shkola nomer 49; Diving Rescue School No. 49).
All Russian military units have their own five-digit number. For instance, the Naval Spetsnaz Unit in the Baltic Fleet officially has the Number 10617.
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