The Red Banner Central Asian Border District (

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

: ''Краснознамённый Среднеазиатский пограничный округ'') was a district of the Soviet KGB Border Guards. It had its headquarters in

Ashgabad Ashgabat (Turkmen language, Turkmen: ''Aşgabat'') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies between the Karakum Desert and the Kopet Dag, Kopetdag mountain range in Central Asia, approximately 50 km (30 ...

. It guarded the Afghan-Soviet (without the strip along the Wakhan District) and the Iranian-Soviet border. The sea border of the district extended halfway along the southern line of Soviet territorial waters in the

Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...

until it met the terrain of the Red Banner Trans-Caucasus Border District.

History

On March 8, 1939, the Central Asian Border Troops District was created. On September 7, 1939, the 26th separate Murgab border commandant's office was formed.

Second World War

During the war, border guards of the Central Asian District detained several thousand violators, including intelligence agents of enemy states. In 1942, from the border guards of the Central Asian and Kazakh border districts, the 162nd Central Asian Rifle Division (3rd formation of the 162nd Rifle Division) was formed, which became part of the 70th Army. Also, at the base of the military units of the district, snipers were being trained to be sent to the front. By order of the NKVD of the USSR dated June 5, 1943, in order to more effectively manage the border units, the district department was renamed the “Department of Border Troops of the Tajik District” and relocated to the city of

Stalinabad Dushanbe is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Tajikistan. , Dushanbe had a population of 1,564,700, with this population being largely Tajiks, Tajik. Until 1929, the city was known in Russian as Dyushambe, and from 1929 to 1961 as St ...

(now

Dushanbe Dushanbe is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Tajikistan. , Dushanbe had a population of 1,564,700, with this population being largely Tajiks, Tajik. Until 1929, the city was known in Russian as Dyushambe, and from 1929 to 1961 as St ...

). At the same time, the Office of Border Troops of the Turkmen District was also created.

Post-war period

On February 24, 1954, the Tajik Border District, which at that time was part of the USSR

Ministry of Internal Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the i ...

, was renamed back to the Central Asian border district. RIAN archive 815991 Dog training at N frontier post

On March 13, 1963, according to the order of the KGB under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Central Asian Border District was formed on the basis of the Central Asian and Turkmen districts with administration in Ashgabat. At the same time, an Operational Military Department was formed in

with subordination to the Central Asian District. In 1978, the

Nebit-Dag Balkanabat (), formerly Nebit-Dag and Neftedag, is the administrative centre of Balkan Province, the largest province in Turkmenistan. It lies at the foot of the Balkan Daglary mountain range. Balkanabat is about 450 km west of Ashgabat and ...

border detachment was formed. Since the spring of 1980, after the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, the Central Asian Border District, by decision of the USSR government, participated in blocking the Afghan Mujahideen on the distant approaches to the state border. Seven border detachments of the Central Asian District and one detachment of the Eastern District operated on the territory of Afghanistan at a distance of up to 100 kilometers from the border. Motor maneuver groups were sent, operating throughout the

Afghan War War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire *Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in t ...

(''see''

Soviet Border Troops The Soviet Border Troops () were the border guard of the Soviet Union, subordinated to the Soviet state security agency: first to the ''Cheka''/State Political Directorate, OGPU, then to NKVD/Ministry for State Security (USSR), MGB and, final ...

). From the deployment points of detachments on the territory of the USSR, Air Assault Maneuver Groups were sent to Afghanistan to conduct combat operations (''see''

). After the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, in order to strengthen the border units on the Soviet-Afghan border, mortar divisions were formed in the Takhta-Bazar, Kerkin, Pyanj, Khorog, Termez and Moscow detachments. To further strengthen border security in

Gorno-Badakhshan Gorno-Badakhshan, officially the Badakhshan Mountainous Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region in eastern Tajikistan, in the Pamir Mountains. It makes up nearly forty-five percent of the country's land area but only two percent of its popul ...

, on August 18, 1990, at the base of the Operational Military Group of

Eastern Border District The Red Banner Eastern Border District (''Краснознамённый Восточный пограничный округ'') (KВPO) - was a military-administrative district of the KGB Border Guard. The district had its headquarters in Almaty ...

in the settlement Ishkashim, the Tajik SSR created the Ishkashim border detachment with a personnel of 1390 people, which was transferred to the Central Asian Border District.

After the collapse of the USSR

On November 8,

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the Central Asian Border District was officially disbanded, although it actually ceased to exist long before this date. After the

collapse of the USSR The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

, in some former Soviet republics, common border troops were maintained for several months, with a unified command in Moscow. Border troops and parts of the district on the territory of

Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...

came under its jurisdiction in March 1992. Border detachments on the territory of

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...

, according to an interstate agreement, remained under the jurisdiction of Russia until December 20, 2000. The border detachments of the former Central Asian border district located on the territory of

Republic of Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China t ...

, due to the

Tajik Civil War The Tajikistani Civil War,, group=pron also known as the Tajik Civil War, began in May 1992 and ended in June 1997. Regional groups from the Garm, Tajikistan, Garm and Gorno-Badakhshan regions of Tajikistan rose up against the newly formed gover ...

, were under the jurisdiction of Russia for a long period. During the division of the

in August 1992 between Kazakhstan and Russia, the Murghab border detachment also became one of these detachments. In November 2004, all border detachments of the former Central Asian district on the territory of Tajikistan were transferred to the

Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan The Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan (; ), also known as the Tajik National Army (; ) is the national military of the Republic of Tajikistan. It consists of Tajik Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Tajik Mobile Forces, Mobile Forces, and th ...

. The new

Uzbek River Force The Uzbek Navy, known officially as the River Force of Uzbek Frontier Committee are the mobile riverine force of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan, serving under the Border Troops of the State Security Service. History The naval d ...

was raised from the

Termez Termez ( ) is the capital of Surxondaryo Region in southern Uzbekistan. Administratively, it is a district-level city. Its population is 182,800 (2021). It is notable as the site of Alexander the Great's city Alexandria on the Oxus, as a center ...

Brigade of Frontier Escort Ships, formerly subordinated to the Central Asian Border District, which had protected the Soviet-Afghan border at the

Amu Darya The Amu Darya ( ),() also shortened to Amu and historically known as the Oxus ( ), is a major river in Central Asia, which flows through Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan. Rising in the Pamir Mountains, north of the Hindu Ku ...

Composition of the district

Composition of the Central Asian Border District before the collapse of the USSR, units are listed in order from east to west: * Management district -

Ashgabat Ashgabat (Turkmen language, Turkmen: ''Aşgabat'') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies between the Karakum Desert and the Kopet Dag, Kopetdag mountain range in Central Asia, approximately 50 km (30 ...

** District Commandant's Office (military unit 2454) - Ashgabat * 118th ''Ishkashimskiy'' Border Detachment (''118-й ПОГО'') — Ishkoshim,

Tajik SSR The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic, also commonly known as Soviet Tajikistan, the Tajik SSR, TaSSR, or simply Tajikistan, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union which existed from 1929 to 1991 in Central Asia. The Tajik Re ...

Military Unit Number A Military Unit Number (Russian: войсковая часть, в/ ч; Ukrainian: військова частина, в/ ч) is a numeric alternate designation for military units in the armed forces and internal troops of post-Soviet ...

9878. Created on August 18, 1990, and reassigned from the

. * 66th ''Khoroghskiy'' Border Detachment (''66-й ПОГО'') — Khorogh,

2022. * 117th ''

Moskovskiy Moskovskiy or Moskva (; ''Maskav'') is a location in Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afgh ...

'' Border Detachment (''117-й ПОГО'') -

. Military Unit No. 2033. * 48th ''Pyandzhskiy'' Border Detachment (''48-й ПОГО'') —

Panj Panj () is a city in southern Tajikistan which is situated on the Afghan border, some south of the capital Dushanbe. It is located along the north bank of the river Panj, from which it derives its name. The population of the town is 12,500 (Jan ...

. Military Unit 2066. * 81st ''Termezskiy'' Border Detachment (''81-й ПОГО'') —

Uzbek SSR The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (, ), also known as Soviet Uzbekistan, the Uzbek SSR, UzSSR, or simply Uzbekistan and rarely Uzbekia, was a union republic of the Soviet Union. It was governed by the Uzbek branch of the Soviet Communist P ...

. Military Unit 2099. * 47th ''Kerkinskiy'' Border Detachment (''47-й ПОГО'') —

Kerki Kerki is a city in and capital of Kerki District, Lebap Province, Turkmenistan. It was formerly known as Zamm and, between 1999 and 2017, as Atamyrat. Geography It is situated on a plain on the left bank of the Amu Darya river. Nearby towns a ...

Turkmen SSR The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as Soviet Turkmenistan, the Turkmen SSR, TuSSR, Turkmenistan, or Turkmenia, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union located in Soviet Central Asia, ...

. Military Unit 2042. * 68th ''Tahta-Bazarskiy'' Border Detachment (''68-й ПОГО'') — Tahta-Bazar,

. Military Unit 2072. * 45th ''Serakhskiy'' Border Detachment (''45-й ПОГО'') —

Serakhs Sarahs (, also written Saraghs, Serahs, Sarakhs, Saragt, or Serakhs, the last a backformation of ) is an oasis city in Ahal Province, Turkmenistan, and the administrative center of Sarahs district (). It is located at latitude 36°31' North; lon ...

. Military Unit 2063. * 46th ''Kaakhanskiy'' Border Detachment (''46-й ПОГО'') — Kaakha,

. Military Unit 2088. * 71st ''Baherdenskiy'' Border Detachment (''71-й ПОГО'') — Baherden,

. Military Unit 2103. * 67th ''Kara-Kalinskiy'' Border Detachment (''76-й ПОГО'') — Kara-Kala,

. Military Unit 2047. * 135th ''Nebit-Dagskiy'' Border Detachment (''135-й ПОГО'') —

. Military Unit 9847. * 17th Training Border Detachment (''17-й УПОГО'') —

. Military unit 2421. * ''Separate Border-crossing Checkpoint « Mary»'' (''ОКПП «Мары»'') * ''Separate Border-crossing Checkpoint «

»'' (''ОКПП «Термез»'') * ''Separate Border-crossing Checkpoint «

Irkutsk Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat language, Buryat and , ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 587,891 Irkutsk is the List of cities and towns in Russ ...

»'' (''ОКПП «Ташкент»'') * 22nd separate brigade of border patrol ships (military unit 9873) - Termez, Uzbek SSR * 46th separate division of border patrol boats (military unit 9884) - Krasnovodsk * 23rd separate aviation regiment (military unit 9809) - Dushanbe * 17th separate aviation regiment (military unit 2178) -

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...

, Turkmen SSR * 114th separate communications battalion of border troops (military unit 2076) - Ashgabat * 118th separate communications battalion (military unit 2014) -

* 8th inter-district school for sergeants (military unit 2420) - Mary, Turkmen SSR * 9th separate engineering and construction battalion (military unit 9869) - Ashgabat * Separate engineering and construction battalion (military unit 9870) - Dushanbe * District military hospital (military unit 2523) - Ashgabat * District military hospital (military unit 2528) - Dushanbe * Separate automobile battalion (military unit 3334) - Dushanbe * 15th military warehouse (military unit 2447) - Ashgabat * Military warehouse (military unit 2445) - Dushanbe * District School of Cooks and 9th Inter-District School of NCOs for Service Dog Breeding (military unit 2421) - Dushanbe (Rissovkhoz) * District Sanitary and Epidemiological Detachment (DSED) - Ashgabat * District Sanitary and Epidemiological Detachment (DSED) - Dushanbe

District Commanders

Incomplete list of district commanders (chiefs of troops):«Краснознаменный Восточный пограничный округ (История создания и развития)». В. В. Терещенко. Ведущий научный сотрудник ЦПМ ФСБ РФ
/ref> * Kunitsky A. P. - 1899-1904 * Chekhovych K. I. - 1904-1906 * G. Dmokhovsky. K. — 1906-1908 *Charont V. A. - 1908-1918 * Ivanovsky V. A. - February 1923 - January 1924 * Buffalo I. S. - January 1924 - January 1926 * Radin F. G. - January 1926 - November 1926 * Babkevich P. P. — November 1926 — December 1928 * Kuznetsov A. A. — 1929-1930 * Kovalyov A. A. — 1930-1933 * Bystrykh N. M. — 1933-1934 * Kotomin Yakov Georgievich - June 1938 - April 1939 * Ryndzunsky M. M. — April 1939 — October 1942 * Kiselev A. Ya. - October 1942 - June 1943 * Shcherbina G. F. — February 1954 — May 1957 *Lapin V. Kh. - May 1957 - March 1963 * Kuzmichev F. A. — March 1963 — June 1969 * Kizhentsev N. A. - June 1969 - September 1973 * Neshumov Yu. A. - September 1973 - October 1976 * Karpov I. G. - October 1976 - January 1981 * Zgersky G. A. — 1981—1984 * Shlyakhtin V. I. — 1984-1987 * Korobeynikov I. M. — 1987-1990 * Bogdanov V. A. - February 1990 - November 1992

Heroes of the Soviet Union

Military personnel of the Central Asian border district who participated in the

, awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union: * Lieutenant Shagaleev Farit Sultanovich (, id=3161 - April 8, 1982. * Senior Sergeant Kapshuk Viktor Dmitrievich (id=2553 - November 6, 1985. * Lieutenant Colonel Ukhabov Valery Ivanovich (id=3156 - November 10, 1983, posthumously. * Captain Popkov Valery Fillipovich (id=2262 - April 21, 1989. * Lieutenant Colonel Nikolay Nikolaevich Lukashov (id=670 March 17, 1988.

Sm. also

* Border troops of the KGB of the USSR *

Notes

References

* (5000 copies) *''N. M. Nazarshoev''. My southern border. Russian border guards in Tajikistan XIX-XXI centuries. — Moscow: "Yauza", 2017.

External links

* {{cite web, url=http://ps.fsb.ru/history/general/text.htm%21id%3D10320628%40fsbArticle.html , title=Protection of the borders of the Soviet state (1917-1991). Сайт Пограничной службы FSB России , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923192829/http://ps.fsb.ru/history/general/text.htm%21id%3D10320628%40fsbArticle.html , archive-date=2011-09-23 Soviet Border Troops Afghanistan–Soviet Union border Iran–Soviet Union border