Spetsnaz - (Modern War Studies) by Tor Bukkvoll (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In Spetsnaz, Tor Bukkvoll presents the first in-depth history of the Soviet, and, later, Russian special operations forces from their establishment in the early 1950s until today. He focuses on three broad topics: (1) Soviet and later Russian thinking on the use of special operations forces; (2) the actual process of constructing these forces and how this was facilitated or hampered by other agencies of the Soviet and Russian states; and (3) the use of these forces in combat"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

In January 1951, Lieutenant Evgeniy Borisov was sent to the headquarters of the Soviet 5th Army in Spassk-Dalnii, a small city in the Russian Far East. Borisov was there on a secret mission. Together with his superior, Major Rusinov, his job was to establish the 91st Special Forces Company. The 91st was to be one of forty-six similar units spread out across the Soviet Union. The new forces were called "spetsnaz"--short for spetsnialnoe naznachenie, which translates to "special purpose."

In Spetsnaz, Tor Bukkvoll presents the first in-depth history of the Soviet, and, later, Russian special operations forces from their establishment until today. He focuses on three broad topics: Soviet and later Russian thinking on the use of special operations forces; the actual process of constructing these forces and how this was facilitated or hampered by other agencies of the Soviet and Russian states; and the use of these forces in combat.

Bukkvoll uses a variety of sources, but the most important are the recollections of former spetsnaz soldiers and officers themselves, which allow Bukkvoll to present the history of these forces as the men of spetsnaz see and have seen it. Bukkvoll also draws upon observations and judgments from other parts of the Soviet and Russian militaries, from a number of KGB sources, and from independent Russian experts and journalists.

Spetsnaz is essential reading for anyone interested in special operations forces or Russian military history.

Review Quotes

Bukkvoll's Spetsnaz is a masterpiece in scholarship and a tour de force for understanding Russian special operations forces today. Highly recommended."--Choice

"Tor Bukkvoll's book is a very welcome contribution to SOF studies, based on thorough and impartial examination of available Russian sources. Destined to become a seminal work on Russian Special Forces."--Andrei Soldatov, coauthor of The New Nobility: The Restoration of Russia's Security State and the Enduring Legacy of the KGB

"Tor Bukkvoll has succeeded in putting a human face on a very storied and enigmatic arm of the Russian military. Essential reading for any military historian or analyst of contemporary war."--Antulio J. Echevarria II, author of Military Strategy: A Very Short Introduction

"Tor Bukkvoll, a leading expert on Russian special operations forces and military affairs, has painstakingly compiled a long-overdue account of Russia's Spetsnaz, SOF, and SOFCOM (KSSO). This work is more than just an excellent history, it is an encyclopedic analysis of the interplay among the relevant actors, the unfolding of world events, and the role of local political dynamics in the formation, training, and employment of these elite units. Bukkvoll traces Russia's resurgence and the role played by these military units in important histories and case studies. The result is an outstanding analysis of the contemporary global phenomenon of the proliferation of SOF with the requisite historical context for understanding this phenomenon as it has unfolded in Russia."--Christopher Marsh, coauthor of Russian Foreign Policy: Interests, Vectors, and Sectors

"Tor Bukkvoll's comprehensive history of the Russian Special Operation Forces since their inception in the 1950s provides unique insights into the development, roles, strengths, and weaknesses of this to-date poorly understood organization. Rich in empirical detail and surprising anecdotes, this meticulously researched and beautifully written book is a must-read for everybody with an interest in Russian military affairs."--Bettina Renz, coauthor of Securitising Russia: The Domestic Politics of Putin

"Not since Viktor Suvorov's Inside the Soviet Army has the Russian military, and particularly its 'special purpose' units--the Spetsnaz--been publicly revealed in such a comprehensive, readable, and professionally enlightening volume. Tor Bukkvoll has distilled an extraordinary range of Russian-language documents and interviews, to present in striking detail the origins and operations of both the Soviet-era and current Russian Spetsnaz, inside Russia and throughout the world. By analyzing the growth and evolution of modern Spetsnaz in the context of their parent military and intelligence services, Bukkvoll illuminates both the surprisingly numerous and varied special units, and the entire Russian armed forces they are designed to support as well."--Kalev I. Sepp, former Pentagon Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism and coauthor of Weapon of Choice: ARSOF in Afghanistan