Established August 1, 1994, Rus was initially based on a unit of the Detached Operations Division. Its officers possess top-notch expertise of fighting terrorists and hostage rescue, and are at home with the latest weaponry and cutting-edge military technologies. Rus officers had training sessions in Austria, Israel and Germany, and attended an international hostage rescue seminar on a par with FBI and Scotland Yard men.
Rus was active in the Chechen warfare of 1994-96 for raids, reconnaissance and rescue. Its officers guarded army motorcades, bases and checkpoints, and lay in ambush. They were active in dramatic hostage rescue in the towns Budyonnovsk and Kizlyar, and village Pervomaiskoye, and in breaking the encirclement of federal army and Interior units in Grozny, August 1996.
Rus fought in Daghestan as Chechen terrorists were attacking it. The detachment liberated the Daghestani villages of Chabanmakhi and Karamakhi, seized by Chechen militants and terrorist mercenaries. From August 2000 on, the detachment has been active in North Caucasian anti-terror operations.
Rus joined efforts with special forces units of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and Interior Ministry organized crime squads to arrest or kill notorious warlords, and track down secret arsenals and munitions and explosives caches.
More than 800 Rus soldiers have won orders and medals for courage and heroism. Six have the nation's supreme martial title-Hero of Russia. Three of them were awarded it posthumously.
