Notes from Russian and Chechen Lessons Learned

Excerpt Summary From the MAWTS-1 ACE MOUT Manual

The ambush is the primary tactic along with "hit and run" operations. Fighters will typically operate in small groups of 15-20. Occasionally, forces will operate in company sized combined arms formations. Small groups of 3-4 personnel made up of a sniper, grenade launcher operator and machine gunner perform some assignments. Groups are armed with small arms and with RPG-7 and RPG antitank weapons as well as Molatov Cocktails. Trucks and passenger vehicles are used for maneuvering. Covered trucks may conceal Anti-Air Artillery (AAA) or Man-Portable Air Defense (MANPAD) gunners. Fighters may disguise themselves in various uniforms or no uniforms at all. The amateur radio network is used to collect intelligence and for tactical control.

Snipers will position themselves chiefly around the perimeter of areas occupied by friendly forces. They select firing positions on roofs and upper floors of high-rise buildings. They do not fire from window openings, but primarily from the interior of apartments, which hamper their detection and destruction. Artillery fire usually is conducted by individual pieces from ambush. Mortars may be set up in truck bodies, MLRS and mortar fire is conducted from prepared and tied-in positions. Firing positions are changed after a salvo from an MLRS of a series of rounds from artillery pieces. Artillery observers operate in the rear of friendly forces disguised as peaceful residents or refugees. Artillery may register their fire on certain city features for future use when friendly forces move past or into those city points. Women may reconnoiter friendly forces. Expect enemy forces to monitor friendly nets.

Enemy forces are likely to convert houses or buildings into a strong point. A platoon sized strongpoint will be comprised of one or two sturdy buildings with basements or semi-basements. These are usually located at crossroads, on street corners, or overlooking a bridge or open ground such as parks and squares. The aim is to maximize fields of fire and to provide multi-tiered layers of fire. The basic building blocks of a strong point defense are described below.

Buildings will be adapted for multi-layered fire. Most weapons, including antitank and medium machine guns will be on the ground floor and in the semi-basement. Snipers and automatic riflemen (with grenades and RPGs will fire from upper stories. Attics can be used for mortar positions and for air defense weapo0ns (heavy machine guns and MANPADs). Doors and windows are blocked with sand bags, bricks or earth filled furniture. Firing is done from openings created in the sandbags or cut through walls. False openings are created to draw fire, real ones being covered by suitably painted plywood when not in use. Floors and firing positions are reinforced to reduce the effects of collapse as a result of shell fire. Floors are covered with up to 1.5 meters of earth or two layers of sandbags. Stairways are removed to complicate enemy clearing. Internal movement between floors is done by using ladders. Outside fire escapes bare blocked with wire or booby trapped. To reduce the effect of flame attack, combustible materials are removed or covered with earth. Shields can be placed in front of their entrances to stop napalm. Basements, storerooms, medical points, and command posts are made into shelters against bombardment. Every underground facility may have at least two exits. The exits may go in different directions, with at least one in the form of a covered connecting passage whose exit is beyond the possible distance of collapsing rubble (two-thirds the height of the nearest building). Ground floor exits are given blast-proof protection and lead to a communications trench.

Ambush and delaying or hide/stay behind tactics are used. Expect side streets to be blocked/barricaded to channelize forces into killing zones. Friendly 360 degree security as well as rear/in depth security (against stay behind tactics) is essential. Expect old men, women and children to be look-outs/intelligence collectors. Expect attempts to draw fire into civilian areas to draw public condemnation through the media. Expect barricade material, such as junk cars, burned out APCs, barrels and other damaged material to be stockpiled neat potential barricade locations.

Observed Russian counter tactics to Chechen attacks included 360 degree defense with weapons on all levels of buildings (up to and including the attic). The defense was flexible and mobile to include offensive actions. Frequent aircraft sorties and raids on the enemy can be as important as the defense of the strong point itself. The Russians made good use of cellars, with some prepared as positions for tanks, self-propelled guns or howitzers. Intensive engineer preparations included barricades and antitank and antipersonnel minefields (both to protect the strongpoint and to channel the enemy) as well as fortified positions and prepared covered routes for resupply or withdrawal (such as tunnels and rabbit-holes). One or two strong points acted as a focus of the defense (starting with buildings on squares or intersections). Strong points for 360 degree defense were prepared and defenders were mentally and physically prepared to be cut off. Based on a company of three platoons, three platoon “radials” were set up, each using 360 degree defense for the platoon and the company. Food and ammunition were stockpiled. Tanks assigned to sector antitank defense should hide in buildings (basement or ground level) or prepared positions supporting defensive strong points. A tank company should be kept as a mobile tank reserve.

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