Alexei Galkin: biography of a participant in the Chechen conflict

Alexei Galkin is an officer of the General Intelligence Agency, who became known for his participation in the Chechen conflict. For several years of service in the North Caucasus, the senior lieutenant managed to fight, to be captured and to arrange several daring special operations. For his services he was awarded the Gold Star of Hero of Russia.

Biography

Alexey Galkin was born in the city of Cherkassy in 1970. There he graduated from high school. After graduating he worked as a mechanic at a local factory. I did not receive additional education.

On the eve of the disintegration of the Soviet Union, he was called into the armed forces for service. He served with honors, was in good standing with the command. After the demobilization I decided to continue my service in the army of the Russian Federation, therefore I moved to Novosibirsk and entered the Novosibirsk Higher Military-Political School of Military Education named after the 60th anniversary of the Great October Revolution (HVVPOU), which in 1996 graduated with a gold medal.

Alexey Galkin was distinguished by high professional qualities. He was well versed in military tactics, was resistant to stressful situations. After graduation, he receives the rank of senior lieutenant and continues to serve. Approximately at the same time he was accepted into the ranks of the General Intelligence Directorate. Since this secret service does not publicize the details of its activities, little is known about this stage of Alexei's biography.

The war in Chechnya

In 1994, the first Chechen war begins. Islamist militants are trying to seize the region and establish its power in it. Combat operations take place against the background of the deepest financial and economic crisis. The actions of generals and top management are often questioned. The Chechen militants have informants inside the intelligence agencies, which greatly complicates the work of the agents. Valery Galkin took part in the conflict since 1996. The GRU had its own people in the territory controlled by the militants: they were in contact with them, they provided information about the location of the Dudayev troops and their armament.

Capture in captivity

In October 1999, Galkin Alexei Viktorovich was serving in Mozdok. This city was located in close proximity to the front line. On October 4, 1999, Galkin received an order from his immediate superiors to go with him to an uncontrolled territory: the men were supposed to take the brother of one of the Chechen informers to whom the Dudayev regime allegedly threatened with death.

At night, Galkin, Colonel Ivanov, another GRU officer and a Chechen informant drove up to the federal border checkpoint. They had documents with them that allowed them to pass through any checkpoint, so the border guards let them through. The meeting with the "brother" was appointed in the immediate vicinity of the roadblock. The scouts were traveling in a civilian car and they were not dressed in uniform. Half a kilometer later they stopped at a jeep with lights off, and the Chechen left to talk with the people in the car.

A few minutes later, a man with a flashlight approached the Volgo Grushnikov and lit a salon. Alexei Galkin saw a light machine gun, but it was too late. The car was surrounded by militants, the officers were dragged out of it by force. The colonel was immediately taken away, and Alexei and second lieutenant Vladimir Pakhomov started beating and questioning about combat missions in the territory of Chechnya. For intimidation, gunmen fired from pistols.

In the cellars of Grozny

After the capture of Alexei Galkin, two of his colleagues and a Chechen informant were taken to Grozny. There they were thrown into an unheated cellar. After a while, Colonel Ivanov was killed. His head was found in the village near the line of contact. In the basement Galkin was constantly beaten. He heard the cries of his comrades who were tortured in the next room. The officer could not determine how much he was holding, which is now a month - there were no windows in the basement. Prisoners were given water every few days. Of food there was only a bulb once a week. Alexei was chained to one of the basement pipes with wire. In this state, in jeans and a T-shirt, he spent several months.

Itnerview and escape

Then the participant of the Chechen conflict will tell that he prayed that the pilots dropped bombs on the house where he was kept. Closer to winter Galkin began to question. The militants asked stupid provocative questions and demanded a "right" answer to them. Once Galkin was dragged from the basement. The Chechens brought two Russian conscripts and beheaded both in front of Alexei. Everything that happened was recorded on the camera, and then repeatedly showed the film to the prisoner. After that, Galkin was brought to a "press conference" for foreign journalists. There he was forced to "confess" to the organization of terrorist attacks on the territory of the Russian Federation. In the two thousandth year, Alexei managed to escape from captivity with his comrade Pakhomov. Two years later they were awarded the Golden Stars. Heroes of the Russian Federation were no longer able to serve for health reasons.