Sergey burnaev. Hero of Russia Sergei Aleksandrovich Burnaev is the pride of the special forces (Vityaz detachment). Burnaev Sergey Alexandrovich
He was just beginning to live. Was going to get married. I dreamed of building my own house. The battle in the Chechen city of Argun immediately ruined all his plans. On March 27, 2002, time stood still for Serezha Burnaev...
He was born and lived until he was five years old in Dubyonki in Mordovia. Then he and his family moved to the Tula region. My parents lived very modestly. My father became a laborer, my mother became an accountant at a construction company. They settled in an old wooden barracks. They hoped that over time everything would work out and a better life would come for their sons.
The youngest, Seryozha, was always very open, serious beyond his years. He stood up for the weak, stood up for the offended. From the age of five I studied karate. Over the years, this has grown into a professional hobby. Sergei even had several belts. He did not have a strong physique. The draft board even determined that he was underweight.
I dreamed of joining the army since I was seventeen. The military registration and enlistment office cooled his ardor: it was not allowed. They said, be patient, guy, another year, everything has its time. He waited patiently. He got a job at a chemical products factory. He did not disdain any work. Didn't smoke or drink, by the way. Although this is not fashionable today...
Seryozha really wanted to join the special forces or the airborne forces. In May 2000, his dream came true. He was drafted into the Vityaz special forces detachment of the elite division of internal troops. And already in November there was my first business trip to Chechnya. For a long six months.
In November 2001 - second business trip. The first letter from Sergei arrived on December 12. “Sorry, mom, this happened. Again in Chechnya..."
My mother, Valentina Vasilyevna, was worried, terribly worried. My heart ached and ached. And then I was tormented by terrible dreams. She dreamed that her son was running away somewhere, she was trying to catch up with him, but she couldn’t. The last letter arrived on February 10th. “This is your unlucky son and brother writing. I'm fine. Celebrated my birthday. 20 years after all. I love you all. I'll be there soon".
“Vityazi” at that time were in the Chechen city of Argun. According to the information they received, there was a large weapons warehouse in the basement of city school No. 4. It was decided to involve professionals in the operation. On March 27, 70 special forces arrived at the school building in 7 armored personnel carriers. Among them was our fellow countryman. A battle broke out in the dungeon. The special forces came into fire contact with the militants guarding the weapons depot. Resisting, the bandits threw a grenade at our fighters. In the dungeon, the death of many children was inevitable. Without hesitation, Sergeant Burnaev covered the grenade with his body. He died. But his comrades survived. And they completed the operation.
The terrible news of Sergei's death instantly reached Mordovia. Here, in his homeland, there are many people close and dear to him. A whole delegation from the village of Dubenki went to the funeral in the Tula village of Zaoksky.
The funeral took place on April 8. The day before, on Friday, one on one, without witnesses, the “Vityazis” said goodbye to their fallen comrade. They asked to be given this opportunity. They did not want to show his loved ones their tears.
Sergei did not want to leave the army until he earned the “maroon” beret. His dream came true. True, after death.
“One of Serezha’s friends, those who were next to him at the time of his death, was accompanied by a zinc coffin,” says the deceased’s cousin Tatyana Shigaeva. “The soldiers brought a maroon beret into the house along with the body. One of the fighters kissed him and said: “No one should touch the beret. Sergei deserved it."
His girlfriend Masha also came to say goodbye to Seryozha. His parents were waiting for their marriage, dreaming of grandchildren...
“I don’t want anything in this life anymore,” cried the father, Alexander Semenovich.
Trouble does not come to the house alone. The Burnaev family, having lost their son overnight, was essentially left without a livelihood. Sergei's father recently lost his job. The mother was given notice of dismissal on the second day after her son’s death. They continue to live in a wooden barracks. True, the administration promises to allocate an apartment. But the two dark barracks rooms are now too spacious for them.
Sergei was planning to return in May to introduce his bride to his parents. Finish the house. Did not have time…
Four years ago he came to Dubyonki for the last time. He was glad how many relatives, cousins and brothers he had here.
“Let’s all get together sometime,” he suggested, “when I serve in the army, I’ll come and meet.”
They had a chance to see each other at his own funeral.
P.S. By decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated September 16, 2002, Sergeant Sergei Aleksandrovich Burnaev was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation (posthumously) for courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty in the North Caucasus region.
In the Hero’s homeland, in the village of Dubyonki, a monument was erected in his honor, and in the village of Zaoksky, Tula Region, there is a memorial plaque on the building of the school where the Hero studied. Hero of Russia S. A. Burnaev is forever included in the lists of his military unit of the Internal Troops. In the city of Reutov, Moscow region, on the Alley of Heroes of the military memorial complex “To all Reutov residents who died for the Fatherland” (Victory Street), a bronze bust of the hero was also installed.
Maya Baklanova
Newspaper “Izvestia of Mordovia” for May 17, 2002.
Burnaev Sergey Alexandrovich
Burnaev Sergey Alexandrovich- squad commander of the 1st Red Banner special purpose detachment “Vityaz” of the Separate Special Purpose Division of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, sergeant.
Born on January 15, 1982 in the urban village of Dubenki, Dubensky district of Mordovia. Russian. Since 1987, the family lived in the urban village of Zaoksky, Zaoksky district, Tula region. Graduated from high school. Worked at a rubber shoe factory.
In May 2000, he was called up for military service in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. He served in the 1st Red Banner Special Purpose Detachment "Vityaz", which is part of the Separate Special Purpose Division of the Moscow District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
As part of the detachment, he went on business trips twice to participate in hostilities during the second Chechen war: from December 2000 to May 2001 and from November 2001. Showed courage and skill in several special operations.
On March 28, 2002, the detachment conducted a special operation in the city of Argun. During the operation, fighters discovered a large warehouse of weapons and ammunition in the basement of one of the city's high schools. A whole system of underground passages leading to the same basement was also discovered. It was decided to check these moves. Sergeant Burnaev, the first to move through a narrow hole, discovered a group of militants and entered into battle with them. Firing machine gun fire on him from several points, the bandits did not allow him to break through to his own, and did not allow the rest of the soldiers to come to his aid. In pitch darkness, Sergei Burnaev fought with machine gun fire and grenades, guided by the flashes of gunfire. Finally, the special forces managed to break through to his rescue and together began to destroy the bandit group. With flashes of fire from a machine gun burst, Sergei Burnaev saw a grenade thrown by the militants rolling along the floor of the underground corridor towards the fighters. There was no time to throw it back, and for the sake of saving his comrades, Sergei made the last decision - he covered the grenade with his body. At the cost of his own life, Sergeant Burnaev saved the lives of the other soldiers.
Soon this hellish battle in the dungeon ended. The bandit group of 8 militants was completely destroyed, and a large number of weapons were discovered. Only one Sergei Burnaev died on the part of the Russian military personnel... He was buried in the urban-type settlement of Zaoksky, Tula region.
For the courage and heroism shown during the performance of a special task in conditions involving risk to life, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 992 of September 16, 2002, Sergeant Burnaev Sergei Aleksandrovich was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.
On November 10, 2002, President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin presented the “Gold Star” of the Hero of Russia to the mother of S.A. Burnaev.
In the Hero’s homeland, in the village of Dubenki, Mordovia, a monument was erected in his honor, and in the village of Zaoksky, Tula Region, there is a memorial plaque on the building of the school where the Hero studied. Hero of Russia S.A. Burnaev is forever included in the lists of the military unit of the Internal Troops.
Burnaev Sergey Alexandrovich
15. 1. 1982 - 28. 3. 2002
Hero of Russia
Burnaev Sergey Aleksandrovich - commander of the 1st Red Banner special forces detachment "Vityaz" of the Separate Special Purpose Division of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, sergeant.
Born on January 15, 1982 in the urban village of Dubenki, Dubensky district of Mordovia. Russian. Since 1987, the family lived in the urban village of Zaoksky, Zaoksky district, Tula region. Graduated from high school. Worked at a rubber shoe factory.
In May 2000, he was called up for military service in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. He served in the 1st Red Banner Special Purpose Detachment "Vityaz", which is part of the Separate Special Purpose Division of the Moscow District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
As part of the detachment, he went on business trips twice to participate in hostilities during the second Chechen war: from December 2000 to May 2001 and from November 2001. Showed courage and skill in several special operations.
On March 28, 2002, the detachment conducted a special operation in the city of Argun. During the operation, fighters discovered a large warehouse of weapons and ammunition in the basement of one of the city's high schools. A whole system of underground passages leading to the same basement was also discovered. It was decided to check these moves. Sergeant Burnaev, the first to move through a narrow hole, discovered a group of militants and entered into battle with them. Firing machine gun fire on him from several points, the bandits did not allow him to break through to his own, and did not allow the rest of the soldiers to come to his aid. In pitch darkness, Sergei Burnaev fought with machine gun fire and grenades, guided by the flashes of gunfire. Finally, the special forces managed to break through to his rescue and together began to destroy the bandit group. With flashes of fire from a machine gun burst, Sergei Burnaev saw a grenade thrown by the militants rolling along the floor of the underground corridor towards the fighters. There was no time to throw it back, and for the sake of saving his comrades, Sergei made the last decision - he covered the grenade with his body. At the cost of his own life, Sergeant Burnaev saved the lives of the other soldiers.
Soon this hellish battle in the dungeon ended. The bandit group of 8 militants was completely destroyed, and a large number of weapons were discovered. Only one Sergei Burnaev died on the part of the Russian military personnel... He was buried in the urban-type settlement of Zaoksky, Tula region.
For the courage and heroism shown during the performance of a special task in conditions involving risk to life, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 992 of September 16, 2002, Sergeant Burnaev Sergei Aleksandrovich was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.
On November 10, 2002, President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin presented the “Gold Star” of the Hero of Russia to the mother of S.A. Burnaev. In the Hero’s homeland, in the village of Dubenki, Mordovia, a monument was erected in his honor, and in the village of Zaoksky, Tula Region, there is a memorial plaque on the building of the school where the Hero studied. Hero of Russia S.A. Burnaev is forever included in the lists of the military unit of the Internal Troops.
Another story about the Hero:
“We celebrated him with a star salute with the whole detachment...”
On March 28, 2002, immediately after the Day of Internal Troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, a soldier of the 1st Red Banner Special Purpose Regiment “Vityaz”, Sergei Burnaev, died in the Chechen city of Argun. For the “knights,” who did not have “two hundredths” after the first Chechen campaign, the death of a comrade in arms was a tragedy.
Ensign of the "Vityaz" Alexey: “Despite the fact that Argun is a relatively small city, you can clean it for two weeks or a month without getting out of there. Still, even after that, guns and ammunition will float up there. They are hidden so cleverly. And float up they will be in the hands of “spirits.” During the day they are civilians with real passports, and at night two or three of these “law-abiding” citizens will come to the cache, take weapons and fire at a military outpost or engineering reconnaissance... It is very difficult to fight such militants. It's almost impossible to catch."
Vityaz officer Eduard: “If it weren’t for Bury (Sergeant Sergei Burnaev - Author), our group would not have gotten out of there. Only after the battle do you understand how morally strong that person is who, while covering his comrades, consciously chooses death. Chooses it in order to save the lives of others."
Vityaz officer sapper Alexander: “In the school basement we found several plastic bottles with radio stations sealed in plastic, tuned to the same frequency. A deadly toy. Put a box of nails next to it, go to the frequency and... the whole thing goes to hell.” group. But the “spirits” didn’t take into account that we have special devices on our armored personnel carriers that suppress such signals. Maybe because the school was surrounded by armored personnel carriers, we didn’t take off into the air, or maybe we were just lucky.”
In war, special forces are always ready to perform unexpected tasks. So it was this time. According to operational information, in one of the schools on the outskirts of Argun there was a cache of weapons and ammunition. He probably should have been guarded.
The task was assigned to the detachment in the morning. A few minutes to gather - and a column of Vityaz armored personnel carriers is already flying towards Argun. The specified area was found quickly: before this, the special forces had cleared this city more than once and therefore knew it well. They immediately set up a cordon and carried out reconnaissance. Everyone agreed that the “spirits” had chosen the ideal place for the cache: the school stood in a vacant lot, with several houses adjacent to it, where firing points could be positioned in such a way that they would shoot through everything around.
The school building was also completely suitable for organizing a cache: in order to go down into the reinforced concrete basement without windows, it was necessary to knock out two thick boarded up doors. And the school’s basement seemed to have been built specifically to conduct military operations in it: the rooms, separated by reinforced concrete floors, do not directly connect to each other, but there are a lot of windows through which fire can be fired.
The school itself was quickly cleared: in the U-shaped three-story building there was nothing except broken furniture and broken glass. All that remained was to clean out the basement of the building. Before entering, the assault groups once again coordinated their actions. According to operational data, there could be “spirits” guarding the warehouse in the school basement. In addition, the FSB agents also provided “good” news: according to their information, the school’s basement could be connected by underground passages to nearby houses. The detachment's armored personnel carriers bristled with their trunks towards the windows of the five-story buildings, and the fighters of the cover groups dispersed near the houses.
They decided to throw several assault groups into the basement, which entered from different directions. We went in blind: there was no map, not even a drawing of the room. But he wouldn’t interfere: the darkness in the basement is impenetrable. The beams of powerful flashlights picked out pieces of glass wool lying in the sand dust, and small windows at head level - ideal loopholes for defenders.
We moved very carefully. The flashlights were turned on only for a split second in order to orientate ourselves and find the passage to the next room. We examined several rooms. The group, which included Sergei Burnaev, immediately discovered a shell for installing a landmine in the first room, and from another room the soldiers pulled out a camouflaged sports bag, in which they found an assault rifle with a grenade launcher and an unloading vest with ammunition. Not a bad catch to start with. And ahead of the special forces, more than two-thirds of the basement awaited.
The other two rooms turned out to be empty, and in the third... As soon as the first soldier climbed through the window, machine gun fire was immediately heard. Usually the “spirits” do not glow, they sit until the last moment, hoping that they will not be noticed. They were either stoned, or simply lost their nerves, because a lot of time had passed since the beginning of the operation, and the noise from the street in the basement was clearly audible. The “knights” threw grenades into the room where the militants were sitting. About ten deadly gifts flew through the window. A grenade explosion in a basement is a terrible thing. It is almost impossible to take cover or hide - fragments ricochet off the walls. Immediately, a split second after the last explosion, before the dust had yet settled, the assault group, shining their flashlights, flew into the room and discovered two militants. They sat stunned and at that moment hardly understood what was happening. The "spirits" were dragged out into the street. One, seriously wounded, is not a survivor, and the second was hit by shrapnel in just a few places. He was still interesting to the operatives.
On the street, near the detachment's armored personnel carriers and the soldiers of the operational brigade of the Volga District of the Internal Troops who had arrived for reinforcements, who were also cordoned off, people began to walk around. Their interest was understandable - the pile of weapons near the combat vehicles was growing: other search groups working in another wing of the school basement also found weapons. At first, the movement of the residents did not arouse suspicion, but the houses stood too close, from the upper floors of which the soldiers were clearly visible. Yes, the faces of the same young people became familiar. Although everything seemed to be in order with their documents.
And in the basement, in the room where the militants were sitting, the group found an impressive arsenal: several machine guns with grenade launchers, sleeping bags, cartridges, grenades and shots for a grenade launcher.
Carefully examining room by room and finding weapons, the search groups walked towards each other. Between them sat the doomed militants, preparing for a mortal fight. The “spirits” knew that they would not leave the basement alive. Therefore, their task was reduced to a minimum - to take more military personnel with them to the next world. In his assault group, Sergei Burnaev walked ahead of everyone...
This was not the first business trip for Sergei. While still a conscript soldier, he ended up in Chechnya for six months. Since childhood, he wanted to become a military man and dreamed of serving in the airborne troops or special forces. His dream came true - he ended up serving in the cradle of the special forces of the internal troops - the special forces regiment "Vityaz". Despite the heavy physical exertion, Sergei enjoyed serving here. Shortly before the business trip, he signed a contract to serve in this unit, choosing as his place of service one of the most combative units of the Vityaz - a reconnaissance company, the team of which became his second family.
For further passage, the special forces had to climb into a window slightly larger than a window. It was not easy for strong guys in body armor with weapons and ammunition to do this. Sergei was the first to climb through the window and began to cover the approach of the others. The group's fighters followed him. Suddenly, from the darkness, several machine gun bursts were heard point blank. The militants fired from an embrasure in the wall. Instantly assessing the situation, the soldiers and officers of the “Vityaz” rushed to the saving reinforced concrete wall that separated them from the “spirits”. In complete darkness, blinded and deafened by flashes and explosions of grenades, the “knights” grouped up and entered into battle. In the heat of the battle, they did not notice that the officer was wounded, and blood was oozing from the eyebrow of one conscript sergeant - his forehead was hit by a shrapnel. Burnaev turned out to be closest to the militants. The “spirits” cut him off with fire and did not allow the others to get close. At first, Sergei threw grenades into the opening, and when there was only one left for himself, he began to shoot from outstretched arms: the enemy bullets did not allow them to hit accurately.
At this time, the group began to roll back - ammunition was running out, and the wounded had to be pulled out. The elder shouted to Sergei to move away. They would have covered him, but Burnaev showed with signs that he would stay and cover the rest himself. Perhaps he saw something that others did not see. The penultimate soldier who ran up to the door broken down by the armored personnel carrier froze for a second: an explosion was heard in the depths of the basement. Immediately after this, another assault group from the Vityaz reconnaissance company burst into the basement. It was quiet in the darkness. Only in the distance, on the right side of the basement, were shots heard. Two “spirits” went to meet the groups clearing the other wing. They were not allowed to leave. The scouts discovered the body of the sergeant and several of the militants he had killed. Sergei lay facing the enemies, clutching a machine gun mangled by the explosion in his hands. Even in the last moment of his life, he thought about how to cover for his brothers.
“Vityazi” said goodbye to Sergei Burnaev in Reutovo, near Moscow. According to special forces tradition, the coffin with the sergeant’s body was carried out in front of the unit’s personnel. After this, the officers of the Vityaz regiment accompanying Sergei took their son to his parents in Tula. The council of “maroon berets” of the special forces detachment “Vityaz” unanimously decided to present a maroon beret to the parents of the deceased comrade.
At the opening ceremony of the monument to fallen servicemen of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, installed in a park near the headquarters of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow (in the form of a nine-meter granite stele and a sculpture of a grieving mother) 
the then Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin noted the feat of Sergei Bunaev.
Burnaev Sergey Aleksandrovich - commander of the 1st Red Banner special forces detachment "Vityaz" of the Separate Special Purpose Division of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, sergeant.
Born on January 15, 1982 in the urban village of Dubenki, Dubensky district of Mordovia. Russian. Since 1987, the family lived in the urban village of Zaoksky, Zaoksky district, Tula region. Graduated from high school. Worked at a rubber shoe factory.
In May 2000, he was called up for military service in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. He served in the 1st Red Banner Special Purpose Detachment "Vityaz", which is part of the Separate Special Purpose Division of the Moscow District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
As part of the detachment, he went on business trips twice to participate in hostilities during the second Chechen war: from December 2000 to May 2001 and from November 2001. Showed courage and skill in several special operations.
On March 28, 2002, the detachment conducted a special operation in the city of Argun. During the operation, fighters discovered a large warehouse of weapons and ammunition in the basement of one of the city's high schools. A whole system of underground passages leading to the same basement was also discovered. It was decided to check these moves. Sergeant Burnaev, the first to move through a narrow hole, discovered a group of militants and entered into battle with them. Firing machine gun fire on him from several points, the bandits did not allow him to break through to his own, and did not allow the rest of the soldiers to come to his aid. In pitch darkness, Sergei Burnaev fought with machine gun fire and grenades, guided by the flashes of gunfire. Finally, the special forces managed to break through to his rescue and together began to destroy the bandit group. With flashes of fire from a machine gun burst, Sergei Burnaev saw a grenade thrown by the militants rolling along the floor of the underground corridor towards the fighters. There was no time to throw it back, and for the sake of saving his comrades, Sergei made the last decision - he covered the grenade with his body. At the cost of his own life, Sergeant Burnaev saved the lives of the other soldiers.
Soon this hellish battle in the dungeon ended. The bandit group of 8 militants was completely destroyed, and a large number of weapons were discovered. Only one Sergei Burnaev died on the part of the Russian military personnel... He was buried in the urban-type settlement of Zaoksky, Tula region.
For the courage and heroism shown during the performance of a special task in conditions involving risk to life, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 992 of September 16, 2002, Sergeant Burnaev Sergei Aleksandrovich was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.
On November 10, 2002, President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin presented the “Gold Star” of the Hero of Russia to the mother of S.A. Burnaev. In the Hero’s homeland, in the village of Dubenki, Mordovia, a monument was erected in his honor, and in the village of Zaoksky, Tula Region, there is a memorial plaque on the building of the school where the Hero studied. Hero of Russia S.A. Burnaev is forever included in the lists of the military unit of the Internal Troops.
Story about the Hero:
On March 28, 2002, immediately after the Day of Internal Troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, a soldier of the 1st Red Banner Special Purpose Regiment “Vityaz”, Sergei Burnaev, died in the Chechen city of Argun. For the “knights,” who did not have “two hundredths” after the first Chechen campaign, the death of a comrade in arms was a tragedy.
Ensign of the "Vityaz" Alexey: “Despite the fact that Argun is a relatively small city, you can clean it for two weeks or a month without getting out of there. Still, even after that, guns and ammunition will float up there. They are hidden so cleverly. And float up they will be in the hands of “spirits.” During the day they are civilians with real passports, and at night two or three of these “law-abiding” citizens will come to the cache, take weapons and fire at a military outpost or engineering reconnaissance... It is very difficult to fight such militants. It's almost impossible to catch."
Vityaz officer Eduard: “If it weren’t for Bury (Sergeant Sergei Burnaev - Author), our group would not have gotten out of there. Only after the battle do you understand how morally strong that person is who, while covering his comrades, consciously chooses death. Chooses it in order to save the lives of others."
Vityaz officer sapper Alexander: “In the school basement we found several plastic bottles with radio stations sealed in plastic, tuned to the same frequency. A deadly toy. Put a box of nails next to it, go to the frequency and... the whole thing goes to hell.” group. But the “spirits” didn’t take into account that we have special devices on our armored personnel carriers that suppress such signals. Maybe because the school was surrounded by armored personnel carriers, we didn’t take off into the air, or maybe we were just lucky.”
In war, special forces are always ready to perform unexpected tasks. So it was this time. According to operational information, in one of the schools on the outskirts of Argun there was a cache of weapons and ammunition. He probably should have been guarded.
The task was assigned to the detachment in the morning. A few minutes to gather - and a column of Vityaz armored personnel carriers is already flying towards Argun. The specified area was found quickly: before this, the special forces had cleared this city more than once and therefore knew it well. They immediately set up a cordon and carried out reconnaissance. Everyone agreed that the “spirits” had chosen the ideal place for the cache: the school stood in a vacant lot, with several houses adjacent to it, where firing points could be positioned in such a way that they would shoot through everything around.
The school building was also completely suitable for organizing a cache: in order to go down into the reinforced concrete basement without windows, it was necessary to knock out two thick boarded up doors. And the school’s basement seemed to have been built specifically to conduct military operations in it: the rooms, separated by reinforced concrete floors, do not directly connect to each other, but there are a lot of windows through which fire can be fired.
The school itself was quickly cleared: in the U-shaped three-story building there was nothing except broken furniture and broken glass. All that remained was to clean out the basement of the building. Before entering, the assault groups once again coordinated their actions. According to operational data, there could be “spirits” guarding the warehouse in the school basement. In addition, the FSB agents also provided “good” news: according to their information, the school’s basement could be connected by underground passages to nearby houses. The detachment's armored personnel carriers bristled with their trunks towards the windows of the five-story buildings, and the fighters of the cover groups dispersed near the houses.
They decided to throw several assault groups into the basement, which entered from different directions. We went in blind: there was no map, not even a drawing of the room. But he wouldn’t interfere: the darkness in the basement is impenetrable. The beams of powerful flashlights picked out pieces of glass wool lying in the sand dust, and small windows at head level - ideal loopholes for defenders.
We moved very carefully. The flashlights were turned on only for a split second in order to orientate ourselves and find the passage to the next room. We examined several rooms. The group, which included Sergei Burnaev, immediately discovered a shell for installing a landmine in the first room, and from another room the soldiers pulled out a camouflaged sports bag, in which they found an assault rifle with a grenade launcher and an unloading vest with ammunition. Not a bad catch to start with. And ahead of the special forces, more than two-thirds of the basement awaited.
The other two rooms turned out to be empty, and in the third... As soon as the first soldier climbed through the window, machine gun fire was immediately heard. Usually the “spirits” do not glow, they sit until the last moment, hoping that they will not be noticed. They were either stoned, or simply lost their nerves, because a lot of time had passed since the beginning of the operation, and the noise from the street in the basement was clearly audible. The “knights” threw grenades into the room where the militants were sitting. About ten deadly gifts flew through the window. A grenade explosion in a basement is a terrible thing. It is almost impossible to take cover or hide - fragments ricochet off the walls. Immediately, a split second after the last explosion, before the dust had yet settled, the assault group, shining their flashlights, flew into the room and discovered two militants. They sat stunned and at that moment hardly understood what was happening. The "spirits" were dragged out into the street. One, seriously wounded, is not a survivor, and the second was hit by shrapnel in just a few places. He was still interesting to the operatives.
On the street, near the detachment's armored personnel carriers and the soldiers of the operational brigade of the Volga District of the Internal Troops who had arrived for reinforcements, who were also cordoned off, people began to walk around. Their interest was understandable - the pile of weapons near the combat vehicles was growing: other search groups working in another wing of the school basement also found weapons. At first, the movement of the residents did not arouse suspicion, but the houses stood too close, from the upper floors of which the soldiers were clearly visible. Yes, the faces of the same young people became familiar. Although everything seemed to be in order with their documents.
And in the basement, in the room where the militants were sitting, the group found an impressive arsenal: several machine guns with grenade launchers, sleeping bags, cartridges, grenades and shots for a grenade launcher.
Carefully examining room by room and finding weapons, the search groups walked towards each other. Between them sat the doomed militants, preparing for a mortal fight. The “spirits” knew that they would not leave the basement alive. Therefore, their task was reduced to a minimum - to take more military personnel with them to the next world. In his assault group, Sergei Burnaev walked ahead of everyone...
This was not the first business trip for Sergei. While still a conscript soldier, he ended up in Chechnya for six months. Since childhood, he wanted to become a military man and dreamed of serving in the airborne troops or special forces. His dream came true - he ended up serving in the cradle of the special forces of the internal troops - the special forces regiment "Vityaz". Despite the heavy physical exertion, Sergei enjoyed serving here. Shortly before the business trip, he signed a contract to serve in this unit, choosing as his place of service one of the most combative units of the Vityaz - a reconnaissance company, the team of which became his second family.
...For further passage, the special forces had to climb into a window slightly larger than a window. It was not easy for strong guys in body armor with weapons and ammunition to do this. Sergei was the first to climb through the window and began to cover the approach of the others. The group's fighters followed him. Suddenly, from the darkness, several machine gun bursts were heard point blank. The militants fired from an embrasure in the wall. Instantly assessing the situation, the soldiers and officers of the “Vityaz” rushed to the saving reinforced concrete wall that separated them from the “spirits”. In complete darkness, blinded and deafened by flashes and explosions of grenades, the “knights” grouped up and entered into battle. In the heat of the battle, they did not notice that the officer was wounded, and blood was oozing from the eyebrow of one conscript sergeant - his forehead was hit by a shrapnel. Burnaev turned out to be closest to the militants. The “spirits” cut him off with fire and did not allow the others to get close. At first, Sergei threw grenades into the opening, and when there was only one left for himself, he began to shoot from outstretched arms: the enemy bullets did not allow them to hit accurately.
The elder shouted to Sergei to move away. They would have covered him, but Burnaev showed with signs that he would stay and cover the rest himself. Perhaps he saw something that others did not see. The penultimate soldier who ran up to the door broken down by the armored personnel carrier froze for a second: an explosion was heard in the depths of the basement. Immediately after this, another assault group from the Vityaz reconnaissance company burst into the basement. It was quiet in the darkness. Only in the distance, on the right side of the basement, were shots heard. Two “spirits” went to meet the groups clearing the other wing. They were not allowed to leave. The scouts discovered the body of the sergeant and several of the militants he had killed. Sergei lay facing the enemies, clutching a machine gun mangled by the explosion in his hands. Even in the last moment of his life, he thought about how to cover for his brothers.
“Vityazi” said goodbye to Sergei Burnaev in Reutovo, near Moscow. According to special forces tradition, the coffin with the sergeant’s body was carried out in front of the unit’s personnel. After this, the officers of the Vityaz regiment accompanying Sergei took their son to his parents in Tula. The council of “maroon berets” of the special forces detachment “Vityaz” unanimously decided to present a maroon beret to the parents of the deceased comrade.
At the opening ceremony of the monument to fallen servicemen of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, installed in a park near the headquarters of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow (in the form of a nine-meter granite stele and a sculpture of a grieving mother)
While some young people try to use every opportunity to avoid serving, Sergei Aleksandrovich Burnaev dreamed of the army. He aspired to get into the Airborne Forces, but was drafted into the special forces, the elite group “Vityaz”. And I never regretted it later. He had a goal - to earn a maroon beret. The detachment council unanimously decided to award it to twenty-year-old Sergei, who stepped into immortality on March 28, 2002 with his feat.
The life path of the future hero
The family of Alexander and Valentina Burnaev had two sons. The youngest Sergei, born on January 15, 1982 in Mordovia, went to school in the village of Zaoksky (Tula region), where the family had by that time moved for permanent residence. He grew up as an active boy and did not differ in exemplary behavior, but he respected his elders and stood up for the weak. Cheerful, noisy, cocky, he seemed to be in a hurry to live, becoming a real leader in the boyish company. Having stood up for his older brother, he refused to retake the test at the technical school where he entered after graduating from school. Only because the teacher was counting on monetary “gratitude.”
Burnaev Sergei Aleksandrovich, whose photo in his childhood can be seen in the article, never smoked or was fond of alcohol. After working for some time at a rubber shoe factory, he readily joined the army in 2000, ending up in the ODON VV of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Vityaz group, located in the city of Reutov (Moscow region). The parents who arrived for the oath found their son thin, but happy. Despite the enormous physical exertion and hardships of his service, the guy became the best shooter in the unit and was transferred ahead of schedule to the reconnaissance group.
Trips to war
Sergei Aleksandrovich Burnaev, whose biography is closely intertwined with the Vityaz special forces, visited Chechnya twice. From December 2000 to May 2001, as a conscript soldier, and from November 2001 - as a contract soldier. After spending 250 days in the combat zone, Sergei, who became a sergeant and unit commander, took part in eighteen operations. The most serious among them are in Shali, Mesker-Yurt, Bachi-Yurt, Germenchuk, Chechen-aul, as well as in the villages of New and Starye Atagi. In these battles, he proved himself to be a skilled warrior who gained recognition from his comrades, who gave him the nickname “Brown.”
In December 2001, he wrote a letter to his mother, asking for forgiveness for being at war again. He knew how worried she was the first time, and therefore reported that there was no fighting in Chechnya, and the detachment was only monitoring compliance with the passport regime. Sergei dreamed of giving his family a gift - building a house, so he easily endured the hardships and hardships of a combat deployment. A bride named Maria was waiting for him in his native village; he loved life and made plans, the implementation of which was simply postponed until the completion of the contract.
Argun: special operation “Vityaz”
It's a professional holiday for the Internal Troops. On this day, “Vityaz” received an award, and on the 28th it already set off to carry out a combat mission. The FSB reported about an ammunition warehouse in the basements of school No. 4 in the city of Argun, where special forces sent 7 armored personnel carriers and 70 personnel. No one has been to school for a long time. Standing in a vacant lot, it was ideal for a meeting place for militants, from where they would emerge armed and fight the federals. And then they again turned into civilians, hiding for a while.
Sergei Aleksandrovich Burnaev was also part of the special forces group along with his unit. In the impenetrable darkness of the basements, they discovered an ammunition warehouse and two militants killed during the operation. But intelligence officer Burnaev did not believe that the nest of militants was limited to this, and again rushed with his guys to the basements, discovering a whole network of underground passages.
Rescue of comrades
Making his way through the narrow tunnels, Sergei Aleksandrovich Burnaev walked ahead, again stumbling upon stoned suicide bandits. Having entered the battle, he found himself cut off from his comrades, guided in complete darkness only by flashes from shots. During the shootout, Sergei was wounded, but the special forces managed to get through to him and continue to destroy the group of militants. A platoon commander and two conscripts were also injured in that battle. Suddenly, from the side of the bandits, a grenade rolled through the hole in the pipe. During the next flash from the shot, Sergeant Burnaev saw mortal danger. He had exactly four seconds to make a decision.
He did the only thing right for himself, covering the grenade with his body and protecting his fighters. The battle continued for another two hours, during which 8 bandits were killed, including two field commanders. Later it would become known that another group of militants was breaking through to their aid, unable to get through the cordon. The twenty-year-old hero remained lying facing the defeated bandits, tightly clutching a mangled machine gun in his hands. And one of those whose lives he saved lost his voice for a whole year, shocked by the events of the terrible battle.
Honoring a hero
The special forces said goodbye to their comrade in Reutov, where today there is a bust of the heroic sergeant on the Alley of Heroes. The officers took him to Zaoksky, where a solemn funeral took place at the cemetery. One of the servicemen placed on the lid of the coffin what now rightfully belonged to the parents of the special forces soldier. In November 2002, in the Kremlin, Alexander and Valentina Burnaev received a well-deserved award for their son from the hands of the president - the Star of a Hero. They were also given an apartment, fulfilling a dream that Sergei Aleksandrovich Burnaev himself once wanted to fulfill.
In Dubenki, where the sergeant was born, a monument was erected to him, and in Zaokskoye there is a memorial plaque. A school is named after him, where every year the best class is awarded the title of “Burnayevites”, and he himself is forever enlisted in the military unit of the Internal Troops. Burnaev Sergey Aleksandrovich is a Hero of Russia, whose feat will always be an example for the younger generation. Giving your life for the sake of your comrades is the highest manifestation of the strength of spirit and the meaning of human destiny.
