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Soviet Border Troops, (Russian: Пограничные войска СССР, Pogranichnyie Voiska SSSR) were the militarized border guard of the Soviet Union, subordinated to its subsequently reorganized state security agency: first to Cheka, than to NKVD and, finally, to to KGB. Accordingly, they were known as NKVD Border Troops and KGB Border Troops (with Russian abbreviations - НКВД СССР/- КГБ СССР added on the end of official names). Unlike border guards of many other countries, Soviet Border Troops were a centralized force including also the maritime borderguarding units (i.e., a coast guard).

History

In 1934, under the NKVD, Border Troops were immediately subordinated to the GUPVO (abbreviated "Chief Directorate of Border and Internal Guard"). In 1939 they were reorganized into the GUPV ("Chief Directorate of Border Troops").

NKVD Border Troops consisted of infantry, cavalry, reconnaissance, naval and airforce units.

SInce 1930s, the distinctive part of Soviet Border Troops uniform is the intensively dark-green colored parts of headwear and insignia. The color is also present on a maritime Border Troops ensign.

World War II

The Border Troops units only saw combat in the earlier years of World War II (1939-42). However, they bore the brunt of the initial German assault, and due to this, suffered extremely high casualties rates. Particularly, Border Troops seviceman were among the defendants of the legendary Brest Fortress.

A distinct problem were German Brandenburger Regiment commandos. They had obtained NKVD Border Troops uniforms and led many infiltration missions across the Red Army lines to inflict subversion.

Post-War history

After the formation of the KGB, Soviet Border Troops became subordinated to this agency and remained so until the end of Soviet rule. As such, the Troops were concentrating on the tasks of preventing Soviet citizens from escaping to the West and fighting espionage infiltrations. The former task created a number of anecdotes portraying a Soviet-Jewish illegal emigrant that tries to cross the borderline and trick the sudden Border Troops patrol.

A dense and soficticated system of field engineering devices was created to keep Soviet border intact (including its complicated terrain and harsh climate zones). The most notable in that system was the trace-control strip (Russian: контрольно-следовая полоса) - a primitive labour-demanding method making surface crossing virtually impossible. The mission also required significant manpower and intensive maritime presence.

The Border Troops consisted of conscripts drafted by the same system as for the Soviet Army, and small number of professional enlistees. Officers were trained in specialized academies (particularly, in the city of Khmelnystkyi, Ukrainian SSR). Both conscripts and officer candidates for Border Troops were carefully selected and checked by the KGB. This made service in the troops privileged.

Viktor Yuschenko, the President of modern independent Ukraine, served his conscript service in the Border Troops unit guarding the Soviet-Turkish border.

Dissolution and legacy

With the fall of Soviet Union, Border Troops formation in inner-bordering Soviet republics became border guards of the respective independent states. These new guards mostly changed their name and subordination. However, they retained some Soviet traditions, most notably the green-colored uniform and "Border Guarder's Day" (an official holiday commemorated by drunk celebrations of ex-servicemen).

The Central-Asian state of Tadjikistan was a unique exception: it's border with Afghanistan has been guarded by the Russian border guard until the late 1990s under a special treaty.

External links

• Oral History: A soldiers account of his service in the border guards and NKVD
• NKVD.org: information site about the NKVD

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