Alpha Group

Directorate "A" of the FSB Special Purpose Center
Spetsgruppa "A"
Alpha Group emblem
Founded28 July 1974; 50 years ago (1974-07-28)
Country Soviet Union (1974–1991)
 Russia (1991–present)
Allegiance FSB
Branch Spetsnaz of the KGB (1974–1991)
Russia:
GUO (1991–1993)
MVD (1993–1995)
TsSN FSB (1995–present)
TypeSpetsnaz
SizeClassified (estimated 500 in 1991,[1] 250–300 in Russia in 2004[2])
Part of Federal Security Service Moscow (main force)
Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Yekaterinburg, Grozny (in Russia)
Nickname(s)Alpha Group, Alpha (Alfa)
Motto(s)Победить и вернуться
EngagementsOperation Storm-333
Aeroflot Flight 6833 hostage crisis
January Events
Soviet coup d'état attempt
Russia:
Russian constitutional crisis
Budyonnovsk hostage crisis
Kizlyar-Pervomayskoye hostage crisis
First Chechen War
Second Chechen War
Moscow theatre hostage crisis
Beslan school hostage crisis
Insurgency in the North Caucasus
Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Commanders
Current
commander
Col. Valery Kanakin [citation needed]
Notable
commanders
Gen. Vitaly Bubenin
Gen. Viktor Karpukhin
Gen. Gennady Zaitsev[3]

Spetsgruppa "A", also known as Alpha Group (a popular English name), or Alfa, whose official name is Directorate "A" of the FSB Special Purpose Center (TsSN FSB) (Russian: Спецназ ФСБ "Альфа"), is a stand-alone sub-unit of Russia's special forces within the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). It was created by the Soviet KGB in 1974. Although little is known about the exact nature of its primary directives, it is speculated that the unit is authorised to act under the direct control and sanction of Russia's top political leadership, similar to its sister unit, the Directorate "V" (Vympel), which is officially tasked with protecting Russia's strategic installations, as well as conducting black operations inside and outside Russia. It is also available for extended police duties, for paramilitary operations, and for covert operations, both domestically and internationally.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference guide was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference disaster was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference history was invoked but never defined (see the help page).