Alpha Group
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.
| Directorate "A" of the FSB Special Purpose Center | |
|---|---|
| Spetsgruppa "A" | |
Alpha Group emblem | |
| Founded | 28 July 1974 |
| 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) |
| Type | Spetsnaz |
| Size | Classified (estimated 500 in 1991, 250–300 in Russia in 2004) |
| 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 |
| Engagements | Operation 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 |
| Notable commanders | Gen. Vitaly Bubenin Gen. Viktor Karpukhin Gen. Gennady Zaitsev |