On February 29 and March 1, 2006, the 6th company of the second battalion of the 104th Guards Airborne Regiment of Pskov entered the battle at Hill 776 (on the Ulus-Kert - Selmentauzen line). The commander of the eastern group ordered to reach the desired mark until 2 pm on February 29 and block the area in order to prevent the passage of Chechen militants to a number of settlements.
Instructions
Step 1
The 6th Airborne Company, the Reconnaissance Platoon and the 3rd Platoon of the 4th Airborne Company began to move towards Mount Dembai-irzy. By evening, the soldiers had to cross the Abazulgol River and set up checkpoints. The divisions were led by the battalion commander of the guard, Lieutenant Colonel M. Evtyukhin. The first platoon of the 6th company reached the height of 776 by 4 o'clock on February 28, but the weather suddenly turned bad. Due to poor visibility in conditions of dense fog, the commander decides to suspend movement. The combat mission was to be completed in the morning. For the night the soldiers stopped at the Dembai-irzy mountain.
Step 2
On the morning of February 29, the movement continued. The soldiers approached the next height. At 12:30, the reconnaissance platoon found two dozen militants and opened fire. The main group of fighters was at a distance of 100-150 meters from the line of fire. The Chechens requested reinforcements, the commander of the 6th paratrooper company, Major S. Molodov, issued a number of orders that made it possible to reduce the number of the enemy, but the reinforcements that approached opened a hurricane of fire from grenade launchers and machine guns. Evtyukhin decided to retreat to the height of 776 and organize a defense.
Step 3
The scouts covered the retreat of the paratroopers, firing at the militants. This made it possible to gain time, evacuate the wounded, and take an advantageous position. By 16:50, the militants had lost about 60 people, but continued the offensive. A few minutes later, another reinforcement arrived. The enemy launched an attack from the northwest and west. Lieutenant Colonel Evtyukhin not only directed the actions of his soldiers, but also managed to take out five soldiers from under fire. At about 17:00, at an altitude of 666, platoons of the 3rd paratrooper company repulsed the attack of the enemy, who was trying to break through to the 6th company.
Step 4
Shots rang out until nightfall. There were serious losses on one side and on the other. The head of the militants, Khattab, again and again sent Chechen soldiers to attack, but they did not take the height. At 22:50 the sixth company was fired upon from mortars. At 23:25 at least 400 militants launched a massive attack, trying to bypass the Russian soldiers from the left flank. For 3 hours, Lieutenant Kozhemyakin's platoon fought back, not allowing the encirclement to be closed.
Step 5
At 01:50, the militants retreated and decided to change their tactics. They offered the paratroopers to voluntarily surrender the height, promising that they would give them the opportunity to leave freely. The soldiers of the 6th company remained faithful to their military duty and decided to stand up to the end.
Step 6
On March 1, at 00:40 am, the first airborne company tried to cross Abazulgol to provide assistance to the 6th company, but was stopped by the militants. By 4 am, the reinforcements withdrew to Mount Dembai-irzy. At 3 o'clock in the morning, the 3rd platoon of the 4th paratrooper company also tried to break through to 776 height. By 03:40 it was successful.
Step 7
By 5:20 am, the militants began to fire mainly in the northern direction, broke through to the 6th company, but were stopped by two mines set by senior lieutenant Kogatin. The assault on the heights by the militants continued. At 6:00, about 400 reinforcements joined the surviving militants. The Chechens focused on the southern direction. 26 wounded Russian soldiers concentrated at one point of the fortification and took the final battle. At 6:10, communication with the soldiers of the 6th company was lost. At 6:50, the fight became hand-to-hand, but the victory remained with the Russian soldiers: they managed to keep the height.
Step 8
In the battle, 13 officers and 71 soldiers of the 6th and 4th companies were killed. Only 6 Russian fighters survived. The number of those killed among the militants is not known exactly. The Chechens themselves claim that they lost no more than 20 people. More than 400 extremists have been killed, according to the federal command.
