The Russian Ministry of Defense published for the first time the recently declassified report card of Operation Magistral, carried out by the 40th Army to liberate the Khost region during the Afghan War. This document contains detailed information about the composition of Soviet troops and militant groups, as well as their weapons and areas of operation. RIA News.
The map is presented as part of a new multimedia historical project of the Russian Ministry of Defense called “On distant borders, in the heart of the Motherland”, launched on the Day of Remembrance of Russians performing official duties outside the Motherland. .
Operation Highway was conducted jointly with government forces of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan from 23 November 1987 to 10 January 1988, with the aim of breaking the blockade of the Khost region and preventing rebel attempts to take full control of the region. The objectives of the operation were achieved.
According to the markings on the document, the card was declassified very recently – April 22, 2022. Its title: “Report card of combat operations” Magistral “in the period from 11/17/87 to 01/29/88.”
The map shows combat missions, the composition of the troops participating in the operation and a list of military equipment, as well as the areas of operations of the units.
From the document it becomes clear that the Soviet troops were opposed by 66 gangs, numbering a total of 4,420 rebels. Its weapons included 55 rocket launchers, 42 MANPADS, 27 anti-aircraft machine gun mounts, 84 mortars and 177 RPG grenade launchers.
The Soviet group consisted of 5,634 people, 21 Grad MLRS vehicles, nine Hurricanes, several dozen field artillery guns, 28 tanks, about 300 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. According to the Operation Magistral map, the aviation group consisted of eight MiG-23 fighters, 16 Su-17 fighter-bombers, eight Su-25 attack aircraft and 35 transport and attack helicopters.
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