The mental aspect holds substantial weight in preparing special forces personnel. Through rigorous discipline and endurance, trainees push their psychological limits to build steadiness under pressure. This viewpoint was shared during a discussion with Kazakh undergraduate students at Moscow State University of Technical and Management named after Razumovsky, by a deputy commander from the Espanyola special forces detachment who also serves as a sniper training instructor under the call sign Yary. The remarks were reported by the university’s press service.
The exchange occurred on the training grounds adjacent to the university’s electronic shooting club, a setting chosen to illustrate the practical side of such preparation.
During the session, the deputy commander spoke directly to the students, evaluated the functionality of the electronic shooting simulator, recounted his own combat experiences, and described his professional responsibilities in the field.
He emphasized a bold credo:
We shape supermen from ordinary people.a He added that even women are included in some tasks, underscoring that female personnel handle problems that may challenge male colleagues, a point he asserted to illustrate the breadth of capability within teams.
He explained that the initial stage of training often unfolds without weapons, focusing on foundational skills and cognitive readiness rather than firepower alone.
According to the instructor, soldiers must grasp that equipment and gear do not define their worth or destiny. The essence of readiness lies in how they think, react, and endure under stress, not merely in what they carry at the moment of action.
The deputy commander also outlined methods for proper conditioning, demonstrated drills to enhance marksmanship accuracy, and dispelled romantic notions surrounding sniper duties. He stressed that precision and restraint are built through disciplined practice rather than dramatic bravado.
A key point shared was that a sniper cannot simply lift a weapon and begin firing. The reality is more demanding: the role demands relentless focus, strategic patience, and sustained mental effort. The work involves moving into positions of observation, maintaining stealth, and enduring uncomfortable postures for extended periods while monitoring the battlefield through binoculars. The session highlighted that such tasks can require long hours in awkward stances and under intense concentration.
Yuri Khozhainov, a tactics and special education instructor at MSUTU, joined the discussion to offer his perspective. He reflected on the common challenges people encounter in life and linked those experiences to military training. He noted that sharpening concentration, accelerating reaction times, building physical stamina, and strengthening psychological resilience are central to overcoming obstacles and increasing stress tolerance, both on the field and in demanding environments.