Russian Spetsnaz training

[I Am Arthur Clark]

Russian Spetsnaz training consists of brutal tasks. The passing rate is said to cap out at 5% percent. And yes, some recruits die during the training. This is considered to be normal. Spetsnaz only wants the best; if you died in training, then you would have just weakened the team and died in combat anyway.

Don't you guys love the final test?

It starts with a 10km (6mi) march which must be completed in under two hours. Hopefuls must run uphill and downhill through various obstacles like mud, water, sand, dirt, and whatever else happens to be in the way. You are given MASKA titanium helmet, AK-74M, and a heavy bullet proof vest with inserted plates. This comes out to easily more than 60 pounds (27Kg) before ammo and ruck. During the march, you will be shot at, explosives will be detonated very close to you. And there will be a simulated chemically infected area, where you have to use gas masks while running or carrying your buddy for 2-3km (~1.5mi). You will also perform a series of tough physical exercises, such as duck walking up hills, doing endless pushups, and you never know when they will stop, nor when they will start.

It then continues without any breaks, where you are taken into an obstacle course after the march. The obstacle course is set amid an urban environment, with trenches and underground tunnels which would be a tight squeeze, even without your more than 60 pounds of gear. After you finish your obstacle course, you must fire a blank round that is provided with your magazine in the beginning of the test. IT MUST FIRE, because this will determine whether or not you can be trusted to properly manage a weapon. If it doesn't work, then you flunk.

Without any breaks again, you will be tested on your capability to accurately fire various weapons. You do this while you are already tired and exhausted. They are the AK-74M, PKM, SVD, RPG-7, AGS-17, and more. You have to do this while fully outfitted and moving from a variety of distances and ranges.

Next, You have 2 minutes to jump into your climbing gear and take on a 5 story building. You must all alone carry out a perfect storm of the building using the skills you learned in training. The assault begins at the top and goes down. On the fourth floor you will meet various targets which you must positively ID and shoot bad guys with live rounds. There are also civilians stationed throughout. Missing a single bad guy or hitting a single innocent means instant failure. You will not have ever run this house or this setup before. After shooting the tangos, you must now prepare your simulated grenade while going down around the 3rd floor. When you get to the second floor, you must knock out a window frame with your foot, and throw in a simulated grenade. You have 45 seconds to get from the 5th floor to the ground while performing all those tasks. Trainees now next perform various tough acrobatic exercises. Again, this is done in full gear without any sort of respite.

The final event is a 12 minute brutal fight without any breaks against 4 changing fighters. All of them are already certified veteran Spetsnaz men who have won their Red Berets in combat. In order to pass, you have to stay in the fight without being knocked out, and also by fighting the whole time. You must be active, and not just defend yourself. You are allowed to have medical attention only for 60 seconds. Everything is permitted in this fight except for killing blows.

Assuming that you pass all of this, then you have to be lucky enough to be selected. And even then, you only become a Spetsnaz soldier. You do not get the red beret until you have proven yourself in combat.

And do you know where this is all done? Right in the middle of an active war zone! Not only do you have to survive and complete the demands of the test, but there is always the chance that you could very well have to deal with the enemy trying to kill you for real during it.