> The final and complete [withdrawal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_withdrawal_from_Afghanistan) of the 40th Army (Soviet Union) from Afghanistan began on 15 May 1988 and ended on 15 February 1989, under the leadership of Colonel-General Boris Gromov. The Soviet military had been one of the main combatants in the Soviet–Afghan War since its beginning in 1979.
> The first half of the Soviet contingent was [withdrawn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Afghan_War) from 15 May to 16 August 1988, and the second from 15 November to 15 February 1989. In order to ensure a safe passage, the Soviets had negotiated ceasefires with local Mujahideen commanders. The withdrawal was generally executed peacefully[240] except for the operation “Typhoon”.
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> …
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> Between 25 December 1979, and 15 February 1989, a total of 620,000[citation needed] soldiers served with the forces in Afghanistan (though there were only 80,000–104,000 serving at one time): 525,000 in the Army, 90,000 with border troops and other KGB sub-units, 5,000 in independent formations of MVD Internal Troops, and police forces. A further 21,000 personnel were with the Soviet troop contingent over the same period doing various white collar and blue collar jobs.
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> The total irrecoverable personnel losses of the Soviet Armed Forces, frontier, and internal security troops came to 14,453.
A country we all ought to have stayed out of tbh based on what came afterwards.
Ah the glorious Russian/Soviet army. All the US had to do was give some Stingers to a bunch of illiterate sheepherders who then kicked their ass. Should have learned back then that their weapons are inferior to NATO’s.
O and of course they massacred tons of local civilians because that is the only thing they’re good at.
Afghanistan, the graveyard of empires.
And now these men are seeing their sons’ lives thrown away by Putin.
5 comments
> The final and complete [withdrawal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_withdrawal_from_Afghanistan) of the 40th Army (Soviet Union) from Afghanistan began on 15 May 1988 and ended on 15 February 1989, under the leadership of Colonel-General Boris Gromov. The Soviet military had been one of the main combatants in the Soviet–Afghan War since its beginning in 1979.
> The first half of the Soviet contingent was [withdrawn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Afghan_War) from 15 May to 16 August 1988, and the second from 15 November to 15 February 1989. In order to ensure a safe passage, the Soviets had negotiated ceasefires with local Mujahideen commanders. The withdrawal was generally executed peacefully[240] except for the operation “Typhoon”.
>
> …
>
> Between 25 December 1979, and 15 February 1989, a total of 620,000[citation needed] soldiers served with the forces in Afghanistan (though there were only 80,000–104,000 serving at one time): 525,000 in the Army, 90,000 with border troops and other KGB sub-units, 5,000 in independent formations of MVD Internal Troops, and police forces. A further 21,000 personnel were with the Soviet troop contingent over the same period doing various white collar and blue collar jobs.
>
> The total irrecoverable personnel losses of the Soviet Armed Forces, frontier, and internal security troops came to 14,453.
A country we all ought to have stayed out of tbh based on what came afterwards.
Ah the glorious Russian/Soviet army. All the US had to do was give some Stingers to a bunch of illiterate sheepherders who then kicked their ass. Should have learned back then that their weapons are inferior to NATO’s.
O and of course they massacred tons of local civilians because that is the only thing they’re good at.
Afghanistan, the graveyard of empires.
And now these men are seeing their sons’ lives thrown away by Putin.