Article Uprising of Soviet captives in Badaber.

diman

Mi Captain
MI.Net Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
489
Points
168
Uprising of Soviet captives 29 years ago in Badaber.

29 years ago, 26 april 1985, soviet captives risen against their captors at fortress-jail Badaber, 24 km from the Peshavar, second largest Pakistani town. Here, along with captives from Afghanistan, they fought against units of Pakistan regular army accompanied by mujahedeen.

Soviet warcaptives were brought to Badaber base, which was a training camp for afghan, here they trained under supervision by US and Pakistan instructors, in 1983-84. Before that they're being held in zindans by units that captured them.

Soviet cpative were used only on heavy works: in quarry, loading of ordnance etc. For the smallest faults and often without them they were being heavily beaten(according to some sources commandant of jail Abdurahman used lash with lead tips). Also mujahedeen were tryings to forse them to accept islam. In Badabera were 12 soviet and around 40 afghanistan captives.

But there are limits to even hardest patience. 26 april 1985, friday, almost all dushmans left for evening namaz, only two were left to guard prisoners. Most probably because emaciated captives seemed harmfull. And things were started to develop. One of the soviet soldiers, probably Victor Duhovchenko, knocked them off, tied and put in one of the cell where prosoners were. One of the afgani, former member of "Carandoy", was put to guard them. Then prosoners broke into the armory, took weapons, ammunition for DShK and AA-gun on the roof, RPG's and mortar. Soviets and afghani took key-points in the fortress - several corner towers, ****nal building and others. They were jailed and abused for three years, they knew all the risks,,, There was no way out..

But than things go wrong. The one, that gurded two captors either didn't managed to hold them, or was bribed by them, but alarm was sounded and base garrison, 300 men, was brought in. Several attempts to recapture fortress were repelled. After some losses pakistani were forced to withdraw, and than Burhanutdin Rabbani, responcible for the fortress, arrived and proposed rebels to surrender. But they brought their demands: meeting with soviet ambassador in Pakistan, representatives from the Red Cross and immediate release. All demands were denied. And soon another attack commenced, and was repelled. The qhole fortress by that time was surrounded by pakistan forces and dushmans, including armor and artillery of 11th army corps.

The batlle continues all night. 40 men agains almost 1000. Defenders fell one by one, but the enemy also suffered heavy losses. Soon, desperate pakistani command decided to destroy rebels by using artillery and mlrs's, installed to direct-fire at the fortress.

At morning of 27 april artillery barrage of Badaber commenced. One of the shells striked directly ****nal building, setting it off. Powerfull explosion almost leveled Badaber. The remaining three soviet survivors, wounded and shell-shocked, were dragged under one of the walls and blown by attackers using handgrenades. All soviet prisoners were dead.. Two afghani managed to escape in the meyhem.

The casualties of the Pakistanian army and mujahedeen are vary, but according to some claims 120 dushmans, 100 pakistan soldiers and 6 american instructors were killed, Badaber base was destroyed. Explosion destroyed 3 "Grad's", thousands of shells and rockets, about 40 cannons, mortars and machine-guns. The fortress's chancellery was also destroyed along with list of captives.

This event shook afghanistan rebels. Gulbetdine Hackmatiar at 29 april issued an order, stated "do not take shuravi(soviets) prisoners"...

Names remained unknown for very long time, but after some big work names of the seven were found:

Vas'kov Igor Nikolaevich, 1963, Kostromskaya oblast
Dudkin Nikolay Iosifovich, 1961, v.Altaya
Levchishin Sergey Nikolaevich, 1964, Samarskaya oblast
Saminj Nikolay Grigoriyevich, 1964, Kazachstan, Akmolinskaya oblast
Zverkovich Alexandr Nikolaevich, 1964, Belarus, Vitebskaya oblast
Korshenko Sergey Vasilievich, 1964, Ukraine, Belaya Cerkov
Duhovchenko Victor Vasilievich, 1954, Ukraine, Zaporozhje

Korshenko was awarded in 2003 with medal "For valor", 3d degree
Saminj was awarded by medal "Valor" 3d degree.
 
I did not know of this fight against Islamic extremists. I will certainly take a look at it.
It would seem that your comrades gave all that could be expected of them and as soldiers they deserve everybody's respect.
We at MI.Net will remember them
 
Last edited:
The Wiki link states

This is a partial list of Soviet POW:

- Aleksandr Alekseevich Matveev(taliban nickname Abdulo), 1963, Altai krai, Russia, private first class;

- Nikolai Iosifovich Dudkin, 1961, village Volchiha, Russia;

- Ravil Saifutidonov, village Bolshoi Sars, Russia;

- Igor Vaskov;

- Sergei Levchishin;

- Sergei Korshenko;

- Alexandr Zverkovich;

- Nikolai Samin', intended to immigrate to France;

- Nikolai Ivanovich Shevchenko(Abdurahman), 1956, village Dmitrievka, Ukraine, driver, initiated the revolt;

- Kanat, from Kazakhstan, lost his mind in this prison;

- 2 other unknown Soviet soldiers, possibly Vladimir Ivanovich Shipeev, 1963, Cheboksary, Russia; and Ivan Belekchi;

- Nasyrjon K. Rustamov(still alive and lives in Uzbekistan);

- Mihail Aramovich Varvaryan(Islamutdin), 1960, village Ararat, Armenia, private, deserted to mujahideens in Bagram, probably alive and was complicit with Rabbani forces.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top