Battleground 370. Battleground: Spetsnaz – Russia’s Elite Shadow
Feb 11, 2026
Julius Strauss, investigative reporter who embedded with Russian Spetsnaz and witnessed Nord-Ost and Beslan, shares frontline eyewitness perspective. He traces Spetsnaz origins and brutal training. They contrast storm assaults with stealth tactics. The conversation covers misuse of these forces, catastrophic medical failures, and their role in recent conflicts.
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Embedded With Spetsnaz In Grozny
- Julius Strauss embedded with an MVD Spetsnaz unit in Grozny for ten days after the 2002 theatre siege.
- He observed extreme physical training, deprivation tolerance, and frontline patrol tactics on armored vehicles.
Deprivation As A Tactical Advantage
- Strauss noted Spetsnaz excel at operating under deprivation and poor equipment, giving them an edge in harsh conditions.
- He contrasted this with Western forces that prioritise sustainment and minimizing casualties.
Spetsnaz 'Storm' Tactics Are Brutal
- Strauss saw Spetsnaz 'storms' as heavy-armour, high-firepower assaults using metal riot shields and APC cover.
- He contrasted the Dubrovka stealth entry as an exception to their normal blunt-force tactics.