Issue 129 (2016)

A.V. Kuznetsova-Timonova, PhD, leading specialist

Institute of history of NAS of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2640.2016.129.2.06

THE CIVIL WAR IN ANGOLA (1975 – 2002) AND THE FATE OF SOVIET SOLDIERS:

THE EXAMPLE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF BELARUS

This article contains information on the fate and participation in the Civil war in Angola 1975-2002, Soviet military personnel on the example of representatives of Belarus. Focuses on the fact that the former official Soviet statistics (12 thousand participants and 54 people who died) is not reliable. The Angolan territory is divided into 17 provinces. At the head of each province was the Commissioner. During the Civil war, or those other provinces were part of a military district. Main districts: 1st – Negage, 2nd – Cabinda (both North), 3rd – Luena (East), 4th – Huambo (centre), 5th – Lubango, 6th – Menongue (both South). Depending on the intensity of the fighting, all the districts were divided into categories: combat and noncombat. Military districts throughout the Civil war were 3rd and 6th. In different periods of the battle was also considered the 1st, 4th and 5th district. Every Soviet soldier who went on a business trip, had at least a year (from the mandatory two years without a family or three family) to spend in the combat area. Indicates that unlike in Afghanistan, in Angola has never fought against the regular Soviet troops. All representatives of the Soviet armed forces in Angola wore a common name – "Soviet military advisers and experts" (SMA and E) and are conditionally divided into the following groups: military advisers, military specialist, military interpreters, soldiers.

Key words: Angola, civil war, military advisers, military specialist, military interpreters, soldiers.