In fact, coastal missile troops are somewhat superstitious. For example, they don't shave on the day of missile launches to avoid jinxing the shooting. However, they do shave the day before. In the morning, they don't shave at all. They also have a special attitude towards missiles. While for some, a missile is just a serial "product" with a specific number, it's not the case for Lieutenant Colonel Ravkhat Akhmatdinov, the commander of the tactical missile division of the Northern Fleet's coastal forces. When, to participate in the strategic command and staff exercises (SKSHU) "West-99", his unit, having made a multi-kilometer march, went to the designated position area and began to deploy on the ground, Ravhat Gelmukhanovich ordered among the first tasks... clear the road dirt from the rockets: "Otherwise they will be offended!" And the shooting of the rocket men was going to be unique.

For the first time, Lieutenant Colonel Viktor Bogomolov's separate missile regiment was deployed in two position areas, with a direct radar visibility distance of about 100 kilometers. Usually, missile firings by the Northern Fleet's BRAV units were conducted in a single position area, with a maximum distance of 10 kilometers between them. However, during the Zapad-99 exercise, the "coastal" units were tasked with"To complicate matters, two missile divisions (operational and tactical) were deployed on the Rybachy Peninsula, while Lieutenant Colonel Akhmatdinov's unit was stationed near the fishing village of Teriberka, just a few hundred meters from the coast of the Barents Sea. The tactical divisions formed a unified coastal strike group with its command center located on the Rybachy Peninsula, and were tasked with launching missile strikes against the simulated enemy in coordination with the Northern Fleet's ships. The task was ambitious in concept and scale, but it required meticulous coordination between units to ensure its successful execution. From the very first day, Ravkhat Gelmukhanovich's subordinates began training and preparing the missile technology for the upcoming launches.

We visited the positions of Lieutenant Colonel Akhmatdinov's division two days before the shooting. When we asked him if he was confident that all the tasks set for the SKSHU would be completed, he simply replied, "Yes, I am confident!" If there were any issues, the unit would implement a "missile daily routine," where soldiers would leave their posts only after all problems were resolved. In fact, the Rubezh missile system is very reliable and convenient due to its autonomy and mobility. It can detect and destroy surface ships of various classes and even submarines in the surface position. The Rubezh missile is highly durable. Lieutenant Colonel Akhmatdinov shared that when the division launched target missiles to practice air defense forces, the Rubezh missile continued to fly along its trajectory even after being hit by a remote explosion.

But, as you know, no matter how perfect the technology may be, the human factor has always played and will continue to play a decisive role in achieving victory over the enemy. In this regard, the personnel of the division deserve nothing but praise. Ravkhat Gelmukhanovich's missile launchers have been firing from the coast for several years now. As a rule, they only achieve good and excellent results. In our opinion, the number of stars for successful launches on the cabins of the "Rubezhi" is a significant indicator. There were twelve and six of them on the launchers deployed in Teriberka. And if we add to this that Lieutenant Colonel Ravkhat Akhmatdinov's division is the best in the regiment based on the results of combat training over the past academic year, then it becomes clear that only the most prepared and experienced individuals are eligible to participate in missile firings.

By the way, when we asked the division commander to name one of his subordinates who was most deserving of praise, Lieutenant Colonel Akhmatdinov replied without hesitation: "Write down the names of all of them. The fact is that missile weapons are a collective weapon. It is very difficult to single out one person."

"Naturally, the main responsibility for the success of the launch lies with the commander of the launch battery and the head of the crew," the lieutenant colonel continued. "The same can be said about the 'managers.' Without the sailor and the driver-mechanic who drive the launcher to the launch position, we won't have any luck. They must set the course of the launcher with precision to the degree. If they set it incorrectly, we may not even hit the target." So for me, every person is indispensable and important in their own way.

Therefore, in accordance with the division commander's request, we noted in our journalistic notebooks: "Teriberka. Tactical Missile Division. SPU "Rubizh". Two days before the launch. The experimental firing will be carried out by Lieutenant Colonels Ravkhat Akhmatdinov and Sergey Nikitsky, Majors Yuri Golovin, Vyacheslav Launin, and Igor Aristarkhov, Captain Alexander Bychikhin, Midshipman Nikolai Markov, Ensign Sergey Panin, Senior Sailor Vladimir Chertorogov, and Sailors Alexey Andreev and Sergey Arestov... We recorded it and were not mistaken: two days later, Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, Commander of the Northern Fleet, announced it directly over the radio from the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter the Great."I would like to express my gratitude to the entire personnel of the Separate Coastal Missile Regiment. "During the first stage of the Special Combat Training Exercise, they performed their task exceptionally well. I am very grateful to them for this."

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