A Grim Toll: Examining The Human Cost Of Russia's Afghan War

The Soviet–Afghan War was a conflict fought between the Soviet Union and the Afghan mujahideen and their foreign allies. The war lasted from 1979 to 1989 and resulted in the deaths of approximately 1 million Afghan civilians, 90,000 mujahideen fighters, 18,000 Afghan troops, and 14,500 Soviet soldiers.

The war began when the Soviets brought their 40th Army to Afghanistan to support the newly established pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. The Soviets took control of major cities and highways, but the mujahideen, with support from the United States, Pakistan, and other countries, fought back. The Soviets responded with massive military campaigns that caused extensive destruction and loss of life, leading the local population to side with the mujahideen.

The war resulted in a nationwide resistance movement and eventually contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Soviet military tactics, which included bombing and depopulating rural areas, caused a massive exodus of refugees, with millions of Afghans fleeing the country. The mujahideen were eventually able to neutralize Soviet air power through the use of U.S.-supplied Stinger missiles.

The Soviet Union agreed to withdraw its troops in 1988 and completed the withdrawal in February 1989. Despite the Soviet Union's efforts to prop up a sympathetic regime, Afghanistan returned to non-aligned status after the war.

The Soviet-Afghan War lasted from 1979 to 1989

The war began when the Soviets, under the command of Leonid Brezhnev, invaded Afghanistan to support the local pro-Soviet government. The Soviets deployed troops to occupy Afghanistan's major cities and all main arteries of communication, while the mujahideen waged guerrilla warfare in the rugged, mountainous terrain of the countryside. The mujahideen were highly effective, and the Soviets were unable to control the whole country. The mujahideen received support from many countries, and their military efforts and arms improved over time.

The Soviets attempted to crush the insurgency with various tactics, including bombing and depopulating rural areas to eliminate the mujahideen's civilian support. These tactics sparked a massive flight from the countryside, with millions of Afghans seeking refuge in Pakistan and Iran. The Soviets also laid millions of landmines across Afghanistan and used aerial power to deal harshly with both Afghan resistance and civilians, levelling villages.

By the mid-1980s, the Soviet military presence in Afghanistan had increased to approximately 115,000 troops, and fighting intensified. The war effort gradually inflicted a high cost on the Soviet Union as military, economic, and political resources became increasingly exhausted. In mid-1987, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev announced the beginning of a complete Soviet military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The final wave of disengagement was initiated on May 15, 1988, and on February 15, 1989, the last Soviet military column left Afghanistan.

The Soviet-Afghan War resulted in the deaths of approximately 3,000,000 Afghans, while millions more fled the country as refugees. The war also caused grave destruction throughout Afghanistan and contributed significantly to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, formally ending the Cold War.

The Soviets invaded Afghanistan to support the pro-Soviet government

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was motivated by a desire to support the pro-Soviet government in the country. The invasion, which began in December 1979, was prompted by a series of factors, including geopolitical calculations, ideological considerations, and security concerns.

The Soviet Union had a long-standing interest in Afghanistan due to its strategic location. The country served as a buffer state between the British Raj and the Russian Empire during the "Great Game" of the 19th century. This rivalry continued into the Cold War, with the Soviet Union vying for influence against the United States.

The rise of communism in Afghanistan was a critical factor. In April 1978, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), a Marxist-Leninist group, seized power in a coup. This led to the establishment of a communist regime that pursued radical reforms, including land redistribution and the advancement of women's rights. However, these reforms sparked resistance from conservative and religious groups, who united under the banner of the mujahideen ("soldiers of God").

The Soviet Union was concerned about the potential spread of Islamic fundamentalism and the possible loss of a pro-Soviet regime in Afghanistan. They feared that if Afghanistan fell to the mujahideen, it could inspire similar movements in Muslim-majority regions within the Soviet Union, particularly in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Additionally, they wanted to preserve their influence in the region and showcase their ability to support communist governments worldwide.

The Soviet invasion was also influenced by geopolitical struggles with the United States. The Cold War rivalry between the two superpowers played a significant role. The United States provided substantial support to the mujahideen, including weapons, training, and funding, turning the conflict into a proxy war.

The invasion was intended to be a rapid and decisive operation, but it evolved into a prolonged and costly war for the Soviets. The Soviet military employed conventional tactics but struggled against the determined and resourceful mujahideen guerrillas. The conflict resulted in significant civilian casualties and human rights abuses, with the Soviet military employing air strikes and scorched-earth policies.

The Soviet invasion was met with international condemnation, and the United States imposed economic sanctions. The war strained the Soviet Union economically, militarily, and politically, contributing to its decline and eventual dissolution in 1991.

The Soviets killed Amin and installed Karmal as president

On the night of December 24, 1979, the Soviets sent in about 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, overthrowing the short-lived presidency of Hafizullah Amin. The Soviets' aim was to prop up their new but faltering client state, now headed by Babrak Karmal, a Soviet loyalist.

The Soviets had several reasons for removing Amin from power. Firstly, they believed that Amin was an unpredictable ally. Some in the Kremlin suspected that Amin had attempted to forge links with Washington. Amin's penchant for using brutal methods to crush his rivals fuelled growing opposition to communist rule in Afghanistan.

Secondly, the Soviets believed that Amin's actions had destabilized the situation in Afghanistan. Based on information from the KGB, Soviet leaders felt that Amin's actions had destabilized the situation in Afghanistan and the USSR. They also suspected that Amin was not loyal to the Soviets and had attempted to be friendlier with Pakistan and China.

Thirdly, the Soviets wanted to prevent a quagmire like the Vietnam War. They initially resisted sending troops to Afghanistan despite the Afghan government's pleas for military assistance. They told the Afghan government to reach a compromise with the foreign fighters instead.

Finally, the Soviets wanted to prevent religious fanaticism from spreading through Afghanistan and into Soviet Muslim Central Asian republics. They believed that Amin's harsh repressions would lead to the activation and consolidation of the opposition.

The Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989

The Soviet-Afghan War, which lasted from 1979 to 1989, was a conflict between the Soviet Union and various Afghan rebel groups known as the Mujahideen. The Soviets entered Afghanistan in 1979 to support the newly established pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. Nearly 100,000 Soviet soldiers took control of major cities and highways. The Mujahideen received foreign support from countries such as Iran, Pakistan, China, and the United States. The brutal nine-year conflict resulted in the deaths of approximately one million civilians, 90,000 Mujahideen fighters, 18,000 Afghan troops, and 14,500 Soviet soldiers.

The Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan began on May 15, 1988, and ended on February 15, 1989. The retreat of the 40th Army was a well-executed and carefully planned operation, despite the announcement of a rigid timetable for the withdrawal, which limited the Soviets' ability to respond to the changing situation. The Soviets handed over authority to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA) forces and provided them with military equipment and financial aid. The last Soviet soldier to cross the Afghan-Soviet border was the commanding officer of the 40th Army, General Boris Gromov.

The Soviet withdrawal did not end the country's turmoil, as civil war raged after their departure, leading to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in 1996. The Soviet-Afghan War is often viewed as a significant factor contributing to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Soviets lost 14,453 troops in the war

The Soviet–Afghan War was a conflict fought between the Soviet Union and the Afghan mujahideen from 1979 to 1989. The war began when the Soviets brought their 40th Army to Afghanistan to support the pro-Soviet government that had been installed in the country. The Soviets' entry into the country sparked an immediate increase in foreign involvement, with Islamists from around the world joining the mujahideen. The mujahideen were also supported by many countries, including Pakistan, the United States, and Saudi Arabia.

The Soviets' massive military campaigns against the mujahideen caused extensive destruction of local infrastructure and loss of life, which made the local population side with the mujahideen. This, in turn, led to a loss of support for the Soviet military presence and eventually created a nationwide resistance during the conflict. The Soviets lacked the proper military tactics for guerrilla warfare in Afghanistan's rugged mountainous terrain, and many of their soldiers were young conscripts who had not seen combat before. As a result, they were unable to control the whole country.

During the war, about 14,453 Soviet soldiers were killed, and about 35,000 were wounded. The mujahideen suffered heavier losses, with 90,000 fighters killed. In addition, approximately one million civilians died, and the country's infrastructure was extensively damaged. The war also had a severe impact on Afghanistan's economy, with grain production declining by 3.5% per year between 1978 and 1990.

The Soviet war in Afghanistan was highly unpopular internationally and caused strong negative sentiments among the Muslim population of the Central Asian republics. It also damaged the reputation of the Soviet military, which was unable to control the insurgency and was treated as an invading force by the Afghan people. As the war dragged on and casualties mounted, Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev referred to the conflict as a "bleeding wound." Finally, on February 15, 1989, after ten years of fighting with no end in sight, the Soviets decided to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan.

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