The North Caucasus District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation is called an outpost of law and order in the South of Russia. For more than five years, the district's troops have been commanded by Colonel General Mikhail Ivanovich Labunets.

Comrade Colonel General, what is the North Caucasus District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia like today?
- In recent years, the North Caucasus District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, as they say, has grown in many respects. Both in firepower and in the skill of the personnel. District management officers have gained a wealth of experience. The professional training of commanders of subunits, units, and formations has increased. This, in particular, was confirmed by both the first and second Chechen campaigns.
The formation of the majority of military units in the district coincided with the beginning of the armed conflict in the Chechen Republic. Through all stages of the military-political confrontation in Chechnya, maintaining constitutional order in other regions of the North Caucasus, generals, officers, warrant officers, sergeants and soldiers carried a high sense of responsibility to the country and people, loyalty to military duty. They courageously overcome numerous difficulties, showing courage and heroism. Judge for yourself. Thirty-four military personnel were awarded the title of Hero of Russia. To our deepest regret, twenty-six of them were posthumous. Thousands of military personnel have received state awards.
Law enforcement forces in Chechnya seized about a dozen pieces of armored vehicles, over two thousand firearms, about eighty thousand of various types of ammunition, more than ten and a half thousand kilograms of explosives, 780 kilograms of narcotic substances, and destroyed more than a thousand mini-plants for processing petroleum products.
- Mikhail Ivanovich, what concerns are especially typical for the commander of the district troops?
- My main concern is to prevent the loss of personnel in counter-terrorism operations. Unfortunately, there is no war without losses. However, I would very much like our system to never thin out. Hence the main concern: that all military personnel be alive, healthy and successfully accomplish combat missions.
My most cherished wish is for peace and tranquility to return to the North Caucasus region as quickly as possible. It is clear that the path to peace is not easy. But there is no other option.
- Now in Chechnya, army units are no longer conducting large-scale combat operations. Is the tactics of the Internal Troops changing in this regard?
- She has changed a long time ago. Indeed, after the liberation of Grozny and the settlement of Komsomolskoye from bandits, the troops did not conduct large-scale operations using a large number of forces or powerful weapons. And this is understandable: the main forces of the separatists were defeated.
Now our efforts are aimed primarily at processing operational information from internal affairs bodies and other law enforcement agencies to identify and detain members of gangs hiding from law enforcement agencies.
Internal troops are participating in special events to capture separatists and carry out targeted strikes on gang bases in mountainous areas.
- What would you like to wish the personnel on the eve of their professional holiday?
- On behalf of the military council, the district command, and on my own behalf, I would like to express my gratitude to the military personnel of the district for their military work, wish them success in fulfilling their service and combat missions, good health, professional excellence, personal happiness and happiness to their families.
Thank you all for your courageous, selfless, noble service for the good of the Fatherland.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Labunets Mikhail Ivanovich - Hero of the Russian Federation. From 1998 to 2004, Commander of the North Caucasus District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Colonel General.
Born November 17, 1945.
In the Internal Troops since October 1964. Graduated from the Ordzhonikidze Higher Military Command School of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze. Consistently held all command positions in the troops - commander of a platoon, company, battalion of a regiment and division of the Internal Troops. He took part in operations to eliminate interethnic conflicts in various “hot spots” in the territory of the former USSR.
From 1996 to 2004, he commanded the troops of the North Caucasus District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. In 1998, Lieutenant General Labunts M.I. awarded the military rank of Colonel General.
General Labunets led the actions of the district troops in the battles of the first Chechen war of 1994-1995, when repelling the invasion of militant gangs into Dagestan in August - September 1999, in the second Chechen war.
From February to September 2000 - commander of the Internal Troops group as part of the United Group of Russian Forces in the Chechen Republic.
U Order of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1304 of November 8, 2002 for courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty in the North Caucasus region, Colonel General Labunts Mikhail Ivanovich awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation with the presentation of a special distinction - the Gold Star medal.
He continued to serve in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. Was at the disposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, currently in reserve.
Awarded the Soviet Order "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 2nd and 3rd degree, the Order "For Personal Courage", the Russian Order of Courage, the Order "For Military Merit", medals.

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Khoperskov Grigory Konstantinovich- Hero of the Russian Federation, from December 1999 to January 2000, head of the Directorate of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation for the Chechen Republic, lieutenant general.
Born November 17, 1946.

In the army since 1964. In 1968 he graduated from the Ulyanovsk Guards Higher Tank Command School.

Since September 1971 - in the personnel of the KGB of the USSR.
Since February 1988 - Deputy Head of the Special Department of the KGB for the Turkestan Military District. In 1988-1989, as part of a limited contingent of a group of Soviet troops, he took part in military operations in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. As part of motorized maneuver groups, he repeatedly took part in military clashes with the enemy.

From 1992 to December 1993 - Deputy Head of the Military Counterintelligence Department of the Ministry of Security of the Russian Federation for the Turkestan Military District. Since April 1994 - Deputy Head of the Military Counterintelligence Directorate of the Federal Counterintelligence Service of the Russian Federation for the North Caucasus Military District. Since December 1994 - Head of the Directorate of the FSK and FSB of Russia for the Chechen Republic.

From April 1996 to October 1999 - Deputy Head of the Russian FSB Directorate for Internal Troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs - Head of the Russian FSB Directorate for the North Caucasus District of the Russian Internal Troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. From December 1999 to January 2000 - Head of the Russian FSB Directorate for the Chechen Republic.

During the special operation, he showed fearlessness, dedication, and the deepest devotion to military duty.
U Order of the President of the Russian Federation No. 393 of February 19, 2000 for courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty, to Lieutenant General Khoperskov Grigory Konstantinovich awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation with the presentation of a special distinction - the Gold Star medal (No. 602).
In November 2000, he graduated from the leadership training department of the Academy of the FSB of Russia. Since February 2003, Lieutenant General G.K. Khoperskov has been in reserve due to health reasons.
Lieutenant General (2000). Awarded orders and medals.
His name is immortalized in the Gallery of Alumni - Heroes of the Fatherland at the Institute of the FSB of Russia in Novosibirsk.

L Abunets Mikhail Ivanovich – commander of the troops of the North Caucasus District of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Colonel General.

In the Internal Troops (VV) of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs since October 1964. Graduated from the Ordzhonikidze Higher Military Command School of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs (1967), the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze (1977), advanced training courses for officers at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR (1985).

Consistently held all command positions in the troops - commander of a platoon, company, battalion, regiment, 22nd special-purpose brigade, 100th special-purpose division of internal troops. He took part in operations to eliminate interethnic conflicts in various “hot spots” in the territory of the former USSR, starting with the events in Nagorno-Karabakh in the late 1980s.

In 1996-2004 he commanded the troops of the North Caucasus District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. He led the actions of the district troops in the battles of the first Chechen war of 1994-1995, when repelling the invasion of militant gangs into Dagestan in August-September 1999, in the second Chechen war.

From February to September 2000 - commander of a group of internal troops as part of the United Group of Russian Forces in the Chechen Republic. In March 2000, he led a military operation to destroy a large gang (about 1,500 militants) of R. Gelayev in the village of Komsomolskoye, where bloody battles broke out, comparable in their ferocity only to the assault on Grozny. Consistently advancing from line to line, Russian troops tightened the encirclement, while at the same time repelling the enemy’s constant attempts to break out into the mountains.

He was constantly on the front line and at observation posts, leading the operation. He showed personal courage in battles. Thus, on March 15, militants blocked the units of the Ural District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the SOBR under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia that had rushed forward. He personally led the attack of the special forces of the Siberian district of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, as a result of which the encircled units were saved. Moreover, with this surprise attack the militants were driven from their positions, and the Russian troops managed to significantly advance forward.

On the night of March 17, over 100 militants tried to break out of the encirclement on the southeastern outskirts of the village. They managed to penetrate the location of the troops blockading the village. General Labunets hastily arrived at the scene of the battle with a special forces detachment from the North-Western District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Most of the militants who broke through died in that battle, and the survivors had to return to the village. By March 22, the operation was completed. In total, during the assault on the village of Komsomolskoye, over 1,000 militants were killed, 273 militants were captured, and 8 Russian servicemen were released from captivity.

U Order of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1304dsp dated November 8, 2002 for courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty in the North Caucasus region, Colonel General Labunts Mikhail Ivanovich awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

He continued to serve in the internal troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs in the same position. In July 2004, he was removed from his position. The main reason for the withdrawal was cited in the press as the inaction of the Russian Internal Troops units during the attack of a large gang on the capital of Ingushetia, the city of Nazran, on the night of June 22, 2004. Was at the disposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, and was soon dismissed.

Since 2008 - Vice-Rector for Regime of the South Russian State Polytechnic University (Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute) named after M.I. Platov, since 2015 - Assistant to the Rector there. Candidate of Political Sciences.

Lives in the Rostov region. Actively participates in military-patriotic work. Since 2005 - Chairman of the branch of the Military Leaders Club of the Russian Federation in the Southern Federal District, and is a member of a number of other public organizations. Member of the Public Council at the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Rostov Region.

Colonel General (1998). Awarded the Soviet Order “For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR” 2nd and 3rd (12/27/1982) degrees, Russian Orders of Courage (12/27/1999), “For Military Merit” (12/31/1994, No. 3), “ For personal courage" (08/06/1994), medals.

Labunets Mikhail Ivanovich - Commander of the North Caucasus District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Colonel General. Born on November 17, 1945 in the city of Astrakhan. Russian. In the Internal Troops since October 1964. Graduated from the Ordzhonikidze Higher Military Command School of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs (1967), the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze (1977), advanced training courses for officers at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR (1985). Consistently held all command positions in the troops - commander of a platoon, company, battalion, regiment, 22nd Special Purpose Brigade, 100th Special Purpose Division of the Internal Troops. He took part in operations to eliminate interethnic conflicts in various “hot spots” in the territory of the former USSR. From 1996 to 2004, he commanded the troops of the North Caucasus District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. General Labunets led the actions of the district troops in the battles of the first Chechen war of 1994-1995, when repelling the invasion of militant gangs into Dagestan in August - September 1999, in the second Chechen war. From February to September 2000 - commander of the Internal Troops group as part of the United Group of Russian Forces in the Chechen Republic. In March 2000, he led a military operation to destroy a large gang (about 1,500 militants) of R. Gelayev in the village of Komsomolskoye, where bloody battles broke out, comparable in their ferocity only to the storming of Grozny. Consistently advancing from line to line, Russian troops tightened the encirclement, while at the same time repelling the enemy’s constant attempts to break out into the mountains. Colonel General Labunets was constantly on the front line and at observation posts, supervising the operation. He showed personal courage in battles. Thus, on March 15, militants blocked the units of the Ural District of the Internal Troops and SOBR under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation that had taken the lead. General Labunets personally led the attack of the special forces of the Siberian District of the Internal Troops, as a result of which the encircled units were saved. Moreover, with this sudden attack the militants were knocked out of their positions and the Russian troops managed to significantly advance forward. On the night of March 17, over a hundred militants tried to break out of the encirclement on the southeastern outskirts of the village. They managed to penetrate the location of the troops blockading the village. Labunets hastily arrived at the scene of the battle with a special forces detachment from the Northwestern District of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Most of the militants who broke through died in that battle, and the survivors had to return to the village. By March 22, the operation was completed. In total, during the assault on Komsomolskoye, over one thousand militants were killed, 273 militants were captured, and 8 Russian servicemen were released from captivity. By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1304 of November 8, 2002, Colonel General Labunts Mikhail Ivanovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation for the courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty in the North Caucasus region. He continued to serve in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. In July 2004, he was removed from his position. The main reason for his removal from office was the inaction of units of the Internal Troops during the attack of a large gang on the capital of Ingushetia, the city of Nazran, on the night of June 22, 2004. Was at the disposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, currently in reserve. Lives in the Rostov region. Since 2008 - Vice-Rector for Regime of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "South Russian State Technical University (Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute)". Colonel General (1998). He was awarded the Soviet orders “For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR” 2nd and 3rd degrees, “For Personal Courage”, Russian Orders of Courage, “For Military Merit”, medals.

Mikhail Labunets. Touches to the portrait

I heard about this general back in the first Chechen campaign and even saw it briefly, but it didn’t come to acquaintance.

We met him in 1997, when I was appointed deputy commander of the North Caucasian Military District and moved from Vladikavkaz to Rostov-on-Don. And Mikhail Ivanovich was already heading the North Caucasus District of Internal Troops.

However, even after 1997, we rarely met, we almost didn’t communicate - for example, we bumped into each other at some events in an official atmosphere. Is it possible to recognize a person in such situations? After all, as a rule, everyone is wearing some kind of mask, behind which you cannot see the real face.

And then came the hot August of 1999, when illegal armed groups led by Khattab and Basayev invaded Dagestan. And then came the hot September, when the operation began to eliminate the bandit enclave in the Kadar zone, where a zone uncontrolled by the federal and republican authorities arose in several settlements - a self-proclaimed Wahhabi state with its own “army”.

By the will of the then prevailing circumstances, I was appointed head of this operation, and Mikhail Ivanovich Labunets became my deputy for internal troops. I won’t lie, I was a little worried then: how would our relationship with him develop? It is no secret that friction often arises between bosses from different departments, whose forces and means act together in one matter. Especially in such circumstances as then, in September 1999.

Let me remind you that at that moment I was a lieutenant general, deputy commander of the North Caucasian Military District, and Mikhail Ivanovich was a colonel general, commander of the North Caucasus District of Internal Troops. In addition, according to the plan of the operation, almost all the dirty work (that is, the storming of the villages of Karamakhi and Chabanmakhi with their powerful fortifications and a solid garrison) was to be carried out by the units and units of the internal troops. Of course, army men - artillerymen, aviators, tank crews, paratroopers - were also involved in the operation, but the “inners” got the most responsible and dangerous job.

As a result, it turned out that I, a two-star general (by official position - the second person in my district), had to command a three-star general, who, moreover, by staff (even in another department) headed the district. Already in this very staffing and official alignment a “mine” of future disagreements was laid. It could explode, that is, lead sooner or later to a conflict situation. And I even tuned in to this in advance, internally grouped myself in order to be mentally prepared for any friction.

However, my worst fears were not confirmed. Moreover, already in the first days of the operation (at the stage of development and approval of plans) I realized that Labunets was terribly far from the bureaucratic-general swagger. It never occurred to him to challenge primacy when making decisions; the very thought of an unfair distribution of roles did not even arise. From the first minutes we found a common language, and mutual understanding did not leave us throughout all the days of fighting in the Kadar zone. However, in all subsequent months and years of joint work.

Naturally, we became spiritually closer in that hot September of 1999, we even became friends. I remember there were moments when I watched him unnoticed by Labunts. He looked picturesque: in camouflage soiled with earth, he stood in a trench and, resting his elbows on the parapet, peered through binoculars at the slopes of the mountains along which his men were advancing; on his cheeks and chin there was three-day gray stubble (there was no time to even shave due to the heat of battle), his eyes were red from lack of sleep and fatigue, his voice was hoarse from continuous reports and commands; the radio station in his powerful hand seemed to be heating up from prolonged work... Anyone who saw Labunts at such moments could not help but admire him - a real military general, far from the parquet bustle of high headquarters.

In addition, Mikhail Ivanovich himself is a very textured man - tall, lean, without a single hint of a belly (which, alas, for many people of our age is an indispensable attribute of the figure), an ascetic face, coarse from the sun and winds, pepper-like hair with salt” (and now, after several years, they are already completely gray)... If it were my will and fate had decreed otherwise, I, as a film director, would have filmed him in the roles of great commanders. You won't find a better type.

Apparently, fate itself, the profession (and therefore high responsibility and the most difficult trials) shape not only the inner world of a person, but to a large extent also his appearance. It is not for nothing that stable phrases and images have become entrenched among the people and the language - “strong-willed chin”, “eagle gaze”, “hard line of the mouth”, etc.

In general, Mikhail Labunets is a real military general. And I saw this with my own eyes.

At the next stage of the operation on the right flank, where one of the special forces detachments of the internal troops was operating, a difficult situation arose: the advance of our units stalled.

Naturally, in war it rarely happens that all plans and decisions are carried out flawlessly, accurately and on time. The real situation is so complex and dynamic that you simply cannot physically take everything into account. For example, we assumed that the Wahhabis, entrenched in the villages of Karamakhi and Chabanmakhi, would resist desperately. But not to the same extent as, tied with grenades, rushing into the thick of the attackers and dying, taking with them the lives of our guys.

As it later became clear from the testimony of prisoners, local (Dagestan and even Chechen) Wahhabis were less rigid, counting on amnesty and other concessions from our Russian legislation. And besides, they had families here (previously we gave the opportunity to leave the combat zone along the “green corridor” for children, women and the elderly), houses, property, and household plots. Deep down, the local residents were not interested in the total destruction of everything they had acquired (no matter whether by righteous or unrighteous means). However, in the ranks of the Wahhabis in the Kadar zone there were many mercenaries from far abroad. These people, of course, believed that the Russians would not stand on ceremony with them.

They themselves rejected all laws of the civilized world and were sure that we would commit lawlessness against them too.

Of course it was their mistake. We subsequently tried to judge even the captured mercenaries according to the relevant laws. However, at that moment, the “wild geese” who had gone through Khattab’s school did not give up themselves, and the local Wahhabis were not allowed to relax, and fought desperately, like kamikazes.

Unfortunately, not all of our soldiers were mentally prepared for such resistance. And at one point in the offensive, when a Wahhabi suicide bomber, with a heart-rending cry of “Allahu Akbar,” rushed out of the trench at the special forces, blew himself up and one of our soldiers with a grenade, and wounded another, our guys wavered and rolled back.

From the command post, the steep slope with the lower outskirts of the village of Chabanmakhi, where these events took place, was clearly visible. Labunts and I saw everything through binoculars... And then I did not interfere. I think I’ll let Mikhail Ivanovich figure it out himself; I won’t pull his sleeve at such a tense moment. Moreover, it is his people who have stalled, he knows them by name, by sight, and by character. I just glanced sideways and listened, as if by chance, what commands he was giving to the subordinate officer on this matter. Although, of course, I could not remain indifferent. Firstly, even though these were internal troops, they were still ours. Secondly, the special forces attack on the southern outskirts of Chabanmakhi was not autonomous, but was closely connected with the general course of the operation. The actions of subunits and units in other areas indirectly depended on the special forces. In short, because someone slowed down on the southern slope of Chabanmakhi, a delay could have occurred in other places, since the bandits had the opportunity to maneuver - they could transfer part of their forces and means to neighboring directions.

I hear that Mikhail Ivanovich contacted the commander of the special forces who had withdrawn from their line:

What's going on there? Why did I get stuck?

Labunets, pressing the radio station to his cheek, does not take his binoculars from his eyes.

Come on, quickly understand the situation, clarify the task - everyone, if necessary, regroup and move forward! Because of you, everything can slow down...

After a while, in a harsher tone, Mikhail Ivanovich attacked his subordinate:

Why are you lying?! What attack? What stubborn resistance is there? I can see from here how your fighters are chasing chickens around the yards... Have you decided to have lunch there at the same time at someone else’s expense?! Well, I’ll give you a damn summation!

A few minutes later, with metal in a hoarse voice:

If you don’t go on the attack in three minutes, I’ll cover you with mortars! Do you understand me?! I'll give you other people's chickens, you'll have lunch with me!..

Labunets is on the verge of a breakdown, there are sparks from his eyes, he plays with his nodules, he can barely restrain himself so as not to promise the worst to the would-be commander, and I even began to laugh. I had to turn away so that no one would see the smile on my face.

Here Leonty Pavlovich Shevtsov (Colonel General, who oversaw the operation from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but for the time being did not interfere in the situation, so as not to disturb us) approached Labunts:

Mikhail Ivanovich, there is no need for mortars, don’t worry, I’ll sort it out on the spot, and you calmly control the battle...

With these words, he boarded an armored personnel carrier and drove to the outskirts of Chabanmakhi, where the special forces were stuck.

After some time, the detachment commander briefly reported: “I’m attacking,” and things went ahead.

Leonty Pavlovich returns, Labunts and I ask:

What did you do with him?

“I did what I needed to do,” Shevtsov smiled slyly.

So we never found out what measures of influence Leonty Pavlovich used, but the main thing is that the job was done: the special forces went on the attack, there was no need to cover them with mortars. (And it’s unlikely that Mikhail Ivanovich would have agreed to this. He simply threatened.)

But all the same, I’ll give him a debrief,” Labunets grumbled angrily, meaning the special forces commander, “he’ll wait for awards from me!”

Throughout the entire operation in the Kadar zone, this was the only time that Labunts needed outside help. Mikhail Ivanovich did not need any hints. His work was impeccable. All I had to do was coordinate the actions of forces and means to defeat the bandits in this operation.

I was amazed at his endurance. He did not sleep for days, did not weaken control of his subordinate troops, did not forget a single detail in the development of the battle, and instantly made the only right decision. He was demanding of his officers, but at the same time he pitied the soldiers, did not drive them into the enemy’s bullets thoughtlessly, for the sake of dubious success, ate from a soldier’s bowler hat, and if he managed to rest for an hour or two, he slept in an armored personnel carrier, which stood next to the command post. For me, Labunets is a real trench general, alien to political intrigue.

When later, in March 2000, a huge detachment of Ruslan Gelayev (about 1,000 militants) entered the village of Komsomolskoye, Labunets led the operation to destroy it. Mikhail Ivanovich’s personal contribution to the defeat of the Gelayevites can hardly be overestimated. The operation in Komsomolskoye practically ended the active phase of hostilities in Chechnya. After this, the enemy no longer had the strength to keep the initiative in his hands and impose the rules of the game on us. Hundreds of bandits were destroyed, many dozens were captured. At Komsomolskoye we won a notable victory.

It is not surprising that the result of this operation was that Colonel General M. Labunets was nominated for the title of Hero of Russia. However, this idea was stuck for a long time somewhere in high Moscow offices.

How so? - I asked the then commander-in-chief of the internal troops.

The minister is against it,” he answered me.

How so? - I dared to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The commander-in-chief has no idea,” the minister said.

I just threw up my hands. Some kind of vicious circle! It was a shame for Mikhail Ivanovich - a real plowman of the war, worthy of a high award. He never asked for himself; he is alien to this vicious practice of beating out orders for himself (although there are generals like that!). He stood up for others, proved that this or that person deserved encouragement. It seems to me that he did not expect anything for his military work. Moreover, he was aware that he was not very favored at the top; officially praised, but some bosses have a grudge against him - because of his soldierly straightforwardness, his temper, his contempt for the official rules of the game...

And yet, not only me, many military men (and non-military men too) respected Labunts, considered him a hero and worked hard for a worthy reward. A few years later, Mikhail Ivanovich was nevertheless awarded the Gold Star. This was logical and fair, although Labunets no longer expected to be awarded such a high title. I sincerely rejoiced with him and congratulated my comrade in arms.

We rarely see each other lately. Mikhail Ivanovich has enough worries, he is busy with business, although he has already retired to the reserve. But I know that he will endure everything, will not relax, and will bear his cross with dignity. And I am proud that I served next to him, that I could lean on his strong shoulder. If all the commanders in our Armed Forces were like Labunets, half of the problems would be solved without any reforms and without political agitation.