Secret Russian Unit, known as 29155 and branded as responsible for coup attempt in Montenegro, poisoning of Russian spy, Sergei Skripal in England, and poisoning of an arms dealer in Bulgaria, was trained in the International Special Forces Training Center in Chechnya.
Members of Russian special units trained in this camp, built in 2016.
What is known about the center?
Media close to the Kremlin, Sputnik in the first place and Russian Gazzette, published in May 2016 in-depth article which stated that a unique center for training special forces, one of a kind in Russia, was being built in the town of Gudermes, Chechnya.
“Special units of all kinds will be trained in the International Center. In addition, other states and services will be enabled to use it for training their special forces. In experts’ opinion, main partners can be Arab and Latin American countries, as well as a community of independent countries and Serbs are welcome too”, reads the text published on 25 June 2016.
Sputnik also published resources of the camp which appeared to be impressive.
“The Center will occupy the area of 400 hectares. The surface area of the main corpus will be 55.000 square meters and it will encompass 14 shooting galleries. Around 500 people can stay in the center and over 1,000 fighters can train. The center will be equipped with state-of-the art technology, military and civil, unseen so far. It will have all the contemporary prerequisites for professional training. It will be used for acquiring skills to free hostages from residential buildings, schools, hospitals, kindergartens and cinemas”, reads Sputnik’s article.
The project was funded by Russian investors, without state’s share and it was said then that “it could cost nearly €200 million”,
Training sessions will be carried out by 200 instructors from Chechnya, experienced in fights at home and abroad. Construction of the complex is managed by one of the greatest Russian specialists, former member of “Alfa” elite squad, Danil Martinov.
President of Chechnya, Mr Ramzan Kadyrov, said back then that the center “will be a warning for those who are trying to change the situation in the Caucasus and the entire country. They should know they will be faced with professionals.
Connection to Montenegro
In January 2017, Pobjeda published text stating that president of Chechnya, Mr Kadyrov, had lobbied for the Bosniak party making coalition with the opposition in Montenegro.
Mr Kadyrov, very close friend with Russian president, Mr Vladimir Putin, was interested in the possibility for the Bosniak party and opposition to join forces and oppose DPS.
Source of Pobjeda claims that this unusual Kadyrov’s initiative wasn’t a surprise but rather, a diplomatic action, well-coordinated with the rest of the opposition.
“Right at that moment, DF and Democratic Montenegro intensified contacts with the part of Bosniak party”, says the Pobjeda source.
Mr Nebojša Medojević and Mr Aleksa Bečić talked with Mr Osman Šahmanović, head of Plav. This story was brought to an end when the Main Committee of the BP decided to form coalition with DPS .
Those findings were corroborated by Saša Sinđelić’s statement, cooperating witness in coup attempt case. He said that “some mufti of the Islamic community in Montenegro received a huge amount of money in order to help create government with DF”.
