
Russian Spetsnaz History: GRU, KGB, FSB, MVD, Alpha, Vympel. The Russian Spetsnaz Troops were raised as the troops of the Main Intelligence Department and in the 1980s numbered 30,000 soldiers. During the 1970’s, when the Cold War was at its height, the West became aware of the existence of Soviet Spetsnaz troops. Although the Cold War is over, Russian Spetsnaz units are still part of the Russian order-of-battle, although their missions have changed.