The war in Afghanistan (1979-1989). On December 25, 1979, the Soviet Union dispatched a military contingent to Afghanistan. On February 15, 1989, Soviet troops were completely withdrawn from Afghanistan. First Secretary of the Khorezm Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan, deputy of the Supreme Council of the Uzbek SSR and the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, chairman of the executive committee of the Khorezm Regional Council of People's Deputies Rimadzhan Khudaibergenova, right, speaks with Soviet soldiers who have returned home after fighting in Afghanistan. Uzbek SSR.13.03.1989#6532144
The 1979-1989 Afghan War. Soviet paratroopers are fighting in the Khur-Kabul region in Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).15.02.1989#8212113
The 1979-1989 Afghan War. A column of Soviet vehicles on a mountain road leading to the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).15.02.1989#8212108
The 1979-1989 Afghan War. An outpost of a limited contingent of Soviet troops near the city of Charikar in Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).15.02.1989#8212106
The 1979-1989 Afghan War. An outpost of a limited contingent of Soviet troops near the city of Charikar in Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).15.02.1989#8212104
The 1979-1989 Afghan War. A mountain outpost near the city of Kabul in Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).15.02.1989#8212103
The end of the withdrawal of a limited contingent of Soviet troops from Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Solemn meeting of soldiers in the Turkmen SSR.15.02.1989#8226557
The end of the withdrawal of a limited contingent of Soviet troops from Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Solemn meeting of soldiers in the Turkmen SSR.15.02.1989#8226200
The end of the withdrawal of a limited contingent of Soviet troops from Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Solemn meeting of soldiers in the Turkmen SSR.15.02.1989#8226193
The end of the withdrawal of a limited contingent of Soviet troops from Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Solemn meeting of soldiers in the Turkmen SSR.15.02.1989#8226189
The withdrawal of a limited contingent of Soviet troops from Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) is over.15.02.1989#8225173
Right: Member of the military council, head of the political department of the Turkestan military district, Colonel-General Gennady Stefanovsky greets servicemen who have returned from Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).15.02.1989#8225170
Sergeant Vladimir Turchin, veteran of the Afghan War (1979-1989), representative of the Kazakh Council of Military Personnel in Reserve.09.12.1988#6592584
Member of the Military Council of the 40th Army, Major General Valentin Shcherbakov.09.12.1988#6592579
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Fortified command post.05.09.1988#8429320
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). A column of Soviet armored personnel carriers (BTR-80) moves along a mountain road towards the strategic Salang Pass.01.09.1988#8429323
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Soviet tank crews guard a pass.01.09.1988#8429326
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Soviet soldiers are seen fighting.01.09.1988#8429319
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: A convoy of BTR-60 armored personnel carriers, with soldiers on top, drives along a mountain road.25.07.1988#8430319
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: Members of a unit riding BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles receive a breather n route.25.07.1988#8430318
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: Members of a motorized rifle unit attack the enemy.25.07.1988#8430317
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: A medical nurse/warrant officer.25.07.1988#8430316
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: Soviet soldiers have seized a small height.25.07.1988#8430315
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: Members of an Afghan military redeploy to another sector.25.07.1988#8430314
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: The crew of an Afghan tank.25.07.1988#8430313
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: The crew of a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed fighter at a post-flight debriefing.25.07.1988#8430312
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: An Antonov An-26 Curl military transport aircraft has just taken off.25.07.1988#8430311
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: Soviet and Afghan soldiers have arrived to relieve a unit.25.07.1988#8430310
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: The command center of a battery of 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika (Carnation) regimental self-propelled howitzers.25.07.1988#8430309
The Afghan War of 1979-1989. The Limited Soviet Military Contingent in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: Soviet-made Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed fighters of the Afghan Air Force prepare to take off on a combat mission.25.07.1988#8430308
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Soviet mechanized column is seen on a pass.25.07.1988#8429329
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Soviet special unit soldiers on a pass.25.07.1988#8429328
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Paratroopers are seen attacking a settlement.25.07.1988#8429327
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Soviet soldiers in a battle. Rifle chain attack.25.07.1988#8429325
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). A Soviet T-55 tank is seen reaching combat position.25.07.1988#8429322
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). A Soviet T-72 tank on a combat position.05.07.1988#8429321
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). A column of Soviet armored personnel carriers (BTR-80) moves along a mountain road towards the strategic Salang Pass.02.07.1988#8429318
Afghan war 1979 - 1989. A limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). Installation of a combat weapon (ZIS-3 - 76-mm divisional gun of the 1942 model) in a combat position.01.07.1988#8429324
Afghan war (1979-1989). Soviet artillerymen ready to fire a salvo at the armed opposition's stronghold.01.07.1988#8321599
Afghan war (1979-1989). Soviet tank column on the Kabul-Jalalabad road in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).01.07.1988#8321598
Afghan war (1979-1989). Soviet soldiers crossing a river on self-propelled artillery vehicles.01.07.1988#8321594
Afghan war (1979-1989). Broken vehicles along the road at the Salang Pass in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).01.07.1988#8321592
Afghan war (1979-1989). Soviet soldiers crossing a river on self-propelled artillery vehicles.01.07.1988#8321110
Afghan war (1979-1989). A Soviet motorized rifle company marches to the place of a new deployment in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).01.07.1988#8321109
Afghan war (1979-1989). Soviet military aircraft at the Kabul airport, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).01.07.1988#8321108
Afghan War (1979-1989). A column of new tanks with Soviet soldiers-internationalists01.07.1988#8321107
Afghan War (1979-1989). Soviet military aircraft at the Kabul airport of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).01.07.1988#8321106
Afghan War (1979-1989). A Soviet military helicopter over the Azizabad Pass in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).01.07.1988#8321105
Afghan War (1979-1989). A Soviet soldier demonstrates a captured American Stinger man-portable anti-aircraft missile system.01.07.1988#8321104
Afghan War (1979-1989). Loading aviation ammunition into a fighter before the next flight.01.07.1988#8321103
Afghan War (1979-1989). Soviet internationalist soldiers guard one of the mountain passes in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).01.07.1988#8321102
Afghan War (1979-1989). Soviet internationalist soldiers in the liberated settlement of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).01.07.1988#8321101
Afghan War (1979-1989). The Soviet rocket battery is seen firing on the fortifications of the armed opposition.01.07.1988#8321100