Storm-333: KGB and Spetsnaz seize Kabul, Soviet-Afghan War 1979

Osprey Raid #54

by Mark Galeotti, Mark Stacey (Illustrator), Johnny Shumate (Illustrator)

Storm-333, the operation to seize Kabul and assassinate Afghan leader Hafizullah Amin, was at once a textbook success and the start of a terrible blunder. It heralded the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, an operation intended to be a short, largely symbolic show of force, yet which quickly devolved into a gritty ten-year counter-insurgency that Moscow was never able to win. Nonetheless, Storm-333 was a striking success, and despite initial concerns that it would be an impossible achievement, it saw a relative handful of Soviet special forces drawn from the KGB and the military seize the heavily defended presidential palace, neutralise the city's communications and defences, and open Kabul to occupation. The lessons learned then are still valid today, and have been incorporated into modern Russian military practice, visible most recently in the seizure of Crimea in 2014.

Written by a recognised expert on the Soviet security forces, drawing extensively on Russian sources, and fully illustrated with commissioned artwork, this is the most detailed and compelling study of this fascinating operation available in English.

Genres: Russia, Military Fiction

141 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 18, 2021

Reviews

[Zare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book about a special mission that was the initial step in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

Books by Mr. Galeotti are always interesting but he usually seems split between saying anything on Soviet/Russian army without following it with some wording that would be rather demeaning, because I guess the Russians, right?

In this book though he is concentrated on the topic and shows situation as it developed, from the violent power struggle and takeover in Afghanistan in 1979 and Byzantine methods used by Soviets to execute what they saw as stabilizing action (which proved to be everything but).

Large color panels with dramatic presentation of events and main player biographies truly flesh out the operation and events. Book provides insight into Soviet clandestine services (Zenit, Kaskada) and the way they fought this very dirty and prolonged war at the very start and at later periods.

Highly recommended, very informative book for military history buffs.

[Samuel Steffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Gets it

*Storm-333* by Mark Galeotti (Osprey Publishing, 2021) is a gripping, expertly crafted dive into the KGB and Spetsnaz’s audacious 1979 raid on Kabul’s Tajbeg Palace. Galeotti blends meticulous research with thrilling storytelling, bringing the high-stakes operation to life while unpacking its geopolitical fallout. Vivid illustrations, detailed maps, and crisp prose make this 80-page gem a standout in Osprey’s Raid series. A must-read for fans of Cold War history or special forces ops. 5/5 stars.

[Jim Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for those that want a succinct but very informative narrative of the events that happened surrounding Operation Storm-333.

[Anton Sal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellently written account of the events leading up to, the planning and the execution of this daring raid. And the events that followed.
Very much enjoyed reading this. Really liked the graphics and illustrations and the side information paragraphs for additional information. Definitely recommend to any military enthusiast