SOBR

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SOBR (Special Rapid Response Unit) is an elite police unit in Russia. Its full Russian name is СОБР — Специальный Отряд Быстрого Реагирования. Today, SOBR is part of Russia’s National Guard, known as Rosgvardiya. SOBR units are trained to handle high-risk, fast-moving operations, and they wear heavy equipment and special uniforms like military-style special forces. They typically work to fight organized crime, carry out dangerous arrests, respond to terrorism threats, and provide security at important sites. They can be called in for crowd control and other tough policing tasks, often alongside other security services.

History
- SOBR was created on February 10, 1992, under Russia’s Interior Ministry (MVD) within the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime. Its members were senior police officers, believed to be better trained than the MVD’s OMON riot police.
- The unit’s main job was to tackle organized crime, with roles in anti-terrorism, high-risk operations, executive protection, and hostage rescues. SOBR also took part in the Chechen Wars and other conflicts.
- On September 16, 2002, SOBR was dissolved and reclassified as OMSN (Special Purpose Police Units), under regional police, though people still used the SOBR name informally.
- In 2011, OMSN/OSN reforms led to SOBR being revived as the official name again in 2012.
- After Russia created the National Guard in 2016, SOBR units were moved from the MVD to Rosgvardiya. In 2018, officials said SOBR troops gained the status of military personnel.
- SOBR units participated in Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Some missions faced challenges, and casualties occurred.

Mission
- SOBR focuses on urban counter-crime, high-risk law enforcement, and tactical operations in cities.
- They handle heavy cordons, counter-terrorism operations, and dangerous arrests, especially where strict rules of engagement are needed.
- Large-scale counterterrorism tasks usually involve other forces as well (OMON, FSB, GRU), due to the large manpower required.
- SOBR units also help protect government buildings and key infrastructure during crises and support crowd control when needed.

Notable SOBR teams
Regions and some of their SOBR nicknames include:
- Bryansk Oblast: Partizan
- Kaliningrad Oblast: Viking
- Novgorod Oblast: Rubin (Ruby)
- Moscow Oblast: Bulat
- Smolensk Oblast: Sigma
- Chechnya: Akhmat (formerly known as Terek)
- Crimea: Khalzan (Golden Eagle)

Size and structure
- The size of SOBR units varies by region. In 2007, there were many OMSN units totaling around 5,000 officers. Since 2016, these units are part of Rosgvardiya (the National Guard) and generally organized regionally.

See also
- Rus (special forces)
- Vityaz (MVD)
- Spetsnaz

SOBR is effectively Russia’s urban-focused, heavy-capability police force, designed for rapid response to serious crime, terrorism threats, and other high-risk operations.