On new years eve 1994 the amored assault on grozny begun meaning the first large operation by russian ground forces. the 131st MRR was part of group North which had to take the Grozny central Railway station alongside a few other locations. As the 131st started to secure the Railway station they got a radio message fromt he chechens saying "Welcome to Hell" and directly after that they got ambushed with small arms fire and rockets. Most vehicles were dstroyed/knocked out during that ambush and a lot of soldiers died. (the man on the picture is Colonel Ivan Savin)
Savin requested back up numerous times but all his calls for help were simply ignored or forgotten because commanders and soldiers were celebrating new years eve. Realizing this he took matters in his own hands and orderd evryone to retreat. On their way they came across a few APC´s that were still functioning, so he orderd to load one full with all the casualties they brought with them (the BTR was loaded with about 40 men) and was told to drive off to saftey, although that didnt happen as they drove in the wrong street and got ambushed. only 13 survived only to be taken prisioner afterwards. The remaning soldiers mounted the other BTR's and in the process they were ambushed agian, this time Savin got injured takeing shrapnel to his eye. He died on January 2nd. For his actions he reecived the title "hero of the Russian federation" VERY late.
Those are radio transmissions from Savin during the battle
