The Zubr Special Purpose Police Detachment (; is Russian for Bison, particularly the

European bison The European bison (''Bison bonasus'') or the European wood bison, also known as the wisent ( or ), the zubr (), or sometimes colloquially as the European buffalo, is a European species of bison. It is one of two extant species of bison, along ...

) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia was created in February 2006 on the basis of the

OMON OMON (russian: ОМОН – Отряд Мобильный Особого Назначения , translit = Otryad Mobil'nyy Osobogo Naznacheniya , translation = Special Purpose Mobile Unit, , previously ru , Отряд Милиции Осо� ...

GUVD in the

Moscow Region Moscow Oblast ( rus, Моско́вская о́бласть, r=Moskovskaya oblast', p=mɐˈskofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ), or Podmoskovye ( rus, Подмоско́вье, p=pədmɐˈskovʲjə, literally "under Moscow"), is a federal subject of Rus ...

that existed since 1988. It reports directly to the Minister of the Interior, and is based in Shchelkovo-7 near Moscow. Zubr was made up of officers drawn from the OMON riot police near Moscow and numbered about 430 people. Zubr is equipped with armored personnel carriers,

Tigr TIGR, an abbreviation for ''Trst'', ''Istra'', ''Gorica'', and ''Reka'', full name Revolutionary Organization of the Julian March T.I.G.R. ( sl, Revolucionarna organizacija Julijske krajine T.I.G.R.), was a militant anti-fascist and insurgent or ...

s and other special equipment, and includes snipers and dog handlers. At the time of the creation of Zubr, some media characterized it as a special unit to combat the "

Orange Revolution The Orange Revolution ( uk, Помаранчева революція, translit=Pomarancheva revoliutsiia) was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate afterm ...

", citing the fact that the salaries of his rank-and-file soldiers were two times higher than in other units. Zubr provided order during the "March of Dissent" in

Nizhny Novgorod Nizhny Novgorod ( ; rus, links=no, Нижний Новгород, a=Ru-Nizhny Novgorod.ogg, p=ˈnʲiʐnʲɪj ˈnovɡərət ), colloquially shortened to Nizhny, from the 13th to the 17th century Novgorod of the Lower Land, formerly known as Gork ...

, Ryazan, Moscow.

History

Operation OMON “Zubr”, carried out on December 21, 2008 in

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...

, during which fighters of the Moscow Region unit urgently deployed by aviation dispersed a rally of motorists who made a round dance around the New Year tree. Interior Ministry officials explained that the stay of the Moscow Region unit in Vladivostok “was dictated not so much by the complexity of the situation in the city as by the tasks of training fighters”. In 2009, an organized criminal group was identified in the Moscow Region consisting of former and current members of the Zubr riot police, who engaged in

kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...

s of people to

extort Extortion is the practice of obtaining benefit through coercion. In most jurisdictions it is likely to constitute a criminal offence; the bulk of this article deals with such cases. Robbery is the simplest and most common form of extortion, al ...

of large sums of money. In October 2011, the materials of the criminal case were sent to the court of Vidnoye, Moscow Region. Five Zubr members were awarded Heroes of Russia (two posthumously), and 95 received Knights of the Order of Courage. In January 2011, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation “On Additional Measures to Ensure the Law and Order,” the Zubr OMON and the Lynx Special Forces Detachment became part of the Special Purpose Center for Rapid Response and Aviation Forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (TsSN OR). June 22, 2011 A. Ivanin, a major general of police, headed of the Special Purpose Center of the Rapid Response and Aviation Forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation until 2012, when he was dismissed by decree of President

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...

. In April 2013, members of the Zubr OMON were sent to

Belgorod Belgorod ( rus, Белгород, p=ˈbʲeɫɡərət) is a city and the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Seversky Donets River north of the border with Ukraine. Population: Demographics The population of Be ...

, where they took part in operational-search measures to detain the " Belgorod shooter", Sergey Pomazun.

Duties

The main tasks facing the Zubr riot police are to ensure the safety of citizens, the rule of law and public safety on the streets and in other public places , as well as during mass events; prevention and suppression of crimes, participation in the fight against terrorist, sabotage and reconnaissance and landing groups.

Gallery

File:OMON Zubr SPM-2 vehicle 2.jpg, GAZ-233036 GAZ Tiger SPM-2 OMON "Zubr" File:OMON Zubr SPM-2 vehicle.jpg, GAZ-233036 SPM-2 OMON "Zubr" File:OMON Zubr SPM-1 vehicle.jpg, GAZ-233036 SPM-2 OMON "Zubr"

History

Duties

Gallery

Notes

See also