A source:
https://rusi.org/publication/rusi-defence-systems/detailing-russian-forces-syria
Note: The unit of the 120th Guards Abr was confirmed by our Defense Ministry.

So, Sutyagin says:

Ground troops:

1. Battalion tactical group of the 810th Marine Brigade (Sevastopol) - 542nd separate airborne assault battalion, headquarters and control units - approximately 580 people.
No comment

2. 162nd separate reconnaissance battalion of the 7th air assault division (Novorossiysk) - approximately 320 people.

3. Reconnaissance battalion of the 74th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (Yurga) - approximately 440 people.

4. Battalion tactical group of the 27th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (Moscow) - two motorized rifle and tank companies - approximately 300 people.

5. Battalion special purpose probably the 3rd Special Forces Brigade (Tolyatti); it is also possible that this battalion belongs to the 22nd Guards Brigade of the Special Forces (Rostov-on-Don) - 230 people.

6. Sniper team TsSN "Senezh" (Solnechnogorsk) - the number is unknown.
No comment

7. Howitzer division of the 120th Guards Artillery Brigade (Kemerovo, more precisely Yurga) - eighteen 2A65 Msta-B, 270 people.
Note. The MoD confirmed the 5th howitzer battery of the brigade in the area of ​​the settlement. Hamrat (Homs)

8. Two batteries of MLRS 9A52 "Smerch", the 439th Guards Rocket and Artillery Brigade (Znamensk, Astrakhan region) - 4 installations, 50-60 people.
No comment

9. Howitzer battery of the 8th artillery regiment (Simferopol) - six towed howitzers 2A65 Msta-B, seventy people.
Note. No comment

10. Flamethrower battery from the 20th regiment of the RKhBZ ( Nizhny Novgorod) - six TOS-1A "Solntsepyok", thirty people.

11. Electronic warfare company - six R-330B launchers, three R-378B radio jamming stations and six SPR-2 "Mercury-B" radio fuse jamming stations, the 64th motorized rifle brigade (Khabarovsk) is expected, about sixty people.
No comment

12. EW company - the Rubella-4 complex (on two vehicles), the 17th EW brigade (Nizhneudinsk) is supposed to be - about twenty people.
No comment

The total strength of the land component of the Russian group is estimated at about 2,400 people.

Aerospace Forces:

1. Four Su-30SM fighters from the 120th mixed aviation regiment (Domna; all four aircraft are identified by tail numbers "26, 27, 28, 29 red").

2. Four Su-34 bombers of the 47th mixed aviation regiment (Buturlinovka; all four aircraft are identified with tail numbers "21, 22, 25, 27 red").

3. From twenty-four to thirty Su-24M and Su-24m2 bombers of the 2nd Guards Bomber Regiment (Shagol; seven aircraft with tail numbers "04, 05, 08, 16, 25, 26, 27 white") and 277- th bomber regiment (Khurba; five boards with numbers "71, 72, 74, 75, 76 white" are tied).

4. Ten Su-25SM attack aircraft, two Su-25UBs of the 960th assault aviation regiment (Primorsko-Akhtarsk; all twelve aircraft are tied - Su-25SM tail numbers "21, 22, 24, 29 red" in brown-green-blue tricolor camouflage , and "25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32 red" in gray color, Su-25UB with tail numbers "44, 53 red").

5. Twelve Mi-24PN and two Mi-8AMTSh helicopters of the 113th helicopter regiment (Novosibirsk; all fourteen helicopters are tied - Mi-24PN tail numbers "03, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 34 , 36, 37, 40 yellow", Mi-8AMTSh "212, 252 yellow")

6. Up to eight Mi-28N helicopters - the 2nd squadron of the 487th helicopter regiment (Budennovsk) is supposed.

7. Flying command post Il-22M - from the 144th AWACS aviation regiment (Ivanovo; registration number RA 75917)

8. One or two reconnaissance Il-20Ms with unknown numbers from the 257th mixed aviation regiment (Khabarovsk).

9. Air defense battery of six Pantsir-S1 (SA-22) installations, presumably from the 1537th anti-aircraft missile regiment (Novorossiysk) - approximately ninety-five people.

10. Battalion of airfield services (jet aviation) - 360-380 people.

11. Airfield service company (helicopters) - 90-110 people.

12. Communications and air traffic control battalion - 240-270 people.

In general, the strength of the Russian Aerospace Forces grouping in Syria is estimated at 1200-1350 people, including 150-180 pilots, 280 aviation technicians, 690-760 people in support and up to 100 people in air defense.

It is assumed that there will be additional air bases near Khmeim, in particular, with the Mi-28 stationed there.

P.S. Sutyagin has enough inaccuracies and mistakes.

Air- landing troops. The history of the Russian landing Alekhin Roman Viktorovich

DEEP INTELLIGENCE (REVOCATIONAL AND amphibious companies)

Back in the mid-70s, reconnaissance and airborne companies were created in separate reconnaissance battalions of motorized rifle and tank divisions, which in the first years of their existence were called "deep reconnaissance companies." Since they were usually third in line in the battalions, they were unofficially called simply “third companies”, and those who were aware knew what they were talking about. The servicemen of these reconnaissance and airborne companies wore the uniform of their divisions, but they were given a jump uniform for jumping. Often in these companies, fighters and commanders wore blue berets. These companies did not have their own numbers, since they were not separate units.

Being abandoned behind enemy lines in the offensive zone of their division, these companies, as part of their activities in the front line, in fact, performed tasks similar to those assigned to special intelligence. On their own, the reconnaissance groups of the "third companies" behind enemy lines could organize the destruction of almost any rear object that they encountered on the way, and in any case they had to destroy the means nuclear destruction enemy.

The training of personnel for these companies was mainly carried out by the 597th separate reconnaissance battalion, located in the n. Sandy, in the Leningrad Military District. There were also several more training battalions scattered throughout the vast country.

I will try to list these reconnaissance and airborne companies as of the mid-80s, when Soviet military power was at its peak.

Group Soviet troops in Germany (Western Group of Forces):

RDR 5th Orb (military unit 60495) 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Halle;

RDR 6th Orb (military unit 83059) 207th Motor Rifle Division, Stendal;

RDR 7th Orb (military unit 47250) 47th Guards TD, Burg;

RDR 9th Orb (military unit 47596) 11th Guards TD, Dresden;

RDR 10th Orb (military unit 83083) 79th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Jena;

RDR 11th Orb (military unit 86881) 39th Guards MRD, Meiningen.

By the way, in this division there was one very interesting regiment - the 120th Guards Motorized Rifle, which was formed on the basis of the 201st Airborne Brigade during the Great Patriotic War, thus being the heir to the very first airborne unit , 3rd Airborne Brigade and Airborne Detachment of the Leningrad Military District. During the period of the defeat of the remnants of the former Soviet power, in 1993, this regiment will be ingloriously disbanded;

RDR 12th Orb (military unit 83068) 94th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Schwerin;

RDR 13th orb 9th TD, Zeithain;

RDR 17th orb (military unit 35018) 16th TD, Neustrelitz;

RDR 17th Guards Orb (military unit 34161) 32nd Guards Motor Rifle Division, Uteborg;

RDR 18th orb (military unit 60491) 12th TD, Manwinkel;

RDR 30th orb (military unit 60549) 90th TD, Bernau;

RDR 34th Orb (military unit 58593) 21st Motor Rifle Division, Perleberg;

RDR 40th orb (military unit 47368) 7th TD, Quedlinburg;

RDR 53rd orb (military unit 34810) 25th TD, Vogelsand;

RDR 59th Orb (military unit 58545) 35th Motor Rifle Division, Olympics Dorf;

RDR 68th Guards Orb (military unit 23562) 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Plauen;

RDR 107th Guards Orb (military unit 58447) 32nd Guards TD, Uteborg;

RDR 112th Guards Orb (military unit 35094) 10th Guards TD, Halberstadt;

RDR 113th Orb (military unit 60544) 57th Guards MRD, Rudolstadt.

Central Group of Forces:

RDR 20th Guards Orb 30th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Riechki;

RDR 31st Orb 48th Motor Rifle Division Visoko Mito;

RDR of the 45th Guards Orb (military unit 67001) 18th Guards MRD, Dechin;

RDR 81st Guards Orb (military unit 34965) 15th Guards TD, Milovice;

RDR 84th orb 31st TD Bruntal.

Northern Group of Forces:

RDR of the 96th Guards Orb (military unit 28348) 20th Guards TD, Svetoshchuv;

RDR of the 126th Guards Orb (military unit 74256) 6th Guards MRD, Byalogard.

Southern Group of Forces:

RDR of the 15th Guards Orb (military unit 75569) 254th Motor Rifle Division, Szekesfehervar;

RDR 16th Guards Orb (military unit 64802) 93rd Guards Motor Rifle Division, Kecskemét;

RDR 56th Guards Orb (military unit 30248) 13th Guards TD, Veszprem;

RDR of the 99th Guards Orb (military unit 81154) 19th Guards TD, Esztergom.

Leningrad Military District:

RDR 597th training orb (military unit 54052) of the 56th guards training center, Pesochny;

RDR 789th Guards Orb 45th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Kharitonovo;

RDR 790th orb (military unit 15745) 54th MRD, Alakurti;

RDR 792nd orb (military unit 40335) 64th MRD, Sapernoye;

RDR 794th Orb 77th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Arkhangelsk;

RDR 795th Orb 111th Motor Rifle Division, Lahdenpokhya;

RDR 796th Orb 131st Motor Rifle Division, Luostari.

Baltic Military District:

RDR 19th Guards Orb (military unit 14044) 1st Guards MRD, Dolgorukovo;

RDR 79th orb (military unit 71677) 1st TD, Kornevo;

RDR 80th Guards Orb 40th Guards TD, Sovetsk;

RDR 86th Orb 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division, Klaipeda;

RDR 148-ro Guards Orb (military unit 48853) of the 144th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Klooga;

RDR 640th Orb 107th Motor Rifle Division, Vilnius;

RDR 45th Guards Orb 18th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Gusev;

RDR Guards Orb 26th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Sovetsk;

urdr of the 381st training orb (military unit 10940) of the 54th training center, Dobele.

Belarusian military district:

RDR 3rd Guards Orb 6th Guards TD, Grodno;

RDR 6th Guards Orb 8th Guards TD, Pukhovichi;

RDR 46th Guards Orb (military unit 43194) 120th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Uruchcha;

RDR 50th orb 29th TD, Slutsk;

RDR 52nd orb 193rd TD, Bobruisk;

RDR 53rd Guards Orb 37th Guards TD, Borovukha;

RDR 56th Orb 19th Guards Tank Division, Zaslonovo;

RDR 90th Orb 50th Motor Rifle Division, Brest;

RDR 97th orb 28th TD, Slonim;

RDR 134th orb 34th TD, Borisov;

RDR Orb (military unit 12344) 76th TD, Brest.

Moscow Military District:

RDR 136th Guards Orb (military unit 33755) 2nd Guards MRD, Kalininets;

RDR 137th Guards Orb 4th Guards TD, Naro-Fominsk;

RDR 39th Guards Orb 32nd Guards Motor Rifle Division, Tver;

Odessa Military District:

RDR 95th Guards Orb 28th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Chernomorskoye;

RDR 102nd Guards Orb (military unit 48383) 59th Guards MRD, Tiraspol;

RDR 103rd Orb 126th Motor Rifle Division, Simferopol;

RDR 129th Orb 180th Motor Rifle Division, Belgorod-Dnestrovsky;

Kyiv Military District:

RDR 15th Orb 254th Motor Rifle Division, Artemoven;

RDR 74th Guards Orb 17th Guards TD, Krivoy Rog;

RDR 117th Orb 72nd Motor Rifle Division, Belaya Tserkov;

RDR of the 130th Guards Orb (military unit 24066) 25th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Lubny;

RDR of the 1377th training orb (military unit 54057) of the 169th training center (former 48th guards unit), Oster.

Carpathian Military District:

RDR 21st Guards Orb (military unit 15727) 51st Guards MRD, Vladimir-Volynsky;

RDR 29th Orb 24th Motor Rifle Division, Rava-Russkaya;

RDR 47th Guards Orb 128th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Mukachevo;

RDR 54th Guards Orb 30th Guards TD, Novograd-Volynsky;

RDR 83rd orb (military unit 22356) 23rd TD, Ovruch;

RDR 91st Guards Orb 70th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Ivano-Frankivsk;

RDR 92nd orb (military unit 15331) 161st MRD, Izyaslav;

RDR 93rd Orb 17th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Khmelnitsky;

RDR 94th Guards Orb 97th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Slavuta;

RDR of the 1262th training guards orb of the 110th guards of the training center, Chernivtsi.

Transcaucasian Military District:

RDR 766th Orb 10th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Akhaltsikhe;

RDR 767th Orb 15th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Kirovakan;

RDR 768th Orb 23rd Motor Rifle Division, Ganja;

RDR 769th Orb 60th Motor Rifle Division, Lankaran;

RDR 770th Orb (military unit 15729) 75th MRD, Nakhichevan;

RDR 772nd orb (military unit 15732) 127th MRD, Leninakan;

RDR 773rd Orb 45th Motor Rifle Division, Gonio;

RDR 774th Orb 147th Motor Rifle Division, Akhalkalaki;

RDR 776th Orb 164th Motor Rifle Division, Sovetashen;

RDR 777th Orb 295th Motor Rifle Division, Baku.

North Caucasian Military District:

RDR 107th Orb 9th Motor Rifle Division, Maikop;

RDR 249th Orb (military unit 12356) 19th Guards MRD, Vladikavkaz;

RDR 417th orb (military unit 55034) 173rd OTC, Grozny;

RDR 347th orb 14th TD, Novocherkassk.

Volga Military District:

RDR 1378th training orb 43rd umsd, Chernorechye.

Ural Military District:

RDR 206th Orb 213th Motor Rifle Division, Totskoye;

RDR 907th orb (military unit 35652) 34th MRD, Sverdlovsk.

Turkestan military district:

RDR 650th Orb 5th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Afghanistan;

RDR 781st Orb 108th Motor Rifle Division, Afghanistan;

RDR Orb 4th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Termez;

RDR Orb (military unit 61205) 88th Motor Rifle Division, Kushka;

Central Asian Military District:

RDR 85th orb 78th TD, Ayaguz;

RDR 105th Orb 8th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Panfilov;

RDR 106th Orb 58th Motor Rifle Division, Saryozek;

RDR 236th Orb 155th Motor Rifle Division, Ust-Kamenogorsk;

RDR 783rd Orb 201st Motor Rifle Division, Afghanistan;

RDR Orb 167th Motor Rifle Division, Semipalatinsk;

RDR Orb 203rd Motor Rifle Division, Karaganda.

Siberian Military District:

RDR 121st Orb 85th Motor Rifle Division, Novosibirsk;

RDR 172nd Orb 242nd Motor Rifle Division, Abakan;

RDR 1263rd Orb 62nd Motor Rifle Division, Itatka;

RDR Orb 13th Motor Rifle Division, Biysk.

Transbaikal Military District:

RDR 109th Guards Orb (military unit 15349) 11th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Mirnaya;

RDR 128th Guards Orb (military unit 21757) 122nd Guards Motor Rifle Division, Dauria;

RDR 186th Orb 2nd Guards Tank Division, Choibalsan;

RDR 192nd Orb 245th Motor Rifle Division, Gusinoozersk;

RDR Orb 110th Motor Rifle Division, Bratsk;

DDR 1914 orb 49th office, Chita;

RDR Guards Orb 5th Guards TD, Kyakhta;

RDR Orb 52nd Motor Rifle Division, Nizhneudinsk;

RDR 110th Guards Orb (military unit 59335) 38th Guards Motor Rifle Division, Sretensk;

RDR 132nd Orb 12th Motor Rifle Division, Mongolia;

RDR Orb 41st Motor Rifle Division, Choyren, Mongolia;

rdr orb 51st td, Nalaih, Mongolia;

RDR Orb (military unit 96599) 149th Motor Rifle Division, Erdenet, Mongolia.

Far Eastern Military District:

RDR 27th Orb 277th Motor Rifle Division, Sergeevka;

RDR 88th Guards Orb 21st Guards TD, Belogorsk;

RDR 115th Orb 265th Motor Rifle Division, Yekaterinovka;

RDR 118th Guards Orb 81st Guards Motor Rifle Division, Bikin;

RDR 127th Guards Orb 123rd Guards Motor Rifle Division, Barabash;

RDR 129th Orb 121st Motor Rifle Division, Sibirtsevo;

RDR 131st Orb 135th Motor Rifle Division, Grushevoye;

RDR of the 154th Orb of the 73rd Motor Rifle Division, Komsomolsk-on-Amur;

RDR Orb 22nd Motor Rifle Division, Yelizovo;

RDR Orb 29th Motor Rifle Division, Kamen-Rybolov;

RDR Orb (military unit 20187) 33rd Motor Rifle Division, Khomutovo;

RDR Orb 40th Motor Rifle Division, Smolyaninovo;

RDR Orb 67th Motor Rifle Division, Skovorodino;

RDR Orb 79th Motor Rifle Division, Poronaysk;

RDR Orb 87th Motor Rifle Division, Petropalovsk-Kamchatsky;

RDR Orb 192nd Motor Rifle Division, Blagoveshchensk;

RDR Orb 199th Motor Rifle Division, Krasny Kut;

RDR Orb (military unit 48319) 262nd MRD, Vozzhaevka;

RDR Orb (military unit 04030) 266th MRD, Raychikhinsk;

rdr orb 27th utd, Zavitinsk;

RDR Orb 270th Motor Rifle Division, Khabarovsk.

It is clear that this list is completely incomplete (and requires clarification), but even the listed companies are an impressive force. The vast majority of these companies existed in a cropped or collapsed state, but those in which there were personnel underwent full airborne training.

Usually, scouts went to the airborne troops or GRU special forces to jump. Most of the "live" reconnaissance and landing companies in the second half of the 80s wore the uniform and symbols of the Airborne Forces.

From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (VO) of the author TSB

From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (GL) of the author TSB

From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (DE) of the author TSB

From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (OR) of the author TSB

From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (PE) of the author TSB

From the book "Afghan" lexicon. Veteran military jargon afghan war 1979-1989 author Boyko B L

From the book Spetsnaz GRU: the most complete encyclopedia author Kolpakidi Alexander Ivanovich

From the book Japanese manual for the preparation of tank units in 1935 author USSR Ministry of Defense

airborne troops, Airborne Forces And the combat traditions of the Airborne Forces live on, and as before, every soldier, officer, general proudly says: “We serve in the airborne troops!” she said to the count, pointing with a solemn gesture at the countess, who held in one hand a snuff-box with a portrait, in the other a letter, and pressed her lips first to one, then to the other.
Seeing the count, she stretched out her arms to him, hugged his bald head, and through the bald head again looked at the letter and portrait, and again, in order to press them to her lips, slightly pushed the bald head away. Vera, Natasha, Sonya and Petya entered the room and the reading began. The letter briefly described the campaign and two battles in which Nikolushka participated, the promotion to officers and it was said that he kisses the hands of maman and papa, asking for their blessings, and kisses Vera, Natasha, Petya. In addition, he bows to Mr. Sheling, and to mme Shos and the nurse, and, in addition, asks to kiss dear Sonya, whom he still loves and remembers in the same way. On hearing this, Sonya blushed so that tears came into her eyes. And, unable to endure the looks that turned on her, she ran into the hall, ran away, whirled, and, inflating her dress with a balloon, flushed and smiling, sat down on the floor. The Countess was crying.
“What are you crying about, maman?” Vera said. - Everything that he writes should be rejoicing, not crying.
It was perfectly fair, but the count, the countess, and Natasha all looked at her reproachfully. “And who did she turn out like that!” thought the countess.
Nikolushka's letter was read hundreds of times, and those who were considered worthy to listen to him had to come to the countess, who did not let go of him. Tutors, nannies, Mitenka, some acquaintances came, and the countess reread the letter each time with new pleasure and each time discovered new virtues in her Nikolushka from this letter. How strange, unusual, how joyful it was for her that her son was the son who, almost noticeably tiny members, moved in her 20 years ago, the son for whom she quarreled with the spoiled count, the son who had learned to say before: “ pear ”, and then“ woman ”, that this son is now there, in a foreign land, in a foreign environment, a courageous warrior, alone, without help and guidance, is doing some kind of masculine business there. The whole world age-old experience, indicating that children imperceptibly from the cradle become husbands, did not exist for the countess. The maturation of her son in every period of maturation was just as extraordinary for her, as if there had never been millions of millions of people who had matured in the same way. Just as she couldn’t believe 20 years ago that that little creature that lived somewhere under her heart would scream and begin to suckle her breast and begin to speak, so now she couldn’t believe that this same creature could be that strong, a brave man, a model of sons and people, which he was now, judging by this letter.
- What a calm, as he describes cute! she said, reading the descriptive part of the letter. And what a soul! Nothing about me… nothing! About some Denisov, but he himself, it’s true, is braver than all of them. He writes nothing about his sufferings. What a heart! How do I recognize him! And how I remembered everyone! Didn't forget anyone. I always, always said, even when he was like this, I always said ...
For more than a week they prepared, wrote brillons and wrote letters to Nikolushka from the whole house in a clean copy; under the supervision of the countess and the care of the count, they gathered necessary gizmos and money to equip and equip the newly promoted officer. Anna Mikhailovna, a practical woman, managed to arrange protection for herself and her son in the army, even for correspondence. She had the opportunity to send her letters to the Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, who commanded the guard. The Rostovs assumed that the Russian guards abroad had a completely definitive address, and that if the letter reached the Grand Duke, who commanded the guards, then there was no reason that it should not reach the Pavlograd regiment, which should be nearby; and therefore it was decided to send letters and money through the courier of the Grand Duke to Boris, and Boris was already supposed to deliver them to Nikolushka. Letters were from the old count, from the countess, from Petya, from Vera, from Natasha, from Sonya and, finally, 6,000 money for uniforms and various things that the count sent to his son.

On November 12, the Kutuzov combat army, encamped near Olmutz, was preparing for next day to the review of two emperors - Russian and Austrian. The guards, who had just arrived from Russia, spent the night 15 versts from Olmutz and the next day, right at the review, by 10 o'clock in the morning, entered the Olmutz field.
Nikolai Rostov that day received a note from Boris informing him that the Izmailovsky regiment was spending the night 15 miles short of Olmutz, and that he was waiting for him to hand over a letter and money. Rostov especially needed money now, when, having returned from the campaign, the troops stopped near Olmutz, and well-equipped scribblers and Austrian Jews, offering all sorts of temptations, filled the camp. Pavlohrad residents had feasts after feasts, celebrations of the awards received for the campaign and trips to Olmutz to the newly arrived Karolina Vengerka, who opened a tavern with female servants there. Rostov recently celebrated his production of cornets, bought a Bedouin, Denisov's horse, and was indebted to his comrades and sutlers all around. Having received a note from Boris, Rostov and his friend went to Olmutz, dined there, drank a bottle of wine, and went alone to the guards camp in search of his childhood friend. Rostov has not had time to get dressed yet. He was wearing a worn cadet jacket with a soldier's cross, the same breeches lined with worn leather, and an officer's saber with a lanyard; the horse on which he rode was a Don one, bought on a campaign from a Cossack; the crumpled hussar cap was smartly put on back and to one side. Approaching the camp of the Izmailovsky regiment, he thought about how he would hit Boris and all his fellow guardsmen with his fired fighting hussar look.
The guards went through the whole campaign as if on a festivities, flaunting their cleanliness and discipline. The transitions were small, satchels were carried on carts, the Austrian authorities prepared excellent dinners for the officers at all the transitions. The regiments entered and left the cities with music, and the whole campaign (which the guardsmen were proud of), by order of the Grand Duke, people walked in step, and the officers walked in their places. Boris walked and stood with Berg, now a company commander, all the time of the campaign. Berg, having received a company during the campaign, managed to earn the trust of his superiors with his diligence and accuracy and arranged his economic affairs very profitably; During the campaign, Boris made many acquaintances with people who could be useful to him, and through a letter of recommendation he brought from Pierre, he met Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, through whom he hoped to get a place in the headquarters of the commander in chief. Berg and Boris, clean and neatly dressed, having rested after the last day's march, sat in the clean apartment allotted to them in front of a round table and played chess. Berg held a smoking pipe between his knees. Boris, with his usual accuracy, with his white thin hands placed the checkers like a pyramid, waiting for Berg's move, and looked at his partner's face, apparently thinking about the game, as he always thought only about what he was doing.
- Well, how will you get out of this? - he said.
“We will try,” answered Berg, touching the pawn and lowering his hand again.
At this time, the door opened.
“Here he is at last,” shouted Rostov. And Berg is here! Oh, petizanfan, ale kushe dormir, [Children, go to bed,] he shouted, repeating the words of the nanny, over which they once laughed with Boris.
- Fathers! how you have changed! - Boris stood up to meet Rostov, but, getting up, he did not forget to support and put the falling chess pieces in their place and wanted to hug his friend, but Nikolai moved away from him. With that special feeling of youth, which is afraid of beaten roads, wants, without imitating others, to express their feelings in a new way, in their own way, if only not in the way that the elders often express it feignedly, Nikolai wanted to do something special when meeting with a friend : he wanted to somehow pinch, push Boris, but just not kiss in any way, as everyone did. Boris, on the contrary, calmly and friendly embraced and kissed Rostov three times.
They had not seen each other for almost half a year; and at the age when young people take their first steps on the path of life, both found in each other great changes, completely new reflections of the societies in which they took their first steps in life. Both had changed a lot since their last meeting, and both wanted to quickly show each other the changes that had taken place in them.
“Oh, you damn floor polishers! Clean, fresh, as if from a walk, not like we are sinners, the army, ”said Rostov with baritone sounds new to Boris in his voice and army tricks, pointing to his breeches spattered with mud.
The German hostess leaned out of the door at the loud voice of Rostov.
- What, pretty? he said with a wink.
- Why are you screaming like that! You will scare them,” said Boris. “But I didn’t expect you today,” he added. - Yesterday, I just gave you a note through a friend of Kutuzovsky's adjutant - Bolkonsky. I did not think that he would deliver to you so soon ... Well, how are you? Already shot? Boris asked.
Rostov, without answering, shook the soldier's St. George's cross hanging on the laces of his uniform, and, pointing to his bandaged hand, smiling, looked at Berg.
“As you can see,” he said.
- That's how, yes, yes! - Boris said smiling, - and we also made a glorious campaign. After all, you know, his highness constantly rode with our regiment, so that we had all the conveniences and all the benefits. In Poland, what kind of receptions there were, what kind of dinners, balls - I can’t tell you. And the Tsarevich was very merciful to all our officers.
And both friends told each other - one about their hussar revels and military life, the other about the pleasantness and benefits of serving under the command of high-ranking officials, etc.
- O Guard! Rostov said. “Well, let’s go get some wine.”
Boris winced.
“If you really want to,” he said.
And, going up to the bed, he took out a purse from under the clean pillows and ordered to bring wine.
“Yes, and give you the money and the letter,” he added.
Rostov took the letter and, throwing money on the sofa, leaned his elbows on the table with both hands and began to read. He read a few lines and looked angrily at Berg. Meeting his gaze, Rostov covered his face with a letter.
“However, they sent you a decent amount of money,” Berg said, looking at the heavy purse pressed into the sofa. - Here we are with a salary, count, making our way. I'll tell you about myself...
“That’s what, my dear Berg,” said Rostov, “when you receive a letter from home and meet your man, whom you want to ask about everything, and I’ll be here, I’ll leave now so as not to disturb you. Listen, go away, please, somewhere, somewhere ... to hell! he shouted, and at once, grabbing him by the shoulder and looking affectionately into his face, apparently trying to soften the rudeness of his words, he added: “you know, don’t be angry; dear, my dear, I speak from the bottom of my heart, as to our old acquaintance.
“Ah, pardon me, Count, I understand very well,” said Berg, getting up and speaking to himself in a throaty voice.
- You go to the owners: they called you, - Boris added.
Berg put on a clean frock coat, without a spot or a speck, fluffed up the temples in front of the mirror, as Alexander Pavlovich wore, and, convinced by Rostov's look that his frock coat had been noticed, with a pleasant smile he left the room.
- Oh, what a beast I am, however! - said Rostov, reading the letter.
- And what?
- Oh, what a pig I am, however, that I never wrote and so scared them. Oh, what a pig I am,” he repeated, suddenly blushing. - Well, send Gavrila for wine! Okay, enough! - he said…
In the letters of the relatives, there was also a letter of recommendation to Prince Bagration, which, on the advice of Anna Mikhailovna, the old countess got through her acquaintances and sent to her son, asking him to take it down for its intended purpose and use it.
- That's nonsense! I really need it, - said Rostov, throwing the letter under the table.
- Why did you leave it? Boris asked.
- What a letter of recommendation, the devil is in my letter!
- What the hell is in the letter? - Boris said, raising and reading the inscription. This letter is very important for you.
“I don’t need anything, and I’m not going to be an adjutant to anyone.
- From what? Boris asked.
- Lackey position!
“You are still the same dreamer, I see,” said Boris, shaking his head.
“And you are still a diplomat. Well, that's not the point ... Well, what are you? Rostov asked.
- Yes, as you can see. So far so good; but I confess that I would very much like to become adjutant, and not remain in the front.
- Why?
- Then, that, having already gone through a career military service, we must try to make, if possible, a brilliant career.
- Yes, that's how! - said Rostov, apparently thinking of something else.
He looked intently and inquiringly into the eyes of his friend, apparently in vain looking for a solution to some question.