Nikolai Berlev, a prominent member of the Soviet KGB’s elite “Alpha” unit known for his role in the 1979 storming of the Tajbeg Palace in Kabul, has died at the age of 85. Berlev participated in the pivotal operation that assassinated Afghan President Hafizullah Amin, an event that marked the beginning of the Soviet Union’s decade-long invasion of Afghanistan.
Known as “Grandpa Berlev” due to being older than his comrades, he joined the counter-terrorism unit at 34. Before his involvement in Afghanistan, he played a key role in high-stakes Cold War operations, including the famous prisoner exchange of Chilean communist leader Luis Corvalán for Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky in Zurich. His passing revives memories of a turbulent era in Afghan history defined by foreign intervention.
According to RIA Novosti, Berlev was a co-founder of the Alpha Veterans Association and a recipient of the Order of the Red Banner. His participation in Operation “Grom” at the Afghan presidential palace cemented his place in Soviet military lore. He represents the generation of operatives who executed the Kremlin’s aggressive foreign policies on Afghan soil.
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