Soviet Airborne Squad

The Soviet Union was a pioneer in the development of airborne forces, forming its first brigade-sized paratroop unit following successful trials in December 1932. Additional formations soon followed, and by June 1941, the Red Army fielded five full Airborne Corps—making it the largest and most ambitious airborne force in the world at the time. However, during the brutal early months of the war, these elite troops were repurposed as regular infantry and suffered devastating losses.