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Soviet-AfghanWar

1979–1989

The Soviet-Afghan War, a conflict between Russia and Pakistan from 1979 to 1989, resulted in approximately 1 million Afghan civilian deaths.

OUTCOME
DECISIVE VICTORY B
Era
1979–1989
SIDES
3
⚔ CONFLICT INTERSTATE WAR

Soviet-AfghanWar

⚔ Cold War · 1945–1991 is part of this war
Russia
VS
Afghan mujahideen Pakistan Afghanistan
Start: 25.12.1979 End: 15.02.1989 Duration: 9 years 1 months 25 days Participants: 3 countries Weapons: 111 systems
Overview
Sides
Chronology
Weapons
Outcomes
01 / Overview
Soviet-Afghan War
Date
1979–1989
Type
interstate war
Duration
9 years 1 months 25 days
Participants
Russia Pakistan Afghanistan
Weapon System
111
Outcome
decisive victory b
Parent War
Cold War
02 / Sides
Belligerents 3 participants
Russia Russia Primary
VS
Afghan mujahideen
Pakistan Pakistan Primary Afghanistan Afghanistan Primary
03 / Weapons & Equipment · 66 systems
WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT SUMMARY
ORIGIN · COUNTRY
Russia
79 %71
United States
12 %11
People's Republic of China
5 %5
United Kingdom
5 %5
Germany
2 %2
ORIGIN · COMPANY
Tula Arms Plant
8 %7
Sukhoi
7 %6
Kalashnikov Concern
6 %5
Antonov
6 %5
China North Industries Group Corporation Limited
5 %5
Total 111 distinct systems
Avg. Equipment Age 18 years all equipment
SIDE A 17 years avg. age
Afghan mujahideen 21 years avg. age
MOST EXPENSIVE $36 Mn Mil Mi-24
Weapons & Equipment66systems
Country
CATEGORY
FIM-92 StingerMANPADS80Claymore mineAnti-Personnel Mines73Zastava M72Light Machine Guns (LMG/SAW)67RGN hand grenadeHand Grenades65RGO hand grenadeHand Grenades62BTR-50Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)472S3 AkatsiyaSelf-Propelled Artillery32GP-25Underbarrel Grenade Launchers64Carl Gustaf m/45Machine Pistols619K114 ShturmAnti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)54KS-19Field Guns46Barrett M82Sniper Rifles83M252Towed Artillery & Mortars66FIM-43 RedeyeMANPADS50PPSh-41Machine Pistols71Norinco CQAssault Rifles66RPG-18 MukhaRocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG)46NSV machine gunHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)85RPG-7Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG)84AK-74Assault Rifles79VSS VintorezSniper Rifles79Sukhoi Su-25Ground Attack / CAS Aircraft78Sukhoi Su-24Ground Attack / CAS Aircraft78Antonov An-22Tactical Transports78Mosin–NagantBolt-Action Rifles76RPKLight Machine Guns (LMG/SAW)76Mil Mi-24Attack Helicopters75TM-72 mineAnti-Tank Mines74Tupolev Tu-22MStrategic Bombers74+62more →Heckler & Koch MP5Machine Pistols73Renault FTTanks44M3 submachine gunMachine Pistols60AKS-74UAssault Rifles69MT-LBArmoured Personnel Carriers (APC)60BTR-DArmoured Personnel Carriers (APC)58NSV machine gunHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)85Makarov PMPistols5760 mm mortar M2Towed Artillery & Mortars482B11 SaniTowed Artillery & Mortars45Lee-EnfieldBolt-Action Rifles81RPO-A ShmelIncendiary & Napalm Bombs759K111 FagotAnti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)49FIM-92 StingerMANPADS80AK-74Assault Rifles79M134 MinigunGeneral Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)79AKMAssault Rifles69TokarevPistols67BTR-80Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)63BM-21 GradMultiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)61Type 56Assault Rifles59BTR-70Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)54StenMachine Pistols48Type 63 rocket launcherMultiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)33M1 carbineCarbinesAK-74Assault Rifles79BGM-71 TOWAnti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)59RKG-3 anti-tank grenadeHand Grenades49ASU-85Self-Propelled Artillery41KPV heavy machine gunHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)82ZB-53General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)80FIM-92 StingerMANPADS80POF G3Battle Rifles80AK-74Assault Rifles79M134 MinigunGeneral Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)79RPKLight Machine Guns (LMG/SAW)76Mosin–NagantBolt-Action Rifles76D-30Towed Artillery & Mortars75TM-72 mineAnti-Tank Mines74M203Underbarrel Grenade Launchers73RPK-74Light Machine Guns (LMG/SAW)73+19more →Type 81 assault rifleAssault Rifles63FIM-92 StingerMANPADS80BM-27 UraganMultiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)62StechkinMachine Pistols602S1 GvozdikaSelf-Propelled Artillery57AGS-17Automatic Grenade Launchers (AGL)569K32 Strela-2MANPADS44

Each system appears only once in the list.

1NSV machine gunHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)85MASS2RPG-7Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG)84MASS3Barrett M82Sniper Rifles83MASS4KPV heavy machine gunHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)82MASS5Lee-EnfieldBolt-Action Rifles81MASS6FIM-92 StingerMANPADS80MASS7ZB-53General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)80MASS8POF G3Battle Rifles80MASS9AK-74Assault Rifles79MASS10VSS VintorezSniper Rifles79MASS
1Mil Mi-24Attack Helicopters$36 Mn2BGM-71 TOWAnti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)$94 K202139K32 Strela-2MANPADS$75 K19724FIM-92 StingerMANPADS$38 K19805RPG-7Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG)$35020206Claymore mineAnti-Personnel Mines$11919937M1 carbineCarbines$4519438M3 submachine gunMachine Pistols$2019439StenMachine Pistols$111942
04 / Outcomes
Outcome & Human Cost
🏆Decisive Victory — Side B
Side / CountryMilitaryCivilianDisplaced
Russia15,051——
Afghanistan85,000105,000—
FIRST DEFENSE DEALS AFTER WAR 20 deals
Year Weapon / Product Seller Buyer Type Value
1990 Dassault Mirage III Australia Pakistan second-hand —
1992 Agosta-class submarine France Pakistan new-build $950 Mn
1992 Tripartite-class minehunter France Pakistan new-build —
1993 2K11 Krug Russia Armenia second-hand —
1993 Project 254 minesweeper Russia Bangladesh new-build —
1993 Project 254K-class minesweeper Russia Bangladesh new-build —
1993 T-62-5TDF Ukraine Russia second-hand —
1993 Tariq-class destroyer United Kingdom Pakistan second-hand —
1995 Rokot Russia Germany license-production —
1995 Hongdu JL-8 / K-8 Karakorum People's Republic of China Pakistan new-build —
1996 BPS-500-class missile boat Russia Vietnam license-production —
1997 Foxtrot-class submarine Russia Ukraine second-hand —
1997 Krivak-class frigate Russia India new-build —
1997 Talwar-class frigate Russia India new-build $1 Mr
1997 2K22 Tunguska Russia India new-build —
1997 R-73 Russia United States second-hand —
1998 Tupolev Tu-160 Russia Ukraine aid $285 Mn
1998 Hwasong-7 North Korea Pakistan export —
1999 Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate Russia India license-production —
1999 Tupolev Tu-160 Russia Russia new-build —
📚 Sources
  1. Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP)
  2. Correlates of War (CoW) project
  3. Official archives and academic literature