These pictures came from a friend's collection and I am using them here to show the differences between the two types of Mobutu uniforms. You may be asking youself what a Mobutu uniform is? Well...they were a type of uniform used by the Soviet Spetsnaz (Special Forces) from the late 1970's up until 1990's. These uniforms are highly specialized and are EXTREMELY rare to find. Most of these uniforms were used during the Soviet-Afghanistan War, but there is credible evidence that they used these uniforms in other areas as well (Africa). They are supposedly named after an assassination of Mobutu in Africa. What I don't understand, Mobuto was the leader of Zaire and was never assassinated by Soviet Spetsnaz or KGB Alfa teams. He died of prostate cancer. These uniforms are shrouded in mystery, as is much of the history of the Soviet Spetsnaz and KGB.
The jacket on the left with exposed buttons is of the early type. The jacket on the right is of the later type.



Picture of the pants. The one with the exposed buttons is the earlier version.

oh ,it is a good thing because we hardly find mobutu,I have a early periods like the top one in this picture,my picture[img][/img]
I want to find the one under the picture,my cap in my picture is not a mobutu cap,my mobutu cap give my friend that time

fanxiaojun wrote:oh ,it is a good thing because we hardly find mobutu,I have a early periods like the top one in this picture,my picture[img][/img]
I want to find the one under the picture,my cap in my picture is not a mobutu cap,my mobutu cap give my friend that time

That guy has some snazzy shoes!


Very cool uniform guys, I really like the Russkie pocket placement on their pants. That uniform looks pretty neat..If I ever stumble upon one I will know what to look for.

Thats REALLY weird about the Mobutu name thing....maybe they poisoned him with Polonium 214 gradually, and thats what gave him prostate cancer! Just kidding

A great video that Nat. Geographic made during the Soviet Afghan war, a camera crew travelled around with various soviet units, one segment had them with "spetznaz" (I suspect just paras), they were wearing this uniform on the helicopters, I had two versions of the uniform, one with grey snap buttons and one with black. I did note a few years ago that a russian company was reproducing these as well as the very rare Soviet mountain troops uniform (I want to say the company was red star but not totally sure).

Also, the uniform originally came with a field cap of the same lightweight fabric.
CHris

misanthropic_gods wrote:That guy has some snazzy shoes!

Funny story, actually... Russian troops have been documented wearing shoes similar to this, due in part to issued boots being uncomfortable. This started in the Afghan War of the late 70s to 1980s, with the old jackboots becoming extremely harsh on Soviet soldier's feet the longer they were worn in the unforgiving Afghan climate.

In fact there's a running joke on another forum about getting "official Spetsnaz Adidas".

Whether by tradition or just logistical shortfalls, it continues today as well.


Soviet in the Afghan War wearing Adidas-type shoes.


Unknown commando unit member wearing running shoes.


Russian high-sensitivity personnel; note far right member's shoes.

Sorry to derail the thread, gents.

Carry on!

nkomo wrote:fanxiaojun,
Does your Mobutu uniform have any makers marks on the inside? Most of the ones I have come across do. Mine is one of the few that only has numbers on the inside instead of a makers name.

I will take a picture

Hi guys

I think you already know,that sport( runing) shoes light,comfortable. Easy to run/climbing. So those guys( soldiers) just got them at local bazzar( afghans market).The old "KERZACHI" they just left at base

nkomo wrote:fanxiaojun,
Does your Mobutu uniform have any makers marks on the inside? Most of the ones I have come across do. Mine is one of the few that only has numbers on the inside instead of a makers name.

I have found but cannot find any marks on the inside ,but I took the photo of the tag when I bought this uniform.
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[img][/img]

Soviet spesnaz troops used soports shoes in afhanistan .Some pictures show that there are many kinds of sports shoes used during that time.I always want to find the Adidas originals which copy by the moscow shoes factory,we called it "moscow" shoes like my pictures

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the most famous soviet army film <9 rota>
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one of my friend send from Germany,he said that this kind of shoes are still producted by shoe factory
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this shoes are one of my friend called "navy seal" get from foreign,he is a "big brother" to get many kinds of soviet militaies from all of the world,we all show respect to him,he is a rich man
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2004 Beslan school hostage crisis Russian

The two different sets I had only ever had cardboard tags as I recall.

Chris

fanxiaojun wrote:

nkomo wrote:fanxiaojun,
Does your Mobutu uniform have any makers marks on the inside? Most of the ones I have come across do. Mine is one of the few that only has numbers on the inside instead of a makers name.

I have found but cannot find any marks on the inside ,but I took the photo of the tag when I bought this uniform.
[img][/img]
[img][/img]

During the Afghan-Soviet War all the Soviets got their Adidas from china. The blue colored ones were popular because they matched their blue Telnyashkas. Also during the mid point of the war and on. The conscripts started to wear the chinese AK chest rigs (first widley used in Vietnam), which they first saw the mujahideen wearing.