The 1st Special Purpose Unit of the Internal Forces "Vityaz", commonly known as Vityaz, was one of the special forces (spetsnaz) units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (MVD). Vityaz belonged to the Independent Operative Purpose Division (ODON) rapid deployment division of the Internal Troops of Russia, the gendarmerie force of the MVD, and was assigned specifically to counter-terrorism duties, with additional roles such as countering civil unrest, prison rebellions, and mutinies of regular army units.
Vityaz unit emblem, showing an AKS-74 rifle imposed on the double-headed eagle (originally a Soviet red star)
Vityaz personnel in a GAZ-2975 at the public show Interpolitex 2012
Separate Operational Purpose Division
The Separate Operational Purpose Division or ODON, formerly called OMSDON, is a rapid deployment internal security division of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR and then the Russian Federation, currently part of the National Guard Forces Command of the Russian Federation. ODON is an initialism for Отдельная дивизия оперативного назначения.
ODON soldiers marching in Alexander Garden on Victory Day in 2015.
ODON division servicemen from Russian Internal Troops. Photo by Vitaly Kuzmin