Мы, чьи легкие впитывают свежесть утра,
чьи глаза восхищаются зеленью ветки в мае,
-- мы лучше тех, которые (вздох) погибли.

Мы, кто смакует успехи восточной кухни,
кто оценить способен нюансы ласки,
-- мы лучше тех, кто лежит в могилах.

От пещи огненной, от колючки,
за которой пулями вечная осень свищет,
нас спасла наша хитрость и знанье жизни.

...

Official Soviet personnel strengths and casualties

Between December 25th, 1979 and February 15th 1989 a total of 620,000 soldiers serviced with the forces in Afghanistan (though there were only 80,000-104,000 force at one time in Afghanistan). 525,000 in the Army, 90,000 with border troops and other KGB sub-units, 5,000 in independent formations of MVD Internal Troops and police. A further 21,000 personnel were with the Soviet troop contingent over the same period doing various white collar or manual jobs.

The total irrecoverable personnel losses of the Soviet Armed Forces, frontier and internal security troops came to 14,453. Soviet Army formations, units and HQ elements lost 13,833, KGB sub units lost 572, MVD formations lost 28 and other ministries and departments lost 20 men. During this period 417 servicemen were missing in action or taken prisoner; 119 of these were later freed, of whom 97 returned to the USSR and 22 went to other countries.

There were 469,685 sick and wounded, of whom 53,753 or 11.44%, were wounded, injured or sustained concussion and 415,932 (88.56%) fell sick. A high proportion of casualties were those who fell ill. This was because of local climatic and sanitary conditions, which were such that acute infections spread rapidly among the troops. There were 115,308 cases of infectious hepatitis, 31,080 of typhoid fever and 140,665 of other diseases. Of the 11,654 who were discharged from the army after being wounded, maimed or contracting serious diseases, 92%, or 10,751 men were left disabled.

Soviet war in Afghanistan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Хорошие стихи. Чьи?

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Хорошие стихи. Чьи?
Стихи Чеслава Милоша. Перевод Бродского.

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То-то я смотрю - похоже на Бродского, но он верлибров почти не писал. А это вон оно как.

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