Spetznaz (Ñ?пецназ) is shorthand for ВойÑ?ка Ñ?пециального назначениÑ? [Voiska spetsialnogo naznacheniya], Russia's special purpose units. Ironically, Russians use the term to refer to special forces of all countries.

Spetznaz are known to have carried out all sorts of secret missions in peacetime and wartime. Most infamous, perhaps, was the assassination of Afghanistan's president in December 1979. They may operate under the direction of the KGB, the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Ministry of Interior (of the police) MVD, and or the military intelligence service GRU.

Although America's CIA and FBI still top most conspiracy theorists' lists when it comes to nefarious underhanded dealings in darkened backrooms, spetznaz operations aren't very far behind. They are widely believed by conspiracy theorists to have their own agenda when it comes to genetic manipulation, including removing any perceived threats from competitors.

As with all governments, the spetznaz have been accused of having their own super-stealth black helicopters, usually referred to as Black Marias (mah-rye-ahs). Ironically, the Russian term for them is черный ворон, literally "black ravens," and the term itself originated from a 19th-century American slang term for police vans. During the Stalinist era, the phrase migrated over to Russia and caught popularity.

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