Soviet troops needed a transition from passive guarding of the main roads to active search and destroy operations along all possible routes.

In February 1984, the leadership of the Soviet Armed Forces made a decision to adopt a plan to create the "Curtain" border zone, the main task of which would be to block most of the caravan routes along which the Mujahideen were supplied from Pakistan.

[4] The operational group at the command post of the 40th Army, for the coordination and organization of the fight against caravans, received the same name "The Curtain" [5] The beginning of the plan was the redeployment in March 1984 to the eastern provinces of two spetsnaz formations formed in 1980, which had been part of the OKSVA since October 1981.

It was formed on February 29, 1980 on the basis of 12th Spetsnaz Brigade, in Lagodekhi Georgian SSR, as part of the Transcaucasian Military District.

[6] Artillery or aircraft raided the targets designated by forward observers, after which the area was examined by a damage assessment group sent by helicopters.

Taking into account the rotation, rest and training of units, as well as the capabilities of 34th Aviation Corps under the 40th army, no more than 30-40 ambushes were set up every day.

[10] This came at a cost of 581 servicemen killed and missing during the operation from March 1984 to the end of April 1988: Despite causing seemingly heavy casualties to the mujahideen, the conduct and professionalism of the GRU special purpose units was called into question by veterans of other elite Red Army formations.