Probably many, having read “Cold Winter”, are wondering how realistic the preparation for Operation Hammer described there is. And this operation itself - was it really planned? I can’t say for sure, the answers are in unclassified archives, but I’m sure it was planned! In “Cold Winter” I cited four authentic documents from the archives of the CPSU Central Committee regarding the period before the start of the war in Afghanistan. It is clearly clear from them that the Soviet Union was also arranged by Mohammed Daoud, despite the fact that he was a relative of the overthrown king. And Nur Mohammed Taraki, when he came to power, overthrowing Daoud, and without any help from the USSR. The Soviet Union did not want a war in Afghanistan; it did its best to push the parties to the intra-Afghan confrontation towards a peaceful dialogue. And, nevertheless, war was being prepared in the southern direction. A lot speaks for the fact that it was being prepared!