Specnaz (Russian: спецназ; IPA: [spʲɪˈt͜snas]), abbreviation for Войска специального назначения, tr. Voyska specialnogo naznacheniya pronounced [vɐjsˈka spʲɪcɨˈalʲnəvə nəznɐˈt͜ɕenʲɪjə] (English: Special Purpose Forces), is an umbrella term for special forces in Russian and is used in numerous post-Soviet states. Historically, the term referred to special military units controlled by the military intelligence service GRU (Spetsnaz GRU).