Сухопутные войска Российской Федерации

Sukhoputnye voiska Rossíyskoy Federátsii

- -

Russian Ground Forces (SV)

Textes from Wikipedia related-articles and insignia from www.tridentmilitary.com

Moskovsky Military District

Leningradsky Military District

Volga-Uralsky Military District

Sibirsky Military District

North Caucasus Red Banner Military District

RUSSIAN GROUND FORCES COLLAR INSIGNIA 2008

www.tridentmilitary.com

Space Forces Strategic Rocket Forces Ground Forces

Motor Rifle Tank Airborne

Rocket and Artillery Enginers Topographical

Signal Transportation Railroad

Pipeline troops Military Railroads transport and communications

Chemical

Medical Air Force Air Defense (PVS)

Military Justice FSB (ex-KGB) Border Guards Militsyia

RUSSIAN GENERAL AND MARSHAL SHOULDER BOARDS

RGMSB1.Russian Marshal everday shoulder boards.$125.00pr RGMSB3.Russian Marshal subdued field shoulder boards. For camouflage uniform. $125.00pr RGMSB5.Russian Marshal shoulder boards for the white shirt.$125.00pr RGSB31.Russian General of the Army parade shoulder boards. Early type with large marshal star and smaller star in wreath. No longer in use, replaced with 4 smaller stars. $85.00 RGSB35.Russian General of the Army shoulder boards for coat. Slip on.Early type with large marshal star and smaller star in wreath. No longer in use, replaced with 4 smaller stars. $85.00 RGSB34.Russian General of the Army shirt shoulder boards. Early type with large marshal star and smaller star in wreath. No longer in use, replaced with 4 smaller stars. $85.00 RGSB33.Russian General of the Army subdued shoulder boards for the camouflage uniform. Early type with large marshal star and smaller star in wreath. No longer in use, replaced with 4 smaller stars. $85.00 RGSB32.Russian General of the Army everyday shoulder boards. Early type with large marshal star and smaller star in wreath. No longer in use, replaced with 4 smaller stars. $85.00 RGSB26.Russian 1 star general camouflage shoulder boards.$45.00pr

www.tridentmilitary.com

RUSSIAN ARMY SHOULDER BOARDS

RSB23.Russian army enlisted ranks shoulder boards with cyrillic "VS".Slip on.$15.00 RSB11.Russian Armed forces Cadet shoulder boards with "K". $15.00pr RSB25.Russian army Warrant officer shoulder boards.$15.00pr RSB13.Russian Army officer shoulder boards for rank of Lt. through Captain.$15.00 RSB33.Russian Army officer white shoulder boards for white shirts.Rank of Lt. through Captain.$15.00pr RSB63.Russian Army officer parade shoulder boards for rank of Lt. through Captain.$15.00pr RSB14.Russian Army officer boards for rank of Major through Colonel.$15.00pr RSB32.Russian Army officer white shoulder boards for white shirts.Rank of Major through Colonel.$15.00pr RSB62.Russian Army officer parade shoulder boards for rank of Major through Colonel.$15.00pr

RUSSIAN RANK STARS,METAL RANK CHEVRONS,AND

CAMOUFLAGE RANK SHOULDER BOARD SLIDES FOR OFFICERS.

9.Gold metal triple chevron for dress uniform.Rank of Sergeant. $10.00pr

Russian VSR camouflage shoulder board slides for the camouflage uniform

15.Russian VSR camouflage shoulder slides with "CBY"Souvorov's military school. $15.00pr 16.Russian VSR camouflage shoulder slides for officer candidates with yellow embr "K".$15.00pr 18.Russian VSR camouflage shoulder slides for 1st leutenant. $20.00pr 19.Russian VSR camouflage shoulder slides for rank of Captain. $20.00pr 20.Russian VSR camouflage shoulder slides for rank of Major. $20.00pr 22.Russian VSR camouflage shoulder slides for rank of Colonel. $20.00pr

RSBD1.Russian eagle shoulder board device for Cossacks. $5.95pr

RSB36.Russian shoulder boards for the Suvorov Junior Military Schools.$15.00pr

RUSSIAN ARMY PATCHES www.tridentmilitary.com

Russian Ground Forces

R583A.Russian sleeve patch with star and wreath for land forces.on black $5.00 - R583B.As above but embroidered.$8.50 R1011.Russian Ground Forces breast patch.3.5cm x 12cm.$5.00

Motor Rifles Troops

R478A.Russian motor rifles sleeve patch. $5.00 - R478B.As above but embroidered.$8.50 - R924.Russian embroidered sleeve patch for the 242nd mobile rifle regiment of the North Caucasus military district.Old type.$10.00 - R920.Russian embroidered sleeve patch for the 242nd mobile rifle regiment of the North Caucasus military district.Current type.$10.00

R921.Russian embroidered sleeve patch for the 712th separate motor rifle training battalion of the North Caucasus military district.$10.00 - R1314.Sevastopol Motor Rifles Regiment. $6.50 –

R714.Russian sleeve patch of the 2nd guards motor rifle division"Tamansky".$6.50

Tank Troops

R482.Russian Tank Forces sleeve patch. $5.00 - R999.Russian Tank troops breast patch.3.5cm x 12cm.Yellow on Black.$5.00 R752.Russian sleeve patch for the Zhitomir-Shepetovski Guards Tank Regiment.Heroism & Bravery.$6.00

Reconnaissance Troops

R719.Russian sleeve patch of the 68th Guards Reconnaissance battalion.$6.00 R893.Russian sleeve patch for the 46th Reconnaissance battalion.$6.00SOLD OUT R894.Russian breast patch for the 46th Reconnaissance battalion.$6.00SOLD OUT

www.tridentmilitary.com

Rocket and Artillery Troops

R571A.Russian sleeve patch for rocket and artillery troops. $5.00 - R571B.Russian embroidered sleeve patch for rocket and artillery troops.$8.50 R1014.Russian breast patch for Rocket and Artillery troops.3.5cm x 12cm.Yellow on Black.$5.

R649.Sleeve patch for the 280th mobile artillery brigade with motto "power,grandeur,glory" $5.0000R1318.Russian sleeve patch for the 16802nd Rocket brigade in Kabarovsk. $6.00 R518.Russian Sleeve patch for the 464th missile brigade.$6.00

www.tridentmilitary.com

Engineers

R623.Sleeve patch for engineering troops of Russia. $5.00 - R1320.Sleeve patch for the 236th Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion. $6.50 R1331.Sleeve patch for Engineer and Construction Base. $6.00

Communications Troops

R477B.As above but embroidered.$8.50 R852.Russian army sleeve patch for the 1st Signals Brigade with motto: Russia, Honour, Heroism. $6.00

R1007.Russian communications troops breast patch.3.5cm x 12cm.Yellow on Black.$5.00

www.tridentmilitary.com

Transportation Troops

R272A.Russian sleeve patch for Transportation troops.$5.00 - R272B.As above but embroidered.$8.50 - R974.Russian transportation troops breast patch on camouflage.$6.00

Railroad Troops

R584.Russian sleeve patch for railroad troops $5.00 - R954B.Russian sleeve patch for the Railroad troops of the Russian Federation.$6.00R572A.Russian embroidered flag sleeve patch for railroad troops.$8.00 - R572B.Russian flag sleeve patch for Railroad Troops.$5.00

Military Traffic Control Police

R213B."D.P.S. V.A.I." Embroidered sleeve patch.$8.50 - R972."D.P.S. V.A.I."Embroidered Military traffic control police upper sleeve shevron.3cm x 12cm.$5.00 - R1013."D.P.S. V.A.I."Embroidered Military traffic control police breast patch.3cm x 10cm.Yellow on Black.$5.00 R1015."Military Patrol" breast patch.Yellow on Black.2.4cm x 13cm.$3.50 - R1299.Sleeve patch for troops in the Northern Caucasus military region. $6.50 - S6.Transdnestria "V.A.I." Military Automobile traffic police breast badge. $15.00 - S7."V.A.I." Military automobile traffic police. $15.00

Construction Troops

R499.Sleeve patch for the Russian 293rd military construction brigade.$5.00 R853.Russian army sleeve patch of the Military Construction Service.$5.00

Medical

R480.Russian medical service's sleeve patch. $5.00

Topographical

RAPBB6.Parade breast badge for topographical troops. $12.00

www.tridentmilitary.com

RUSSIAN NBC PROTECTION TROOPS

R624A.New sleeve patch for the chemical troops of Russia. $5.00 - R624B.As above but embroidered.$8.50 - R703.Russian sleeve patch for troops of nuclear,biological, chemical defence.$6.00 - R704.Russian sleeve patch for the Saratov High Command School of NBC Protection Troops. $5.00 R705.Russian sleeve patch of the headquarters of troops of NBC defence.$6.00 - R706.Russian sleeve patch for the NBC Protection Brigade of the North Caucasian Military District. $6.00 - R712.Russian sleeve patch for the NBC Protection Brigade of the Moscow Military District. $6.00 R1319.Sleeve patch for the 2nd Mobile NBC Protection Brigade. $6.50

Military Bases - Troops in Northern Caucasus

R256.Sleeve patch of the 62nd military base.(ex division). $6.00

ARMY SPECIALISTS

RAFSB1.Army enlisted ranks Master specialist badge.$10.00 - RAFSB2.Army enlisted ranks 1st class specialist badge.$8.00 RAFSB3.Army enlisted ranks 2nd class specialist badge. $8.00 - RAFSB4.Army enlisted ranks 3rd class specialist badge. $8.00 RAFSB5.Army officer Master specialist badge. $20.00 - RAFSB6.Army officer 1st class specialist badge. $15.00 RAFSB7.Army officer 2nd class specialist badge. $15.00 - RAFSB8.Army officer 3rd class specialist badge. $15.00

www.tridentmilitary.com

Russian Ground Forces Сухопутные войска Российской Федерации Sukhoputnye voiska Rossíyskoy Federátsii

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Russian Ground Forces (Russian: Сухопутные войска Российской Федерации, tr.: Suhopútnyje vojská Rossíjskoj Federácii) are the land forces of the Russian Federation, formed from parts of the collapsing Soviet Army in 1992. This in turn, posed many economic challenges coupled with reforms to professionalize the force during the transitional phase that Russia had to endure due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. While the Russian Ground Forces in their present form are only 15 years old, Russian officials trace their antecedents' history through the Imperial Russian era back to the time of Kievan Rus. Since 1992 the Ground Forces have had to withdraw many thousands of troops from former Soviet garrisons abroad, while being extensively committed to the Chechen wars, and peacekeeping and other operations in the Soviet successor states (what is known in Russia as the "near abroad"). Most recently they clashed with Georgian forces in July 2008.

Mission

The primary responsibilities of the Ground Forces are the protection of the state border, combat on land, the security of occupied territories, and the defeat of enemy troops. The Ground Forces must be able to achieve these goals both in nuclear war and non-nuclear war, especially without the use of weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore, they must be capable of protecting the national interests of Russia within the framework of its international obligations. The Main Command of the Ground Forces is officially tasked with the following objectives:[1]

• The training of troops for combat, on the basis of tasks determined by the Armed Forces' General Staff.

• The improvement of troops' structure and composition, and the optimization of their numbers, including for special troops.

• The development of military theory and practice.

• The development and introduction of training field manuals, manuals, and methodology.

• The improvement of operational and combat training of the Ground Forces.

History

As the Soviet Union dissolved there were some efforts made to keep the Soviet Armed Forces together as a single military for the new Commonwealth of Independent States. The last Minister of Defence of Soviet Union, Marshal Yevgeny Shaposhnikov, was appointed supreme commander of the CIS Armed Forces in December 1991.[2] Among the numerous treaties signed by varying republics in order to direct the transition period was a temporary agreement on general purpose forces, signed in Minsk on 14 February 1992. However, once it became clear that Ukraine, and potentially the other republics, were determined to undermine the concept of joint general purpose forces, and to form their own armed forces, the new Russian government made its move.[2] Boris Yeltsin signed a decree on the formation of a Russian Ministry of Defence on 7 May 1992, bringing the Russian Ground Forces into existence along with the other parts of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. At that time the General Staff was in the process of withdrawing tens of thousands of personnel from the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, the Northern Group of Forces in Poland, the Central Group of Forces in Czechoslovakia, the Southern Group of Forces in Hungary, and from Mongolia. Thirty-seven divisions had to be withdrawn from the four groups of forces and the Baltic States, and four military districts totalling 57 divisions were handed over to Belarus and Ukraine.[3] Some idea of the scale of the withdrawal can be gained from the division list here. For the dissolving Soviet Ground Forces, the withdrawal from the former Warsaw Pact states and the Baltic states was an extremely demanding, expensive, and debilitating process.[4] As the military districts that remained in Russia after the collapse of the Union consisted mostly of the mobilisable cadre formations, the Russian Ground Forces were to a large extent created by relocating the formerly full-strength formations from Eastern Europe to those under-resourced districts. However, the facilities in those districts were quite inadequate to house the flood of personnel and equipment returning from abroad, and many units "were unloaded from the rail wagons into empty fields."[5] The need for destruction and transfer of large amounts of weaponry under the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty also necessitated great adjustments.

Post-Soviet reform plans

A reform plan was published on 21 July 1992 in Krasnaya Zvezda, the Ministry of Defence newspaper. Later one commentator said it was "hastily" put together by the General Staff "to satisfy the public demand for radical changes."[6] The General Staff, from that point, become a bastion of conservation, causing a buildup of troubles which later became critical. The reform plan advocated a change from an Army-Division-Regiment structure to a Corps-Brigade arrangement. The new structures were to be more able to

cope with a frontless situation and be more capable of independent action at all levels. Cutting out a whole level of command, leaving two rather than three higher echelons between the theatre headquarters and the fighting battalions would produce economies, increase flexibility, and simplify command-and-control arrangements.[7] The expected total changeover to this new structure actually proved to be rare, patchy, and sometimes reversed. More brigades appeared, but mostly as divisions that had eroded down to their new strengths, and new divisions, such as the new 3rd Motor Rifle Division in the Moscow Military District formed on the basis of disbanding tank formations, were formed rather than brigades. Few of the reforms planned in the early 1990s eventuated, for three reasons. Firstly, there was an absence of firm civilian political guidance, with Boris Yeltsin more interested in ensuring the Armed Forces were controllable and loyal, rather than reformed.[8] Secondly, declining funding did not assist matters, and thirdly, there was no firm consensus within the military about what reforms should be implemented. General Pavel Grachev, first Russian Minister of Defence (1992–96), for all his talk of reform, wished to preserve the old Soviet-style Army, with large numbers of low-strength formations and continued mass conscription. The General Staff and the armed services tried to preserve Soviet era doctrines, deployments, weapons, and missions in the absence of solid new guidance.[9] A British military expert, Michael Orr, makes a cogent case that the hierarchy had great difficulty fully understanding the changed situation because, as graduates of Soviet military academies, their education had given great operational and staff training, but in political terms had learned an ideology rather than a wide understanding of international affairs. Thus the generals could see only NATO expanding to the east, in contrast to Russian weakness, and could not reorient themselves, let alone the Armed Forces as a whole, to the new opportunities and challenges they faced.[10]

Internal crisis of 1993

The Ground Forces reluctantly became involved in the Russian constitutional crisis of 1993 after then-President Yeltsin had issued an unconstitutional decree dissolving the Parliament following its resistance to his consolidation of power and neo-liberal reforms. A group of deputies, including Vice President Alexander Rutskoi, had barricaded themselves inside. While giving public support to the President, the Armed Forces, led by General Grachev, tried to remain neutral, following the wishes of the officer corps.[11] Yeltsin had to plead for hours to get the military leadership, who were unsure of the rightness of his cause and the reliability of their forces, to commit to the attack on the Parliament. When the attack was finally mounted, the forces used came from five different divisions around Moscow, and the personnel involved were mostly officers and senior non-commissioned officers.[4] There were also indications that some formations deployed into Moscow only under protest.[12] However, once Parliament had been stormed, the parliamentary leaders arrested, and temporary censorship imposed, Yeltsin did succeed in retaining power.

Chechen Wars

The Chechen people had never willingly accepted Russian rule, and with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, had declared independence in November 1991 under a former Air Forces officer, General Dzhokar Dudayev.[13] With the continuation of Chechen "independence" seen as reducing Moscow's authority, a widespread perception of Chechnya becoming a haven for criminals, and the emergence of a hard-line group within the Kremlin advocating war, Yeltsin decided in November 1994 that action should be taken. At a Security Council meeting on 29 November, he ordered the Chechens to disarm or else Moscow would restore order. Defense Minister Pavel Grachev assured Yeltsin that he would "take Groznyy with one airborne assault regiment in two hours."[14] The operation began on 11 December 1994 and by 31 December Russian forces were entering Grozny, the Chechen capital. The 131st Motor Rifle Brigade was ordered to make a swift push for the centre of the city but was then virtually destroyed in Chechen ambushes. After finally seizing Grozny, amid fierce resistance, troops moved on to other Chechen strongholds. When Chechen militants took hostages in the Budyonnovsk hospital hostage crisis in Stavropol Kray in June 1995, peace looked possible for a time but fighting eventually went on. Dzhokar Dudayev was assassinated in April 1996, and that summer, a Chechen attack retook Groznyy. Alexander Lebed, then Secretary of the Security Council, began talks with the Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov in August 1996, signed an agreement on 22/23 August, and by the end of the month, fighting ended.[15] The formal ceasefire was signed in the Dagestani town of Khasavyurt on 31 August 1996, stipulating that a formal agreement on relations between the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and the Russian federal government need not be signed until late 2001. The Russian Ground Forces' performance in the First Chechen War has been assessed as ' appallingly bad'.[16] Writing six years later, Michael Orr said "one of the root causes of the Russian failure in 1994–96 was their inability to raise and deploy a properly-trained military force."[17] In December 1996, Defence Minister Igor Rodionov even ordered the dismissal of the Commander of the Ground Forces, Vladimir Semyanov, for activities incompatible with his position, which were reportedly his wife's business activities.[18] The Second Chechen War began in August 1999 after Chechen militias invaded neighboring Dagestan, followed quickly in early September by a series of four terrorist bombings across Russia, which prompted Russian military action against the alleged Chechen culprits. Initially the main Russian technique used was to lay waste an area with artillery and airstrikes before the land forces advances. Improvements were made in the Ground Forces between 1996 and 1999, and when the Second Chechen War started, instead of hastily-assembled "composite regiments" whose members had never seen service together, dispatched with little or no training, formations were brought up to strength with some replacements, put through preparatory training, and then dispatched. Combat performance improved accordingly,[19] and large-scale opposition was crippled. Most of the more prominent past Chechen separatist leaders have died or have been killed, including former president Aslan Maskhadov and leading warlord and terrorist attack mastermind Shamil Basayev. However, small scale conflict has continued to drag on and is now spreading across other parts of the Russian Caucasus.[20] It has been a divisive struggle, with at least one senior military officer dismissed for being unresponsive to government commands. General Colonel Gennady Troshev was dismissed in 2002 for refusing to move from command of the North Caucasus Military District to command of the less important Siberian Military District.

Reforms under Sergeyev

When Igor Sergeyev arrived as Minister of Defence in 1997, he started to initiate what were seen as real reforms under very difficult conditions.[21] The number of military educational establishments, virtually unchanged since 1991, was reduced, and the amalgamation of the Siberian and Trans-baikal Military Districts was ordered. A larger number of army divisions were given "constant readiness" status, which was supposed to bring them up to 80% manning and 100% equipment holdings. Sergeyev announced in August 1998 that there would be six divisions and four brigades on 24-hour alert by the end of that year. However, personnel quality—even in these favored units—continued to be a problem. Lack of fuel for training and a shortage of well-trained junior officers hamper combat effectiveness.[22] However, concentrating on the interests of his old service, the Strategic Rocket Forces, Sergeyev directed the disbanding of the Ground Forces headquarters itself in December 1997.[23] The disbandment was a "military nonsense", in Orr's words, "justifiable only in terms of internal politics within the Ministry of Defence".[24] The Ground Forces' prestige declined as a result, as the HQ disbandment implied in theory at least that the Ground Forces were no longer a branch or service ranking equally with the Air Force and Navy.[24]

[edit] Reforms under Putin

Under President Vladimir Putin more funds have been committed, the Ground Forces Headquarters was reestablished, and some progress on professionalisation has occurred. Plans call for reduction in mandatory service to 18 months in 2007 and to one year by 2008,[25] but a mixed Ground Force, of both contract soldiers and conscripts, will remain. Funding increases began in 1999, when after some recovery in the Russian economy and associated income rise (especially from oil), "Russia's officially reported defence spending [rose] in nominal terms at least, for the first time since the formation of the Russian Federation."[26] The budget rose from 141 billion rubles in 2000 to 219 billion rubles in 2001.[27] Much of this funding has been spent on personnel—there have been several pay rises, starting with a 20% rise authorised in 2001, and the current professionalisation programme, including the 26,000 extra sergeants noted below, is expected to cost at least 31 billion roubles ($1.1 billion USD).[28] Increased funding has been spread across the whole budget, with personnel spending being matched by greater procurement and research and development funding. However, Alexander Goltz in 2004 said that given the insistence of the hierarchy on trying to force contract soldiers into the old conscript pattern,[29] there is little hope of a fundamental strengthening of the Ground Forces. He further elaborated that they are expected to remain, to some extent, a military liability and "Russia's most urgent social problem"[30] for some time to come. The Russian military journalist Alexander Golts, quoted in the introduction, summed up by saying: "All of this means that the Russian armed forces are not ready to defend the country and that, at the same time, they are also dangerous for Russia. Top military personnel demonstrate neither the will nor the ability to effect fundamental changes."[31] More money is arriving both for personnel and equipment; Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in June 2008 that monetary allowances for servicemen in permanent-readiness units will be raised significantly.[32] Enlisted pay will rise to 65,000 rubles ($US2,750) per month and the pay of officers on combat duty in rapid response units will rise to 100,000–150,000 rubles ($US4,230–$6,355) per month. However, the CSRC report referred to above also suggests that while the move to one year conscript service will disrupt dedovshchina, it is unlikely that bullying will disappear altogether without significant societal change.[33] Other assessments from the same source point out that the Russian Armed Forces face major disruption in 2008 as demographic change hinders plans to reduce the term of conscription from two years to one.[34] As a result of these factors and continuing corruption, the additional funding may not have led to a large improvement in the Russian Army's effectiveness.[35]

Personnel

The Ground Forces included an estimated total 395,000 including est. 190,000 conscripts and 35,000 personnel of the Airborne Forces (VDV) in 2006.[36] This can be compared to an estimated 670,000, with 210,000 conscripts, in 1995–96 (also an IISS estimate). These numbers should be treated with caution, however, due to the difficulty for those outside Russia to make accurate assessments, and confusion even within the General Staff on the numbers of conscripts within the force.[37] The Ground Forces began their existence in 1992 inheriting practically unchanged the Soviet military manpower system, though it was in a state of rapid decay. The Soviet Ground Forces were traditionally manned through conscription, which had been reduced in 1967 from three to two years. This system was administered through the thousands of military commissariats (военный комиссариат, военкомат (voyenkomat)) located throughout the Soviet Union. Between January and May of every year, every young Soviet male citizen was required to report to the local voyenkomat for assessment for military service, following a summons based on lists from every school and employer in the area. The voyenkomat worked to quotas sent out by a department of the General Staff, listing how young men are required by each service and branch of the Armed Forces.[38] However since the fall of the Soviet Union draft evasion has skyrocketed; officials regularly bemoan the ten or so percent that actually fall within the call-up's net. The new conscripts were then picked up by an officer from their future unit and usually sent by train across the country. On arrival, they would begin the Young Soldiers' course, and become part of the system of senior rule, known as dedovshchina, literally "rule by the grandfathers." There were only a very small number of professional non-commissioned officers (NCOs), as most NCOs were conscripts sent on short courses[39] to prepare them for section commanders' and platoon sergeants' positions. These conscript NCOs were supplemented by praporshchik warrant officers, positions created in the 1960s to support the increased variety of skills required for modern weapons.[40] The Soviet Army's officer-to-soldier ratio was extremely top-heavy, partially in order to compensate for the relatively low education level of the military manpower base and the absence of professional NCOs. Following the Second World War and the great expansion of officer education, officers became the product of four-to-five year higher military colleges.[41] As in most armies, newly commissioned officers usually become platoon leaders, having to accept responsibility for the soldiers' welfare and training (with the exceptions noted above). Young officers in Soviet Army units were worked round the clock, normally receiving only three holidays a month. Annual vacations were under threat if deficiencies emerged within the unit, and the pressure created enormous stress. Toward the end of the Soviet Union, this led a decline in morale amongst young officers.[42] In the early 2000s junior officers did not wish to serve—in 2002 more than half the officers who left the forces did so early.[43] Their morale is low, among other reasons, because their postings are entirely in the hands of their immediate superiors and the personnel department. "... Without having to account for their actions, they can choose to promote or not promote him, to send him to Moscow or to some godforsaken

post on the Chinese border."[44] There is little available information on the current status of women, who are not conscripted, in the Ground Forces. According to the BBC there were 90,000 women in the Russian Army in 2002, though estimates on numbers of women across the entire Russian armed forces in 2000 ranged from 115,000 to 160,000.[45] It is quite possible that the BBC reporter became confused between the Army (Ground Forces) and the entire Armed Forces, given their usual title in Russian as "Armiya". Women serve in support roles, most commonly in the fields of nursing, communications, and engineering. Some officers' wives have become contract service personnel.

Kontraktniki

From small beginnings in the early 1990s, employment of contract soldiers has grown greatly within the Ground Forces, though many have been of poor quality (wives of officers with no other prospective employment, for example).[46] In December 2005, Sergei Ivanov proposed that in addition to the numerous enlisted contract soldiers, all sergeants should become professional, which would raise the number of professional soldiers and non-commissioned officers in the Armed Forces overall to approximately 140,000 in 2008. The current programme allows for an extra 26,000 posts for fully professional sergeants.[47] The CIA said in their World Fact Book that thirty per cent of Russian army personnel were contract servicemen at the end of 2005, and that as of May 2006, 178,000 contract servicemen were serving in the Ground Forces and the Navy. Planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts. At the end of 2005, the Ground Forces had 40 all-volunteer constant readiness units, with another 20 constant readiness units to be formed in 2006.[48] These CIA figures can be set against IISS data which reports that at the end of 2004, the number of contracts being signed in the Moscow Military District was only 17% of the target figure, in the North Caucasus 45%, and in the Volga-Ural MD 25%.[49] Whatever the number of contract soldiers, commentators such as Alexander Golts are pessimistic that many more combat ready units will result, as senior officers "see no difference between professional NCOs, ... versus conscripts who have been drilled in training schools for less than six months. Such sergeants will have neither the knowledge nor the experience that can help them win authority [in] the barracks."[50] Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov underlined the awful in-barracks discipline situation, even after years of attempted professionalisation, when releasing the official injury figures for 2002. 531 men had died on duty as a result of accidents and crimes and 20,000 had been wounded (the numbers apparently not including suicides). According to Ivanov, "the accident rate is not falling".[51] Two of every seven conscripts will become addicted to drugs and alcohol while serving their terms, and a further one in twenty will suffer homosexual rape, according to 2005 reports.[52] Part of the reason is the feeling between contract servicemen, conscripts, and officers. Michael Orr: "There is no relationship of mutual respect between leaders and led and it is difficult to see how a professional army can be created without one. ..at the moment [2002] officers often despise contract servicemen even more than conscripts. 'Kontraktniki' serving in Chechnya and other 'hot spots' are often called mercenaries and marauders by senior officers."[53] Given this situation, it appears that any professional army of a Western type may be a long way off. Furthermore, the human cost of the current situation remains high, with the mistreatment of conscripts being labeled "one of Europe's worst human-rights scandals" by The Economist in 2005.[54]

Crime and corruption in the ground forces

The new Russian Ground Forces inherited an increasing crime problem from their Soviet predecessors. As draft resistance grew in the last years of the Soviet Union, the authorities tried to compensate by enlisting men with criminal records and who spoke little or no Russian. Crime rates soared, with the military procurator in Moscow in September 1990 reporting a 40% increase in crime over the previous six months, including a 41% rise in serious bodily injuries.[55] Disappearances of weapons rose to rampant levels, especially in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.[55] Generals directing the withdrawals from Eastern Europe diverted arms, equipment, and foreign monies intended to build housing in Russia for the withdrawn troops. Several years later, the former commander in Germany, General Matvei Burlakov, and the Defence Minister, Pavel Grachev, had their involvement exposed, and were also accused of directing the murder of reporter Dmitry Kholodov, who had been investigating the scandals.[55] In December 1996, Defence Minister Igor Rodionov even ordered the dismissal of the Commander of the Ground Forces, General Vladimir Semyonov, for activities incompatible with his position - reportedly his wife's business activities.[56] A 1995 study by the U.S. Foreign Military Studies Office[57] went as far as to say that the Armed Forces were "an institution increasingly defined by the high levels of military criminality and corruption embedded within it at every level." The FMSO noted that crime levels had always grown with social turbulence such as the trauma Russia was passing through. He identified four major types among the raft of criminality prevalent within the forces—weapons trafficking and the arms trade; business and commercial ventures; military crime beyond Russia's borders; and contract murder. Disappearances of weapons began during the dissolution of the Union, as referred to above, and has continued. Within units "rations are sold while soldiers grow hungry ... [while] fuel, spare parts, and equipment can be bought."[53] Meanwhile voyemkomats take bribes to arrange avoidance of service, or a more comfortable posting. Beyond the Russian frontier, drugs were smuggled across the Tajik border, supposedly being patrolled by Russian guards, by military aircraft, and a Russian senior officer, a General Major Alexander Perelyakin, had been dismissed from his post with the UN peacekeeping force in Bosnia-Hercegovina, UNPROFOR, following continued complaints of smuggling, profiteering, and corruption. In terms of contract killings, beyond the Kholodov case, there have been widespread rumours that GRU Spetsnaz personnel have been moonlighting as mafiya hitmen.[58] Reports such as these continue. Some of the more egregious examples have included a constant-readiness motor rifle regiment's tanks running out of fuel on the firing ranges, due to the diversion, to local businesses, of their fuel supplies.[53] On this subject the last word may best be Sergey Ivanov's: visiting 20th Army in April 2002, he said the volume of theft was "simply impermissible".[53] However some degree of change is under way.[59] Abuse of personnel, sending soldiers to work outside units—a long standing tradition which could see conscripts doing things ranging from being large scale manpower supply for commercial businesses to being officers' families' servants—is now banned by Sergei Ivanov's Order 428 of October 2005 and, what is more, the order is being enforced, with several prosecutions recorded.[59] A halt has also been demanded by President Putin in November 2005 to dishonest use of military property—'We must completely eliminate the use of the Armed Forces' material base for any commercial objectives.' The spectrum of dishonest activity has included, in the past, exporting aircraft as scrap metal, but the point at which

officers are prosecuted has shifted, and investigations over trading in travel warrants and junior officers' routine thieving of soldiers' meals are beginning to be reported.[59] However, British military analysts comment that 'there should be little doubt that the overall impact of theft and fraud is much greater than that which is actually detected'.[59] Chief Military Prosecuter Sergey Fridinskiy said in March 2007 that there was 'no systematic work in the Armed Forces to prevent embezzlement'.[59]

Organisation

The President of Russia is the Supreme Commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The Main Command (Glavkomat) of the Ground Forces, based in Moscow, directs activities. As noted above, this body was disbanded in 1997 but reformed by President Putin in 2001 by appointing Colonel General Nikolai Kormiltsev as the commander-in-chief of the ground forces and also as a deputy minister of defense.[60] Kormiltsev handed over to Colonel General (later General of the Army) Alexey Maslov in 2004, and in a realignment of responsibilities, the Ground Forces C-in-C lost his position as a deputy minister of defence. Like Kormiltsev, Maslov has while serving as Ground Forces C-in-C been promoted to Army General. As August 2008, current Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces is General of the Army Vladimir Boldyrev.[61] The Main Command of the Ground Forces consists of the Main Staff of the Ground Troops, and departments for Peacekeeping Forces, Armaments of the Ground Troops, Rear Services of the Ground Troops, Cadres of the Ground Troops (personnel), Indoctrination Work, and Military Education.[62] There were also a number of directorates which used to be commanded by the Ground Forces C-in-C in his capacity as a deputy defence minister. They included Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defence Troops of the Armed Forces, Engineer Troops of the Armed Forces, and Troop Air Defence, as well as several others. Their exact command status is now unknown.

Structure

The ground forces organizationally consist of the military districts (Moscow Military District, Leningrad, North Caucasus, Volga-Ural, Siberian and Far Eastern), eight army headquarters,[63] one army corps headquarters (the 68th in the Far East), tank divisions, motorized rifle divisions, artillery divisions, fortified districts, individual military units, military establishments, enterprises and organizations.[64] The branches of service include motorized rifles, tanks, artillery and rocket forces, troop air defense, special corps (reconnaissance, signals, radioelectronic warfare, engineering, radiation, chemical and biological protection, technical support, automobile and the protection of the rear), military units and logistical establishments.[65] The Motorised Rifle Troops are the most numerous branch of service, that constitutes the nucleus of Ground Forces' battle formations. They are equipped with powerful armament for destruction of ground-based and aerial targets, missile complexes, tanks, artillery and mortars, anti-tank guided missiles, antiaircraft missile systems and installations, and means of reconnaissance and control. It is estimated that there are currently 19 motor rifle divisions, and the Navy now has several motor rifle formations under its command in the Ground and Coastal Defence Forces of the Baltic Fleet and the Northeastern Group of Troops and Forces on the Kamchatka Peninsula and other areas of the extreme north-east.[66] Also present are a large number of mobilisation divisions and brigades, known as 'Bases for Storage of Weapons and Equipment', that in peacetime only have enough personnel assigned to guard the site and maintain the weapons. The Tank Troops are the main impact force of the Ground Forces and the powerful means of armed struggle, intended for the accomplishment of the most important combat tasks. There are currently three tank divisions in the force: 4th & 10th within the Moscow Military District and 5th Guards "Don" in the Siberian MD.[67] The 2nd Tank Division in the Siberian Military District and the 21st Tank Division in the Far Eastern MD have disbanded in the last three years. The Artillery and Rocket Forces provide the Ground Forces' main firepower and the most important operational means for the solution of combat problems by the crushing defeat of groupings of the enemy. The Ground Forces currently include 5–6 static defence machine-gun/artillery divisions and seemingly now one division of field artillery—the 34th Guards in the Moscow MD. The previous 12th in the Siberian MD, and the 15th in the Far Eastern MD seem to have disbanded.[68] The Air Defense Troops (PVO) are one of the basic weapons for the destruction of enemy air forces. They consist of surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery and radio-technical units and subdivisions.[69] Army Aviation, while intended for the direct support of the Ground Forces, is now under the control of the Air Forces (VVS).[70]

Dispositions

Sources are the IISS Military Balance, Robinson, and Stukalin & Lukin cited below.[71] Note that the dispositions for the Far East Military District are unclear; information changes, and thus broad figures have been indicated only unless there is specific information available.Each major formation is bolded, and directs the non-bolded units subordinate to it. The six districts report to Ground Forces Headquarters; the Ground Forces of the Baltic Fleet to the Baltic Fleet.

Formation Headquarters Location Notes

Ground & Coastal Defence Forces of the Baltic

Fleet HQ Kaliningrad Former 11th Guards Army

7th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade Kaliningrad Former 1st MRD; around 900 strong

79th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade Gusev Around 900 strong

Leningrad Military District (Colonel General Valerii Gerasimov)[72]

HQ Saint Petersburg

138th Guards Separate Motor Rifle Brigade Kamenka former 45th Guards Motorized Rifle Division until late 1990s

200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade Pechenga former 131st Motorized Rifle Division, 6th Army, until 1997

2nd Separate Brigade of Special Designation Promezhitsy (Pskov region)

Spetsnaz; strength around 1500

Moscow Military District (General of the Army Vladimir Bakin)[73]

HQ Moscow Also serves as HQ Western Front

2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division Alabino Tamanskaya (Taman) Division; maybe disbanding or splitting into new brigades

34th Guards Artillery Division Mulino (Gorokhovets)

16th Separate Brigade of Special Designation Chuchkovo Spetsnaz; Formerly at Teplyi Stan, suburb of Moscow

20th Army Voronezh Withdrawn from Germany (20th Guards Army at Eberswalde, DDR)

4th Guards Tank Division Naro-Fominsk Kantemirov Division

10th Guards Tank Division Boguchar

22nd Army Nizhny Novgorod

3rd Motor Rifle Division Mulino, Novyy/Nizhny Novgorod

Operational Group of Russian Forces in

Moldova Tiraspol Former 14th Guards Army

Two(?) separate battalions Tiraspol Former 59th MRD; then 8th Guards Separate Motor Rifle Brigade

North Caucasus Military District (Colonel General Sergey Makarov)[74]

HQ Rostov-na-Donu

20th Guards Motor Rifle Division Volgograd

10th (Mountain) Separate Brigade of Special Designation

Molkino, Krasnodar region

Spetsnaz; Activated 1 July 2003

22nd Guards Separate Brigade of Special Designation

Kovalevka, Aksai, Rostov Oblast

Spetsnaz

131st Motor Rifle Brigade Maykop moving to Abkhazia

42nd Motor Rifle Division Khankala, Groznyy, Chechniya

58th Army Vladikavkaz

19th Motor Rifle Division Vladikavkaz

135th Separate Motor Rifle Regiment Prokhladny, Kabardino-Balkaria

Subordinate to 19 Division

693th Separate Motor Rifle Regiment Vladikavkaz Subordinate to 19 Division, moving to South Ossetia

136th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade Buinaksk, Dagestan

205th 'Cossack' Separate Motor Rifle Brigade Budyonnovsk, Stavropol Oblast

Trans-Caucasus Group of Forces Tbilisi This HQ has probably now disbanded; or moved to Armenia

102nd Military Base Gumri, Armenia former 127th motor rifle division

Volga-Ural Military District (Lieutenant General Arcady Bahin)[75]

HQ Yekaterinburg

3rd Guards Separate Brigade of Special Designation

Roshchinsky (Samara Oblast)

Spetsnaz

12th Separate Brigade of Special Designation Asbest-5, Sverdlovsk region

Spetsnaz

34th Motor Rifle Division Yekaterinburg

15th Motor Rifle Brigade Roshchinsky New permanent peacekeeping brigade

2nd Army Samara Former Volga MD HQ

27th Motor Rifle Division Totskoye

201st Motor Rifle Division Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Siberian Military District (Colonel General Alexander Postnikov)[76]

HQ Chita

29th Army Ulan Ude Seems to have been disbanded 2007

5th Guards Tank Division Kyakhta, Buryatiya

245th Motor Rifle Division Gusinoozersk Now may be 6th Guards Storage Base

12th Artillery Division Shelekhov, Irkutsk Oblast

11th Air Assault Brigade Sosnovyy Bor, Ulan Ude

24th Separate Brigade of Special Designation Kyakhta, Ulan Ude Spetsnaz

36th Army Borzya

131st Machinegun-Artillery Division Sretensk, Yasnaya Machine-Gun/Artillery (pulad)?; former 38th Motor Rifle Division

168th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade Borzya former 150th Training Motor Rifle Division, Golubaya Division

41st Army Novosibirsk Former Siberian MD HQ

85th Motor Rifle Division Novosibirsk

122nd Guards Motor Rifle Division Aleysk, Altay Kray

74th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade Yurga Constant readiness formation; former 94th Motor Rifle Division (GSVG)

67th Separate Brigade of Special Designation Berdsk (Novosibirsk Oblast)

Spetsnaz

Far East Military District (Colonel General Vladimir Bulgakov)[77]

Khabarovsk Four Motor Rifle Divisions, Four Machine-Gun/Artillery Divisions

5th Army Ussuriysk

81st Guards Motor Rifle Division Bikin

127th Machinegun-Artillery Division Sergeyevka former 277th Motor Rifle Division

129th Guards Machinegun-Artillery Division Barabash former 123rd Motor Rifle Division

130th Machinegun-Artillery Division Lesozavodsk former 135th Motor Rifle Division

35th Army Belogorsk

21st Guards Motor Rifle Division Belogorsk

128th Machinegun-Artillery Division Babstovo, YeAO former 272nd Motor Rifle Division

270th Motor Rifle Division Khabarovsk

HQ 68th Corps Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk May have disbanded 2007/2008

18th Machinegun-Artillery Division Iturup, Kuriles

33rd Motor Rifle Division Khomutovo, Sakhalin probably disbanded with corps

14th Separate Brigade of Special Designation Ussuriysk Spetsnaz

83rd Airborne Brigade Ussuriysk

Equipment

The Ground Forces retain a very large quantity of vehicles and equipment (see table below).[78] There is also likely to be a great deal further, older, equipment in state military store, a practice continued from the Soviet Union. However, following the collapse of the USSR, the newly independent republics became host to most of the formations with modern equipment, whereas Russia was left with lower-category units with usually older equipment.[79] As financial stringency began to bite harder, the amount of new equipment fell as well, and by 1998, only 10 tanks and about 30 BMP infantry fighting vehicles were being bought each year.[80] Funding for new equipment has greatly risen in recent years, and Russian defence industry continues to develop new weapons systems for the Ground Forces, such as the T-95 main battle tank,[81] and the S-400 Triumf new surface-to-air missile.[82] However, for the Ground Forces, while overall funding has dramatically increased, this does not guarantee that large numbers of new systems will enter service. As

regards the S-400 SAM, Yury Baluyevsky, Chief of the General Staff, was reported as saying to President Vladimir Putin in mid 2007 that "Over two dozen battalions are to be equipped with such systems by 2015.[83] In the case of vehicles, as the references show, examination of the actual number of vehicles planned to be bought yearly (about 200 MBTs and IFVs/APCs in the Warfare.ru link attached) means that for a force of about thirty divisions, each with about 300-–400 MBTs and IFVs, it might take around 30 years to reequip all formations.[84] Jane's World Armies notes that the Soviet/Russian military tradition has never placed much importance on the survivability of individual soldiers, and thus eschews protective equipment such as flak jackets and helmets as beung too heavy and uncomfortable, though promises to improve this state of affairs have been made.[52]

Equipment summary

It should be clearly remembered that these figures are from two different sources. Main equipment numbers are from the IISS's Military Balance 2006, and these broadly agree with the latest 2008 edition of the Military Balance. Brackets figures marked operational are from warfare.ru.

Equipment Numbers

Main Battle Tanks 22,800+ (~6,500 active)[85][86]

Light Tanks 150 PT-76;[87] None[88]

Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicles 15,000+ (~6,000 active)[89]

Armoured Personnel Carriers 9,900+ (~6,400 active)[86]

Towed Artillery 12,765 (~7,550 active)[86]

Self Propelled Artillery 6,000 (~3,500 active)[90]

Multiple Rocket Launchers about 4,500 (~900 active)[91]

Mortars 6,600 (~2,600 active)[90]

Self-Propelled Surface to Air Missiles about 2,500

Ranks and insignia

The newly reemergent Russia retained most of the ranks of the Soviet Army with some minor changes. The principal difference from the usual Western style is some variation in generals' rank titles, in one case at least, Colonel General, derived from German usage. Most of the rank names were borrowed from existing German/Prussian, French, English, Dutch and Polish ranks upon the formation of Russian regular army in the late 1600s,[citation needed] and have lasted with few changes of title through the Soviet period.

Notes

1. ^ "Official website [Translated by Babelfish and amended for readability."]. Russian Ministry of Defence. http://www.mil.ru/848/1045/1272/1357/index.shtml.

2. ^ a b International Institute for Strategic Studies (1992). The Military Balance 1992–3. London: Brassey's. p. 89. 3. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (1995). The Military Balance 1995–96. London: Brassey's. p. 102. 4. ^ a b Muraviev, Alexey D.; Austin, Greg (2001). The Armed Forces of Russia in Asia. Tauris. p. 257. 5. ^ Orr, Michael (June 1998). "The Russian Armed Forces as a factor in Regional Stability" (PDF). p. 2 Conflict Studies

Research Centre. 6. ^ Baev, Pavel "The Russian Army in a Time of Troubles", International Peace Research Institute, Oslo, 1996, p. 67 7. ^ Dick, Charles "Russian Views on Future War—Part 3", Jane's Intelligence Review, November 1993, p. 488 8. ^ Arbatov, Alexei "Military Reform in Russia: Dilemmas, Obstacles, and Prospects", International Security, Vol. 22, No.

4, Spring 1998, p. 112, and Baev, 1996, p. 67 9. ^ Arbatov, 1998, p. 113 10. ^ Orr, Michael, "The Russian Ground Forces and Reform 1992–2002", CSRC Paper D67, January 2003, p. 2–3 11. ^ "McNair Paper 34, The Russian Military's Role in Politics", January 1995 12. ^ "McNair Paper 34", 1995 13. ^ Finch, Raymond C. "Why the Russian Military Failed in Chechnya", Foreign Military Studies Office, Fort Leavenworth,

KS 14. ^ Blandy, C. W. "Chechnya: Two Federal Interventions. An Interim Comparison and Assessment", Conflict Studies

Research Centre, P29, January 2000, p. 13, cited in Herspring, Dale, "Undermining Combat Readiness in the Russian Military", Armed Forces & Society, Vol 32, No. 4, July 2006

15. ^ Scott and Scott, Russian Military Directory 2002, p. 328 16. ^ Orr (2000), p. 82 17. ^ Orr (2000), p. 87 18. ^ Chronology of events - Rodionov dismisses commander of ground forces and then cancels visit to United States,

Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, 4 December 1996. Retrieved September 2008. 19. ^ Orr (2000), p. 88–90 20. ^ "Chechnya war", Reuters AlertNet, 04 November 2007

21. ^ Parchomenko, Walter, "The State of Russia's Armed Forces and Military Reform", Parameters (Journal of the US Army War College), Winter 1999–2000

22. ^ Krasnaya Zvezda 28 January and 9 February 1999, in Austin & Muraviev, 2000, p. 268, and M.J. Orr, 1998, p. 3 23. ^ Alexey Muraviev and Greg Austin, 2001, p. 259 24. ^ a b Orr, 2003, p. 6 25. ^ CIA World Fact Book 2006 26. ^ IISS The Military Balance 2000–01, p. 115 27. ^ IISS Military Balance 2001–02, p. 109 28. ^ IISS Military Balance, Russia section, recent editions 29. ^ Goltz, Alexander "Military Reform in Russia and the Global War Against Terrorism", Journal of Slavic Military Studies,

Vol. 17, 2004, p. 33–4 30. ^ Goltz, 2004, p. 30 31. ^ Goltz, Alexander, "Military Reform in Russia and the Global War Against Terrorism, Journal of Slavic Military Studies,

Vol 17, 2004, p. 30–1 32. ^ "RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia's public sector wages to rise 30% from Dec. 1 - PM Putin" 33. ^ Keir Giles, CSRC May 2007 34. ^ Keir Giles, "Where Have All The Soldiers Gone? Russian Military Manpower Plans versus Demographic Reality",

CSRC, October 2006 35. ^ "Advancing, blindly", The Economist (2008-09-18). Retrieved on 21 September 2008. 36. ^ IISS, Military Balance 2006, p. 154 37. ^ Kachurovskaya, Anna, "Strana starosluzhashchikh", Kommersant-Vlast, 3 April 2006, quoted in Giles, Keir, "Where

have all the soldiers gone?", CSRC, 06/47, October 2006 38. ^ Schofield, Carey, "Inside the Soviet Army", Headline, London, 1991, p. 67–70 39. ^ Suvorov, Viktor, Inside the Soviet Army, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1982, gives the figure of six months with a training

division 40. ^ Odom, p. 43 41. ^ Odom, p. 40–41 42. ^ Odom, p. 42 43. ^ Golts. 44. ^ Golts, p. 35 45. ^ Quartly, Alaan, "Miss Shooting Range crowned", BBC News, 8 March 2003, and Matthews, Jennifer G., "Women in the

Russian Armed Forces - a Marriage of Convenience?", Minerva, Fall-Winter 2000 46. ^ Orr (1998). 47. ^ IISS, The Military Balance 2006, p. 147 48. ^ CIA World Fact Book 2006, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html 49. ^ IISS Military Balance 2004–5, p. 151 50. ^ Golts, p. 33–4 51. ^ Orr (2003), p. 12 52. ^ a b Jane's World Armies, Issue 18, December 2005, p. 564 53. ^ a b c d Orr (2003), p. 10 54. ^ "How are the mighty fallen", The Economist (2005-06-30). Retrieved on 21 September 2008. 55. ^ a b c Odom (1998), p. 302 56. ^ NUPI, http://www.nupi.no/cgi-win/Russland/krono.exe?314 57. ^ Turbiville, Graham H., "Mafia in Uniform: The Criminalisation of the Russian Armed Forces" 58. ^ Galeotti, p. 52 59. ^ a b c d e Giles, p. 3–4 60. ^ Kormiltsev was a Colonel General when he became C-in-C Ground Forces, but after about two years in the position was

promoted to Army General in 2003. Profil via FBIS, Kormiltsev Biography, accessed September 2007 61. ^ "The Russian Federation Ministry of Defence official homepage on the Internet". Mil.ru.

http://www.mil.ru/eng/1862/12068/12088/12220/12240/index.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-09-10. 62. ^ Scott and Scott, Russian Military Directory 2004, p. 118 63. ^ Change from nine to eight verified through Vad777, Russian language Siberian Military District page, accessed late July

2007. 64. ^ Babakin, Alexander, "Approximate Composition and Structure of the Armed Forces After the Reforms", Nezavisimoye

Voyennoye Obozreniye [Independent Military Review], No. 31, August 20–26, 2004 65. ^ Babakin, Alexander, "Approximate Composition and Structure of the Armed Forces After the Reforms", NVO, No. 31,

August 20–26, 2004 66. ^ IISS Military Balance, various issues 67. ^ IISS Military Balance 2007 68. ^ V.I. Feskov et al 2004 is the source for the designations, while Teplitskiy (vad777)'s website is the source for their

disbandment. 69. ^ Butowsky, p. 81 70. ^ Butowsky, p. 83 71. ^ "Vys Rossiya Armia"", Kommersant-Vlast, 14 May 2002 and "The Russian Armed Forces Today: A Structural Status

Examination", Journal of Slavic Military Studies, Vol 18, No. 2, 2005 72. ^ "The Russian Federation Ministry of Defence official homepage on the Internet". Mil.ru.

http://www.mil.ru/eng/1862/12068/12089/12231/12328/index.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-09-10. 73. ^ "Командующий войсками Московского военного округа<!- Bot generated title ->". Mil.ru.

http://www.mil.ru/848/1045/1272/1365/1362/1891/index.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-09-10.

74. ^ "The Russian Federation Ministry of Defence official homepage on the Internet<!- Bot generated title ->". Mil.ru. http://www.mil.ru/848/1045/1272/1365/1366/8797/index.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-09-10.

75. ^ "The Russian Federation Ministry of Defence official homepage on the Internet<!- Bot generated title ->". Mil.ru. http://www.mil.ru/848/1045/1272/1365/1364/2029/index.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-12-20.

76. ^ "Siberian Military District". Mil.ru. http://www.mil.ru/eng/1862/12068/12089/12235/12350/index.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-09-10.

77. ^ "The Russian Federation Ministry of Defence official homepage on the Internet<!- Bot generated title ->". Mil.ru. http://www.mil.ru/eng/1862/12068/12089/12236/12355/index.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-09-10.

78. ^ IISS 2006, p. 155 79. ^ Austin and Muraviev, 2001, p. 277–278 80. ^ Baranov, Nikolai, "Weapons must serve for a long while", Armeiskii sbornik, March 1998, no. 3, p. 66–71, cited in

Austin and Muraviev, 2001, p. 278. See also Mil Bal 95/96, p. 110 81. ^ "Russia's new main battle tank to enter service 'after 2010'", RIA Novosti, July 10, 2008 82. ^ "S-400 missile defense systems to start defending Moscow", RIA Novosti, 21 May 2007. Retrieved on 16 September

2008. 83. ^ "Russian News & Information Agency 84. ^ "Russia's Military Budget 2004 - 2007 | Russian Arms, Military Technology, Analysis of Russia's Military Forces<!- Bot

generated title ->". Warfare.ru. http://warfare.ru/?catid=239&linkid=2279. Retrieved on 2008-09-10. 85. ^ Tank database, warfare.ru - Russian Military Analisis. Retrieved on 1 September 2008. 86. ^ a b c "Georgia move fails to halt raids", BBC News, 11 August 2008. Retrieved on 1 September 2008. 87. ^ IISS 2008 88. ^ PT-76 Light tank, warfare.ru, Russian Military Analisis. Retrieved on 21 September 2008. 89. ^ IFV & APC database, warfare.ru - Russian Military Analysis. Retrieved on 1 September 2008. 90. ^ a b Artillery database, warfare.ru - Russian Military Analysis. Retrieved on 1 September 2008. 91. ^ Multiple Rocket Launchers database, warfare.ru - Russian Military Analysis. Retrieved on 1 September 2008.

References

1. Arbatov, Alexei (1998). "Military Reform in Russia: Dilemmas, Obstacles, and Prospects". International Security 22 (4).

2. Austin, Greg & Muraviev, Alexey D. (2001). The Armed Forces of Russia in Asia. Tauris. ISBN 1860644856.

3. Babakin, Alexander (August 20–26, 2004). Approximate Composition and Structure of the Armed Forces After the Reforms. Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye (Independent Military Review).

4. Baev, Pavel (1996). The Russian Army in a Time of Troubles. Oslo: International Peace Research Institute. ISBN 0761951873.

5. Baumgardner, Neil. "Russian Armed Forces Order of Battle". http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9059/RussianArmedForces.html.

6. Butowsky, Piotr (July 2007). "Russia Rising". Air Forces Monthly.

7. Central Intelligence Agency (2006). "World Fact Book". https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html.

8. Dick, Charles. (November 1993). Russian Views on Future War, Part 3. Jane's Intelligence Review.

9. "How are the mighty fallen", The Economist (2005-06-30).

10. Fes'kov, V.I.; Golikov, V.I. & K.A. Kalashnikov (2004). The Soviet Army In The Years Of The Cold War 1945–1991. Tomsk University Publishing House. ISBN 5751118197.

11. Finch, Raymond C.. "Why the Russian Military Failed in Chechnya". Fort Leavenworth, KS: Foreign Military Studies Office. http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/yrusfail/yrusfail.htm.

12. Galeotti, Mark (February 1997). "Moscow's armed forces: a city's balance of power". Jane's Intelligence Review.

13. Giles, Keir. "Military Service in Russia: No New Model Army" (PDF). CSRC.

14. Golts, Alexander (2004). "Military Reform in Russia and the Global War Against Terrorism". Journal of Slavic Military Studies 17.

15. Herspring, Dale (July 2006). Undermining Combat Readiness in the Russian Military. 32. Armed Forces & Society.

16. "The Military Balance". International Institute for Strategic Studies. http://www.iiss.org/publications/the-military-balance.

17. Lenskii, A.G. & Tsybin, M.M. (2001). The Soviet Ground Forces in the Last Years of the USSR. St Petersburg: B&K Publishers.

18. Lukin, Mikail & Stukalin, Aleksander (14 May 2002/2005). "Vys Rossiyskaya Armiya". Kommersant-Vlast.

19. James H. Brusstar and Ellen Jones (January 1995). "McNair Paper 34, The Russian Military's Role in Politics". http://www.ndu.edu/inss/McNair/mcnair34/34fal.html.

20. Odom, William E. (1998). The Collapse of the Soviet Military. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300074697.

21. Orr, Michael (June 1998). The Russian Armed Forces as a factor in Regional Stability. CSRC.

22. Orr, Michael (2000). Better or Just Not So Bad? An Evaluation of Russian Combat Performance in the Second Chechen War. CSRC.

23. Orr, Michael. "The Russian Ground Forces and Reform 1992–2002". Retrieved on 2006-08-01.

24. Parchomenko, Walter (1999–2000). The State of Russia's Armed Forces and Military Reform. Parameters (Journal of the US Army War College).

25. Quartly, Alan (8 March 2003). "Miss Shooting Range crowned", BBC News.

26. Robinson, Colin (2005). "The Russian Ground Forces Today: A Structural Status Examination". Journal of Slavic Military Studies 18 (2).

27. Schofield, Carey (1991). Inside the Soviet Army. London: Headline. ISBN 0747204187.

28. Scott, Harriet Fast & Scott, William F. Russian Military Directories 2002 & 2004

29. Suvorov, Viktor (1982). Inside the Soviet Army. London: Macmillan.

30. Turbiville, Graham H. (1995). "Mafia in Uniform: The Criminalisation of the Russian Armed Forces". Mafia in Uniform: The Criminalisation of the Russian Armed Forces. Fort Leavenworth: U.S. Army Foreign Military Studies Office.

The IISS estimates that 4,500 T-80s are in the Ground Forces' inventory. GAZ-2975 "Tigr" on rehearsal of Moscow Victory Parade

A Russian soldier at a checkpoint in Kosovo in 2001 Russian soldiers and a BTR-80 armored personnel carrier in Bosnia-Herzegovina during 1996

Two T-80UD MBTs on Red Square in Moscow during failed Coup d'état attempt, August 1991.

Backside of the 9A317 TELAR of Buk-M2E (export version) at 2007 MAKS Airshow - GAZ-2975 "Tigr" on rehearsal of Moscow Victory Parade

List of equipment of the

Russian Ground Forces

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vehicles

Main Battle Tank

• T-90 |~450| (+ 300 more are modernized T-72s) + more on order. 125mm main gun, 7.62x54 coax, RC 12.7x108 AA, AT-11 ATGM, Kontakt-5 ERA, Shtora-1 CMS, Arena or Drozd-2 APS

• T-80UM |~4500 According to [1] & [2]| 125mm main gun, 7.62x54 coax, RC 12.7x108 AA, AT-11 ATGM, Kontakt-5 ERA, Shtora-1 , Drozd-2 APS

• T-72BM/BV |~9700 According to [3] & [4]| 125mm main gun, 7.62x54 coax, RC 12.7x108 AA, AT-11 ATGM, Kontakt-5 ERA

• T-64BV |~4300 in reserve, According to GlobalSecurity.org| 125mm main gun, 7.62x54 coax, RC 12.7x108 AA, AT-8 ATGM, Kontakt-1 ERA

• T-62M1 |~1900 in reserve/storage. 115mm main gun, 7.62x54 coax, 12.7x109 AA, AT-12 ATGM, Drozd APS, ERA, Cage armor

• T-55 |~1010 in reserve. 100mm main gun, Cage armor Armoured Personnel Carrier (total of 9,900+ APCs)

• BTR-90 |~80| 30mm autocannon main gun, 30 mm Grenade Launcher, 7.62x54 coax, 7 passengers, external ATGM launcher.

• BTR-80A |~4000| 30mm autocannon main gun, 7.62x54 coax, 7 passengers

• BTR-70M1986/1 |~2000| 14.5x115 main gun, 7.62x54 coax, 8 passengers

• BTR-60PB |~2000| 14.5x115 main gun, 7.62x54 coax, 12 passengers

• MT-LB |~4800| 7.62x54 PKT main gun, 10 passengers

• BTR-D |~514| 7.62x54 PKT main gun, 10 passengers

Infantry Fighting Vehicle

• BMP-3 |~1400| 100mm main gun, 30mm autocannon and 7.62x54 coax, 2 x 7.62x54, AT-10 and external ATGM, ERA, 7 passengers

• BMP-2E |~3055| 30mm autocannon main gun, 7.62x54 coax, AT-5 ATGM, 7 passengers

• BMP-1P |1543 Active, More than 9057 in Reserve According to [5]| 73mm main gun, 7.62x54 coax, AT-5 ATGM, 8 passengers

• BMD-3 |~103| Airborne, 30mm autocannon main gun, 7.62x54 coax, 30mm auto GL, external AT-5 ATGM, 5 passengers

• BMD-2 |~361| Airborne, 30mm autocannon main gun, 7.62x54 coax, 7.62x54, external AT-5 ATGM, 5 passengers

• BMD-1P |~715| Airborne, 73mm main gun, 7.62x54 coax, two 7.62x54, external AT-5 ATGM, 5 passengers

Light Transport

• GAZ-33097 | Truck

• GAZ-3937 Vodnik | 9 passengers

• GAZ-2975 Tigr | High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle

• Ural-4320 | 27 passengers

• UAZ-469 | 3+ passengers

Reconnaissance Vehicle

• BRDM-2 |~2080| Recon, 14.5x115 main gun, 7.62x54 coax

• BRDM-3 | Recon, 30mm autocannon main gun, 7.62x54 PKT coax

• BRM-1 |~637| Recon, 73mm main gun, 7.62x54 PKT coax

Air Defence Vehicle

• S-400 / SA-20 |new| Maximum 400 km missile range, said to be able to engage low RCS targets, claimed to be best in the world

• S-300PMU-2 / SA-10D |~440| Maximum 195 km missile range, 4 missiles per TEL

• S-300V 9M82 / SA-12b |~200| Maximum 100 km missile range, 2 missiles per TEL, ABM optimized.

• Buk-M1-2 / SA-17 |~250| Maximum 50 km missile range, 4 missiles per TEL

• 9K331M Tor-M1 / SA-15 |~120| Maximum 12 km missile range, 8 missiles ready to fire

• 9K35M3 Strela-10M3 / SA-13 |~350| Maximum 5 km missile range, 4 missiles ready to fire

• 9K33M3 Osa-AKM / SA-8B |~550| Maximum 15 km missile range, 6 missiles ready to fire

• 2K12 Kub / SA-6 |~350| Maximum 24 km missile range, 3 missiles ready to fire

• 2K11M Krug-M / SA-4 |~220| Maximum 55 km missile range, 2 missiles ready to fire

• 2K22M Tunguska-M1 |~256| Maximum 8 km missile range, 2 x 30mm autocannon at 5000 RPM, 8 missiles ready to fire

• ZSU-23-4M Shilka |~450| Maximum 2.5 km gun range, 4 x 23mm autocannon at 4000 RPM Towed Artillery and Mortars (total some 30,045+ artillery pieces)

• 2B14-1 | 82mm , mortar, maximum 4.02 km firing range

• 2s12 | 120mm, mortar, maximum 7.1 km firing range

• 2A18 / D-30 |~1213| 122mm, maximum range with regular shell; 15.4 km, rocket assisted; 21.9 km

• 2A29 / MT-12 |~526| 100mm, anti-tank gun, maximum 8.2 km firing range indirect fire, 1 km HEAT or 2 km HVAPFSDS direct fire

• 2A36 |~682| 152mm, maximum range with regular shell; 27 km, rocket assisted; 40 km

• 2A45M / Sprut-B | 125mm, anti-tank gun, maximum 12.2 km firing range, uses 125mm tank ammunition like the AT-11 ATGM

• 2A65 |~370| 152mm, maximum 24.7 km firing range

• D-20 / M-55 |~430| 152mm, maximum 17 km firing range

• D-74 | 122mm, maximum 23.9 km firing range

• M-46 |~55| 130mm, maximum range with regular shell; 27.5 km, rocket assisted; 38 km

• M-389 | 155mm, maximum 15.2 km firing range

• Nona-K |~1112| 120mm, maximum 8.7 km firing range Self-Propelled Artillery (IISS estimate total 6,010)

• 2S1 |~1037| 122mm, maximum range with regular shell; 15.3 km, rocket assisted; 21.9 km

• 2S3 |~1402| 152mm, maximum 17.3 km firing range

• 2S4 |~430| 240mm, maximum 9.7 km firing range

• 2S5 |~569| 152mm, maximum 17.3 km firing range

• 2S7M |~800| 203mm, maximum range with regular shell; 37 km, rocket assisted; 55 km

• 2S9 | 120mm, maximum range with regular shell; 8.8 km, rocket assisted; 12.8 km

• 2S19 MSTA-S |~800| 152mm, maximum 24.7 km firing range

• 2S23 Nona-SVK |~50| 120mm, maximum 12.8 km firing range

• 2S31 | 120mm, maximum 13 km firing range

• ASU-85 | 85-mm Self-Propelled Artillery

Multiple Rocket Launcher System Vehicle

• 9K51 Grad / BM-21B |~1750| 122mm, maximum 40 km range, 36 missiles ready to fire

• 9P140 Uragan / BM-27 |~500-800| 220mm, maximum 40 km range, 16 missiles ready to fire

• 9A52-2 Smerch / BM-30 |~300(According to Janes Russia had 300 Bm-30 in 2001)| 300mm, maximum 90 km firing range, 12 missiles ready to fire

• TOS-1 | 220mm, maximum 3.5 km firing range, 30 missiles ready to fire, uses thermobaric warheads

Tactical Ballistic Missile Systems

• OTR-21 Tochka-U / SS-21 | 482 kg conventional warhead, 100 kt nuclear, maximum 120 km missile range

• Iskander-E / SS-26 | 480 kg conventional warhead, maximum 400 km missile range, 2 missiles ready to fire

Aircraft

• None; all army aviation aircraft were recently transferred to the Air Force

Individual weapons

• Pistol o Makarov PMM | 9x18 PMM, 12 round magazine, main service sidearm o Stechkin APS | 9x18 PM, 20 round magazine, capable of fully automatic fire o 6P9 PB | 9x18 PM, 8 round magazine, uses a suppressor o 6P13 APB | 9x18 PM, 20 round magazine, capable of fully automatic fire, uses a suppressor o PSS | 7.62x41 SP-4, 6 round magazine, fires a "special purpose noiseless cartridge" o Serdyukov SPS / SR-1 / Gyurza | 9x21 SP-10/11, 18 round magazine, high armor piercing capability o Yarygin PYa / MP-443 | 9x19 7N21, 17 round magazine, special high power cartridge, replacing PMM as main

service sidearm o GSh-18 | 9x19 7N21 or PBP, 18 round magazine, special high power cartridge

• Submachine Gun o PP-19 Bizon | 9x18 PMM or 9x19, 64 round helical magazine o AEK-919K Kashtan | 9x18 PMM, 20 30 round magazine capacity o PP-90M1 | 9x19 7N21 or 7N31, 64 round helical magazine, 32 round conventional box magazine o PP-2000 | 9x19 7N21 or 7N31, 20 or 40 round magazine, can use spare magazine to work as a "butt stock" o SR-2M Veresk | 9x21 SP-10/11, 20 or 30 round magazine, high armor piercing capability

• Rifle o SKS | 7.62x39,10 round magazine, mainly used as a ceremonial arm.

• Assault Rifle o AK-74M | 5.45x39, 30 round magazine, new 60 round magazine, main service rifle o AKS-74 | 5.45x39, 30 round magazine, new 60 round magazine, moderate usage by VDV o AKS-74U | 5.45x39, 30 round magazine, shortened version of the AK-74, moderate usage o AKM | 7.62x39, 30 round magazine, former main service rifle, some usage mainly in urban environments due to

the ability to penetrate heavy cover. o AS Val | 9x39 SP-5 or SP-6, 10 or 20 round magazine, uses an integrated suppressor, widespread usage o OTs-14 Groza | 9x39 SP-5 or SP-6 or 7.62x39, 20 round 9x39 or 30 round 7.62x39 magazine, bullpup

o SR-3 Vikhr | 9x39 SP-5 or SP-6, 10 or 20 round magazine, very compact o 9A-91 | 9x39 SP-5 or SP-6, 10 or 20 round magazine, compact o AN-94 | 5.45x39, 30 round magazine, new 60 round magazine, 2 round burst mode fired at 1800 RPM, originally

designed to replace AK-74M, limited usage o AK-103 | 7.62x39, 30 round magazine, modernized AKM, limited usage o AK-105 | 5.45x39, 30 round Magazine, Replacing AKS-74U

• Shotgun o Saiga-12 | 12 gauge combat shotgun fed from 8 round magazine

• Machine Gun o RPK-74 | 5.45x39, 30 or 45 round magazine or 75 round drum, LMG based on the AK-74, main service SAW o RPK | 7.62x39mm, 30 or 40 round magazine or 75 round drum, former main service GPMG, based on the AKM,

some usage o PKM | 7.62x54, belt fed with 100 or 200 or 250 round boxes, uses a heavily modified Kalashnikov design, main

service GPMG o Pecheneg | 7.62x54, belt fed with 100 or 200 round boxes, GPMG based on and designed to replace the PKM,

limited usage o NSV | 12.7x108, belt fed with 50 round boxes, main service HMG o Kord | 12.7x108, belt fed with 50 round boxes, replacing the NSV as the main service HMG, limited usage

• Sniper Rifle o Dragunov | 7.62x54, 10 round magazine, semi auto, main service sniper rifle o Dragunov SVU | 7.62x54, 10 round magazine, semi auto, bullpup variant of the SVD, moderate usage o VSS Vintorez | 9x39 SP-5 or SP-6, 10 or 20 round magazine, semi or full auto, uses an integrated suppressor,

widespread usage o SV-98 | 7.62x54, 10 round magazine, bolt action, limited usage o KSVK | 12.7x108, 5 round magazine, semi auto, limited usage o OSV-96 | 12.7x108, 5 round magazine, semi auto, can be folded in half, limited usage

• Anti-Personnel Explosive o RGO | fragmentation grenade, 6 meter kill radius, 3.8 second fuse, will detonate on impact after being armed for

1.8 seconds o RGN | fragmentation grenade, 4 meter kill radius, 3.8 second fuse, will detonate on impact after being armed for

1.8 seconds o MON-90 | Claymore style AP mine, propels ~2000 steel projectiles to a kill radius of 90 meters, detonated by trip

wire or manually o MON-100 | Claymore style AP mine, propels ~400 steel projectiles to a kill radius of 100 meters, detonated by

trip wire or manually o MON-200 | Claymore style AP mine, is a larger and more powerful version of the MON-100, detonated by trip

wire or manually o OZM|-72 | ~500g TNT, anti-personnel fragmentation mine, detonated by pressure, tripwire, or manually o POMZ | ~75g TNT, anti-personnel fragmentation mine, detonated by pressure, tripwire, or manually o PMN | ~240g TNT, anti-personnel blast mine, detonated by pressure o PMN-2 | ~100g TNT, anti-personnel blast mine, detonated by pressure o PMN-4 | ~50g TNT, anti-personnel blast mine, detonated by pressure o RPO | One-shot disposable RPG style thermobaric rocket launcher, RPO-A and RPO-Z thermobaric rockets o RPG-7V2 | Reloadable RPG launcher, TBG-7V thermobaric and OG-7V |frag rockets o RPG-27 | One-shot disposable RPG launcher, RShG-1 thermobaric rockets o RPG-29 | Reloadable RPG launcher, TBG-29 thermobaric rockets o GP-30 | 40mm under barrel GL, can be fitted to AKM, AK-74, AN-94, and AK-10X rifles and their variants o RG-6 / 6G-30 | 40mm multi-shot GL, 6 round capacity in revolver style cylinders o GM-94 | 43mm multi-shot pump action GL, 3 round magazine capacity, optimized for CQB using grenades with

a small kill radius o AGS-17 | 30mm automatic GL, belt fed with 29 round drums, high ROF o AGS-30 | 30mm automatic GL, belt fed with 29 round drums, lightweight modern version of the AGS-17, high

ROF

• Anti-Tank Explosive o TM-57 | ~7 kg TNT, AT mine, detonated by pressure o TM-62M | ~7 kg TNT, AT mine, detonated by pressure o RPG-7V2 | Reloadable RPG launcher, PG-7VL with ~500mm RHA penetration, PG-7VR with ~600mm RHA

penetration after ERA o RPG-16 | Reloadable RPG launcher, PG-16 with ~300mm RHA penetration, higher accuracy and four times the

range of the RPG-7 o RPG-18 | One-shot disposable RPG launcher, PG-18 with ~375mm RHA penetration o RPG-22 | One-shot disposable RPG launcher, PG-22 with ~400mm RHA penetration o RPG-26 | One-shot disposable RPG launcher, PG-26 with ~500mm RHA penetration o RPG-27 | One-shot disposable RPG launcher, PG-27 with ~750mm RHA penetration after ERA o RPG-29 | Reloadable RPG launcher, PG-29V with ~750mm RHA penetration after ERA o AT-4C Spigot C / 9M111M Fagot-M | ATGM launcher, ~600mm RHA penetration after ERA, maximum 2.5 km

missile range

o AT-5B Spandrel B / 9M113M Konkurs-M | ATGM launcher, ~800mm RHA penetration after ERA, maximum 4 km missile range

o AT-13 / 9K115 Metis-M | ATGM launcher, ~800mm RHA penetration after ERA, maximum 1.5 km missile range

o AT-14 / 9K135 Kornet | ATGM launcher, ~1000mm RHA penetration after ERA, maximum 5.5 km missile range

• Man-Portable Air-Defence System o SA-14 Gremlin / 9K34 Strela-3 | Maximum 4.5 km missile range o SA-18 / 9K38 Igla | Maximum 5.2 km missile range o Igla-S | Maximum 5.2 km+ missile range

References

• GlobalSecurity

• warfare.ru

Russian Army Divisions

In the Soviet Armed Forces, a division (Russian: diviziya) may have referred to a formation in any of the Armed Services, and would have included subunits appropriate to the Service such as regiments and battalions, squadrons or naval vessels. There is also a similarly sounding unit of military organization in Russian military terminology, called divizion. A divizion is used to refer to an artillery battalion, a specific part of a ship's crew (korabel’nyy divizion, ‘ship battalion’), or a group of naval vessels (divizion korabley). Almost all divisions irrespective of the Service had the 3+1+1 structure of major sub-units, which were usually regiments. The title Guards is an honor bestowed on units for heroism demonstrated in battles as a legacy of the Soviet formations, and was bestowed on divisions in all wartime Services. The Guards designation was created on 18 September 1941, when the 100th, 127th, and 153rd Rifle Divisions were renamed the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Guards Rifle Divisions respectively. In many cases the unit simultaneously received a name usually related to place of the heaviest battles for which it was honored; for example 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division, 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division and others. During the Soviet era a Motorised Rifle Division (MRD) usually had approximately 12,000 soldiers organized into three motorized rifle regiments, a tank regiment, an artillery regiment, an air defense regiment, surface-to-surface missile and antitank battalions, and supporting chemical, engineer, signal, reconnaissance, and rear services companies.[1] A typical Tank Division had some 10,000 soldiers organized into three tank regiments and one motorized rifle regiment, all other sub-units being same as the MRD.[2] A typical Soviet Frontal Aviation Division consisted of three air regiments, a transport squadron, and associated maintenance units. The number of aircraft within a regiment varied. Fighter and fighter-bomber regiments were usually equipped with about 40 aircraft (36 of the primary unit type and a few utility and spares) while bomber regiments typically consisted of 32 aircraft. Divisions were typically commanded by Colonels or Major Generals, or Colonels or Major Generals of Aviation in the Air Force. Soviet Naval and the Strategic Missile Forces divisions. Compared to Russian forces, U.S. Army divisions have more infantry personnel and greater number of logistic assets, but fewer armored vehicles and artillery pieces. Russian forces are intended primarily for intensive, shorter operations, being quickly replaced by another division when worn out. Thus Soviet divisions had fewer mobility assets and projection capabilities than possessed by the United States. The U.S. military posture thus can deploy and operate at long distances, but the Russian military posture cannot do so to nearly same degree. In the early 1980s, out of a total of 194 active tank, motorized rifle and airborne divisions in the Soviet force, 65 were located in the western USSR, 30 in Eastern Europe and an additional 20 in the Transcaucasus and North Caucasus Military Districts (MDs). All these divisions were available for offensive operations against NATO. In addition to these forces, 17 low-strength divisions, centrally located in the USSR, constituted the Strategic Reserves. For operation in the Southern Theater the Soviet Armed Forces had in place six divisions in the Turkestan Military District and four engaged in combat operations in Afghanistan as part of the 40th Army. These forces could be reinforced by the 20 divisions from the Caucasus MDs if they were not engaged against NATO. Soviet forces for operations in the Far East were composed of 52 tank and motorized rifle divisions. The six Warsaw Pact allies of the Soviet Union had a total of 55 active divisions, which, collectively with Soviet divisions, amounted to 249 combat divisions. Many of these divisions, most notably those in the interior of the USSR, were at low levels of readiness. The Soviet Union also maintained 17 mobilization bases, predominantly in the western USSR, that could form additional combat divisions. These bases usually contained the combat equipment needed to form new divisions and would require augmentation in manpower and a substantial amount of training before they could be committed to combat operations. In 1989 the Soviet Union had 150 motorized rifle and 52 tank divisions in three states of readiness:A, B, and V. The Ground Forces had sixty-five divisions, kept at between 50 and 75 percent of their projected wartime strengths, in the westernmost military districts of the Soviet Union; fifty-two divisions at less than half their wartime levels in the Siberian Military District, the Transbaykal, Central Asian, and Far East Military Districts along the border with China; and twenty-six low-readiness divisions in the Transcaucasus MD, the North Caucasus Military District, and the Turkestan Military District. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian tank and motorized-rifle divisions were reduced to near-cadre state, many being designated Bases for Storage of Weapons and Equipment (Russian acronym VKhVT). These bases, or "cadre" divisions were equipped with all the heavy armaments of a full-strength motor-rifle or tank division, while having only skeleton personnel strength, as low as 500 personnel. The officers and men of a cadre division focus primarily on maintaining the equipment in working condition. During wartime mobilization such a division would be beefed up to full manpower strength; however, in peacetime a cadre division is unfit for any combat. In 1995, of 81 land forces divisions, 51 were not combat ready. Of 26 brigades, 14 are not in a state of operational readiness. Airborne troops and two peacekeeping divisions had the highest level of readiness. By 1996 the ground forces included sixty-nine divisions: seventeen armored, forty-seven motorized infantry, and five airborne. Under the new defense policy document signed by President Boris Yeltsin on 1 August 1998, the number of divisions in the regular armed forces was to be reduced to ten. These were to be full-strength, high-readiness Ground Forces divisions, one of which will be specifically trained in peacekeeping operations. The divisions, deployed in various parts of the country, would engage exclusively in combat training. This policy was not carried out, and was superseded by the "constant combat readiness" concept (see Russian Ground Forces for details). The Motorized Rifle Troops have been mechanized infantry since 1957. The Soviet Union fielded a new model of armored personnel carrier (APC) every decade since the late 1950s, and in 1967 it deployed the world's first infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). Similar to an APC, the tactically innovative IFV had much greater firepower, in the form of a 73 mm main gun, an antitank missile launcher, a heavy machine gun, and firing ports that allowed troops to fire their individual weapons from inside the vehicle. In 1989 the Soviet Union had an inventory of over 65,000 APCs and IFVs, with the latter accounting for almost half of this inventory. The Soviet Ground Forces viewed the tank as their primary weapon. In 1989 the Tank Troops had five types of main battle tanks, including the T-54/55, T-62, T-64, T-72, and T-80. The greater part of the total tank inventory of 53,000 consisted of older, although still highly potent, T-54/55 and T-62 tanks. The Rocket Troops and Artillery have been an important combat arm of the Ground Forces because of the belief that firepower has tremendous destructive and psychological effect on the enemy. In 1989 the Ground Forces had eighteen artillery divisions, in addition to the artillery and missile units organic to armies and divisions. Artillery and surface-to-surface missile brigades were attached to each combined arms or tank army. An artillery regiment and a surface-to-surface missile battalion were parts of each Soviet motorized rifle and tank division. In 1989 the Rocket Troops and Artillery manned 1,400 "operational-tactical" surface-to-surface missile launchers.

List of Soviet Army divisions 1989–91

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Motor Rifle Divisions

Division Location, Status 1990 Location, Status 2006 Origin

1st Guards Motor Rifle Division

11th Guards Army, Kaliningrad, Baltic MD

Now Motor Rifle Brigade 1st Guards Rifle Division (second formation)

2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division

Alabino, Moscow Military District

No change 2nd Guards Rifle Division

3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division

Coastal defence division, Baltic Fleet, Klaipeda

Disbanded 3rd Guards Rifle Division, to MRD 1957

4th Guards Motor Rifle Division

Turkestan Military District, Termez

Disbanded 1989 4 Guards Mech Corps (WW2), then 4 Guards Mech Div, then 4 Gds MRD 1957

5th Guards Motor Rifle Division

40th Army, Shindand, Afghanistan, 1989

Disbanded 1989 5th Guards Mechanised Corps

6th Guards Motor Rifle Division

Northern Group of Forces, Poland Now storage base, Moscow Military District

90th Guards Rifle Division (WW2), became 90th Guards Tank Div in 1965

7th Motor Rifle Division

5th Army, Far East Military District

Disbanded 1958 7th Mechanized Corps, World War II

8th Guards Panfilovtsy MRD

17th Army Corps, Frunze, Turkestan Military District

Part of Kyrgyz armed forces 316th Rifle Division->8th Guards Rifle Division

9th Motor Rifle Division

12th Army Corps, Maykop, North Caucasus Military District

Now 131st MR Bde, Maykop 9th Rifle Division

10th Guards Motor R Division

31st Army Corps, TCMD, Akhaltsikhe, Georgia

Part of Military of Georgia 10th Guards Rifle Division

11th Guards Motor R Division

Transbaikal Military District Now storage base 7th Guards Mech Corps (WW2)

12th Motor RD 39th Army, Mongolia Converted to storage base, Ulan-Ude

12th Rifle Division

13th Motor Rifle Division

33rd Army Corps, Siberian Military District, Biysk

Storage base, Biysk Newly formed 1960

15th Motor Rifle Division

Seventh Guards Army, Kirovakan, Transcaucasus Military District

Part of Armenian armed forces 100th MRD 1957←26th Mech Div 1946/55←15th Rifle Div

16th Motor RD Baltic Military District, Latvia Disbanded 1991 16th Guards Rifle Division

17th Guards Motor R Division

13th Army, Carpathian Military District

Part of Ukrainian Ground Forces 40th Guards Rifle Division, World War II

18th Guards Motor RD

Central Group of Forces, Czechoslovakia

Baltic Fleet Ground Forces, Kaliningrad

18th Guards Rifle Division

19th Motor Rifle Division

42nd Army Corps, North Caucasus MD, Vladikavkaz

No change 19th MRD 1965 ← 92nd MRD 1957 <- 19th Rifle Division

20th Guards Motor RDivision

1st Guards Tank Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany,

Withdrawn to Volgograd, North Caucasus MD

8th Guards Mechanised Corps

21st MRD Group of Soviet F in Germany Omsk, Siberian Military District?

416th Rifle Division (World War II)

22nd MRD Far East Military District Became Mot R Brigade, 1 June 2002

22nd Rifle Division

23rd Guards MRD 4th Army, Transcaucasus Military District

Part of Azerbaijan armed forces 7th Guards Cavalry Corps, then 31st Guards Mechanised Division

24th Motor Rifle 13th Army, Carpathian Military Part of Ukrainian armed forces 24th Rifle Division

Division District, Yavarov

25th Guards MRD 1st Guards Army, Kiev Military District, Chernigov

Part of Ukrainian armed forces 25th Guards Rifle Division

26th Guards Motor R Division

11th Guards Army, Baltic Military District, Gusev

Disbanded 1989 26th Guards Rifle Division

27th Guards Motor R Division

Group of Soviet Forces in Germany

Totskoye, Volga-Ural Military District

27th Guards Rifle Division

28th Guards Motor R Division

Odessa Military District Became 28th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine) circa 2001

28th Guards Rifle Division

29th MRD Far East Military District No change? 29th Rifle Division

30th Guards Motor R Division

Central Group of Forces, Zvolen, Czechoslovakia

Disbanded in Belarus 55th Guards Rifle Division

32nd Guards Motor R Division

Moscow Military District Disbanded early 1990s 32nd Guards Rifle Division

33rd MRD Far East Military District Now storage base 342nd Rifle Division

34th Motor Rifle Division

Ural Military District, Sverdlovsk Volga-Ural Military District, Yekaterinburg

34 MRD 1965 < 126th MRD 1957 < 1955 77th Rifle Div

35th Motor Rifle Division

20th Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany

Disbanded 1992 35 MRD 1965, 19th MRD 1957, by 1955 1st Mech Div from 1st Mech Corps

36th MRD Artemovsk, Kiev M District Disbanded 1992 Formed 1966

37th Motor Rifle Division

6th Army, Leningrad Military District

Disbanded 25 RD (WW2), 156 MRD 1957, 37 MRD 1965

38th Guards Motor R Division

36th Army, Transbaikal Military District, Sretensk

MG Artillery Division 38 Gds RD (WW2), 38 Guards MRD 1965

39th Guards Motor R Division

8th Guards Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany

Disbanded 1992 39th Guards Rifle Division

40th Motor Rifle Division

5th Guards Army, Far East Military District

To Pacific Ocean Fleet as coastal defence division

40 Rifle Division

41st Motor Rifle Division

39th Army, Mongolia Disbanded 1992 Formed 1967 from elements of 52nd MRD

42nd Guards Motor R Division

North Caucasus Military District, Grozny

Became 173rd Training Centre, then disbanded 1992

24th Guards Rifle Division

43rd Guards(?) Motor R Division

Volga Military District, Kuybyshev

Became 469th District Training Centre

43 RD (WW2), 130 MRD 1957, 43 MRD 1965

45th Guards Motor R Division

30th Guards Army Corps, Leningrad Military District

Became 138th Motor Rifle Brigade

45 Guards Rifle Division (WW2), to MRD 1957

46th Motor Rifle Division

Kiev Military District, Voroshilovgrad

Disbanded 1989 Formed 1980

47th Guards Motor R Division

5th Army, Far East Military District

Disbanded 1959 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps

48th Motor Rifle Division

Central Group of Forces, Vysoke Myto, Czechoslovakia

Withdrawn to Smolensk, under KGB control, later disbanded

48th Rifle Division

50th Guards Motor R Division

Belarussian Military District Part of Armed Forces of Belarus 50th Guards Rifle Division

51st Guards Motor R Division

13th Army, Carpathian Military District

Became Ukrainian Ground Forces' 51st Mechanized Brigade

76th Rifle Division, which became 51st Guards Rifle Division

52nd Motor Rifle Division

Transbaikal Military District, Nizhneudinsk

Storage base, later disbanded 347th Rifle Division

54th Motor Rifle Division

Sixth Army, Leningrad Military District, Alakutti

Reduced to storage base 341st Rifle Division

56th Motor Rifle Division

Siberian Military District, Omsk Reorganised as District Training Centre, later disbanded

56th Rifle Division

57th Guards Motor R Division

8th Guards Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany

Disbanded 1992 57th Guards Rifle Division

58th Motor Rifle Division

36th Army Corps, Turkestan Military District, Kyzyl-Arvat

Became part of Turkmenistan armed forces

344th Rifle Division

59nd Guards Motor R Division

14th Guards Army, Odessa Military District, Tiraspol

Now 8th Motor Rifle Brigade 59th Guards Rifle Division, World War II

60th Motor Rifle Division

4th Army, Transcaucasus Military District, Lenkoran

Became part of Military of Azerbaijan

406th Rifle Division

61st Motor Rifle Division

Turkestan Military District, Ashkabad

Part of Turkmenistan armed forces

357th Rifle Division

62nd Motor Rifle Division

33rd Army Corps, Siberian Military District, Itatka

Now Omsk? Formed 1971

63rd Guards Motor R Division

Leningrad Military District, Sertolovo

Became 56th District Training Centre

63rd Guards Rifle Division

64th Guards Motor R Division

30th Guards Army Corps, Leningrad Mil District, Sapernoe

Reduced to storage base 64th Guards Rifle Division

65th Motor Rifle Division

Ural Military District, Chelyabinsk

Storage base, later disbanded 368th Rifle Division

66th Guards Motor R Division

Carpathian Military District, Chernivtsi

Part of Ukrainian armed forces 66th Guards Rifle Division

67th Motor Rifle Division

35th Army, Far East Military District, Skovorodino

1992 redesigned 115th Guards MRD

Formed 1968

68th Guards Mot Rifle Division[1]

Turkestan Military District, Sary Ozek

Part of Military of Kazakhstan Former 372nd Red Banner Novgorod Rifle Division

69th Motor Rifle Division

26th Army Corps, Leningrad Military District, Vologda

Reduced to storage base 69th Rifle Division

70th Guards Motor R Division

38th Army, Carpathian Military District, Ivano-Frankovsk

Disbanded in 1991 70th Guards Rifle Division

71st Motor Rifle Division

6th Army, Leningrad Military District, Petrozavodsk

Reduced to storage base 71st Rifle Division

72nd Guards Motor R Division

1st Guards Army, Kiev Military District, Belya Tserkov

Became Ukrainian 72nd Mechanised Division

72nd GRD

73rd MRD Far East Military District, Novoe Disbanded 1989 73rd Rifle Division

74th MRD Siberian Military District, Yurga Disbanded 1989 227th Rifle Division

75th Motor Rifle Division

7th Transcaucasus Military District, Nakhichevan

KGB control 1989-91, disbanded 1992

75th Rifle Division

77th Guards Motor R Division

26th Army Corps, Leningrad Military District, Arkhangelsk

1989, converted to coastal defence division, 1991 disbanded

77th Guards Rifle Division

78th Motor Rifle Division

Ural Military District, Chebarkul Converted to District Trg Centre, then reduced to storage base

417th Rifle Division

79th Motor Rifle Division

51st Army, Far East Military District, Poronaisk

Reduced to storage base 79th Rifle Division

80th Guards MRD Turkestan Military District, Otar Became part of Kazakh forces 80th Guards Rifle Division (WW2)

81st Guards Motor R Division

5th Army, Far East Military District, Bikin

No change 81st Guards Rifle Division

82nd Motor Rifle Division

34th Army Corps, North Caucasus Mi District, Volgograd

Disbanded after 1989 Formed 1969 from 266 MRD cadres

83rd Guards Motor R Division

13th Army, Carpathian Military District, Rovno

Disbanded 1986 or '89 8th Guards Cavalry Division

84th Motor Rifle Division

36th Army Corps, Turkestan Military District, Ashkabad

Became part of Turkmenistan's armed forces

Formed 1981 from 58 MRD cadre

85th Motor Rifle Division

Siberian Military District, Novosibirsk

No change 85th MRD 1957 < to 1955 85th Rifle Division

86th Guards Motor R Division

14th Guards Army, Odessa Military District, Beltsy

Disbanded after 1990 86th Guards Rifle Division

87th Motor Rifle Division

25th Army Corps, Far East Military District, Petropavlovsk

Disbanded 1989 Formed 1968 from elements of 22 MRD

88th Motor Rifle Division

36th Army Corps, Turkestan Military District, Kushka

Became part of Turkmenistan's armed forces

Formed 1980 from elements of 5 GMRD

91st Motor Rifle Division

29th Army, Transbaikal Military District, Bratsk

Reformed as 497th territorial educational center 1987

Formed Dec 1, 1981 Nizhneudinsk; 1986 relocated in settlement Padun of the city of Bratsk

92nd Guards Motor R Division

Odessa Military District, Nikolaev Became Ukrainian 92nd District Training Centre

92nd Guards Rifle Division

93rd Guards Motor R Division

Southern Group of Forces, Kecskemét, Hungary

Withdrawn to Ukraine, became part of Ukrainian Ground Forces

93rd GRD

94th Guards Motor R Division

2nd Guards Tank Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany

Withdrawn to Yurga, Siberian M D, became 74th Motor Rifle Bde

94th GRD

96th MRD Volga Military District, Kazan Became storage base, later disbd 96th Rifle Division

97th Guards Motor R Division

13th Army, Carpathian Military District, Slavuta

Became Ukrainian 97th Mechanized Brigade

97th Guards Rifle Division

99th Motor Rifle Division

25th Army Corps, Far East Military District, Anadyr

Red to 3840 Storage Base, 1 June 1999, storage base disb, 2002

Formed 1968(?)

100th Guards MRD

Transcaucasian Mil D, Tbilisi Became 173rd District Training Centre

Soviet 1st Guards Mechanized Corps

105th MRD Transbaikal Military District Disbanded 1958 From WW2 era 36 MRD

107th MRD Baltic Military District, Vilnius Disbanded 1992 Formed 1968 from cadres 265th MRD

108th Motor Rifle Division

40th Army, Bagram, Afghanistan Withdrawn to Termez, became part of Uzbek armed forces

360th Rifle Division

111th Motor Rifle Division

6th Army, Leningrad Military District, Sortavala

Became 23rd Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment

367th Rifle Division

115th Guards Motor R Division

Leningrad Military District?, Valdai

Became storage base 67th Guards Rifle Division

118th Motor Rifle Division

43rd Army Corps, Far East Military District, Birobidzhan

Became MG Artillery division Formed 1969

120th Guards Motor R Division

Belarussian Military District, Minsk

Became part of Belarus armed forces

120 Guards Rifle Division, September 1943

121st Motor Rifle Division

5th Army, Far East Military District, Sibirtsevo

Became District Training Centre 10th Mechanised Corps, WW2

122nd Guards Motor R Division

36th Army, Transbaikal Military District, Dauriya

No change? 5th Guards Tank Corps

123rd Guards Motor R Division

5th Army, Far East Military District, Barabash

Became MG Artillery division 17th Guards Rifle Division

126th Motor Rifle Division

32nd Army Corps, Odessa Military District, Simferopol

Became Ukrainian coastal defence formation

126th Rifle Division

127th Motor Rifle Division

Seventh Guards Army, Transcaucaus MilD, Leninakan

Became Russian 102nd Military Base

261st Rifle Division

128th Guards Motor R Division

38th Army, Carpathian Military District, Mukachevo

Now 128th Mechanized Brigade, part of Ukrainian Ground Forces

128th Guards Mtn Rifle Division

129th Motor Rifle Division

Far East Military District, Knyaz-Volkonka

Became 392 District Training Centre 1 December 1987

Formed 1969

131st Motor Rifle Division

6th Army, Leningrad Military District, Pechenga

Became 200th Motor Rifle Brigade

45th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

134th Motor Rifle Division

Central Asian Military District, Dushanbe

Disbanded 1989 Formed 1980

135th Motor Rifle Division

15th Army, Far East Military District, Lesozavodsk

Became Machine-Gun Artillery Division

Former 39th Rifle Тихоокеанской Division

136th Motor Rifle Division

1st Guards Army, Kiev Military District, Piryatin

Became part of Ukrainian armed forces

343rd Rifle Division

144th Guards Motor R Division

Baltic Military District, Talinn Withdrawn to Yelnya, Moscow MD, reduced to storage base

29th Guards Rifle Division

145th Motor Rifle Division

31st Army Corps, Transcaucasus Military District, Batumi

Became 12th Military Base Soviet 89th "Tamanyan" Rifle Division

146th Motor Rifle Division

Leningrad Military District, Chernaya Rechka

Reduced to storage base

147th Motor Rifle Division

31st Army Corps, Transcaucasus Military District, Akhalkalaki

Became 62nd Military Base

149th Motor Rifle Division

39th Army, Mongolia Withdrawn to Borzya, became Motor Rifle Brigade

150th MRD Transbaikal Military District, Borzya

Became District Training Centre

152nd MRD Transcaucasus MDistrict, Kutaisi Disbanded 1991

155th Motor Rifle Division

32nd Army, Turkestan Military District, Ust-Kamenogorsk

Became part of Kazakh armed forces 1992

157th Motor Rifle Division

32nd Army Corps, Odessa Military District, Kerch

Reduced to storage base

161st Motor Rifle Division

13th Army, Carpathian Military District, Izyaslav

Became part of Ukrainian armed forces

161st Rifle Division, briefly 24th Mech Div and 99th MRD until 1965

164th Motor Rifle Division

7th Guards Army, Transcaucasus Military District, Yerevan

Became part of Armenian armed forces

164th Rifle Division, briefly 69th Mech Div and 121st MRD until 1965

167th Motor Rifle Division[2]

32nd Army, Turkestan Military District, Semipalatinsk

Became part of Kazakh armed forces 1992

167th Rifle Division, briefly in 1950s until 1957 153rd MRD

172nd Motor Rifle Division

1st Guards Army, Kiev Military District, Konotop

Reduced to storage base 172nd Rifle Division, World War II

180th Motor Rifle Division

Odessa Military District, Belgorod-Dnesterovskii

Became part of Ukrainian armed forces 1992

180th 'Kievskaya' Rifle Division, World War II

192nd Motor Rifle Division

35th Army, Far East Military District, Blagoveshchensk

Reduced to Motor Rifle Brigade

194th Motor Rifle Division

15th Army, Far East Military District, Khabarovsk

Reduced to Motor Rifle Brigade

199th Motor Rifle Division

5th Army, Far East Military District, Krasny Kut

Reduced to storage base

201st MRD 40th Army, Kunduz, Afghanistan Dushanbe, Tajikistan

203rd Motor Rifle Division

32nd Army, Turkestan Military District, Karaganda

Reduced to storage base, became part of Kazakh armd forces

206th Motor Rifle Division

13th Army Corps, Moscow MD, Tambov

Reduced to storage base 206th Rifle Division

207th Motor Rifle Division

2nd Guards Tank Army, Group of Soviet F in Germany, Stendal

Disbanded 1992 207th Rifle Division, formed 1942

213th MR D Volga Military District, Totsk Disbanded

216th Motor Rifle Division

4th Army, Transcaucasus Military District, Saatl?

Disbanded 1989 216th Rifle Division

218th MRD Siberian Mil District, Abakan Disbanded

219th MRD Far East MDistrict, Vozhaevka Reduced to storage base

242nd MRD 33rd Army Corps, Siberian Military District, Abakan

Reduced to storage base Formed 1972

245th Motor Rifle Division

29th Army, Transbaikal Military District, Gusinoozyorsk

No change First formed 1967

254th Motor Rifle Division

Southern Group of Forces, Hungary

Withdrawn to Artemovsk, Ukraine, became Ukrainian mech div

254th Rifle Division

262nd Motor Rifle Division

35th Army, Far East Military District, Vozhaevka

Later disbanded 262nd Rifle Division

265th Motor Rifle Division

Far East Military District, Yekaterinovka

Reduced to storage base 265th Rifle Division

266th Motor Rifle Division

35th Army, Far East Military District, Raichikhinsk

Reduced to storage base 266th Rifle Division

270th Motor Rifle Division

15th Army, Far East Military District, Komsomolsk

No change 270th Rifle Division

272nd Motor Rifle Division

43rd Army Corps, Far East Military District, Babstovo

Became MG Artillery division 272nd Rifle Division

277th Motor Rifle Division

5th Army, Far East MD, Sergevka Became MG Artillery division 66th Rifle Division

287th Motor Rifle Division

38th Army, Carpathian Military District, Yarmolints

Became part of Ukrainian armed forces

287th Rifle Division

295th Motor Rifle Division

4th Army, Transcaucasus Military District, Baku

Became part of Azerbaijani armed forces

295th Rifle Division

143 Motor Rifle Divisions and 52 Tank Divisions after 1989

15 + 7 Unchanged 3 Coastal Defence 6 Machine-Gun Art 11 MR Brigade 16+7 to Ucraina 16+1 Other Countries

18th Guards MRD 40th MRD 45th MRD

6 + 2 Training

Centers

43rd Guards MRD 91st (497 TerEduC) 100th MR (173 DTC) 121st MRD (DTC) 129th MRD (392 DTC) 150th MR (DTC) 49th TD (212 DTC) 44th TD (DTC)

2 Military Bases

127th MR (102 MB) 147th MR (62 MB)

MVD Division

17th Guards 24th MRD 25th Guards 28th Guards 51st Guards 66th Guards 72nd Guards 92nd Guards 93rd Guards 97th Guards 126th MRD 127th Guards 136th MRD 161st MRD 180th MRD 254th MRD 17th G TD 23rd TD 30th TD 41at Guards TD 42nd Guards TD 48th Guards TD 117th GuardsTD

2+8 to Belarus

2nd Guards MRD 19th MRD 20th Guards MRD 21st MRD 27th Guards MRD 29th Guards MRD 34th MRD 62nd MRD 67th/115th MRD 81st MRD 85th MRD 122nd MRD 201st MRD 245th MRD 270th MRD (later reformed a new 3rd MRD) 2nd Guards TD 4th Guards TD 5th Guards TD 10th Guards TD 15th Guards TD 21st Guards TD 90th Guards TD

14th TD

38th Guards MRD 118th MRD 123rd MRD 135th MRD 272nd MRD 277th MRD

45 MRD + 12 TD

Disbanded

3 – 4 – 5 – 7 – 16 – 26 – 30 – 32 – 35 – 36 – 37 – 39 – 41 – 42 – 46 – 47 – 48 – 52 – 56 – 57 – 65 – 70 – 73 – 74 – 75 – 77 – 82 – 83 – 86 – 87 – 96 – 99 – 105 – 106 – 134 – 152 – 207 – 213 – 216 – 218 – 262 MRD 7 G – 9 G – 12 G – 13 – 20 – 25 – 31 – 32 – 47 – 60 – 75 – 79 TD

131 (ex-9 MRD) (ex-22 MRD) 138 (ex-45 MRD) 8 (ex-59 G MRD) 74 (ex-94 GMR 200 (ex-131 MR (ex-149 MRD) (ex-192 MRD) (ex-194 MRD) (ex-24th TD) (ex 1st G TD)

23 MR + 12 T

Storage Bases

6 – 11 – 12 – 13 – 33 – 54 – 64 – 69 – 71 – 78 – 79 – 111 – 115 – 144 – 146 – 157 – 172 – 199 – 206 – 219 – 242 – 265 – 266 MRD 3 G – 16 G – 26 G – 29 – 40 G – 51 – 65 – 67 – 68 – 76 – 77 – 193 TD

59th G MRD 120th G MRD 6th G TD 8th G TD 11th GTD 19th TD 28th TD 34th TD 37th TD 45th G TD

1 Kyrghyzistan

8th Guards MRD

1 Georgia

10th Guards MRD

2 Armenia

15th MRD 164th MRD

2 Azerbaijian

23rd Guards MRD 295th MRD

1 Uzbekistan

108th MRD

4 Turkmenistan

58th MRD 61st MRD 84th MRD 88th MRD

6 Khazakstan

68th Guards MRD 81st Guards MRD 155th MRD 167th MRD 203rd MRD 78th TD

Tank Divisions

Division Location, Status 1990 Location, Status 2006 Origins

1st Guards Tank Division 11th Guards Army, Kaliningrad, Baltic MD

Reduced to Tank Brigade 1st Tank Corps

2nd Guards Tank Division 39th Army, Mongolia Withdrawn to Siberia 2nd Guards Tank Corps

3rd Guards Tank Division 7th Tank Army, Belarussian Military District, Zaslonovo

Reduced to storage base, became part of Belarus armed forces

3rd Guards Tank Corps

4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Div

Moscow Military District, Naro-Fominsk

No change 4th Guards Tank Corps

5th Guards Tank Division Transbaikal Military District, Kyakhta Now part of Siberian Mil District 5th Guards Cavalry Corps

6th Guards Tank Division 28th Army, Belorussian Military District, Grodno

Reorganised as mechanised brigade, became part of Belarus

63rd Cavalry Division

7th Guards Tank Division 3rd Shock Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Dessau-Rosslau

Disbanded 1990 7th Guards Tank Corps

8th Guards Tank Division 5th Guards Tank Army, Belorussian Military District, Pykhovichi

Reduced to storage base, became part of Belarus armed forces

8th Guards Tank Corps

9th Guards Tank Division 1st Guards Tank Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Riesa/Sachsen-Zeithan

Disbanded in 1991 9th Tank Corps

10th Guards Uralsko-Lvovskaya Tank Division

3rd Shock Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Altengrabow

Withdrawn to Boguchar, Moscow MD

11th Guards Tank Division 1st Guards Tank Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Dresden

Withdrawn to Slonim, Belarus, became part of Belarus AF

12th Guards Tank Division 3rd Shock Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Neuruppin

Disbanded at Vladikavkaz in 1991

13th Guards Tank Division Southern Group of Forces, Veszprém, Disbanded in 1989 13th Guards Rifle Div

14th Tank Division North Caucasian MD, Novocherkassk Became 100th Div of MVD 1989 Formed 1972

15th Guards Tank Division Central Group of Forces, Milovitse, Czechoslovakia

Withdrawn to Chebarkul, Volga-Ural MD

15th Guards Cavalry Division

16th Guards Tank Division 2nd Guards Tank Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Neustrelitz

Withdrawn to Chaykovsky, Volga-Ural MD, reduced to storage base

16th Guard Tank Corps

17th Guards Tank Division 6th Guards Tank Army, Kiev Military District, Krivoy Rog

Became Ukrainian 17th Guards Armoured Brigade

20th Guards Rifle Division 1945

19th Guards Tank Division Southern Group of Forces, Hungary, Esztergom

Withdrawn to Belarus, reduced to storage base

2nd Guards Mechanised Corps

20th Zvenigorodskaya Tank Division

Northern Group of Forces, Poland Disbanded in 1991 20th Tank Corps

21st Guards Tank Division 35th Army, Far East Military District, Belogorsk

No change 31st Guards Rifle Division

23rd Tank Division 8th Tank Army, Carpathian Military District, Ovruch

Reduced to storage base, became part of Ukrainian armed forces

24th Tank Division Baltic MD, Riga Withdrawn to Strugi Krasne, Leningrad MD, as Motor Rifle Brigade

25th Tank Division 20th Guards Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Vogelsang

Disbanded 1989

26th Guards Tank Division Moscow Military District, Kovrov Reorganised as District Training Centre

53rd Guards 'Tartus' Red Banner Rifle Division

27th Tank Division Far East Military District, Zavatinsk Reduced to storage base

28th Tank Division 28th Army, Belarus Military District, Reduced to equipment base, 8th Mechanised Corps

Slonim became part of Belarus AF

29th Tank Division 5th Guards Tank Army, Belarus Military District, Slutsk

Reduced to storage base

30th Guards Tank Division 8th Tank Army, Carpathian Military District, Novograd-Volinsky

Now 30th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

13th Guards Cavalry Division

31st Tank Division 28th Army Corps, Central Group of Forces, Bruntal

Withdrawn to Moscow MD, amalgamated with another div

32nd Guards Tank Division 20th Guards Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Juterburg

Disbanded 1989 116th Guards Rifle Division

34th Tank Division 7th Tank Army, Belorussian Military District, Borisov

Reduced to storage base, became part of Belarus armed forces

37th Tank Division 7th Tank Army, Belorussian Military District, Polotsk

Reduced to storage base, became part of Belarus armed forces

40th Guards Tank Division 11th Guards Army, Baltic Military District, Sovetsk

Reduced to tank brigade, then storage base

41st Guards Tank Division 1st Guards Army, Kiev Military District, Uman

Reduced to storage base, became part of Ukrainian armed forces

41st Guards Rifle Division

42nd Guards Tank Division 6th Guards Tank Army, Kiev Military District, Dnepropetrovsk

Reduced to storage base, became part of Ukrainian armed forces

42nd Guards Rifle Division

44th Tank Division Ural Military District, Kamyshin Reorganised as district training centre

279th Rifle Division

45th Guards Tank Training Division (I)

Belorussian Military District Disbanded 1960 69th Guards Rifle Division

45th Guards Tank Division (II)

Belorussian Military District, Pechi Reorganised as 72nd Training Centre, became part of Belarus

6th Guards Rifle Division

47th Guards Tank Division Soviet 1st Guards Tank Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Hillersleben

Withdrawn to Moscow Military District, amalgamated

47th Guards Rifle Division

48th Guards Tank Division Oster, Kiev Military District Became 169th Dist Trng Centre, Ukrainian Ground Forces

5th Guards Airborne Division

49th Tank Division Transbaikal Military District Became 212th Dist Trng Centre Formed 1965 as MR training div; by 1989 49 TD

51st Tank Division 39th Army, Bogandur, Mongolia Withdrawn, red to storage base Formed 1967

60th Tank Division Moscow Military District Disbanded 1990 Formed from 60 RD? 1947

65th Tank Division Moscow Military District, Ryazan? 'Spare' division (cadre?)

67th Tank Division Siberian Military District 'Spare' division (cadre?) Reduced to storage base, post 1989

68th Tank Division Siberian Military District 'Spare' division (cadre?) Reduced to storage base, post 1989

75th Guards Tank Division Kiev Military District Disbanded 1989 75th Guards Rifle Division, 1965(?)

76th Tank Division Belarussian Military District, Brest Reduced to storage base, 1989

77th Tank Division Far East Military District Reduced to storage base, post 1989

264th Rifle Division

78th Tank Division Ayaguz, Turkestan Military District Became part of Kazakh armed forces

78th Rifle Division

79th Tank Division 8th Guards Army, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany

Disbanded 1992 79th Guards Rifle Division

90th Guards Tank Division Group of Soviet Forces in Germany Withdrawn to Soviet Union 6th Guards Mech Corps

117th Guards Tank Division Carpathian Military District Became 119th District Training Centre of the Ukrainian GForces

111th Guards Rifle Division

193rd Tank Division Belarussian Military District Reduced to storage base 193rd Rifle Division

Divisions Disbanded 1945–89

• Disbanded 1958(?)← 1957 7th MRD<-7th Mech Div <-1946/55← 7th Mech Corps

• 343 (55) Rifle Division 1946–55, 136 MRD 1957, Disbanded 1958

• Disbanded 1958←137 MRD 1957 ←345 (57) RD 1946–55

• Disbanded 1959←138 MRD 1957 ←358 (59) RD 1946–55

• Disbanded 1960←139 MRD 1957 ←349 (60) RD 1946–55

• Disbanded 1959←140 MRD 1957 ←374 (70) RD 1946–55

• Disbanded 1958←142 Mtn RD 1957 ←376 (72) RD 1955

• Disbanded 1960←143 Gds MRD 1957←72G Mech Div 1946(1955) ←110 GRD

• Disbanded 1958<144 MRD 1957<97 RD 1946 (1955)

Sources and References

1. ^ See also http://www.soldat.ru/forum/?gb=3&id=54651 2. ^ See also http://www.soldat.ru/forum/?gb=3&id=35468 (in Russian)

• V.I. Feskov, K.A. Kalashnikov, V.I. Golikov, The Soviet Army in the Years of the Cold War 1945–91, Tomsk University Publishing House, Tomsk, 2004

• Note: this source is not totally accurate, as some other information from it has been shown to be incorrect. Alternate information is welcome!

See also

• List of Soviet Union divisions 1917–1945

External links

• http://www.soldat.ru/force/sssr/sp/division/through.html - expanded list of divisions from updated sources (Russian)