Russian Ministry of Defence

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces: President Vladimir Putin
Minister of Defence: Anatoli Serdyukov
Chief of the General Staff: General Nikolai Makarov

Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces: Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force: Major General Viktor Bondarev
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy: Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov

Commander of the Strategic Rocket Forces: Lieutenant General Sergei Viktrovich Karakayev
Commander of the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces: Lieutenant General Oleg Ostapenko
Commander of the Russian Airborne Troops: Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov

Director of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU): Major General Igor Sergun

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Military Divisions of the Russian Federation



The Russian Federation is divided into four Military Districts (Western, Central, Southern and Eastern), each of which comprises a Joint Strategic Command. These are territorial associations of military units and facilities each under the command of a district headquarters. Below is a list of each Military District and the major military formations of the Ground Forces, Air Force and Navy in each. Note that this is not a comprehensive list, and there may be smaller independent units in each district.

Western Military District (HQ: St Petersburg)
Commander: Colonel General Arkady Bakhin
- 6th Guards Army (Ground Forces)
- 20th Guards Army (Ground Forces)
- Baltic Fleet (Navy)
- Northern Fleet (Navy)
- Operational Strategic Command for Air-Space Defense (Air Force)
- 1st Air and Air Defence Forces Command (Air Force)

Note: The Kaliningrad Oblast falls under the purview of the Western Military District.

Southern Military District (HQ: Rostov-on-Don)
Commander: Colonel General Alexander Galkin
- 49th Army (Ground Forces)
- 58th Army (Ground Forces)
- 4th Air and Air Defense Command (Air Force)
- Black Sea Fleet (Navy)

Central Military District (HQ: Yekaterinburg)
Commander: Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin
- 2nd Army (Ground Forces)
- 58th Army (Ground Forces)
- 2nd Air and Air Defence Forces Command (Air Force)
- Caspian Flotilla (Navy)

Eastern Military District (HQ: Khabarovsk)
Commander: Admiral Konstantin Sidenko
- 5th Army (Ground Forces)
- 29th Army (Ground Forces)
- 35th Army (Ground Forces)
- 36th Army (Ground Forces)
- 3rd Air and Air Defence Forces Command (Air Force)
- Pacific Fleet (Navy)

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Ground Forces of the Russian Federation
Active Personnel: 360,000

Main Battle Tanks
T-90: 702
T-80: 1,400 (3,100 in reserve/storage)
T-72: 2,000 (8,000 in reserve/storage)
T-64: 4,100 (all in storage)
T-62: 2,000 (all in storage)
T-55: 1,200 (all in storage)

Armoured Fighting Vehicles
BTR-90: 80
BTR-82: 210
BTR-80: 4,000
BTR-70: 2,000 (all in storage)
MT-LB: 3,300 (all in storage)
BTR-D: 400

BMP-3: 693
BMP-2: 2,000 (2,600 in storage)
BMP-1: 1,500 (6,600 in storage)
BMD-4: 60
BMD-3: 60
BMD-2: 360 (1,500 in storage)
BMD-1: 720 (2,400 in storage)
2S25 Sprut-SD: 24

BRDM-2: 2,000 (6,000 in storage)
BRM-1: 480

Air Defence
S-400: 72
S-300PMU-1/2: 768
S-300V: 185
Buk-M1: 342
Tor-M1: 136
Strela-10M3: 354
Osa: 294
Pantsir-S1: 22
Tunguska: 204
Shilka: 133

Artillery
2A36: 188
2A65: 432
D-20: 430
M-46: 55
D-30: 564
Nona-K: 1,112
MT-12: 526

Self-Propelled Artillery
2S7 Pion: 37
2S19 Msta: 468
Giantsint-S: 221
Gvozdika: 622
Akatsiya: 955
Tyulpan: 25
2S31 Vena: 60
2S9 Nona: 266
A-222 Bereg: 6

Rocket Artillery
BM-21 Grad: 367
BM-27 Uragan: 412
BM-30 Smerch: 300
TOS-1: 50
9A53-G/U/S Tornado: 150

Tactical Ballistic Missile Systems
OTR-21 Tochka-U: 96
9K720 Iskander-E: 24

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Air Force of the Russian Federation
Active Personnel: 160,000

Fighters
Su-27: 281
Su-30: 15 (30 on order – to be delivered by 2015)
Su-35 137
MiG-29: 226
MiG-31: 198

Strike/Ground Attack
Su-24: 593
Su-25: 241
Su-34: 16 (32 more by 2015, a further 92 units by 2020)

Strategic Bomber
Tu-95: 63
Tu-22M: 116 (+90 in storage)
Tu-160: 16

Reconnaissance, Command and AEW&C
Il-80: 4
A-50: 30
Su-24MR: 79
MiG-25R: 25
Tu-214R: 20

Transport
Il-62M: 3
Tu-154: 4
Tu-134: 30
An-22: 21
An-124: 14
An-124-200: 10
Il-76MD: 210
Il-76MD-90: 40
An-12: 50
An-72/74: 39

Aerial Refuelling
Il-78: 30

Attack Helicopters
Ka-50: 8
Ka-52: 20 (140 more to be delivered by 2020)
Mi-24/Mi-35: 620
Mi-28: 203 (A further 60 units to be delivered by Q4 2015)

Transport/Utility Helicopter
Mi-8/Mi-17: 600
Mi-26: 39
Ka-226: 36
Mi-2: 280
Ka-29: 21

Russian Airborne Troops
Active Personnel: 35,000

Equipment of the Russian Airborne Troops

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Navy of the Russian Federation
Active Personnel: 120,000 (+12,000 Naval Infantry)
Note: The major vessels of each fleet can be found below. Each fleet contains a number of other smaller vessels, patrol boats, support ships, landing craft etc.

Northern Fleet (HQ: Severomorsk)
Admiral Kuznetsov class aircraft carrier: 1
Kirov class nuclear-powered cruiser: 1 (1 undergoing overhaul)
Slava class cruiser: 1
Udaloy class destroyer: 4
Sovremennyy class destroyer: 1
Delta IV SSBN: 4
Typhoon SSBN: 1 (2 in reserve)
Oscar SSG: 2
Sierra SSN: 2
Akula SSN: 5
Victor SSN: 4
Kilo SSK: 4
Borei SSBN: 2 (undergoing sea trials)
Yasen SSN: 1 (undergoing sea trials)

Naval Aviation
Tu-142MK: 8
Il-38/N: 11

Naval Infantry
61st Separate Kirkinesskaya Red Banner Naval Infantry Brigade
75th Naval Hospital
317th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion
318th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion

Baltic Fleet (HQ: Kaliningrad)
Sovremennyy class destroyer: 2
Burevestnik class frigate: 1
Neustrashimy class frigate: 2
Kilo SSK: 2
Lada SSK: 1

Naval Infantry
299th Training Center Coastal Forces of the Baltic Fleet
336th Separate Guards Białystok Naval Infantry Brigade

Black Sea Fleet (HQ: Sevastopol, Ukraine)
Slava class cruiser: 1
Kara class cruiser: 1
Kashin class destroyer: 1
Burevestnik class frigate: 2
Kilo class submarine: 1

Naval Infantry
810th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade
382 Separate Naval Infantry Battalion

Note: Facilities for the Black Sea Fleet are leased from Ukraine. In 2010 the Ukrainian Parliament approved the extension of the lease to 2042.

Caspian Flotilla (HQ: Astrakhan)
Gepard class frigate: 1
Buyan class corvette: 3

Naval Infantry
414th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion

Mediterranean Fleet (HQ: Alexandria, Egypt)
Amur 950 SSK: 2 (Active from Q3 2015)
Gepard class frigate: 3 (Active from Q2 2015)
Buyan Corvette: 1 (Active from Q4 2013)
Gorshkov Frigate: 3 (Active from Q3 2015)

Naval Infantry
727th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion

Pacific Fleet (HQ: Vladivostok)
Slava class cruiser: 1
Sovremennyy class destroyer: 1
Udaloy class destroyer: 4
Delta III SSBN: 3
Oscar SSG: 2
Akula SSN: 5
Kilo SSK: 7

Naval Aviation
Tu-142MZ: 8
Il-38/N: 15

Naval Infantry
155th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade
3rd Separate Krasnodar-Harbin Naval Infantry Regiment

Future Vessels
Mistral class AAS – commissioned 2014 and 2015 (with option for two more)
Admiral Grigorovich class frigate: 7 (1 commissioned in 2014, 2 per year 2016-18)
Gorshkov class frigate: 4 (commissioned 2015)
Ivan Gren class landing ship: 16 (all commissioned by 2020)
Steregushchy class corvette: 6 (two already commissioned, one commissioned in Q4 2012, two in 2013 and one in 2015)
Gremyashchy class corvette: 8 (all commissioned by 2019)
Gepard class: 6 (all commissioned by 2016)
Borei SSBN: 10 (one commissioned, the remaining 9 to be commissioned at a rate of 1 per year, 2012-2021)
Yasen SSN: 10 (one commissioned, the remaining 9 to be commissioned at a rate of 1 per year, 2013-2022)
Amur 950 SSK: 4 (commissioned 2015)
Amur 1650 SSK: 2 (commissioned 2015)
Improved Kilo SSK: 2 (commissioned 2014)

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Quarterly Summaries of the Russian Armed Forces
Below can be found a summary of Russian military/defence-related activity in each quarter.

Q3 2012
...

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Russian Military Facilities on Foreign Soil

Armenia (Total personnel: 4,000)
- Yeveran Air Base
- Gyumri Military Base (102nd Military Base)

Abkhazia (Total personnel: 3,500)
- 7th Military Base

Azerbaijan (Total personnel: 900)
- Qabala radar station (Annual rent of $7 million)

Belarus (Total personnel: 850)
- Hantsavichy radar station
- Baranovichi radar station
- Vileyka naval communications station

Egypt (Total personnel: TBD)
- Alexandria naval base (opening 2014)
- Alexandria air base (opening Q3 2013)

Kazakhstan (Total personnel: 4,000)
- Balkhash radar station
- Sary Shagan testing ground
- Baikonur Cosomodrome

Kyrgyzstan (Total personnel: 700)
- Kant Air Base
- Lake Issyk Kul naval testing facility

South Ossetia (Total personnel: 3,500)
- 4th Military Base

Syria (Total personnel: 150)
- Tartus Naval Base

Tajikistan (Total personnel: 5,500)
- Dunshanbe military base
- Qurghonteppa military base
- Kulab military base
- Ayni Air Base (joint use with Tajik Air Force)
- Okno space surveillance facility

Transnitria (Total personnel: 1,500)
- Peacekeeping base

Ukraine (Total personnel: 13,000)
- Sevastopol Naval Base (leased until 2042)

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Mediterranean Fleet

On January 1st 2014 the Russian Navy will inaugurate its sixth major formation: the Mediterranean Fleet. The fleet will have its headquarters in Alexandria, Egypt and will also encompass the Tartus facility in Syria.

Composition
Amur 950 SSK: 2 (Active from Q3 2015)
Gepard class frigate: 3 (Active from Q2 2015)
Buyan Corvette: 1 (Active from Q4 2013)
Gorshkov Frigate: 3 (Active from Q3 2015)

The 727th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion will be transferred from the Caspian Flotilla to the Mediterranean Fleet by Q4 2014.

The fleet's area of operations will primarily be the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and surrounding areas.

The Russian Air Force will begin operating from Alexandria Airbase in Q4 2013. It is anticipated that the base will primarily be used in a support role and will house maritime patrol and intelligence-gathering aircraft. Egyptian personnel will also be trained at the base.

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Al Mukalla Naval Support Facility

Construction of a support facility for Russian naval operations in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding areas will begin in Q4 2013, with the facility becoming operational in Q4 2016.

Facilities will include:
- An air base and associated facilities with two runways at 3,600m in length;
- A harbour large enough to accommodate up to ten large warships and submarines;
- A communications centre, including GLONASS ground station;
- Repair and refuelling facilities;
- A barracks, recreation centre, medical facility and administrative buildings;
- Underground storage for weapons and other sensitive equipment.

Approximately 1,000 personnel will be based at the site, the majority of which will be in mechanical, support, security or administrative roles.

VSIC
A clandestine detention facility will also be constructed with space for up to 60 prisoners.

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Operation Keyhole
VSIC

Operation Keyhole, undertaken primarily by the GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency, is an ongoing covert op to provide support and assistance to President Bashar al-Assad's regime in the Syrian Arab Republic.

The aim of the operation is as follows:
- To provide covert military and diplomatic advice to the Assad regime;
- To supply the Syrian Government with additional intelligence gathered from Russian sources;
- To help to uncover the routes of support to the Syrian rebels and close these down where possible (or provide the Syrian government with the information they require to close down said nodes of support). This has a particular emphasis on tracking and intercepting supplies sent to Syria by the Saudis and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Syria has traditionally seen the highest concentration of Russian intelligence assets in the Middle East owing to the fact that relations between Moscow and Damascus are positive. As such, the assets required to carry out this operation are more or less in place. The military attaché to the Russian Embassy in Damascus will have a number of additional experts added to his team to provide advice to the Assad regime. These advisers will not be wearing Russian uniforms and, if necessary, will pose as members of Rosopomogat (Russia's aid agency) coordinating relief efforts with the Syrian government.

Russia will use its intelligence assets in the Gulf, in financial centres (New York, London, Geneva, Frankfurt, Hong Kong etc.) to track supplies of currency to the Syrian rebels. Satellites will be used to physically track supply convoys/vessels/aircraft and their movements.

Russian assets will not be directly involved in carrying out any physical military operations. Rather, their role is to gather additional intelligence and ensure that relevant information is provided to the regime in Damascus. Military advisers will then provide assistance in how best to act upon this information.

[Russia (Farrfin)]

Russian Surveillance Flights - Q2 2015

The Russian Air Force's Tu-214R surveillance aircraft and Tu-124MZ maritime patrol aircraft will be used to gather additional intelligence in the following areas as well as standard patrols of Russia's strategic bomber fleet:

- The US/Chinese/Korean/Japanese military build-up in the Far East;
- Patrolling along the Red Sea (in international airspace) from Alexandria Air Force Base, Egypt (as announced here);
- Additional patrols of the Mediterranean from Egypt.