45th Detached Reconnaissance Regiment
Encyclopedia
45th Guards Separate Reconnaissance Regiment of VDV ( or 45-й полк специального назначения ВДВ) is a special reconnaissance
and special operations
unit within the Russian Airborne Troops, and based in Moscow
.
It was created in 1994 from the 901st Separate Landing Assault Battalion (created in 1979,) and 218th Separate Battalion for Special Operations of VDV, (created in 1992). The regiment has 690 men, 15 BTR-80, and 1 BTR-D; the 218th Battalion is homebased in Sokolniki.
The unit is part of the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) and directly subordinated to VDV Headquarters. However it is also operationally subordinate to the GRU
.
The Regiment fought in the First
and Second Chechen War
s. In 1994 it fought for Dolinsky, Argun, and Grozny, sustaining casualties of 15 killed and 28 wounded. In June 2007 it was successfully inspected by the Commander-in-Chief of the VDV. In August, the 45th was involved in the 2008 South Ossetia War
, where one battalion captured US Hummers jointly with the 7th Airborne Guards Division, and another defended Tskhinvali
.
Special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organisations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detection by the enemy. As a role, SR is distinct from commando operations,...
and special operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
unit within the Russian Airborne Troops, and based in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
It was created in 1994 from the 901st Separate Landing Assault Battalion (created in 1979,) and 218th Separate Battalion for Special Operations of VDV, (created in 1992). The regiment has 690 men, 15 BTR-80, and 1 BTR-D; the 218th Battalion is homebased in Sokolniki.
The unit is part of the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) and directly subordinated to VDV Headquarters. However it is also operationally subordinate to the GRU
GRU
GRU or Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye is the foreign military intelligence directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation...
.
The Regiment fought in the First
First Chechen War
The First Chechen War, also known as the War in Chechnya, was a conflict between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, fought from December 1994 to August 1996...
and Second Chechen War
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
s. In 1994 it fought for Dolinsky, Argun, and Grozny, sustaining casualties of 15 killed and 28 wounded. In June 2007 it was successfully inspected by the Commander-in-Chief of the VDV. In August, the 45th was involved in the 2008 South Ossetia War
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
, where one battalion captured US Hummers jointly with the 7th Airborne Guards Division, and another defended Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located...
.