Russian Marines
Encyclopedia
The Russian Naval Infantry, (Marines) are the amphibious
force of the Russian Navy. The first Russian naval infantry force was formed in 1705, and since that time they have fought in the Napoleonic Wars
, the Crimean War
, the Russo-Japanese War
, and the First and Second World Wars. Under Admiral Gorshkov
, the Soviet Navy expanded the reach of the Naval Infantry and deployed them worldwide on numerous occasions. Along with the rest of the Soviet Armed Forces
, they have fallen on hard times since the dissolution of the Soviet Union
and have been reduced in size.
The Marines are led by the Deputy Commander for Naval Infantry/Commandant of the Naval Infantry Corps of the Russian Navy, Major General
(NI/MC) Alexander Kolpatsenko.
, a regiment
"of naval equipage" or in other words, equipped and supplied by the Russian Imperial Navy — was formed for boarding and landing operations, on the ships of the Baltic Fleet
.
During the 18th century, Russian naval infantry was involved in several famous victories, including the Battle of Gangut
(1714), the rout of the Turkish Navy
at Cesme
Harbor in 1770, and the taking of Izmail Fortress
on the Danube
, in 1790.
In 1799, during the Napoleonic Wars
, Russian naval infantry took the French fortress at Corfu
. That same year, a Russian landing force took Naples
by storm and entered the Papal States
.
During the War of the Sixth Coalition
, Russian naval infantry distinguished themselves against La Grande Armée
at the Battle of Borodino
(1812), Battle of Kulm
(1813) and the Siege of Danzig
.
In 1854–1855, naval infantry defended Sevastopol
against British, French and Turkish troops.
During 1904, naval infantry defended Port Arthur
against Japanese forces.
The military situation demanded the deployment of large numbers of marines on land fronts, so the Naval Infantry contributed to the defense of Moscow, Leningrad, Odessa, Sevastopol, Stalingrad, Novorossiisk, Kerch.
The Naval Infantry conducted over 114 landings, most of which were carried out by platoons and companies. In general, however, Naval Infantry served as regular infantry, without any amphibious training.
They conducted four major operations: two during the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula
, one during the Caucasus Campaign
and one as part of the Landing at Moonsund, in the Baltic
.
During the war, five brigades and two battalions of naval infantry were awarded Guards status. Nine brigades and six battalions were awarded decorations, and many were given honorary titles. The title Hero of the Soviet Union
was bestowed on 122 members of naval infantry units.
The Soviet experience in amphibious warfare
in World War II contributed to the development of Soviet operational art in combined arms operations. Many elements in the Naval Infantry were parachute trained and the SNI conducted more drops and successful parachute operations than the VDV
.
The Naval Infantry was disbanded in 1947, with some units being transferred to the Coastal Defence Force.
In 1961, the Naval Infantry was re-formed and became a combat arm of the Soviet Naval Forces. Each Fleet was assigned a Naval Infantry unit of regiment (and later brigade) size. The Naval Infantry received amphibious versions of standard Armoured fighting vehicle
, including tanks used by the Soviet Army
.
By 1989, the Naval Infantry numbered 18,000 troops, organised into the 55th Naval Infantry Division, at Vladivostok
and three independent brigades: the 63rd Guards Kirkenneskaya Brigade at Pechenga
(Northern Fleet), 36th Guards Brigade at Baltiysk
(Baltic Fleet), and one at Sevastopol
(Black Sea Fleet).
By the end of the Cold War
, the Soviet Navy had over eighty landing ships, as well as two Ivan Rogov-class
landing ships. The latter could transport one infantry battalion with 40 armoured vehicles and their landing craft
. (One of the Rogov ships has since been retired.)
At 75 units, the Soviet Union had the world's largest inventory of combat air-cushion assault craft
. In addition, many of the 2,500 vessels of the Soviet merchant fleet (Morflot) could off-load weapons and supplies during amphibious landings.
On November 18, 1990, on the eve of the Paris Summit where the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty
and the Vienna
Document on Confidence and Security-Building Measures (CSBMs) were signed, Soviet data were presented under the so-called initial data exchange. This showed a rather sudden emergence of three so-called coastal defence divisions (including the 3rd at Klaipėda
in the Baltic Military District
, the 126th in the Odessa Military District
and possibly the 77th with the Northern Fleet
), along with three artillery brigades/regiments, subordinate to the Soviet Navy, which had previously been unknown as such to NATO. Much of the equipment, which was commonly understood to be treaty limited (TLE) was declared to be part of the naval infantry. The Soviet argument was that the CFE excluded all naval forces, including its permanently land-based components. The Soviet Government eventually became convinced that its position could not be maintained.
A proclamation of the Soviet government on July 14, 1991, which was later adopted by its successor states, provided that all "treaty-limited equipment" (tanks, artillery and armoured vehicles) assigned to naval infantry or coastal defence forces, would count against the total treaty entitlement.
The Naval Infantry of the Russian Navy includes the 55th Naval Infantry Division of the Russian Pacific Fleet , the independent brigades of the Northern and Baltic Fleets and of the Caspian Military Flotilla, and the independent regiment of the Black Sea Fleet
. The main Arctic base of the Northern Fleet
infantry is called Sputnik.
In 1994, Exercise "Cooperation from the Sea" was conducted, in and around Vladivostok
, with the U.S. III Marine Expeditionary Force
, to foster a closer relationship between the Russian Naval Infantry and the United States Marine Corps
. U.S. Marines and Russian Naval Infantry conducted their first exercise on U.S. soil the following year, in Hawaii
. "Cooperation From the Sea 1995" was a maritime disaster relief exercise, which included cross training and personnel exchanges, and culminated in a combined amphibious landing of U.S. and Russian marines. The purpose of the exercise was to improve interoperability, cooperation and understanding between U.S. and Russian personnel.
From 2000 onwards, the Caspian Flotilla
included a new naval infantry brigade, the 77th, based at Kaspiysk
. The headquarters and two battalions of the brigade were scheduled to be established by August 1, 2000. It was reported by Agenstvo Voyenniykh Novostyei (AVN) in June 2000 that the new brigade, which may have inherited the lineage of the 77th Motor Rifle Division, was to have its troops housed in Kaspiysk
and Astrakhan
, along with as many as 195 combat vehicles and two hovercraft
sent to it from Chukotka
and the Northern Fleet
, respectively. The brigade was also reported to have had helicopters assigned to it.
spearheading an assault that would be followed up by ground forces
.
Its primary wartime missions would be to seize and hold strategic straits or islands and to make seaborne tactical landings behind enemy lines as well as defending critical naval basing areas. During the 1980s Soviet Naval Infantry exercises in the Kuril Islands
north of Japan indicated that the intended target of Naval Infantry was the shores bordering various chokepoints. In a conflict, these troops would most likely be sent ashore to capture the Dardanelles
or the Kattegat
straits and then wait for rapid reinforcement.
A Naval Infantry Regiment, equipped with the PT-76
and BRDM-2
, consists of 1 Tank Battalion and 3 Naval Infantry Battalions, one motorised with BTR-60
-series amphibious vehicles.
A Naval Infantry Brigade, equipped with the PT-76 or T-80
and BRDM-2, consists of 2 Tank Battalions, and 4 to 5 Naval Infantry Battalions, one motorised with BTR-60
-series amphibious vehicles. A tank battalion originally had 36 MBT
s.
At least one infantry battalion is airborne trained, while all of the remaining infantry battalions are trained to be able to carry out air assault
missions.
amphibious tanks, but have not yet received a large number of T-80
s. A full-strength Naval Infantry Brigade may have up to 70-80 Tanks. The APCs used by the Naval Infantry are either BTR-80
s (in Assault Landing Battalions) or MT-LB
s (in Naval Infantry Battalions). While Naval Infantry units were supposed to receive BMP-3
IFVs, few have been delivered, and it is far from certain such re-arming will take place. BMP-3s may equip one company per battalion.
According to Defense Ministry statement published by RIA Novosti (November 27, 2009), "All units of Russia's naval infantry will be fully equipped with advanced weaponry by 2015." Included in this upgrade would be T-90 tanks, BMP-3 IFVs, 2S31 120mm mortar/artillery tracks, BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, air defense equipment and small arms.
The Alligator tank landing ship is a typical amphibious assault ship. Propelled by diesel engines, this ship is relatively small, displacing about 4500 tons. In 1978, the Soviets launched a new amphibious ship, the Ivan Rogov. The advent of the Ivan Rogov was taken in the West as an indication that the Soviet Navy was planning to strengthen the power projection mission of Naval Infantry. Twice the size of earlier ships, it can launch amphibious vehicles from its open bow doors. It also carries helicopters. Among the various small assault landing vehicles to launch from the bow are hovercraft
, such as the Aist
, which can carry the naval infantry ashore at speeds of fifty knots.
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
force of the Russian Navy. The first Russian naval infantry force was formed in 1705, and since that time they have fought in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, and the First and Second World Wars. Under Admiral Gorshkov
Sergey Gorshkov
Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Sergey Georgiyevich Gorshkov was a Soviet naval officer during the Cold War who oversaw the expansion of the Soviet Navy into a global force....
, the Soviet Navy expanded the reach of the Naval Infantry and deployed them worldwide on numerous occasions. Along with the rest of the Soviet Armed Forces
Soviet Armed Forces
The Soviet Armed Forces, also called the Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Armed Forces of the Soviet Union refers to the armed forces of the Russian SFSR , and Soviet Union from their beginnings in the...
, they have fallen on hard times since the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
and have been reduced in size.
The Marines are led by the Deputy Commander for Naval Infantry/Commandant of the Naval Infantry Corps of the Russian Navy, Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
(NI/MC) Alexander Kolpatsenko.
History
18th and 19th centuries
In November 1705, following a decree of Peter IPeter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
, a regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
"of naval equipage" or in other words, equipped and supplied by the Russian Imperial Navy — was formed for boarding and landing operations, on the ships of the Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
.
During the 18th century, Russian naval infantry was involved in several famous victories, including the Battle of Gangut
Battle of Gangut
The Battle of Gangut took place on July 27Jul./ August 7, 1714Greg. during the Great Northern War , in the waters of Riilahti Bay, north of the Hanko Peninsula, near the site of the modern-day city of Hanko, Finland, between the Swedish Navy and Imperial Russian Navy...
(1714), the rout of the Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
at Cesme
Çesme
Çeşme is a coastal town and the center-town of the district of the same name in Turkey's western-most end, on a promontory on the tip of the peninsula which also carries the same name and which extends inland to form a whole with the wider Karaburun Peninsula...
Harbor in 1770, and the taking of Izmail Fortress
Izmail
Izmail is a historic town near the Danube river in the Odessa Oblast of south-western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Izmail Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast....
on the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, in 1790.
In 1799, during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, Russian naval infantry took the French fortress at Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. That same year, a Russian landing force took Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
by storm and entered the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
.
During the War of the Sixth Coalition
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
, Russian naval infantry distinguished themselves against La Grande Armée
La Grande Armée
The Grande Armée first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain...
at the Battle of Borodino
Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino , fought on September 7, 1812, was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia and all Napoleonic Wars, involving more than 250,000 troops and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties...
(1812), Battle of Kulm
Battle of Kulm
The Battle of Kulm was a battle near the town Kulm and the village Přestanov in northern Bohemia. It was fought on 29–30 August 1813, during the War of the Sixth Coalition...
(1813) and the Siege of Danzig
Siege of Danzig
The Siege of Danzig of 1734 was the Russian encirclement and capture of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth city of Danzig during the War of Polish Succession...
.
In 1854–1855, naval infantry defended Sevastopol
Battle of Sevastopol
The Siege of Sevastopol took place on the Eastern Front of the Second World War. The campaign was fought by the Axis powers of Germany, Romania and Italy against the Soviet Union for control of Sevastopol, a port in Crimea on the Black Sea. On 22 June 1941 the Axis invaded the Soviet Union under...
against British, French and Turkish troops.
During 1904, naval infantry defended Port Arthur
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
against Japanese forces.
World War II
During World War II about 350,000 Red Navy sailors fought on land. At the beginning of the war, the navy had only one brigade of marines in the Baltic fleet, but began forming and training other battalions. These eventually were- six naval infantry regiments, comprising two battalions, each with 650 personnel
- 40 naval infantry brigadeBrigadeA brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
s of 5-10 battalions, formed from surplus ships' crews. Five brigades were awarded GvardyRussian GuardsGuards or Guards units were and are elite military units in Imperial Russia, Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. The tradition goes back to the retinue of a knyaz of medieval Kievan Rus' and the streltsy, the Muscovite harquebusiers formed by Ivan the Terrible by 1550...
(Guards) status. - numerous smaller units.
The military situation demanded the deployment of large numbers of marines on land fronts, so the Naval Infantry contributed to the defense of Moscow, Leningrad, Odessa, Sevastopol, Stalingrad, Novorossiisk, Kerch.
The Naval Infantry conducted over 114 landings, most of which were carried out by platoons and companies. In general, however, Naval Infantry served as regular infantry, without any amphibious training.
They conducted four major operations: two during the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula
Battle of the Kerch Peninsula
Battle of the Kerch Peninsula was a World War II offensive by German and Romanian armies against the Soviet Crimean Front forces defending the Kerch Peninsula, in the eastern part of the Crimea. It was launched on 8 May 1942 and concluded around 18 May 1942 with the near complete destruction of...
, one during the Caucasus Campaign
Battle of the Caucasus
The Battle of Caucasus is a name given to a series of German and Soviet operations in the Caucasus area during the Soviet-German War.-1941 operations:...
and one as part of the Landing at Moonsund, in the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
.
During the war, five brigades and two battalions of naval infantry were awarded Guards status. Nine brigades and six battalions were awarded decorations, and many were given honorary titles. The title Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
was bestowed on 122 members of naval infantry units.
The Soviet experience in amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
in World War II contributed to the development of Soviet operational art in combined arms operations. Many elements in the Naval Infantry were parachute trained and the SNI conducted more drops and successful parachute operations than the VDV
VDV
The Russian Airborne Troops or VDV is a military branch of service of the Russian Military, on par with the Strategic Rocket Forces and the Russian Space Forces...
.
The Naval Infantry was disbanded in 1947, with some units being transferred to the Coastal Defence Force.
Cold War
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
, including tanks used by the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
.
By 1989, the Naval Infantry numbered 18,000 troops, organised into the 55th Naval Infantry Division, at Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
and three independent brigades: the 63rd Guards Kirkenneskaya Brigade at Pechenga
Pechengsky District
Pechengsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the five in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is located to the northwest of the Kola Peninsula on the coast of the Barents Sea and borders with Finland in the south and southwest and with Norway in the west, northwest, and north...
(Northern Fleet), 36th Guards Brigade at Baltiysk
Baltiysk
Baltiysk , prior to 1945 known by its German name Pillau , is a seaport town and the administrative center of Baltiysky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, located on the northern part of the Vistula Spit, on the shore of the Strait of Baltiysk separating the Vistula Bay from the Gdańsk Bay. Baltiysk...
(Baltic Fleet), and one at Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
(Black Sea Fleet).
By the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the Soviet Navy had over eighty landing ships, as well as two Ivan Rogov-class
Ivan Rogov class landing ship
The Ivan Rogov, or Project 1174 class "large landing ships" are a class of amphibious transports used by the Russian Navy. Originally a class of three ships built during the cold war, only one, the Mitrofan Moskalenko, is still in service....
landing ships. The latter could transport one infantry battalion with 40 armoured vehicles and their landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
. (One of the Rogov ships has since been retired.)
At 75 units, the Soviet Union had the world's largest inventory of combat air-cushion assault craft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
. In addition, many of the 2,500 vessels of the Soviet merchant fleet (Morflot) could off-load weapons and supplies during amphibious landings.
On November 18, 1990, on the eve of the Paris Summit where the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty
Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe
The original Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe was negotiated and concluded during the last years of the Cold War and established comprehensive limits on key categories of conventional military equipment in Europe and mandated the destruction of excess weaponry...
and the Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
Document on Confidence and Security-Building Measures (CSBMs) were signed, Soviet data were presented under the so-called initial data exchange. This showed a rather sudden emergence of three so-called coastal defence divisions (including the 3rd at Klaipėda
Klaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
in the Baltic Military District
Baltic Military District
The Baltic Military District was a military district of the Soviet armed forces, formed briefly before the German invasion, and then reformed after World War II and disbanded after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991....
, the 126th in the Odessa Military District
Odessa Military District
The Odessa Military District was a military administrative division of the Imperial Russian military, the Soviet Armed Forces and the Ukrainian Armed Forces and was known under such name from around 1862 to 1998. It was reorganized as part of the Military of Ukraine and the Military of Moldova in...
and possibly the 77th with the Northern Fleet
Northern Fleet
The Red Banner Northern Fleet is a unit of the Russian Navy that has access to the Barents and Norwegian Seas, the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, and is responsible for the defense of northwestern Russia. It was established in 1937 as part of the Soviet Navy...
), along with three artillery brigades/regiments, subordinate to the Soviet Navy, which had previously been unknown as such to NATO. Much of the equipment, which was commonly understood to be treaty limited (TLE) was declared to be part of the naval infantry. The Soviet argument was that the CFE excluded all naval forces, including its permanently land-based components. The Soviet Government eventually became convinced that its position could not be maintained.
A proclamation of the Soviet government on July 14, 1991, which was later adopted by its successor states, provided that all "treaty-limited equipment" (tanks, artillery and armoured vehicles) assigned to naval infantry or coastal defence forces, would count against the total treaty entitlement.
Russian Federation
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
. The main Arctic base of the Northern Fleet
Northern Fleet
The Red Banner Northern Fleet is a unit of the Russian Navy that has access to the Barents and Norwegian Seas, the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, and is responsible for the defense of northwestern Russia. It was established in 1937 as part of the Soviet Navy...
infantry is called Sputnik.
In 1994, Exercise "Cooperation from the Sea" was conducted, in and around Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
, with the U.S. III Marine Expeditionary Force
III Marine Expeditionary Force
The III Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps that is forward-deployed and able to deploy rapidly and conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault and high intensity combat. III...
, to foster a closer relationship between the Russian Naval Infantry and the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. U.S. Marines and Russian Naval Infantry conducted their first exercise on U.S. soil the following year, in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. "Cooperation From the Sea 1995" was a maritime disaster relief exercise, which included cross training and personnel exchanges, and culminated in a combined amphibious landing of U.S. and Russian marines. The purpose of the exercise was to improve interoperability, cooperation and understanding between U.S. and Russian personnel.
From 2000 onwards, the Caspian Flotilla
Caspian Flotilla
The Caspian Flotilla is the oldest Russian military flotilla, stationed in the Caspian Sea. It was awarded the Order of the Red Banner in 1945.-Establishment:...
included a new naval infantry brigade, the 77th, based at Kaspiysk
Kaspiysk
Kaspiysk , until 1947 known as Dvigatelstroy , is a city in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea, southeast of Makhachkala. Population: 43,000 ....
. The headquarters and two battalions of the brigade were scheduled to be established by August 1, 2000. It was reported by Agenstvo Voyenniykh Novostyei (AVN) in June 2000 that the new brigade, which may have inherited the lineage of the 77th Motor Rifle Division, was to have its troops housed in Kaspiysk
Kaspiysk
Kaspiysk , until 1947 known as Dvigatelstroy , is a city in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea, southeast of Makhachkala. Population: 43,000 ....
and Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
, along with as many as 195 combat vehicles and two hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
sent to it from Chukotka
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug , or Chukotka , is a federal subject of Russia located in the Russian Far East.Chukotka has a population of 53,824 according to the 2002 Census, and a surface area of . The principal town and the administrative center is Anadyr...
and the Northern Fleet
Northern Fleet
The Red Banner Northern Fleet is a unit of the Russian Navy that has access to the Barents and Norwegian Seas, the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, and is responsible for the defense of northwestern Russia. It was established in 1937 as part of the Soviet Navy...
, respectively. The brigade was also reported to have had helicopters assigned to it.
Mission
There is at least one naval infantry regiment attached to each of the major Russian fleets. In total the Russian Naval Infantry numbers 12,000 men and has very little organic firepower or support, and if committed to combat it would require reinforcement within less than a week. Russian military doctrine calls for the naval infantry to be used as shock troopsShock troops
Shock troops or assault troops are formations created to lead an attack. "Shock troop" is a loose translation of the German word Stoßtrupp...
spearheading an assault that would be followed up by ground forces
Ground Forces
The Hungarian Ground Forces are one of the branches of the Hungarian armed forces. It is the army which handles Ground activities and troops including artillery, tanks, APC's, IFV's and ground support...
.
Its primary wartime missions would be to seize and hold strategic straits or islands and to make seaborne tactical landings behind enemy lines as well as defending critical naval basing areas. During the 1980s Soviet Naval Infantry exercises in the Kuril Islands
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands , in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, form a volcanic archipelago that stretches approximately northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many more minor rocks. It consists of Greater...
north of Japan indicated that the intended target of Naval Infantry was the shores bordering various chokepoints. In a conflict, these troops would most likely be sent ashore to capture the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
or the Kattegat
Kattegat
The Kattegat , or Kattegatt is a sea area bounded by the Jutland peninsula and the Straits islands of Denmark on the west and south, and the provinces of Västergötland, Scania, Halland and Bohuslän in Sweden on the east. The Baltic Sea drains into the Kattegat through the Øresund and the Danish...
straits and then wait for rapid reinforcement.
Pacific Fleet
- 155th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade
- 165th "Cossack" Naval Infantry Regiment
- 84th Naval Infantry Separate tank battalion
- 263rd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion
- 1484th Separate Communications Battalion
- 40th Separate Krasnodar-Harbin Naval Infantry Brigade (Kamchatka)
- 186th Separate Naval Infantry Engineer Battalion
Baltic Fleet
- 299th Training Center Coastal Forces of the Baltic Fleet
- 336th Separate Guards Białystok Naval Infantry Brigade - Baltiysk
- 724th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion - Mechnikovo
- 877th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion
- 878th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion
- 879th Separate Landing-Assault (Desant) Battalion
- 1592nd Separate Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion
- 1612th Separate Artillery Battalion
- 1618th Separate Anti-aircraft missile and artillery battalion
- 9th Naval Crew - Naval Infantry platoon of military escorts cargo - Pioneer
Northern Fleet
- 61st Separate Kirkinesskaya Red Banner Naval Infantry Brigade - Sputnik
- Brigade Headquarters
- 874th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion
- 876th Separate Landing-Assault (Desant) Battalion
- 886th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion
- 125th Separate tank battalion
- 1611th Separate Self-propelled Artillery Battalion
- 1591th Separate self-propelled artillery battalion
- 1617th Separate anti-aircraft missile and artillery battalion
- 75th Naval Hospital
- 317th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion
- 318th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion
Black Sea Fleet
- 810th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade - Kazachye Bukhta, Sevastopol (a Separate Naval Infantry Regiment until 1 December 2008)
- 882nd Regiment and a separate assault craft-battalion
- 382nd and a separate battalion
- A separate tank battalion
Caspian Flotilla
- 77th Separate Guards Moscow-Chernigov Order of Lenin Red Banner Orders of Suvorov Naval Infantry Brigade - KaspiyskKaspiyskKaspiysk , until 1947 known as Dvigatelstroy , is a city in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea, southeast of Makhachkala. Population: 43,000 ....
Organization
PT-76
The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall,...
and BRDM-2
BRDM-2
The BRDM-2 is an amphibious armoured patrol car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. It was also known under designations BTR-40PB, BTR-40P-2 and GAZ 41-08...
, consists of 1 Tank Battalion and 3 Naval Infantry Battalions, one motorised with BTR-60
BTR-60
The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen first time in public in 1961...
-series amphibious vehicles.
A Naval Infantry Brigade, equipped with the PT-76 or T-80
T-80
The T-80 is a main battle tank designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union. A development of the T-64, it entered service in 1976 and was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine for main propulsion.the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 of 1971 used a gas turbine alongside...
and BRDM-2, consists of 2 Tank Battalions, and 4 to 5 Naval Infantry Battalions, one motorised with BTR-60
BTR-60
The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen first time in public in 1961...
-series amphibious vehicles. A tank battalion originally had 36 MBT
Main battle tank
A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
s.
At least one infantry battalion is airborne trained, while all of the remaining infantry battalions are trained to be able to carry out air assault
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces...
missions.
Equipment
The Russian Naval Infantry have been gradually phasing out PT-76PT-76
The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall,...
amphibious tanks, but have not yet received a large number of T-80
T-80
The T-80 is a main battle tank designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union. A development of the T-64, it entered service in 1976 and was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine for main propulsion.the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 of 1971 used a gas turbine alongside...
s. A full-strength Naval Infantry Brigade may have up to 70-80 Tanks. The APCs used by the Naval Infantry are either BTR-80
BTR-80
BTR-80 is an 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed in the Soviet Union. Production started in 1986 and replaced the previous versions, BTR-60 and BTR-70 in the Soviet army. -Description:The Soviets based the BTR-80 on the BTR-70 APC...
s (in Assault Landing Battalions) or MT-LB
MT-LB
The MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armoured vehicle which was first introduced in the late 1960s...
s (in Naval Infantry Battalions). While Naval Infantry units were supposed to receive BMP-3
BMP-3
The BMP-3 is a Russian amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, successor to the BMP-1 and BMP-2. BMP stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty .- Production history :...
IFVs, few have been delivered, and it is far from certain such re-arming will take place. BMP-3s may equip one company per battalion.
According to Defense Ministry statement published by RIA Novosti (November 27, 2009), "All units of Russia's naval infantry will be fully equipped with advanced weaponry by 2015." Included in this upgrade would be T-90 tanks, BMP-3 IFVs, 2S31 120mm mortar/artillery tracks, BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, air defense equipment and small arms.
Heroes of the Soviet Union
- Seaman Ahmed Dibirovich Abdulmedzhidov (1945)
- Seaman Mikhail Avramenko (1945)
- Petty Officer Noah P. Adamia (1942)
- Junior Sergeant Pavel Petrovich Artemov (1945)
- Lieutenant Mikhail Ashik (1946)
- Seaman Yakov Illarionovich Balyaev (1945)
- Major Mikhail Barabolko (1945)
- Petty Officer Sergey G. Zimin (1943, shironintsy)
- Seaman Kafur Nasyrovich Mamedov (1942, posthumous)
- Seaman Pavel D. Osipov (1945, posthumous)
- Private Andrey Arkadevich Skvortsov (1943, shironintsy)
- Private Aleksandr Fedorovich Toropov (1943, shironintsy)
- Lieutenant Pyotr Shironin (1943, shironintsy)
- Major Caesar Lvovich KunikovCaesar Lvovich KunikovCaesar Lvovich Kunikov — was a officer in the Soviet Naval Infantry. He served as commanding officer of a landing party that recaptured the beach-head at Malaya Zemlya during the German-Soviet War...
(1943, posthumous)
Heroes of the Russian Federation
- Starshina (Warrant Officer) Gennadiy A. Azarychev (1995)
- Lieutenant Vladimir A. Belyavskiy (2006)
- Senior Lieutenant Vladimir V. Borovikov
- Captain Viktor Vdovkin
- Major Pavel Nikolaevich Gaponenko
- Major Andrey Y. Gushchin (1995)
- Guards Lieutenant Aleksandr Darkovich (1995)
- Midshipman (Warrant Officer) Andrey Vladimirovich Dneprovskiy
- Senior Midshipman (Sr. Warrant Officer) Gregory Mikhailovich Zamyshlyak
- Midshipman (Warrant Officer) Andrey N. Zakharchuk
- Major Vladimir V. Karpushenko
- Lt. Col. Dmitriy Nikolayevich Klimenko
- Guards Captain Yevgeniy N. Kolesnikov (1995, posthumous)
- Major General Yevgeniy Nikolayevich Kocheshkov
- Senior Lieutenant Yuriy Gerasimovich Kuryagin
- Major-General Aleksandr Otrakovskiy (2000, posthumous)
- Guards Captain Dmitriy Polkovnikov (1995)
- Seaman Vladimir Vladimirovich Tatashvili
- Senior Lieutenant Sergey Firsov
- Colonel Aleksandr Chernov
- Guards Major General Sergey Sheiko (1995)
- Major General Viktor Shulyak
Sealift
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
, such as the Aist
AIST
AIST can refer to:*African Institute of Science and Technology*national institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, one of the biggest research institutions in Japan...
, which can carry the naval infantry ashore at speeds of fifty knots.