Материал: Konrad Muzyka Russian Forces in the Western Military District
June 2021
Russian Forces in the Western Military District
Konrad Muzyka
Rochan Consulting
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. Cleared for public release
IOP-2020-U-028759-1Rev
Abstract
In this CNA Occasional Paper, Konrad Muzyka provides an in-depth assessment of Russia’s Western Military District, which consists of robust forces spanning regions including St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kursk, and Kaliningrad. Muzyka’s analysis provides an up-to-date overview of the current force structure and posture of this military district, which underwent deep structural reforms between 2013 and 2019 to better address Western threats. These forces include the 6th and 20th Combined Arms Armies, the 1st Guards Tank Army, three airborne divisions, the 6th Air and Air Defense Army, and a self-sufficient force in the Kaliningrad exclave. Muzyka also discusses the Zapad-17 military exercise, and provides assessments of ongoing modernization in the district.
This report is part of a series generously funded by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
CNA’s Occasional Paper series is published by CNA, but the opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of CNA or the Department of the Navy.
Distribution
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. 6/28/2021
This work was performed under Specific Authority Contract No. G-19-56503
Cover image credit: Пресс-служба Президента Российской Федерации [Press Service of the President of the Russian Federation], “Совместные российско-белорусские стратегические учения «Запад-2017»“ [Joint
Russian-Belarusian strategic exercises "West-2017"], September 18, 2017, http://www.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/55644/photos.
Approved by: |
June 2021 |
Michael Kofman, Research Program Director
Russia Studies Program
Strategy, Policy, Plans, and Programs Division
Request additional copies of this document through inquiries@cna.org.
Copyright © 2021 CNA
Executive Summary
This paper provides an updated order of battle assessment of existing units in Russia’s Western
Military District (mainland Russia and the Kaliningrad Oblast), analyzes roles assigned to them, and places Russian force posturing into a context of the post-2014 security situation. It analyzes how the Russian armed forces have developed their capabilities and how they have reorganized their forces in the last six to eight years and, subsequently, how they have prepositioned their presence to address threats emanating from the western operational direction. This is placed within the context of military operations in Georgia and Ukraine as well as increased NATO presence in the Baltic States. The paper also examines scenarios practiced during the Zapad-17 strategic-operational exercise and efforts needed for Russia to fully engage in high-end, high-tempo combat operations in its immediate neighborhood. Although the document lists equipment that is fielded into specific units, it does not seek to provide a detailed table of organization and equipment (TO&E).
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Contents |
|
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................. |
1 |
Methodology.......................................................................................................................................................... |
2 |
The Western Military District – An Overview................................................................................... |
4 |
The 1st Guards Tank Army...................................................................................................................... |
9 |
The 6th Combined Arms Army............................................................................................................. |
18 |
The 20th Combined Arms Army .......................................................................................................... |
22 |
Units Subordinate to the Western MD............................................................................................... |
24 |
Airborne Forces......................................................................................................................................... |
28 |
The 6th Air and Air Defense Army...................................................................................................... |
33 |
Fixedand rotary-wing units....................................................................................................................... |
35 |
Air defense .......................................................................................................................................................... |
38 |
The Kaliningrad Oblast........................................................................................................................... |
42 |
Ground components........................................................................................................................................ |
43 |
Naval forces ........................................................................................................................................................ |
47 |
Air and air defense forces ............................................................................................................................. |
50 |
Ongoing Modernization, Finished Reform....................................................................................... |
52 |
Figures .......................................................................................................................................................... |
55 |
Tables............................................................................................................................................................ |
56 |
Abbreviations............................................................................................................................................. |
57 |
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