Counter insurgency training for Caspian marines

Units of the Caspian Flotilla Naval Infantry conducted a training exercise in the Dagastan region on March 26. A total of 1.000 military personnel and over 200 pieces of military equipment reportedly took part in this exercise. The exercise itself was centered on a reconnaissance and raiding operation against insurgent forces. The marines used motorized and mechanized units such as BTR-82A and MT-LB armored personnel carriers  while Mi-8 helicopters reportedly provided overhead support during the operation.
Start of the ambush - source https://tvzvezda.ru/

 The marines were tasked with locating and engaging a group of insurgents in the mountainous and wooded terrain of the Dagastan region in the Caucasus. During the exercise, a group of soldiers, simulating the insurgents, ambushed and attacked a motorized column of BTR-82As transporting a company of marines in a mountain pass. The ambush started with a smoke grenade exploding near the road as the first BTR-82A passed by. The smoke grenade most likely simulated an IED explosion, signalling the attack against the column. The Naval Infantry returned fire against the insurgents in order to pin them down and force them to disengage. At the same time, the motorized column continued its patrol and seeking to disengage itself as well from the insurgents.

 Conclusion
While the Russian Naval Infantry is mainly focused on conducting amphibious operations in order to create an entry point for larger units, they are quickly being transformed into a unit capable of conducting a wide arrange of military tasks and missions. This exercise was situated in the reality of a counter-insurgency operations which involves patrols and overcoming ambushes, though in this exercise that meant successfully disengaging from an ambush as soon as possible with minimal casualties.
For the units of the Caspian Flotilla, these kind of exercises might come naturally. Their proximity to the Caucasus Region means that these units could be among the first units deployed should a new insurgency occur in this region. Learning and maintaining the skills of counter-insurgency patrols are thus vital for these marines.
On a larger level, these kind of exercises also make the Naval Infantry a unit earmarked for deployments in countries facing an insurgency. Whether it is on the side of an active combatant, such as supporting the Syrian regime, or providing well trained troops for possible peacekeeping missions in unstable regions, the versatility of the Russian Naval Infantry gives the Russian government options for military intervention and stabilization both abroad as domestic.

 Source: https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/2020326713-35D5W.html

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