Russian Naval Infantry - February 2021

February 01

Pacific Fleet:

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the training program for the Pacific Fleet Naval Infantry has started. Around 1.500 servicemen are deployed at the training grounds in Bamburovo, Gornostay and Radygin to start their combat training. In the near future, these units will learn to cooperate with snipers, grenade launchers, engineers and reconnaissance units. [1]

Baltic Fleet:

Marines have started their training for the International Army Games, to be held in the summer, in order to qualify for the 'Marine Assault' competition. The training involves the rivers of BTR-82A APCs overcoming an obstacle course with a track bridge, a ditch, anti-tank hedgehogs and moving through the water. Gunners will have to engage ground and air targets both from a standstill as well as on the move. The necessary standards and skill needed to load an unload from landing ships will be trained as well. [2]

February 02

Baltic Fleet:

The Air assault battalion of the 336th Naval Infantry Regiment was involved in a combat readiness exercise at Kaliningrad. Over 300 marines were put on alert and marched out to their assembly area on the Khmelevka training ground. Once there, the marines were tasked to ambush a simulated convoy of hostile forces and to defend the coastal zone against an amphibious assault. 

Marines have currently set up several command and observation points, deployed patrols and organized an all round defense of their positions. 

The tactical exercise is expected to last several days. [3]

Caspian Flotilla:

Around 400 servicemen of the air assault battalion and reconnaissance units will take part in parachute training during the winter training period. The parachute jumps will be done from Mi-8AMTSh helicopters at altitudes from 600 to 800 meters in full combat gear. The parachute systems used during the training were reported as the  Arbalet-2 and D-10 systems.
Once on the ground, the marines have to complete a 10 km march. [4]

Pacific Fleet:

Around 100 marines of the reconnaissance units are on a training camp at the Bamburovo training ground where they will train their skills in small arms fire and underdo special tactical and physical training, as well as driving combat vehicles. [5]

February 03

Baltic Fleet:

A tactical combat exercise on the battalion level was reported in the Kaliningrad Region which took place on the Khmelevka training ground. The exercise featured live firing exercises with small arms, BTR-82A's, multiple launch rocket systems and Gvozdika self-propelled guns. Around 300 marines, supported by 30 pieces of military equipment, took part in this exercise. [6] 

February 04

Caspian Flotilla:

Over 10 crews of BTR-82A APCs have started driver training on how to handle their vehicles as part of preparing them to undertake amphibious assaults. The crews will have to overcome several training stages which include firing the vehicles weapons and handling the vehicle once it is afloat. [7]

Snipers of the reconnaissance units have started training at the Adanak training range in Dagestan in preparation for the Sniper Frontier competition of the International Army Games-2021. The snipers will train several tasks which include the reconnaissance of targets, determining the range to them, adjusting fire using optical observation and aiming devices, as well as shooting their targets with SVD and SVD-S sniper rifles at distances from 500 to 1500 meters in both difficult daytime conditions and at night. [8]

Baltic Fleet:

The air assault battalion used Orlan-10 and Eleron-3 UAVs to detect a hostile amphibious task force off the coast of Kaliningrad. The exercise, part of a larger combat training exercise that started on February 02, saw the Marines use UAVs to acquire target information which was passed on to the artillery units of the battalion. BM-21 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems and Gvozdika self-propelled guns used this target information to shell the amphibious vessels of the coast and during the landing phase. [9]

February 05

Baltic Fleet:

A Battalion Tactical Group of around 300 marines continued their training exercises at the Khmelevka training ground in Kaliningrad, which started on February 02. The marines were tasked to repel an amphibious assault of hostile forces as part of their combat exercise. The Marines were dug in and engaged their simulated targets with small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades, automatic grenade launchers and the vehicle mounted weapons on their camouflaged BTR-82A armored personnel carrier. Forward artillery observers called in artillery fire which was delivered by two BM-21 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems and at least one mortar system. [10]

February 06

Pacific Fleet:

Around 200 marines, all of them driver-mechanics and gunner operating the BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, have completed the first selection phase of the Marine Assault competition. These marines were reportedly part of the brigade stationed in Kamchatka.
The Marine Assault competition is part of the International Army Games 2021 which will take place during the summer. The course involved driving the BTR-82A through an obstacle course while engaging ground and air targets both stationary and on the move. [11]

February 08

Around 100 marines are currently training at the Joint Training Center of the Navy in St. Petersburg in preparation to serve in the anti-terrorist groups stationed on Russian warships. Aside from counter-terrorism and ship protection, the marines will also learn how to board and inspect vessels during anti-piracy operations. Special shooting skills will also be developed in order to deal with the confined spaces on board of ships. The training also takes in account the experience gained from training in the Artic Region and the combat deployments in Syria. [12]

Baltic Fleet: 

Parachute training for the Naval Infantry of the Baltic Fleet has started in the Kaliningrad Region. The marines are expected to make 3.000 jumps under this training program. The jumps take place in full combat gear from Mi-8 helicopters and An-12 transport aircraft and with the use of the D-10 and Arbalet parachute systems. Training jumps will take place both during the day and night. [13] [14]

Pacific Fleet:

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Pacific Naval Infantry has so far conducted 500 parachute jumps since the beginning of the year. The jumps took place from Mi-8 helicopters and An-12 and An-26 transport aircraft with the use of D-10 and Arbalet parachute systems. The height of the parachute jumps was between 900 and 3.000 meters.
Jumps were done with full combat gear and specialist weapons such as machine guns and rocket launchers. Once on the ground, the marines were tasked to organize their drop zone in preparation for the main force to arrive. [15]

February 09

Northern Fleet:

Platoon and Company sized combat exercises were reported near the village of Sputnik in the Murmansk Region. Around 400 servicemen were involved in this exercise which took place during both the day and night. The goal of the exercise was to engage an attacking enemy force with the use of small arms, machine guns, Dragunov sniper rifles, RPG-7 and AGS-17 grenade launchers and weapons mounted on BTR-80 and BTR-82A personnel carriers. The engagement started at a distance of 500 meters and was gradually brought closer to simulate a enemy attacking the marines.

Weather conditions during the exercises were reported as snowy and at times it was impossible to see the targets on the shooting range. [16] [17]

February 11

Caspian Flotilla:

Around 400 servicemen are deployed at the Adanak training ground for a month long training exercise with artillery units. The exercise involves testing the combat readiness of the various subunits and train in firing 122mm D-30 howitzers, 120mm 2S12 Sani mortars and Kornet ATGMs. The troops will train in deploying their artillery pieces, camouflage, target reconnaissance and fire control. [18]

February 12

Specialist counter terrorism training for 100 marines continued in Saint Petersburg. The training is to prepare the marines to protect various Russian warships during deployment abroad and starts on February 8. Recent training classes involved close quarters combat, parachute training with the D-6 parachute systems. [19]

February 15

Northern Fleet:

A team of marines attacked a simulated terrorist base at an unknown location in the Artic Region. The marines used A-1 snowmobiles to travers the area and approach the terrorist base which was then put under observation. Once the observation was completed, the marines called in air and artillery strikes on the terrorist base before conducting the final sweep with small arms and PKM machine guns. [20]

Caspian Flotilla:

Around 150 officers have started a command training at the Adanak training ground in Dagestan. The training involves training on the tactical, technical and physical levels in order to increase the knowledge and skills of the officers. Training also involves firing exercises with Makarov pistols, AK-12 and AK-74M assault rifles as well as commanding the fire support provided by BTR-82A APCs. [21]

February 17

Caspian Flotilla:

Around 500 servicemen are engaged in training at the Adanak, Scorpio and Turali training grounds as part of the qualifying event for the Marine Assault competition on the Army Games 2021. The training involves overcoming an obstacle course with BTR-82A APCs, loading and unloading troops and engage surface and air targets. In the end, only two platoons of the Caspian Flotilla will pass selection and are allowed to participate in the Marine Assault competition. [22]

Pacific Fleet:

Mortar crews of the Pacific Fleet Naval Infantry cleared over 200 hectares of mountain slopes from in the Kamchatka Region. The mortar crews shell the mountain slopes and induce avalanches in a controlled manner. Their latest deployment involved setting up a  2S12 'Sani'120mm mortar along the highway at the Termalny - Vilyuchinsky pass. Within 30 minutes, the mortar crew cleared the snow mass on the slopes of the Vilyuchinsky volcano. [23]

February 22

General

TASS agency reported that the Kurganmashzavod factory exhibits a light amphibious tank at the IDEX exhibition. The light tank is called the Sprut-SDM1 and uses the same canon, a 125mm 2A75 canon, as the one mounted on the T-90MS main battle tank. It is unknown if the Russian Armed Forces have interest in buying this tanks and use to provide an amphibious armor capability for the Naval Infantry brigade and regiments. [24]

Northern Fleet:

The Naval Infantry Brigade has been deployed daily on the training ground in preparation for the International Army games which will be held during the summer. The exercises focusses on attacking positions, overcoming obstacles and provide cover fire for other marines as they advance. [25]

February 24

Northern Fleet:

Around 100 marines are still deployed on the training ranges in order to qualify for the Marine Assault competition on the International Army Games of 2021. The training involves overcoming an obstacle course with a BTR-82A APC while at the same time engaging targets with small arms fire, grenade launchers and vehicle mounted weapons. Training will continue until the end of the month. [26]

Baltic Fleet:

Around 50 marines and ten pieces of military equipment were involved in an embarkation training in the port of Baltyisk. The marines, all members of the air assault battalion, trained in embarking as soon as possible in the landing Dyugon type landing crafts RFS Midshipman Lermontov and RFS Lieutenant Rimsky Korsakov. Once embarked, the landing craft went to sea and performed an amphibious landing. Further training is reported to be held on the Khmelevka training ground. [27]

February 25

Pacific Fleet:

A company sized unit practiced parachute jumps at the Nikolaevka airfield in the Primorsky Region. The jumps took place from Mi-8 and Mi-8 AMTSh helicopters at altitudes between 900 and 1.500 meters. [28]