Russian Naval Infantry - April 2021

April 01

Caspian Flotilla

Around 200 marines were deployed on the Adanak training ground in a defensive exercise. The marines used Orlan-10 and Eleron-3 UAVs to scout and observe their area of operations and detect hostile forces. Several groups of simulated hostile forces were observed planting mines on the roads used by supply vehicles. The marines calculated the coordinates of these groups and transmitted the targeting data to artillery units which subsequently engaged and destroyed these hostile groups [1].

April 02

Pacific Fleet

The air assault company of the Kamchatka naval infantry was involved in a battalion tactical exercise. Around 300 servicemen parachuted from  An-12 and An-26 transport aircraft from altitudes between 800 and 1.000 meters with the use of D-10 and Arbalet-2 parachutes. Once on ground, the marines skied towards their target area, an occupied facility, neutralized the enemy force and defended the area until relieved by a main force [2] [3].

40 BMP-3 Infantry Fighting Vehicles have arrived by train in Vladivostok and will be transferred to the Naval Infantry Brigades stationed in Primorye and Kamchatka. These vehicles will replace the BMP-2 IFVs currently in service in both brigades [4] [5]. If split evenly, both brigades are thus able to reequip two mechanized companies. 

Northern Fleet

Northern Fleet marines trained in the Pechenga valley near Russia's border with Norway. The exercise involved marines protecting a small convoy of red cross vehicles as they moved through hostile territory. These vehicles were subsequently ambushed by hostile force forcing a group of five marines to fight of the ambush and allow the red cross vehicles to move further [6].

April 05

Black Sea Fleet

Around 200 marines of the air assault company, supported by 30 pieces of military equipment and 8 helicopters, practiced a tactical aerial assault against an undefended coastal zone in the Opuk training ground. One group was transported in two Ka-27 helicopters of the Black Sea Fleet, identified as Yllow-35 and Yellow-69. Once landed, the marines established a defensive perimeter with 9K338 Igla-S surface-to-air missiles and AT-5 9K113 Konkurs anti-tank guided missiles. The marines held their perimeter until a company tactical group could be landed by means of a large landing ships [7].

Northern Fleet

Around 100 servicemen of the air assault and reconnaissance units have started parachute training as part of the winter training program. Training takes place in the Murmansk Region on a daily basis with troops jumping out off Mi-8 helicopters from altitudes between 600 and 1.000 meters. The parachute systems used are the D-6 and D-10 for mass landing exercises. Special groups are training with the Arbalet-1 and Arbalet-2 systems [8].

Caspian Flotilla

Snipers of the Caspian Flotilla held a training on how to counter drones operated by opposing forces. The drones were detected by Borisoglebsk radar stations and their data was send to a control point which instructed the sniper teams to engage the drones. The snipers used 7.62-mm SVD and 12.7-mm ASVK sniper rifles during the exercise.

In total, around 500 servicemen took part in the exercise. These involved several experts from electronic warfare, military intelligence, snipers, Igla MANPADS and air defense crews [9].

April 08

Caspian Flotilla

Ten landing craft and artillery boats from the Caspian Flotilla will be transferred from the Caspian Sea towards the Black Sea in order to take part in the training exercise held at the Southern Military District [10] [11]. The vessels are suspected to be the six Serna class landing craft and four Shmell class artillery boats in service with the Caspian Flotilla [12]. Each Serna class is capable of transporting one tank, two BTRs, 92 men or 50tons of cargo [13].

Driver-mechanics of the BTR-82A armored personnel carriers in service with the Caspian Flotilla Naval Infantry underwent amphibious assault training in preparation of the tactical exercises as part of the readiness checks which are ongoing in the Southern Military District. The driver-mechanics first trained on various training complexes before heading into the water. Amphibious training will focus on embarking on landing craft and landing on coastal area [14].

The Russian Ministry of Defense also announced that in the course of the readiness checks, about 1.000 marines and 100 pieces of military equipment will take part in several training events.

April 09

Pacific Fleet

A battalion tactical exercise was held in the Kamchatka Region which saw the Marines land on a coastal zone defended by a battalion sized unit of the Russian Army. The exercise was held according to the standard pattern used by the Russian Naval Infantry. A first group of combat swimmers supported by Ka-27 and Mi-8 helicopters arrived on the beach, followed by tactical groups arriving in high-speed boats. The main force arrived on board of three Ropucha class landing ships which were reported as the RFS Admiral Nevelskoy, RFS Peresvet and RFS Peresvet.

In addition, the whole airborne assault battalion of the naval infantry was parachuted on the training ground. It took four An-12 and An-26 aircraft a total of four flights to drop the entire battalion of 600 men [15] [16].

Northern Fleet

Around 500 marines are involved in a combat readiness check on the Kola Peninsula. The exercise is reported to be a battalion tactical exercise with live small arms fire and artillery fire. The artillery support consists of Gvozdivka self-propelled guns and BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems [17].

April 12

Caspian Flotilla

A battalion tactical exercise has started which, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, will be lasting for a week. Marines were given a training alarm and were instructed to conduct a march towards their deployment area. the exercise is reportedly focus on reconnaissance and strike missions with the support of artillery, air defense units and aviation assets [18].

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles will be used to monitor the movement and deployment of the marines during their training exercises. The data of these UAVs will be streamed in real time to several command posts in order to asses the actions taken by the marines during their training.

April 13

Northern Fleet

A battalion tactical exercise involving over 500 marines and 50 pieces of military hardware, took place in the area of ​​Lake Santa Yarvi, in the Pechenga district of the Murmansk region. The exercise, which is part of the winter training program, was focused on developing tactics for a mobile defense in the Arctic and Far Northern Regions. 
The exercise saw the use of small arms fire and artillery support against a simulated conventional enemy. Some of the weapon systems used in the exercise were reported as Kalashnikovs assault rifles, machine guns, RPG-7 and ASG-17 grenade launchers, "Gvozdika" 122-mm self-propelled howitzers and the 30-mm guns mounted on BTR-82As. The exercise also focussed on off-road mobility and saw the use of the two-link snow and swamp-going vehicles "Vityaz" and "Aleut" [19]

April 14

Caspian Flotilla

As part of their week-long battalion sized exercise, marines of the Caspian Flotilla used Orlan-10 UAVs to detect and plot simulated enemy command posts and military deployments. The target data was then sent to the artillery crews of D-30 howitzers and 2S12 "Sani" 120mm mortars which then attacked the enemy positions [20].

April 16

Caspian Flotilla

Elements of the air assault battalion were involved in a night-time training at an unspecified training ground. The marines used Orlan-10 and Eleron-3 UAVs to detect simulated enemy positions before engaging them. Ground forces engaged simulated enemy soldiers with small arms while BTR-82A engaged simulated lightly armored vehicles, mortar positions and command posts [21].

April 17

Pacific Fleet

The Pacific Fleet marines organized a youth initiation course in Vladivostok which was attended by ten teams of the Youth Army. The event, called "Star of the Marine" was held at the Ermine training range. Several young adults were seen overcoming obstacle courses and were involved in several military related disciplines such as assembling and disassembling automatic weapons [22]. 

April 20

Black Sea Fleet

Northern Fleet Ropucha class LST RFS Aleksandr Otrakovskiy took part in a training centered on loading and unloading the vessel with BTR-82A armored vehicles. The location of the exercise was not reported but according to the Russian Ministry of Defense several marines of the Caspian Flotilla were involved in the exercise. Marines also trained in providing air defense capabilities during the loading and unloading process by deploying units armed with Igla and Strela-3 portable anti-aircraft missile systems [23].

Northern Fleet

Marines of the Northern Fleet were deployed on the Kola Peninsula as part of a command and staff exercise. The marines reportedly increased the security of several military installations during the exercise, including the headquarter of the Northern Fleet [24].

April 21

Black Sea Fleet

A large scale military exercise took place at the Opuk training ground in the Crimea which involved a large amphibious landing. A video of the landing, published by TVZvezda on April 22, showed five Ropucha class LSTs and one Tapir class involved in the amphibious landing [25].

The amphibious landing started with engineering teams landing by helicopters to clear pathways for the follow up forces. This was followed by the arrival of small groups arriving by at least three Raptor class patrol boats followed by the Serna class landing craft and Shmell class artillery boats of the Capsian flotilla which were also present, with the four Shmell class vessels providing fire support for the lading force[26].
The main landing forces was carried in the Ropucha and Tapir class LSTs. Three of the five Ropucha class LSTs were identified by their hull numbers as the RFS Azov (151) of the Black Sea Fleet and the RFS Korolev (130) and RFS Kaliningrad (102). The LSTs landed a mixture of units which included marines mounted in BTR-82A APCs and Shilka air defense systems. Army troops stationed at the Opuk training ground performed the part of the defending side tasked defending the training ground against an amphibious assault while the frigates RFS Admiral Essen and RFS Admiral Makarov provided additional fire support for the amphibious landing force.

Ropucha class LST RFS Kondopoga of the Northern Fleet was seen extracting Iveco LMV "Lynx"vehicles [27] and BMD IFVs from the airborne units at an unspecified shoreline in the Crimea [28].

April 27

Baltic Fleet:

Zubr class hovercraft landing vessel RFS Yevgeny Kocheshkov and RFS Mordovia landed ten BTR-82A of the air assault battalion during a training mission in the Kaliningrad Region. The size of the landing group was reported to be a company level. The Zubr class reportedly also engaged simulated surface and air targets during the exercise [29].