Russian Naval Infantry - August 2021

August 04

Caspian Flotilla

Several recruits of the spring draft and assigned to the reconnaissance and air assault units, have completed their parachute course on ground simulators and are moving on to jump out of Mi-8AMTSh helicopters in the near future. Training on the simulators allowed to marines to get familiarized with the procedures for jumping out an aircraft, stabilizing the main parachute and how to act when caught in strong winds.

Training will continue with the D-10 parachute system. In total, around 150 marines are involved in the training [1].

August 05

Caspian Flotilla

A large company sized training was reported at the Adanak training ground in Dagestan which saw the deployment of 200 marines and 30 pieces of military equipment. The training was held at squad, platoon and company level in preparation for larger battalion sized exercises. During this training, the marines trained in small arms fire with their AK-74 and AK-12 assault riffles and how to operate the vehicle mounted weapons on BTR-82A and BTR-70 APCs. Driver-mechanics of these vehicles also learned to operate their vehicles over rough terrain [2].

Northern Fleet

As part of the Northern Fleet exercises, a battalion sized element of 400 marines and 80 pieces of military equipment, held a tactical exercise which involved a march towards the training area and setting op defenses against an enemy amphibious landing. As such, the marines set up fighting positions and minefields and also made preparations to defend against an airborne assault. A GMZ 3 tracked minelayer and UMP universal minelayer were used in setting up the minefields.

The marines also trained firing with small arms, grenade launchers and BTR-82As against several targets. Supporting the marines were several Strela-10 air defense systems, 2S9 Nona-s self-propelled artillery systems and regular mortars [3].

August 06

Pacific Fleet

Flot.com reports that both Pacific Fleet Naval Infantry brigades will train against each other at the Bamburovo training ground in the Primorye Region. Around 500 marines, a battalion sized force, and 70 units of military hardware, are reported to be deployed during the exercise. Both brigades will have to compete against each other in capturing and defending a coastal zone.

Among the deployed vehicles are Gvozdika self-propelled guns and the new BMP-3 Infantry Fighting Vehicles which entered service in the Pacific Fleet Naval Infantry in April. The BMP-3 provides the marines with better mobility and firepower compared to the BTR-82A [4].

Baltic Fleet

Marines of the Baltic Fleet are preparing themselves at the Khemlevka training grounds for an amphibious landing exercise. The exercise is part of the training program of the marines which is to culminate in a battalion size tactical exercise. In total, around 500 marines are deployed at Khemlevka, supported by 70 units of military equipment [5].

Black Sea Fleet

An amphibious tactical exercise was reported at the Opuk training ground in the Crimea with 200 marines and 20 vehicles training together with the Tapir class landing ships RFS Saratov and RFS Orsk. The marines practiced deploying their vehicles towards the training area in a military column. Once at the training ground, the marines started working out the procedures for loading and unloading their vehicles on Tapir class LSTs [6].

Caspian Flotilla

Marines are training together with the Dyugon class landing craft RFS Ataman Platov in setting up a demonstration for the Army-2021 defense forum. Marines will demonstrate loading their BTR-70s on and off the RFS Ataman Platov, both on the beach as on sea with the vehicles overcoming water obstacles during the later case [7].

August 08

Baltic Fleet

Izvestia reports that marines of the 336th NI Brigade are currently undergoing training on the BMP-3F Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The vehicle will reportedly enter service with the 336th NI Brigade by the end of 2021 with one battalion being converted from BTR-82As to BMP-3Fs [a].

August 09

Baltic Fleet

Naval Infantry scout units held a combat training exercise during which they set up an ambush against a simulated enemy that had landed on the coast and was advancing inland. The ambush was conducted with small arms fire, sniper and machinegun fire, and BTR-82A vehicles.

The marines also trained on how to take prisoners, camouflage and navigate using the GLONASS satellite positioning system [8].

A bilateral battalion exercise is taking place on the Khemlevka training ground in Kaliningrad with over 1.000 marines being deployed and supported by 150 units of military hardware. The goal of the exercise is to set op coastal defense and work out the interaction between the combat and combat supporting elements. The latter are described as tank, artillery, flamethrower, engineer-sapper units and air defense systems.
The exercises started by marching towards the training area and repel attacks made by hostile sabotage units, fight off air attacks and overcoming contaminated terrain. Once on the training areas, the marines were tasked to camouflage vehicles, set up obstacles and clear mine-fields [9].

Pacific Fleet

Live firing from BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles was reported at the Bamburovo training ground in Primorsky Krai. The live firing exercise is part of a bilateral training exercise which was previously reported by Flot.com on August 06.

Artillery firing also took place with artillery systems supporting both tactical groups during their exercises [10].

August 10

Baltic Fleet

Around 200 marines of the Northern Fleet, together with 20 pieces of heavy equipment, are deployed at Baltiysk for a bilateral tactical exercise together with the Baltic Fleet Naval Infantry. The Northern Fleet marines practiced loading and unloading their vehicles into and from landing ships. Air defense during this training was provided by teams carrying man-portable air defense systems such as the Igla and Strela [11].

Joint training between different regiments and brigades of Naval Infantry is unseen in Russia, with the exception of Caspian and Black Sea Fleet Naval Infantry due to their close geographic positions. These kind of bilateral training exercises however aid in expanding skills and knowledge across the various formations of Naval Infantry, especially given that every large unit of Naval Infantry is specialized in a different Fleet.

Due to their geographic location, the Northern Fleet Naval Infantry is specialized in Artic warfare and focusses on protecting and retaking isolated settlements and industrial sites in the Artic Region. The Baltic Fleet Naval Infantry is closely tied to the developments on NATOs Eastern Flank and is thus more focused on conventional warfare against peer adversaries.

Caspian Flotilla

Around 500 marines of the Caspian Flotilla are taking part in bilateral battalion exercises that are ongoing throughout the Southern Military District. The marines will hold defensive training battles in both day and nighttime conditions. The exercises in the Southern MD started on August 9 and will last until August 15 [12].

August 11

Baltic Fleet

As part of the their bilateral training exercise, around 100 marines of the Baltic and Northern Fleets performed an amphibious landing at the Khmelevka training ground in the Kaliningrad Region. The marines were embarked on the Ropucha class LST RFS Minsk and the Zubr class hovercrafts RFS Evgeny Kocheshkov and RFS Mordovia. All forces embarked at Baltiysk and took the fastest route possible to the landing beach. Su-30SM fighters and Su-24 bombers provided air support during the landing phase [13] [14].

A video published by TvZvezda [15] showed several details of the exercise with at least three Steregushcy class corvettes making up the escort group. Two of them were identified by their hull numbers as the RFS Steregushchy and RFS Soobrazitelny. These vessels provided artillery support with their 100mm guns prior to the landing. At least two fighter bombers of the Naval Aviation regiment provided air support in advance by striking targets on the beachhead.

Closer to the shoreline, at least two minesweepers were active clearing the littoral zone from mines. One of the was identified by the hull number 501 which corresponds with the Sonya class minesweeper RFS Novocheboksarsk. The second minesweeper operated further at sea and was only seen frontal but is believed to be another Sonya class minesweeper.

RFS Minsk was the first to approach the beachhead and her marines debarked while the vessel was still at sea. At least ten BTR-82As were spotted in the water and heading to the beach in column. As they moved on the beach, at least one BTR was seen with a white polar bear painted on the front left side of the vehicle in front of the first wheel. This marking was previously spotted on vehicles operated by the Northern Fleet Marines, suggesting that the Northern Fleet detachment was embarked on the RFS Minsk.

August 12

Caspian Flotilla

around 200 marines are deployed at the Scorpion training complex at Dagestan for amphibious assault training. The marines train in loading and unloading their BTR-70Ms on and off landing craft and forming them up in assault formation following debarkation. firing exercises against sectors and targets are trained as well. Driver-mechanics also learn on how to recover their vehicles when sunk into the sand.

A later stage involves joint training with the crews of the landing crafts with the purpose of landing troops on a beach. During this phase, the marines will train to overcome water obstacles, seizing a coastal zone and exiting the beachhead [16].

August 14

General

At the Marine Corps training center in Saint Petersburg, a new batch of marines arrived to start training in anti-terrorism, anti-piracy and boarding duties. Around 100 marines from all five fleets have arrived to take part in the training with the aim to secure Russian warships when deployed at sea. These are also the marines that will conduct boarding of vessels when needed. Marines will learn about the International Maritime Law, practice practical actions as part of an inspection team and learn various methods of boarding ships. The course also includes shooting small arms in confined spaces such as compartments and corridors.

The training also includes several lessons learned from anti-terrorist operations conducted in the Syrian Civil War [17].

Northern Fleet

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the end of a battalion level tactical exercise near Murmansk. for several days, the marines were deployed to block and destroy illegal armed groups operating in the polar regions. The marines were deployed with their BTR-82As and conducted raids and patrols in order to locate, fix and encircle hostile forces. The marines used small arms, vehicle mounted weapons as well as portable air defense systems and Nona self-propelled artillery [18].

August 15

Northern Fleet

Naval Infantry staged an amphibious landing from the RFS Ivan Gren landing vessel at the Pechenga Bay of the Barents Sea. The marines practiced loading vehicles into the vessel while it was beached on the shore. In total, around 40 vehicles were loaded which include MTLB-V and BTR-82A armored personnel carriers. The landing vessel RFS Ivan Gren will conduct several other exercises in the near future [19] [20].

Pacific Fleet:

Parachute training has started at the training grounds of the Primorsky territory with training jumps taking place from an An-26 at altitudes between 900 and 1.500 meters. The marines will be carrying their weapons and additional gear during these jumps. The marines in training previously studied the parachute systems and practiced on a simulator.

The next phase of the training will reportedly be in Week 33 when over 300 parachute jumps will take place in full combat gear. These jumps will be done with the D-10 and Arbalet-2 parachute systems [21].

August 17

Caspian Flotilla

A battalion level exercise is reported at the Adanak training ground in Dagestan with over 500 marines and 100 pieces of equipment being deployed. During the week, the marines will act as reconnaissance and shock troops who will operate with artillery support and air defense units. Unmanned aerial vehicles will monitor the movements on the training ground and be used to coordinate and adjust artillery fire. Live firing will take place from all involved weapon systems [22].

August 18

Caspian Flotilla

Naval Infantry units held an amphibious landing exercise at an unspecified location as part of a fleet demonstration of the Caspian Flotilla. The marines assaulted and took a beachhead with their BTR-70M armored personnel carriers. The sized of the landing force and the landing ships involved were not reported [23].

Northern Fleet

Naval Infantry and military engineers worked together in order to set up ferry crossings to transport troops and equipment across rivers. PMM-2M ferry bridges were used for the first time during this exercise. The exercise took place at Lake Santayarvi [24].

Baltic Fleet

Artillery units of the Baltic Fleet Naval Infantry held a firing exercise with Eleron-3 and Orlan-10 UAVs providing reconnaissance and detection of targets. The units were tasked to detect an enemy force attempting to land on the Khemlevka training ground and destroy it with artillery fire. The UAVs detected the targets at sea and hovered 250 meters above it. Grad multiple launch rocket systems and Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers then struck the targets based on the information received from the UAVs [25].

August 19

Baltic Fleet

Baltic and Northern Fleet marines at Kaliningrad are involved in a tactical exercise following a raising of a training alert. Upon receiving the alert, the marines prepared their equipment for the march towards the training area. During the movement towards the Khemlevka training ground, the marines had to fight off hostile attacks against their convoy. Once on the training ground, the marines set up command posts, organized all round defense and conducted patrols.

Around 600 marines are deployed which indicates that the training is on battalion level. supporting the deployment are BTR-80 and BTR-82A vehicles and artillery systems [26].

Caspian Flotilla

The air assault battalion was involved in an amphibious landing exercise at the Scorpion training complex at Dagestan. The training first involved loading and loading of heavy equipment on landing craft, presumed to be Dyugon class landing crafts, followed by a landing on an undefended coastline. Movement with the BTR vehicles was organized in platoon and company level columns. The driver-mechanics operating these vehicles practiced the necessary tasks needed to traverse water obstacles and recover vehicles when sinking in the sand.

The next level in this training phase will involved the marines operating together with a shipborne assault group during a joint exercise. No date for this exercise was reported [27]. 

August 20

Caspian Flotilla

Live firing training at the squad, platoon and company level was reported at the Adanak training ground in Dagestan. The marines trained in firing their AK-74 assault rifles, PM pistols and RPG-7M anti-tank grenade launchers.
Gunners of the BTR-82A's are also involved in the training with live firing from both the 30mm canon and co-axial machinegun. In total, around 400 servicemen and 50 pieces of military equipment are involved in the training [28].

August 21

Black Sea Fleet

The Russian Ministry of Defense reports on an amphibious training exercise at the Opuk training ground in Crimea. An amphibious task force was created with the Ropucha class vessels RFS Caesar Kunikov and RFS Novocherkassk, and the Saratov class landing vessels RFS Saratov and RFS Orsk. This task force, with marines embarked, was tasked to play the opposing force attempting to land on the Crimea. The task force was subsequently engaged by the Bora class corvette RFS Samun, Buyan-M class corvette RFS Orekhovo-Zuyevo and the Tarantul class missile boats RFS Ivanovets and RFS Naberezhnye Chelny. Training will continue in the coming days with submarines and naval aviation joining in. The focus of this exercise remains on defending the Crimea from naval invasions [29].

August 26

Caspian Flotilla

An amphibious landing exercise was reported at an unspecified location Dagestan with 400 marines conducting the landing. The main focus however was the role of medics during the landing phase with around 100 medics being deployed in the landing force. Among the exercises, the medics were tasked to recover a simulated victim from the water and transport him to a floating craft. Providing first aid on the beachhead during the battle was also practiced.

A second stage of the exercise will take place at the Turali training ground with the medics providing support for a combat tactical group [30].

Baltic Fleet

A joint amphibious training involving Northern Fleet and Baltic Fleet naval infantry was reported at the Khmelevka training ground in Kaliningrad. The landing was done with the naval infantry mounted in BTR-80 vehicles [31].
Northern Fleet Naval Infantry reportedly operated out of Baltic Fleet warships and learned to load and unload their equipment both in port as afloat in the water. The landing itself was done from afloat, i.e. when the vessels do not beach themselves but remain several hundred meters from the coast, open their bow doors and allow the BTRs to drive into the water and approach the coast under their own power.

Though not reported, it is possible that the Ivan Gren class landing vessel RFS Pyotr Morgunov was involved in this exercise as well. The vessel was spotted on August 25 at 12 nautical miles from the Latvian territorial waters [32].

August 28

Baltic Fleet

Northern Fleet marines were involved in an airborne training exercise together with the Baltic Fleet marines at Kaliningrad. Around 150 Northern Fleet marines were involved in this training as they worked out the procedure for performing a parachute jump in full combat gear as part of a squad and also practiced the actions needed to take inside the aircraft, on separating from the aircraft, on how to stabilize during the descent and how to operate the parachute and land [33].

August 30

Baltic Fleet

A battalion level tactical exercise took place at Khmelevka in the Kaliningrad Region with over 1.000 servicemen deployed along 50 pieces of military hardware. The marines were tasked to repel a simulated amphibious landing against their coastal positions. Several targets were positions at sea to simulated the enemy task force. These targets were ranged 300 meters to 6.000 meters out and were engaged by small arms fire, vehicle mounted weapons and 2S12 Nona self-propelled guns [34].

The marines also organized units to block and destroy enemy sabotage and reconnaissance forces, i.e. hostile special forces.

August 31

Tapir class landing vessel RFS Saratov and Ropucha class landing vessel RFS Caesar Kunikov operated in Cossack Bay together with the Naval Infantry. The training involved loading and unloading BTR-82A armored personnel carriers.

Following the embarkation of the marines, both vessels departed for the Opuk training ground for a bilateral exercise with the marines performing an amphibious assault with other troops being tasked to defend against them [35].