Russian Naval Infantry - November 2021

 November 01

Caspian Flotilla

As part of a training battle, medics of the 177th NI Regiment trained to evacuate wounded soldiers from the battlefield with the use of armored BMM-80 medical vehicles. The wounded soldiers were stabilized on the battlefield and subsequently evacuated to first-aid posts in the field.

Around 100 medical personnel were involved in the exercise [1].

November 03

Caspian Flotilla

Details regarding the upcoming parachute training program for the 177th NI Regiment were reported by the Ministry of Defense. The air-assault battalion and reconnaissance units will perform about 500 training jumps from helicopters provided by the 4th Air Army. The jumps will take place from Mi-8AMTSh transport helicopters at standard altitudes between 600 and 1.300 meters. Long jumps are also trained, these will take place from an altitude of 1.500 meters. As usual, the marines will use the D-10 and Arbalet-2 parachutes.

The marines will also work out on how to engage targets with small arms fire both in flight as during the descent. Tactical air assault from helicopters flying as low as 2 to 3 meters will also be trained, followed by forced marches towards the area where the opposing forces are concentrated. The exercise will also involve the covert penetration of a guarded object for reconnaissance followed by coordinating air and missile strikes against detected targets [2].

November 08

Caspian Flotilla

Members of the air-assault battalion were involved in a counter-terrorism exercise at an unspecified location in the coastal region. The marines were tasked to engage a group of illegal armed insurgents which were detected by unmanned aerial vehicles. The marines moved into the area with their BTR-82A APCs and Tigr vehicles. Several decoys were employed in the exercise such as smoke bombs, light and noise imitators. In total, around 200 servicemen took part in the exercise [3].

November 09

Pacific Fleet

The Pacific Fleet Naval Infantry completed the 2021 parachute training program with over 10.000 training jumps being completed. Training jumps took place both day and night, in various weather conditions and in full combat gear. The parachute systems involved were the D-10 and Arbalet-2 systems. Jumps took place from An-26 transport aircraft and Mi-8AMTSh transport helicopters at altitudes between 600 and 1.500 meters.

One of the largest jumps took place during the bilateral training exercise in October with a company sized unit parachuting behind enemy lines. Parachute jumps with 82mm mortars were conducted as well [4].

Caspian Flotilla

Marines of the 177th NI Regiment repulsed a ground attack against a convoy during a training exercise at the Adanak training ground in the Dagestan Region. Marines in BTR-82As escorted a column of BM-21 Grad Multiple Launch Rocket System through a mountain pass. During the attack, the marines set up a defensive perimeter and used RDG-2 smoke grenades to mask the convoy. In total, around 100 marines took part in this exercise [5].

November 10

Caspian Flotilla

The 177th NI Regiment completed its 2021 parachute training program with around 2.000 training jumps taking place. These jumps took place from Mi-8 helicopters at altitudes between 800 and 1.500 meters. The regiment also made use of the D-10 parachute system with an increased carrying capacity of 140 kilograms, allowing the marines to carry more equipment and ammunition. The D-10 entered service in the 177th NI Regiment during 2021 [6].

Northern Fleet

Around 100 marines of the air assault battalion of the 81st Kirkenes Red Banner Marine Brigade, together with reconnaissance units of the Artic Motorized Brigade held a parachute training exercise near Murmansk. The marines were transported with an An-26 transport aircraft in groups of 30 to 40 servicemen. Embarkation took place at Severomorsk-1 airfield and the landing zone was reported at the Ura-Guba area. Jumps took place in full combat gear with the D-6 parachute system at altitudes between 800 and 1.000 meters [7].

November 15

Pacific Fleet

Servicemen of the 40the NI Brigade stationed at Kamchatka reportedly conducted 350 parachute training jumps during the bilateral training exercise against the 155th NI Brigade during October-2021. The exercise took place at the Clerk training ground in the Primorye Region. The marines were part of the air assault battalion and the reconnaissance units and conducted their jumps from An-12 and An-26 aircraft as well as Mi-8AMTSh helicopters from altitudes between 800 and 1.000 meters [8].

November 16

Pacific Fleet

Elements of the 40th NI Brigade are being prepared to aid in controlling avalanches in the Kamchatka Region. 120mm Sani mortar crews will fire at mountain slopes in order to cause avalanches in a controlled manner. The crews are currently undergoing training and safety briefings before being placed under control of regional centers [9].

Baltic Fleet

The 336th NI Brigade completed its annual parachute training program with more then 5.000 jumps being held during the year [10].

Caspian Flotilla

The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that 80 percent of the military hardware in use by the 177th NI Regiment has been converted for winter operations. This conversion involves replacement of oils and lubricants and checking electric and hydraulic systems [11].

November 18

Pacific Fleet

Around 200 driver-mechanics of the 155th NI Brigade at the Primorsky Region are training on how to operate their BTR-82As across rough terrain. The training exercise takes place at the Bamburovo training ground and includes driving on rough terrain and overcoming obstacles such as rubble, ravines, steep ascents, descents and slopes. 
The training takes place both during the day and night and in various weather conditions. The training also includes recovering damaged vehicles from hard-to-reach places with the use of various towing techniques [12].

Northern Fleet

A military convoy of at least 12 BTR-82As belonging to the 61th NI Brigade were observed on the E-105 highway towards Murmansk [13] [14].

November 20

Caspian Flotilla

Around 200 marines of the 177th Regiment underwent training on a special obstacle course and trained in special hand-to-hand combat techniques as part of the RB-3 course. Hand-to-hand combat training took part under the guidance of special RB instructors and focused on fighting with and without weapons both as an individual an as part of a group.

Later on the marines trained on fighting with weapons on a special obstacle course that contains stationary and portable targets. Marines were instructed to attack the targets on the obstacle course with the bayonet and the riffle butt [15].

November 22

Northern Fleet

Small arms firing training took place near the village of Sputnik in the Murmansk Region with the marines engaging targets at distances between 10 and 300 meters. Marines were observed on an outdoor training range engaging targets at close distance with Yarygin and Makarov pistols. The marines operated in a team of two people. One marine took point and engaged targets until his pistol was empty. At this point, the second marine moved forward and engaged targets, allowing the first marine to safely reload his pistol [15] [16]. Other shooting exercises involved firing Kalashnikov and light machine guns [17].

November 24

Baltic Fleet

A company sized unit of around 100 marines trained on a psychological obstacle course at the Khmelevka training ground in the Kaliningrad Region. The marines had to overcome an obstacle course that simulated wartime conditions. In order to achieve this effect smoke screens, burning fires and the sound effects of gunshots and explosions were added. The marines were then evaluated to determine their pshycho-emotional state [18].

The air-assault and reconnaissance units of the 336th NI Brigade are being equipped with the new AK-12 assault rifle. Developed under the Ratnik program and entering service in 2018, the AK-12 is the replacement of the AK-74M riffles currently in use [19].

November 25

Pacific Fleet

Reconnaissance forces of the 155th NI Brigade held a special operation on the Gornostay training ground in the Primorsky Region. The marines, armed with AK-74M and light machine guns had to overcome several obstacles such as barbed wired fences, walls, smoked filled tunnels and logs in order to reach an ambush site. Once there, the marines ambushed a military truck operated by simulated insurgents. The marines succeeded in approaching the truck, taking out its driver and retrieve a backpack with secret documents [20] [21].

Marines of the Pacific Fleet received a first batch of the 1K144 Sectant robotic reconnaissance system. The system is 20cm large, weighs between 150 to 600 grams and is able to detect moving targets and transmit data such as amount of objects and their directions back to a portable controller. It uses several sensors which include seismic and mangnetometric ones. Training with these sensors will start in December [22].

Caspian Flotilla

Around 200 members of the air assault units of the 177th NI Regiment conducted a raid behind enemy lines with the help of five Orlan-10 UAVs. The marines made a march towards their target area and set up a command post from which the operation was run. The Orlan-10 UAVs spotted several command posts and storage facilities used by simulated insurgents. This data was then used by the marines to plan and execute their raid [23].

Black Sea Fleet

Around 100 marines of the air assault battalion were involved in parachute training. The marines made their jumps in full combat gear from a Mi-8 helicopters from an altitude of 800 meters during daytime and in favorable weather conditions. In addition, the marines also practiced their techniques from jumping out of helicopters flying at 2 to 3 meters during an air assault phase [24].

November 26

Caspian Flotilla

The 177th NI Regiment completed all its amphibious training objectives set out for the second half of 2021. In total, around 400 specialized tasks were conducted with around 200 of them involving loading and unloading equipment onto landing crafts with 60 of these tasks being done at night.. Over 40 tasks involved debarkation from high speed boats and landing crafts [25].

November 27

Baltic Fleet

A second group of 100 marines overcame the phycological obstacle course at the Khmelevka training ground in the Kaliningrad Region [26]. A first group overcame this course on November 24 [18].

November 30

Caspian Flotilla

The 177th NI Regiment has reportedly converted around 500 pieces of military hardware into winter conditions. These conversions involve maintenance, changing oil and lubricants and controlling electronic and hydraulic systems [27].