Russian Naval Infantry - January 2022

 January 01

Baltic Fleet
The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that the 336th NI Brigade completed over 5.000 parachute jumps in 2021 as part of the regular training program. Jumps took place from An-26 and Mi-8 aircraft at altitudes between 600 to 1.200 meters and sometimes involved group jumps with up to 30 servicemen [1].

January 03

Caspian Flotilla
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the 177th NI Regiment completed over 2.000 parachute jumps in 2021 as part of the airborne training program. Each marine completed at least 20 parachute jumps during this training year [2] [3].

January 05

Pacific Fleet
Artillerymen of the 40th Naval Infantry Brigade stationed in Kamchatka shelled avalanche prone areas near the Vilyuchisky volcano. The artillerymen used 120mm mortars to induce avalanches. Their activity is coordinated with the regional avalanche center [4].

Caspian Flotilla
Artillery officers have assembled on the Adanak training ground in preparation for an all-army competition. The officers are drawn from platoon, battery and division level and will compete in meeting the standards for technical, special, tactical, engineering and fire training. The training also includes forced marches, taking up firing positions and withdrawals. The best officers will represent the flotilla at the field training competition among artillery specialists of the Southern Military District [5].

January 08

Caspian Flotilla
Several teams are being trained to take part in the Sea/Marine Assault competition that will take place in May. The marines will undergo daily training from instructors in physical, mountain and naval landing training. The training will take place at the Adanak training ground where there is rough terrain. One part of the training involves two weekly marches between five to ten kilometers in full uniform.
The Sea Assault competition will involve several disciplines, including running at various distances, overcoming an obstacle course, hand-to-hand combat, target shooting from small arms, driving, and also take part in team relay [6].

January 09

Caspian Flotilla
The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that the 177th NI Regiment has been completely equipped with AK-12 assault riffles. The riffles are to replace the AK-74M that was previously in use. Air-assault and reconnaissance units also received the Obves kit with their AK-12 [7].

January 10

Caspian Flotilla
Over 1.000 marines are deployed to the Adanak training ground for live firing exercises with small arms, vehicle mounted weapons and artillery systems. Over 60 different tactical tasks will be completed during this field exercise [8].

January 11

Caspian Flotilla
Around 200 marines are deployed at the Scorpion training complex where they will undergo sniper training. The main training will focus on camouflage, covert movement and taking up firing positions in rough terrain [9].

January 11

Northern Fleet
Three landing vessels of the Northern Fleet arrived in the Baltic Sea. The vessels are identified as Ropucha class RFS Aleksandr Otrakovsky and RFS Georgiy Pobedonosets [10] and Ivan Grenn class RFS Pyotr Morgunov [11]. It appears that both Ropucha class vessels are fully loaded, with the RFS Pyotr Morgunov being partly loaded [12].

January 12

Northern Fleet
Marines of the 61th NI Brigade held a night-time firing exercise at the training grounds near Murmansk. Firing was done with assault rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles and RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers [13].

January 13

Caspian Flotilla
Marines held a naval landing exercise at the Scorpion training ground. The exercise involved platoon and company level battle formations mounted in BTR-82A armored personnel carriers. Loading and unloading the BTRs from landing crafts also formed part of this exercise [14].

Pacific Fleet
The first parachute training jumps of 2022 were held with marines making over 100 jumps out of Mi-8AMTSh helicopters from altitudes of 1.200 meters. The D-10 parachute system was used during this training [15].

Baltic Fleet
At least one company sized element of the 336th NI Brigade was seen leaving the barracks at Baltiysk and heading towards the training grounds. The unit was deployed in BTR-82As and were escorted by military police [16].

January 14

Caspian Flotilla
Marines held a integrated field training with squads cooperating together with BTR-82A Armored Personnel Carriers. The training took place at the Adanak training ground. Marines fired with several weapons, including the vehicle mounted 30mm canon as well as AGS-17 grenade launchers, RPG-7 rocket propelled grenades and Kord light machine guns [16].

Pacific Fleet
A train carrying Nona-S 120mm mortars, T-80BV tanks, MT-LBs, and BMP-3s was seen passing through Krasnoyarsk. The equipment appears to belong the 155th NI Brigade [17].

Northern Fleet
Driver-mechanics underwent a night-time driving course at the Pechenga district near Murmansk. Around 12 BRT-82As were used in this training event which saw the drivers practicing off-road driving and overcoming various obstacles, such as blockages, ravines, steep ascents, descents and slopes [18].

January 16

Pacific Fleet
A train carrying BMP-3s was spotted near Voronezh. It is assumed that these vehicles belong to the 155th NI Brigade [19].

January 20

Pacific Fleet
BMP-3s and soldiers assumed to be members of the 155th NI Brigade were spotted in Belarus [20]. The train carrying their equipment was spotted at Polonka Station [21].

Black Sea Fleet
Elements of the air assault battalion defended the coast of the Opuk training ground in Crimea from an amphibious assault. The assaulting units were reported as other elements of the 810th NI Brigade that had previously embarked on the Tapir class landing vessel RFS Saratov in the Kazachya Bay. In total, over 500 marines took part in this exercise [22].

January 24

Caspian Flotilla
Anti-terrorist groups of the 177th Naval Infantry Regiment were involved in a training exercise near the town of Kaspiysk. According to the scenario, a group of saboteurs attempted to attack a checkpoint. The anti-terror groups managed to repel the attack and eliminate the enemy forces. Defenses around the military facility where then increased [23].

January 26

Caspian Flotilla
An unidentified unit of the 177th NI regiment conducted a march from their basing area towards the Scorpion training ground. During the march, the marines had to overcome a contaminated zone and fight off attacks by hostile saboteurs and reconnaissance groups [24].
A video of the exercise shows the anti-terror group being a single squad supported by a BTR-type vehicle. The marines engage the terrorist group with small arms fire. A PKM light machine gun and AK-74Ms were used during the training. Providing first aid and protecting wounded soldiers was practiced as well [25].
The use of AK-74Ms is a clear indication that not all elements of the 177th NI Regiment have been transitioned to the AK-12. This footage seems to confirm that only the air assault and reconnaissance units have received the AK-12 while the other units are still using the AK-74M.

Baltic Fleet
Elements of the 336th NI Brigade were put on alert as part of a combat training exercise. The marines first marched towards the Khmelevka training area and had to fight off attacks against their march column. Once deployed, the marines set up coastal defense against a hostile amphibious invasion [26] [27].

January 28

Pacific Fleet
Ropucha class landing vessel Oslyabya was involved in an amphibious landing exercise at the the Desantnaya Bay near Vladivostok. The exercise saw the embarkation and debarkation of BTR-82AMs, KamAZ and Ural trucks. All vehicles were reportedly loaded and offloaded in the so-called point-blank method. This method is when the ship is beached on the shore [28].

Northern Fleet
Artillery units of the 61th NI Brigade held a training at an unspecified location in the Artic Region. A battery of BM-21 grad MLRS and Gvozdivka self-propelled guns were involved in the exercise [29].

January 31

Caspian Flotilla
Marines of the 177th NI Regiment held small arms firing and hand grenade throwing exercises at the Adanak training range at Dagestan. The exercise was defensive in nature with marines engaging stationary and mobile targets [30]. A video of the training showed the marines using AK-74M assault riffles, suggesting that these are not members of reconnaissance units who are equipped with AK-12s [31].

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