Tracking Russian deployments near Ukraine – Autumn-Winter 2021-22
access_time15/11/2021
folder_openAnalysis
local_offerRussia,
Ukraine
The purpose of this blog post is to provide an up-to-date order of battle data of Russian forces near Ukraine. Due to increased operational security and Russian attempts to hide the movements of their units, this list is unlikely to be exhaustive.
Nevertheless, I still think it is relevant to keep track of what is being moved around.
This post will be regularly updated.
As for the area coverage, I will be looking at everything that is deployed from the Smolensk Oblast to Krasnodar Krai and Crimea.
First are the units that are permanently deployed near Ukraine.
20th Combined Arms Army – Western Military District – Voronezh
236th Artillery Brigade – Kolomna
3rd Motorised Rifle Division – Valyuki
- 252nd Motorised Rifle Regiment – Boguchar – Fully established
- 752nd Motorised Rifle Regiment – Soloti – Fully established
- 237th Tank Regiment – Soloti – Fully established
- 99th SP Artillery Regiment – Boguchar – Fully established
- Unidentified Motorised Rifle Regiment – Soloti (established in December 2021 – it can generate one BTG)
144th Motorised Rifle Division – Smolensk
- 488th Motorised Rifle Regiment – Klintsy – Fully established
- 856th SP Artillery Regiment – Pochep – Fully established
- 254th Motorised Rifle Regiment – Klintsy – Tank company and an MR battalion
- 59th Tank Regiment – Yelnya – Tank battalion, an MRC
8th Combined Arms Army – Southern Military District – Novocherkassk
20th Separate Motorised Rifle
Brigade Division – Volgograd – (The unit was converted into a division in December 2021)
238th Artillery Brigade – Korenovsk – Fully established
150th Motorised Rifle Division – Persianovskiy
- 102nd Motorised Rifle Regiment – Persianovskiy – Fully established
- 103rd Motorised Rifle Regiment – Rostov-on-Don – Fully established
- 68th Tank Regiment – Persianovskiy – Fully established
- 163rd Tank Regiment – Persianovskiy – Fully established
- 381st Artillery Regiment – Rostov-on-Don – Fully established
Crimea
- 810th Naval Infantry Brigade – Sevastopol – Fully established
- 126th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade – Perevalne – Fully established
- 8th Artillery Regiment – Perevalne – Fully established
- 56th Air Assault Regiment – Feodosia – The base is under construction
New units near Ukraine
Pogonovo
- Three BTGs from the 4th Tank Division, 1st Guards Tank Army, Western Military District;
- Two BTGs from the 2nd Motor Rifle Division, 1st Guards Tank Army, Western Military District;
- A company/battalion of TOS-1A, 20th NCB Regiment, 1st Guards Tank Army, Western Military District;
- A possible BM-27 Battalion, 288th Artillery Brigade, 1st Guards Tank Army, Western Military District;
Yelnya
- Two BTGs from the 74th MRB;
- Two BTGs from the 35th MRB;
- Two BTGs from the 55th MRB;
- A BTG from the 90th Tank Division;
- An Iskander Battalion from the 119th Missile Brigade;
- A TOS-1A company and assorted equipment from the 10th NCB Regiment; and
- One artillery battalion ( 9P140 Uragan) from the 120th Artillery Brigade;
Crimea
- Two motor rifle battalions (and a tank company) from the 136th MRB, 58th Combined Arms Army. (added 23 December);
- There are at least additional three/four BTGs scattered across the peninsula.
Postoyalye Dvory
- A BTG from the 138th Motor Rifle Brigade, 6th Combined Arms Army (added on 11 December);
- A BTG from the 25th Motor Rifle Brigade, 6th Combined Arms Army (added on 14 December).
Rozhny
- One BTG from the 90th Tank Division (added 30 December);
Klimovo
- Two BTGs from the 90th Tank Division.
Krasnodar Krai
- Two BTGs from the 177th Naval Infantry Regiment
Units from the Eastern Military District
- Since the first week of January 2022, Russia has been moving its forces from the Eastern Military District to Western Russia and Belarus. The size of this deployment is significant,
between 7-10perhaps as many as 15-20 BTGs. This translates to around 50% of the Eastern MD combat potential. From the start we assumed some of these BTGs will land in Belarus, which has indeed happened. Here is the list of activated units and their confirmed destination.
- 14th Spetsnaz Brigade – ?
- A BTG from the 114th Motor Rifle Regiment – ?
- 14th Engineering Brigade – ?
- 54th Command and Control Brigade – Brest (Belarus)
- A BTG from the 36th Motor Rifle Brigade – Brest (Belarus)
- A BTG from the 37th Motor Rifle Brigade – ?
- Two BTGs from the 5th Tank Brigade – Rechitsa (Belarus)
- A BTG from the 38th Motor Rifle Brigade – Yelsk (Belarus)
- A BTG from the 64th Motor Rifle Brigade – ?
- Two BTGs from the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade – Baranovichi (Belarus)
- A BTG from the 11th Air Assault Brigade – ?
- A BTG from the 83rd Air Assault Brigade – ?
- A BTG from the 69th Covering (border protection) Brigade – Kozenki (Belarus)
- 338th Reactive Artillery Brigade – ?
- 165th Artillery Brigade – Rechitsa (Belarus)
- 107th Missile Brigade – Asipovichy (Belarus)
Here is the BTG count as of 23 January. The Number after ‘+’ shows new additions.
This gives a total of 66-67 BTGs excluding DPR and LPR forces.