247th Guards Air Assault Regiment

Last updated
247th Guards Air Assault Regiment
(2013–present)

247th Air Assault Regiment
(1998–2013)

21st Airborne Brigade
(1 Jun 1990–1 May 1998)

21st Air Assault Brigade
(19 Feb 1973–1 Jun 1990)
Russian: 247-й гвардейский десантно-штурмовой Кавказский казачий полк
Sleeve patch of the 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment.svg
247th Guards Air Assault Regiment shoulder sleeve insignia
Active1973–
Country Soviet Union
Russia
Branch Great emblem of the Russian Airborne Troops.svg   Russian Airborne Troops
Size1,500 troops [1]
Part of 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division
Garrison/HQ Stavropol
MUN  54801
Engagements First Chechen War
War of Dagestan
Second Chechen War
Russo-Georgian War
War in Donbas
• Battle of Ilovaisk
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Battle honours Caucasian Cossack
Commanders
Current
commander		Colonel Roman Yuvakayev [ needs update ]
Notable
commanders		Colonel Yury Em

The 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment is a regiment of the Russian Airborne Troops, currently part of the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division. It was first formed in 1973 as the 21st Air Assault Brigade and was transferred to the Soviet Airborne Troops in 1990, becoming the 21st Airborne Brigade. The brigade was renamed the 247th Air Assault Regiment in 1998. In 1998, it also gained the title 'Caucasian Cossack', although it is not all composed of Cossacks. [2] In 2013 it became a Guards regiment. [3] The unit fought in the First Chechen War, the War of Dagestan, the Second Chechen War, the Russo-Georgian War, the war in Donbas, and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Contents

History

Soviet Union

The regiment was first formed on 19 February 1973 as the 21st Air Assault Brigade in Kutaisi, part of the Transcaucasus Military District. It included personnel from the 337th Guards Airborne Regiment. The brigade was initially composed of the 802nd, 803rd, and 804th Air Assault Battalions. Along with the 11th and 13th Separate Airborne Brigades, the brigade served as a test unit for the Soviet airmobile concept. [4] In 1973, the brigade participated in the exercise "Snowy Pass" (Russian : Снежный перевал). The brigade conducted advanced tactical exercises under the supervision of the Chief of the General Staff in 1974. [5]

In September 1977, the brigade's 1059th Artillery Battalion was disbanded and replaced by an artillery battery and an anti-aircraft battery. [6] Around the same time, the brigade's 1171st Aviation Group became the 325th Transport-Combat and 395th Combat Helicopter Regiments. [4]

The brigade participated in the "West-81" exercises in 1981. It was involved in the exercise "Caucasus-85". Elements of the brigade participated in the cleanup operations after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. The brigade participated in exercise "Caucasus-87" in the following year. Its 292nd and 325th Helicopter Regiments were detached in 1988. In 1989, the brigade received a Red Banner from the Transcaucasus Military District Military Council. The brigade air-assaulted Yerevan Airport in July 1989 after it was occupied by armed Armenians. On 12 July, it landed at Leninakan to assist in rescue after the 1988 Armenian earthquake. In 1990, it received the Minister of Defense's Pennant "For Courage and Valor". On 1 June 1990, it was transferred to the Soviet airborne and renamed as the 21st Airborne Brigade. [5] [6]

Russia

In 1992, the brigade relocated to Stavropol. [7] In 1994, the brigade received the honorific "Stavropol Cossack". From 11 December 1994 [8] to November 1996, the brigade fought in the First Chechen War. Colonel Yury Em became brigade commander in 1995. [9] On 1 May 1998, it was renamed the 247th Air Assault Regiment and became part of the 7th Guards Airborne Division. [6] On 12 September, it received the title "Caucasian Cossack", [5] despite not being all composed of Cossacks. [2]

From August 1999, the regiment fought in the War of Dagestan. It fought in the Battle for Donkey's Ear Height. From October 1999 to January 2000, the regiment fought in the Second Chechen War. The regiment fought in the battles for Shelkovskaya, Gudermes, Shali, and Argun. On 25 November 1999, the regiment captured Novogroznensky, reportedly killing more than 50 Chechen militants. Regimental commander Em received the title Hero of the Russian Federation for his leadership. [9]

Soldiers of the regiment during a tactical exercise in Stavropol Krai, 2018 TacticalExercise2018-13.jpg
Soldiers of the regiment during a tactical exercise in Stavropol Krai, 2018

Colonel Alexey Naumets became the regiment's commander on 2 June 2007. [10] In 2008, the regiment invaded Georgia with the rest of the division. [11] It fought in the Battle of Kodori Gorge. [12] The regiment was granted the title 'Guards' on 3 June 2013. [3] The regiment contributed a battalion tactical group to participate in the August 2014 Russian military intervention in the war in Donbas. [13] A group took part in the battle of Ilovaisk, where a column of regiments' fighting vehicles was photographed by regiment's soldier in front of destroyed R-149BMR command vehicle of the Ukrainian 121st Signal Brigade. [14] In March 2015, the regiment opened its museum in Stavropol. [15]

In the context of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, as of December 2021, the regiment was deployed in Crimea. [16] It took part in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and its commander Guard Colonel Konstantin Zizevsky was killed in action in February 2022. [17] According to Pavel Filatyev, a former soldier of the 56th Guards Air Assault Regiment, the 247th Regiment was among the Russian military units that entered Kherson on 1 March 2022. [18] An ammunition depot and a command post of the 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment was destroyed by Ukrainian forces on 22 August 2022 during the 2022 Chornobaivka attacks. [19]

A reconstituted regiment took part the Southern Military District's efforts to hold Staromaiorske during the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive. [20] It was reported the 247th refused to fight due to equipment shortages, Ukrainian victories, and high casualties. [21] In September 2023 the regiment was deployed at the southern theatre around the village of Verbove, where its commander was killed in action.[ citation needed ]

Commanders

The following officers commanded the 21st Air Assault Brigade, the 21st Airborne Brigade, the 247th Air Assault Regiment, and the 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment: [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian Airborne Forces</span> Separate-troops branch of the Russian Armed Forces

The Russian Airborne Forces is the airborne forces branch of the Russian Armed Forces. It was formed in 1992 from units of the Soviet Airborne Forces that came under Russian control following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Caucasus Military District</span> Military unit

The North Caucasus Military District was a military district of the Russian Armed Forces from 1992-2010. Before 1992 it had been part of the Soviet Armed Forces since 1918. In 2010 it became the Southern Military District and lately also included the Black Sea Fleet and Caspian Flotilla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soviet Airborne Forces</span> Branch of the Soviet armed forces

The Soviet Airborne Forces or VDV was a separate troops branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. First formed before the Second World War, the force undertook two significant airborne operations and a number of smaller jumps during the war and for many years after 1945 was the largest airborne force in the world. The force was split after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, with the core becoming the Russian Airborne Forces, losing divisions to Belarus and Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">79th Air Assault Brigade (Ukraine)</span> Military unit

The 79th Separate Tavrian Air Assault Brigade of Mykolaiv is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. The paratrooper brigade is based in Mykolaiv.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">25th Airborne Brigade (Ukraine)</span> Ukrainian Air Assault Forces formation

The 25th Separate Airborne Brigade "Sicheslav" is an airborne formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">95th Air Assault Brigade (Ukraine)</span> Military unit

The 95th Separate Polesian Air Assault Brigade(Ukrainian: 95-та окрема десантно-штурмова Поліська бригада; 95 ОДШБр); Military Unit Number A0281) is a unit of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. The brigade is located in Zhytomyr. It is considered one of the most prestigious and capable units in the Ukrainian military. The brigade is one of Ukraine’s Partnership for Peace units. The brigade received a lot of publicity for its raid behind the separatist lines allegedly inflicting heavy losses on separatist and Russian forces during the war in Donbas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">80th Air Assault Brigade (Ukraine)</span> Military unit

The 80th Separate Galician Air Assault Brigade ; Military Unit Number A0284) is an airmobile formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. The brigade traces its history back to the 80th Airborne Regiment of the Soviet Union, formed in 1955 as part of the Soviet airborne's 7th Guards Airborne Division. Four years later, the regiment transferred to the 104th Guards Airborne Division. It participated in Operation Whirlwind in 1956 and Operation Danube in 1968. In 1979, the regiment was disbanded and used to form the 39th and 40th Separate Air Assault Brigades of the Soviet Army. The 39th Separate Air Assault Brigade became the 224th Training Center after transfer back to the Soviet airborne in 1990. The training center was taken over by Ukraine in 1992 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and became the 6th Separate Airmobile Brigade in 1995. In 1999, the brigade was reorganized into the 80th Airmobile Regiment, part of the 13th Army Corps. In 2013, the regiment was upgraded and became a brigade. The brigade fought in the War in Donbass, and was redesignated as an air assault brigade in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">76th Guards Air Assault Division</span> Military unit

The 76th Guards Chernogov Red Banner Air Assault Division is a division of the Russian Airborne Troops based in Pskov. The division traces its lineage back to the 76th Guards Rifle Division, formed in March 1943 from the 157th Rifle Division for that division's actions during the Battle of Stalingrad. The division fought in the Battle of Kursk, the Battle of the Dnieper, Operation Bagration, the East Pomeranian Offensive, and the Berlin Offensive. Postwar, it was converted into an airborne division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division</span> Russian Airborne Troops formation

The 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division is an elite guards division of the Russian Airborne Troops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Military District</span> Russian military district

The Southern Military District is a military district of Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">31st Guards Air Assault Brigade</span> Russian Airborne Troops formation

The 31st Separate Guards Order of Kutuzov 2nd class Air Assault Brigade is an airborne infantry brigade of the Russian Airborne Troops, based in Ulyanovsk. The brigade was formed in 1998 from the 104th Guards Airborne Division. The brigade fought in the Second Chechen War and the Russo-Georgian War. During the Crimean crisis 2014 elements of the brigade entered Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. In August 2014 brigade's units participated in the war in Donbas. The brigade fought in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, beginning with the Battle of Antonov Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">56th Guards Air Assault Regiment</span> Military unit

The 56th Guards Air Assault Regiment is an airborne regiment of the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV). Based at Feodosia in Crimea, the regiment is part of the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division. It was formed in 2021 from the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade, based at Kamyshin. The brigade was first formed in 1979 and fought in the Soviet–Afghan War, the First Chechen War and the Second Chechen War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">104th Guards Airborne Division</span> Soviet Airborne Forces formation

The 104th Guards Airborne Division is a division of the Soviet Airborne Troops and the Russian Airborne Forces. It was originally formed as the 11th Guards Airborne Division during World War II. In December 1944, the 11th Guards Airborne Division became the 104th Guards Rifle Division. On 7 June 1946, the division was renamed the 104th Guards Airborne Division. It was reduced to the 31st Guards Airborne Brigade in May 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Guards Air Assault Brigade</span> Military unit

The 11th Guards Air Assault Brigade is an airborne brigade of the Russian Airborne Troops, currently based at Sosnovy Bor near Ulan Ude in Buryatia. The brigade was first formed in 1968 as the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade and two of its helicopter regiments fought in the Soviet–Afghan War. The brigade formed in 1968 at Mogocha as the 11th Separate Airborne Brigade. In 1971 it became the 11th Air Assault Brigade. In 1988, the brigade became an airborne brigade again. It moved to Ulan Ude in May 1993. The brigade became an air assault brigade in 1998. The brigade received the Guards title in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">108th Guards Kuban Cossack Air Assault Regiment</span> Military unit

The 108th Guards Kuban Cossack Air Assault Regiment is a regiment of the Russian Airborne Troops' 7th Guards Airborne Division, based at Novorossiysk. The regiment fought in the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, the War in Abkhazia, the First Chechen War, the War of Dagestan and the Second Chechen War, and the Invasion of Ukraine of 2022.

Alexey Vasilievich Naumets is a Russian Airborne Troops major general. He served with the airborne troops from 1986 and fought in the Second Chechen War and Russo-Georgian War. Naumets was severely injured in a car accident with Russian Airborne Troops commander Vladimir Shamanov in October 2010 while acting commander of the 106th Guards Airborne Division. In February 2013, he was appointed commander of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division at Pskov. He was promoted to major general in June 2014. Naumets was placed on the European Union sanctions list in September 2014 for his command of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division in Crimea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">152nd Independent Air Assault Battalion</span> Military unit

The 152nd Independent Air Assault Battalion, known simply as the Airborne Forces of Turkmenistan is the official paratrooper unit of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan.

This is the order of battle for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It should not be considered completely up to date nor accurate, being based on open-source press reporting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">205th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade</span> Russian Ground Forces unit

The 205th Separate Cossack Motor Rifle Brigade is a mechanized infantry brigade of the Russian Ground Forces. Part of the 49th Combined Arms Army, the brigade is based in Budyonnovsk, Stavropol Krai.

References

  1. ↑ Airborne Assault Troops [VDV - Order of Battle]
  2. 1 2 Galeotti, Mark (22 February 2012). "The Cossacks are coming (maybe)". The Moscow News. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Десантно-штурмовому Кавказскому казачьему полку присвоено почётное наименование" [Air Assault Caucasian Cossack Regiment given honorary title]. Kremlin.ru (in Russian). 3 June 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 Feskov et al 2013, p. 244
  5. 1 2 3 4 "247-й десантно-штурмовой Кавказский казачий полк" [247th Air Assault Caucasian Cossack Regiment] (in Russian). Union of Russian Paratroopers. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Holm, Michael. "21st independent Landing-Assault Brigade". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  7. ↑ Feskov et al 2013, p. 528.
  8. ↑ Seely 2001, p. 225
  9. 1 2 "Yury Em". Герои страны ("Heroes of the Country") (in Russian).
  10. ↑ "Новый комполка десантников" [New regiment commander paratroopers] (in Russian). Stavropolskaya Pravda. 2 June 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Russian Division From Black Sea Towards Georgia". GeorgianJournal. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  12. ↑ Metelev, Kirill (11 August 2015). "Комдив Василич" [Komdiv Vasilich]. Командор (in Russian) (1). Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  13. ↑ Sutyagin, Igor (March 2015). "RUSI Briefing Paper: Russian Forces in Ukraine" (PDF). Royal United Services Institute: 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2016.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. ↑ "Russian Paratroopers Miss The Killings - InformNapalm.org (English)". InformNapalm.org (English). 20 August 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "На Ставрополье 247-й десантно-штурмовой полк отметил 42-ю годовщину своего образования" [In the Stavropol region celebrated 42nd anniversary of the 247th Airborne Assault Regiment]. www.stapravda.ru (in Russian). Stavropolskaya Pravda. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  16. ↑ "Russia builds up forces on Ukrainian border". Politico . December 2021.
  17. ↑ Shoaib, Alia (17 March 2022). "How the Russian officer elite is being decimated in Ukraine – 10 generals and commanders who were killed in action". Business Insider. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  18. ↑ Pavel Fitalyev (17 August 2022). "'They turned us into savages': Russian soldier describes start of Ukraine invasion". The Guardian . Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "Ворожий склад з боєприпасами та командний пункт 247 десантно-штурмового полку знищено в Чорнобаївці, - ОК "Південь"". Censor.NET (in Ukrainian). 23 August 2022.
  20. ↑ "Fighting escalates on two contact line areas – UK Intelligence". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  22. ↑ Kopytova, Yulia (6 May 2011). "Настоящий полковник…" [This colonel...]. 71ru.info (in Russian). Magazine Tula Arsenal. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  23. ↑ Ilinov, Igor (2 April 2011). "Полковник Александр Валитов назначен командиром 247-го десантно-штурмового полка в Ставрополе" [Colonel Alexander Valitov appointed commander of the 247th Air Assault Regiment Stavropol] (in Russian). Stavropolskaya Pravda. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  24. ↑ Moskalenko, Viktor (18 January 2013). "Александр Валитов: 247-й десантно-штурмовой полк имеет собственное лицо, крепкий характер и боевой дух" [Alexander Valitov: 247th Airborne Assault Regiment has its own face, strong character and fighting spirit]. Stavropolskaya Pravda (in Russian). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  25. ↑ Ilinov, Igor (13 June 2013). "247-й десантно-штурмовой Кавказский казачий полк теперь "гвардейский"" [247th Caucasian Cossack Air Assault Regiment is now Guards]. Stavropolskaya Pravda (in Russian). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  26. ↑ Sukharev, Mikhail (3 August 2016). "За ВДВ!" [For the VDV!]. Vercheny Stavropol (in Russian). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  27. ↑ "Konstantin Zizevsky". TopCargo200. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  28. ↑ "Погиб командир 247-го гвардейского десантно-штурмового полка". ГТРК «Ставрополье» (in Russian). 5 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  29. ↑ "Vasily Popov". TopCargo200. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  30. ↑ "Война в Украине. 568‑й день" [War in Ukraine. Day 568] (in Russian). 14 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.