58th Guards Combined Arms Army explained

Unit Name:58th Army (I Formation)
(Nov. 1941 – Aug. 1942)
58th Army (II Formation)
(Aug. 1942 – Oct. 1943)
58th Army (III Formation)
(1995 – present)
Dates:1941–present
Country:Soviet Union
Russia (present)
Branch:Red Army
Russian Ground Forces (present)
Type:Field army
Size:several corps or divisions
Garrison:Vladikavkaz
Battles:
Commander1:Lieutenant General Denis Lyamin
Notable Commanders:Vladimir Shamanov
Anatoly Khrulyov
Ivan Popov

The 58th Guards Combined Arms Army (ru|58-я гвардейская общевойсковая армия) is an army of the Russian Ground Forces, headquartered at Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia-Alania, within Russia's Southern Military District. It was formed in 1941 as part of the Soviet Union's Red Army and has been part of the Russian Army since 1995. It has the Military Unit Number (в/ч) is 47084.

World War II

It was first formed in the Siberian Military District in November 1941, including the 362nd, 364th, 368th, 370th, 380th, and 384th Rifle Divisions and the 77th Cavalry Division and moved to the Arkhangelsk Military District, but then the Army was redesignated the 3rd Tank Army in May 1942. It was reestablished within the Kalinin Front in June 1942, and in July included the 16th and 27th Guards Rifle Divisions, the 215th and 375th Rifle Divisions, the 35th and 81st Tank Brigades, and other support units.[2]

It was reformed in the Transcaucasian Front from the 24th Army on 28 August 1942, under General Vasily Khomenko of the NKVD. Much of its senior cadre also came from the NKVD, and among its missions was to keep order in the Caucasus, particularly in the Groznyi and Makhachkala regions.[3] This was because of a Chechen uprising that had gone on since 1941 (see 1940-1944 Chechnya insurgency). 58th Army later joined the North Caucasus Front. On 1 November 1942 it consisted of the 271st and 416th Rifle Division, and the Makhachkala Division of the NKVD.[4] Prior to the North Caucasus Front putting its main effort into the Kerch-Eltigen Operation (November 1943) the Army HQ was reorganised as Headquarters Volga Military District in October 1943.[5]

Commanders

Chief of Staff

Second Chechen War (1999–2000)

The headquarters was reformed in 1995 in the North Caucasus Military District from the 42nd Army Corps at Vladikavkaz. The 42nd Army Corps had been formed in August 1982. During the Second Chechen War, the Army was commanded by then Lieutenant General Vladimir Shamanov,[6] who was succeeded by army chief of staff and first deputy commander Major General Valery Gerasimov.[7]

Beslan school siege

In 2004, units from the 58th provided assistance with armoured vehicles to the forces involved storming the school on the third day of the Beslan school siege.

Russo-Georgian War (2008)

On 3 August 2008, five battalions of the Russian 58th Army were moved to the vicinity of Roki Tunnel that links Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia with Russia's North Ossetia.[8]

On 8 August 2008[9] [10] [11] the 58th Army crossed the border into Georgia and engaged in combat against Georgian forces, most notably in the city of Tskhinvali.[12] [13] Its then-commander, Lieutenant General Anatoly Khrulyov was wounded in action.[14]

War in Donbas (2014–22)

In June 2014 Ukrainian troops captured a damaged BM-21 Grad launcher, which the Ukrainians identified as equipment of the 58th Army of the Russian Federation.[15]

Major general Sergey Kuzovlev became commander of the army on 18 August 2016.[16] In late 2016 the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the 42nd Guards Motor Rifle Division had been reformed from the 8th Guards Mountain Motor Rifle Brigade, the 17th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, and the 18th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade.[17] In January 2017, 20th Guards Army commander Major general Yevgeny Nikiforov replaced Kuzovlev.[18]

Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present)

On the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was reported that the headquarters of the 58th Army had deployed to Crimea commanding between 12 and 17 battalion tactical groups.[19] [20] Once the invasion commenced, units of the 58th Army took part in hostilities on the southern front of the war.

About 300 South Ossetian soldiers of 4th Guards Military Base were reported in late March to have refused to return to combat after five days on the frontline in Ukraine, and instead gone back to South Ossetia.[21] [22]

On 11 July 2023, the 58th Army headquarters in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast was destroyed by a missile strike.[23] Among those reportedly killed was Lieutenant-General Oleg Tsokov, the deputy commander of the Russian Southern Military District, making him the highest ranking Russian officer killed during the invasion.[24] [25]

On 12 July 2023, the army commander, Major General Ivan Popov, was removed from his post. In a Telegram message posted by a Russian MP, he claimed to have been fired by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu after complaining about inadequacies in logistics that led to high casualties among his men and accusing his superiors of treason.[26] Popov was replaced by Lieutenant General Denis Lyamin.[27]

On 26 September 2023, the unit was awarded the "Guards" honorific for its defense of the southern front during the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive.[28]

Structure

2013

The Army operates in a close coordination with the 4th Air Force and Air Defence Army of the district, and includes:[29]

2016

2023

Commanders

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hird . Karolina . Barros . George . Mappes . Grace . Wolkov . Nicole . Clark . Mason . Kagan . Fredrick W. . Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 8, 2023 . June 9, 2023 . . June 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230609004240/https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-8-2023 . live .
  2. http://www.tashv.nm.ru/BoevojSostavSA/1942/19420701.html Combat Composition of the Soviet Army
  3. David Glantz, personal correspondence, December 2007
  4. http://www.feldgrau.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8526&view=next&sid=080fae5f40fcd7083637a72ca76f7f4e BSSA via
  5. [David Glantz]
  6. p.109, Murphy
  7. Web site: Из суворовцев – в стратеги . 2022-05-13 . redstar.ru . 31 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201031014213/http://redstar.ru/iz-suvorovtsev-v-strategi/ .
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20090504121022/http://www.tol.cz/look/TOL/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIssue=281&NrSection=1&NrArticle=19821 Talking Through Gritted Teeth
  9. Torrey Clark and Greg Walters, Putin Says `War Has Started,' Georgia Claims Invasion (Update4), Bloomberg.com, 8 August 2008
  10. News: Russian Air, Ground Forces Strike Georgia . The Washington Post. Peter . Finn . 9 August 2008.
  11. News: Russian tanks enter South Ossetia . BBC News . 8 August 2008.
  12. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L8402970.htm Oleg Shchedrov reporting for Reuters, Russian troops close to S. Ossetian capital, Moscow, 8 13 August:38:12 GMT (Reuters)
  13. http://lenta.ru/news/2008/08/08/peacekeepers/ Минобороны РФ заявило о расстреле российских миротворцев, Lenta.ru, Rambler Media Group, Saturday, 09.08.2008, 03:45:33
  14. News: Russian general wounded in Georgia's rebel region. Reuters. 2008-08-09. 2008-08-09. Dmitry. Solovyov.
  15. http://www.osce.org/fsc/132441?download=true "Statement by the Delegation of Ukraine at the 774-th FSC plenary meeting "
  16. News: Заместителем командующего войсками ЮВО стал генерал-лейтенант Андрей Гурулев. 18 August 2016. TASS. ru. Lieutenant General Andrei Gurulev new Southern Military District deputy commander. 2 October 2016.
  17. Web site: В ЮВО на территории Чечни завершается формирование 42-й мотострелковой дивизии. structure.mil.ru. 2017-04-08.
  18. News: Генерал-майор Евгений Никифоров назначен командующим 58-й армией. 15 January 2017. TASS. 24 July 2017. ru. Major general Yevgeny Nikiforov appointed 58th Army commander.
  19. 1495446742833283073. HN_Schlottman. Updated map of BTG deployments IVO #Ukraine. 110 to match released US intel assessments. ~90 are located on this ma…. 20 February 2022.
  20. Web site: Batashvili . David . 20 February 2022 . Rondeli Russian Military Digest: Issue 121, 14 February – 20 February 2022 . 5 June 2022 . Georgian Foundation For Strategic and International Studies.
  21. News: 1 April 2022 . S. Ossetian Servicemen Make Puzzling Retreat from Ukraine . Civil.ge . 5 June 2022.
  22. News: 7 April 2022 . Псков, Краснодар, Южная Осетия: сколько военных и откуда отказываются воевать в Украине . ru . BBC Russian Service . 5 June 2022.
  23. News: Exiled local authorities: Ukraine reportedly strikes Russian makeshift barracks in occupied Berdiansk. 11 July 2023 . The Kyiv Independent.
  24. Web site: Richard Spencer . Ukrainians kill top Russian general with British-supplied missile. 12 July 2023 . . 12 July 2023.
  25. Web site: Another Russian General Killed in Occupied Ukraine. 11 July 2023 . . 12 July 2023.
  26. Web site: Russian general in Ukraine says he was fired after accusing defense minister of treachery . Lister. Tim. Pavlova. Uliana . 12 July 2023 . CNN . 13 July 2023.
  27. Web site: 2023-07-13 . Депутат опубликовал заявление командующего 58-й армией об отстранении . 2023-07-13 . РБК . ru.
  28. Web site: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 26, 2023 . 2023-09-27 . Critical Threats.
  29. Russian Ground Forces in the North Caucasus Military Districtv.1.0 1 December 2003, Colin Robinson (editing and some text), Vadim Teplitskiy(unit list), and Craig Crofoot (history text), via http://www.orbat.com
  30. News: Чеченские мотострелки передислоцированы на Ставрополье. 26 August 2016. Caucasian Knot. ru. Chechen motor rifles relocated to Stavropol. 3 October 2016.
  31. Web site: Войсковая часть 27777 (18-я ОМСБр). voinskayachast.net. 4 September 2015. ru. Military Unit No. 27777 (18th OMSBr). 2016-08-12.
  32. Web site: Войсковая часть 20634 (19-я ОМСБр). voinskayachast.net. 17 March 2015. ru. Military Unit Number 20634 (19th OMSBr). 2016-10-03.
  33. Web site: Войсковая часть 22220 (20-я Гв.ОМСБр). voinskayachast.net. 7 May 2015. ru. Military Unit Number 22220 (20th Gv OMSBr. 2016-10-03.
  34. Web site: Войсковая часть 63354 (136-я ОМСБр). voinskayachast.net. 10 March 2015. ru. Military Unit Number 63354 (136th OMSBr). 2016-10-03.
  35. Web site: Войсковая часть 64670 (291-я АртБр). voinskayachast.net. 16 November 2015. ru. Military Unit Number 64670 (291st ArtBr). 2016-10-03.
  36. Web site: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 14, 2023 . Bailey . Riley . Hird . Karolina . Mappes . Grace . Evans . Angelica . Harward . Christina . Clark . Mason . 14 July 2023 . . 15 July 2023 . Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov claimed that elements of the Chechen 'Vostok-Akhmat' battalion (291st Motorized Rifle Regiment, 58th Combined Arms Army, Southern Military District) are defending in the Orikhiv area..

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