Western Military District Explained

Unit Name:Western Military District
Native Name:Западный военный округ
Start Date:20 October 2010
End Date:26 February 2024
Command Structure:Ministry of Defence
Garrison:General Staff Building, Saint Petersburg
Garrison Label:Headquarters
Commander1:Colonel General Yevgeny Nikiforov
Commander1 Label:Final Commander
Identification Symbol Label:Flag
Website:Official website

The Western Military District (Russian: Западный военный округ|Zapadnyy voyennyy okrug) was a military district of Russia, in existence from 2010 until its abolishment as a unitary military command on February 26, 2024, succeeded by the newly reconstituted Moscow Military District and Leningrad Military District.[1]

It was one of the five military districts of the Russian Armed Forces, with its jurisdiction primarily within the western central region of European Russia. The Western Military District was created as part of the 2008 military reforms, and founded by Presidential Decree №1144 signed on 20 September 2010, as an amalgamation of the Moscow Military District, Leningrad Military District and Kaliningrad Special Region.[2] The district began operation on 20 October 2010, under the command of Colonel-General Valery Gerasimov. General Lieutenant Roman Berdnikov took over command on 3 October 2022,[3] but two further command changes would take place by the end of the year, under the pressure of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Western Military District was the second smallest military district in Russia by geographic size. The district contained 26 federal subjects of Russia: Belgorod Oblast, Bryansk Oblast, Ivanovo Oblast, Kaliningrad Oblast, Kaluga Oblast, Karelia, Kostroma Oblast, Kursk Oblast, Leningrad Oblast, Lipetsk Oblast, Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Novgorod Oblast, Oryol Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Ryazan Oblast, Saint Petersburg, Smolensk Oblast, Tambov Oblast, Tver Oblast, Tula Oblast, Vladimir Oblast, Vologda Oblast, Voronezh Oblast, Yaroslavl Oblast. On 1 December 2014, the Arctic Joint Strategic Command was split off from the Western Military District, removing Arkhangelsk Oblast, Murmansk Oblast, Komi Republic, and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, as well as the Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet and Northern Fleet, from the district's command.[4] [5]

The Western Military District was headquartered in the General Staff Building in Saint Petersburg.

The Western Military District, until its abolishment in February 2024, was led by Colonel General Yevgeny Nikiforov, who was previously Chief of Staff of the Eastern Military District.[6]

Military units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Border Troops of the FSB, as well as units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (Russia) and other ministries and departments of the Russian Federation performing tasks on the territory of the district are under its operational subordination.[7]

History

The Western Military District, "with about 300,000 troops, was formed in 2010 from the Moscow and Leningrad" Military Districts.[8] When the Moscow and Leningrad Districts were merged, the Russian soldiers in Transnistria, the former Soviet 14th Guards Combined Arms Army, became part of the Western Military District. Of the 1,700 Russian Armed Forces soldiers in Transnistria by 2022, military sources in Chișinău said that only 70-100 were actually Russians; the rest were Transnistrians who were given contracts to serve in the Russian Armed Forces.[9]

During the 2008–2012 military reform, the area of the Western Military District received the largest reduction in units and personnel. The number of motor rifle and tank battalions in the former Moscow Military District was reduced from 50 to 22.[10]

On 26 February 2014, during the invasion of Crimea, President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian Armed Forces to be "put on alert in the Western Military District as well as units stationed with the 2nd Army Central Military District Command involved in aerospace defense, airborne troops and long-range military transport." Despite media speculation it was for in reaction to the events in Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said it was unrelated to the unrest in Ukraine.[11]

After a 15-year hiatus, the 1st Guards Tank Army headquarters was reformed within the district in November 2014.

In April 2017, the Defence Ministry reported that the 14th Army Corps had been transferred to the Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command.[12] It appears that this army corps, formed with its number in view of the Second World War actions of the Soviet 14th Army, includes the 80th Arctic Motor Rifle Brigade and the 200th Motor Rifle Brigade.

In the September Zapad 2017 exercise, a significant portion of troops from the Western Military District numbering 12,700 personnel were involved in Belarus, the Kaliningrad Region and Russia's other north-western areas as well.

A December 2018 Russian Ministry of Defense press release said that an independent Spetsnaz company had been formed in a combined arms army of the district.[13]

Almost the whole forces of the district became involved in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, suffering considerable losses (see Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian War). A new army corps, the 3rd Army Corps, then began forming within the district. The 3rd Army Corps' main base and training centre was identified by Ukraine in August 2022 as being located in Mulino, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.[14] The new 72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, intended to form part of the 3rd Army Corps, was reported by Penza Oblast authorities to be forming at Totskoye, Orenburg Oblast.[15]

Much of the Russian Airborne Forces is located within the district's boundaries but not under its command. These forces include the 45th Guards Spetsnaz Brigade (Kubinka, Moscow); the 76th Guards Air Assault Division (Pskov); the 98th Guards Airborne Division (Ivanovo); the 106th Guards Airborne Division (Tula), and the VDV signals regiment, the 38th Airborne Signal Regiment (n. Bear Lake, Moscow Oblast). In addition, there are two formations of the Russian Aerospace Forces within the district's boundaries but under central command: the 1st Special Purpose Air and Missile Defense Army (Moscow SAM and ABM defences) and (space operations, the former Russian Space Command).

The Main Directorate of Intelligence (Ukraine) of the Ministry of Defence (Ukraine) on 26 December 2022 that General Yevgeny Nikiforov was appointed as commander, Western Military District, and commander of the Russian western grouping of forces in Ukraine.[16] He had been transferred from the post of first deputy commander, Eastern Military District. In this transfer, Colonel-General Sergey Kuzovlev was removed from the position of commander of the troops of the Western Military District, after having only been in post for about a month.[6] "The reason for Kuzovlev's dismissal was the failure of preparations for an offensive in the Lyman [area], but [Ukrainian intelligence assessed it also as a] internal political struggle.. because from the Shoigu-Gerasimov orbit changing for a candidate from the Surovikin-Prygozhin group.[6]

Formations and units

Direct reporting units and formations

Muzyka 2020 lists a total of 21 direct reporting units and formations, but does not include the OGRF in Moldova, but does include Land Forces Command HQ, Moscow, and Joint Strategic Command - West at St Petersburg.

Muzkya 2020 does not include the:

1st Guards Tank Army

See main article: article and 1st Guards Tank Army. HQ: Odintsovo, Moscow Oblast (reinstated 2014)

6th Combined Arms Army

See main article: article and 6th Combined Arms Army. HQ: Saint Petersburg

20th Guards Combined Arms Army

See main article: article and 20th Guards Combined Arms Army. HQ: Voronezh, Voronezh Oblast

Intelligence/Spetsnaz units and formations

Naval Forces

Naval Infantry and Coast Defense

Aerospace Forces

Russian Aerospace Forces - Not Subordinate to Western Military District

Neither of these Russian Aerospace Forces armies are subordinated to the Western Military District.

Leadership

Commanders

Chiefs of Staff - First Deputy Commanders

See also

References

References

59.9381°N 30.3172°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ru. https://ria.ru/20240226/okruga-1929581204.html . ru:Путин подписал указ о новом составе военных округов . ria.ru. 2024-02-26. 2024-02-26.
  2. Web site: Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 20 сентября 2010 года № 1144 "О военно-административном делении Российской Федерации" . 2014-11-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120331181836/http://graph.document.kremlin.ru/page.aspx?1%3B1298267 . 2012-03-31 . dead .
  3. News: Russia sacks commander of Western military district - reports. 2022-10-03. .
  4. Web site: 2014-12-01 . В России создано новое стратегическое командование . 2024-02-05 . Российская газета . ru.
  5. Web site: 2017-05-31 . Северный флот возьмет Арктику под постоянный контроль . 2024-02-05 . Российская газета . ru.
  6. Web site: Dasha. Zubkova . 26 December 2022. Russia Appoints New Commander Of Troops Of Western Military District - Defense Intelligence . 26 December 2022. Ukrainian News Agency.
  7. Web site: Западный военный округ . 2011-07-27 . 2014-01-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140104162756/http://structure.mil.ru/structure/okruga/west/history.htm . live .
  8. News: Dyner . Anna Maria . Russia Beefs Up Military Potential in the Country's Western Areas . Polish Institute of International Affairs . 13 June 2016.
  9. Web site: Necșuțu . Mădălin . Moldova Defends Action, Blocking Russian Troop Rotation in Transnistria . Balkan Insight . Chișinău. July 22, 2022.
  10. Web site: Barabanov . Mikhail . Testing a "New Look" . 18 December 2014 . Russia in Global Affairs .
  11. News: Alpert . Lukas I. . Russia Orders Military Exercises Amid Ukraine Tension . The Wall Street Journal. 27 February 2014 .
  12. Web site: В составе объединенного стратегического командования "Север" сформирован 14-й армейский корпус. bmpd. 2017-04-22. bmpd. 2017-06-16.
  13. News: В состав общевойсковой армии ЗВО вошло подразделение специального назначения. 19 December 2018. 28 December 2018. Press Service of the Western Military District. ru. Spetsnaz unit included in Western Military District combined arms army.
  14. Web site: Russia forming 3rd Army Corps for war in Ukraine – ISW . 6 August 2022 . 27 August 2022.
  15. Web site: 2022-08-05 . Олег Мельниченко напутствовал направленных в именные подразделения добровольцев . 2022-08-31 . Пенза-Обзор - новости Пензы и Пензенской области . ru-RU.
  16. Web site: Kateryna Stepanenko . Karolina Hird . George Barros . Frederick W. Kagan . Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December 26 [2022]].
  17. Web site: Ramm. Alexey. Andreev. Evgeny. Минобороны вернуло "надувной" полк. Izvestia. 22 September 2017. Inews. 20 December 2017. and The Russian Camouflage Regiment. OE Watch. November 2017. 07. 10. 20–21. 20 December 2017.
  18. Web site: Аналіз запасів танків РФ на базах зберігання за Уралом . 2022-09-21 . Мілітарний . uk.
  19. Web site: Две новые дивизии ЗВО и ЮВО полностью обустроят в мае 2017 года. 11 November 2016. РИА Новости. 2017-03-04. ru.
  20. Web site: Войсковая часть 54607 (16-я ОБрСпецНаза). 16 November 2015.
  21. Web site: Rondeli Russian Military Digest: Issue 77, 1 March - 7 March 2021.
  22. Web site: Baltic Fleet to set up new division in response to NATO's build-up near Russian borders.
  23. Web site: Rondeli Russian Military Digest: Issue 81, 29 March - 9 May 2021.
  24. Web site: Rondeli Russian Military Digest: Issue 82, 10 May - 23 May 2021.
  25. Web site: Танковый полк Балтфлота привлечён к манёврам в Калининградской области -.
  26. Web site: Maria Domańska, Szymon Kardaś, Marek Menkiszak, Jadwiga Rogoża, Andrzej Wilk, Iwona Wiśniewska, Piotr Żochowski . 2019-11-07 . Fortress Kaliningrad: Ever Closer to Moscow . 2022-09-14 . OSW Centre for Eastern Studies . 73, 76 . en.
  27. Web site: Russia increases number of tanks in Kaliningrad. 28 January 2019.
  28. News: Russia adds firepower to Kaliningrad exclave citing NATO threat. Reuters. 7 December 2020.
  29. Web site: Rondeli Russian Military Digest: Issue 72, 25 January - 31 January 2021.
  30. Web site: Russian Airborne forces receive Sobolyatnik portable radar | June 2020 News Defense Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army 2020 | Archive News year.
  31. Web site: В тылу сражений: Калининград защитят сверхдальние разведчики. 10 March 2021.
  32. Web site: Baltic Fleet's Tor-M2 missile systems down maneuvering fast-speed targets in drills.
  33. Web site: A look at the Baltic Fleet and the defense of Kaliningrad. 6 April 2020.
  34. Web site: Modernized Artillery for Russian Forces in Kaliningrad. 2 October 2019.
  35. Web site: Russian Forces in Kaliningrad: Implications of the newly formed 18th Guards Motor Rifle Division. 22 March 2021.
  36. Web site: Побережье России прикрыли "ракетные монстры". 7 January 2018.
  37. Web site: Russian Air Force - Today.
  38. Web site: Russia strengthens its forces on the Baltic Sea. 30 January 2018.
  39. Web site: Russian Military Forces: Interactive Map.
  40. Web site: Missile Defense Becomes Part of Great Power Competition. U.S. Department of Defense.
  41. Web site: Rondeli Russian Military Digest: Issue 99, 13 September - 19 September 2021.
  42. Web site: First regiment of S-500 air defense systems to defend Moscow — source .
  43. Web site: Files . wsb.edu.pl.
  44. News: Александр Дворников назначен командующим войсками ЮВО. Milenin. Andrei. 20 September 2016. Isvestia. ru. Aleksandr Dvornikov appointed commander of the Southern Military District. 2 October 2016.
  45. Web site: Бывший командующий российскими войсками в Сирии возглавил Западный военный округ. 10 November 2018. Kommersant. 18 August 2019. ru.
  46. Web site: Ukraine-Niederlagen trotz brutalem Vorgehen – Putin schasst wohl nächsten Top-General . 29 June 2022 . 20 July 2022.
  47. News: Цимбалюк назвал топ-генералов российской армии, которые полетели со своих должностей из-за Украины . Dmitry . Mironenko . 5 September 2022 . Dialog.ua . ru . 9 September 2022 .
  48. News: RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, OCTOBER 3. 2022-10-03. Karolina Hird, Kateryna Stepanenko, Riley Bailey, Katherine Lawlor, and Frederick W. Kagan.
  49. Web site: Russia Appoints New Commander Of Troops Of Western Military District - Defense Intelligence . 26 December 2022.
  50. Web site: 2011-03-30 . Адмирал Николай Максимов назначен начштаба Западного военного округа . 2024-01-24 . Российская газета . ru.