76th Airborne Division (Russia)
Encyclopedia
The 76th Guards Air Assault Division is a division of the Russian Airborne Troops based in Pskov
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in May 1945. Soon after the war it became the 76th Airborne Division, by 1946 as part of the 15th Airborne Corps.
The 76th Division originally had three regiments: the 104th, 234th, and 237th, with the 237th Guards Airborne Regiment disbanded circa 2002.
After an experimental period, the 104th Parachute Regiment of the 76th Airborne Division became the first Russian ground forces regiment that was fully composed of professional soldiers (and not of "srochniki" - the conscripted soldiers aged eighteen).
Elements of the 104th Regiment were ambushed in Chechnya in March 2000.
In 2006, the 76th Airborne Division became an Air Assault Division.
In 2008 the 76th Air Assault Division was involved in the 2008 South Ossetia war
, being deployed to South Ossetia
and fought in the Battle of Tskhinvali
.
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
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History
The 76th Air Assault Division was originally established in 1939 as the 157th Rifle Division. On 1 March 1943 it became the 76th Guards Rifle Division. The Division fought in Chernigov, Odessa, Brest and Danzig with the 70th Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front2nd Belorussian Front
The 2nd Belorussian Front was a military formation of Army group size of the Soviet Army during the Second World War...
in May 1945. Soon after the war it became the 76th Airborne Division, by 1946 as part of the 15th Airborne Corps.
The 76th Division originally had three regiments: the 104th, 234th, and 237th, with the 237th Guards Airborne Regiment disbanded circa 2002.
After an experimental period, the 104th Parachute Regiment of the 76th Airborne Division became the first Russian ground forces regiment that was fully composed of professional soldiers (and not of "srochniki" - the conscripted soldiers aged eighteen).
Elements of the 104th Regiment were ambushed in Chechnya in March 2000.
In 2006, the 76th Airborne Division became an Air Assault Division.
In 2008 the 76th Air Assault Division was involved in the 2008 South Ossetia war
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
, being deployed to South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
and fought in the Battle of Tskhinvali
Battle of Tskhinvali
The Battle of Tskhinvali was a fight for the city of Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia. It was the only major battle in the 2008 South Ossetia War. Georgian ground troops entered the city on early 8 August 2008, after an extensive artillery barrage. Their advance was stopped by South Ossetian...
.
Subordinated units and fighting strength
As of 2009, the 76th Air Assault Division consisted of the following units:- 76th Guards Air Assault Division in PskovPskovPskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
- 23rd Guards Airborne Regiment in Pskov (newly formed regiment)
- 104th Guards Airborne Regiment in Cherekha
- 234th Guards Airborne Regiment in Pskov
- 1140th Guards Artillery Regiment in Pskov
- 4th Air Defence Regiment in Pskov
- 107th Air Defence Battalion in Pskov
- 165th Air Defence Battalion in DonskoyDonskoyDonskoy , Donskaya , or Donskoye may refer to:People*Alexander Donskoy , mayor of Arkhangelsk, Russia*Boris Donskoy , Russian revolutionary...
(from disbanded 106th Guards Airborne Division)
- 656th Engineer Battalion in Pskov
- 728th Signal Battalion in Pskov
- 7th Maintenance Battalion in Pskov
- 242nd Military Transport Aviation Squadron in Pskov
- 3996th Airmobile Hospital
External links and further reading
- 76th Airborne Division (official site)
- Thornton, Rod (2004) "Military Organizations and Change: The 'Professionalization' of the 76th Airborne Division", The Journal of Slavic Military Studies ,17:3,449 — 474