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Russian Airborne Forces

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The Russian Airborne Forces ( Russian : Воздушно-десантные войска России, ВДВ , romanized :  Vozdushno- desantnye voyska Rossii, VDV ) 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 .

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84-558: Troops of the Russian Airborne Forces have traditionally worn a blue beret and blue-striped telnyashka undershirt and are called desant (Russian: Десант), from the French Descente . The Russian Airborne Forces utilizes a range of specialist airborne warfare vehicles and are fully mechanized. Traditionally they have had a larger complement of heavy weaponry than most contemporary airborne forces. After

168-597: A humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ). Average temperature is −10.2 °C (13.6 °F) in February and 20.6 °C (69.1 °F) in July. Falls are generally warm, with snow beginning to accumulate by mid-November. Winters tend to be cold but with moderate amounts of snowfall and nighttime lows occasionally dipping below −25 °C (−13 °F). Summer weather arrives in mid-May. Precipitation averages about 480 millimeters (19 in). The city

252-488: A June 2015 announcement. It was announced in July 2015 that plans called for the 31st Airborne Brigade to be expanded into the 104th Guards Airborne Division by 2023, and for an additional airborne regiment to be attached to each division. Elements of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division's 104th Guards Air Assault Regiment allegedly participated in the war in Donbas . These units allegedly were used as spearhead forces during

336-860: A blue beret. UN light blue for certain peacekeeping forces, navy blue for the Finnish Navy Greek Presidential Guard (light blue) Hellenic Army (dark blue), except for Armour, Special Forces, Army Aviation, and Airmobile troops German Air Force Regiment , Naval Force Protection Battalion , Kommando Spezialkräfte Marine , German personnel of the Eurocorps and the I. German/Dutch Corps , various others (navy blue) German Army medical personnel (cobalt blue) Kazakhstani Airmobile Troops Royal Malaysian Navy Moldovan Ground Forces Royal New Zealand Military Police Royal New Zealand Air Force Police Pakistan Army Corps Of Engineers Polícia Aérea ,

420-658: A developed network of roads and railways which provide a good basis for turning Ulyanovsk into a major transport and logistics hub in the Volga Federal district working not only for Ulyanovsk Region's plants but the whole Volga federal district. Ulyanovsk transport hub provides all forms of transport (busy river port and passenger terminal , railways with two major passenger and cargo stations, airports and now two major bridges) apart from sea, which can serve Russian and international cargo traffic to Kazakhstan , Central Asia and Southeast Asia , Europe, China and back. As

504-452: A magnificent library. The Holy Trinity Cathedral was constructed in a restrained Neoclassical style between 1827 and 1841. In the summer of 1864, in what was believed an arson attack, Simbirsk was mostly destroyed by fire. However, it was quickly rebuilt and continued to grow. Its population, which was 26,000 in 1856, had reached 43,000 by 1897. In 1924, the city was renamed Ulyanovsk in honor of Vladimir Ulyanov, better known as Lenin , who

588-603: A new Bakhcha-U-PDS parachute platform for the BMD-4M and BTR-MDM vehicles were completed in May 2018. Deliveries of new 'heavy drop' systems PBS-950U and PBS-955 began in 2020. In 2019, two battalion sets of BMD-4M airborne combat vehicles and BTR-MDM Rakushka armored personnel carriers, more than 200 units of various automotive equipment, including special armored vehicles, army snowmobiles, four-wheelers and buggies and more than 9,000 parachute systems D-10 and "Arbalet-2" were delivered to

672-454: A separate repairs and maintenance battalion in the Moscow region were completed. Contracted servicemen comprised over 70 percent of the troops. Barnaul-T R&D produced a planning module paradropped to airborne units to simultaneously track a hundred air objects, and a paradroppable reconnaissance and command module to detect targets in a 40-km range, deployable in five minutes. State tests of

756-595: Is a city and the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast , Russia, located on the Volga River 705 kilometers (438 mi) east of Moscow . Ulyanovsk has been the only Russian UNESCO City of Literature since 2015. The city was the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin (born Ulyanov), for whom it was renamed after his death in 1924; and of Alexander Kerensky , the leader of the Russian Provisional Government which Lenin overthrew during

840-592: Is a turret-less variant of the BMD-1, the BTR-D, which is used as troop carrier and serves as the basis for specialised versions such as anti-tank, command and signals. The BTR-D will be partially replaced by the new multi-purpose APC BTR-MD "Rakushka" that will also come in several different versions. Approximately 280 vehicles in all BTR-D configurations are in service. As part of the 2011 state defence order (GOZ), 10 BMD-4M and 10 "Rakushka's" have been ordered, but according to

924-515: Is based in the city. There are many manufacturing facilities of foreign corporations such as Legrand (company) , Mars, Incorporated , Takata-Petri , Anadolu Efes S.K. , ALFA (Mexico) and others. Banking is mostly represented by national banks such as Sberbank , VTB Bank, Alfa-Bank , Bin Bank, Ak Bars Bank and also regional banks from Ulyanovsk Oblast . Ulyanovsk has also a strong military base presence in town. The 31st Airborne Brigade of

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1008-470: Is headed by a mayor who is the executive branch, and city council which is the legislative branch. The term of the mayor is five years. In 2010 the city council abolished the direct elections to the mayor, replacing it with city manager, appointed by the council. Then again, in April 2013 the city charter was amended to re-introduce the direct mayoral election. Ulyanovsk serves as the administrative center of

1092-632: Is subject to frequent, but moderate, droughts. Springs and summers are sunny, but fall and winter are usually cloudy. Median annual temperature is +5.1 °C (41.2 °F). A maximum temperature of +39.3 °C (102.7 °F) was recorded on 2 August 2010, during a record-breaking heat wave . Ulyanovsk is a major, diversified, industrial hub for aircraft and auto industries. The UAZ automobile manufacturing plant (subsidiary of Sollers JSC ); Aviastar-SP Aircraft Company (part of United Aircraft Corporation ); Scientific and Production Association "Mars" (manufactures industrial control systems for

1176-535: Is used as the logo of United Nations Peacekeeping. Military forces [ edit ] Australian Army Aviation , Royal Australian Air Force Airfield Defence Guards Belarusian Ground Forces Brazilian army cadets (Dark Blue) and Brazilian Army Aviation Command (Royal Blue) Royal Canadian Air Force as well as Canadian Army units including Artillery , Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Signals (dark blue known as "army blue") Finnish Air Force , army aviation and military bands all use

1260-448: The 45th Detached Reconnaissance Brigade and the 106th's 173rd Guards Separate Reconnaissance Company were previously deployed to Ukraine alongside Ground Forces units. In February 2016, it was reported that an airborne battalion would be permanently deployed to Dzhankoy , Crimea , in 2017–18, and upgraded to a regiment in 2020. In May 2017, Shamanov announced that the battalion would be formed at Feodosiya by 1 December 2017 as part of

1344-534: The 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division , and would be expanded into the 97th Air Assault Regiment with three battalions by late 2019. Since the 2014 annexation , the status of Crimea is under dispute between Russia and Ukraine ; Ukraine and the majority of the international community considers Crimea an integral part of Ukraine, while Russia considers Crimea to be an integral part of Russia. In August 2016, Russian paratroopers placed 1st place in

1428-529: The Battle of Mykolaiv , but were pushed back by a Ukrainian counter-offensive. On 18 March it was reported that Colonel Sergei Sukharev along with deputy Major Sergei Krylov of the 331st Guards Airborne Regiment had been killed during fighting in Mariupol. In late April, Bellingcat journalist Christo Grozev claimed that he "personally checked" and that Russia had lost "almost 90% of its best paratroopers" in

1512-580: The Battle of Vasylkiv to the Ukrainians. On February 27, VDV troops with BMD-2s and BTR-Ds were seen advancing south of Hostomel in Bucha . The VDV and Ground Forces' units were hit on the same day by Bayraktar air strikes. The Ukrainian government claimed that "more than 100 units of enemy equipment were destroyed”. On the following weeks the VDV served as mechanized infantry and light infantry during

1596-638: The Hostomel Airport in northern Kyiv , in order to use the airport to airlift more troops and heavy equipment to take Kyiv as a form of forward "air bridge" that would enable rapid deployment of Russian forces far in advance of the Russian land front, in an action that became known as the Battle of Antonov Airport . The VDV troops at the airport then engaged the Ukrainian National Guard's 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade , which with

1680-565: The Kosovo War . A confrontation between elements of the 1st Separate Airborne Brigade and British lead element of the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps ( NATO ) took place over the airport on 12 June 1999, in the aftermath of the Kosovo War . VDV troops occupied the airport ahead of a NATO deployment, resulting in a tense stand-off, which was resolved peacefully. The VDV also took part in

1764-708: The Kyiv offensive . During the Battle of Kharkiv , VDV paratroopers landed in Kharkiv on March 2 in an attempt to capture the contested city. They attempted a raid on a local military hospital but were repelled by local Ukrainian forces. According to the UK Ministry of Defence in June 2023, Russia was redeploying regular military units to the Bakhmut sector following withdrawal of Wagner forces . These included elements of

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1848-526: The October Revolution of 1917. It is also famous for its writers such as Ivan Goncharov , Nikolay Yazykov and Nikolay Karamzin , and for painters such as Arkady Plastov and Nikas Safronov . Simbirsk was founded in 1648 by the boyar Bogdan Khitrovo . The fort of "Simbirsk" (alternatively "Sinbirsk") was strategically placed on a hill on the Western bank of the Volga River . The fort

1932-585: The Russian Airborne Troops of the armed forces is based in Ulyanovsk. " Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing CIS" - Japan tyre works, work from 2016. Production of industrial gases: Linde Gas Rus, Spektrum of Gases. Tourism is a growing industry in the city and the surrounding areas because of Volga micro-climate and historical significance of Simbirsk . Hilton Hotel Group and Marriott Hotels & Resorts are building their hotels in

2016-562: The Russian Bandy Super League . Volga-2 plays in the 2nd division. An indoor arena for bandy, Volga-Sport-Arena , opened in 2014, as one of the first in Russia. It has a capacity of 5 000. The Bandy World Championship 2016 was played in Ulyanovsk and nearby Dimitrovgrad . [1] The Youth-17 Bandy World Championship will be hosted by Ulyanovsk in 2018. In association football, FC Volga plays in "Urals-Volga" zone of

2100-536: The Russian Navy , a subsidiary of state-owned conglomerate Agat); Ulyanovsk Cartridge Works (manufactures ammunition for firearms); Ulyanovsk Motor Plant ( Ульяновский моторный завод , UMZ) and Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant ( Ульяновский механический завод , UMZ , a subsidiary of JSC Almaz-Antey ) are based in the city along with a variety of light industry and food-processing enterprises. An international airline for unique and heavy cargo , Volga-Dnepr Airlines ,

2184-507: The Russian Second Division (2016–2017 season). Ulyanovsk also hosted matches of first qualifying round UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship 2014 . Matches were held at Trud Stadium in the downtown Ulyanovsk. In 2017 "Trud" was closed for reconstruction. In 2017 the first CIS festival for national sports and games, Фестиваль национальных видов спорта и игр государств — участников Содружества Независимых Государств ,

2268-540: The dissolution of the Soviet Union , the Russian Airborne Forces were officially established by a presidential decree on 7 May 1992. At this time only two of the seven VDV divisions were located on the territory of the Russian Federation . An agreement was reached between Russia and the new governments of Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , and Kyrgyzstan to move airborne units into Russia's new borders. During

2352-464: The oblast . Within the framework of administrative divisions , it is, together with thirty rural localities , incorporated as the city of oblast significance of Ulyanovsk —an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts . As a municipal division , the city of oblast significance of Ulyanovsk is incorporated as Ulyanovsk Urban Okrug . In 2008, there were registered 6,774 births and 8,054 deaths in Ulyanovsk. Ulyanovsk has

2436-483: The 1990s the total strength of the Airborne Forces was reduced from about 80,000 in the late Soviet years to just 35,000. The forces were reduced from seven divisions to five, with the remaining ones being the 7th, 76th, 98th, 104th, and the 106th Guards Airborne. Out of these, the 104th was later disbanded, and the four existing divisions had their size reduced to only two regiments instead of three. A new unit

2520-468: The 31st at Ulyanovsk , however, is not equipped with its own armor or artillery and may be equivalent to Western airborne troops in that it functions as light infantry, on foot when reaching their destination. The 31st was the former 104th Guards Airborne Division. VDV troops participated in the rapid deployment of Russian forces stationed in Bosnian city Ugljevik , in and around Pristina Airport during

2604-704: The 56th Air Assault Brigade in the Southern Military District (formerly the North Caucasus Military District ) were partially infantry formations reporting directly to the military districts they are stationed in. The VDV's training institute is the Ryazan Institute for the Airborne Forces named for General of the Army V.F. Margelov. In addition, in the mid-late 1990s, the former 345th Guards Airborne Regiment

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2688-613: The 56th at Kamyshin in the Southern Military District ) would be returned to VDV command. The process was completed by July 2015. In October 2013, Commander-in-Chief of the VDV Vladimir Shamanov announced that a new air assault brigade would be formed in Voronezh in 2016 with the number of the 345th Guards Airborne Regiment. The establishment of the brigade was postponed to 2017–18, according to

2772-510: The 76th and 106th VDV divisions and two additional brigades. The MoD added that the VDV was much degraded from its pre-invasion "elite" status. On 3 March 2022, it was reported that Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky of the VDV's 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division, who was the appointed deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army , was killed in action in Ukraine. His death is attributed to sniper fire either near Mariupol (which

2856-742: The Airborne Platoon competition during the International Army Games in Russia, defeating teams from China, Iran, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. On 4 October 2016, Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov was appointed commander of the Russian Airborne Forces, replacing Shamanov, who became chief of the Duma Committee on Defense. During 2016, three reconnaissance battalions and six tank companies, and two companies of electronic warfare and unmanned aerial vehicles were formed. 188 new and upgraded armored vehicles were delivered, with

2940-483: The August 2014 DPR and LPR counteroffensive. During the August 2014 counteroffensive, battalion tactical groups of the 7th Guards Airborne Division's 247th Guards Air Assault Regiment , the 98th Guards Airborne Division's 331st Guards Airborne Regiment , the 106th Guards Airborne Division's 137th Guards Airborne Regiment , and the 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade allegedly were sent into Ukraine. Reconnaissance teams from

3024-480: The Balkans) are known to have used BTR armored personnel carriers rather than BMD's. T-72B3 tanks supplied to the Russian Airborne Forces in 2018 have been upgraded and are equipped with Andromeda automatic control system and some of them with top-attack defence screens. As of 2021, the Russian Airborne Forces have 150 T-72B3 and 10 T-72B3 mod. 2016. T-90 M tanks are also attached to VDV units as of August 2023. There

3108-639: The Lesochek EW system. There are over 1,800 armored fighting vehicles, mostly BMD-1 (since 1969), of which all but around 100 are in storage, and at least several hundred BMD-2 (since 1985). There are over 100 BMD-3 (1990) that were partially upgraded to BMD-4 level. All of them are amphibious, moving at around 10 km/h in water. The BMD-4 is capable of full, continuous fire while in deep water, unlike any other vehicle with such heavy weaponry (100 mm gun and 30 mm auto cannon). However, some units (such as those who served on peacekeeping duties in

3192-541: The Mobile Forces plan was never enacted. The number of formations available for the force was far less than anticipated, since much of the Airborne Forces had been 'nationalised' by the republics their units had been previously based in, and other arms of service, such as the GRU and Military Transport Aviation , who were to provide the airlift component, were adamantly opposed to ceding control of their forces. From 1996

3276-3930: The Plains Fruit Knit Monmouth Party Shower Tin foil Umbrella Whoopee Sports Cricket baggy green Balaclava facekini Baseball trucker Bicycle clip Casquette Deerstalker Horse racing Mounteere Rally Sports visor green eyeshade Stormy Kromer Swimming Water polo Historical Attifet Apex Beaver Bergère Boudoir Boyar Bycocket Capotain Cavalier Coal scuttle bonnet Coif Dolly Varden Dunce Fontange French hood Phrygian Hennin Kausia Kokoshnik Miner's Mob Modius Pamela Petasos Pileus Poke bonnet Pudding Toque Witch Gediminas' Cap Folk Arakhchin Asian conical Aso Oke Astrakhan (hat) Ayam Balmoral bonnet Bell-boy Beonggeoji Bhadgaunle Topi Birke topi Blangkon Blue bonnet Chapan Chullo Coloured Coonskin Cork Dhaka topi Doppa Dutch Energy dome Fez Four Winds Fujin Fulani Futou Gandhi Gat Glengarry Icelandic tail Jaapi Jeongjagwan Jobawi Kalpak Karakul Kasa Kashket Keffiyeh Kofia Kufi Kuma Labbadeh Lika Malahai Montenegrin Montera picona Mooskappe Nambawi Nón quai thao Ochipok Paag Pahlavi Pakol Papakha Pashteen Pungcha Qeleshe Qing Rastacap Šajkača Salako Salakot Senufo bird Shyade Šibenik Sindhi Sombrero sombrero calañés sombrero cordobés sombrero de catite sombrero vueltiao Song Songkok Stormy Kromer cap Straw Šubara Sun Tam o' shanter Tang Tanggeon Tantour Taqiyah Tembel Tokin Topor Tsunokakushi Tubeteika Tuque Tyrolean Upe Ushanka Welsh Yanggwan Wrapped headwear Apostolnik Bashlyk Birrus Bonnet Boshiya Burqa Caul Chador Chaperon Cornette Dastar Do-rag Dumalla Emamah Għonnella Gook Gugel Gulle Haredi burqa sect Hijab Hogeon Hood Jang-ot Khăn vấn Litham Mysore peta Niqāb Pagri Paranja Pheta Puneri Pagadi Roach Snood Sudra Tichel Tudong Turban Veil Yashmak Hat parts Agal Aigrette Brim Bumper brim Campaign cord Cointoise Gamsbart Hackle Lappet Plume Sarpech Visor Accessories Cockade Feathers Hat box Hatpin Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blue_beret&oldid=1212309073 " Category : Berets Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Ulyanovsk Ulyanovsk , known as Simbirsk until 1924,

3360-954: The Portuguese Air Force security forces Portuguese Navy Royal Malaysian Air Force PASKAU Spanish Royal Guard Soviet and Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) Turkish Armed Forces personnel who completed the Commando course and are assigned to Commando brigades and Gendarmerie General Command United Kingdom Army Air Corps , Royal Air Force United Nations Peacekeeping troops United States Air Force Security Forces Police forces [ edit ] Special Purpose Police Unit (Azerbaijan) , Internal Troops of Azerbaijan Royal Malaysia Police Royal Malaysia Police General Operations Force Royal Malaysia Police Marine Operations Force Gendarmery (Serbia) , Special Police Units (Serbia) , Ministry of Internal Affairs (Serbia) Bodyguard Corps of

3444-572: The Public Security Police of Portugal Other organizations [ edit ] National Blue Beret , an activity in the United States Civil Air Patrol program Civil Air Patrol , members who are graduates of National Blue Beret Lazarus Union , members who are uniformed members in active duty around the world Blue Berets (performers) , a performing ensemble whose members are all part of

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3528-912: The REX-1 counter-unmanned aerial vehicle rifle-like, man-portable jammer developed by Kalashnikov Group subsidiary ZALA Aero Group are also being introduced into service. Portable versions of the Garmony air defence radar, modernized reconnaissance and artillery fire control posts and Aistyonok and Sobolyatnik radars are being supplied to the VDV. The Russian Airborne Forces have also received new special-purpose controlled wing-type parachutes. VDV servicemen performing tasks in Ukraine received VKPO 3.0 all-season field uniform kits in 2023. The automatic cargo parachute system Junker-DG-250 passed acceptance trials and began to be supplied in November 2023. VDV also reportedly use

3612-617: The Russian Airborne Forces equipment level of modern weapons at 47%. From 2015 to 2016 five intelligence units and six tank units have been formed, over 3,000 new pieces of weaponry and special military equipment were supplied, the number of contract servicemen had grown by 1.5 times, while the troops' training intensity had risen by 20 percent. The Russian Airborne Forces received over eleven thousand new and upgraded weapons in 2017. The share of modern armaments and hardware comprises 62 percent. In two years four battalion sets of 120 BMD-4M and BTR-MDM Rakushka vehicles were supplied. Besides that,

3696-2611: The Russian armed forces UNEDU Blue Berets , international humanitarian aid agency References [ edit ] ^ "UN Troops in Africa: Blue berets in the red" . The Economist . 9 June 2012 . Retrieved 13 January 2016 . ^ Finnish military fosters future leaders v t e Hats and caps List of hat styles Western culture Formal Cartwheel Cloche Cocktail Doll Draped turban Eugénie Fascinator Half Halo Juliet Mushroom lampshade Picture peach Pillbox Tam Top opera Semi-formal Homburg Anthony Eden Boater Bowler Buntal Informal Cabbage-tree Chupalla Fedora trilby Flat coppola newsboy Panama Pork pie Smoking Wideawake Uniforms Aviator Bearskin Bell-boy hat Bicorne Black Boonie Budenovka Busby Campaign Cap comforter Cappello Alpino Casquette d'Afrique Caubeen Cavalry Stetson Czapka Doctoral Feather bonnet Forage karvalakki Fur wedge Hardee Jeep Kepi Mazepynka Nurse's Maintenance / Chapeau Military beret / Uniform beret black blue green maroon red tan Patrol Peaked mariner's sailor Printer's Rogatywka Shako Side titovka triglavka Ski Slouch Sou'wester Student faluche Square academic Tricorne Utility cover Religious Christian Western Biretta Canterbury Camauro Capirote Cappello romano Capuchon Christening cap Galero Head covering for Christian women Easter bonnet mantilla wimple Mitre papal tiara Pilgrim's Salvation Army bonnet Shovel Zucchetto Eastern Klobuk epanokalimavkion kalimavkion koukoulion Skufia Jewish Jewish Kashket Kippah Kolpik Spodik Shtreimel Casual Animal Ascot Barretina Beanie Beret Bobble Breton Bucket Chilote Cowboy Boss of

3780-413: The Soviet Union , the tourist importance of Ulyanovsk sharply decreased. In the 1990s, the city went through the hardest times—a slump in production in all branches, mass unemployment, and a population impoverishment. In the first decade of the 2000s the economy started to grow. Ulyanovsk slowly recovered from these downturns into regional manufacturing, educational and transportation clusters . The city

3864-613: The VDV ( Russian : 332 Школа прапорщиков ВДВ ) in Moscow was disbanded in December 2009 (also under the 2008 reform programme, all praporshchik (WO) posts in the Russian Armed Forces were formally abolished). In October 2013 it was reported that the three airborne brigades under military district control (apparently the 11th and 83rd (Ulan-Ude and Ussuriysk) in the Eastern Military District and

3948-458: The VDV dispatched the 1st Airborne Brigade to Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of IFOR 's Multi-National Division North . The brigade, unusually, used Russian Ground Forces equipment such as BTR-80s . After an experimental period, the 104th Parachute Regiment of 76th Airborne Division became the first Russian Ground Forces regiment that was fully composed of professional soldiers (and not of srochniki – conscripted soldiers aged eighteen). It

4032-476: The VDV received during the past year over 2,500 units of weapons, military and special equipment, including more than 780 samples of "newest and contemporary ones". Among the newest samples were T-90 M tanks and BMD-4 M IFVs as well as BTR-MDM "Rakushka" and BTR-82A APCs. It was also reported on 3 January that 20 military units were created in 2023, including the Ulyanovsk air assault division. About 16,000 landing means were also reportedly delivered and 1,000 more in

4116-592: The VDV's CinC General Colonel Shamanov, Kurganmashzavod did not give a guarantee it would produce them. The Russian Defense Ministry adopted the BMD-4M in April 2016. The first production batch of the new armored vehicles BMD-4M and BTR-MDM "Shell" in the amount of 24 units (12 each) transferred to the Russian Airborne Forces in 2015. The VDV equipped the first regiment with BMD-4Ms and BTR-MDMs in 2016. In 2017, they received two battalion sets of BMD-4M combat airborne vehicles and BTR-MDM APCs, over 80 Rys’ and UAZ Pickup armored automobiles. Blue beret From Misplaced Pages,

4200-537: The Zavet-D artillery fire control vehicle for the Airborne Forces. In 2021-2022, the Airborne Forces received about 30,000 sets of landing equipment and parachute systems. Sergey Shoigu claimed in September 2023 that VDV have received more than 2,000 hardware units and 5,500 landing means and also a new airborne regiment formed since the beginning of the year. The Russian Ministry of Defense said on 1 January 2024 that

4284-454: The aging Ulyanovsk bridge, the only crossing of the Volga in the 400 km stretch from Kazan to Tolyatti , could no longer cope with the growing needs of the city, the construction of President Bridge , a truss bridge , began in the late 1980s. Completion was delayed significantly due to catastrophic economic circumstances following the end of the Soviet Union. Its official opening ceremony

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4368-568: The air assault divisions would simply be transported there by aircraft. The 7th Division was also designated as a "mountain" air assault division. The 31st Separate Air Assault Brigade had all of its artillery and armored vehicles removed, which made it more comparable to a Western airborne unit. The 11th Air Assault Brigade in the Central Military District (formerly the Siberian Military District ) and

4452-608: The airport. In the end, however, the Ukrainians claimed that the airport became too damaged from the battle to be used as an airstrip. 40 kilometers south of Kyiv in Vasylkiv , VDV paratroopers also dropped in an attempt to secure the Vasylkiv Air Base . Without any support from air or ground forces, the VDV troops in Vasylkiv were eventually encircled and were unsuccessful in achieving their objectives, giving victory in

4536-402: The breach opened by the parachute landing forces. Personal firearms and crew served weapons include: The VDV are fully equipped with Barmitsa and Ratnik infantry combat suits as of 2018. Andromeda-D, Barnaul-T and Dozor automated control systems, AS-1 snowmobiles, four wheelers, a specially-created uniform for hot climates and Nanuk Arctic gear, reconnaissance-control and planning modules and

4620-453: The downtown area. The region of Undory, a driving distance from Ulyanovsk is famous for its spas and mineral water. The city offers many options for sports enthusiasts. The countryside is ideal for outdoor and water sports. The springs of Undory have been known for more than 200 years. The water at spa is rich in sodium chloride, and comes from artesian wells. A railway bridge across the Volga

4704-698: The driver being killed. On 28 January 2010, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the VDV's air components had been placed under the VVS. Under the 2008 reform programme , the four existing two-regiment divisions should have been transformed into 7–8 air-assault brigades. However, once General Shamanov became commander-in-chief of the Airborne Forces, it was decided to keep the original structure. The divisions were strengthened, becoming four independent airborne/air-assault brigades, one for each military district. The 332nd School for Praporshchiks of

4788-588: The first echelon of the invasion. Many helicopters were shot down by Ukrainian defenses, and the paratroopers were stranded without armored vehicles or air support. In early May, the UK MoD stated that the VDV units and other elite forces had suffered high losses and that it would "probably take years for Russia to reconstitute these forces." On 19 June 2022, it was reported by Odesa military-civilian spokesperson Serhiy Bratchuk that Putin had sacked Serdyukov for his doomed bid to take Hostomel airfield , which few of

4872-481: The first quarter of 2024. The VDV participated heavily in the Russian invasion of Ukraine . In the opening hours of the invasion the VDV attempted to secure key airports and support assaults around Ukraine. These paratroopers were recognizable by the orange-and-black Saint George ribbons decorating their helmets and arms. The VDV attempted to paradrop and transport troops with Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters and take

4956-560: The force received over 100 upgraded weapons, including 2S9-1M self-propelled guns. From 2015 to 2017 the air defense units received close to 500 modern automated reconnaissance and command complexes, new Verba portable missiles, and over 30 upgraded Strela-10MN missile complexes. On December 1, 2017, the organizational events to create a separate airborne assault battalion in Novorosiisk mountain division deployed in Feodosiya and

5040-667: The 💕 Blue-colored berets and organizations that use them [REDACTED] UN blue beret being worn by Luís Carrilho , head of the United Nations Police [REDACTED] Canadian peacekeeper in 1976 wearing the distinctive UN blue helmet A blue beret is a blue-colored beret used by various (usually special) military and other organizations. United Nations peacekeepers are often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets, this includes soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel. The blue helmet

5124-585: The front for treatment and 5,000 had returned to the front after treatment. As of 21 December 2023 at least 248 BMD-2, 101 BMD-4M, 83 BTR-D and 11 unknown BTR-D/BMD-2 have been lost in the invasion. After the invasion it was announced that the Airborne Forces would create two new divisions. Teplinsky announced on August 2, 2023 that the VDV is expanding the 31st Air Assault Brigade into the 104th Guards Air Assault Division . The 299th and 119th Parachute-Landing Regiments were also reestablished, expanding two other divisions from two to three regiments. Also reported

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5208-693: The help of the Ukrainian Air Force encircled the unsupported VDV troops and recaptured the airport, with the Russians escaping to nearby woods. The next day battle resumed, and the VDV again attempted to land troops at the airport. Deploying around 200 helicopters and with support from the Ground Forces arriving from the north (Belarus and Chernobyl ), they finally broke through the Ukrainian defenses and established Russian control over

5292-425: The history of Russian aviation. As part of its mission in the Arctic region, the aircrew provided landing of airborne units from altitudes of between 10 and 1.8 kilometres, as well as landing of cargo with a total weight of about 18 tons. After conducting practical combat training, the Il-76 aircrews landed at the Nagurskoe airfield in the northern part of the island of Franz Josef Land . The high-altitude landing

5376-497: The houses where Lenin lived between 1870 and 1887. The restoration of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was considered, but has since been canceled. However, many historical constructions remain. Among them the house in which writer Ivan Goncharov was born, the Protestant church and other buildings. Ulyanovsk is home to several tourist destinations around the downtown museum district and famous Volga River tours. The Ulyanovsk State historical memorial complex "Lenin`s hometown" houses

5460-704: The invading soldiers survived. This was confirmed by Russian media reports. He was replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky . According to BBC News Russian and the Mediazona news website, 1,937 VDV deaths had been documented by the end of August 2023, which included 340 officers, accounting for 6% of the 31,665 Russian fatalities who had been identified by name, and 8% of those who could identified by both name and service branch. UK intelligence estimate that around 30,000 paratroop forces were deployed to Ukraine in 2022 and that 50% of those have been killed or wounded by summer 2023. A Russian General in August 2023 stated that 3,500 wounded paratroopers had refused to leave

5544-459: The invasion of Chechnya . Notable former Airborne Forces officers include Aleksandr Lebed , who was involved in responses to disorder in the Caucasus republics in the last years of the Soviet Union, and Pavel Grachev who went on to become the first Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation . On 26 May 2009 Lieutenant-General Vladimir Anatolevich Shamanov became the commander of the VDV, replacing Lieutenant-General Valeriy Yevtukhovich who

5628-415: The level of the reservoir, protected from flooding by a dam: it is estimated that its catastrophic failure would submerge parts of the city comprising around 5% of its total population with as much as 10 meters (33 ft) of water. During the Soviet period, Ulyanovsk was an important tourist center, drawing visitors from around the country because of its revolutionary importance. After the dissolution of

5712-471: The quality of existing Air Assault formations. The Air Landing Forces combine Parachute Landing ( парашютно-десантние ) and Landing Assault ( десантно-штурмовие ) units. The difference between the two is that while both were airborne qualified and mechanised with BMD, BTR-D, 2S9 Nona , the parachute landing units are lighter (only quarter mechanised) and play the role of entry element, while landing assault units were fully mechanised and were intended to develop

5796-457: The regional city center, the center of Simbirsk-Ulyanovsk. The memorial estate has been recreating the local culture connected with architecture, education and way of life of Russia since the end of the 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century. The State historical memorial complex "Lenin`s hometown" was founded in 1984. Now it consists of 14 museums and the Showroom, and has a young creative collective of 152 people. Volga plays in

5880-456: The right-bank part of the city, and all the trolley only on the left bank), 50 municipal bus routes, and about 150 fixed-route taxi ( marshrutkas ) lines. The City of Ulyanovsk has a working plan to build high-speed rail system to connect the two banks of the town. Ulyanovsk is served by the Ulyanovsk Vostochny Airport (the international airport) in the left-bank part of the city and Ulyanovsk Baratayevka Airport (Ulyanovsk Central Airport) in

5964-411: The right-bank part of the city. There is also a large number of technical and medical community colleges in Ulyanovsk. During the Soviet period, Ulyanovsk lost much of its historical heritage due to both neglect and intentional destruction. All traces of the original wooden fort have disappeared, as have the churches of old Simbirsk; the majority of 19th-century buildings remain in the city, including

6048-541: The troops. In April 2020, military personnel from the Russian Airborne Forces, performed the world's first HALO paradrop from the lower border of the Arctic stratosphere . The Russian commando group used "next-generation special-purpose parachute system", military-tested oxygen equipment, navigation devices, special equipment, and uniforms. This was the first high-altitude landing in the Arctic latitudes over 10 km in

6132-527: Was besieged by Russian forces ) or Hostomel during the Kyiv offensive. Ukrainian sources said he was killed on 2 March and his death was first confirmed on VKontakte by "Combat Brotherhood", a Russian veterans group, and later by President Vladimir Putin . The VDV suffered similar losses in Bucha and Irpin with poor command and control being cited. The VDV also joined the assault on the city of Mykolaiv during

6216-405: Was also formed, the 45th Separate Reconnaissance Regiment, which was subordinated to the GRU military intelligence for operations despite being part of the Airborne Forces. In 2006, the 7th and 76th were re-designated as air assault divisions, while the 98th and 106th remained as airborne divisions. The main difference was that the latter still had the ability to parachute troops into a location while

6300-470: Was announced that the 98th Airborne Division was also earmarked for contract manning, and by September 2006, it was confirmed that 95% of the units of the 98th Division had shifted to contract manning. With the reduction in forces after 1991, the 61st Air Army, Russia's military air transport force, has enough operational heavy transport aircraft to move one airborne division, manned at peacetime standards, in two-and-a-half lifts. The single independent brigade,

6384-480: Was being discharged to the reserve. Shamanov had been decorated as a Hero of Russia for his combat role in the campaigns in Chechnya. His previous posts were as chief of the combat training directorate and commander of the 58th Army , and later chief of the main combat training directorate. Shamanov and the acting commander of the 106th Airborne Division were severely injured in a car crash on 30 October 2010, with

6468-640: Was born in Simbirsk in 1870. Two other Russian political leaders, Alexander Kerensky and Alexander Protopopov , were also born in Simbirsk. The construction of the Kuybyshev hydroelectric plant (completed in 1957) 200 kilometers (120 mi) downstream of Ulyanovsk resulted in the flooding of significant tracts of land both north and south of Ulyanovsk and increasing the width of the Volga by up to 35 kilometers (22 mi) in some places. To this day, some populated neighborhoods of Ulyanovsk remain well below

6552-593: Was built in 1912–1916 and two automobile lanes were added to it in 1953–1958, allowing for the city to expand on the Eastern (left) bank of the river and transforming it into a local transport hub . According to Ulyanovsk Region Development Corporation, Ulyanovsk Region is conveniently situated in the center of the European part of Russia, where east west and north south air, rail, car and river routes cross. It has an industrial, transport and business infrastructure and

6636-790: Was dedicated to the 75th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic war of 1941–1945 , and the 90th anniversary of the formation of the Airborne troops. In 2020, the VDV continued to modernize and re-equip its command posts, started to receive the Stayer high-altitude parachute system which enable airdrops from up to 10 km altitude, and completed receiving special-purpose controllable parachute systems. Two air assault regiments were set up in Pskov and Crimea as part of air assault divisions in 2021. The Russian Defense Ministry also accepted

6720-519: Was destroyed by a fire during the 18th century. As the eastern border of the Russian Empire was rapidly pushed into Siberia , Simbirsk rapidly lost its strategic importance, but nonetheless began to develop into an important regional center. Simbirsk was granted city status in 1796. Simbirsk was then considered an exclusive town favoured by the aristocracy, and besides its churches and a Governor's Place, included an Assembly Of The Nobles, with

6804-474: Was meant to protect the eastern frontier of the Tsardom of Russia from the nomadic tribes and to establish a permanent royal presence in the area. In 1668, Simbirsk withstood a month-long siege by a 20,000-strong army led by rebel Cossack commander Stenka Razin . Also in Simbirsk another country rebel, Yemelyan Pugachev , was imprisoned before execution. At the time Simbirsk possessed a wooden kremlin , which

6888-631: Was on November 24, 2009, by the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev – although traffic was using the bridge a few days earlier. The bridge has a total length of 5.5 km, making it one of the longest in Europe. The city is divided by the river Sviyaga , a tributary of the Volga whose confluence with it is about 200 km north of the city. Public transportation in the city is well developed and provided by 17 tram lines, 7 trolleybus routes (and all tram lines are only on

6972-609: Was stationed in Gudauta , Abkhazia AR, Georgia. It later became the 10th Independent Peacekeeping Airborne Regiment. The unit was further designated the 50th Military Base. In the early 1990s, General Pavel Grachev , the first Russian Defence Minister, planned for the VDV to form the core of the planned Mobile Forces. This was announced in Krasnaya Zvezda , the Ministry of Defence 's daily newspaper, in July 1992. However,

7056-480: Was the creation of a new Airborne Forces artillery brigade and the 44th Air Assault Division, created on the basis of the 111th and 387th Motor Rifle Regiments of the 1st Donetsk Army Corps of the turncoat Donetsk People's Republic . The 44th Air Assault Division recalls the number of the Soviet-era 44th Training Airborne Division . But formed from newly-formed motor rifle regiments, it would not be anything like

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