The 16th Separate Guards Order of Zhukov Spetsnaz Brigade () is a

Spetsnaz SpetsnazThe term is borrowed from rus, спецназ, p=spʲɪtsˈnas; abbreviation for or 'Special Purpose Military Units'; or () are special forces in many post-Soviet states. Historically, this term referred to the Soviet Union's Spet ...

military formation Military organization ( AE) or military organisation ( BE) is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer such military capability as a national defense policy may require. Formal military organization tends to use hierarc ...

of the Russian Federation subordinate to the Spetsnaz GRU. It is garrisoned in

Tambov Tambov ( , ; rus, Тамбов, p=tɐmˈbof) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Central Federal District, central Russia, at the confluence of the Tsna River (Moksha basin), Tsna ...

, Tambov Oblast. Its

military unit number A Military Unit Number (Russian: войсковая часть, в/ ч; Ukrainian: військова частина, в/ ч) is a numeric alternate designation for military units in the armed forces and internal troops of post-Soviet ...

is 54607. On January 26, 2019, the unit was given the title of "Guards" by presidential decree.

History

The unit was formed on January 1, 1963, in Chuchkovo,

Ryazan Oblast Ryazan Oblast (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Ryazan, which is also the oblast's largest city. Geography Ryazan Oblast ...

. During the Soviet-Afghan War at least one special purpose detachment was active from March 1985 to August 1988. They participated in the

First Chechen War The First Chechen War, also referred to as the First Russo-Chechen War, was a struggle for independence waged by the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria against the invading Russia, Russian Federation from 1994 to 1996. After a mutually agreed on treaty ...

from late 1994 onwards and in the

Second Chechen War Names The Second Chechen War is also known as the Second Chechen Campaign () or the Second Russian Invasion of Chechnya from the Chechens, Chechen insurgents' point of view.Федеральный закон № 5-ФЗ от 12 января 19 ...

from 1999 to 2006. The unit participated in a peacekeeping mission in

Abkhazia Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a List of states with limited recognition, partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It cover ...

shortly after the

Russo-Georgian War The August 2008 Russo-Georgian War, also known as the Russian invasion of Georgia,Occasionally, the war is also referred to by other names, such as the Five-Day War and August War. was a war waged against Georgia by the Russian Federation and the ...

. They were deployed there from December 2008 to October 2009.

Commanders

Structure

Structure of the unit as of 2019: * 273rd Special Purpose Detachment * 370th Special Purpose Detachment * 379th Special Purpose Detachment * 664th Special Purpose Detachment * 669th Special Purpose Detachment

References

{{Brigades of the Spetsnaz GRU Spetsnaz brigades of the Soviet Union Spetsnaz brigades of Russia Military units and formations established in 1963