The 56th Guards Air Assault Orders of Kutuzov and the Patriotic War 1st class Don Cossack Regiment () is an airborne

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

of the

Russian Airborne Forces The Russian Airborne Forces () is the airborne separate combat arm of the Russian Armed Forces. It is a rapid response force and strategic reserve that is under the President of Russia, reporting directly to the Chief of the General Staff, and ...

(VDV). Based at

Feodosia Feodosia (, ''Feodosiia, Teodosiia''; , ''Feodosiya''), also called in English Theodosia (from ), is a city on the Crimean coast of the Black Sea. Feodosia serves as the administrative center of Feodosia Municipality, one of the regions into ...

Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...

, the regiment is part of the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division. It was formed in 2021 from the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade, based at

Kamyshin Kamyshin ( rus, Камышин, p=kɐˈmɨʂɨn) is a city in Volgograd Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Volgograd Reservoir of the Volga River, in the estuary of the Kamyshinka River. Its population was Past populations for Kam ...

. The brigade was first formed in 1979 and fought in the

Soviet–Afghan War The Soviet–Afghan War took place in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan from December 1979 to February 1989. Marking the beginning of the 46-year-long Afghan conflict, it saw the Soviet Union and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic o ...

, the First Chechen War and 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 ...

History

World War II (1943–1945)

The formation was created on 11 June 1943, when the 7th and 17th Guards Airborne Brigades were formed. A strong group of VDV was deployed to the

4th Ukrainian Front The 4th Ukrainian Front () was the name of two distinct Red Army strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The front was first formed on 20 October 1943, by renaming the Southern Front and was involved in the Lower ...

consisting of the

4th Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

, 6th and 7th Guards Airborne Brigades. It was planned to use Crimean Offensive Operation. In December 1943, the 4th and 7th Guards Airborne Brigades were redeployed to the

Moscow Military District The Order of Lenin Moscow Military District () is a Military districts of Russia, military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Originally it was a district of the Imperial Russian Army until the Russian Empire's collapse in 191 ...

. On January 15, 1944, in accordance with the order of the commander of the Airborne Forces of

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

No. 00100 dated December 26, 1943, in the city of Stupino in the Moscow region, on the basis of the 4th, 7th and 17th separate guards airborne brigades (the brigades were stationed in the cities of Vostryakovo, Vnukovo, Stupino), the 16th Guards Airborne Division was formed. The division had 12,000 soldiers according to the staff. In August 1944, the division was redeployed to the city of Starye Dorogi in Mogilev Region and on August 9, 1944, it became part of the newly formed

38th Guards Airborne Corps The 38th Guards Airborne Corps was an airborne corps of the Soviet airborne. It was activated during World War II in August 1944 and became a rifle corps in December of that year. The corps fought in the Vienna Offensive and the Prague Offensive ...

. In October 1944, the 38th Guards Airborne Corps became part of the newly formed separate guards airborne army. On December 8, 1944, the army was reorganized into the

9th Guards Army The 9th Guards Army was a field army of the Red Army during World War II, which fought in the Vienna Offensive and the Prague Offensive at the end of the war. The army was formed in January 1945 and included airborne divisions converted into infant ...

, the 38th Guards Airborne Corps became a guards rifle corps. By order of the

Stavka of the Supreme High Command The Stavka of the Supreme High Command was an extraordinary body of the highest military command, exercising strategic leadership of the Soviet Armed Forces during the Great Patriotic War. History On June 23, 1941, the Main Military Council of t ...

No. 0047 of December 18, 1944, the 16th Guards Airborne Division was reformed into the 106th Guards Rifle Division of the 38th Guards Rifle Corps. The 4th Separate Guards Airborne Brigade was reformed into the 347th Guards Rifle Regiment, the 7th Separate Guards Airborne Brigade into the 351st Guards Rifle Regiment, and the 17th Separate Guards Airborne Brigade into the 355th Guards Rifle Regiment. The 106th Guards Rifle Division included: * 347th Guards Rifle Regiment; * 351st Guards Rifle Regiment; * 355th Guards Rifle Regiment; * 107th Separate Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division; * 193rd Separate Guards Communications Battalion; * 123rd Separate Guards Anti-Tank Division; * 139th Separate Guards Engineer Battalion; * 113th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Company; * 117th Separate Guards Chemical Company; * 234th Separate Guards Medical Battalion. The division also included the 57th Artillery Brigade, consisting of three regiments: * 205th Cannon Artillery Regiment; * 28th Howitzer Artillery Regiment; * 53rd Mortar Regiment. In January 1945, the division, as part of the 38th Guards Rifle Corps, was redeployed by rail to

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

, and by February 26 it was concentrated east of the city of

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

in the area: Szolnok – Abony – Soyal – Teriel, and in early March it became part of the

3rd Ukrainian Front The 3rd Ukrainian Front () was a Front of the Soviet Red Army during World War II. It was founded on 20 October 1943, on the basis of a Stavka order of October 16, 1943, by renaming the Southwestern Front. It included 1st Guards Army, 8th Gua ...

. On March 16, 1945, having broken through the German defenses, the 351st Guards Rifle Regiment reached the Austro-Hungarian border. In March–April 1945, the division took part in the

Vienna offensive The Vienna offensive was an offensive launched by the Soviet 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts in order to capture Vienna, Austria, during World War II. The offensive lasted from 16 March to 15 April 1945. After several days of street-to-street figh ...

operation, advancing in the direction of the front's main attack. The division, in cooperation with units of the 4th Guards Army, broke through the enemy's defenses north of the city of Székesfehérvár, reached the flank and rear of the main forces of the 6th SS Panzer Army, which had penetrated the front's defenses between Lakes Velence and Balaton. In early April, the division launched an attack in the northwest direction, bypassing Vienna, and, in cooperation with the 6th Guards Tank Army, broke the enemy's resistance, advanced to the Danube, and cut off the enemy's retreat routes to the west. The division successfully fought in the city, which continued until 13 April. By the decree of the

Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet () was the standing body of the highest body of state authority in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).The Presidium of the Soviet Union is, in short, the legislative branch of the great Soviet ...

of 29.03.1945, for participation in the defeat of eleven enemy divisions southwest of Budapest and the capture of the city of Mor, the division was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree. For breaking through the fortified line of defense and capturing the city of Mor, the entire personnel received the gratitude of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 26.04.1945 "for participation in the capture of Vienna", the division was awarded the

Order of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner () was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. It was the highest award of S ...

. Since then, April 26 has been considered the unit's annual holiday. During the

, the division fought its way through over 300 kilometers. On some days, its advance reached 25–30 kilometers per day. From 5 to 11 May 1945, the division, as part of the

2nd Ukrainian Front The 2nd Ukrainian Front () was a front of the Red Army during the Second World War. History On October 20, 1943, the Steppe Front was renamed the 2nd Ukrainian Front. In mid-May 1944 Malinovsky took over the 2nd Ukrainian Front. During t ...

, took part in the Prague offensive. On May 5, the division was raised on alert and marched to the Austro-

Czechoslovak Czechoslovak may refer to: *A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93) **First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38) **Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39) **Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60) ** Fourth Czechoslovak Repu ...

border. Having come into contact with the enemy, on May 8 it crossed the Czechoslovak border and immediately captured the city of

Znojmo Znojmo (; ) is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 34,000 inhabitants. Znojmo is the historical and cultural centre of southwestern Moravia and the second most populated town in the South Moravian Region. The hi ...

. On 9 May the division continued combat operations to pursue the enemy and successfully developed an offensive on Retz, Pisek. The division marched, pursuing the enemy, and in 3 days covered 80–90 km with fighting. At 12:00 on 11 May 1945, the advance detachment of the division reached the Vltava River and met with troops of the American 5th Army near the village of Olešnia. Here, the division's combat path in the Great Patriotic War ended.

Cold War (1945–1979)

After the end of hostilities, the division returned from

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...

under its own power. From May 1945 to January 1946, the division was camped in the forests south of

. Based on the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 1154474ss of 3.06.1946 and the directive of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR No. org/2/247225 of 7.06.1946, by 15 June 1946, the 106th Guards Rifle Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov Division was reformed into the 106th Guards Airborne Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov Division. Since July 1946, the division was stationed in Tula. The division was part of the 38th Guards Airborne Vienna Corps (corps headquarters – Tula). On December 3, 1947, the division was awarded the battle banner. Based on the directives of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of September 3, 1948 and January 21, 1949, the 106th Guards Airborne Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov Division as part of the 38th Guards Airborne Vienna Corps became part of the Airborne Army. In April 1953, the Airborne Army was disbanded. Based on the directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces dated January 21, 1955, by April 25, 1955, the 106th Guards Airborne Division left the 38th Guards Airborne Vienna Corps, which was disbanded, and switched to a new structure of three regiments with a cadre

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

(incomplete) in each parachute regiment. From the disbanded

11th Guards Airborne Division The 11th Guards Airborne Division was the name of two separate airborne divisions of the Soviet Airborne Troops. The division was first formed in late 1943 from three airborne brigades and did not see action before its conversion to the 104th Guar ...

, the 137th Guards Parachute Regiment was accepted into the 106th Guards Airborne Division. The deployment point is the city of

Ryazan Ryazan (, ; also Riazan) is the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. The city is located on the banks of the Oka River in Central Russia, southeast of Moscow. As of the 2010 C ...

. The personnel of the 351st Guards Airborne Regiment participated in military parades on Red Square in Moscow, took part in large-scale exercises of the Ministry of Defense and in 1955 parachuted near city of Kutaisi (

Transcaucasian Military District The Transcaucasian Military District, a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, traces its history to May 1921 and the incorporation of First Republic of Armenia, Armenia, Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, Azerbaijan, and Democratic Republic ...

). In 1956, the 38th Guards Airborne Vienna Corps was disbanded and the division became directly subordinate to the Airborne Forces Commander. In 1957, the regiment conducted demonstration exercises with parachuting for military delegations from Yugoslavia and India. Based on the directives of the USSR Minister of Defense from March 18, 1960 and the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces from June 7, 1960 to November 1, 1960: * the 351st Guards Airborne Regiment (city of Yefremov, Tula Region) was accepted into the 105th Guards Airborne Vienna Red Banner Division from the 106th Guards Airborne Division; * The 105th Guards Airborne Division (excluding the 331st Guards Parachute Regiment) was redeployed to the Turkestan Military District in the city of

Fergana Fergana ( uz-Latn-Cyrl, Fargʻona, Фарғона, ), () or Ferghana, also Farghana is a district-level city and the capital of Fergana Region in eastern Uzbekistan. Fergana is about 320 km east of Tashkent, about 75 km southwest of A ...

in the Uzbek SSR; * The 351st Guards Airborne Regiment was stationed in the city of Chirchik of the

Tashkent Region Tashkent Region (; ) is a Regions of Uzbekistan, viloyat (region) of Uzbekistan, located in the northeastern part of the country, between the Syr Darya River and the Tien Shan Mountains. It borders Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Sirdaryo Region and Nama ...

. In 1966, after the Tashkent Earthquake, the personnel of the 351st Regiment provided assistance to residents of the city affected by the disaster, and helped local authorities maintain order. In 1973, the 351st Regiment received a new battle flag. Until that time, it had been the battle flag of the 7th Airborne Brigade from the Great Patriotic War, with traces of shell fragments. In 1974, the 351st Regiment was parachuted into one of the regions of

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

and participated in large-scale exercises. Being the vanguard of the Airborne Forces of the Central Asian region of the country, the regiment participated in parades in the capital of

Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...

Tashkent Tashkent (), also known as Toshkent, is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uzbekistan, largest city of Uzbekistan. It is the most populous city in Central Asia, with a population of more than 3 million people as of April 1, 2024. I ...

. In 1977, the 351st Regiment received BMD-1 and

BTR-D The BTR-D is a Soviet airborne multi-purpose tracked armoured personnel carrier. It was introduced in 1974 and first seen by the West in 1979 during the Soviet–Afghan War. BTR-D stands for ''Bronetransportyor Desanta'' (БТР-Д, Бронет ...

. The personnel of the regiment at that time was 1,674 soldiers. Based on the directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces dated August 3, 1979, the 105th Guards Airborne Division was disbanded by December 1, 1979. The division was left in

with the 345th Separate Guards Airborne Regiment of the Order of Suvorov of a significantly larger composition (a ''howitzer artillery division'' was added to it) than usual and the 115th Separate Military Transport Aviation Squadron. By November 30, 1979, on the basis of the 351st Guards Parachute Regiment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division new 56th Guards Airborne Brigade, with main base in the village of Azadbash, Chirchiq district, Tashkent Oblast,

Uzbek SSR The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (, ), also known as Soviet Uzbekistan, the Uzbek SSR, UzSSR, or simply Uzbekistan and rarely Uzbekia, was a union republic of the Soviet Union. It was governed by the Uzbek branch of the Soviet Communist P ...

, was formed.

Afghanistan (1979–1989)

The 56th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade was formed on 1 October 1979 in Chirchiq from the disbanded 105th Guards Airborne Division's 351st Guards Airborne Regiment. The new brigade inherited battle honors from that unit. On 13 December, the brigade was transferred to

Termez Termez ( ) is the capital of Surxondaryo Region in southern Uzbekistan. Administratively, it is a district-level city. Its population is 182,800 (2021). It is notable as the site of Alexander the Great's city Alexandria on the Oxus, as a center ...

in preparation for deployment to

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

. On 27 December, the brigade's 4th Airborne Battalion crossed the Afghan border and secured

Salang Pass The Salang Pass ( ''Kutal-i Salang'', el. ) is the primary mountain pass connecting northern Afghanistan with Parwan Province, with onward connections to Kabul Province, southern Afghanistan.DRA was the 350th Guards Airborne Regiment of the USSR Airborne Forces, then the 781st Separate Reconnaissance Battalion

108th Motor Rifle Division The 108th Nevelskaya Motor Rifle Division, abbreviated as the "108th MRD," was a unit of the Soviet Ground Forces and the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan. It was the successor to the 360th Rifle Division. The division was created in August 1941 by t ...

. Following it was the ''4th Airborne Assault Battalion'' of the 56th Guards Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, which was tasked with guarding the

Salang Pass The Salang Pass ( ''Kutal-i Salang'', el. ) is the primary mountain pass connecting northern Afghanistan with Parwan Province, with onward connections to Kabul Province, southern Afghanistan.Kunduz Kunduz (; ; ) is a city in northern Afghanistan and the capital of Kunduz Province. The city has an estimated population of about 268,893 as of 2015, making it about the List of cities in Afghanistan, seventh largest city of Afghanistan, and the ...

. The 4th ''Airborne Assault Battalion'' remained at the Salang Pass. Then, from Kunduz, the 2nd "dashb" was transferred to the city of

Kandahar Kandahar is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city, after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118 in 2015. It is the capital of Kandahar Pro ...

, where it became part of the newly formed 70th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade. At the same time, the 3rd Air Assault Battalion moved to

. The 3rd Air Assault battalion was airlifted by helicopter into Afghanistan and captured Rabat-Mirza-Kushka Pass on the next day. Afgan1987 Gardez UAZ469

In January 1980, the entire composition of the 56th Guards Separate Motor Rifle Brigade was introduced. It was stationed in the city of

Kunduz Kunduz (; ; ) is a city in northern Afghanistan and the capital of Kunduz Province. The city has an estimated population of about 268,893 as of 2015, making it about the List of cities in Afghanistan, seventh largest city of Afghanistan, and the ...

. Between 13 and 14 January 1980, the brigade crossed the border and concentrated at Kunduz. In February, the 4th Airborne Battalion was transferred to

Charikar Charikar (), also known as Imam Azam (, ) or Imam Abu Hanifa (), is the capital of Parwan Province in northern Afghanistan. It also serves as the district center of Charikar District, which has a population of around 171,200 residents. They inclu ...

but was moved back to Kunduz in the same year. The 2nd Air Assault Battalion was attached to the 70th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade in March. In December 1981, the brigade was moved to

Gardez Gardez ( / ; ''Gardēz'', meaning "mountain fortress" in Middle Persian) is the capital of the Paktia Province of Afghanistan. The population of the city was estimated to be ca. 10,000 in the 1979 census and was estimated to be 70,000 in 2008. Th ...

. Between 1982 and June 1988, the 56th Brigade was stationed in the area of the city of

, conducting combat operations throughout Afghanistan:

Bagram Bagram (; Pashto/) is a town and seat in Bagram District in Parwan Province of Afghanistan, about 60 kilometers north of the capital Kabul. It is the site of an ancient city located at the junction of the Ghorband and Panjshir Valley, near t ...

Mazar-i-Sharif Mazar-i-Sharīf ( ; Dari and ), also known as Mazar-e Sharīf or simply Mazar, is the fifth-largest city in Afghanistan by population, with the estimates varying from 500,000-680,000. It is the capital of Balkh province and is linked by highway ...

, Khanabad, Panjshir, Logar, Alikheil (Paktia). In 1984, the brigade was awarded the Challenge Red Banner for the successful completion of combat missions. The brigade was reequipped with the

BMP-2 The BMP-2 (''Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty'', , literally "combat machine/vehicle f theinfantry") is an amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following on from the BMP-1 of the 1960s. Development his ...

infantry fighting vehicle in 1985. On 5 April 1985, it was awarded the

Order of the Patriotic War The Order of the Patriotic War () is a Soviet Union, Soviet military Order (decoration), decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to Partisan (military), partisans for heroic deeds in the Easte ...

1st class. The authorized strength of the ''56th Guards Air Assault Brigade'' as of December 1, 1986 was 2,452 people (261 officers, 109 warrant officers, 416 sergeants, 1,666 soldiers). It fought in

Operation Magistral Operation Magistral () was a Soviet Army military operation during the Soviet–Afghan War that began in late November 1987 and ended in early January 1988. Background The operation was launched to open the road - hence its name, from the Russ ...

from December 1987 to January 1988. In April 1988, the brigade took part in Operation Barrier. The paratroopers blocked caravan routes from Pakistan in order to ensure the withdrawal of troops from the city of

Ghazni Ghazni (, ), historically known as Ghaznayn () or Ghazna (), also transliterated as Ghuznee, and anciently known as Alexandria in Opiana (), is a city in southeastern Afghanistan with a population of around 190,000 people. The city is strategica ...

. The brigade had only 3 BRDM-2s in the reconnaissance company. However, there was another BRDM-2 in the chemical platoon and another 2 in the OPA (propaganda and agitation detachment). On 12–14 June 1988, the brigade crossed the border back into

Turkmen SSR The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as Soviet Turkmenistan, the Turkmen SSR, TuSSR, Turkmenistan, or Turkmenia, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union located in Soviet Central Asia, ...

during the

Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan Pursuant to the Geneva Accords of 14 April 1988, the Soviet Union conducted a total military withdrawal from Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, Afghanistan between 15 May 1988 and 15 February 1989. Headed by the Soviet military officer Boris ...

. After its return from Afghanistan, the brigade was based in Ýolöten. The brigade became the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade in 1989.

Collapse of the Soviet Union and aftermath (1990–1996)

In 1990, the brigade was transferred to the

Soviet Airborne Troops The Soviet Airborne Forces or VDV (from ''Vozdushno- desantnye voyska SSSR'', Russian: Воздушно-десантные войска СССР, ВДВ; Air-landing Forces) was a separate troops branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. First formed b ...

and reorganized into a separate guards airborne brigade. The brigade went through "hot spots" in conflict parts of the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. On January 15, 1990, after a detailed study of the situation, the

adopted a resolution "On declaring a state of emergency in the

Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) was an Autonomous oblasts of the Soviet Union, autonomous oblast within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic that was created on July 7, 1923. Its capital was the city of Stepanakert. The majori ...

Azerbaijani SSR The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, also referred to as the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, Azerbaijan SSR, Azerbaijani SSR, AzSSR, Soviet Azerbaijan or simply Azerbaijan, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union be ...

and some other regions". In accordance with it, the Airborne Forces began an operation that was carried out in two stages. During the first stage, from January 12 to 19, units of the 106th and 76th airborne divisions, the 56th and 38th airborne brigades and the 217th parachute regiment landed at airfields near

Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...

, and the 98th Guards Airborne Division landed in Yerevan. During the Baku pogrom and subsequent Black January in 1990, the brigade began operations to restore order in other parts of Azerbaijan. In the area of Lenkoran, Priship and Jalilabad, they were carried out jointly with border troops, who restored the state border. In February 1990, the brigade returned to its permanent deployment location in the city of Iolotan. On June 1, 1990, the brigade was transferred to the

Soviet airborne The Soviet Airborne Forces or VDV (from ''Vozdushno-Parachuting, desantnye voyska SSSR'', Russian: Воздушно-десантные войска СССР, ВДВ; Air-landing Forces) was a military branch, separate troops branch of the Soviet ...

and renamed the 40th Separate Airborne Brigade. The newly renamed brigade was transferred to

a week later to conduct security operations. On June 6, 1990, the 56th Guards Separate Airborne Brigade began landing at airfields in the cities of Osh and Andijan. Then, using military equipment and civilian buses, they advanced to Uzgen and took control of the situation both inside and around Uzgen. On August 4, the brigade was withdrawn outside the city, to Shirali. And stood there for a few more days. After which it marched to Fergana to the airfield, from where it was returned in full force to Iolotan. In October 1992, after the

dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

, the brigade was moved to the temporary deployment point of the village of

Zelenchukskaya Zelenchukskaya (; , , ) is a rural locality (a ''stanitsa'') and the administrative center of Zelenchuksky District of the Karachay–Cherkess Republic, Russia,Appendix to Law #84-RZ, Section I.2.3 located on the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River. R ...

Karachay-Cherkessia Karachay-Cherkessia (), officially the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, is a republic of Russia located in the North Caucasus. It is administratively part of the North Caucasian Federal District. As of the 2021 census, Karachay-Cherkessia has a popul ...

North Caucasus The North Caucasus, or Ciscaucasia, is a subregion in Eastern Europe governed by Russia. It constitutes the northern part of the wider Caucasus region, which separates Europe and Asia. The North Caucasus is bordered by the Sea of Azov and the B ...

(a separate airborne assault battalion of the

Armed Forces of Turkmenistan The Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (), known informally as the Turkmen National Army () is the national military of Turkmenistan. It consists of the Turkmen Ground Forces, Ground Forces, the Turkmen Air Force, Air Force and Air Defense Forces, Tur ...

was later formed in the former permanent deployment point of brigade in the city of Iolotan). From there, in 1993, it marched to the permanent deployment site in the village of Podgory near the city of

Volgodonsk Volgodonsk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located in the east of the oblast on the west bank of the Tsimlyansk Reservoir. Population: 28,000 (1970). History Volgodonsk was founded in 1950 as ...

in the Rostov Region. Its

military townlet In military of Russia and some other post-Soviet states (as well as in the former Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, ...

was the former shift town of the builders of the Rostov NPP, located 3 kilometers from the nuclear power plant. The brigade was given the designation Don Cossack on 22 April 1994. Between December 1994 and October 1996, the brigade fought 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 ...

. On November 29, 1994, an order was sent to the brigade to form a joint battalion and transfer it to

Mozdok Mozdok (; , ''Mæzdæg'') is a town and the administrative center of Mozdoksky District in North Ossetia–Alania, Russia, located on the left shore of the Terek River, north of the republic's capital Vladikavkaz. As of the 2010 Census, its p ...

. The brigade's artillery division took part in the operation near Shatoy in late 1995 and early 1996. From March 1995 to September 1995, a separate platoon of the AGS-17 brigade, as part of the joint battalion of the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division, took part in the mountain campaign in the Vedensky and Shatoy districts of Chechnya. For their courage and heroism, the servicemen were awarded medals and orders. In October–November 1996, the joint battalion of the brigade was withdrawn from Chechnya.

Transformation into a regiment (1997–2005)

In 1997, the brigade was reformed into the 56th Guards Airborne Assault, Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, Don Cossack Regiment, which became part of the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division. In July 1998, by order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, in connection with the resumption of construction of the

Rostov Nuclear Power Plant The Rostov Nuclear Power Plant (), also known as the Volgodonsk Nuclear Power Plant (), is a Russian nuclear power plant located on the left bank of Tsimlyansk Reservoir in the lower stream of the Don (river), Don river near Volgodonsk, Rostov Ob ...

, the 56th Regiment began redeployment to the city of

in the

Volgograd Region Volgograd Oblast ( rus, Волгоградская область, p=vəɫɡɐˈgratskəjə ˈobɫəsʲtʲ) is a federal subject (an oblast) of Russia, located in the lower Volga region of Southern Russia. Its administrative center is Volgograd. ...

. The regiment was housed in the buildings of the Kamyshin Higher Military Construction Command and Engineering School, which was disbanded in 1998. On August 19, 1999, an airborne assault detachment from the regiment was sent to reinforce the combined regiment 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division and was sent by a special military echelon to the

Republic of Dagestan Dagestan ( ; ; ), officially the Republic of Dagestan, is a republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, along the Caspian Sea. It is located north of the Greater Caucasus, and is a part of the North Caucasian Fede ...

. On August 20, 1999, the airborne assault detachment arrived in the village of Botlikh. It subsequently took part in

combat operations Combat operations area - process is undertaken by armed forces during military campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements to facilitate the setting of objectives, direction of combat, and assessment of the operation plan's success. Th ...

in the

Chechen Republic Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federal District, and share ...

. In December 1999, units of the airborne battalion of the 56th Guards Regiment were the first to land on the Russian-Georgian border, blocking the Itum-Kali – Shatili road and subsequently, together with the airborne assault maneuver group FPS, covered the Chechen section of the border. In March 2000, the regiment's battalion took part in the assault on the village of Komsomolskoye. The regiment's battalion tactical group fought in the North Caucasus (temporary deployment location – Khankala settlement) until 2005.

Reorganization into a brigade (2009–2020)

After being withdrawn from Chechnya in November 2005, the regiment once again became a

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

. Since May 1, 2009, the ''56th Guards Airborne Assault Regiment'' was reorganized ad 56th Separate Guards Airborne Assault Order of the Patriotic War Don Cossack Brigade (military unit 74507). Yuri Sadovenko 03

In accordance with the decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 776 of October 11, 2013 and the directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and reform of the

, all airborne assault formations have been removed from the Ground Forces and subordinated to the Airborne Forces Directorate under the

Russian Ministry of Defense The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (; MOD) is the governing body of the Russian Armed Forces. The President of Russia is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Commander-in-Chief of the forces ...

. Since 2013, the 56th Guards Airborne Assault Brigade has been part of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation. In January 2016, VDV commander General Colonel

Vladimir Shamanov Vladimir Anatolievich Shamanov (, born 15 February 1957) is a retired Colonel General of the Military of Russia, Russian Armed Forces who was Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) from May 2009 to October 2016 and a Russian p ...

announced that a new range near Kamyshin would be built in the spring of that year due to the higher intensity of combat training. Since 2016, the unit has been eplacing military equipment with UAZ Hunter vehicles to increase movement speed. Despite the positive result in terms of mobility, the brigade gave up the "hunters" due to their small size: the fighters were cramped, it was inconvenient to transport heavy weapons, additional equipment and cargo, so the brigade had to be equipped with

GAZ-66 The GAZ-66 is a Soviet Union, Soviet and later Russian four wheel drive, 4x4 all-road (off-road) military truck produced by GAZ. It was one of the main cargo vehicles for motorized infantry of the Soviet Army and is still employed in former Sovi ...

trucks. There are no reliable facts (confirmed by the Russian side) about the participation of servicemen of the 56th Air Assault Brigade in the operation in Syria. From open sources, at least one officer – Major Sanal Sanchirov – died in December 2016 during the battles for Palmyra.

Russian invasion of Ukraine and reforms (2021–present)

Since 1 December 2021, the brigade has been reorganized into the 56th Guards Airborne Assault Order of the Patriotic War Don Cossack Regiment with a deployment in the city of

, Republic of Crimea. Two dormitories, a headquarters building, a canteen, a checkpoint, a checkpoint, a technical point, a site for weapons and military equipment, and the Starokrymsky training ground have been built at the new deployment location. In 2021 it was indicated that the brigade would be redeployed to Crimea and reformed as a regiment. In mid-2021 it relocated from

Volgograd Oblast Volgograd Oblast ( rus, Волгоградская область, p=vəɫɡɐˈgratskəjə ˈobɫəsʲtʲ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (an oblast) of Russia, located in the Volga region, lower Volga region of Southern Russia ...

, Russia to

in Crimea. These circumstances explain a lot of the poor facilities, chaos, and undermanning described in Pavel Filatyev's memoir text. In November, 2021 it was confirmed that the new regiment would become a component of the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division effective as of December 2021. In 2022, the regiment, as part of the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division of the

Russian Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military of Russia. They are organized into three service branches—the Russian Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Russian Navy, Navy, and Russi ...

, took part in the war with Ukraine. The unit began its military operations from the territory of Crimea. Specifically, the regiment participated in the capture of Kherson by the Russian army, and in the capture of the airport in Chernobaevka, where it suffered serious losses. After retreating from Kherson, the 56th Airborne Assault Regiment occupied positions on the left bank of the Dnieper, then part of the units, in August 2023, were transferred to the

Zaporizhia Oblast Zaporizhzhia Oblast (), commonly referred to as Zaporizhzhia (), is an oblast (region) in south-east Ukraine. Its administrative centre is the city of Zaporizhzhia. The oblast covers an area of , and has a population of The oblast is an import ...

, to the

Tokmak Tokmak (, ) is a small city in Polohy Raion, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, in south-central Ukraine. It stands on the Tokmak River, a tributary of the Molochna. It is the administrative centre of the Tokmak urban hromada, and was the centre of the T ...

direction, in the village of Robotyne. After the losses suffered, the units of the 56th Airborne Assault Regiment were supplemented with prisoners from places of detention. In September 2023, the regiment was deployed at the Southern theatre around the village of Verbove where it successfully defeated the Ukrainian forces during their counteroffensive. On April 29, 2024, Minister of Defense

Sergey Shoigu Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu; , . (born 21 May 1955) is a Russian politician and military officer who has served as secretary of the Security Council since 2024. He served as Minister of Defence of Russia from 2012 to 2024. Shoigu has served ...

sent a telegram to the regiment, in which he congratulated it on being awarded the

Order of Kutuzov The Order of Kutuzov ( ''orden Kutuzova'') is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named after famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745–1813). The Order was established during World War II t ...

for its military actions in the war.

Component units

Structure in 2021

* 1st Air assault battalion * 2nd Air assault battalion * 3rd Air assault battalion * Tank battalion * Reconnaissance battalion * Artillery battalion * Anti-aircraft battery * Anti-tank battery * Rifle (sniper) company * Electronic warfare company * Signals company * Engineer company * Landing support company * Medical company * Maintenance company * Material support company * RCB company * Brigade command company

Commanders

* Alexander Petrovich Plokhikh (1980–1981) * Mikhail Karpushkin (1981–1982) * Viktor Arsentevich Sukhin (1982–1983) * Viktor Matveevich Chizhikov (1983–1985) * Vitaly Raevsky (1985–1987) * Valery Evnevich (1987–1990) * Alexander Sotnik (1990–1995) * Sergei Mishanin (1995–1996) * Rustam Aliev Stepanenko (1996–1997) * Pavel Kirsi (2002–2007) * Igor Timofeyev (2007–2012) * Alexander Vitalievich Lebedev (2012–2014) * Alexander Valitov (August 2014 – March 2018) * Colonel Yevgeny Nikolayevich Tonkikh (March 2018 – March 2020) * Colonel Andrey Kondrashkin (March 2020–2022)

Heroes of USSR/Russia

* Sergey Kozlov — deputy commander of the parachute-landing company,

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...

* Sergey Petrov — commander of the reconnaissance company,

Hero of the Russian Federation Hero of the Russian Federation ( rus, Герой Российской Федерации, p=ɡʲɪˈroj rɐˈsʲijskəj fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨɪ), also unofficially called Hero of Russia ( rus, Герой России, p=ɡʲɪˈroj rɐˈsʲiɪ), is ...

* Yuri Vornovskoy — junior sergeant of the reconnaissance company,

* Taimuraz Yesenov —

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

of the sapper company,

* Ilyas Mukhamedeev —

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

* Ilya Sponyakov — senior lieutenant,

* Amaranth Ivanovska —

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

References

{{Russian regiments Regiments of the Russian Airborne Troops Military units and formations of Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine Military units and formations established in 1949 Military units and formations disestablished in 1979 Military units and formations established in 1979 Military units and formations disestablished in 2021 Military units and formations established in 2021