HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Northern Fleet (, ''Severnyy flot'') is the fleet of the
Russian Navy The Russian Navy is the Navy, naval arm of the Russian Armed Forces. It has existed in various forms since 1696. Its present iteration was formed in January 1992 when it succeeded the Navy of the Commonwealth of Independent States (which had i ...
in the
Arctic The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...
. According to the Russian ministry of defence: "The Northern Fleet dates its history back to a squadron created in 1733 to protect the territories of the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
, sea trade routes and fisheries in the
White Sea The White Sea (; Karelian language, Karelian and ; ) is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the nort ...
near the coast of the
Kola Peninsula The Kola Peninsula (; ) is a peninsula in the extreme northwest of Russia, and one of the largest peninsulas of Europe. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely inside the Arctic Circle and is border ...
. The order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy of 25 May 2014 determined 1733 as the year of foundation of the Northern Fleet, and June 1 as its annual holiday". In its modern iteration, the Arctic Ocean Flotilla of the former Imperial Navy evolved into a full fleet of the
Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...
in 1933 as the Northern Flotilla. After being 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 ...
in 1965, it was officially known as the Red Banner Northern Fleet. During the
Soviet era The history of the Soviet Union (USSR) (1922–91) began with the ideals of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution and ended in dissolution amidst economic collapse and political disintegration. Established in 1922 following the Russian Civil War, ...
the Northern Fleet operated more than 200
submarines A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or info ...
, ranging from diesel-electric to
nuclear-powered Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...
ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typic ...
classes. On 1 December 2014 the fleet became the core element of the newly established
Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command The Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command (), was a Military districts of Russia, military district of the Russian Armed Forces, with its jurisdiction primarily within the northern region of European Russia and the Arctic Ocean. The Northern F ...
, including all
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 ...
located in Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Oblasts and on Russia's offshore islands along its Arctic coast. It is co-equal in status with Russia's Military Districts. The Northern Fleet is tasked with responsibility for operations and defense in the Arctic seas along
Northern Russia The Russian North () is an ethnocultural region situated in the Northwest Russia, northwestern part of Russia. It spans the regions of Arkhangelsk Oblast (including Nenets Autonomous Okrug), Murmansk Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, Komi Republi ...
, including the
Barents Sea The Barents Sea ( , also ; , ; ) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and divided between Norwegian and Russian territorial waters.World Wildlife Fund, 2008. It was known earlier among Russi ...
and
Kara Sea The Kara Sea is a marginal sea, separated from the Barents Sea to the west by the Kara Strait and Novaya Zemlya, and from the Laptev Sea to the east by the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. Ultimately the Kara, Barents and Laptev Seas are all ...
, as well as the northwestern maritime approaches to Russia including the Norwegian Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The Northern Fleet's headquarters and main base are located in
Severomorsk Severomorsk (), known as Vayenga () until 18 April 1951, is a closed city, closed types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Severomorsk is the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet. The town is sit ...
,
Murmansk Oblast Murmansk Oblast is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (an oblast) of Russia, located in the northwestern part of the country, with a total land area of . Its only internal border is the Republic of Karelia to the south, and it is bor ...
, with secondary bases elsewhere in the greater Kola Bay area. The current commander is Vice-Admiral Konstantin Kabantsov, who was appointed to the position in April 2024. In June 2020, Russian President
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
signed an executive order making the Northern Fleet an independent military-administrative entity, effective January 1, 2021. That status was abolished on February 26, 2024 by a new presidential decree (effective since March 1, 2024) and fleet became part of the recreated
Leningrad Military District The Order of Lenin Leningrad Military District () is a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The district was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1968. In 2010, it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern ...
.


History


Arctic Sea Flotilla and White Sea Flotilla

On June 19, 1916, the
Imperial Russian Navy The Imperial Russian Navy () operated as the navy of the Russian Tsardom and later the Russian Empire from 1696 to 1917. Formally established in 1696, it lasted until being dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution and the declaration of ...
formed the Arctic Ocean Flotilla (''Флотилия Северного Ледовитого океана'', or ''Flotiliya Severnogo Ledovitogo okeana'') during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
to safeguard transportation routes of Allied ships through the
Barents Sea The Barents Sea ( , also ; , ; ) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and divided between Norwegian and Russian territorial waters.World Wildlife Fund, 2008. It was known earlier among Russi ...
from the
Kaiserliche Marine The adjective ''kaiserlich'' means "imperial" and was used in the German-speaking countries to refer to those institutions and establishments over which the ''Kaiser'' ("emperor") had immediate personal power of control. The term was used partic ...
of the
German Empire The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
. After the
October Revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...
and the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, the
Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...
replaced the Imperial Russian Navy and formed the White Sea Flotilla (''Беломорская флотилия'', ''Belomorskaya flotiliya'') in March 1920, based in
Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina near its mouth into the White Sea. The city spreads for over along the ...
. The White Sea Flotilla replaced the Arctic Sea Flotilla and was renamed as the Naval Forces of the North Sea, but was later disbanded in January 1923.


Soviet Navy


Northern Flotilla

The Northern Flotilla was formed on August 5, 1933, by transferring
patrol boat A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval ship, naval vessel generally designed for Coastal defence and fortification, coastal defence, Border control, border security, or law ...
s ''Smerch'' and ''Uragan'', D-class submarines ''Dekabrist'' (D-1) and ''Narodovolyets'' (D-2)Norman Polmar, ''Guide to the Soviet Navy'', Fourth Edition (1986), United States Naval Institute, Annapolis Maryland, and two
destroyers In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...
from the
Baltic Fleet The Baltic Fleet () is the Naval fleet, fleet of the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea. Established 18 May 1703, under Tsar Peter the Great as part of the Imperial Russian Navy, the Baltic Fleet is the oldest Russian fleet. In 1918, the fleet w ...
to
Northern Russia The Russian North () is an ethnocultural region situated in the Northwest Russia, northwestern part of Russia. It spans the regions of Arkhangelsk Oblast (including Nenets Autonomous Okrug), Murmansk Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, Komi Republi ...
. These ships departed from
Kronstadt Kronstadt (, ) is a Russian administrative divisions of Saint Petersburg, port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal cities of Russia, federal city of Saint Petersburg, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg, near the head ...
on 18 May 1933 and arrived at
Murmansk Murmansk () is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast in the far Far North (Russia), northwest part of Russia. It is the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle and sits on both slopes and banks of a modest fjord, Ko ...
on 5 August. Another destroyer, another patrol boat, another submarine, and two
minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...
s joined the flotilla at Soroka in September 1933. Polyarny became the flotilla's main base, and a flight of MBR-2 flying boats joined the unit at Murmansk in September 1935. The Northern Flotilla was quickly expanded in the years after it was formed, receiving new ships,
airfield An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes in ...
s,
coastal A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
and
air defence Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
artillery. On May 11, 1937, the fleet entered its current form when it was renamed to the Northern Fleet (''Северный флот'', ''Severnyy flot'').


World War II

The Northern Fleet blocked the Finnish military base at Petsamo through the
Winter War The Winter War was a war between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet invasion of Finland on 30 November 1939, three months after the outbreak of World War II, and ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peac ...
of 1939 and 1940. By June 1941, the fleet included 8 destroyers, 15 submarines, 2 torpedo boats, 7 patrol boats, 2 minesweepers, and 116 airplanes. In August 1940, the Soviets created the White Sea Military Base to defend the coastline, bases, ports, and other installations. The White Sea Flotilla was established in August 1941 under the command of
Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
M. Dolinin. Subsequent commanders were
Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
Georgy Stepanov Georgy Andreyevich Stepanov () ( – 3 January 1957) was an officer of the Soviet Navy. He rose to the rank of vice-admiral and was commander of the and , as well as acting-commander of the Black Sea Fleet. Born into a naval dynasty, Stepa ...
(in October), Rear-Admiral Stepan Kucherov, and Vice-Admiral Yuriy Panteleyev. During the
German-Soviet War The Eastern Front, also known as the Great Patriotic War (term), Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union and its successor states, and the German–Soviet War in modern Germany and Ukraine, was a Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II ...
of 1941 to 1945, the Northern Fleet defended the coastlines of the Rybachy and Sredny
peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
s, secured internal and external transportation routes, and provided support to the maritime
flank Flank may refer to: * Flank (anatomy), part of the abdomen ** Flank steak, a cut of beef ** Part of the external anatomy of a horse * Flank speed, a nautical term * Flank opening, a chess opening * A term in Australian rules football * The ...
of the 14th Army. Naval Infantry and up to 10,000 Northern Fleet
personnel Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any othe ...
participated in
land warfare Land warfare or ground warfare is the process of military operations eventuating in combat that takes place predominantly on the battlespace land surface of the planet. Land warfare is categorized by the use of large numbers of combat personne ...
including the Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation of 1944. Northern Fleet Naval Infantry units caused tens of thousands of German casualties fighting during the Moscow, Leningrad, Stalingrad, and North Caucasus campaigns. Among the air units of the Northern Fleet was the 121st Fighter Aviation Regiment. The Northern Fleet was reinforced with naval
aircraft An aircraft ( aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, i ...
and ships from the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
and
Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
.
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
and the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
temporarily provided HMS ''Royal Sovereign'' and to the USSR in exchange for the
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
ships captured during the war and destined to be divided among the allies. During the war, the Northern Fleet secured safe passage for 1,463 ships in external
convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
s and 2,568 ships in internal convoys.Great Soviet Encyclopedia/Большая Советская Энциклопедия; entry: Soviet Red Banner Northern Fleet. Its submarines, torpedo boats, and aviation sank 192 enemy transport ships and 70 other hostile military ships. The Northern Fleet also damaged a total of 118 transport, military, and auxiliary ships. Soviet submarine ''K-21'', under the command of Captain Nikolai Lunin, attacked the German battleship ''
Tirpitz Tirpitz may refer to: People * Alfred von Tirpitz (1849–1930), German admiral ** Tirpitz Plan, a plan for Germany to achieve world power status through naval power Ships * German battleship ''Tirpitz'', a World War II-era Bismarck-class ...
'' at 71° 22' 2"N, 24° 34' 3"E. The К-21 logbook reports observation of two torpedo explosions, but no damage is reported by German sources. Ships were lost fighting against unequal odds. Patrol boat '' Tuman'', a former trawler, was sunk by three
Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official military branch, branche ...
destroyers at the entrance to Kola Bay on August 4, 1941. The icebreaker '' Sibiryakov'' was sunk on August 25, 1942 by the German pocket battleship '' Admiral Scheer'' while defending two convoys. The patrol ship ''Brilliant'' (formerly trawler ''Murmany'') was sunk by a submarine. The Northern Fleet received the following awards: * Two 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 ...
s, a squadron of submarine hunters, eight submarines, and the destroyer ''Гремящий'' (''Gremyaschiy'', or "Rattler") were awarded " Soviet Guards" status. * Many formations,
unit Unit may refer to: General measurement * Unit of measurement, a definite magnitude of a physical quantity, defined and adopted by convention or by law **International System of Units (SI), modern form of the metric system **English units, histo ...
s, and ships were awarded with Order honors. * Eighty-five sailors of the Northern Fleet received the title of the
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 ...
(with three of them receiving the award twice). * More than a total of 48,000 men were awarded
medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...
s.


Cold War

The White Sea Flotilla was reestablished under the fleet in December 1945 and the White Sea Naval Base in December 1956. The Northern Fleet was considered secondary to the Baltic and Black sea fleets until operational responsibility for the Atlantic Ocean was shifted in the 1950s because of more direct access. In September 1955, the Soviet navy became the first to launch a
ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typic ...
from a submarine. In June 1956, Northern Fleet , (NATO designation Zulu IV 1/2) ''“Б-67”'' (B-67) became the first to carry ballistic missiles. The 2nd Cruiser Division was formed on 31 May 1956 at
Severomorsk Severomorsk (), known as Vayenga () until 18 April 1951, is a closed city, closed types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Severomorsk is the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet. The town is sit ...
, Murmansk Oblast. Its ships included the s (Project 68) , ''Aleksandr Nevskiy'', and ''Molotovsk'', and the 121st Destroyer Brigade, with 11 , , and destroyers. On 5 June 1969, the division was reorganised with the 170th Destroyer Brigade (8 Project 56 destroyers) and the 10th Anti-Submarine Warfare Brigade (10 Project 42 and 50 ASW vessels). On 1 April 1961, the division was renamed the 2nd Anti-Submarine Warfare Division. On 1 July 1958, the Northern Fleet raised the Soviet Navy
ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...
over the first Soviet
nuclear submarine A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed. Nuclear submarines have considerable performance advantages over "conventional" (typically diesel-electric) submarines. Nuclear propulsion ...
, K-3 Leninskiy Komsomol. Following the 1958 voyage of USS ''Nautilus'', the ''Leninskiy Komsomol'' (named for
Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov ( 187021 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin, was a Russian revolutionary, politician and political theorist. He was the first head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 until Death and state funeral of ...
's
Komsomol The All-Union Leninist Young Communist League, usually known as Komsomol, was a political youth organization in the Soviet Union. It is sometimes described as the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), although it w ...
) traveled under the Arctic ice and surfaced at the
North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...
on 17 July 1962. Russian submarines have visited the North Pole region more than 300 times since then. Two nuclear submarines of the Northern Fleet made a journey under the Arctic ice cap and reached the Pacific Fleet for the first time in history in September 1963. More than 25 Soviet submarines did the same in the following years. The Northern Fleet 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 ...
on 7 May 1965. Two Northern Fleet submarines made a journey "around the world" (actually only between the Kola Gulf and the base at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy around South America) without surfacing in 1966. The Northern Fleet had almost 50% of the Soviet Navy's submarines by 1986. From 1968 to 30 November 2005, the was the main Atlantic operational force of the fleet. The Museum of the Air Forces of the Northern Fleet was opened on 20 August 1976, in the closed settlement of Safonovo, Murmansk Oblast. Aircraft carriers began entering service with the Fleet in the 1970s. The lead unit of the Kiev class of heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers, , became operational in 1977, and was commissioned in 1987. Large nuclear-powered missile-carrying cruisers, the and , also entered service from 1980. Fortification of the southern reaches of the
Barents Sea The Barents Sea ( , also ; , ; ) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and divided between Norwegian and Russian territorial waters.World Wildlife Fund, 2008. It was known earlier among Russi ...
during the 1980s marked a Soviet
naval strategy Naval strategy is the planning and conduct of war at sea, the naval equivalent of military strategy on land. Naval strategy, and the related concept of maritime strategy, concerns the overall strategy for achieving victory at sea, including th ...
shift to an emphasis on
bastion A bastion is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fire from the ...
defense. Russia has continued to employ that strategy. In 1982, the 175th independent Naval Infantry Brigade was formed at Tumannyy, in
Murmansk Oblast Murmansk Oblast is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (an oblast) of Russia, located in the northwestern part of the country, with a total land area of . Its only internal border is the Republic of Karelia to the south, and it is bor ...
. In 1990, the 88th Separate Fighter Bomber Regiment, along with the rest of the 36th Air Army, was pulled out of
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 ...
along with the rest of the Southern Group of Forces. In order to save the unit, which had a distinguished history, from being disbanded under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, defence minister Marshal Dmitry Yazov transferred it to the Northern Fleet, which was not subject to the provisions of the treaty. In May 1990 the aircraft and personnel were moved to Olen'ya Airbase, near
Olenegorsk, Murmansk Oblast Olenegorsk (, lit. ''reindeer mountain'') is a town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located north of the Arctic Circle, south of Murmansk. Population: 25,166 ( 2002 Census); History The railway station of Olenya () was opened in 1916, with the ...
where they operated in support of the
Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...
. In May 1994, after the Russian
Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...
had ordered the retirement of the MiG-23/27 family, the unit was re-equipped with the Sukhoi Su-25 and its aircraft were allowed to deteriorate, being stripped for scrap by the locals. It was then renamed the 88th Independent Shipboard Attack Air Regiment.


Russian Navy

An analysis of the Northern Fleet produced by Chatham House in the UK notes that: "After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Kremlin paid little attention to the Arctic. During the 1990s, the Russian Arctic was at best considered a burden fraught with socio-economic problems. Little was done there until an ‘Arctic revival’ began in the 2000s, focused on reinvesting in a region that had previously been abandoned for more than 15 years". Units were disbanded in the 1990s including the 6th and 3rd Submarine divisions in addition to aviation units. Previous units also included the 1st Submarine Flotilla, and the 7th Submarine Division of nuclear attack submarines. In 1989 the Soviet Navy had nearly 200 nuclear submarines in operation of which two-thirds were said to belong to the Northern Fleet. By 1996, only half were still in service. The 57th Naval Missile Aviation Division of Tu-22s and electronic warfare
Tu-16 The Tupolev Tu-16 (USAF/DOD reporting name Type 39; NATO reporting name: Badger) is a twin-engined jet strategic heavy bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has been flown for almost 70 years. While many aircraft in Soviet service were retired af ...
s from the
Baltic Fleet The Baltic Fleet () is the Naval fleet, fleet of the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea. Established 18 May 1703, under Tsar Peter the Great as part of the Imperial Russian Navy, the Baltic Fleet is the oldest Russian fleet. In 1918, the fleet w ...
at
Bykhov Bykhaw or Bykhov (, ; ; ; ; ) is a town in Mogilev Region, Belarus. It is located south of Mogilev, and serves as the administrative center of Bykhaw District. In 2009, its population was 17,031. As of 2024, it has a population of 16,349. Histo ...
, Mogilev Oblast, in the
Byelorussian SSR The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR, Byelorussian SSR or Byelorussia; ; ), also known as Soviet Belarus or simply Belarus, was a republic of the Soviet Union (USSR). It existed between 1920 and 1922 as an independent state, and ...
transferred to the Northern Fleet in December 1991 as the 57th Combined Ship Aviation Division. The division commanded the 830th and 38th Shipborne Anti-Submarine Helicopter Regiments and the 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment from Severomorsk-3 in
Murmansk Oblast Murmansk Oblast is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (an oblast) of Russia, located in the northwestern part of the country, with a total land area of . Its only internal border is the Republic of Karelia to the south, and it is bor ...
until disbanded on 1 May 1998. The 5th Naval Missile Aviation Division commanding the 524th and 574th Naval Missile Aviation Regiments. The 574th Regiment was based at Lakhta air base (Katunino), until disbanded in 2002. The 100th Independent Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment (in February 1993) and its personnel and equipment absorbed by the 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment. On 12 August 2000, the ''Kursk'' submarine disaster gained international attention when the ''Kursk'' of the Northern Fleet perished in a torpedo accident during exercises in the Barents Sea near Murmansk Oblast, resulting in the deaths of 118 sailors. Beginning in the early 2000s, however, a renewed emphasis was placed on modernizing the Russian Navy, including the Northern Fleet. As argued in the Chatham House analysis: "Moscow's intentions for the Arctic are not Arctic-specific, but are related to the Kremlin's global ambitions for reviving Russia as a great power. Russia's force posture in the Arctic is informed by the changing geopolitical environment around its strained relations with the West". The importance attached to the Northern Fleet is illustrated by the fact that it constitutes its own district command within the Russian Armed Forces equal to the Armed Forces' other military districts. In January 2016, Defence Minister
Sergey Shoygu Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu; , . (born 21 May 1955) is a Russian politician and military officer who has served as Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Security Council since 2024. He served ...
announced that the 45th Air Force and Air Defence Army had been formed under control of the Northern Fleet in December 2015. Its territorial control center assumed combat duty in July 2018. Today both the 45th Air Force and Air Defence Army, as well as the 14th Army Corps, fall under the
Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command The Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command (), was a Military districts of Russia, military district of the Russian Armed Forces, with its jurisdiction primarily within the northern region of European Russia and the Arctic Ocean. The Northern F ...
, which was established in 2014 and is a military-administered district of equal status to the other four military districts of the Russian Armed Forces. Its jurisdiction is primarily within the northern region of European Russia and the Arctic Ocean. The formal status of the Northern Fleet as a command equal to that of other Russian military districts took effect on January 1, 2021. The Northern Fleet includes about two-thirds of all the Russian Navy's nuclear-powered ships. The flagship '' Pyotr Velikiy'' is named after ''Peter the Great''. The Fleet staged a series of major Barents Sea exercises in January 2004 involving thirteen ships and seven submarines including ''Pyotr Velikiy'', ''Admiral Kuznetsov'', with President
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
was aboard the Typhoon class ballistic missile submarine ''Arkhangelsk''. The exercise was marred by two RSM-54
SLBM A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which carries a nuclear warhead ...
launch failures aboard ''Novomoskovsk'' and ''Kareliya''. Submarines have traditionally been the strongest component of the Northern Fleet. Several new classes of submarines are in production to replace older models including: Borei/Dolgorukiy-class SSBNs, Yasen-class SSGNs, Khabarovsk-class SSGNs and Lada-class conventionally-powered submarines. However, the existing nuclear-powered submarines of the Northern Fleet are also aging rapidly. It is currently unclear whether the new Yasen-class, and other potential follow-on models, can be produced in sufficient numbers, and on a timely basis, to replace aging older nuclear submarines on a one-for-one basis. In this regard, reports suggest that Russian third-generation nuclear submarines have not been modernized to a level to avoid block obsolescence before 2030. The Northern Fleet has also received attention with respect to technological upgrades. The Fleet has received new combat aircraft (deployed within the 45th Air and Air Defence Army), enhanced shore-based missile assets (both surface-to-surface and surface-to-air) as well as new systems such as the Samarkand electronic warfare systems in 2017 and the Barnaul-T air reconnaissance system in December 2021. Samarkand is designed to assess electromagnetic situation, search, detect and analyze radio emissions and Barnaul-T helps conduct reconnaissance round-the-clock. Russia's Northern Fleet in 2018 resumed regular air patrols of the Arctic by long-range anti-submarine aircraft and its share of modern samples of weapons and equipment exceeded 56 percent. An air defense regiment of the Northern fleet armed with
S-400 The S-400 Triumf ( – Triumf; translation: Triumph; NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler), previously known as the S-300 PMU-3, is a mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed in the 1990s by Russia's NPO Almaz as an upgrade to the S ...
SAM launchers went on combat duty in Novaya Zemlya in the September 2019. Ground force modernization has also been a priority focus through the creation of the 14th Army Corps within the fleet and broader equipment modernization. A tank battalion of a Northern Fleet's separate motorized infantry brigade received the final batch of 26 T-80BVM tanks and completed the rearmament procedure in November 2019. The 76th Guards Air Assault Division and the 98th Guards Airborne Division, strategic reserve formations from the Russian Airborne Forces, might be deployed to help protect the
Kola Peninsula The Kola Peninsula (; ) is a peninsula in the extreme northwest of Russia, and one of the largest peninsulas of Europe. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely inside the Arctic Circle and is border ...
, in certain circumstances. While the Northern Fleet has traditionally emphasized the deployment of larger warships and submarines, new missile boats (of the Buyan/M and Karakurt classes) have temporarily been able to deploy into Northern Fleet waters utilizing Russian internal waterways. In 2020, the Buyan-M class corvette ''Zelenyy Dol'' and the Karakurt-class corvette ''Odintsovo'' trained and conducted trials in Arctic waters having deployed to northern waters via the internal waterways. The deployment illustrated the Russian capacity to reinforce the Northern Fleet with cruise missile-armed light units, potentially drawn from the Russian Navy's two other western fleets or from the Caspian Flotilla. In 2021, the Karakurt-class corvette ''Sovetsk'' also made the transit from the Baltic to the White Sea for missile exercises. In late 2021 it was reported that the Russian Navy was considering the possible creation of a new fleet, termed the ''Arctic Fleet'', which would be oriented to employing "ships and special equipment suitable for the Arctic". The Northern and Pacific fleets would continue to focus on "combat missions". If established, it was envisaged that the ''Arctic Fleet'' would maintain infrastructure separate from the Northern and Pacific fleets.


Sites

The Northern Fleet's main base is
Severomorsk Severomorsk (), known as Vayenga () until 18 April 1951, is a closed city, closed types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Severomorsk is the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet. The town is sit ...
. There are six more naval bases at Polyarnyy, Olenya Bay, Gadzhiyevo (Yagelnaya/Sayda), Vidyayevo (Ura Bay and Ara Bay), Bolshaya Lopatka (Litsa Guba), and Gremikha. Civilian ''Arktika'' nuclear-powered icebreakers are based at
Murmansk Murmansk () is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast in the far Far North (Russia), northwest part of Russia. It is the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle and sits on both slopes and banks of a modest fjord, Ko ...
. Shipyards are located in Murmansk,
Severodvinsk Severodvinsk (; ) is a city in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located in the delta of the Northern Dvina, west of Arkhangelsk, the administrative center of the oblast. As of the 2021 Census, the population was 157,213. Due to the p ...
, Roslyakovo, Polyarnyy, Nerpa, and
Malaya Lopatka Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia: Political entities * British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...
. Spent fuel storage sites include Murmansk, Gremikha, Severodvinsk and
Andreyeva Bay Zapadnaya Litsa (, ) is a naval base of the Russian Navy, part of the Russian Northern Fleet, located in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Location Zapadnaya Litsa Naval Base is located within the Litsa Fjord at the westernmost point of the Kola Peninsul ...
.


HQ Band

The Military Band of the Northern Fleet () is a military band unit 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 ...
that is a branch of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia. It is based at the fleet HQ in
Severomorsk Severomorsk (), known as Vayenga () until 18 April 1951, is a closed city, closed types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Severomorsk is the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet. The town is sit ...
. The band also takes part in national events and holidays in
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
such as the
Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
and Defender of the Fatherland Day holidays as well as the
Navy Day Several nations observe or have observed a Navy Day to recognize their navy. By country Argentina The Argentine Navy day is celebrated on May 17, anniversary of the victory achieved in 1814 against the Spanish fleet in the action of 14 ...
fleet parade. It has taken part in the ceremonial arrival of ships to the Northern Fleet Headquarters including the ''Vice-Admiral Kulakov'' and the ''USS Nicholas''. It had taken part in the funerals of many of the victims of the ''Kursk'' submarine disaster in the fall of 2000. In mid-March 2018, it took part in a competition at the Murmansk Nakhimov Naval School, which was presided by Colonel Timofey Mayakin, the Senior Director of Music 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 ...
. In September of that year, the band as well as a band from
Tromsø Tromsø is a List of towns and cities in Norway, city in Tromsø Municipality in Troms county, Norway. The city is the administrative centre of the municipality as well as the administrative centre of Troms county. The city is located on the is ...
,
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
, where they performed "Norwegian March" and " Farewell of Slavianka" at the Murmansk Regional Philharmonic.


Order of battle

From January 1, 2021 the Northern Fleet command was made a separate command within the Russian Armed Forces having equal status to the other Russian military districts. As such, it consisted of naval forces (the Northern Fleet itself), land forces (14th Army Corps, plus naval infantry and coastal defence troops), as well as aviation and air defence assets (45th Air Force and Air Defence Army). That status was abolished on February 26, 2024 by a new presidential decree (effective since March 1, 2024) which transferred the Northern Fleet to the re-formed Leningrad Military District. All land forces of the gleet were transferred back to the Ground Forces and Leningrad Military District. Additional capability in Arctic waters is provided by civilian icebreakers operated by the state-owned Rosatom company as well as other companies (Rosmorport, Gazprom Neft) and a Project 21180 vessel built for the Russian Navy. This icebreaker fleet, which includes seven nuclear-powered vessels operated by Rosatom, has been described as "crucial to military access and operations". Additional nuclear-powered Project 22220 (three in service, two more building and two additional ships planned as of early 2023) and Project 10510 (one vessel building) icebreakers have entered service, or are under construction/planned, to augment and replace those in service. The Navy, in turn, is procuring a new "lightened" class of Project 21180M icebreakers (which are two-thirds the displacement of the existing Project 21180 ship) with the first vessel being deployed with the Pacific Fleet in early 2023. These plans were formalized under the terms of a presidential executive order and Arctic strategy unveiled in October 2020. The icebreakers are designed to ensure the capacity of year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route. The Russian Coast Guard provides additional armed patrol vessels in Arctic waters with a further expansion of its capabilities anticipated in the 2020s. As of early 2023, the Northern Fleet itself comprises about 32 surface warships (including major surface combatants, light corvettes, mine counter-measures vessels and amphibious units), though some units are under repair or otherwise not operational. Additional lighter patrol units, support ships and auxiliaries are also deployed. The Fleet also comprises around 33+ submarines (including ballistic missile submarines, cruise missile submarines, special purpose submarines as well as nuclear and conventional attack submarines). As with the surface fleet, some submarines are not operational; others are in reserve and inactive. Nevertheless, programs to modernize the Russian Navy are continuing with the Northern Fleet traditionally having a priority focus with respect to major combatants. As of early 2024, the Northern Fleet has formed several new units.


Submarines

* 11th Squadron, Zaozersk ** 11th Division, Zaozersk *** Oscar II-class SSGNs: **** ''Orel'' (K-266) (active as of 2021) **** ''Smolensk'' (K-410) (active as of 2022) **** ''Voronezh'' (K-119) (reported in reserve; may be in process of decommissioning) *** Yasen-class SSGNs: **** ''Severodvinsk'' (K-560) (active; reported deployed to the Mediterranean as of October 2022) **** ''Kazan'' (K-561) (active) **** ''Arkhangelsk'' (K-564) (active) ** 7th Division, Vidyaevo Kommersant VLAST No.7(760), 25 Feb 2008 *** Sierra II-class SSNs: **** ''Nizhniy Novgorod'' (B-534) (active as of 2019) **** ''Pskov'' (K-336) (active as of 2019) *** Victor-III-class SSNs: **** ''Obninsk'' (K-138) (active as of 2017) **** ''Tambov'' (K-448) (reported as "received" in early 2023 after seven-year refit) * 12th Squadron, Gadzhiyevo ** 31st Submarine Division (Yagelnaya Bay, Sayda Inlet) *** Delta IV-class SSBNs: (Delta IVs reported to be incrementally withdrawn from service through the 2020s) **** ''Karelia'' (K-18) (active as of 2022) **** ''Verkhoturye'' (K-51) (active as of 2021) **** ''Tula'' (K-114) (active as of 2022; refit completed 2017) **** ''Bryansk'' (K-117) (reported in refit as of 2022) **** ''Novomoskovsk'' (K-407) *** Borei-class SSBNs: **** ''Yury Dolgorukiy'' (K-535) (active) **** ''Knyaz Vladimir'' (K-549) (active as of 2021) **
24th Submarine Division (Russia) The 24th Submarine Division (Russian: 24-я дивизия АПЛ СФ) is a unit of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. The Russian name consists of (diviziya - division) (APL as an abbreviation of - Atomic Submarine) (SF as an abbrevia ...
(Yagelnaya Bay, Sayda Inlet), traditionally operating Akula-class SSNs: *** ''Pantera'' (K-317) (in reserve) *** ''Gepard'' (K-335) (active as of 2021) *** ''Tigr'' (K-154) (in refit until 2023; to be equipped with 3M-54 Kalibr cruise missiles) *** ''Volk'' (K-461) (inactive; reported in 2020 as scheduled for "medium-overhaul" refit and arming with Kalibr cruise missiles) *** ''Vepr'' (K-157) (active as of 2022; returned to the fleet in 2020 post-refit) *** ''Leopard'' (K-328) (laid up since 2011 but medium-overhaul refit progressing as of 2020; being armed with 3M-54 Kalibr cruise missiles; projected as likely to begin post-refit sea trials in 2022) * 4th Submarine Flotilla ( Polyarny ( ru)) ** 161st Submarine Division: *** Kilo-class (diesel/electric) submarines (SSK): **** ''Kaluga'' (B-800) (active as of 2022) **** ''Vladikavkaz'' (B-459) **** ''Magnitogorsk'' (B-471) **** ''Lipetsk'' (B-177) *** Lada-class conventional propulsion (diesel/electric) submarines: **** ''Kronshtadt'' (B-586) (Entered service in the Baltic in January 2024) * 29th Special Submarine Squadron (Special operations submarines deployed with the Northern Fleet but under the command of the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research): ** ''Podmoskovye'' (BS-64) (active as of 2021; ex-Delta IV-class SSBN with missile tubes removed in "special purpose" role; "mothership" for smaller special operations submarine ''Losharik'') ** ''Belgorod'' (K-329) (Entered service July 2022; reported in 2022 as expected initially to operate in an "experimental role" with the Northern Fleet and then as likely to transfer to the Pacific Fleet; likely to also act as mothership for mini-submarines) ** ''Sarov'' (B-90) (active; hybrid conventional/nuclear-propulsion; intelligence collection/technology demonstrator) ** ''Losharik'' (AS-12/or 28/or 31) (hybrid conventional/nuclear propulsion; incapacitated after major fire July 2019; major repair work underway as of 2021 but may not return to service until 2024 or 2025; intelligence/special operations role) ** ''Orenburg'' (BS-136) (active; ex-Delta III-class SSBN; experimental role) ** Paltus-class submarine (special purpose mini-submarines; hybrid conventional/nuclear propulsion): *** AS-21 *** AS-35 ** Project 1910 Kashalot-class (nuclear-powered special operations submarine) *** AS-13 *** AS-15


Surface warships

* 43rd Missile Ship Division ** Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier (CV) ''Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov'' (063), Navy flagship. (Severely damaged by fire, December 2019. Not likely to return to active operations until at least 2024). ** s (CGN): *** ''Pyotr Velikiy'' (099), Fleet flagship (active as of 2022) *** ''Admiral Nakhimov'' (085) (Sea trials as of January, 2025. The ship had previously faced uncertainty as to when sea trials would begin or whether it would replace sister ship ''Pyotr Velikiy''. ) ** Slava-class cruiser (CG) ''Marshal Ustinov'' (055) (active; deployed in the Mediterranean February to August 2022) **
Sovremennyy-class destroyer The ''Sovremenny'' class, Soviet designation Project 956 ''Sarych'' ( buzzard), is a class of anti-ship and anti-aircraft guided-missile destroyers of the Soviet and later Russian Navy. The ships are named after qualities, with "Sovremenny" tra ...
(DDG) ''Admiral Ushakov'' (474) (returned to service in 2021 post-refit) ** Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates: *** ''Admiral Gorshkov'' (417) (on long-term deployment in the Atlantic/Indian Ocean/Mediterranean in early 2023). *** ''Admiral Kasatonov'' (461) (deployed in the Mediterranean in 2022) *** ''Admiral Golovko'' (456) * 2nd Anti-Submarine Ship Division ** Udaloy-class destroyers (DDG): *** ''Vice Admiral Kulakov'' (626) (active as of 2024) *** ''Severomorsk'' (619) (active as of 2023) *** ''Admiral Levchenko'' (605) (active post-refit as of 2022) *** ''Admiral Chabanenko'' (650) (inactive; reported in refit as of 2020) * Small Missile Ships (Light Missile Corvette) ** Nanuchka III-class corvette *** ''Rassvyet'' (520) (active as of 2021) * Small Anti-Submarine Ships (ASW Corvette) ** Grisha III-class corvette *** ''Brest'' (199) (active as of 2022) *** ''Yunga'' (113) (active as of 2022) *** ''Onega'' (164) (active as of 2021) *** ''Naryan-Mar'' (138) (active as of 2021) *** ''Monchegorsk'' (190) *** ''Snezhnogorsk'' (196) (active as of 2022) * Amphibious Warfare Vessels ** Ivan Gren-class landing ships *** ''Ivan Gren'' (135) (active as of 2022) *** ''Pyotr Morgunov'' (117) (active; deployed to the Black Sea and participating in the invasion of Ukraine) ** Ropucha-class landing ships *** '' Olenegorsky Gornyak'' (012) (damaged; deployed to the Black Sea and participating in the invasion of Ukraine; refit completed 2019) *** ''Kondopoga'' (027) (active as of 2021) *** '' Georgy Pobedonosets'' (016) (active; deployed to the Black Sea and participating in the invasion of Ukraine) *** ''Aleksandr Otrakovsky'' (031) (active as of 2022) ** ''Project 02510 BK-16E'' high-speed assault boats: 4 vessels (''D-308'', ''D-2110'', ''RVK-703'', ''D-321'') * Mine Countermeasures Ships: ** Sonya-class: 7 vessels (BT-21, ''Polyarny'', ''Kotelnich'', ''Yadrin'', ''Kolona'' – latter four all reported active as of 2020 -, ''Elnya'' reported active as of 2022, and ''Solovtskiy yunga'' reported active as of 2023) ** Gorya-class: 1 vessel (''Vladimir Gumanenko'' (811) – active as of 2022) * Patrol/Anti-saboteur Boats: ** Grachonok-class anti-saboteur ship: 5 vessels (P-340 ''Yunarmeets Zapolyarya''; P-421 ''Yunarmeets Belomorya''; P-429; P-430 ''Valery Fedyanin''; ''Unknown'') * Icebreakers: ** Project 21180 icebreaker Ilya Muromets (active) * Patrol ships: ** Ivan Susanin-class patrol ship ''Ruslan'' * Intelligence Vessels (operated by the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research): ** Vishnya-class intelligence ships: *** ''Kurily'' *** ''Viktor Leonov'' *** ''Tavriya'' ** Balzam-class intelligence ship ''Pribaltika'' ** Yury Ivanov-class intelligence ship ''Yuriy Ivanov'' (active as of 2021) ** Project 7452-class intelligence ship ''Chusuvoy'' ** Project 22010-class intelligence ship ''Yantar'' (active as of 2022) ** Project 02670-class 'Oceanographic research vessel' ''Evgeny Gorigledzhan'' (sea trials in the Baltic as of 2022) * Fleet Oilers: ** Boris Chilikin-class: 1 vessel (''Sergey Osipov''; active as of 2021) ** Dubna class: 1 vessel (''Dubna'') ** Kaliningrad Neft class: 2 vessels (''Vyazma'' and ''Kama'' (former ''Argun''); ''Vyazma'' accompanied ''Marshal Ustinov'' and ''Vice Admiral Kulakov'' on their Mediterranean and Atlantic deployment in 2022; ''Kama'' accompanyied ''Admiral Gorshkov'' in 2023 long-range deployment; detached and operating in the Atlantic as of May 2023) ** Akademik Pashin class: 1 vessel (''Akademik Pashin''; deployed to the Mediterranean as of August 2022) * Logistic Support Ships: ** 1 ''Elbrus-class'' (Project 23120) ice-capable logistics support vessel (entered service 2018) ** ''Project 304''-class Repair Ships: 3 vessels (''PM-10'', ''PM-69'', ''PM-75'') * Hydrographic Survey Vessels: 4 ''Yug-class'' (Project 862) vessels ** ''Vizir'' ** ''Temryuk'' (formerly ''Mangyshlak'') ** ''Gorizont'' (active as of 2021) ** ''Senezh''


Aviation and Air Defence Forces

* 45th Air Force and Air Defence Army ** 40th Mixed Aviation Regiment (previously 924th Long Range Air Reconnaissance Regiment?) – HQ at Olenegorsk/ Olenya
Tu-22M The Tupolev Tu-22M (; NATO reporting name: Backfire) is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s. The bomber was reported as being designated Tu-26 b ...
3 ''Backfire'' bombers with
Kh-32 Kh-32 () is a Russian supersonic air-launched cruise missile with a range of 600–1000 km developed by the MKB Raduga from the Kh-22. The missile was accepted to service in 2016 as armament for the Tu-22M3M bombers. History Work on th ...
long-range supersonic and Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic anti-ship missiles; – Deployed in the Northern Fleet/45th Air Army area of operations but under command of Russian Long-Range Aviation Forces ** 98th Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment: Two Squadrons:
Su-24 The Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name: Fencer) is a supersonic, night fighter, all-weather tactical bomber developed in the Soviet Union. The aircraft has a variable-sweep wing, Twinjet, twin engines and a side-by-side seating arrangement for it ...
M; One Squadron: MiG-31 BM-variant in air defence role; some K-variant reported in anti-ship role with Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic anti-ship missiles (ASM); Su-24 reported converting to Su-34 (“Fullback”) fighters with
Kh-35 The Zvezda Kh-35 (, NATO reporting name AS-20 'Kayak') is a Soviet turbojet subsonic cruise anti-ship missile. The missile can be launched from helicopters, surface ships and coastal defence batteries with the help of a rocket booster, in whic ...
U ASM (
Monchegorsk (air base) Monchegorsk Air Base is a military air base in Murmansk Oblast, Russia located 13 km northeast of Monchegorsk and 11 miles southwest of Olenya (air base). Work on the air base began in the early 1950s, and by 1957 it was identified on Americ ...
) ** 100th Independent Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment – Severomorsk-3 air base; Two Squadrons: mix of MiG-29K/KUB, Su-27/KUB and
Su-25 The Sukhoi Su-25 ''Grach'' ( ('' rook''); NATO reporting name: Frogfoot) is a subsonic, single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by Sukhoi. It was designed to provide close air support for Soviet Ground Forces. The ...
/UTG aircraft reported (MiG-29K elements reported deployed in interim land-based role at Rogachyovo airfield in 2021) ** 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment – HQ at Severomorsk-3 – Two Squadrons: Su-33 (Flanker-D)/Su-25UTG (as of 2021) ** 174th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment reported deployed by end of 2019 with MiG-31BM (K-variant in anti-ship role with Kh-47M2 Kinzhal ASM) (Monchegorsk airfield with additional forward operating bases, including Nagurskoye air field on Alexandra Land, Rogachevo air base, Sredniy in Severnaya Zemlya, Kotelny in the New Siberian Islands and
Wrangel Island Wrangel Island (, ; , , ) is an island of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. It is the List of islands by area, 92nd-largest island in the world and roughly the size of Crete. Located in the Arctic Ocean between the Chukchi Sea and East Si ...
) ** 73rd Independent Air Squadron – HQ at Kipelovo (Fedotovo) – Tu-142MK, Tu-142MR Maritime Patrol/ASW aircraft; ** 403rd Guards Mixed Aviation Regiment – HQ at Severomorsk-1 – One ASW/ELINT Squadron: Il-38/N ASW aircraft, Il-22 command aircraft (NATO reporting name: ''Coot B''), and Il-20RT electronic intelligence aircraft; One Transport Squadron:
Tupolev Tu-134 The Tupolev Tu-134 (NATO reporting name: Crusty) is a twin-engined, narrow-body jet airliner built in the Soviet Union for short and medium-haul routes from 1966 to 1989. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain oth ...
,
An-12 The Antonov An-12 (Russian language, Russian: Антонов Ан-12; NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop Cargo aircraft, transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has ...
,
An-26 The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a twin-engined turboprop civilian and military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the Soviet Union from 1969 to 1986.Gordon, Yefim. Komissarov, Dmitry & Sergey. "Antonov's Turboprop Twins ...
transport aircraft (2019)Air Forces Monthly (January 2020) p. 20
/ref> ** 830th Independent Shipborne Anti-Submarine Helicopter Regiment – HQ at Severomorsk-1Ka-27/PL/M ASW, Ka-29 attack, Ka-31 airborne radar helicopters (2019) * 1st Air Defence Division (Murmansk Oblast) ** 531st Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Severomorsk-1 and 3 air base region –
S-400 The S-400 Triumf ( – Triumf; translation: Triumph; NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler), previously known as the S-300 PMU-3, is a mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed in the 1990s by Russia's NPO Almaz as an upgrade to the S ...
/ Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missiles) ** 583rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Olenya region – S-300PM/PS surface-to-air missile system) ** 1528th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (
Severodvinsk Severodvinsk (; ) is a city in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located in the delta of the Northern Dvina, west of Arkhangelsk, the administrative center of the oblast. As of the 2021 Census, the population was 157,213. Due to the p ...
– S-400 SAMs) * 3rd Air Defence Division (created 2019): ** 33rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (S-400 SAM systems) ( Rogachovo air base,
Novaya Zemlya Novaya Zemlya (, also , ; , ; ), also spelled , is an archipelago in northern Russia. It is situated in the Arctic Ocean, in the extreme northeast of Europe, with Cape Flissingsky, on the northern island, considered the extreme points of Europe ...
, Arkhangelsk Oblast) (as of 2019) ** 414th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment established in 2019 with S-300V4 and/or S-300PS? surface-to-air missile system at
Tiksi Tiksi ( rus, Ти́кси, , ˈtʲiksʲɪ; , ''Tiksii'' – lit. ''a moorage place'') is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Bulunsky District in the Sakha Republic, Russia, located on the shore of the B ...
* S-400 SAM deployments reported in both 1st and 3rd Air Defence Divisions at:
Alexandra Land Alexandra Land () is a large island located in Franz Josef Land, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Not counting detached and far-lying Victoria Island (Russian Arctic), Victoria Island, it is the westernmost island of Franz Josef Land. It is the site ...
(Nagurskoye air base), Kotelny Island, and
Wrangel Island Wrangel Island (, ; , , ) is an island of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. It is the List of islands by area, 92nd-largest island in the world and roughly the size of Crete. Located in the Arctic Ocean between the Chukchi Sea and East Si ...
, among others. * S-300P SAM (NATO reporting name: SA-10 Grumble) at Rogachovo air base and elsewhere.


Northern Fleet Coastal Troops

* 14th Army Corps: ** 80th Arctic Motor Rifle Brigade (Alakurtti)(arctic warfare brigade; equipment includes 122-mm
2S1 Gvozdika The 2S1 ''Gvozdika'' (, "Dianthus caryophyllus, Carnation") is a Soviet Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled howitzer introduced in 1972 and is in service in Russia and other countries . It is based on the MT-LBu multi-purpose chassis, mount ...
self-propelled howitzers; re-equipment of both 80th and 200th brigades on
BTR-82A The BTR-80 () is an 8×8 wheeled amphibious armoured personnel carrier (APC) designed in the Soviet Union. It was adopted in 1985 and replaced the previous vehicles, the BTR-60 and BTR-70, in the Soviet Army. It was first deployed during the ...
APCs was completed in 2016) ** 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade (Pechenga): deployed assets include Tor-M2DT mobile SAM system deployed on DT-30PM all-terrain vehicles (as of 2019); (tank battalion reported to have fully re-equipped with
T-80 The T-80 is a main battle tank (MBT) that was designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union and manufactured in Russia. The T-80 is based on the T-64, while incorporating features from the later T-72 and changing the engine to a gas turbi ...
BVM MBT in 2020; elements of the Brigade reported deployed on operations in Ukraine as of February 2022 and reserve battalion reported activated for Ukraine as of July 2022) * Naval Infantry/Special Forces ** 61st Naval Infantry Brigade (As of February 2022, elements of the Brigade reported deployed to the Black Sea as part of Russian amphibious task force for operations in Ukraine. In 2023, it is reported that the brigade had conducted combat training with
BTR-80 The BTR-80 () is an 8×8 wheeled Amphibious vehicle, amphibious armoured personnel carrier (APC) designed in the Soviet Union. It was adopted in 1985 and replaced the previous vehicles, the BTR-60 and BTR-70, in the Soviet Army. It was first de ...
) ** 420th Naval Reconnaissance Spetsnaz Point (Special Forces battalion) (Zverosovkhoz) * Coastal Missile & Artillery Troops: 536th Coastal Missile and Artillery Brigade (coastal missile brigades normally deployed with 3–5 K-300P Bastion-P battalions and 1–2 Bal battalions). ** Bal mobile coastal missile system reported deployed on the Sredny Peninsula and Franz Josef Island (planned to be fitted at strategic locations along the entire
Northern Sea Route The Northern Sea Route (NSR) (, shortened to Севморпуть, ''Sevmorput'') is a shipping route about long. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is the shortest shipping route between the western part of Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region. Ad ...
) ** Bastion coastal defence missile system with P-800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles reported on Alexandra Land in the Franz Josef Islands and Kotelny Island.


Commanders


See also

* Status 6 (Poseidon)


References

Attribution:


Further reading

*


External links

*
Official site at mil.ru

Bellona Foundation site about the Russian Northern Fleet"Прощание Славянки" – Оркестр штаба Северного Флота (2014)Оркестр Штаба Северного Флота и Виктор Седнев – БузукиОркестр Северного Флота – Норильск 29.08.19
{{Coord, 71, 22, 2, N, 24, 34, 3, E, source:enwiki-plaintext-parser, display=title Barents Sea Military in the Arctic Military units and formations awarded the Order of the Red Banner Military units and formations established in 1933
Northern Fleet The Northern Fleet (, ''Severnyy flot'') is the Naval fleet, fleet of the Russian Navy in the Arctic. According to the Russian ministry of defence: "The Northern Fleet dates its history back to a squadron created in 1733 to protect the terri ...
Russian fleets Russian Navy