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104th Guards Airborne Division

The 104th division of the Russian Airborne Forces was recreated in the fall of 2023 to participate in the war against Ukraine. At least since November it has been in the Kherson direction, its area of responsibility includes the left bank of the Dnieper. The servicemen of this unit have repeatedly found themselves in high-profile scandals. They were also accused of extortion, robbery and murder of civilians in the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region. The cruelty of commanders towards personnel is also noted, facts of bullying, torture and extrajudicial killings are recorded. The 104th Guards Order of Kutuzov Airborne Division was one of the oldest units of the USSR Airborne Forces and was formed in January 1944 as the 11th Guards Airborne Division. In December 1944, it was reorganized into the 104th Guards Rifle Division. She took part in the liberation of Hungary, and ended the hostilities in May 1945 in Czechoslovakia.

In April 1946, the division was reorganized into the 104th Guards Airborne Division and deployed in Narva (Estonian SSR). In 1960, the division was redeployed to Kirovabad (Ganja) of the Azerbaijan SSR in the Transcaucasian Military District. The division then participated in hostilities in Afghanistan and Chechnya. Then its unofficial names "Wild Division" and "Scorpions" became known throughout the former USSR.

By the time of the collapse of the USSR, the 104th Guards Order of Kutuzov Airborne Division included three parachute regiments - the 328th Guards Parachute Regiment, the 337th Guards Parachute Order of Alexander Nevsky Regiment and the 345th Guards Parachute Assault Viennese Red Banner Order of the Suvorov Regiment named after the 70th anniversary of the Lenin Komsomol - the last regiment as a separate one took an active part in the hostilities in Afghanistan from 1979-1989, and after being withdrawn from Afghanistan it was included in the 104th division in 1989.

In May 1993, the division was withdrawn from Azerbaijan to Ulyanovsk. After the 1998 military reform, it was reorganized into the 31st separate Guards airborne order of the Kutuzov brigade (since 2007 - the 31st separate guards airborne assault order of the Kutuzov brigade).

As commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel General V. Shamanov repeatedly announced in 2013-2015 about plans to create the 345th separate guards air assault brigade with the alleged deployment in Voronezh, which was supposed to inherit traditions and regalia 345 1st paratrooper regiment. However, gradually plans to create a new air assault brigade in Voronezh were abandoned, and, as can be understood from the later statements of V. Shamanov, it is now planned to recreate the 345th regiment as part of the 104th division planned for restoration.

Interfax-AVN reported on May 5, 2018, by 2023, in accordance with the plan for the construction of the Airborne Forces (Airborne Forces), it is planned to reorganize the 31st separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade into the 104th Guards Airborne Assault Division. This information was voiced by the head of the State Duma’s defense committee, Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov. He spoke at a gala rally on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the redeployment of the 104th Guards Airborne Order of Kutuzov of the second degree of the division from the Republic of Azerbaijan to Ulyanovsk and the 20th anniversary of the formation of the legal successor of the compound of the 31st Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade.

"Today, when the plan for the construction of the Airborne Troops until 2030 is approved, we should expect that by the 25th anniversary of the brigade in 2023 we will again revive the 104th Airborne Assault Division, which is planned to be deployed in three cities: Ulyanovsk, Penza and Orenburg, "said V. Shamanov. “We will also revive the 345th legendary regiment, which successfully performed combat missions in Afghanistan. This will be a tribute to the feat and heroism of these wonderful people,” the head of the committee added.

He said that recently at a meeting with the Russian president in St. Petersburg, on behalf of the veteran community, he asked him to give a political assessment of the almost 10-year stay of Soviet troops in Afghanistan in connection with the 30th anniversary of their withdrawal from this country, which will be celebrated in 2019. "The President of Russia agreed with this," said V. Shamanov. He noted the decisive role of the personnel of the 31st brigade in what they called “polite people” in Russian society. “You did this by returning Crimea to your native harbor,” the head of the State Duma committee emphasized when referring to the paratroopers in service.

Celebrations in honor of the 75th anniversary of the creation of the 104th Guards Airborne Division were held in Ulyanovsk. This was announced on by TASS in the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. "Celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the 104th Guards Airborne Division will take place on January 31 and will take place at two venues - the territory of the Guards Airborne Assault Assault Force and in the center of folk culture, the Governor's Palace in Ulyanovsk" , - the message said.

Events began with the removal of the national flag of the Russian Federation, the flag of the Ulyanovsk Region, the St. George flag of the unit, the combat banner of the 104th Guards Airborne Division and two pennants of the Minister of Defense "For Courage and Military Valor". After the solemn meeting, servicemen, veterans and guests of honor laid wreaths and garlands of flowers at the monument to the “Fallen Soldiers” on the parade ground of the compound.

Participants of the event were able to visit the exhibition of the latest models of small arms, engineering property, modern equipment of communications and landing. Demonstrations of military personnel and an air assault company with a demonstration of combatant techniques with weapons were held, intelligence units showed hand-to-hand combat techniques with overcoming an obstacle course and capturing an object. Celebrations ended with a concert of Ulyanovsk creative groups in the center of folk culture. An exhibition of the latest equipment was presented in the lobby of the institution. It will be demonstrated by servicemen of the airborne assault compound.

As part of the 31st Air Assault Brigade, Sergei Ishtuganov took part in the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This unit “distinguished itself” by suffering huge losses during the landing in Gostomel, as well as in battles in the Donetsk region. It was later disbanded. By early 2024 he commanded the 328th Regiment of the 104th division of the Russian Airborne Forces, which is located in the Kherson direction. Its area of responsibility includes the Left Bank of the Dnieper river. The crime of shooting Ukrainian prisoners of war in April 2024 was committed by servicemen of the 328th Regiment of the 104th division on the orders of Ishtuganov, who almost certainly gave the order to shoot.

The 328th Regiment of the 104th Division directly took part in the battles for the bridgehead of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the village of Krynki. In addition to the fact that the Russian Armed Forces almost completely wiped out this village from the face of the earth, they were involved in a number of war crimes, both against civilians and against soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Thus, on April 7, 2024, a video of the brutal execution of three Ukrainian prisoners of war near the village of Krynki was published online. The wounded prisoners were finished off with automatic weapons; the filming was specially carried out in close-up. According to evocation.info, this crime was committed by soldiers of the 328th Regiment of the 104th Division on the orders of Ishtuganov to intimidate the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

On the evening of the same day, it became known that the police of the Kherson region began an investigation into violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Those found guilty face life imprisonment.