74th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Zvenigorod-Berlin Order of the Suvorov Brigade (military unit 21005, Yurga)

The location of the 74th Separate Guards Zvenigorod-Berlin Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree motorized rifle brigade, or military unit 21005, is the city of Yurga, Kemerovo Region. The unit is part of the 41st separate army of the Central Military District. The 74th Separate Zvenigorod-Berlin Motorized Brigade incorporates motorized battalions, a tank battalion, artillery battalions, and auxiliary units. The brigade was created from the overhauled 94th Guards Infantry Zvenigorod-Berlin Division, a separate guards engineering battalion, and the 386th Tank regiment of the 85th Motorized Division detached from the Western Group of Forces. On April 28, 1943, the 94th Division was formed of two Marine brigades that took part in the Stalingrad offensive. Over a half of its servicemen fought in Stalingrad, which is why the division had been immediately granted the title "guards."

Following an August 1999 attack into Dagestan by Chechen separatists and the September 1999 bombings of two apartment buildings in Moscow, the Russian government launched a military campaign into Chechnya. Russian authorities accused the Chechen government of failing to stop the growth of the rebels' activities and failure to curb widespread banditry and hostage-taking in the republic. The 74th Motor Rifle Brigade was sent to the region in September 1999 and took part in the Dagestan campaign until March 2001, when it became one of the first Russian units to withdraw from the region. The brigade fought rebel forces with an array of military equipment, including tanks, self-propelled artillery, and armored personnel carriers.

The 74th Separate Zvenigorod-Berlin Motorized Brigade deployed in Yurga, Kemerovo Region (coal-mining region in the south of Western Siberia), will be fully manned with contract servicemen by the end of 2006, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said 02 February 2005 at a meeting with the brigade's personnel attended by journalists. "By late 2006, the 74th Brigade should be fully manned by about 3,000 professionals," the minister said. He praised the professionalism of the brigade, which "is one of the most combat-ready," he said. "Transition to contract service will include the construction of new barracks for contract servicemen and development of the training and material base," Mr. Ivanov added. However, bu 2022 the Brigade still included both conscripts and contract troops.

To date, military unit 21005 is the only formation in the Central Military District that has undergone a complete rearmament. The unit received the latest combat vehicles and military weapons, and the officers and soldiers underwent a retraining course for military personnel.

Currently, the formation consists of motorized rifle and tank battalions, artillery divisions and several support companies.

• control;
• 867th motorized rifle battalion;
• 873rd motorized rifle battalion;
• 880th motorized rifle battalion;
• rifle company (snipers);
• 13th tank battalion;
• 227th howitzer self-propelled artillery battalion;
• 230th howitzer self-propelled artillery battalion;
• rocket artillery battalion;
• 237th anti-tank artillery battalion;
• 243rd anti-aircraft missile division;
• anti-aircraft missile and artillery division;
• reconnaissance battalion;
• engineer-sapper battalion;
• repair company;
• material support battalion;
• control battalion (communications);
• battery of control and artillery reconnaissance (chief of artillery);
• control and radar reconnaissance platoon (air defense chief);
• EW company;
• RCB protection company;
• UAV company;
• control platoon (head of the intelligence department);
• commandant's company;
• medical company;
• a platoon of instructors;
• a platoon of simulators;
• polygon;
• orchestra.

The beginning of the formation of the 74th motorized rifle brigade can be considered the 94th rifle division, created in April 1943. Then it included marines who participated in the battles near Stalingrad, soldiers of the 12th and 96th marine rifle brigades. The unit took the first battle on the Kursk Bulge in 1943, and literally a few months later already liberated Kharkov and Belgorod.

During the Second World War, the 94th division participated in the battles for Chisinau, for many Polish cities, and also stormed Berlin. For the heroism shown in the battle for the village of Zvenigorodka, the formation was called "Zvenigorodskaya". The Order of Suvorov, 2nd class, was awarded to the unit for crossing the Dniester in 1944. The second name - "Berlin" division was assigned for the assault on the capital of Germany and the breakthrough of the enemy's defenses on the Odra.

From 1945 to 1992, Germany was the location of the then 94th Infantry Division. In 1993, the unit's troops were withdrawn from the Western Group of Forces and transferred to the Kemerovo Region. In 1993, the unit was reorganized into the 74th motorized rifle brigade, which was joined by the 386th tank regiment and the 85th motorized rifle division.

From the autumn of 1999 to the spring of 2001, the officers and soldiers of the formation were involved in the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, including the storming of Grozny. By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of July 31, 2013 No. 656 "For distinction in battles during counter-terrorist operations in the North Caucasus region", the 74th Motorized Rifle Brigade was awarded the Order of Kutuzov.

Those who served in military unit 21005 note that both contract servicemen and urgent draft servicemen live in block-type dormitories in the cabins. Rooms-kubricks are designed for 5-6 people, there are 2 of them in one block. A bathroom, a dryer, a shower room - one per block.

There is no canteen on the territory of the hostel, it is located in a separate building. Civilians are involved in cooking, the soldiers do not have kitchen outfits. However, they perform park and maintenance work, just like cleaning the blocks in the hostel. In addition to the canteen, fighters can eat at the teahouse or make purchases at the local “chipka” at the unit. Other infrastructure facilities in the garrison include the House of Culture, a library and a first-aid post.

The training program includes classes in military affairs, physical training and field shooting. The latter, which is typical, are carried out quite often, since a training ground is located at military unit 21005.

Only men are accepted for contract service in this unit. Material assistance in the amount of 2 salaries is paid once a year, and "lifting" at the first conclusion of the contract - once. In addition, the servicemen receive compensation for daily rations, rent of housing outside the military camp and business trips.

There is no military hospital in Yurga, the nearest medical center is the regional hospital (8 Shosseiny Lane) and the hospital in Novosibirsk. Soldiers spend only 15 days in the first-aid post of the unit; in case of serious illnesses, patients are sent to Novosibirsk.

Monetary subsidies for fixed-term and contract employees are credited to the card of Uralsibbank, whose ATM is located next to the checkpoint. For withdrawals from cards of other banks, a commission is charged, established by the organization that issued the card.