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83rd Separate Air Assault Bbrigade

83rd Paratroops Brigade is a military unit of the Airborne Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The brigade is deployed in Ussuriysk. Personnel strength is about 3,500 people. In 2005, two separate airborne brigade battalions were transferred to contract manning.

The 65th separate air assault battalion of 600 soldiers was formed under Colonel VM Sinitsyn By December 1, 1985 in Bialogard ( Poland ). To mark the day of the formation of the annual celebration connection is established on 29 November. In May and November 1986 the 83rd Paratroops Brigade was formed in Bialogard Polish People's Republic on the basis of the 65th separate airborne assault battalion (in / hr p / n 15555). The brigade was formed in the territory of the 126-th separate reconnaissance battalion of the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Vitebsk-Novgorod twice Red Banner Division (until February 1985 90th gv.td ) Northern Group of Forces.

At the time of formation of the brigade its main purpose was to combat the blockade of the Baltic straits and capture missile launchers at NATO installations.

By Directive of the Minister of Defense of the USSR #314 / 3 / 001,592 on 06 December 1989, as of 01 August 1990 the 83rd Paratroops Brigade of the Northern Military District was transferred to the subordination of the Commander of the Airborne Troops. By Directive # 568/3/0841 of the Airborne Troops Commander, on 27 March 1990 the 83rd was reformed as the 83rd separate airborne brigade. In June-July 1990, the unit successfully completed a combined movement by rail and aviation to Ussuriysk, and became part of the Far Eastern Military District.

In December 1995 - January 1996, in accordance with the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation #070 dated December 26, 1995 "On improving the management of troops (forces)" the unit was removed from the Airborne and reassigned to the command of the Far Eastern Military District.

After the transfer to the land forces the 83rd formed the 111th separate tank battalion (31 tanks T-80B, 3 of them combat training). In 1996, the battalion of the brigade got private rooms. The composition of the 83rd ODShBr included:

• 593rd (or 598) separate airborne battalion;
• 635-th separate airborne battalion;
• 654-th separate airborne battalion.

In accordance with the Presidential Decree number 776 of 11 October 2013 and Directive Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the 83rd Paratroops Brigade became once again part of the Airborne Troops. Acceptance of the airborne troops 83rd Paratroops Brigade of the Eastern Military District was officially conducted at Ussuriisk November 6, 2013.

The composition of the unit in 2010 was

• headquarters (in / h 71289);
• 635-th separate airborne battalion (n. Baranovsky Ussuri region of Primorsky Krai);
• 654-th separate airborne battalion (Ussuriisk);
• 598 (or 593rd) separate airborne battalion (Ussuriisk);
• 9th Separate Guards howitzer Order of the Red Star Division;
• anti-aircraft missile and artillery battery (ZU-23, GAZ-66);
• reconnaissance company;
• communication company;
• engineer company;
• repair company
• company financial security;
• medical company.

In 1988 the results of an inspection team of the Ministry of Defence rated the Brigade as demonstrating a high combat training and strong discipline, performing any tasks assigned to it. In 1989, the forced march of 10 kilometers with shooting team took 1st place in the Armed Forces of the USSR for the prize of the newspaper "Red Star" staff.

Servicemen brigade within the consolidated units took part in the fighting in Chechnya. The brigade was involved in almost all major exercises conducted in the Far East. In 2002, the two companies side by side for the first time acted with the Marines of the Pacific Fleet at Cape Klerk and was highly appreciated by the Minister of Defence.

In June 2004, during the operational strategic exercise "Mobility 2004" the paratroopers were in no way inferior to their blood-brothers of the famed Pskov division. Over the course of the exercie they were observed by the President of Russia and Russian Defense Minister.

In 2005, one of the companies was involved in the exercises in Sakhalin, and the other - in the Amur region. In August 2006, reinforced paratroop company under the command of Captain Vladimir Shevtsov parachuted with AN-12 near Khabarovsk, captured advantageous positions of the "enemy" until the main forces arrived. In autumn 2006, the brigade was handed the banner of the military council with the inscription: "To the best mix of the Far Eastern Military District."

A massive military-readiness drill took place in Russia's Far East in July 2013. President Vladimir Putin ordered the surprise drill on July 12 to check the alert status of all forces in Russia's Eastern Military District. The exercise is thought to be the largest of its kind in the post-Soviet period. In all, some 160,000 soldiers, 1,000 tanks, 130 aircraft, and 70 naval vessels participated. The 83rd Airborne Brigade was ordered from its base in Ussuriisk to Sakhalin Island, where an amphibious assault was carried out in coordination with assault ships "Oslyabya" and "Nikolai Vilkov" assault ships.

A swearing-in ceremony 18 June 2014 for the 83rd Airborne Brigade in Russia ended with a tracked armored personnel carrier accidently running over an 18-year-old soldier. An investigation was launched regarding the incident, but the soldier was said to be fine.

A multi-service force is being created to protect Russia's national interests in the Arctic. The combined arms element of the force will incorporate two Arctic motorized infantry brigades, Ground Forces Commander Col. Gen. Oleg Salyukov told reporters on 01 October 2014. "A separate [Arctic] motorized infantry brigade has almost been formed in the Murmansk region. The second Arctic brigade will be formed in the Yamal-Nenets autonomous region during the year 2016," Salyukov said.

The brigades will accomplish coast patrolling missions, protect sites and territories on the coast of the northern seas and the Arctic Ocean, support and escort ships sailing along the Northern Sea Route, and demonstrate the military presence in the Arctic, he said. "The Arctic formations will be equipped with off-highway vehicles: two-section transporters, snowmobiles and hovercraft," Salyukov added. The armaments and special-purpose gear will help the successful accomplishment of missions in northern latitudes, he said. "Combat training will be organized with due account of climatic conditions," the commander stated.