Tatishchevo
60th Taman Missile Division (military unit 89553)
Taman missile division of the Order of the October Revolution, Red Banner Division
51°40'N 45°34'E

The location of the 60th Taman (Tatishchevskaya) Order of the October Revolution of the Red Banner Missile Division, or military unit 89553, is the ZATO Svetly of the Saratov region. The unit is part of the 27th Guards Army of the Strategic Missile Forces and is subordinate to the command of the Central Military District. Military unit 89553 consists of 10 regiments, a communications center, a postal station, a separate combat support battalion, a commandant's office, a missile base, a command post, a technical missile base, a military hospital, a helicopter squadron and Tatishchevo airfield.

In various years, the missile division was armed with missiles UR-100 (from 1966 to 1978), UR-100N (from 1976 to 1984), UR-100NU (from 1982), RT-23UTTKh (from 1989) .), RS-12M2 (from 1997 to the present). The re-equipment of the division's missile regiments with the Topol-M silo-based missile system continued. From 1978 to 1987, the formation carried out 13 combat training launches of missiles from the positional areas of the regiments.

The silo-based SS-24 Mod-1 (15Zh60) was deployed in silos formerly occupied by SS-17 Sego ICBMs, starting on 28 November 1989, and the first regiment of silo-based missiles was activated on 19 August 1988. Altogether 56 silo-based RT-23UTTh missiles were initially deployed, with 10 at Tatishchevo in Russia and 46 at Pervomaysk in Ukraine. A total of 46 silo-based RT-23UTTh missiles located in Ukraine were phased out and dismantled in compliance with the provisions of the START-1 treaty.

In December 1997, the first two Topol-M systems were put on alert for a trial period with the Taman Division at Tatischevo in the Saratov region. As of late July 1998 two more Topol-M launch sites were completed and were awaiting acceptance trials. Russia put a regiment of 10 Topol-M missiles on duty in 1998, with plans for a second regiment by December 1999.

As of 31 July 2001 there were 24 RS-12M Variant 2 (SS-27) (C); 90 SS-19 (C); and 6 SS-24 (C) deployed launchers at this location. The number of actual deployed ICBMs were reported as follows: Aleysk: 13 SS-18; Tatishchevo: 23 RS-12M2, 84 SS-19, 0 SS-24. As of 01 July 2008 there were a total of 48 operational RS-12M Variant 2 (SS-27 silo) at this location, as well as 72 operational SS-19s and 4 non-deployed SS-19s.

On May 28, 1961, on the basis of the 229th Taman Red Banner Fighter Aviation Division in Birobidzhan, the formation of the Taman Red Banner Missile Division began. Initially, the division became part of the 9th Separate Missile Corps. On January 15, 1962, the division took up combat duty (with two launchers), armed with R-12 missiles. In September 1962, the 7th and 8th combat crews of the 81st missile regiment of the division at the Pereval training ground (Sovetskaya Gavan) fired one combat missiles each. From September 11 to November 20, 1962, units of the division were on alert in high alert in connection with the events in Cuba.

On October 31, 1962, the division was awarded the Battle Banner with the Order of the Battle Red Banner and Certificate. From June 23 to July 14, 1964, the division was redeployed to the 5th Kirov Separate Missile Corps (ORK) in the settlement. Tatishchevo, Saratov region and its rearmament with a second-generation missile system with silo launchers and UR-100 missiles.

In January 1964, the construction of combat starting positions, infrastructure of the positional area of the division, a barracks zone and a residential town began to provide housing for officers and warrant officers, their families. The foundation was laid for the village of Tatishchevo-5 (now the closed administrative-territorial unit "Svetly"). By the decree of the Strategic Missile Forces Military Council of October 26, 1967, the division was awarded the Commemorative Banner and Diploma of the Strategic Missile Forces Military Council.

On August 12, 1968, the Taman missile division took up combat duty with a full complement of missile regiments with a UR-100 missile. On October 19, 1976, the division was awarded the Challenge Red Banner of the Strategic Missile Forces Military Council "The best formation for high performance in combat and political training", and on October 24, 1977 - the Challenge Red Banner and Certificate of Honor of the Strategic Missile Forces Military Council.

On December 6, 1977, the unit was awarded the pennant of the USSR Minister of Defense "For Courage and Military Valor" for high performance in combat training, courage and military prowess shown in the exercises. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 21, 1978 for the successes achieved in combat and political training, mastering new military equipment and in connection with the 60th anniversary of the SA and the Navy, the division is awarded the Order of the October Revolution with the assignment of the name Taman Missile Order of the October Revolution Red Banner Division ".

On October 20, 1979, the division was awarded the Challenge Red Banner and a certificate of honor from the Strategic Missile Forces Military Council. On the basis of a certificate dated January 27, 1981, the division was awarded the Red Banner of the Central Committee of the Komsomol "For successes in the communist education of youth" with delivery for eternal storage. On December 17, 1982, the division was given the honorary title "named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR." The full name of the division became "Taman Missile Division of the Order of the October Revolution, Red Banner Division named after the 60th anniversary of the USSR."

On November 27, 1999, on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Strategic Missile Forces, the missile regiment of the formation (military unit 55555) was given the honorary name "Saratov".

ZATO Svetly is a small village in the Saratov region, formerly called Tatishchevo-5. Today its infrastructure is quite developed and includes educational institutions, a hospital, banks, shops, a small market, a library and a garrison Officers' House. As the servicemen of military unit 89553 themselves say, the Tatishchevskaya (Taman) missile division is the most powerful among the domestic units of the Strategic Missile Forces. The formation was the first to accept rearmament with Topol-M installations, which are designed to contain the nuclear threat, as well as several missile systems. The latter are dispersed over 400 km around the village of Svetly.

Of the officers and personnel of such a unit as military unit 89553, a third unit is on shift combat duty. About the same number of missilemen are involved in ensuring the security of missile positions. Before the soldiers are sent on duty, a week of training is given to them. Its essence is that missile launch and operation classes are conducted on a special virtual simulator that reproduces the situation in the command post. For the officers of military unit 89553, such classes are held on a quarterly basis.

The servicemen are on alert for about six hours. It includes training in adjusting the launch parameters of rocket launchers, simulating real combat conditions using air attack weapons. That is, the unit commanders or the Strategic Missile Forces command give the input coordinates by which the missiles need to be tracked.

In such a unit as military unit 89553, personnel of the main headquarters of the Strategic Missile Forces and missile divisions perform combat duty. For mobile complexes, a duty calculation of the launcher has been organized. Such a system of measures is aimed at a well-coordinated approach to missile launch, maintaining missile and special weapons, and communications equipment in a state of readiness for use.

As for material and living conditions, the servicemen of military unit 89553 live in dormitories of the cockpit type. Conscripts live in 4-6 people in the cockpit, and officers - in twos. Shower room, room for drying and storage of things - one for the cockpit. Each block has a washing machine and a small kitchen. In the building of the hostel there are rooms for psychological relief - a room with sufficient soundproofing and adjustable lighting. The walls of the room are painted in a neutral color, it also has a projection screen and multimedia equipment, stereo headphones and a soft couch. After being on duty, the servicemen spend about 2 hours in the psychological relief room.

The rest of the hostel's equipment consists of a sportswear jacket, a recreation room and a library. On the territory of the unit there is a canteen, a medical unit, a bath and laundry plant, buildings of the commandant's office and a parade ground. Tactical training and shooting practice sessions are held at the range not far from the unit.

It is problematic to maintain contact with relatives for fighters of such a unit as military unit 89553. First, mobile phones can only be used in barracks located 200-300 km from missile launchers. Secondly, the division command officially allows the use of mobile phones only on Sundays. Since the 60th Taman Division belongs to the Strategic Missile Forces troops of high secrecy, fighters are prohibited from using telephones with a photo and video camera, Internet access, etc. During the checks, SMS messages and calls are viewed. The same inspection rules apply to contractors.