Military unit 71289(83rd separate air assault brigade) located in the city Ussuriysk. It is believed that it is here that real men are raised - defenders of their homeland. It is not for nothing that some chose the words as their slogan: “Honor is more valuable than life!”
History of military unit 71289
Military unit 71289 began to take shape back in 1939. It was called the 119th Rifle Division and was located in Krasnoyarsk. In 1940, the division was renamed a brigade. During the Great Patriotic War, the brigade's fighters heroically defended the city of Bely and became participants in the Battle of Kursk. This was followed by another reorganization into the 17th Guards Rifle Division and deployment to China. Since 1955, military unit 71289 became part of the 5th Combined Arms Army of the Far Eastern Military District with headquarters in the village of Barabash. After 2 years, the unit became known as the 123rd Guards Division, and in 1985 - the 65th separate air assault battalion.
The 83rd Air Assault Brigade is considered one of the best in the Russian Federation. Although it was organized in 1986 in Poland, it was already included in the Airborne Forces in 1990 and located in the city of Ussuriysk in the Far East. Since 1996, the brigade came under the command of the commander of the Red Banner Far Eastern Military District and was withdrawn from the Airborne Forces until August 2013.
The employees of military unit 71289 have their own military history. They have been in “hot spots” more than once, and also participated in all large-scale exercises in the Far East. The unit's personnel especially distinguished themselves in 2002 at the Mobility-2004 exercises. Then the military personnel demonstrated a high level of military training. In 2006, the military unit received a challenge banner for the “Best formation of the Red Banner Far Eastern Military District.”
Information from eyewitnesses
The military town in Ussuriysk began to be built during the time of Marshal Blucher. Since 1990, material and living conditions have been improved due to allocated funds from the federal budget. At the moment, the military unit on its territory has 2 baths, a tea room, 2 canteens, a club, 2 first-aid posts and a library.
Paratroopers often impress schoolchildren with their performances, and also demonstrate their acquired skills at the Airborne Forces Day festival, which takes place in the central square of the city.
On normal days it will not be possible to contact employees. Phones are issued only on weekends, and the rest of the time they are kept in the custody of the company commander. If relatives need to convey urgent information, you can call the unit on duty.
Reserve Lieutenant Colonel V.N. Drokin is a veteran of the 83rd Separate Guards Airborne Brigade, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2016.
And in 1983, Viktor Nikolaevich was sent to the Polish city of Bialogard even before her birth. A group of officers, which included Afghan captain Viktor Drokin, formed the predecessor of the 83rd Airborne Brigade - a separate airborne battalion.
Viktor Nikolaevich served in the brigade for 20 years, and since May 2001, he served as deputy brigade commander and head of the airborne service of this unit for exactly four years.
Remembering the mid-80s, the experienced paratrooper spoke about himself and about interesting incidents from his military life:
FOLLOWING THE EMAILS - HOMELAND
“I gave two-thirds of the entire period of my army service to the 83rd Brigade. This is a very significant part of my life as an officer, like many of my colleagues in the brigade.
In the fall of 1985, having been sent abroad, I came to Bialogard to continue serving as part of the Northern Group of Forces of the USSR, part of the Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact countries.
In the military town, I was surprised by the different colors of shoulder straps worn by military personnel. At that time it was not yet known what uniform the personnel of the yet unborn military unit would wear.
The reconnaissance and landing company, on the basis of which the airborne battalion was formed before the brigade, wore the uniform of motorized riflemen. And the officers arrived from anywhere. Only the sailors were missing.
Not even a third of the total strength of the new battalion was recruited as pure paratroopers. There were no appropriate uniforms for them in military warehouses at that time. Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel V. M. Sinitsin solved the problem simply: he ordered all officers and warrant officers leaving on leave to return with paratroopers' shoulder straps, which was done with special diligence. In a couple of months, the battalion acquired a decent appearance as an airborne unit. And later the form appeared.
IMMEDIATELY INTO TURNOVER
The brigade command had a very difficult time during its formation. There were few officers who had previously served in the Airborne Forces.
The difficulties were mainly of a domestic nature. There were not enough barracks facilities; the soldiers were housed in cramped cubicles with bunk beds. The officers lived in different parts of the city, and even on the territory of other parts. A dormitory for lieutenants was organized in the attic of the barracks.
The artillerymen generally lived in tents at the training ground for a year and did not complain. All problems were resolved according to plan. Well, no one had to relax at all. Discipline was maintained very strictly. “Demobilizations” were only such in our infantry, but in our country they immediately came into use.
By September, after leave, about two hundred freshly promoted lieutenants arrived immediately. But they also needed parachute training, since they graduated primarily from either combined arms universities or schools of other branches of the military.
At such a turning point, from the entire motley mass of military personnel, the commanders had to not only organize, but also train a real “winged infantry”!
This is what the combat commander of the future brigade, Colonel V.I. Borodavkin, did with his small team of experienced officers who, like Vladimir Illarionovich himself, arrived from active units: the brigade commander and his deputy for weapons, Colonel Skryl, from the 106th Guards Airborne Division , the rest of the people are from everywhere.
The guardsmen brought to their future creation a special inexhaustible optimism and victorious spirit of the airborne troops, a readiness to complete the most difficult tasks, regardless of any difficulties.
FIRST EXHIBITION JUMP
Having graduated from the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School in 1981, I immediately became an instructor of parachute training. He served for two years as a platoon commander in the 137th airborne division, in the “capital of the Airborne Forces” - Ryazan. Then there was Afghanistan. And in 1983, he was one of three officers who were sent to Poland, where a battalion was being formed, to serve as deputy company commander and airborne training instructor. The service captivated me. And when the brigade was born, at the same time there were people who wanted to join its sports team in parachute jumping. I also agreed to join it.
The first demonstration jumps took place on Airborne Forces Day - August 2, 1986 - at the stadium, opposite the brigade checkpoint. By that time we had just begun to receive material. There were no sports parachutes at all. We decided to make do with conventional landing craft, which are controlled more in theory than in practice. The head of the airborne service, Major D.F. Yakimenko, assembled a group of officers who had sufficient experience for the jumps. It included two captains - V. Volokhov and me, as well as lieutenants D. Brylev, A. Morozov, Z. Latypov and V. Zalepaenkov.
It was quiet in the morning on a holiday. At eight o'clock we performed a training jump and landed successfully: everyone ended up right at the stadium, although the 50 by 150 m area for jumping from six hundred meters was too small for six brave guys.
As soon as the time for the celebration arrived, and at 10 o’clock the people arrived, as luck would have it, the wind picked up. As we expected, he scattered us a little. And although everyone stretched with all their might to land in the “designated square”, only two of us ended up on the football field, the rest were outside the stadium.
It didn't turn out as well as on the first jump. But the people liked it, and everyone began to wait impatiently for the mass jumps to begin. Nobody knew when such a day would come. The bulk of the personnel had yet to learn how to descend under the dome from under the clouds.
AT THE TOWER – CONVEYOR CONVEYOR OF STUDENTS
Typically, in airborne units, parachute training and familiarization jumps are included in the course of a young soldier. We had to teach the science of landing to new recruits, replacement sergeants, and even young officers who had not studied landing, and all at the same time.
The problems started with the parachute tower. Each of the trainees had to perform their first five jumps here.
From the very morning rise until the end of the day, four of us, in two shifts, carried the parachute from bottom to top to prepare it for a new approach. Even a group of broad-shouldered guys managed to lift the canopy onto the tower after each jump in a moderate wind with great difficulty.
The next paratrooper from the whole “conveyor” didn’t even have time to get scared before he gave the command “Let’s go!” the releaser released the straps, and the “student” was literally blown off the diving board of the tower. In general, although with great difficulty, we prepared everyone on time.
From this “pedagogical poem” I remember one episode that took place in 1987.
WITH HEAVEN'S HELP
At that time, in exchange for the young people who arrived, a group of old-timers from other military units was transferred to our brigade to “dilute” it. This is how the number of rank and file personnel was equalized based on conscription. Naturally, the “cream of society”, determined to return home as soon as possible, pushed us. There were also those who had difficulty understanding Russian. It was me who got to prepare this “gop team” for jumping.
Two weeks of exclusively airborne training flew by like one day! Before the next takeoff, I presented my new group to the graduate for inspection. Major Yu. V. Agapov is an experienced officer. On his personal account there were more than 400 jumps. He, as expected, examined the guys, gave additional instructions, and I watched my “eagles” to the helicopter.
I observe the approach to the combat course. It seems like everyone jumped. True, there is a small interval between the descending domes. So, someone was resisting. Happens.
The helicopter lands. I'm going to the issuer to find out the details.
The major is an experienced officer, and for a long time he could not stop his verbal “burst”, similar to a machine gun. It was clear from everything that he was outraged. And that's putting it mildly.
It was an active volcano! A two-by-two “cabinet” with a shovel palm could not be thrown off balance. Those who suddenly became confused before the jump or, God forbid, began to resist, the major did not persuade, but simply carried them out the door by the collar. But even at the same time he made sure that the parachutist held the ring with one hand and pressed the other to his body. With your arms outstretched, you could catch on.
And then, as it turned out, one of my charges first slowed everyone down, afraid of heights. Then the “eagle” grabbed his head with both hands and with all his might rushed through the door of the helicopter, shouting “Alla...!” Well, at least with God’s help, I still jumped with a parachute myself, and most importantly, I landed safely. Well done! And thank heavens!
...A year later we already had a big sports team. Although we were not chasing achievements, the team achieved the main goal - to interest the personnel in jumping and lead the guys into the sky! And on August 2, 1987, a long chain of paratroopers already flaunted over the festive military town. Our football field was not enough for them!”
Recorded by Tatiana ROMANOVA
The Airborne Forces say: “They become real paratroopers after jumping from an Il-76.”
How this happens - a correspondent for the Novaya newspaper observed with his own eyes during practical training sessions in the 83rd separate air assault brigade.
Today I will get up before dawn
On February 17, it began at four in the morning for the brigade’s military personnel. After getting up - early breakfast, loading into cars, leaving for the airfield... Officers and conscripts are not used to this, they look forward to days like this. It is then that moments occur when you can test your strength, and for those who participate in such exercises for the first time, consider yourself a real paratrooper warrior, and not a simple paratrooper.
I am accompanied by senior lieutenant of the Airborne Forces R. Abdrakhimov and freelance assistant commander for information support E. Filatova. When we arrive at the Vozdvizhensk military airfield, more than 500 personnel of the unit are already equipped with parachute systems. With backpacks on their backs, cargo containers and weapons, the guys look militantly beautiful.
According to Ratmir, the weight of the paratrooper’s cargo is more than 50 kg.
Do the math for yourself,” says the senior lieutenant, “the parachute system is 18 kg, the weapon with ammunition is about 5.5 kg, and the machine gunners are even heavier. Plus, a cargo container weighing about 30 kilograms. It is usually used to transport radios. If a paratrooper will carry out a combat mission for several days, then he will need additional rations, a sleeping bag, etc.
We pass by the ranks standing on the concrete. Unit commanders once again check the readiness of paratroopers. In the sky there will be no time to correct the shortcomings, and any unfastened strap or unhidden knot can cost your life.
The sky is overcast, and the guys are worried that the jumps may not take place. At the same time, a snow-white Il-76 leaves the runway to scout the weather.
Some time later, the officers who will release the paratroopers head to the second airship for instructions. It is carried out constantly and without fail, despite the fact that each of the graduates has at least a hundred jumps on their account.
The entire ongoing process is led by the deputy brigade commander - the head of the airborne service, Lieutenant Colonel R. Samokhin. He waves away my questions with a smile. What can I tell you here? It’s just normal studying. And asks not to distract from work. This is understandable; organizing paratrooper exercises is not an easy matter.
The day of the jumps must be coordinated with aviation, the command of military air defense units must be notified about it, the equipment of the runway, the transportation of soldiers, communications with the landing aircraft and the landing site must be monitored. Immediately before the groups take off, all briefings, checks, and registration of boarding lists when paratroopers board the plane also take place under the control of Lieutenant Colonel Samokhin.
Thanks to the efforts and perseverance of Roman Viktorovich, the parachute jump program has been noticeably increased since last year. During the academic year, 14,500 of them were carried out. The brigade was the first in the army to complete the airborne training program. We have mastered new types of parachute systems,” says E. Filatova. – Since the beginning of this year, landings have been carried out more than 10 times. And during military service, a paratrooper can make up to 20 jumps.
While we wait for the reconnaissance plane to return, I am introduced to the intricacies of airborne operations.
- What training does a soldier undergo before he is allowed to jump?
Ratmir Abdrakhimov:
– First, the new recruit gets acquainted with the material part of the parachute, studies its structure, principle of operation, and stowage. Moreover, each fighter must lay the dome down at least three times with his own hands. Then the guys learn to put on a parachute system and attach weapons to it. After this, practical training begins on the shells of the airborne complex. Boarding and exit procedures are practiced on aircraft mock-ups. On the slipways for suspended systems, paratroopers train to exit the aircraft, act in case of emergency situations in the air, and learn to land correctly. During classes, we also pay attention to the physical training of the personnel; we strengthen the ankle muscles on a special track so that there are no injuries during landing.
- Why is the paratrooper who jumped from the Il-76 considered real?
And you are well prepared! Jumping from an IL-76 is an indicator of some skill of a paratrooper. After all, young fighters make their first jump only from a helicopter. Its speed at the moment the parachutists exit is a little more than 140 km/h, and 8-10 people are dropped in one ascent. After two or three jumps, when the guys get used to the parachute equipment and act more confidently in the air, they are allowed to jump from this plane. Here the speed during landing is 360 km/h, there are 84 people on board at once, however, 42 come out at a time. You yourself understand that the landing conditions are different, and you cannot do without certain skills.
Heavenly dandelions
While we are talking, an airship approaches the landing site of the paratroopers, its engines humming. The commanders walk between the ranks and once again remind them how to act on the plane and in the air.
We count: 501, 502, 503, ring, 504, 505, dome, failure... - comes from the nearest unit. – We looked up, made sure that the parachute had opened, and we moved away from the axis of the plane...
At this time, pilots approach the deputy brigade commander for airborne training to receive “cargo,” or rather, landing sheets. This is something like a general ticket, in which all “passenger seats” are distributed by name. And now the first ship group climbs aboard through the open ramp. Landing is also carried out according to certain rules: heavy parachutists take places along the right side of the ship, and those who are lighter are seated along the left. The last to board the plane is a team of military personnel, not wearing conventional harnesses: the parachute packs are much smaller, there is no reserve parachute in front, and the altimeter is located on the sleeve of the jacket.
These are “crossbowmen,” explains Ratmir. - This is the name of the special reconnaissance unit because they use the Arbalet-2 parachute system for landing. It is more familiar to ordinary people as a “wing parachute”. And the special forces perform training jumps not from 800 meters, like everyone else, but from 2000.
Following the team, we board the plane to wish everyone good luck. The guys became quiet, listening to the last instructions of the commanders before takeoff. The stowaway journalist was not allowed on the flight, but the ship's commander allowed him to photograph the soldiers in the plane's cabin.
While the winged vehicle takes off and gains altitude, we reach the landing site, lost among the fields beyond Korsakovka. The clearing for collecting and checking parachutes, covered with tarpaulin, was located on a small hillock. Nearby is a pole with a “sorcerer”. This is the name given to a fabric cone used to determine the strength and direction of the wind.
Not far away, a cross is laid out on the ground with red ribbons; crossbowmen are guided by it during landing. All other paratroopers land in a spacious clearing. Their D-10 parachute systems are controlled differently from a flying wing, and the scattering strip of paratroopers after leaving the board stretches for almost a kilometer.
There it is, the first Il-76, - the servicemen point beyond the horizon.
The winged car, like an albatross, flies over the plain and goes for a second circle. Following her, dandelion domes open in the expanse of heaven. Literally a minute and a half later, the first group of paratroopers was already at the ground. The weather is calm, and there is no need to extinguish the parachute being filled by the wind. White airy matter falls on the tall feather grass, covering them like a snowdrift. The landing guys energetically weave the lines and put them in bags along with a light nylon. A multi-colored flag appeared among the ravine. This is how the commander designated the gathering place of his unit. Each has its own flag color.
Men's work
A paratrooper is not just a paratrooper, he is a soldier. And he makes the jump not for the sake of a spectacular landing, but in order to carry out a combat mission far from the area where the military unit is deployed, without regard to the terrain and weather. This time, after landing, the fighters had to work hard. Having gathered together, the warriors take up a perimeter defense. The father-commanders clarify the plan of action. The military personnel form a chain and advance by number to the location of the mock enemy. First, the first line moves in a short dash, then the second, and again the first, the second... Combat groups from different sides approach the established point. The soldiers have to roll around in the snow and in the roadside dust. I am beginning to understand the meaning of the airborne proverb: “For three seconds you are an angel, for two minutes you are an eagle, and the rest of the time you are a horse.”
At the same time, the remaining 42 people on the plane land, and the second board appears in the sky.
It feels like you are in a war zone. Some units, shouting “Hurray,” storm the lines of the imaginary enemy. New forces are being pulled up behind them, and the last landing force is folding the domes.
At the landing point, all these actions were observed by the deputy commander of the 83rd brigade, Lieutenant Colonel S. Shukhovtsev.
According to him, during a year of military service, a soldier manages to jump from an Il 76 plane five or six times. Moreover, a certain educational and training program is always carried out. During these exercises, the paratroopers were tasked with gathering unit by unit after landing, entering the specified area, and conducting practical combat training. The set goal has been largely achieved, although shortcomings are noticeable. This means there is something to work on.
In the evening, after exercises and training, the units gather at the assembly point. “Well, with the next one!” - congratulations are heard. And the boys are heatedly discussing the lesson...
Tomorrow the paratroopers will sort out mistakes and shortcomings and again pack parachutes, preparing for new exercises. But the guys’ eyes, despite their fatigue, glow with enthusiasm. It is not for nothing that Senior Lieutenant R. Abdrakhimov said that in the 83rd Brigade, as in other similar military units, people who are in love with the Airborne Forces serve. Others cannot stand the hard life of military life. After all, romance is only in the movies, but in everyday life, serving in the airborne troops is not an easy job.
Airborne Aces
The soldiers, engrossed in conversation, glance every now and then at the horizon, from where the next plane should appear. Crossbowmen will jump from it. And here he is. The plane goes much higher than the previous ones. Behind him, black dots of parachutists appear in the shrouded sky. A moment later, white wings spread over them. The special reconnaissance unit performs other tasks than a simple jump. They must reach the landing site from a height of two kilometers.
Not even a couple of minutes have passed before the winged reconnaissance aircraft are already circling over the site, taking turns landing. Young fighters watch with envy as the aces, one after another, land at the designated point.
I approach the paratrooper assembling the “wing”.
- Well, how is it up there in the sky?
Today it’s quiet, the wind doesn’t blow it to the side,” he smiles in response. - In this weather, I would just jump.
- How far can you cover with such a parachute?
If you leave the plane at an altitude of 8,000 meters with the Arbalet-2 parachute system, you can fly up to 40 kilometers. These characteristics of the parachute make it easier to carry out the combat mission, because the secrecy of the landing force and the ship is maintained. After all, the plane is moving at a distance from the destination, and the scouts themselves fly up to it as close as possible.
- Are there foreign analogues?
There are both foreign and domestic ones, but they are a little more difficult to manage. "Crossbow-2" is just for landing. It is reliable and forgiving of many mistakes.
And the city thought...
When our car left Korsakovka on the way home, a column of Ural trucks was moving towards us, driving behind the fighters. The thought flashed: “But nothing is over yet. But other fighters take on another task. They have their own task - to deliver military personnel and airborne cargo to the airfield, and then to the place of deployment. And the drivers must also show their skills so that everything goes without a hitch.”
Already at home, my first acquaintance told me that today planes had been circling over the city all day. I admit, it was nice to feel that I was involved in these flights, communicated with courageous people and lived the same life all day together with the paratroopers of the 83rd separate air assault brigade.
Andrey TKACHEV
The 83rd separate air assault brigade, or military unit 71289, is located in the city of Ussuriysk. Its slogan is “Honor is more valuable than life!” reflects the history of the unit and the opinion of the paratroopers themselves that “true men are raised here.”
History of military unit 71289
The formation of the unit began during the Great Patriotic War, in 1939. Then it was the 119th Infantry Division, located in Krasnoyarsk. Soldiers of the brigade (as it was called in the 1940s) defended the city of Bely (1942) and participated in the Battle of Kursk (1943). Then the division was reorganized into the 17th Guards Rifle Division and until 1955 its location was China. After 1955, today's military unit 71289 was part of the 5th Combined Arms Army of the Far Eastern Military District, whose headquarters were located in the village of Barabash. In 1957, it was reorganized into the 123rd Guards Division (motorized rifle), which in 1985 became the 65th separate air assault battalion.
The 83rd Airborne Assault Brigade (today one of the best in the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation) was formed in Poland (Bialograd) in 1986. After the collapse of the USSR, in 1990, it was included in the Airborne Forces and transferred to a strategically important Russian region - the Far East (Ussuriysk).
Since 1996, it was withdrawn from the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation and was subordinate to the commander of the Red Banner Far Eastern Military District. Since August 2013, the unit has been re-incorporated into the Airborne Forces.
Members of military unit 72189 as part of the combined units took part in combat operations in “hot spots” (Chechnya and Abkhazia).
The soldiers took part in all large-scale exercises held in the Far East. Thus, at the exercises in 2002, they distinguished themselves together with the infantrymen of the Pacific Fleet, and at the Mobility-2004 exercises they showed the same high results as the soldiers of the 76-1 Pskov Division; a year later, military unit 72189 stood out at the exercises in the Amur Region and on Sakhalin.
In 2005, two battalions of the unit were transferred to the contract recruitment method.
In 2006, the unit was awarded the challenge banner “To the Best Unit of the Red Banner Far Eastern Military District”
Reviews of military unit 71289
The buildings of the military camp in Ussuriysk, as locals recall, appeared during the time of Marshal Blucher. Since 1990, improvements have been made to material and living conditions - funds were allocated from the federal budget, and now on the territory of military unit 72189 there are 2 baths, 2 canteens, a teahouse, a club, a library and 2 medical stations. The service center, hairdressing salons and workshops are located within the city limits. Currently there are plans to improve the housing stock.
Paratroopers often hold demonstration performances for city schools and, of course, at Airborne Forces Day.
The latest event brings together residents of the taiga city in the central square, because for many it is an opportunity to see their loved ones.
The rest of the time, contact with employees of military unit 72189 is maintained by mobile phone - calls are allowed only on weekends. The rest of the time the communication device is with the company commander. In case of emergency, relatives can call the duty officer.
As for the daily routine of military unit 72189, it is regulated in the same way as in other military units - military and physical training, outfits and guard duty.
Outfits are given both for the kitchen (cooking) and for the housekeeping department (cleaning up the territory of the unit). Monday is “commander’s day,” when a full check is carried out: the soldiers’ appearance, their bedside tables are checked, and on this day parcels, mobile phones and accounts on social networks can be viewed.
Leave for employees is given upon prior application, even during the oath, so it is better to plan your visit on Friday (then the soldiers are released for the weekend). The rest of the time, meetings with relatives and friends take place at the checkpoint. It is noteworthy that soldiers and paratroopers who have completed 4 parachute jumps while undergoing combat training are given an additional 15 days of leave.
Those wishing to serve under a contract in military unit 72189 are subject to the following requirements:
Age from 18 to 40 years and Russian citizenship;
Relevant education (not lower than secondary school);
Health certificate;
Mental stability is not lower than “satisfactory” (according to the result of professional mental selection);
As for money transfers, it is better to send money to a bank card of the Asia-Pacific Bank, Alfa Bank or Sberbank of Russia.
On the territory of the unit there is only a Sberbank ATM (Baranovsky garrison), the rest are located within the city.
Asia-Pacific Bank ATM addresses:
83rd separate air assault (airborne) brigade
The predecessor of the 83rd air assault brigade (Ussuriysk) was the 65th separate airborne assault battalion (65 air assault battalion) formed in November 1985.
By November 1986, on the territory of Poland (the city of Bialogard), on the basis of the 65th separate air assault battalion, the 83rd separate airborne assault brigade of the Main Command of the Western Direction was created. The 83rd Special Airborne Brigade (military unit 71289) was formed on the territory of the garrison of the 126th ORR of the 6th Guards Motorized Rifle Division.
The initial composition of the 83rd Airborne Assault Brigade: 2 parachute battalions, an air assault battalion, an artillery division, communications, repair and support units. However, in 1987, almost all the armored vehicles of the BMD type required for the air assault battalion were transferred to other formations, which essentially means that at that time all the battalions were paratroopers, and the 3rd Airborne Assault Battalion was so only formally, in fact being an airborne assault battalion . This is an interesting case from the history of the 83rd Air Assault Brigade.
In 1990, the formation became the 83rd Airborne Brigade after being reassigned to the command of the Airborne Forces. In the same year, the 83rd Special Airborne Brigade was transferred from Poland to Ussuriysk. On March 27, 1990, the 83rd separate air assault brigade was reorganized into the 83rd Airborne Brigade in Ussuriysk.
By January 1996, the 83rd separate airborne brigade came under the command of the Far Eastern Military District. Since February of the same year, the command and control of the 83rd airborne brigade is carried out personally by the commander of the district troops.
It is worth noting one rather interesting experiment. In 1996, the 111th separate tank battalion, stationed in the village, became part of the brigade. Lyalichi. The combat equipment of the 111th detachment consisted of 31 T-80B tanks, including several combat training ones.
In the same year, parachute battalions received numbered designations. The composition of the 83rd air assault brigade of Ussuriysk in 1996: 593rd opdb, 635th opdb and 654th opdb.
It is known that paratroopers from Ussuriysk took part in combat operations during the 2nd Chechen War as part of combined units.
83 airborne brigade in our time.
Not a single major exercise in the Far East is complete without the participation of the 83rd Airborne Brigade. In 2002, combat cooperation with marine units of the Pacific Fleet was successfully trained at Cape Clerk. The Mobility 2004 exercises showed that the level of training of the paratroopers of the 83rd Ussuriysk Airborne Brigade is in no way lower than that of their colleagues from the 76th Airborne Division. In 2005-2006, a number of successful exercises were conducted in Sakhalin, Khabarovsk and the Amur region. Also in 2006, the 83rd airborne brigade was recognized as the best unit in the district.
The composition of the brigade today: command of the 83rd separate airborne brigade (military unit 71289), 635 separate infantry battalion, 654 separate infantry battalion, 9th separate artillery division, 111th separate tank battalion, anti-aircraft missile and artillery battery, special forces.
Heavy weapons of the 83rd Airborne Brigade Ussuriysk:
- T-80B tanks - 31 units;
- BTR-80/82A - 30 units;
- BMP-2 - 61 units;
- howitzers 2A18M D-30 - 18 units;
- 82-mm mortars 2B14 - 18 units.
As we can see, the 83rd Airborne Brigade has sufficiently serious firepower to become an important factor guaranteeing peace in the Far Eastern region.
The commander of the 83rd Airborne Brigade, Colonel Gusev, and the chief of staff, Colonel Bushuev, did a lot to strengthen the combat readiness of the unit in Ussuriysk. Many paratroopers of the 83rd Special Airborne Brigade will fondly remember the brigade commander, Colonel Yuri Volyaninov, and the older generation will remember Vladimir Kazantsev.
