Soviet military miracle 1941-1943 [Revival of the Red Army] Glanz David M

ENGINEERING (SEPER) TROOPS

Engineer and sapper regiments and battalions

Throughout the war, the engineering troops of the Red Army included sapper troops as part of the active fronts and sappers under the control of the leadership of the RGK or RVGK, who were allocated by the Headquarters to the active fronts and armies as needed. Both of them were supposed to be involved in the construction and renovation of defensive structures and providing various types of engineering support to field troops during offensive and defensive operations.

Engineering troops as part of the active troops of the Red Army included separate sapper battalions (squadrons) in rifle and cavalry divisions, motorized engineer battalions in mechanized corps, sapper battalions (squadrons) in rifle and cavalry divisions, pontoon-bridge battalions in tank divisions, light engineering battalions in motorized rifle divisions, engineer companies or platoons in rifle and cavalry regiments and in tank and motorized rifle regiments and brigades, as well as engineer platoons in regiments of the RVGK and corps artillery.

Sapper battalions of corps and divisions consisted of three sapper companies of three platoons and a technical company in battalions of a corps or technical platoon in battalions of divisional subordination, a bridge-building platoon and a platoon secret weapon and a small rear service. The total strength of the corps engineer battalion was 901 people, the divisional one - 521 people. Depending on the division to which they belonged, these battalions moved either on foot or on horseback. On June 22, 1941, the field forces of the Red Army included over 200 sapper battalions, all of which retained their pre-war structure until December 1941, when the People's Commissariat of Defense (NKO) reduced the battalion's strength to two companies, mainly due to the creation within the RVGK larger and more efficient engineering and combat engineer troops.

The engineering troops of the RGK included 19 engineering and 15 pontoon-bridge regiments stationed in military districts, which the NKO formed in the first half of 1941 from 22 separate engineering battalions and 21 separate pontoon-bridge battalions. Of this number, ten engineer and eight pontoon-bridge regiments, seven engineer battalions and two sapper battalions were assigned to active fronts, two engineer and two sapper battalions were directly subordinate to the RGK, and the rest were located in military districts and inactive fronts.

The RGK engineering regiment consisted of a headquarters, two engineering battalions (one of them motorized), a technical battalion with electrical, electrical, defensive, hydraulic and camouflage companies, a light pontoon-bridge fleet (NPL), 35 engineering vehicles, 48 trucks and 21 tractors. The pontoon-bridge regiment included a headquarters, three pontoon-bridge battalions (but only one personnel), a technical company with platoons for road laying, bridge construction, lumberjacks, electrical and field water supply, the N2P pontoon-bridge park and officer school, equipped with pontoon bridges and technical equipment.

On the eve of the war, the military plans of the General Staff required NPOs to have each field army at least one independent motorized engineer battalion, one motorized pontoon-bridge battalion and individual field water supply companies, camouflage, electrical and hydraulic technical support, a sapper training unit and a separate reserve pontoon-bridge park equipped with the N2P kit. In addition, each field army should have a reserve engineering regiment and a separate reserve technical company to perform special engineering tasks.

However, in addition to the general shortage of engineering troops, the engineering regiments and battalions of the RGK existing on June 22, 1941 were missing from 35 to 60 percent of the full-time command personnel, from 20 to 70 percent of the full-time sergeant majors. They were short on average 35 percent of their manpower and approximately 50 percent of their equipment.

In addition to the engineering troops, the People's Commissariat of Defense on the eve of the war also had 25 military construction departments. 23 of them were engaged in the construction of fortified areas and field defensive structures in the western military districts, along with the majority of engineer troops belonging to future fronts. As a result, with the outbreak of the war, most combat formations were deprived of the necessary engineering support.

When Wehrmacht troops brutally defeated the Red Army during Operation Barbarossa, the already fragile Soviet engineering forces suffered great damage. The NKO responded to this by hastily and practically from scratch starting the formation of new engineer battalions for the RGK (later RVGK) with their subsequent allocation to the active fronts. For example, in July 1941, all engineer and pontoon-bridge regiments of the RGK were disbanded, and their remains were used to form 100 small sapper battalions, equipped only with rifles and other hand weapons, as well as entrenching tools, explosives and anti-tank mines. 25 such battalions were assigned to rifle corps, and another 75 to rifle divisions.

As a result total number engineering-sapper and pontoon-bridge battalions in the Red Army constantly grew - from 20 on July 1 to 178 on November 1, including 140 assigned to the active fronts. However, during the same period, engineering support rifle divisions decreased noticeably. For example, on July 29, the NKO disbanded the technical and pontoon platoons in the sapper battalions of the rifle divisions, and in July 1942, after the liquidation of the battalion's three sapper companies in December, it reduced numerical composition battalion by 60 soldiers, also reducing the number of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines.

Starting from the first months of 1942, the NKO began to compensate for the shortage of engineering troops, giving the active fronts and armies one or two new engineer or sapper battalions, and the fronts - new pontoon-bridge battalions. Individual engineer battalions could be either foot or motorized, they consisted of three engineer companies with three engineer or motorized platoons and one technical platoon each (the latter had electrical, lumber and transport sections). The total strength of the battalion was 405 people. Individual sapper battalions had two or three sapper companies with a total strength of approximately 320 people.

While the number of separate engineer and pontoon-bridge battalions in the Red Army increased during the period described from 82 and 46 on January 1, 1942 to, respectively, 184 and 68 on January 1, 1944, the number of separate engineer battalions decreased from 78 to three .

Sapper brigades and armies

Although during the time initial stages German operation"Barbarossa" the number of engineering troops of the Red Army was greatly reduced, State Committee Defense (GKO) ordered

Headquarters to build new strategic defensive lines and positions to slow down the Wehrmacht’s advance, using newly created engineering and sapper units for this purpose. For example, on June 24, the State Defense Committee ordered the construction of a strategic defensive line along the Luga River south of Leningrad, on June 25 - a second line from Nevel through Vitebsk and Gomel along the Dnieper to Dnepropetrovsk, and on June 28 - a third line from Ostashkov through Olenino, Dorogobych and Yelnya along the Desna to Zhukovka, 50 kilometers west of Bryansk.

As the Wehrmacht advance accelerated, the GKO in mid-July ordered Stavka to build two more large defensive lines, the first to protect Odessa, the Crimean Peninsula and Sevastopol, the second to protect the approaches to Moscow. The Moscow line, which blocked the Wehrmacht's advance in the Volokolamsk, Mozhaisk and Maloyaroslavets directions, began from Rzhev, went through Vyazma, south from the Moscow reservoir along the Lama River, then through Borodino and Kaluga to Tula.

Responsibility for the construction of these defensive lines was assigned by the Headquarters to Main Military Engineering Directorate NPOs and the Main Directorate of Hydraulic Construction ( Glavgidrostroy) under the NKVD. The first was to use military construction battalions subordinate to front-line and army departments military field construction in the areas allocated to them; in turn, the latter had to use its construction troops to build defensive lines in the deeper rear. When this organization of work turned out to be ineffective, on August 22 the GKO transformed Glavgidrostroy into the Main Directorate of Defense Works (GUOBR) under the NKVD and gave it responsibility for coordinating the construction of rear defensive lines.

Despite all the efforts of the State Defense Committee and the Headquarters, the rapid advance of the Wehrmacht inflicted heavy damage on the engineering troops of the Red Army, preventing most of them from taking part in the construction of defensive lines. The Germans forestalled many of Stavka's attempts to build defensive lines. In August and September German troops overcame the Vitebsk-Gomel and Luga borders of the Red Army, and in early October they broke through the strategic defenses in the Vyazemsky and Bryansk sectors, encircling and destroying large forces of Soviet troops. Alarmed by the possibility of the Germans reaching Moscow, the Headquarters formed the Moscow Defense Zone on October 12, which was to consist of a series of defensive belts around the city. The most important of them passed through Khlebnikovo, Skhodnya, Zvenigorod, Kubinka and Naro-Fominsk, along Pakhra and the Moscow River.

Since the Red Army lacked the engineering and construction troops needed to build these and other defensive lines, the GKO on October 13 ordered the NKO to form six engineer armies consisting of engineer brigades by November 1, 1941, and transferred all engineering and construction troops of the Red Army consisting of active fronts and in the rear under the command of the GUOBR (NKVD). Numbered 1st to 6th, these armies were formed in Vologda, Gorky, Ulyanovsk, Saratov, Stalingrad and Armavir, their total strength was 300,000 people.

The GKO assigned responsibility to the GUOBR for the creation of all rear defensive lines and positions by December 10, especially west of Moscow, and ordered it to prepare all personnel assigned to the newly formed sapper armies and other engineering troops of the Red Army.

Each sapper army was supposed to have approximately 50,000 people, mostly reservists under the age of 45. It was supposed to attract personnel from engineering and construction units from the active front zones, as well as other specialists mobilized in the rear. The sapper brigades consisted of 19 sapper battalions, one motor-tractor battalion and one mechanized detachment. By order of the State Defense Committee, the engineer army was to have 3,000 trucks, 90 passenger cars, 1,350 tracked tractors and 2,350 tractor-trailers, 12,000 wagons of building materials and the full number of necessary construction tools. In addition, the departments of other commissariats and the civilian population were involved in the construction of defensive lines.

By order of the State Defense Committee, the local population was mobilized for construction. These were mostly women, old people, schoolchildren and teenagers of pre-conscription age. By order of the military councils of the fronts and military districts, as well as regional and district party and administrative bodies, working battalions [mobilized] were formed from them, which were then subordinated to the sapper armies.

Ultimately, nine sapper armies were formed, numbered 1st to 9th. These armies consisted of 30 sapper brigades and had total 570 sapper battalions, numbered from 1200 to 1465 and from 1543 to 1771. The total number of sapper armies as of November 1, 1941 was 299,730 people. However, an acute shortage of engineering and construction troops limited the size and capabilities of these armies and brigades.

Each of the first nine sapper armies consisted of a headquarters and two to four separate sapper brigades. The sapper brigade included a headquarters, 19 separate sapper battalions, divided into three companies with four platoons each and a total battalion strength of 497 people, a mechanized detachment with one road and one bridge platoon, a lumberjack platoon, a position construction platoon and an automobile and tractor platoon with four departments. Although each sapper brigade was supposed to have a strength of 9,979 soldiers, most brigades remained understrength. As a result, the personnel of the sapper battalions, who were supposed to spend 12 hours a day on construction work and another two hours on military training, were forced to work on the construction of defensive structures for 12-14 hours a day and did not undergo any military training at all. The tenth sapper army, number 1, completed its deployment in the strip Western Front in January 1942, consisted of ten sapper brigades with eight sapper battalions each - a total of 80 sapper battalions and 45,160 soldiers.

Initially, the sapper armies were subordinate to the GUOBR under the NKVD, but worked under the direct leadership of the Main Military Engineering Directorate of the NKO. However, this organization of command turned out to be not entirely effective, and on November 28, the Headquarters subordinated these armies to the chief of the engineering troops of the Red Army. In December 1942, the chief of engineering troops assigned nine sapper armies and 29 sapper brigades to military districts and active fronts (two to the Western Front and one to the Karelian Front). By mid-January 1942, the structure of the Red Army engineering troops had expanded, now there were ten sapper armies, 40 sapper brigades, three engineer regiments and 82 engineer-sapper, 78 sapper and 46 pontoon-bridge battalions.

These sapper armies and brigades were primarily responsible for the construction of strategic defensive lines deep in the rear of the Red Army. The first of these lines, located in the Moscow, Stalingrad, North Caucasus and Volga military districts, were permanent in nature and consisted of complex system fortified battalion defensive areas and company strong points located in probable directions German offensive and around major cities. However, on December 27, 1941, after the Red Army's victory near Moscow, the GKO ordered the cessation of defensive work around Moscow so that more resources could be allocated to transport refugees, grain and bread for the needy population, and limited construction work on other defensive lines.

In addition to fulfilling their construction duties, the sapper armies also served as a training base for the engineering troops of the Red Army as a whole. For example, in November-December 1941, the NKO assigned two and then three battalions in each brigade the designation of training and ultimately transferred over 90 such battalions to the active fronts. Trained as ordinary engineering, pontoon-bridge or road-bridge battalions and staffed with the most experienced personnel, the units intended for transfer to the front immediately stopped all defensive work and engaged in intensive field training. After they left for the front, engineer brigades formed new battalions and companies to replace those who left. However, the chaos caused by the constant flow of personnel between the sapper armies and the active fronts negatively affected the effectiveness of the former's actions.

The ten sapper armies proved their worth during the Red Army's winter offensive of 1941-1942, helping to maintain security behind the lines while enhancing the engineering and sapper capabilities of the fronts. However, they turned out to be clumsy, ineffective and difficult to control, especially in a constantly changing combat situation. Therefore, in February 1942, the State Defense Committee ordered the NKO to disband half of the sapper armies and brigades, assign the rest to active fronts, and use the personnel of the disbanded troops to facilitate the formation of new rifle divisions and brigades.

In February-March, the NKO disbanded the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 9th and 10th engineer armies and six engineer brigades, increasing the size of the 7th and 8th engineer armies Southwestern Front up to five and ten brigades, respectively. In addition, he gave active armies and the Moscow defense zone there are four sapper armies, three separate sapper brigades and many newly formed special engineering units.

At the same time, the Main Directorate for the Formation and Recruitment of Red Army Troops under the NPO removed from the engineer armies and brigades command staff for transfer to active troops, and also reduced the number and strength of engineer battalions in engineer brigades. The NPO took the second step in April, reducing the number of engineer battalions from 497 to 405 people, replacing motor-tractor battalions with companies with four motor vehicles and one tractor platoon in each, and reducing the number of engineer brigades to seven battalions with one motor-tractor company for a total brigade strength of 3,138 people.

At the end of June, two months after the completion of this reorganization, the NPO was faced with difficult task- stop the new summer offensive of the Wehrmacht, Operation Blau. In addition to providing support to the active fronts, the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 8th engineer armies of the NKO were supposed to strengthen the defensive lines west of Moscow, build new lines to defend the approaches to Stalingrad and the Caucasus, and separate from their ranks manpower to compensate for losses in the Red Army.

Five sapper armies at an accelerated pace erected these defensive structures, but on July 26, the State Defense Committee ordered the NKO to remove 400,000 people from non-combat units, including 60,000 sappers, to be assigned to combat units by August 20. The remaining sapper armies and brigades were supposed to be reduced, since they “too large and organizationally immobile and cannot effectively carry out their tasks of engineering support for the combat operations of our troops, especially in offensive operations”.

The GKO intended to create more flexible and effective engineering troops, which the Headquarters could use in defensive and offensive operations in the most critical areas in the late summer and autumn of 1942. As a result, it was decided to disband the remaining sapper armies and part of the sapper brigades, and transform another part of the brigades into specialized engineering teams, designed to support active fronts.

By order of August 17, 1942, the NKO began transforming the remaining five sapper armies and 27 sapper brigades into directorates of defensive structures (see section below " Construction troops"). Six sapper brigades were reorganized into engineering brigades of the RVGK, subordinate to the active fronts, and another 8 were disbanded. 30,000 people from the former 1st, 7th and 8th engineer armies were transferred to staff the newly formed rifle divisions. Later, already in September, the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th sapper armies were reorganized into the UOS (Defense Construction Administration), the 8th sapper army became the UOS in October. 12 sapper brigades became engineering brigades as part of the active fronts (see Table 9). The remaining 18 sapper brigades, assigned to the active fronts on October 15, now performed dual functions, providing the front troops with engineering support and serving as bases for the formation of new, more specialized engineering brigades and battalions.

Sapper armies and brigades made a significant contribution to the victories of the Red Army at Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad, preparing defensive lines, providing engineering support to the active fronts, and serving as a base for the formation of other, more specialized engineering troops transferred to the active fronts. For example, in 1941, nine engineer armies organized, trained, and fielded more than 150 specialized engineer battalions; in 1942, engineer armies and brigades formed 27 specialized engineering brigades of the RVGK, 23 of which served until the end of the war, and five still exist today. Finally, the engineer armies contributed more than 150,000 men to man and form new rifle divisions.

Engineering teams

Disbanding its engineer armies in the spring of 1942, the NKO at the same time took into account the demands of the front commanders, who proposed the formation of specialized and flexible engineering brigades that would better meet their needs. Therefore, at the same time, the creation of a wide range of new engineering brigades and battalions began. For example, responding to the March demand of the chief of engineering troops of the Western Front, the NKO began forming special-purpose engineering brigades (IBON) from April 18. The first of these, the 33rd Special Purpose Engineer Brigade of the Western Front, formed in May from the 33rd Engineer Brigade of the 1st Engineer Army, consisted of six engineer barrage battalions, two electrical battalions, one searchlight battalion, an electrification detachment, an electric generator train, a special technical engineering company, a motor transport company and four electrical engineering companies (seconded), with a total brigade strength of 4,757 people. Ultimately, the NKO formed six special-purpose engineering brigades by July 1 and eight more by November 1, giving their field troops one brigade per active front.

Although the structure of these special purpose engineer brigades could vary, most consisted of a headquarters, a motor-tractor company, five to eight engineer barrage battalions, one of which was converted into a special mine battalion in October 1942, an electrical battalion and an electrification detachment, with a total number of 3097 people per 5-battalion brigade. The brigade's main mission was to perform specialized tasks such as laying and removing minefields, placing controlled minefields, creating electrified and other obstacles, but they often had to carry out more dangerous combat missions. For example, the 33rd Special Purpose Engineer Brigade Volkhov Front During the breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad in January 1943, it used its engineering barrage battalions as assault groups.

In addition to these special purpose engineering brigades, the NKO also formed separate mine engineering battalions in April 1942. One such battalion was assigned to each of the anti-tank brigades of the Red Army with the task of erecting anti-tank barriers and destroying enemy tanks together with artillery troops.

The NKO continued this process at the end of the summer of 1942, when the formation of guards mine battalions began - the most interesting and most secret of all specialized types of engineering troops. In August, two Guards mine battalions were deployed to the Voronezh and North Caucasus fronts. By October 1, the field troops already had ten such battalions, as a rule, one battalion per active front. Formed specifically to carry out sabotage operations behind enemy lines, the battalions usually operated in small sabotage groups.

In addition to the Guards mine battalions, the NKO formed a Guards mine brigade in the Moscow Military District on August 17, subordinating it to the direct leadership of Headquarters. Formed from two engineer battalions of the 37th Engineer Brigade of the 1st Engineer Army, the 1st Guards Mine Brigade consisted of a headquarters group, a control company and five Guards mine battalions for a total brigade strength of 2,281 people. Like individual battalions, this brigade not only laid and removed mines, but also formed and deployed small groups to carry out sabotage operations (often in conjunction with partisans) against German communications and important rear objectives.

In the summer of 1942, the NKO also created a wide range of smaller specialized units, including five high-explosive flamethrower companies, several field water supply companies, and an artesian well drilling group to support active troops drinking water.

In preparing the Red Army for major counteroffensives and the subsequent winter campaign, the Stavka ordered the NKO to form larger and more specialized engineer troops to support these offensives. As a result, many of the existing engineer battalions were consolidated in October into engineer engineer brigades (IsBR), each of which consisted of four to five engineer battalions, a light pontoon-bridge park NLP and a motorized engineer reconnaissance company. Several of these brigades were formed as mountain engineering brigades, subdivided into four mountain engineering battalions, capable of operating effectively in mountainous terrain.

On November 12, responding to the demand of the chief of the engineering troops of the Red Army, Major General M.P. Vorobyov, the NKO transformed part of the sapper brigades into 15 engineering mine brigades (IMB), numbered from 1st to 15th. These brigades, responsible for creating operational obstacle zones, consisted of a headquarters, a headquarters company and seven mine engineering battalions with a total strength of 2,903 people.

In addition, on November 26, 1942, the NKO ordered the transformation of five sapper brigades of the Transcaucasian Front into mountain engineering and mine brigades of the RVGK (from 1st to 5th) in November-December. Each such brigade (gimbry) consisted of five mountain engineering mine battalions, whose companies and platoons served as vehicles not tractors, but horses and donkeys, the total number of the brigade was 2344 people.

In the fall of 1942, the NPO began to form larger and more efficient pontoon-bridge units - primarily because the Headquarters considered the consolidation of bridge-building units an important condition to achieve success in extended offensive operations. At the beginning of autumn, the NPO sent reinforcements to the active fronts and armies in the form of 11 separate pontoon-bridge parks of the RVGK, and in November 1942 it formed two pontoon-bridge brigades and assigned them Stalingrad Front for use in the counteroffensive at Stalingrad. These brigades consisted of a headquarters company, three to seven (usually four) N2P motorized pontoon-bridge battalions, one DMP-42 pontoon-bridge battalion with a total bridge capacity of 50 tons, and several diving squads for underwater work. When the winter offensive unfolded, the NKO assigned the third pontoon-bridge brigade to the Leningrad Front in January 1943. In February, four new heavy pontoon-bridge regiments were added to these brigades, each consisting of two battalions equipped with the new 100-ton capacity TMP pontoon bridges.

During 1942, the NPO not only formed and transferred an impressive number of new engineering brigades to the active forces, but also strengthened the existing engineering forces, including new engineering units in existing structures. For example, in all new guards rifle and mechanized corps Engineer battalions were included, and mine engineering companies were included in the new tank corps.

Thus, by February 1, 1943, the structure of the Red Army engineering troops expanded and included 13 special-purpose engineering brigades, one sapper brigade, 17 engineer-sapper brigades (including five mountain), 15 engineer-mine brigades, 185 separate engineer battalions, ten separate Sapper battalions, one Guards mine brigade, 11 Guards mine battalions, three pontoon-bridge brigades, four pontoon-bridge regiments and 78 pontoon-bridge battalions.

All these special-purpose engineering brigades, engineer-sapper, engineer-mine, pontoon-bridge brigades and the Guards mine brigade, as well as pontoon-bridge regiments and mine-sapper and pontoon-bridge battalions, together with the guards mine battalions, were created by the NKO specifically to carry out specific combat missions during offensive operations, either as part of active fronts and armies, or under the direct control of Headquarters.

In 1943, the NKO continued to expand and improve the structure of its engineering troops. For example, in February, the formation of five rear barrage brigades began, consisting of five to seven engineer battalions each. The task of such brigades was to clear the liberated territory of mines and obstacles. After long process formation, the Headquarters in December 1943 transferred one of these brigades to the Moscow Military District, two to the newly formed Kharkov Military District, and one each to the North Caucasus and Ural Military Districts.

And more importantly, given the growing ferocity of ground battles and the increased strength of the Wehrmacht’s defenses, the NKO began on May 30 to create assault engineer brigades. Converted from existing engineer brigades, these new brigades consisted of a headquarters, five assault engineer battalions, one motorized engineer reconnaissance company, a light fleet for crossing rivers, a mine clearing company (including mine detection dogs), and a small logistics service. These new brigades were supposed to assist infantry and tank forces in overcoming well-prepared enemy defensive lines and fortified positions.

When the Red Army began new offensive operations, clearing minefields has become more important than laying mines. Therefore, the NPO began to replace the RVGK engineer-mine brigades with the RVGK engineer-sapper brigades, creating new and reorganizing existing engineer-sapper brigades to increase their efficiency. As a result, the number of mine engineering brigades in the structure of the RVGK decreased from 15 on February 1 to 12 on July 1, and by December 31 - to zero, but at the same time the number of engineering and sapper brigades increased from 12 on February 1 to 13 on July 1, and finally - until 22 on December 31, 1943. In addition, by July 1, 15 new assault engineering brigades were created, and by December 31 there were already 20 of them.

And finally, in June 1943, the NKO put into operation new tank regiments, equipped with 22 T-34 tanks and 18 PT-3 mine trawls. Formally, these regiments were not part of the structure of the engineering troops, but their main task was to clear passages through numerous minefields, installed by the Germans throughout their defenses.

Thanks to these NGO efforts, the size and diversity of the structure of the Red Army engineering troops increased dramatically in two years - from 32 engineer brigades, three engineer regiments and 206 battalions various types on January 1, 1942, up to 68 brigades different types, six pontoon-bridge regiments and 270 engineer and pontoon-bridge battalions on December 31, 1943. When the Red Army began the 1944 campaign, the structure of its engineering troops was already fully responsive to increased operational needs.

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There is an interesting story about her on YouTube.

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Without such engineering reconnaissance, it is impossible for troops to move forward. Every morning, engineering units in Chechnya walked in a similar way and cleared 15-25 kilometers of the road, clearing the way for the troops.

First to to different parties Soldiers with dogs trained to search for mines are walking along the road.

A dog's sense of smell is almost perfect, so trained Labradors and German Shepherds (these two breeds are used in the engineering forces) are simply irreplaceable here. The dog lies down on the ground when an explosive is detected.

The soldier checks the "Mine" flag and the entire crew returns under the cover of the IMR (leaving markers in places where reconnaissance of the area has been completed).

The sapper must defuse the mine. The probe reveals its body, the mine is dug out by hand.

An excavated mine cannot simply be removed. Fearing the presence of a “Surprise Mine” there, which could be located under the main mine and go off when it is removed, the sapper needs to pull off the mine with a “cat”.

The “cat” gets caught on a mine, the sapper crawls to a safe distance, holding the “cat” by a long rope.

There was indeed a second mine under the mine and an explosion occurred. 800 grams of TNT exploding 100 meters from you left bloggers with an unforgettable impression... The main thing was not to shut your mouth :)))))

After the mine explodes, the group moves on. This is how several more explosive devices were discovered and detonated, but I won’t bore you with photographs of each explosion. I’ll just show you how to eliminate a suspicious box found on a tree trunk.

The group commander shoots at her with a machine gun (the guy turned out to be a good shot!).

The bomb in the box shatters into small pieces. The lesson is over, the task is completed.

And it’s time for bloggers to go to the town of mine detection dogs.

Dogs live freely here. Each dog has a large enclosure and a personal leader - a counselor.

The enclosure has a summer and winter part. The winter one is insulated, with a comfortable kennel. Labrador Hines has already participated in several real special operations.

There are also training classes for dogs on the territory of the town. The counselors learn to care for the dogs, train them, etc.

In the classrooms there is a large collection of explosive objects, both military mines and homemade ones.

The local dogs pass the obstacle course with flying colors. A 2-meter solid fence is not a hindrance.

But this exercise is unique. There are few places in the world where there are dogs that can climb almost vertical stairs. I just can’t understand how they teach dogs such tricks.

After the dogs, we arrived at the shooting range, where shooting classes were held with the AK-74M.

Having received a horn with cartridges at the “ammunition point”, the fighters ran to take up shooting positions.

They shot 3 rounds and immediately received marks.

Bloggers were also allowed to shoot. zuhel gets his horn.

sapovich hit 3 targets in 3 shots and was awarded an "excellent" rating. Take shooting lessons from her now! I only hit it twice myself :)

Still, there is some inexplicable aesthetics in weapons...

Together with the soldiers, off_topus remembered conscript service, disassembling the machine gun.

And Private Anatoly from Tula wrote his home address, where he asked to send his photographs to his mother.

We were delighted - business for 3 minutes! But no, the address turned out to be a simple postal address. Now you will have to print out the photos and send them by regular mail. But we can handle even this :)

On the way to the camouflage range, a real missile was discovered. It turns out that it was in this place that Academician Korolev launched the first Soviet liquid rockets!

Before the press tour they promised to show us inflatable equipment. It made me laugh rather than interest me. How wrong I was... Literally from 200 meters this inflatable S-300 complex cannot be distinguished from the real thing. The three-layer material also reflects radio signals in all the necessary spectra, creating on radars the full sensation of a combat vehicle. A gas generator that forces air into the body expels exhaust gases directly under the hood of this inflatable monster. Those. and thermal sensors will show that the machine is working.

This is not rust, it is a special camouflage foam that helps the combat vehicle become invisible to radar.

Old control systems stand here as mock-ups for practicing tasks for their field camouflage. Umbrellas are placed over them, and camouflage fabric is stretched.

Such a fake gun is made by soldiers and scares the enemy with a slightly broken barrel :)

After the Taman brigade, we could not pass by the barracks. Everything there was experimental, but here - real life ordinary military unit.

Drying room with a bunch of boots and foot wraps. The fighters claim that boots ("booters") are uncomfortable for them, boots are much better. The unit commander personally took us around the barracks. He turned out to be a tough but correct person. He doesn’t let the soldiers down; he cares for his dear unit in his soul.

A “household” room where soldiers iron their uniforms, repair boots, get their hair cut, and also sew collar collars onto their uniforms. The new uniform is only worn by officers, and even those mostly purchase it at their own expense.

Barracks. 2 bunk beds, clean and tidy. I don't think there's an ounce of showmanship here. With such a commander, there is such cleanliness and order here every day. I was surprised by the icon in the corner. We have an interesting secular state.

In the office, computers had not yet been invented. Everything is written the old fashioned way, by hand.

Before departure - obligatory lunch! onepamop, being the hungriest, walked ahead :)

The menu here is more limited than in the Taman brigade. But it is not prepared by civilian specialists, but by the soldiers themselves. And these soldiers will have to return to the barracks to their colleagues in the evening. You won't be spoiled here :) By the way, in August bloggers were promised a press tour to a school for military chefs. I really want to!

They give out a lot of food, bread in unlimited quantities costs separately. Out of 200 recruits, 40 are underweight. They are fattening up.

I personally saw how soldiers carry trays of half-eaten food to the sink. It looks like the food here is really good.

We were also fed, albeit in a separate room (for officers). But the food they brought was exactly what the soldiers behind the wall ate. Soup, stew with mashed potatoes, compote. It was really delicious. Much tastier than in the Taman brigade. Even sapovich left an empty plate!

We left the part in the evening, having spent more than 7 hours in it. The officer from the press service of the Moscow Military District accompanying us was friendly, open, and told a lot of interesting things. We even had the idea to organize football match between bloggers and soldiers in August. You can do it right in the same military unit. Let's go to football? :)

Corps of Engineers are called upon to provide engineering support during combined arms (combat) operations, conduct engineering reconnaissance and inflict damage the opposing side using engineered ammunition.

Russian Engineering Troops! Our motto is “No one without us”

To carry out such tasks, special training of personnel and special engineering weapons are required. Structurally, the engineering troops are part of

Russian Engineering Troops Day

January 21 is considered a professional holiday. The date of the professional holiday was set by Presidential Decree in 1996.

This memorable date established thanks to the contribution of the engineering troops to strengthening the Russian defense potential and taking into account historical traditions.

The emergence of military engineering and military architecture occurred back in Ancient Rus'. However, these troops began to develop systematically after the creation of a regular army in Peter’s times. Subsequently, Peter 1 appointed the first engineering training maneuvers.

Then the creation of various defensive structures was worked out. Military engineering was first mentioned in the decree of Peter 1 of January 21, 1701.

Museum of Engineering Troops

The creation of the museum was marked by the 300th anniversary of the Russian engineering troops. According to official data, the institution opened on December 14, 2001.

The museum collection includes brief history domestic engineering troops, the tasks they solved during the war and peace period are indicated. School students created a panorama showing the heroism of sappers during the Great Patriotic War in the area of the village of Strokovo.

There is also a military-historical museum of artillery, engineering troops and signal troops, created on August 29, 1703. Then Peter 1 gave instructions for the creation of a special Zeichhaus, where ancient artillery weapons could be stored.

In 1963, it merged with the Central Historical Military Engineering Museum, and in 1965 with the Museum of Communications, and received the name of the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering Troops and Communications.

Now it is one of the world's largest military-historical museums, and has an impressive exhibition of artillery, small arms, cold steel, military engineering and military communications equipment, military banners, army uniforms, battle works of art, awards, insignia, historical documents on the development of the army and the exploits of Russian soldiers.

In July 2010, Lieutenant General Yuri Mikhailovich Stavitsky was appointed head of the Russian engineering troops, a post he still holds.

He previously held many command posts different levels V . In 2016, he led the demining of the Syrian city of Palmyra. With the participation of Lieutenant General Stavitsky, the creation of an engineering assault battalions and the International Mine Action Center of the Russian Army for humanitarian demining outside Russian territory.

Chief of Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Stavitsky Yuri Mikhailovich

Lieutenant General Stavitsky has orders and medals for services to the Fatherland.

Equipment of the Russian Engineering Troops

Engineering troops equipment is a group of equipment in the form engineering weapons vehicles, mobile technical equipment for maintenance and repair, and electrical equipment for general military purposes:

Military engineering special equipment for conducting engineering reconnaissance.

One of the most difficult reconnaissance tasks is the identification of engineering obstacles. Such technical means determine the possibility of passing certain areas, the significance of water obstacles, destruction, blockages, the possibility of overcoming them, and the presence of protective and camouflaging properties of the territory.

To overcome water obstacles, perform territory reconnaissance, and determine advance routes military units use engineering reconnaissance vehicle IRM-2. This is the main reconnaissance technical equipment of the engineering troops.

During reconnaissance, stationary reconnaissance devices are used (wide-coverage mine detector RShM-2 and engineering reconnaissance echo sounder EIR), and portable engineering reconnaissance devices (these include a periscope compass, hand-held mine detectors, engineering reconnaissance periscope, and others).

High-speed trench vehicle BTM-4M "Tundra"

When using a set of tools for engineering reconnaissance from helicopters, aerial photographic and aerovisual reconnaissance of the territory is carried out.

Military engineering equipment capable of overcoming mine-explosive barriers.

The track-knife trawl carries out digging actions; the mechanism is a blade with knives. When a mine is felt, the knives push it upward, and the blade moves it to the side.

The track roller-knife trawl, in addition to the knife ones, is equipped with two roller sections, which, due to their weight, activate anti-tank mines.

Electromagnetic trawls can be installed on a tank with any trawl.

The UR-77 mine clearing installation is used to make a passage through an anti-tank minefield.

Military engineering equipment for installing mine-explosive barriers.

Mechanization of the cost center installation helps speed up this process, increase its efficiency and reduce the number of military personnel involved.

The mechanization of anti-tank mining is carried out mainly with the help of a tracked minelayer GMZ-3.

With the help of the UMZ Universal Minelayer, remote anti-tank and anti-personnel mining is carried out.

Military engineering equipment for mechanizing road and earthworks.

Such equipment includes mechanical means for excavation work, for creating and maintaining routes for the advancement and maneuvering of military units, and for passing obstacles.
The purpose of trench machines is to dig trenches and passages in occupied positions.

With the help of excavation machines, pits are dug at equipped positions.
Trenches and pits are also torn off using the regimental digging machine PZM-2.

Universal earthmoving machines are used to mechanize digging and loading.

With the help of track builders, universal road machines, and military bulldozers, military roads, ramps, and crossings over uneven terrain are created and maintained in proper condition.

The track-laying machine BAT-2 is designed for work on laying column tracks, preparing and maintaining military roads.

With the help of engineering clearing vehicles, the movement of military units through destroyed areas is ensured in the event of nuclear strikes.

The universal road machine is used together with bulldozer equipment; it also has loading equipment.

Sawmill material is harvested using logging and sawmilling equipment. When using lifting and handling machines, loading and unloading and assembly and dismantling mechanization is carried out.

With the help of maintenance and repair of engineering mechanisms, this equipment is maintained in proper condition.

School, military institutes, units of engineering troops

The main educational and methodological center of the Russian engineering troops is the military institute of engineering troops of the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - higher military school engineering troops

Engineering Troops Murom (military units 11105 and 45445)

The First Guards Brest-Berlin Red Banner Order of Suvorov and Kutuzov engineer-sapper brigade of central subordination (military unit 11105) is based in the city of Murom Vladimir region. One of the battalions is located in the village of Nikolo-Uryupino near Moscow.

The formation was created in 1942 in the Voroshilovgrad region (now the Lugansk region of Ukraine), as the 16th separate special-purpose engineering brigade. In 1943, it became a guards brigade for demonstrating the steadfastness and heroism of its soldiers.

In 1944, as a result of reorganization, it became the first separate guards motorized brigade of the RGK. This compound has received many state awards. For military exploits in battles near the city of Orel in 1943, the unit was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, during the liberation of Belarus - the Order of Suvorov, second degree, and the Brest one began to be called for the liberated cities on Belorussian Front. The Vistula-Oder liberation brought the award of the Order of Kutuzov, second degree, and it received the name Berlin for the storming of the last fascist refuge.

From the end of the war until 1994, the unit was located in the GDR, where it was necessary to raise sunken ships. Since 1994, it was located in Rostov-Veliky (Yaroslavsky). Some units took part in counter-terrorism operations during Chechen conflict. It became known as military unit 11105 in 1994. Since 2015, it has been permanently located in Murom.

The unit conducts combined arms training, field exercises, and masters military specialties. Military personnel participate in competitions of international status.
The oath is taken on Saturday, after which dismissal is granted, and subsequently dismissals are given on weekends and holidays, but in the presence of relatives.

Military unit military unit 45445

The 28th separate pontoon-bridge brigade of the Russian Armed Forces is conventionally called, located in the Western Military District, its permanent deployment is in the city of Murom, Vladimir region.

This connection was formed on December 1, 2015. The purpose of creating a pontoon-bridge brigade is to increase the efficiency of engineering troops and their rapid response, reserve support in case of a sudden need to solve new problems and strengthening the military group in a certain strategic direction.

Personnel of the engineering troops with the flag of the Russian Federation and the Engineering Troops

The formation consists of pontoon battalions, airborne units, ferry-bridge vehicles, and formations of bridge-building equipment for establishing crossings over water obstacles.

The purpose of the connection is to equip crossings with increased carrying capacity in the event of a significant water barrier and a sudden need to solve problems in peaceful reality for the crossing of material and technical means, as well as in the event of an emergency.

Kstovo Engineering Troops

Military unit 64120 is the Guards Kovel Red Banner Interspecific training center engineering troops. The location of the military unit is the city of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region. Military personnel undergo training in accordance with the specialization of the engineering and sapper unit.

The formation of the military unit occurred as a result of the merger of the Military Institute of Engineering Troops of the Nizhny Novgorod Region and the 6th Guards Kovel Red Banner Training Center of Engineering Troops named after Lieutenant General D.M. Karbysheva.

The military unit was opened on August 30, 1971, but the beginning of its functioning with the reception of military personnel was in June 2012.

IN educational institution The following military specialists are trained: crane operators, driver mechanics, sappers, truck crane drivers, track layers, excavator operators, electricians, and drivers of universal road construction equipment. After completion educational process three battalions are being formed.

After undergoing rapid specialized training (usually within four months), military personnel are sent for further service in other formations and military educational institutions, having already completed professional training.

This military institution is universal in that after acquiring professional skills here, such knowledge will be useful not only in the army, but also in civilian situations. Thus, in addition to serving, the soldier will receive a profession for civilian use.

Nakhabino Engineering Troops

The location of the 45th separate Guards Berlin Order of Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Alexander Nevsky and the Red Star engineer brigade (also military unit 11361) is in several settlements. Location of the main structural units is the village of Nakhabino in the Moscow region.

The tasks of the unit include: conducting engineering reconnaissance, mine clearance, organizing passages in case of interference, equipping crossings, and camouflage actions.

The creation of the 45th separate engineering regiment during the Afghan war in 1980 preceded the formation of this military unit. The regiment included road engineer and road engineering battalions, as well as a field water supply company. At the end of the same year, the regiment became known as military unit 88870, and in 1984 it was further strengthened by an engineering and road battalion.

As a result of the first reorganization, the formation became known as the 45th separate engineering camouflage regiment, located in the village of Nikolo-Uryupino near Moscow. Since 2010, the unit has been subordinate to the command of the Western Military District.

As a result of the reorganization in 2012, the current formation included two parts. Unit 11361 was created on the basis of the 66th Guards Pontoon-Bridge Regiment from Murom, and the 45th Engineering Camouflage Regiment from Nikolo-Uryupino. There are no manifestations of hazing, and military personnel are examined daily for injuries.

Meals in the canteen are organized with the help of civilian staff, and in the teahouse they accept cards for payment. The oath is taken on Saturday, and every Sunday military personnel are allowed to use the telephone.

Corps of Engineers emblem

The emblem of the engineering troops is presented in the form of an image with a double-headed eagle with outstretched wings, holding crossed axes in its paws, with a red triangle on the chest, and with a shield with a cone down, and from above reaching to the crown. On the shield is an image of a horseman slaying a dragon with a spear.

Flag of the Corps of Engineers

On the flag of the engineering troops there is a white cross with black and red stripes directed to the sides; in the center there is a silver blade of a track-laying machine, an anchor, a flaming grenade with lightning and crossed axes, and a cogwheel running around the circumference.
The style of the flag is reminiscent of the 1763 banner designs. This is the first flag created according to the customs of the Russian Armed Forces.

For now, this is all we wanted to tell you about the engineering troops of the Russian Federation. If you have anything to add, write in the comments!

During the Great Patriotic War, the Germans showed themselves to be masters of military engineering. Their obstacles in the blitzkrieg were considered impregnable. But the sapper-engineering assault units of the Red Army, created in 1943, broke into the most complex German fortified areas.

German historians, speaking about the war with the USSR, like to repeat that the Russians turned out to be excellent students in military affairs and surpassed their teachers - soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht. As an example, the engineering and sapper assault battalions of the Red Army are given, which broke into the impenetrable fortified areas of Germany.

However, the use technical solutions to achieve military advantage has taken place since the time of Alexander Nevsky. The capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible can also be attributed to the asset of Russian military engineering.

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, it was believed that the Soviet sapper troops fully met the requirements of the time. They were equipped with the necessary means to overcome obstacles, in particular, IT-28 tank bridge laying vehicles, a pontoon fleet, and equipment for electric barriers. There was even a special swimming bag for IPC horses. At the same time, these battalions were auxiliary units of the Red Army and were not equipped with the necessary road transport.

Panzergrenadiers from the SS Totenkopf

Military engineering played a huge role in the war. Having broken through our fronts with tank formations, the Nazis quickly built obstacle courses around the encircled Soviet units, including minefields.

The time required to overcome them turned out to be sufficient to destroy the advancing Red Army infantry with dense machine-gun and mortar fire.

Soviet fortified areas were stormed by German special forces - panzergrenadiers, the basis of which was the Wehrmacht motorized infantry.

Of these types of German units, the most famous is the SS Totenkopf (Totenkopf) division of the 1939 and 1942 models, which included a special sapper battalion. In the arsenal of enemy sappers and attack aircraft were special means to destroy our pillboxes and bunkers, but most importantly, they were specially trained to take layered defensive structures.

Beginning of the war

Without effective anti-personnel defense equipped with engineered barriers, German blitzkrieg would be a journey of fascist tanks across the vast Russian expanses. That is why the Red Army armies that found themselves in the cauldrons, finding themselves reliably cut off from the rear, surrendered after grueling bombings and depletion of resources.

Our sapper troops were bled dry at the very beginning of the war, being busy building a new fortified area on the border with Poland. They were among the first to find themselves in the line of fire, lacking heavy weapons and vehicles for evacuation.

The remaining engineering units perished, covering the waste of the main units, blowing up bridges and leaving minefields. Sappers were often used as infantry. The headquarters responded to this situation as quickly as possible under those conditions, and on November 28, 1941, it issued an order banning the use of sappers for other purposes. In fact, in the autumn of the first year of the war, the sapper troops had to be created anew.

Strong in spirit and body

The headquarters not only quickly controlled military operations, but also carried out analytical work. The command noted that the fighting engineering troops, due to their specific nature, were a formidable force. For example, the famous “Pavlov’s House” in Stalingrad was defended for 56 days by 18 sappers, commanded by Sergeant Yakov Pavlov. The commander of the 6th German Army, Field Marshal von Paulus, was also captured by sappers of the 329th Engineer Battalion and soldiers of the motorized rifle division.

On May 30, 1943, the formation of the first 15 assault engineering brigades, which were tasked with breaking through German fortified areas, was completed. The fighters of these units were physically strong young men, under the age of forty, well versed in technology. Basically, these units were formed on the basis of already fighting sapper battalions, which showed themselves well in battle. In August 1943, assault engineer brigades arrived at the front.

Hard to learn, easy to fight

Before going to the front, soldiers of assault engineering brigades underwent a special course. They were especially carefully taught how to throw grenades and covert movement.

For example, Captain M. Tsun, commander of the 62nd assault battalion of the 13th ShISBr, fired live ammunition in classes in which future sappers crawled on their bellies.

As a result, his fighters were not inferior to the best instructors. Attack sappers were also trained to make quick dashes over rough terrain with a reinforced ammunition load of grenades and explosives. Of course, they taught hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Attack sappers have mastered the tactics of joint attacks with infantry. For this they made detailed map German defense and calculated it weak points. The soldiers of these battalions went into battle wearing steel breastplates, wearing padded jackets underneath. For this they were sometimes called armored infantry.

“The brigade’s personnel are special sappers, attack aircraft with bulletproof vests, wearing steel helmets, all armed with machine guns,” recalled the head of the engineering troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front, General Galitsky. “They are intended to fight together with the infantry and must participate in breaking through the defense: in the destruction of pillboxes, bunkers, machine gun nests and enemy OP...".

In addition to machine guns, many Red Army attack aircraft were armed with backpack flamethrowers, machine guns and anti-tank rifles, which they used as large-caliber rifles. A reinforced set of grenades was also required. Having made openings in the defense lines, the assault sappers were immediately withdrawn to reserve.

Defeat of Germany

The Germans considered Konigsberg an impregnable fortress, but the city fell in a matter of days. Soldiers from engineer assault battalions broke through to fortified areas and blew them up with powerful explosive charges. Nikolai Nikiforov, in his book “Assault Brigades of the Red Army in Battle,” gave the following example: “... to blow up a reinforced concrete shelter in the Parshau area, a charge of 800 kg of explosives was required. The garrison of 120 people surrendered after the explosion.”

Here is another quote from the same book:

“In the battles for Berlin, the 41st Regiment burned 103 buildings. The experience of using backpack flamethrowers once again gave grounds to assert that they are one of effective means fight in the city, thanks to their lightness, the ability to approach attacked objects through hidden access and the high effectiveness of flamethrowing.”
The headquarters considered the engineer-sapper assault brigades to be the elite of the Red Army.

On January 21 every year the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation celebrate Engineering Troops Day. It was established by decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 18, 1996, included in the list professional holidays And memorable days Russian army by decree of Vladimir Putin of May 31, 2006.

Goals and current status

Modern engineering troops of the RF Armed Forces:

carry out tasks of engineering reconnaissance, construction of trenches, trenches, shelters, anti-tank ditches;
lay minefields and engage in mine clearance, carry out blasting operations;
equip crossings on water obstacles, extract and purify water in the field;
carry out work on camouflage, imitation of troops and objects.

IN peacetime These units clear the area of explosive objects, participate in eliminating the consequences of man-made accidents, disasters and natural disasters, prevent the destruction of bridges and hydraulic structures during ice drifts.

Separate engineering brigades are part of the Western, Southern, Central and Eastern military districts; naval engineering battalions - part of the Northern and Pacific Fleet Navy. The Black Sea and Baltic Fleets have separate naval engineering regiments. Also, a similar regiment was created to support fleet operations in the Arctic. By 2021, engineer-sapper and pontoon-bridge brigades are planned to be created in each combined arms army.

Chief of the Engineering Troops - Lieutenant General Yuri Stavitsky (since July 2010).

Training of military engineers

Officer training is carried out by the Combined Arms Academy of the RF Armed Forces (Moscow) and its branch - the Tyumen Higher Military Engineering Command School named after. Marshal A.I. Proshlyakova. Junior specialists prepares the 187th Pskov Order of the Red Star and the 210th Guards Kovel Red Banner interspecific regional training centers (the latter is located in the Nizhny Novgorod region).

"TASS/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation"

Russian mine clearance specialists are trained by the 66th Interdepartmental Methodological Training Center. In August 2014, a special unit- International Mine Action Center (IMC) of the Russian Armed Forces in Nakhabino (Moscow region). Military personnel participate in humanitarian demining operations outside the country.

Use of troops

MOC specialists were engaged in demining the Syrian cities of Palmyra, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor. From 2016 to July 2018, more than 6.5 thousand hectares of territory, 1.5 thousand km of roads, 17 thousand buildings were checked, and 105 thousand explosive objects were neutralized. The center also trained more than 1.2 thousand Syrian sappers.

Since October last year, a team of 36 MOC soldiers has cleared 52 hectares of Vietnam War-era ammunition in Laos.

In December 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the MOC of the Russian Armed Forces the Order of Kutuzov for completing the assigned tasks of demining military and civilian targets. Total for work in Syria state awards More than 80 military personnel of the engineering troops received.

In the summer of 2018, engineering competitions were held as part of the International Army Games" Safe route" and "Engineering Formula", as a result of which the Russian teams won silver and gold medals, respectively (the Chinese team took gold in the "Safe Route" competition - TASS note).

In January of this year, sappers from the Russian Ministry of Defense were involved in clearing the bed of the Bureya River in the Khabarovsk Territory. More than 300 tons of explosives were allocated to eliminate the traffic jam that arose due to the collapse of part of a hill 73 km from the village of Chekunda.

It was reported that military personnel separate battalion, whose task includes demining the territory of Chechnya and Ingushetia, will be able to complete the work in three years. In total, they have 6 thousand hectares left. Sappers are clearing these areas after fighting there during counter-terrorism operations in 1994–1996 and 1999–2001. In total, since May 2012, the military has examined about 20 thousand hectares, neutralizing about 33 thousand explosive objects.

Troop equipment

In 2018, engineering troops received modern means: sets of diving equipment, military truck cranes, power plants, a mobile sawmill complex, sets for equipping checkpoints, engineering observation posts. 13 modern models, more than 570 pieces of equipment and more than 15 thousand ammunition have been developed and adopted for the troops.

In 2018, the first six new armored mine clearing vehicles BMR-3MA and engineering clearing vehicles IMR-3M, created on the basis of the T-90A tank, were delivered.

Based on the results of tests in Syria, the Uran-6 robotic demining complexes entered service, and the Scarab and Sfera controlled inspection robotic complexes are also expected. It was reported that the Sfera robot will be supplied to sappers complete with the OVR-2-02 protective suit.

It also became known that the MPC received the first serial upgraded Uran-6 robotic demining systems. It is equipped with a new platform for transportation: it included a four-axle KamAZ on a special platform with a Multilift system.

This year, a universal armored engineering vehicle (UBIM) will undergo state tests, which is capable of performing engineering work under enemy fire conditions and in radioactively contaminated areas.

In 2018, at the Army forum, the military showed a unique armored bulldozer B10M2S. The contract for the supply of such engineering vehicles with enhanced protection based on the B10M2 and B12 tractors to the Russian troops was signed with the Ministry of Defense in 2017.

Promising samples of engineering weapons are being developed by the Central Research Testing Institute of Engineering Troops of the Russian Defense Ministry. Based on the results of special tasks in the Syrian campaign, the following new engineering weapons are in operation:

multifunctional robotic complex for clearing anti-tank mines (MRTC-RT);
capacitor explosive device (TPVK-43);
induction mine detector (IMP-3);
individual and group sources of electricity and other means that increase the capabilities and expand the arsenal of troops.

After summing up the results of its operation in Syria, the new sapper suit was equipped with a cooling system.

From the history of troops

In 1701, Peter I issued a decree on the creation of the School of Pushkar Order in Moscow for the training of artillery officers and military engineers. In 1702, graduates of this school began to staff the first mining units of the regular army, and in 1704 a pontoon team was formed. By 1712, a regiment of military engineers was formed.
By the 1850s, the engineering troops were separated from the artillery; in 1870–1908 they included railway troops. By 1917, the number amounted to 6% of the total strength of the Russian Imperial Army.

After the October Revolution, during the organization (Red Army), it included sapper companies and battalions of disbanded regiments of the tsarist army; in 1919, pontoon and electrical battalions, automobile units, camouflage companies, a mine demolition brigade and others were created and equipped. Ten years later, there were full-time engineering units in all branches of the Red Army troops.
The Great Patriotic War showed the important role of engineering troops in supporting combat operations; in 1941–1942, ten independent sapper armies operated. Subsequently they were reorganized into brigades. Three of these brigades (1st Guards Engineer-Sapper Mogilev, 2nd Guards Motorized Assault Engineer-Sapper Novgorod and 1st Engineer-Sapper Novgorod) were represented at the Victory Parade in Moscow on June 24, 1945.

After the war, until the mid-1970s, the technical development of the troops took place, the structure of which was fully formed in the 1960s.
Motorized rifle regiments had on their staff engineer-sapper companies, divisions and corps - engineer-sapper battalions, armies and districts - one or more engineer-sapper regiments, as well as specialized battalions or regiments - pontoon-bridge, ferry-landing, road, bridge-building etc.
Units of the engineering troops were also under central command. In the second half of the 1970s, spending on military engineers was cut, resulting in the outbreak of hostilities in Afghanistan Soviet army had problems with engineering support battle. The situation was improved by increasing the number of engineering units several times.