Northern Fleet Military Digest – Issue 2 (Free access)
As a trial, we would like to share with you our new product called Northern Fleet Military Digest. Its purpose is to track and analyse developments within Russia’s Northern Fleet. From Rochan’s perspective, it is another step towards expanding our coverage of the Russian Armed Forces.
Key takeaways from last week’s developments
- Military personnel and equipment preparations for the winter training period continued in the Northern Fleet;
- About 3,000 conscripts would be assigned to the Northern Fleet’s formations and units this fall;
- Northern Fleet’s separate CBR sub-unit carried out an exercise aimed at practising decontamination actions;
- Northern Fleet’s hydrographic survey vessel completed its recent 48-day research expedition;
- Northern Fleet’s marines conducted many live-fire exercises combined with small-unit tactics drills;
- Surface-to-air missile systems stationed in the Kola Peninsula carried out an air defence exercise;
- Military personnel of the Northern Fleet’s leading air defence formation conducted a small arms live-fire exercise;
- Northern Fleet’s Yuriy Ivanov-class intelligence ship departed the Baltic Sea following its five-month stay;
Executive summary
The efforts of all Northern Fleet’s components now focus on preparing military personnel and equipment for the winter training period, which will begin in early December. Last week, the Press Service of Northern Fleet stated that more than half of Northern Fleet’s military equipment, including wheeled and tracked vehicles, have been already prepared for the winter.
Simultaneously, soldiers from the autumn conscription undergo basic training that will last until the end of November. According to last week’s press release, about 3,000 conscripts would be assigned to the Northern Fleet’s formations and units.
Ground domain activities
On Monday (16OCT), military personnel from a separate CBR (Chemical, biological, radiological) company directly subordinated to the Northern Fleet command carried out training aimed at practising operations in contaminated areas, which included CBR reconnaissance, determining the level of contamination and taking samples of air, water and soil for testing. Moreover, soldiers conducted training decontamination of equipment and weapons. The activity involved the use of ARS-14 decontamination trucks.
Also, on Monday, the Press Service of the Northern Fleet informed about ongoing combat training of the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade’s (61st NIB) military personnel focused on conducting many live-fire exercises (small arms, machine guns, grenade launchers) combined with small-unit tactics drills (offensive and defensive actions). According to the press release, experienced soldiers who took part in Ukraine’s war participated in the training as instructors. The number of military personnel involved in the activity is unknown.
Air domain activities
On Tuesday (17OCT), Russians reported about an air defence exercise conducted by on-duty forces subordinate to the 45th Air Force and Air Defence Army. According to the press statement, the 1st Air Defence Division’s (1st ADD) sub-units (unspecified regiments) stationed in the Kola Peninsula participated in the exercise. Russians also did not provide the number and type of military equipment involved in the activity. These could be the S-300PS/PM surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems (NATO reporting name ‘SA-10B Grumble B’) or S-400 SAM systems (NATO reporting name ‘SA-21 Growler’). MiG-29K and Su-33 fighters from Northern Fleet’s naval aviation took part in the exercise as potential enemy aircraft violating Russian airspace.
On the following day (18OCT), military personnel from the 45th Air Force and Air Defence Army sub-units conducted a live-fire exercise (small arms) as a part of the final tests summarising the summer training period. More than 300 soldiers participated in the exercise.
Naval domain activities
In the previous Issue, we described the activity of the Northern Fleet’s Sibiryakov-class (Project 865) hydrographic survey vessel Romuald Muklevich in the Arctic. On Wednesday (18OCT), Romuald Muklevich arrived in the Mishukovo village (Murmansk Oblast) following its 48-day research expedition.
Image 1. Sibiryakov-class (Project 865) hydrographic survey vessel Romuald Muklevich arriving in Mishukovo village on 18OCT (Source: Russian MoD)
Also, on Wednesday, Yuriy Ivanov-class (Project 18280) intelligence ship Yuriy Ivanov departed the Baltic Sea following its five-month stay in the Baltic Fleet’s naval bases. The purpose of the deployment and the destination are currently unknown.
Image 2. Yuriy Ivanov-class (Project 18280) intelligence ship Yuriy Ivanov departing the Baltic Sea on 18OCT (Source: x.com)
