II. Equipment, Organisational and Doctrinal Reforms of Land Forces

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Notes

1 Alexey Ramm, ‘Reformy i rezultaty [Reforms and Results]’, Novosti VPK [News of the Military-Industrial Complex], 23 December 2015, <http://vpk.name/news/146871_reformyi_i_rezultatyi.html>, accessed 20 October 2016; see also Livejournal, ‘Brigada razvedki v Korenovske [Reconnaissance Brigade in Korenovsk]’, 10 March 2016, <http://twower.livejournal.com/1921611.html>, accessed 20 October 2016.

2 Timur Alimov, ‘Stalo izvestno o skrytykh vozmozhnostyakh Armaty [Armata's Hidden Capabilities become Known]’, Russkoey Oruzhie/Rossiyskaya Gazeta [Russian Weapons/Russian Gazette], 28 March 2016, <http://rg.ru/2016/03/28/stalo-izvestno-o-skrytyh-vozmozhnostiah-armaty.html>, accessed 20 October 2016.

3 Vyacheslav Khalitov and Mikhail Khodarenok, ‘Ideologiya boevoy systemy buduschego [Ideology of the Combat System of the Future]’, Novosti VPK [News of the Military-Industrial Complex], 22 July 2016, <http://vpk.name/news/159847_ideologiya_boevoi_sistemyi_budushego.html?new#new>, accessed 20 October 2016.

4 Alimov, ‘Stalo izvestno o skrytykh vozmozhnostyakh Armaty [Armata's Hidden Capabilities become Known]’.

5 Khalitov and Khodarenok, ‘Ideologiya boevoy systemy buduschego [Ideology of the Combat System of the Future]’.

6 Alimov, ‘Stalo izvestno o skrytykh vozmozhnostyakh Armaty [Armata's Hidden Capabilities become Known]’.

7 Ibid.

8 ProGorod [AboutTown], ‘Nizhegorodskie tankisty ZVO osvoyat bolee slozhnuyu programmu boevoy podgotovki [Western MD Tank Personnel from Nizhniy Novgorod will Master the New More Complicated Training Programme]’, 21 January 2014, <http://progorodnn.ru/news/view/81632>, accessed 20 October 2016.

9 Voenvideo [MilitaryVideo], ‘Motostrelki YuVO uchatsya otrazhat nastuplenie vtroe prevoskhodyaschikh sil uslovnogo protivnika [Southern MD's Infantrymen Train to Repel Offensive of Three-times Superior Imitated Adversary]’, 17 April 2013, <http://www.voenvideo.ru/news/motostrelki_juvo_uchatsja_otrazhat_nastuplenie_vtroe_prevoskhodjashhikh_sil_uslovnogo_protivnika/2013-04-17-932>, accessed 21 March 2017.

10 Russian Ministry of Defence, ‘V mirotvorcheskom soedinenii TsVO sformirovana rota bespilotnykh letatelnykh apparatov [UAV Company Established in the Peacekeeping Formation of the Central MD]’, 17 December 2014, <http://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12003988@egNews>, accessed 21 March 2017.

11 Aleksey Ramm, ‘Minoborony formiruet sverkhlegkie brigady [Ministry of Defence Establishes Super-light Brigades]’, Izvestiya, 21 October 2016, <izvestia.ru/news/639226>, accessed 21 March 2017.

12 VolgaNjyus [VolgaNews], ‘V sostave nedavno sformirovannoy v gubernii motostrelkovoy brigady poyavilsya vysokomobilniy bataljon [High-mobility Battalion Created in the Motor-Rifle Brigade Recently Established in the Province]’, 7 December 2016, <http://volga.news/article/426698.html>, accessed 12 December 2016; VolgaNjyus [VolgaNews], ‘Samarskikh motostrelkov vooruzhat RSZO «Grad» [Samara Motor-Riflemen to be Armed with “Grad” Rocket Artillery System]’, 8 December 2016, <http://volga.news/article/426848.html>, accessed 12 December 2016.

13 Aleksey Ramm, ‘V Krymu sozdali diviziyu dlya borby s diversantamy [Division to Fight Saboteurs Established in Crimea]’, Izvestiya, 15 September 2016, <http://izvestia.ru/news/632465>, accessed 30 November 2016.

14 Vzglyad [Look], ‘V VVS Rossii resheno sformirovat 14 brigad armeyskoy aviatsii i vertoletnykh polkov [Russian Air Force to Establish 14 Army Aviation Brigades and Helicopter Regiments]’, 26 July 2014, <http://vz.ru/news/2014/7/26/697375.html>, accessed 20 October 2016.

15 Ibid.

16 Aleksey Nikolskiy ‘Minoborony sobiraetsya udvoit chislennost Vozdushno-desantnykh voysk [Ministry of Defence to Double the Manpower of the Airborne Troops]’, Vedomosti [Statements], 7 August 2014, <http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/articles/2014/08/07/udvoenie-vdv>, accessed 12 January 2016.

17 TASS, ‘Novaya desantno-shturmovaya brigada VDV budet sformirovana v 2016 godu v Voronezhe [New Air-Assault Brigade of the Airborne Troops to be Established in 2016 in Voronezh]’, 8 October 2013, <http://tass.ru/politika/687573>, accessed 12 January 2016.

18 TASS, ‘VDV mogut razvernut desantno-shturmovoy polk v Krymu [Airborne Troops Might Establish an Air-Assault Regiment in Crimea]’, 30 July 2015, <http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/2153398>, accessed 12 January 2016.

19 TASS, ‘Istochnik: Rossiya na postoyannoy osnove razvernet bataljon VDV v Krymu v 2017-2018 godakh [Source: Russia to Establish an Airborne Battalion in Crimea in 2017–2018]’, 18 February 2016, <http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/2677585>, accessed 13 December 2016.

20 Aleksandr Staver, ‘Zachem VDV bronevoy kulak – o zayavlenii komanduyuschego VDV RF [Why Do Airborne Troops Need an Armoured Fist? On the Russian Airborne Troops Commander's Statement]’, Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], 18 May 2016, <https://topwar.ru/95400-zachem-vdv-bronevoy-kulak-o-zayavlenii-komanduyuschego-vdv-rf.html>, accessed 20 October 2016.

21 Ibid.

22 Sergey Ishchenko, ‘Tankovaya ataka generala Shamanova [General Shamanov's Tank Attack]’, Svobodnaya Pressa [Free Press], 17 May 2016, <http://svpressa.ru/war21/article/148675/>, accessed 20 October 2016. The establishment of six tank companies has been announced; meanwhile, there are just two air-assault divisions. This implies that four more formations – which are inevitably air-assault brigades – will also receive tanks; see Staver, ‘Zachem VDV bronevoy kulak – o zayavlenii komanduyuschego VDV RF [Why Do Airborne Troops Need an Armoured Fist? On the Russian Airborne Troops Commander's Statement]’.

23 Ishchenko, ‘Tankovaya ataka generala Shamanova [General Shamanov's Tank Attack]’.

24 Aleksandr Staver and Roman Skomorokhov, ‘O buduschem VDV [On the Future of the Airborne Troops]’, Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], 2 August 2016, <https://topwar.ru/98736-o-buduschem-vdv.html>, accessed 20 August 2016.

25 Anton Mardasov, ‘VDV gotovyat massovuyu ataku novogo tipa [Airborne Troops Prepare Massive Attack of Innovative Type]’, Svobodnaya pressa [Free Press], 29 December 2016, <http://svpressa.ru/war21/article/163448/>, accessed 21 March 2017.

26 See British Army, ‘Intelligence Corps Role’, <https://www.army.mod.uk/intelligence/32235.aspx>, accessed 12 January 2016.

27 Vadim Udmantsev, ‘Chto znachit razvedka dlya rossiyskogo desanta [The Role of Reconnaissance for Russian Paratroopers]’, Segodnya.ru [Today.ru], 30 April 2009, <http://www.segodnia.ru/content/17940>, accessed 12 January 2016.

28 Ibid.

29 Alexey Mikhailov, ‘V rossiyskom Voenno-morskom flote poyavilsya “pribrezhniy spetsnaz” [Coastal Spetsnaz Established in the Russian Navy]’, Izvestiya, 25 July 2016, <http://izvestia.ru/news/623633>, accessed 20 October 2016.

30 Zvezda [Star] (Russian Ministry of Defence TV), ‘Novaya artilleriyskaya brigada razvernuta v Buryatii [New Artillery Brigade Deployed in Buryatiya]’, 2 December 2015, <http://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201512021044-q8na.htm>, accessed 20 October 2016; Rambler News Service, ‘Artilleriyskaya brigada v Moskovskoy oblasti poluchila partiyu ustanovok “Uragan” [Artillery Brigade in Moscow Region Gets Delivery of “Uragan” Rocket Systems]’, 11 February 2016, <https://rns.online/military/artilleriiskaya-brigada-v-Moskovskoi-oblasti-poluchila-partiyu-ustanovok-Uragan-2016-02-11/>, accessed 20 October 2016; Voenniy Promyshelennik [Military Industrialist], ‘Artilleristy VVO vpervye oprobovali novye SAU 2S7M “Malka” [Central MD's Artillerymen Try 2S7M “Malka” Self-propelled Gun for the First Time]’, 4 April 2016, <http://military-industry.ru/artillery/4599>, accessed 20 October 2016; Nikolai Gryshchenko, ‘V voyskakh YuVO poyavyatsya gigantskie minomety i mortiry [Southern MD's Troops will be Armed with Gigantic Mortars]’, Rossiyskaya Gazeta [Russian Gazette], 22 September 2016, <https://rg.ru/2016/09/22/reg-ufo/v-vojskah-iuvo-poiaviatsia-gigantskie-minomety-i-mortiry.html>, accessed 20 October 2016.

31 Vestnik Mordovii [Mordovia's Herald], ‘Kolesnaya 2S35-1 Koalitsiya-SV-KSh popala v Internet? [Has the Wheeled 2S35-1 “Koalitsiya-SV-KSh” Appeared on the Internet?]’, 22 June 2016, <http://www.vestnik-rm.ru/news-4-16620.htm>, accessed 20 October 2016.

32 Voennaya tekhnika [Military Equipment], ‘SAU 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV – 152-mm samokhodnaya gaubitsa [2S35 Koalitsiya-SV – 152-mm Self-propelled Howitzer]’, <http://kollektsiya.ru/artilleriya/724-sau-2s35-koalitsiya-sv-152-mm-samokhodnaya-gaubitsa.html>, accessed 20 October 2016.

33 Up to 40 km for the 9M521 light rocket with increased solid-fuel charge. See MilitaryArms.ru, ‘RSZO Tornado: opisanie i kharakteristiki [Tornado Multiple-launch Rocket System: Description and Characteristics]’, <http://militaryarms.ru/voennaya-texnika/artilleriya/rszo-tornado/>, accessed 20 October 2016.

34 Evgeniy Damantsev, ‘Takticheskie preimuschestva ‘gipezvukovogo drona’ dlya “Smercha” [Tactical Advantages of the Hypersonic Drone for “Smerch”]’, Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], 23 October 2015, <https://topwar.ru/84515-prover-takticheskie-preimuschestva-giperzvukovogo-drona-dlya-smercha.html>, accessed 20 October 2016; MilitaryArms.ru, ‘RSZO Tornado: opisanie i kharakteristiki [Tornado Multiple-launch Rocket System: Description and Characteristics]’.

35 Vyacheslav Shpakovskiy, ‘Dvustvolka na gusenitsakh snova v boyu [Twin-barrel [Gun] in Battle Again]’, Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], 22 December 2012, <https://topwar.ru/22363-dvustvolka-na-gusenicah-snova-v-boyu.html>, accessed 20 October 2016.

36 Some as yet unconfirmed hints point to the possibility that Uragan-1M vehicles can launch cruise missiles of current (for the Iskander-M missile system) or longer-range type.

37 The 120-km range of the new 300-mm guided variant of artillery rocket will match that of the currently deployed SS-21 Tochka-U tactical ballistic missile system, which itself is now being replaced by the Iskander-M system in Russian missile brigades. There is, however, a substantial difference in warhead weight between the SS-21 ballistic missile and 300-mm rockets.

38 Damantsev, ‘Takticheskie preimuschestva ‘gipezvukovogo drona’ dlya “Smercha” [Tactical Advantages of the Hypersonic Drone for “Smerch”]’.

39 Dogs of War, ‘Boevoy modul B8Ya01 “Bakhcha-U” (Rossiya) [B8Ya01 “Bakhcha-U” Combat Module (Russia)]’, 4 October 2015, <http://www.dogswar.ru/artilleriia/pyshki-gaybicy/7589-boevoi-modyl-b8ia01-h>, accessed 9 December 2016.

40 Khalitov and Khodarenok, ‘Ideologiya boevoy systemy buduschego [Ideology of the Combat System of the Future]’.

41 Livejournal, ‘A vot i ona: 57-mm pushka-avtomat dlya BMP i BTR [Here it is: 57-mm Automatic Cannon for IFV/APC]’, 9 July 2015, <kerzak-1.livejournal.com/1892684.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

42 Russian Ministry of Defence, ‘V polk RKhBZ Yuzhnogo voennogo okruga, dislotsirovanniy v Ingushetii, postupilo okolo 200 edinits novogo vooruzheniya [Around 200 Items of New Armaments Delivered to CBRN Regiment of the Southern Military District Stationed in Ingushetiya]’, 30 October 2014, <http://function.mil.ru/news_page/world/more.htm?id=11997848@egNews>, accessed 14 January 2016; ProGorod [AboutTown], ‘Noviy unikalniy polk sformirovali v Zapadnom voennom okruge [New Unique Regiment Formed in the Western Military District]’, 24 December 2014, <http://progorodnn.ru/news/view/94951>, accessed 14 January 2016.

43 Russian Ministry of Defence, ‘V voyskakh RKhBZ sformirovany 10 novykh polkov [Ten New Regiments Established in CBRN Troops]’, 29 June 2015, <http://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/navy/news/more.htm?id=12044069@egNews&_print=true>, accessed 14 January 2016.

44 See Gordon M Hahn, ‘Putin the Risk-taker’, Russian and Eurasian Politics, 24 November 2015, <http://gordonhahn.com/2015/11/24/putin-the-risk-taker/, accessed 14 January 2016; Jim Hoagland, ‘Vladimir Putin, Failed Spy’, Washington Post, 7 August 2015; Sarah Sloat, ‘An Interesting Theory that Could Explain Vladimir Putin's Risky Behavior’, New Republic, 19 March 2014.

45 Incendiary and thermobaric weapons in service with units other than the chemical troops include: the 9M55S 300-mm artillery rocket with thermobaric warhead (9K58 Smerch MRL system); rocket-assisted assault grenades RShG-1 and RShG-2 with thermobaric warhead; RMG rocket-assisted assault grenade with the combined shaped-charge thermobaric warhead, TBG-7V thermobaric grenades for RPG-7V grenade launcher; TBG-32V rocket-assisted grenades with combined fragmentation-thermobaric warheads for RPG-32 ‘Hashim’ grenade launcher; rocket-assisted grenades with combined HE-thermobaric warhead for ‘Bur’ grenade launcher; VGM93.100 for GP-94/LPO-97 grenade launcher; BG-40TB thermobaric grenades for GP-25 under barrel grenade launcher; RG-60TB thermobaric hand grenades.

46 The new, highly classified TOS-1 weapons system was introduced for trial by Soviet troops in Afghanistan; the surname of the officer in charge of their combat use was Karlov. In the Russian-language version of Carlo Collodi's story of Pinocchio, adapted by Aleksey Tolstoy, the name Pinocchio is changed to Buratino and his creator's name is Dad Karlo. The story of Buratino was extremely popular in the Soviet Union and was reprinted 182 times between 1936 and 1986. It is also a widespread tradition in the Russian and Soviet armies to call the commanding officer ‘Dad’. Therefore, Karlov was nicknamed ‘Dad Karlo’ – and his beasts were inevitably called Buratinos. The unofficial name has stuck to the weapons system so strongly that it has been accepted as its official codename.

47 Russian Ministry of Defence, ‘Tyazhelaya ognemetnaya Sistema TOS-1A [TOS-1A Heavy Flamethrower System]’, <http://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/ground/weapons/rhbz/more.htm?id=10345028@morfMilitaryModel>, accessed 5 December 2015.

48 Raketnaya Tekhnika [Missile Technik], ‘Tyazhelaya ognemetnaya sistema TOS-1A [TOS-1A Heavy Flamethrower System]’, <http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/missile/wobb/tos-1a/tos-1a.shtml>, accessed 5 December 2015.

49 ‘Pekhotnaya rota bataljona legkoy pekhotnoy divizii [An Infantry Company of a Light Infantry Division's Battalion]’, Zarubezhnoe voennoe obozrenie [Foreign Military Survey], 1990, No. 11, p. 31. The development of the TOS-1 heavy flamethrower system was started in 1971 under the influence of the Sino–Soviet conflict of 1968, and fighting on the Damanskiy Island. See: M Knyazev, ‘TOS-1 Buratino/TOS-1A Solntsepek, Boevye mashiny mira [Combat Vehicles of the World]’, <http://coollib.com/b/296303/read>, accessed 5 December 2015.

50 Viktor Khudoleev, ‘Nakhimichit vragu ne dadim [We Won’t Allow Enemy to Use Chemical Tricks]’, Krasnaya zvezda [Red Star], 12 November 2014, <http://www.redstar.ru/index.php/component/k2/item/19846-nakhimichit-vragu-ne-dadim>, accessed 4 December 2015.

51 Russian Ministry of Defence, ‘Spetsialisty RKhB zaschity Zapadnogo voennogo okruga sorevnovalis v iskusstve maskirovki [NBC Defence Specialists of the Western Military District Compete in the Art of Disguise]’, 29 August 2012, <http://function.mil.ru/news_page/world/more.htm?id=11325282@egNews>, accessed 13 January 2016.

52 The official title of the element (vzvod aerozolnogo protivodeystviya) describes the ‘platoon for countering [PGM strikes, adversarial surveillance and targeting] with use of aerosol screens’.

53 Author notes from the Russian reserve officer training course (CBRN component) in 2015. This is ony the formal definition of combat capabilities of CBRN elements as taught to Russian officer cadets; ‘advertising’ (propaganda and misleading to a large extent) statements of the post-Soviet military press claim that one TDA-U/TDA-2K smoke-generating vehicle, which is the main armament of the aerosol countering platoon, is capable of generating a smoke screen to disguise one motor-rifle company. See Alexander Ivanov, ‘Polyot “Shmelya” [Fight of “Bumblebee”]’, Belorusskaya Voennaya Gazeta [Belarus Military Gazette], 23 April 2014, <http://vsr.mil.by/2014/04/23/polyot-shmelya-video/>, accessed 13 January 2016. In practice the task of covering one company/artillery battery requires two/three to five TDA-2K/M vehicles, depending on the wind; for instance an aerosol countering platoon is capable of generating a screen to cover two companies/batteries at best.

54 Author conversation with an active service Russian CBRN officer in October 2015; Bolshaya promyshlennaya yarmarka Sibiri [Large Industrial Fair of Siberia], ‘Mashina teplovaya TMS-65D [Thermal Equipment TMS-65D]’, <http://www.techtorg.ru/product.asp?tid=872107&all=1&sort=1>, accessed 13 January 2016; Armsdata – Oruzhie Rossii [Armsdata – Weapons of Russia], ‘Teplovaya mashina dlya spetsialnoy obrabotki TMS-65M [TMS-65D Thermal Equipment for Special Treatment]’, <http://armsdata.net/russia/0226.html>, accessed 13 January 2016.

55 Each combined-arms division of the Soviet and the pre-2008 Russian army had a separate CBRN battalion as its integral part, including one aerosol countering company with roughly three times the smoke screen-generating capacity compared with the current element of today's Russian manoeuvre brigades. See A Pokryshkin Radiatsionnaya, khimicheskaya i biologicheskaya zaschita [Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defence], edited by E Starshinov (Chelyabinsk: South-Urals State University Publishing House, 2007), p. 105.

56 The Russian MDs will be transformed into the Operational-Strategic [Joint] Command in the event of war. The MDs’ wartime role is to serve as a regional joint command in the corresponding theatre of military operations.

57 Russian Ministry of Defence, ‘Otdelnaya brigada RKhBZ Zapadnogo voennogo okruga prinimaet uchastie v protivoavariynom uchenii na Kurskoy AES [The Separate CBRN Brigade of the Western Military District Takes Part in the Disaster-mitigation Exercise at Kursk NPS]’, 4 October 2012, <http://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/ground/news/more.htm?id=11390957@egNews>, accessed 3 December 2015.

58 ‘Vse o pozharnoy bezopasnosti’ [All on Fire Safety], ‘Voyska radiokhimbiozaschity uchatsya likvidirovat avarii na BAES [CBRN Defence Troops Train to Mitigate Accidents at Balakovo NPS]’, 21 September 2010, <http://www.0-1.ru/?id=30641>, accessed 17 March 2017.

59 This branch of the Russian armed forces is called Engineer Troops while the corresponding units and elements are designated as ‘engineer-sapper’ units.

60 The 7^th Guards (20^th Army), 11^th (58^th Army), 27^th (36^th Army), 37^th (35^th Army), 56^th (2^nd Army), 58^th (5^th Red Banner Army), 60^th (41^st Army) Engineer-Sapper Regiments, as well as the 140^th Guards Engineer-Sapper Regiment (Leningrad MD, currently part of the Western MD), the 66^th Pontoon-Bridge Regiment, and the 45^th Engineer-Camouflage Regiment (the latter two are directly subordinated to the Commandant of the engineer troops).

61 Yuri Vereme, ‘Inzhenernye voyska [Engineer Troops]’, Anatomy of the Army, <http://army.armor.kiev.ua/engenear/ingener.shtml>, accessed 17 March 2017.

62 Aleksandr Pinchuk, ‘Pervye na pole boya [First on the Battlefield]’, Red Star, 18 January 2016, <http://redstar.ru/index.php/newspaper/item/27383-pervye-na-pole-boya>, accessed 17 March 2017.

63 Anton Valagin, ‘Tyazheliy robot-saper zavershil ispytaniya [Heavy Sapper Robot Has Passed Trials]’, Russkoe oruzhie/Rossiyskaya Gazeta [Russian Weapons/Russian Gazette], 15 July 2016, <https://rg.ru/2016/07/15/reg-cfo/tiazhelyj-robot-saper-zavershil-ispytaniia.html>, accessed 21 October 2016.

64 Pinchuk, ‘Pervye na pole boya [First on the Battlefield]’.

65 Anton Ryabov ‘Perspektivnaya protivopekhotnaya mina POM-3 “Medaljon”’ [POM-3 ‘Medalion’ Perspective Anti-personnel Mine]’, Voennoe Obozrenie‘ [Military Survey], 30 November 2015, <https://topwar.ru/86566-perspektivnaya-protivopehotnaya-mina-pom-3-medalon.html>, accessed 18 May 2017; ‘Protivovertoletnye i protivotransportnye miny razrabotany v Rossii’ [Anti-helicopter and Anti-vehicle Mines Designed in Russia], Zvezda [Star] (Russian Ministry of Defence TV), 24 January 2016, <http://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201601240337-3bad.htm>, accessed 18 May 2017.

66 ArmyRecognition.com, ‘Russia Defense Industry Unveils New UMZ-K Multipurpose Mine-laying Vehicle at Army-2015’, 27 June 2015, <http://www.armyrecognition.com/weapons_defence_industry_military_technology_uk/russia_defense_industry_unveils_new_umz-k_multipurpose_mine-laying_vehicle_at_army-2015_12706155.html>, accessed 16 May 2017. Note that anti-armour, anti-personnel and mixed minefields can be laid with this system.

67 Yuliya Temereva and Olga Dedyaeva. ‘“Uralvagonzavod”: “Armata” v perspective mozhet stat robotom [“Uralvagonzavod”: “Armata” Can Become Robot in the Future]’. TASS, 10 December 2015, <http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/2515352>, accessed 18 May 2017.

68 The armed forces requirement is that mock-ups imitate the features of vehicles so as to be barely distinguishable at a distance of more than 100 metres and to mimic radar and thermal emission characteristics with an accuracy within a few per cent (less than 10) of the genuine vehicle signature. In practice, approximately 80 per cent accuracy is more realistic.

69 Anatoliy Sokolov, ‘Imitatsiya voennoy tekhniki – stariy metod s novymi tekhnologiyami [Mimicking of Military Equipment: The Old Method and New Technologies]’, Oruzhie Rossii [Weapons of Russia], 10 September 2007, <http://www.arms-expo.ru/news/archive/anatoliy-sokolov-imitaciya-voennoy-tehniki-staryy-metod-s-novymi-tehnologiyami-10-09-2007-21-46-00/>, accessed 17 March 2017.

70 Ibid.

71 Crime: Archive, ‘Rossiyskoe “naduvatelstvo”. RF vyvozit iz Donbassa makety bronetekhniki [The Russian “Swindle”: Russia Moves Mock-ups of Armour Vehicles out of Donbass]’, 22 October 2014, <crime.in.ua/node/6795>, accessed 17 March 2017.

72 ShISB was previously the official Russian military abbreviated name for this type of unit (Shturmovoy Inzhenerno-Saperniy Bataljon, assault engineer-sapper battalion). BShiR (Bataljon Shturma i Razgrazhdeniya, battalion for assault and obstacle clearing) has been chosen as the designator for the type of newly established element.

73 Zvezda [Star] (Russian Ministry of Defence TV), ‘V rossiyskoy armii poyavilsya perviy shturmovoy inzhenerno-saperniy bataljon [First Assault Pioneer Battalion Established in the Russian Army]’, 2 December 2015, <http://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i_mire/content/201512020937-8t2f.htm>, accessed 17 March 2017.

74 Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], ‘V rossiyskoy armii budut sozdany roty saperov-shturmovikov [Assault Pioneer Sapper Companies to be Established in the Russian Army]’, 6 March 2016, <https://topwar.ru/91935-v-rossiyskoy-armii-budut-sozdany-roty-saperov-shturmovikov.html>, accessed 17 March 2017.

75 Introduction of assault pioneer units into the Red Army began in early 1943 as the direct result of experience gained during the last stage of the Battle of Stalingrad, when Soviet troops experienced substantial difficulties storming Nazi forces in the urban districts of the destroyed city.

76 Murom24.rf, ‘V Murome sozdan perviy v Rossii shturmovoy inzhenerno-saperniy bataljon [First Russian Assault Engineer-Sapper Battalion Established in Murom]’, 30 June 2015, <http://xn--24-7lcajlu.xn--p1ai/pervaya_polosa/476-v-murome-sozdan-pervyy-v-rossii-shturmovoy-inzhenerno-sapernyy-batalon.html>, accessed 17 March 2017.

77 Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], ‘V rossiyskoy armii budut sozdany roty saperov-shturmovikov [Assault Sapper Companies to be Established in the Russian Army]’.

78 Mikhail Mikhin, ‘Pro gvardeyskoe shturmovoe podrazdelenie inzhenernykh voysk [On the Guards’ Assault Element of the Engineer Troops]’, Livejournal, 25 February 2016, <http://onepamop.livejournal.com/1140514.html>, accessed 17 March 2017. It is worth mentioning that Russian sources tend to exaggerate new Russian military equipment's technological sophistication, regularly calling new remote-controlled systems ‘robotic’ or ‘robots’, which assumes artificial intelligence, missing in the systems, rather than just their remote-controlled operations.

79 MForum.ru, ‘Nazemnye voennye roboty [Land-based Military Robots]’, 23 April 2015, <http://www.mforum.ru/news/article/111879.htm>, accessed 17 March 2017; MV-4 DOK-ING website, <http://dok-ing.hr/products/demining/mv_4>, accessed 17 March 2017.

80 Novosti VPK [Military-Industrial Complex News], ‘V inzhenernykh voyskakh sformirovana inzhenerno-sapernaya brigada, osnaschennaya unikalnoy robototekhnikoy [Engineer-sapper Brigade, Equipped with Unique Robotic Systems, Established in the Engineer Troops]’, 13 January 2015, <http://vpk.name/news/124513_v_inzhenernyih_voiskah_sformirovana_inzhenernosapernaya_brigada_osnashennaya_unikalnoi_robototehnikoi.html>, accessed 17 March 2017.

81 MForum.ru, ‘Pozharnye roboty [Firefighting Robots]’, 21 April 2015, <http://www.mforum.ru/news/article/113693.htm>, accessed 17 March 2017; MVF-5 DOK-ING website, <http://dok-ing.hr/products/firefighting/mvf_5>, accessed 17 March 2017.

82 RIA Novosti, ‘“Rota robotov” sformirovana v brigade inzhenernykh voysk v Murome [“Robotic Company” Established in the Murom Engineer Troops Brigade]’, 23 January 2016, <http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20160123/1364018185.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

83 Ivan Kapustin ‘Yuzhniy voenniy okrug pervym poluchit kompleks “Uran-10” [Southern Military District will be the First to Get Delivery of “Uran-10” System]’, RIA Novosti, 20 January 2017, <https://ria.ru/arms/20170120/1486132306.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

84 RIA Novosti, ‘Inzhenernye voyska VS RF poluchat v 2016 godu ne odin desyatok robotov [Russian Armed Forces’ Engineer Troops Will Get Delivery of Dozens of Robots in 2016]’, 23 January 2016, <http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20160123/1364040328.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

85 Mikhin, ‘Pro gvardeyskoe shturmovoe podrazdelenie inzhenernykh voysk [On the Guards’ Assault Engineer Element of the Engineer Troops]’.

86 Kirill Ryabov, ‘V voyska postupayut komplekty zaschity OVR-3Sh [Troops Get Delivery of OVR-3Sh Protective Suits]’, Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], 27 January 2016, <https://topwar.ru/89829-v-voyska-postupayut-komplekty-zaschity-ovr-3sh.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

87 Livejournal, ‘Zaschitniy kostyum “Kaspiy” pod obstrelom [“Caspian Sea” Protective Suit Under Fire]’, 4 November 2015, <samoletchik.livejournal.com/83502.html>, accessed 21 March 2016.

88 Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], ‘V kazhdoy obschevoyskovoy armii budet sformirovana inzhenernaya brigada [Engineer Brigades Will be Established in Every Combined Arms Army]’, 3 December 2015, <http://topwar.ru/87274-v-kazhdoy-obschevoyskovoy-armii-budet-sformirovana-inzhenernaya-brigada.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

89 Joint Russian and rebel forces unsuccessfully assaulted Donetsk Airport terminals for 242 days and captured them only when Ukrainian troops were ordered to pull out. The defence of Stalingrad, by contrast, lasted 200 days. See Joinfo, ‘V shtabe podschitali, skolko ‘kiborgov’ pogiblo za vremya oborony Donetskogo aeroporta’ [Headquarters Have Counted Number of “Cyborgs” [the nickname rebels gave to Ukrainian soldiers defending Donetsk Airport] Lost in Action During Defence of Donetsk Airport]’, 11 April 2015, <http://joinfo.ua/sociaty/1083821_V-shtabe-podschitali-skolko-kiborgov-pogiblo.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

90 Zvezda [Star] (Russian Ministry of Defence TV), ‘V rossiyskoy armii poyavilsya perviy shturmovoy inzhenerno-saperniy bataljon [First Assault Engineer Battalion Established in the Russian Army]’.

91 There are assault pioneer companies in the 661^st, 388^th, 629^th and 656^th Detached Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalions of Russia's two airborne (98^th and 106^th) and two air-assault (7^th and 76^th) divisions respectively; air-assault brigades, which are also in the structure of the Russian airborne troops, do not have engineer-sapper battalions.

92 TASS, ‘Kazhdaya obschevoyskovaya armiya poluchit k 2020 godu inzhenerno-shturmovuyu brigadu [Every Combined Arms Army Will Receive an Assault Engineer Brigade by 2020]’, 2 December 2015, <http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/2492454>, accessed 21 March 2017.

93 Mikhail Mikhin, ‘Pro gvardeyskoe shturmovoe podrazdelenie inzhenernykh voysk [On the Guards’ Assault Engineer Element of the Engineer Troops]’.

94 Voenno-promyshlenniy kurjer [Military-Industrial Courier], ‘Shturmovye inzhenernye brigady k 2020 godu budut v kazhdoy obschevoyskovoy armii [Assault Engineer Brigades will be Included in Every Combined Arms Army by 2020]’, 2 December 2015, <http://vpk-news.ru/news/28321>, accessed 21 March 2017.

95 Ibid.

96 As Stavitsky said: ‘My nadeemsya sformirovat esche neskolko polkov do 2020 goda v sostave kazhdoy obschevoyskovoy armii i v sostave chastey tsentralnogo podchineniya [We hope to establish several more regiments in each combined arms army and under Central Command by 2020]’. See ibid. On the one hand, the other engineer-sapper units currently subordinated to central command (to the Commandant of the Engineer Troops) are brigades – the 1^st Guards Engineer-Sapper Brigade and the 28^th Pontoon-Bridge Brigade. On the other, there is a precedent that the Commandant of the Engineer Troops was in direct command until recently (2010) of the 66^th Pontoon-Bridge Regiment and the 45^th Engineer-Camouflage Regiment.

97 Voennoe obozrenie [Military Review], ‘V inzhenernykh voyskakh VS RF formiruetsya pontonno-mostovaya brigada s uchebnym tsentrom v Murome [The Pontoon-bridge Brigade, with a Training Centre in Murom, is Being Established in Russia's Armed Forces]’, 16 July 2015, <http://topwar.ru/78947-v-inzhenernyh-voyskah-vs-rf-formiruetsya-pontonno-mostovaya-brigada-s-uchebnym-centrom-v-murome.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

98 Numerous examples can be found documenting the presence of these specialists, including: InfoNapalm, ‘Vozle DAP vyyavlen noveyshiy kompleks radiorazvedki VS RF “Torn”’ [The Russian Armed Forces’ “Torn” Newest SIGINT System is Identified near Donetsk Airport]’, 1 September 2015, <https://informnapalm.org/12200-kompleks-radyorazvedky-torn-dap/>, accessed 18 May 2017; also InfoNapalm, ‘VS RF ispolzovali stantsiyu R-330Zh v boyakh za Debaltsevo. Snimki rabochego terminala’ [Russian Armed Forces Employed the R-30Zh Station in Combat at Debaltsevo. Screenshots of the Station's Terminal]’, 21 April 2015, <https://informnapalm.org/22085-reb-r-330zh-zhitel/>, accessed 18 May 2017; also InfoNapalm, ‘Pod Luganskom obnaruzhena rossiyskaya stantsiya R-934UM. Radioperekhvat peregovorov’ [Russian R-943UM Station is Detected near Lugansk: Radiointercept]’, 28 April 2015, <https://informnapalm.org/22638-stantsiya-r-934um-pod-luganskom/>, accessed 18 May 2017.

99 TASS, ‘Den spetsialista radioelektronnoy borby. Dosje [Electronic Warfare Specialists’ Day: Dossier]’, 15 April 2016, <tass.ru/info/3204583>, accessed 21 March 2017.

100 Ibid.

101 Alexey Ramm, ‘Elektronnaya voyna – mify i pravda – chast 1 [Electronic Warfare – Myths and Truth – Part 1]’, Voenno-promyshlenniy kurjer [Military-Industrial Courier], 30 September 2015, <http://vpk-news.ru/articles/27272>, accessed 21 March 2017.

102 Vzglyad [Look], ‘V VVS Rossii resheno sformirovat 14 brigad armeyskoy aviatsii i vertoletnykh polkov [Russian Air Force Decides to Establish 14 Army Aviation Brigades and Helicopter Regiments]’.

103 NVP Protek, ‘Avtomatizirovannaya stantsiya pomekh R-330Zh’ [R-330Zh Automated Jamming Station]’, <http://www.protek-vrn.ru/production/avtomatizirovannaya-stantsiya-pomeh-r-330zh/>, accessed 18 May 2017.

104 Kirill Ryabov, ‘Mashina REB 1L262 “Rtut-BM”’ [1L252 “Rtut-BM” EW Vehicle]’, Voennoe Obozrenie‘ [Military Survey], 30 July 2014, <https://topwar.ru/55269-mashina-reb-1l262-rtut-bm.html>, accessed 18 May 2017.

105 Livejournal, ‘Vertolety Mi-8MTPR-1 [Mi-8MTPR-1 EW Helicopters]’, BMPD blog of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, 3 September 2015, <http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1458627.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

106 Vladimir Putin, ‘Investitsionniy forum VTB Kapital ‘Rossiya zovyot!’ [VTB Capital's Investment Forum “Russia Calling!”]’, speech given to 8^th Annual VTB Capital Investment Forum, 12 October 2016, <http://www.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/53077>, accessed 21 March 2017.

107 Anton Valagin, ‘Pod Khabarovskom nachalis ucheniya zhenskogo bataljona [Female Battalion Exercises Begin Near Khabarovsk]', Russkoe oruzhie/Rossisyskaya Gazeta [Russian Weapons/Russian Gazette], 25 July 2016, <rg.ru/2016/07/25/reg-dfo/pod-habarovskom-nachalis-ucheniia-zhenskogo-batalona.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

108 RBC, ‘U pravitelstva obnaruzhilsya neuchtenniy 1 trillion rubley [Government Finds 1 Trillion Roubles of Unaccounted Money]’, 15 January 2016, </www.rbc.ru/economics/15/01/2016/5697f6e79a794701f110b8ce>, accessed 21 March 2017.

109 Interfax, ‘Gosduma odobrila v pervom chtenii popravki v byudzhet na 2016 god [State Duma Approves First Reading of Amendments to the 2016 Budget]’, 21 October 2016, <http://www.interfax.ru/business/533475>, accessed 21 March 2017.

110 Ibid.

111 RBK, ‘Minfin predlozhil urezat raskhody na oboronu [Finance Ministry Proposed Cuts to Defence Spending]’, 9 September 2016, <www.rbc.ru/economics/09/09/2016/57d1ecd09a79475217227650>, accessed 21 March 2017.

112 TASS, ‘Istochnik: armiya RF k 2020 godu poluchit okolo 70 seriynykh tankov “Armata” [Source: Around 70 “Armata” Tanks Will be Delivered to the Russian Army by 2020]’, 10 September 2016, <tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/3610673>, accessed 21 March 2017; Lenta.ru [Tape.ru], ‘Rossiyskaya armiya poluchit na vooruzhenie 2300 tankov “Armata” [Russian Army Will Get Delivery of 2,300 “Armata” Tanks]’, 15 September 2015, <lenta.ru/news/2015/09/15/armata/>, accessed 21 March 2017.

113 Aleksandr Gorniy, ‘Strakh [Fear]’, Ekho Moskvy [Moscow's Echo], 16 October 2016, <echo.msk.ru/blog/amountain/1856530-echo/>, accessed 21 March 2017.

114 Novosti VPK [Military-Industrial Complex News], ‘Importozameshenie: blesk i nischeta rossiyskogo oboronno-promyshlennogo kompleksa [Import Substitution: The Brilliance and Poverty of Russia's Military-industrial Complex]’, 20 January 2016, </vpk.name/news/147993_importozameshenie__blesk_i_nisheta_rossiiskogo_oboronnopromyishlennogo_kompleksa.html>, accessed 21 March 2017.

115 Ibid.

116 Andrey Frolov, ‘Svoy vmesto chuzhikh [Ours, Not Foreign]’, Rossiya v globalnoy politikve [Russia in Global Policy] (No. 6, 2016), <www.globalaffairs.ru/number/Svoi-vmesto-chuzhikh-18493>, accessed 21 March 2017.

117 TASS, ‘Minoborony: voennoe vedomstvo RF gotovo k slozhnostyam pri vypolnenii gosoboronzakaza [MoD: Russian Defence Ministry is Prepared for Difficulties with the Execution of the State Military Acquisition Programme]’, 13 January 2015, <http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/1694063>, accessed 18 May 2017

118 Virtual Encyclopedia of Armour, ‘Tanki “Armata” prevzoydut analogy na 25-30 protsentov [“Armata” Tanks will Outmatch Rivals by 25 to 30 Per Cent]’, 10 November 2014, <http://pro-tank.ru/blog/1407-armata-the-fifth-generation-tank>, accessed 18 May 2017.

119 Sergey Tsyb, ‘Dolya importa v strategicheskikh otraslyakh prevysila 80 protsentov [Share of Imports in Strategic Industries Exceeds 80 Per Cent]’, Lenta.ru [Tape.ru], 10 July 2014, <lenta.ru/news/2014/07/10/import/>, accessed 21 March 2017.

120 Sergey Boev, ‘Rossiya ostro nuzhdaetsya v pervoocherednom razvitii sobstvennoy elektronnoy komponentnoy bazy [Russia Badly Needs to Develop its Own Electronic Components Industry]’, Vremya elektroniki [Electronics’ Time], 23 September 2016, <http://www.russianelectronics.ru/leader-r/32149/doc/64526/>, accessed 23 October 2016.

121 Novosti VPK [Military-Industrial Complex News], ‘Importozameshenie: blesk i nisheta rossiyskogo oboronno-promyshlennogo kompleksa [Import Substitution: The Brilliance and Poverty of Russia's Military-industrial Complex]’.

122 Ibid.

123 Ibid.

124 Vremya elektroniki [Electronics’ Time], ‘Sanktsii Zapada mogut privesti k serjeznym problemam s razvitiem GLONASS [Western Sanctions Could Lead to Serious Problems with the Development of the GLONASS System]’, 4 April 2014, <www.russianelectronics.ru/leader-r/news/29536/29541/doc/67417/>, accessed 21 March 2017.