331st Guards Airborne Regiment

331st Guards Airborne Regiment
(1946–present)
331st Guards Rifle Regiment
(1944–1946)
Russian: 331-й гвардейский парашютно-десантный Костромской полк

331st Guards Airborne Regiment shoulder sleeve insignia
Active 1944–present
Country  Soviet Union
 Russia
Branch  Russian Airborne Troops
Size Regiment
Part of 98th Guards Airborne Division
Garrison/HQ Kostroma
MUN 71211
Engagements

The 331st Guards Airborne Regiment is a formation of the Russian Airborne Troops, part of the 98th Guards Airborne Division.

In 2014-2016 regiment's units and servicemen participated in the War in Donbas.[1]

History

The regiment was formed in 1946 at Kostroma from the 331st Guards Rifle Regiment. It was part of the 105th Guards Vienna Airborne Division. In 1960 it transferred to the 106th Guards Airborne Division. Between 1988 and 1990 the regiment participated in peacekeeping duties in the Caucasus. In 1992 the regiment was sent to Yugoslavia. In August 1993 the regiment became part of the 98th Guards Airborne Division. The regiment fought in the First Chechen War. In 1999 the regiment was sent to Kosovo. The regiment fought in the Second Chechen War.[2]

In August 2014 the regiment's units fought in the Battle of Ilovaisk. On 24 August, around 12:15 AM, a column of BMD-2s of the regiment was hit by a Ukrainian anti-tank squad of the 51st Mechanized Brigade near Kuteinykove village. Two BMD-2's were destroyed.[3] The paratroopers left their vehicles and took cover in trees nearby. Several hours later, around 5 PM, they left their cover and were captured by the reconnaissance group of the 51st Mechanized Brigade near Dzerkalne village, the Ukrainian battalion tactical group's field headquarters. Ten paratroopers were captured.[4][5] The Russian military stated that the captured paratroopers had crossed the border "by accident".[6][7] During a briefing held on 5 August 2015, the Ukrainian General Military Prosecutor revealed that the captured paratroopers were exchanged between 29 and 30 August for 200 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who were detained by Russia and pro-Russian forces.[8]

Between 29 and 31 August the regiment's paratroopers guarded Ukrainian prisoners captured in the Ilovaisk pocket after the failed Ukrainian breakthrough attempt near Ilovaisk.[9]

Paratroopers of 331st Airborne Regiment were spotted in other regions of Ukraine occupied by pro-Russian forces: in Stanitsa-Luhanska village in March 2015,[10] and in Donetsk in August 2016.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Sutyagin, Igor (March 2015). "RUSI Briefing Paper: Russian Forces in Ukraine" (PDF). Royal United Services Institute: 3. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Holm, Michael. "331st Guards Parachute Regiment". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-08-13.
  3. ↑ "Remains of Russian BMD-2 near Kuteinykove. 2014. According to shape and place of tactical insignia, the BMD belonged to 331 Airborne Regiment. : Askai on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  4. ↑ "КАПИТАН, КОТОРЫЙ ИЗМЕНИЛ ХОД ВОЙНЫ" [The captain who changed the course of the war]. Censor.net (in Russian). Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "КОГДА И КАК ВЗЯЛИ В ПЛЕН ДЕСЯТЬ РОССИЙСКИХ ДЕСАНТНИКОВ 24 АВГУСТА 2014 ГОДА?" [When and how 10 Russian paratroopers were captured]. Censor.net (in Russian). Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Captured Russian troops 'in Ukraine by accident'". BBC News. 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  7. ↑ Oliphant, Roland; Parfitt, Tom. "Capture of Russian paratroopers in Ukraine overshadows talks with Russia". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  8. ↑ "Задержанных в ходе событий во Иловайский 10 российских военных обменяли на 200 бойцов АТО, - Матиос" [10 Russian servicemen detained near Ilovaisk were exchanged for 200 soldiers of ATO forces]. 112.ua. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  9. ↑ "Серпень 2014 року. Іловайськ. Частина V. Вихід «південної» групи. - Суспільство - Український тиждень, Тиждень.ua" [August 2014. Ilovaisk. Chapter 5. "Southern" group breakthrough attempt.]. tyzhden.ua. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  10. ↑ "A Russian Paratrooper from the 98th Airborne Division Posing in Stanytsia-Luhanska Raion of Ukraine - InformNapalm.org (English)". InformNapalm.org (English). 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  11. ↑ "Paratroopers from Kostroma "Got Lost" in Ukraine Again - InformNapalm.org (English)". InformNapalm.org (English). 2016-08-31. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/4/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.