The RF Armed Forces consist of central military command and control bodies, associations, formations, units, divisions and organizations that are included in the types and branches of the military, in the rear of the RF Armed Forces and in troops not included in the types and branches of the military.

TO central authorities include the Ministry of Defense Russian Federation(Russian Ministry of Defense), the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces, as well as a number of departments in charge of certain functions and subordinate to certain deputy ministers of defense or directly to the minister of defense. In addition, the central command bodies include the Main Commands of the branches of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Type of the RF Armed Forces- it's theirs component, distinguished by special weapons and designed to perform assigned tasks, as a rule, in any environment (on land, in water, in the air). This Ground forces, Air Force, Navy.

Each branch of the RF Armed Forces consists of combat arms (forces), special troops and logistics.

Under branch of the army refers to a part of the branch of the RF Armed Forces, distinguished by its main weapons, technical equipment, organizational structure, nature of training and ability to perform specific combat missions. In addition, there are independent branches of the military. In the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation these are the Strategic Missile Forces, the Aerospace Defense Forces and the Airborne Forces.

Associations- these are military formations, including several formations or associations of a smaller scale, and TE.KZh6 units and institutions. Associations include the army, flotilla, as well as the military district - a territorial combined arms association and the fleet - a naval association.

Military district is a territorial combined arms association of military units, formations, educational institutions, military institutions various types and branches of the RF Armed Forces. The military district covers the territory of several constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Fleet- highest operational formation Navy. District and fleet commanders direct their troops (forces) through the headquarters subordinate to them.

Formations are military formations consisting of several units or formations of a smaller composition, usually various branches of troops (forces), special troops (services), as well as support and service units (units). Formations include corps, divisions, brigades and other military formations equivalent to them. The word “compound” means a connection of units: the division headquarters has the status of a unit to which other units (regiments) are subordinate. All together this is the division. However, in some cases, a brigade may also have the status of a connection. This happens if it includes separate battalions and companies, each of which in itself has the status of a unit. In this case, the brigade headquarters, like the division headquarters, has the status of a unit, and battalions and companies, as independent units, are subordinate to the brigade headquarters.

Part is an organizationally independent combat and administrative-economic unit in all branches of the RF Armed Forces. The term “unit” most often means regiment and brigade. In addition to these, the units include division headquarters, corps headquarters, army headquarters, district headquarters, as well as other military organizations (voentorg, army hospital, garrison clinic, district food warehouse, district song and dance ensemble, garrison officers' house, garrison consumer services plant, Central School of Junior Specialists, etc.). Units can be ships of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ranks, individual battalions (divisions, squadrons), as well as individual companies that are not part of battalions and regiments. Regiments, individual battalions, divisions and squadrons are awarded the Battle Banner, and Navy ships are awarded the Naval Flag.

Subdivision- all military formations that are part of the unit. Squad, platoon, company, battalion - they are all united by one word “unit”. The word comes from the concept of “dividing, dividing”, i.e. part is divided into divisions.

TO organizations These include such structures supporting the vital functions of the RF Armed Forces as military medical institutions, officers' houses, military museums, editorial offices of military publications, sanatoriums, rest homes, tourist centers, etc.

Rear of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation designed to provide all types of materiel and maintain their reserves, prepare and operate communication routes, provide military transportation, repair weapons and military equipment, providing medical care to the wounded and sick, carrying out sanitary, hygienic and veterinary measures and performing a number of other logistics tasks. The rear of the RF Armed Forces includes arsenals, bases, and warehouses with supplies of materiel. It has special troops (automobile, railway, road, pipeline, engineering and airfield, etc.), as well as repair, medical, rear security and other units and units.

Quartering and arrangement of troops— the activities of the Russian Ministry of Defense in the creation and engineering support of military infrastructure facilities, the quartering of troops, the creation of conditions for the strategic deployment of the Russian Armed Forces and the conduct of combat operations.

The troops that are not included in the branches and branches of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation include the Border Troops, the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (MVD of Russia), and the Civil Defense Troops.

Border troops are intended to protect the state border, territorial sea, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation, as well as to solve problems of protecting the biological resources of the territorial sea, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation and exercising state control in this area. Organizationally, the Border Troops are part of Federal service security of the Russian Federation.

Internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia are intended to ensure the security of the individual, society and the state, to protect the rights and freedoms of citizens from criminal and other unlawful attacks.

Civil Defense Troops- these are military formations that own special equipment, weapons and property, designed to protect the population, material and cultural assets on the territory of the Russian Federation from dangers arising during the conduct of military operations or as a result of these actions. Organizationally, the Civil Defense Troops are part of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergency Situations and Disaster Relief.

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Lesson type: lesson-lecture

Goals: introduce students to the structure, purpose and armament of the branches and branches of the RF Armed Forces

Lesson questions:

1. Purpose, tasks and structure of the Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy
2. Purpose of the Strategic Missile Forces, Airborne Forces, Space Forces
3. Tasks of the military branches: border, civil defense, internal, railway

Lesson Plan

1. Organizational moment
2. Introduction to the lesson
3. Types of the RF Armed Forces
4. Other troops of the Russian Armed Forces
5. Branches of the Russian Armed Forces
6. Knowledge Test
7. Homework

Lesson progress

Organizational moment: communication of the lesson topic, work plan

Introduction to the lesson: teacher’s message on the topic “Armies of the World: Interesting Facts”

(slides 3-10)

The most unusual maneuver before an attack

During the Russian war against the Bukhara Emirate in 1868, the infantry, right in front of the enemy’s eyes, crossed the river in chest-deep water and occupied the heights of Chapan-Ata in a bayonet attack. The maneuver was swift, there was no time to take off shoes and pour out water. Therefore, the soldiers stood on their hands, while their comrades shook their legs.

A month later, in battle, the Bukharans in the front rows, approaching a rifle shot, stood up on their hands, and the rear ones began to conscientiously shake their legs.

They were firmly convinced that they had unraveled the Russian ritual that brought victory

The most unusual decree

Sew buttons onto the front side of the sleeve of a soldier's uniform.

Purpose of the decree: to wean soldiers, most of whom were recruited from peasant backgrounds, from wiping their mouths with their sleeves after eating so that expensive cloth would last longer

The shortest war

In 1896, a war broke out between Britain and Zanzibar that lasted exactly 38 minutes.

The most fake attack

During World War II, the Germans built a mock-up of an airfield in Holland in great secrecy. Airplanes, hangars, cars, air defense systems - everything is made of wood. But one day an English bomber arrived and dropped a single bomb on the false airfield, after which construction of the airfield stopped. The bomb was wooden

The most curious army laws

In Britain, only in 1947, the position of the person obliged to fire a cannon at the time of Napoleon’s invasion of England was abolished.

The most ridiculous war

In 1249, a soldier from Bologna fled to Modena, seizing an old oak tub from which he watered his horse. The authorities of Bologna demanded that they hand over not a deserter, but a tub. Having received a refusal, Bologna began a war against Modena that lasted 22 years and was accompanied by significant destruction. And the tub still remains in Modena and is stored in one of the city’s towers

The most unusual weapon

One Siamese king, retreating, ordered that cannons fire at the enemy not with cannonballs, but with silver coins. How he completely disorganized the enemy and won the battle

Types of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Before studying the material, students are given a task in the form of tables, which they must fill out as the teacher explains new material (slide 11)

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin. The main functions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces:

1. Management of the implementation of defense policy
2. Approval of plans for the construction and use of the army and navy
3. Appointment and dismissal of positions of high military command
4. Assignment of highest military ranks
5. Conscription
6. Declaration of a state of war
7. Orders of the Armed Forces for the conduct of military operations (slide 12)

Direct leadership of the Armed Forces through the Ministry of Defense is exercised by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation (slide 12)

The branches of the Armed Forces are divided by natural environment (slide 13), in which they must conduct armed confrontation with the enemy. Based on this, their weapons, combat tactics, organization and all other characteristics are determined, down to the specifics of their clothing and food rations. The listed characteristics are influenced by many other factors, among which the traditions that have developed over the entire history of the existence of the Armed Forces are of decisive importance.

Ground forces (slides 14-25)

The history of the Ground Forces is the longest. Our ancestors, according to historians in the 5th-6th centuries, fought only on foot, practically without using cavalry. Therefore, the traditions expressed in the concepts of courage and perseverance, self-sacrifice, and military brotherhood in the Ground Forces are especially vividly expressed.

Ground forces operate on land accordingly. They are intended for:

• Covering the State Border
• Reflecting the aggressor's blows
• Retention of occupied territory
• Defeat of troop groups
• Capturing enemy territory

The Ground Forces consist of combat arms, special troops, formations, units of centrally subordinate institutions and organizations, and the rear of the Ground Forces.

Motorized rifle troops:

Designed to conduct combat operations independently, as well as together with other military branches and special troops. The motorized rifle troops have motorized rifle, tank, missile, artillery, anti-aircraft missile units and units, as well as special forces and logistics units.

Distinctive features are high mobility and maneuverability.

Tank troops:

They constitute the main striking force of the SV. They are used primarily in the main directions to deliver powerful and deep blows to the enemy.

Rocket troops and artillery:

They are the main means of fire and nuclear destruction of the enemy. Called upon to solve fire missions in combat in the interests of other branches of the military.

Air Defense Forces:

Designed to destroy enemy airborne forces, to protect troop groups, command posts, airfields and rear facilities from attacks.

Air Force (slides 26-34)

The Air Force is the youngest branch of the Russian Armed Forces.

Outstanding Russian scientists made a great contribution to the creation of aviation: N.E. Zhukovsky, K.E. Tsiolkovsky, S.A. Chaplygin. In 1882, naval officer A.F. Mozhaisky created the world's first airplane. In 1913, the multi-engine aircraft “Russian Knight” was assembled, and later “Ilya Muromets”. The advent of the jet engine caused a qualitative leap in the development of aviation. In 1946, the first jet aircraft Yak-15 and MiG-9 were flown into the air.

The modern structure of the Air Force was created in 1998 as a result of the merger of the Air Force and the Air Defense Forces.

The types of aviation include: bomber, attack, fighter, reconnaissance, military transport, army, special.

The main tasks of the Air Force:

• Protecting the country from reconnaissance and air strikes
• Gaining air superiority
• Defeat the enemy from the air
• Conducting comprehensive reconnaissance and performing special tasks
• Ensuring the actions of formations of the Armed Forces

Navy (slides 35 – 41)

On October 20, 1696, at the insistence of Peter I, the Boyar Duma made the historic decision “There will be sea vessels.” It is from this moment that the history of the development of the domestic navy begins.

The first permanent grouping of forces - the Azov Fleet - was formed from ships built in the winter of 1695-1696. Before the First World War, the fleet was homogeneous. Coastal troops (marines, coastal artillery) existed since early XVIII centuries, were not part of the fleet. On March 19, 1906, a new branch of the Navy was born and began to develop - the submarine force. 1914 - the first units of Naval Aviation were formed. Mid-1930s - the Navy included naval aviation, coastal defense and air defense units.

Over the 3 centuries of its existence, the regular Russian fleet has covered itself with unfading glory. Gangut and Chesma, Sinop and Tendra, the defense of Sevastopol and Port Arthur are glorious pages of its history. The Russian Navy reached its greatest power in the second half of the 20th century. There was not a single corner of the world's oceans where our naval flag was not present.

The Navy is intended for the armed defense of Russia's interests and for conducting combat operations in the sea and ocean theaters of war.

The Navy is capable of launching nuclear strikes on enemy ground targets, destroying enemy fleet groups at sea and bases, disrupting ocean and maritime communications and protecting its maritime transport, assisting the Ground Forces, participating in repelling enemy landings and performing other tasks.

The Navy organizationally includes the Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea fleets, as well as the Caspian military flotilla and the Leningrad naval base.

The role of the fleet in the history of Russia has always gone beyond the scope of its purely military tasks. The presence of the fleet contributed to our country's active foreign policy. He has more than once become a deterrent for the enemy of our state when the threat of war arose.

Other troops of the Russian Armed Forces (slides 42-44)

In the structure of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation there are 3 types of troops that are not included in the branches of the Armed Forces. They are very different from each other in tasks, structure and features of combat use, but they have one thing in common - they all act in the interests of the Armed Forces as a whole and are capable of performing assigned tasks both in cooperation with other components of the Armed Forces and independently. This independence in performing tasks, the specificity of the tasks themselves, required their separation into special structures.

Strategic Missile Forces. Today, the Strategic Missile Forces are the main component of strategic nuclear forces and are armed with intercontinental combat missile systems various types and are intended to defeat important enemy targets in a nuclear war, destroy his strategic and other means of nuclear attack, defeat large groups of armed forces, disrupt state and military control, and disorganize the rear.

Space Force - a fundamentally new branch of the military, which is designed to ensure the security of Russia in outer space. The main tasks of the Space Forces are: communicating warnings to the country's top military-political leadership about a missile attack, missile defense of Moscow, creating, deploying, maintaining and managing an orbital constellation of spacecraft.

Airborne troops (VDV) - a mobile branch of troops designed to perform combat missions behind enemy lines, as well as to act as a reserve of the Supreme High Command. Airborne forces can be used for: capturing administrative and political centers, industrial facilities, basing areas of enemy aviation and naval forces, seizing and holding crossings on water barriers, mountain passes and passages, destroying nuclear attack weapons, disrupting enemy command and control and the work of the enemy’s rear, disrupting formation and the transfer of its reserves.

Branches of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (slides 45-49)

The internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation are intended to ensure the security of the individual, society and the state, to protect the rights and freedoms of man and citizen from criminal and other unlawful attacks. At the moment, the number of internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation is determined at 199,800 people. The VV special forces comprise 16 mobile units.

Railway troops are intended for restoration, construction, operation and technical cover railways, used to provide transportation in wartime.

Border troops are designed to protect state borders on land, seas, rivers and lakes, as well as the continental shelf of the Russian Federation and their natural resources. The management of the border troops is carried out by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. In Russia, the origins of the border service date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. In connection with the frequent raids of nomads on the southern and south-eastern outskirts of the Moscow principality, from the 60s of the 14th century, guard posts and villages began to be set up. In the 16th century, serif lines were revived, and later, border fortified lines and border service took on the form of public service.

In peacetime, civil defense troops participate in eliminating the consequences of emergency situations: natural disasters, epidemics, major accidents and catastrophes that threaten the health of the population and require rescue operations. In the event of the outbreak of hostilities or the introduction of martial law by the President of the Russian Federation on the territory of the country or in its individual regions, the activities of civil defense troops are carried out in full.

Intermediate knowledge test:

Checking that students have filled out the tables correctly, correcting errors (orally)

“Test yourself” (slides 50-62)

1. Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation?
2. Troops taking part in the protection public order?
3. The branch of the military responsible for the restoration, construction, operation of railways used to provide military transportation?
4. Who are the Border Troops subordinated to and what are they intended for?
5. What are the types of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation?
6. Formulate the main tasks solved by the Air Force?
7. What are the branches of the Russian Armed Forces?
8. Which branch of the Russian Armed Forces does the flag belong to?
9. Who exercises direct control of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation?
10. What is the purpose of the Russian Ground Forces?
11. Name the branch of the military subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation?

Homework: prepare a report on the exploits of sailors, pilots, and border guards in war or peacetime.

The army, to one degree or another, affects every citizen, so, willy-nilly, people are aware of it. But the army is too general and abstract a concept, including tanks and foot wraps, nuclear weapons and stars on shoulder straps, and much more. In order to organize troops by type, establish a certain hierarchy and divide the territory of the state into controlled areas, there is a special term - organizational structure armed forces of the Russian Federation. With its help, today we will find out what types and branches of troops the modern Russian army consists of, how many military districts our huge country is divided into, and also get acquainted with the command system of the Russian troops.

The familiar Russian army is, first of all, a military organization, the date of its creation is officially considered to be May 7, 1992 (on this day the corresponding Decree of the President of the country was issued). The main purpose of the Russian armed forces is to repel an attack from an external military source, as well as preserve the integrity of the country’s territory, in other words, defense. Also, the list of missions of the aircraft includes the guaranteed fulfillment of tasks assigned on the basis of the international obligations of the Russian Federation.

Territorial structure

First of all, let's look at the territorial structure of the Russian Armed Forces. Its final formation occurred relatively recently, during the period military reform, so today’s version is somewhat different from the structure, for example, 10 years ago. From a military point of view, the country's territory is divided into 5 districts, each of which has certain areas under its jurisdiction.

1. West. This unit was formed in 2010 by merging the Moscow and Leningrad districts. All military formations located in the territory entrusted to the district, except for the Strategic Missile Forces and the Aerospace Forces, are subordinate to the commander. The Western Military District includes such regions as Kaliningrad, Kursk, Tver, Tambov, Pskov (plus several others), as well as the cities of the Moscow region and St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region (the headquarters is located in the northern capital).
2. Southern. The district was also formed in 2010, replacing the former North Caucasus. The commander has at his disposal the troops located in the entrusted territory, except for the Strategic Missile Forces, Airborne Forces and some other units subordinate to the central high command. The Southern Military District includes such republics as Dagestan, Adygea, Ingushetia, Kalmykia, Crimea (plus a few more), as well as 2 territories, 3 regions and the city of Sevastopol. The headquarters, headed by the commander of the Southern Military District, is located in Rostov-on-Don.
3. Central. Year of formation and formation - 2010. Previous units - Volga-Ural and Siberian (partial) districts. In terms of the territory entrusted to it, the Central Military District is the leader among the districts (within its borders there are about 40% of the territory of all Russia). The district includes such republics as Tatarstan, Khakassia, Mordovia, Mari El (and others). In addition, it includes 3 territories, 15 regions and 2 autonomous districts. The Central Military District also controls the Gatchina military base No. 201, located in Tajikistan. The headquarters is located in the city of Yekaterinburg.
4. Oriental. A military unit was formed in 2010 from the second part of the Siberian Military District, as well as the Far Eastern. The Eastern District ranks second in terms of the area of ​​entrusted territory (about 7 million square kilometers). The Eastern Military District includes 2 republics, 4 territories, 3 regions, Jewish Autonomy, and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The headquarters, headed by the district commander, is located in Khabarovsk.
5. Northernfleet. During the military reform in 2010, it was decided to include the Northern Fleet, together with the Baltic Fleet, into the Western Military District, but in 2014 a special strategic command “North” was created. As a result, the fleet became an independent military unit (in fact, it represents the fifth military district). The headquarters of SK Sever is located in the city of Severomorsk.

Army composition

The Russian Army includes 3 types of armed forces (Army, Air Force, Navy), as well as 3 types of troops subordinate directly to the central high command (Airborne Forces, Strategic Missile Forces, Aerospace Forces). Let's take a closer look at each of the combat units.

Ground forces

The SV is the largest type of military personnel. The main purpose of the ground forces is defensive actions (repelling an enemy attack on the territory of the country), as well as subsequent offensive (including the defeat of enemy units with the seizure of territory). The SV includes the following types of troops:

• motorized rifle (infantry carrying out an offensive with the help of infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers);
• tank (the main goal is to break through the enemy line through the use of mobile equipment with a high degree of security);
• missile and artillery (the task of these troops is to engage enemy targets at long distances with fire using rocket and cannon installations);
• air defense troops (protect the remaining ground forces from attacks and bombing from the air and counter enemy aerial reconnaissance).

As a rule, all of the listed types of troops do not act separately, but are used together as a comprehensive defense or offensive. The Army also includes highly specialized troops (for example, railway or engineering).

Air Force

By analogy with the ground forces, the Air Force is divided into types of aviation, each of which performs its own specific tasks:

• long-range aviation (carries out bombing to a strategic depth economically important areas enemy);
• frontline (performs tasks at a shallower depth);
• army (supports ground forces through air bombing against armored and moving enemy targets);
• military transport (transports equipment, manpower and specialized cargo).

In addition, the air force includes such a subspecies as special aviation, as well as units of anti-aircraft missile and radio-technical troops.

Navy

This type of armed forces is a special force whose purpose is to protect the economic territory of the Russian Federation located on the high seas. Also on the list of tasks assigned to the Navy in peacetime is the implementation of the search and rescue process.

The Russian Navy has submarine and surface forces, coastal troops, and naval aviation. Geographically, the Navy is divided into 5 separately existing fleets located along all maritime borders of Russia.

Airborne Forces

These troops are independent troops, subordinate to the central command. The main task fighters is the successful implementation of a landing force on enemy territory followed by combat operations.

Strategic Missile Forces

It is also a type of troops subordinate to the High Command. The main task of such troops is to deter possible aggression from an external enemy through the nuclear potential of missiles, the introduction of which could have catastrophic consequences on a global scale.

Aerospace Forces

Relatively new look, which is also subordinate to the central high command. The task assigned to this type of troops is to identify the fact of a missile strike from a possible enemy, as well as air defense city ​​of Moscow.

Control system

Having learned what types and branches of the armed forces are available in the Russian Army, we now have to find out how the highest hierarchy is structured. It looks like this. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces is the President of Russia. During peacetime, he determines the direction of the vector of military policy, approves state military programs, and also personally approves the location of highly classified objects, including those containing nuclear warheads. The president also personally recruits citizens for military service.

The second most important person in the country from a military point of view is the Minister of Defense. His department includes the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense (the main bodies of the central military administration). These institutions, in turn, house the highest commands of the military branches. The heads of military districts are located at headquarters located in the corresponding cities.

The staff strength of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces) from January 1, 2018 - by 293 people, or 0.016%, from 1 million 903 thousand 51 people to 1 million 902 thousand 758 people.

At the same time, the number of military personnel remained the same: 1 million 13 thousand 628 people. The TASS-DOSSIER editors have prepared a report on how the staffing levels of the Russian armed forces have changed.

Number of armed forces after the collapse of the USSR

The number of military personnel in the USSR Armed Forces by the end of 1991 reached 3.7-3.8 million people (not including civilian personnel). On May 7, 1992, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree “On the creation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” This document, among other things, required the Ministry of Defense to develop and submit proposals for “reducing the number and combat strength of the RF Armed Forces.” At that time, according to various estimates, there were 2.5-2.8 million military personnel in Russia.

According to data from open sources, by 1994 the number of military personnel in Russia decreased to 2.1 million, by 1996 - to 1.7 million (40% compared to 1992). On May 31, 1996, Yeltsin signed the Law on Defense. Article 4 of the document stated that the powers of the head of state include approving the staffing levels of military personnel of the Armed Forces, other troops, military formations and bodies. From this moment on, the number of military personnel is established by decrees of the President of the Russian Federation. A total of seven such decrees have been published since 1997 (excluding the decree of November 17, 2017).

Decrees on the number of military personnel of the RF Armed Forces

On July 16, 1997, Yeltsin, by decree “On priority measures to reform the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and improve their structure,” established the regular number of military personnel of the Armed Forces at 1.2 million people from January 1, 1999. On March 24, 2001, there was a further reduction in the number of personnel of the Armed Forces. By Putin’s decree “On ensuring the construction and development of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, improving their structure,” the number of military personnel from January 1, 2006 was reduced by 16.7% - to 1 million.

On November 28, 2005, by his decree, Putin for the first time since the collapse of the USSR increased the number of military personnel (by 13%) - from 1 million to 1 million 134 thousand 800 people (from January 1, 2006). The same decree for the first time established the staffing level of the RF Armed Forces (including civilian personnel) - 2 million 20 thousand 500 people.

On January 1, 2008, Putin left the number of military personnel unchanged from the date of signing the decree, slightly reducing only the total staffing strength of the Armed Forces - to 2 million 19 thousand 629 people.

On December 29, 2008, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, by decree “On some issues of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” again reduced the total number of military personnel by 12%, to 1 million. Moreover, as part of the military reform launched by Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, the liquidation of the institute was announced midshipmen and warrant officers, as well as a reduction in the central apparatus and management of the Ministry of Defense by 2.5 times - from 22 thousand to 8.5 thousand people. In the same 2008, Serdyukov promised to reduce the officer corps of the Armed Forces by 2.3 times - from 355 thousand to 150 thousand.

However, already in 2011, the scale of the reduction in the officer corps was reduced. The institution of midshipmen and warrant officers was returned to the Armed Forces by the new Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu. In April 2015, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Nikolai Pankov said that the number of officer corps in Russia is about 200 thousand people.

On July 8, 2016, Putin signed a decree “On the staffing level of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” which left the number of military personnel unchanged (1 million), but increased the total number of armed forces by 542 people - up to 1 million 885 thousand 371 people.

On March 28, 2017, Putin for the first time since 2005 increased the number of military personnel in the Armed Forces by 1.3% - from 1 million to 1 million 13 thousand 628 people. By the same decree, the total staffing level of the Armed Forces (including civilian personnel) was increased from January 1, 2017 by 0.6% - to 1 million 897 thousand 694 people, and from July 1, 2017 - by another 0.3% - to 1 million 903 thousand 51 people.

The main guarantor of the independence and inviolability of the borders of any state is its armed forces. Diplomacy and economic means are certainly important (and effective) tools of international politics, but only those countries that are able to defend themselves are viable. All political history humanity is proof of this thesis.

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces) are currently one of the largest in the world in terms of numbers. In rankings compiled by expert groups, the Russian army is usually in the top five, along with the armed forces of China, India, the United States and the DPRK. The size of the Russian army is determined by decrees of the country's president, who, according to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Currently (summer 2018) it is 1,885,371 people, including about 1 million military personnel. Today, our country’s mobilization resource is approximately 62 million people.

Russia is a nuclear state. Moreover, our country has one of the largest arsenals of nuclear weapons, as well as sophisticated and numerous means of delivering them. The Russian Federation ensures a closed cycle of nuclear weapons production.

Our country has one of the most developed military-industrial complexes in the world, the Russian military-industrial complex is capable of providing the armed forces with almost the entire range of weapons, military equipment and ammunition from pistols to ballistic missiles. Moreover, Russia is one of largest exporters weapons in the world: in 2017, Russian weapons were sold for $14 billion.

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were created on May 7, 1992 on the basis of units of the USSR Armed Forces, but history Russian army much longer and richer. She can be called the heir not only of the armed forces of the USSR, but also of the Russian imperial army, which ceased to exist in 1917.

Nowadays, the recruitment of the Russian armed forces occurs on a mixed principle: both through conscription and on a contract basis. Modern government policy in the field of formation of the armed forces is aimed at increasing the number of professionals serving under contract. Currently, all non-commissioned officers of the RF Armed Forces are completely professional.

The annual budget of the Russian armed forces in 2018 was 3.287 trillion rubles. This is 5.4% of the country's total GDP.

Currently, conscript service in the Russian army is 12 months. Men between the ages of 18 and 27 can be drafted into the armed forces.

History of the Russian Army

On July 14, 1990, the first Russian military department appeared. It was called " State Committee RSFSR for support and interaction with the Ministry of Defense and the KGB of the USSR." After the August putsch in Moscow, the Ministry of Defense of the RSFSR was formed for a short time on the basis of a committee.

After the collapse of the USSR, the United Armed Forces of the CIS countries were formed, but this was a temporary measure: on May 7, 1992, the first Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree on the creation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Initially, the RF Armed Forces included all military units located on the territory of the country, as well as troops that were under Russian jurisdiction. Then their number was 2.88 million people. Almost immediately the question of reforming the armed forces arose.

The 90s were difficult period for the Russian army. Chronic underfunding led to the fact that the best personnel left it, the purchase of new types of weapons practically ceased, many military factories were closed, and promising projects were stopped. Almost immediately after the creation of the Russian armed forces, plans appeared to completely transfer them to a contract basis, but lack of funding for a long time did not allow us to move in this direction.

In 1995, the first Chechen campaign began, which demonstrated the catastrophic situation of the Russian army. The troops were understaffed, fighting showed serious shortcomings in their management.

In 2008, the Russian Armed Forces took part in the conflict in South Ossetia. He revealed a large number of shortcomings and problems of the modern Russian army. The most serious of them were low troop mobility and poor controllability. After the end of the conflict, the start of military reform was announced, which was supposed to significantly increase the mobility of the Armed Forces units and increase the coordination of their joint actions. The result of the reform was a reduction in the number of military districts (four instead of six), a simplification of the ground forces command and control system, and a significant increase in the army budget.

All this made it possible to speed up the entry of new military equipment into the troops, attract a larger number of contract professionals, and increase the intensity of combat training of units.

During the same period, regiments and divisions began to be reorganized into brigades. True, in 2013 the reverse process began: regiments and divisions began to form again.

In 2014, the Russian army played a key role in the return of Crimea. In September 2018, the operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria began, which continues to this day.

Structure of the Russian army

According to the Russian Constitution, the overall leadership of the Russian armed forces is exercised by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, who is the president of the country. He heads and forms the Security Council of the Russian Federation, whose tasks include developing military doctrine and appointing senior leadership of the armed forces. The president of the country signs decrees on urgent conscription and transfer of military personnel to the reserve, approves various international documents in the field of defense and military cooperation.

Direct control of the armed forces is exercised by the Ministry of Defense. Its main task is to carry out public policy in the field of defense, maintaining constant readiness of the armed forces, developing the military potential of the state, solving wide range social issues, holding events on interstate cooperation in the military sphere.

Currently (since 2012), the Russian Minister of Defense is Army General Sergei Shoigu.

The operational command of the RF Armed Forces is exercised by the country's General Staff. Its head at the moment is Army General Valery Gerasimov.

The General Staff is conducting strategic planning the use of armed forces, as well as other law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation. This body is also involved in operational and mobilization training of the Russian army. If necessary, it is under the leadership of the General Staff that the mobilization deployment of the RF Armed Forces takes place.

Currently, the Russian Armed Forces include three types of troops:

Also an integral part of the RF Armed Forces are the following types of troops:

• Special troops.

The most numerous are the Ground Forces, which include the following types of troops:

• Tank;
• Air Defense Forces;
• Special troops.

Ground forces are the backbone of the modern Russian army; they are the ones who conduct ground operations, seize territories and inflict the main damage to the enemy.

The Aerospace Forces are the youngest branch of the Russian army. The decree on their formation was issued on August 1, 2015. The VKS were created on the basis of the Russian Air Force.

The Aerospace Forces includes the Air Force, consisting of army, front-line, long-range and military transport aviation. In addition, anti-aircraft missile forces and radio engineering troops are an integral part of the Air Force.

Another branch of the military that is part of the Aerospace Forces is the air defense and missile defense troops. Their tasks include warning of a missile attack, managing the orbital constellation of satellites, missile defense of the Russian capital, launching spacecraft, and testing various types of missile and aircraft equipment. The structure of these particular troops includes two cosmodromes: Plesetsk and Baikonur.

Another component of the Air Force is the Space Force.

The Navy is a branch of the armed forces that can conduct operations in the sea and ocean theaters of war. It is capable of delivering nuclear and conventional strikes against enemy sea and land targets, landing troops on the coast, protecting the economic interests of the country, and conducting search and rescue operations.

The Russian Navy includes surface and submarine forces, naval aviation, coastal troops and special forces units. The submarine forces of the Russian Navy can carry out strategic missions; they are armed with submarine missile carriers with ballistic nuclear missiles.

The coastal forces include units of the marine corps and missile and artillery coastal troops.

The Russian Navy includes four fleets: the Pacific, Black Sea, Baltic and Northern, as well as the Caspian Flotilla.

A separate branch of the military is the Strategic Missile Forces - this is the main component of Russia's nuclear forces. The Strategic Missile Forces are an instrument of global deterrence; it is a guarantee of a retaliatory strike in the event of a nuclear attack on our country. The main armament of the Strategic Missile Forces are strategic intercontinental missiles with mobile and silo-based nuclear warheads.

The Strategic Missile Forces include three missile armies (with headquarters in Omsk, Vladimir and Orenburg), the Kapustin Yar test site, research and educational institutions.

The airborne troops also belong to a separate branch of the military and are the reserve of the Commander-in-Chief. The first airborne units were formed in the USSR back in the early 30s. This branch of the military has always been considered the elite of the army, and it remains so to this day.

The Airborne Forces include airborne and air assault units: divisions, brigades and individual units. The main purpose of paratroopers is to conduct combat operations behind enemy lines. Today, the Russian Airborne Forces include five divisions, five brigades and a separate communications regiment, as well as specialized educational institutions and training centers.

The RF Armed Forces also include special troops. This name refers to the set of units that ensure the normal functioning of the Ground Forces, Aerospace Forces and Navy. Special troops include railway troops, medical service, road and pipeline troops, and topographic service. This branch of troops also includes special units of the GRU.

Territorial division of the RF Armed Forces

Currently, the territory of Russia is divided into four military districts: Western (headquarters in St. Petersburg), Central (headquarters in Yekaterinburg), Southern (Rostov-on-Don) and Eastern with headquarters in Khabarovsk.

In 2014, it was announced the formation of a new military structure– Strategic Command “North”, whose task is to protect Russian state interests in the Arctic. In fact, this is another military district created on the basis of the Northern Fleet. It has land, air and naval components.

Armament of the Russian Army

Most types of weapons and military equipment that are currently used by the Russian army were developed and manufactured during the Soviet period. Tanks T-72, T-80, BTR-80, BMP-1, BMP-2 and BMP-3, BMD-1, BMD-2 and BMD-3 - all this was inherited by the Russian army from the USSR. The situation is similar with cannon and rocket artillery (MLRS Grad, Uragan, Smerch) and aviation (MiG-29, Su-27, Su-25 and Su-24). This is not to say that this technique is catastrophically outdated; it can be used in local conflicts against not very strong opponents. In addition, the USSR produced so many weapons and military equipment (63 thousand tanks, 86 thousand infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers) that they can be used for many years to come.

However, this technology is already significantly inferior to the latest analogues adopted by the armies of the United States, China and Western Europe.

Around the middle of the last decade, new types of military equipment began to enter service with the Russian army. Today, the process of rearmament is actively underway in the RF Armed Forces. Examples include the T-90 and T-14 Armata tanks, the Kurganets infantry fighting vehicle, the BMD-3 airborne combat vehicle, the BTR-82, the Tornado-G and Tornado-S MLRS, the tactical missile system " Iskander", the latest modifications of the Buk, Tor and Pantsir air defense systems. The aircraft fleet is being actively updated (Su-35, Su-30, Su-34). The Russian fifth-generation fighter PAK FA is being tested.

Currently, significant funds are being invested in the re-equipment of Russian strategic forces. Old missile systems, created back in the USSR, are gradually being taken off duty and replaced with new ones. New missiles are being developed (such as the Sarmat). The fourth generation missile-carrying submarines of the Borei project have been put into service. A new Bulava missile system was developed for them.

The Russian Navy is also being rearmed. According to state program weapons development (2011-2020), the Russian Navy should include ten new nuclear submarines (both missile and multi-purpose), twenty diesel submarines (Project Varshavyanka and Lada), fourteen frigates (Project 2230 and 13356) and more than fifty corvettes of various projects.

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