106th Guards Airborne Division
Division Overview
The 106th Guards Airborne Division is a formation of Russia’s Airborne Troops (VDV) configured for rapid-reaction and airborne assault operations. Its headquarters is identified as military unit 55599 in Tula. The division’s core maneuver elements are the 51st Guards Airborne Regiment and the 137th Guards Airborne Regiment, supported by organic artillery, air defense, reconnaissance, engineer, communications, and logistics units. The division operates air-droppable and air-transportable equipment, enabling deployment by parachute insertion or air-landing in coordination with Military Transport Aviation.
Headquarters and Garrison Footprint
Headquarters: Tula (military unit 55599). Principal garrisons associated with the division are in Tula (notably the 51st Guards Airborne Regiment) and Ryazan (the 137th Guards Airborne Regiment). Tula lies approximately 180 km south of Moscow along the M2 highway corridor; Ryazan lies roughly 190 km southeast of Moscow along the M5 corridor. These locations provide access to major road and rail networks supporting mobilization and sustainment. Specific base perimeters, facilities layouts, and secure area details are not publicly available.
Order of Battle and Unit Designations (as reported)
- Division HQ: 106th Guards Airborne Division HQ, military unit 55599 (Tula) - 51st Guards Airborne Regiment, military unit 33842; reported commander: Lieutenant Colonel Vyacheslav Alexandrov; reported equipment: BMD-1, BMD-2, BTR-ZD Skrezhet, 2S9 Nona-S - 137th Guards Airborne Regiment, military unit 41450; reported commander: Colonel Roman Borsuk; reported equipment: BMD-2, BMD-4M, BTR-ZD Skrezhet, 2S9 Nona-S - 1182th Guards Artillery Regiment, military unit 93723; reported equipment: D-30 122 mm towed howitzer, 2S9 Nona-S 120 mm SP mortar/howitzer - 1st Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, military unit 71298; reported equipment: 9K35 Strela-10, BTR-ZD Skrezhet, BTR-D - 173rd Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion, military unit 54392 - 388th Separate Guards Engineer Battalion, military unit 12159 - 731st Separate Guards Communications Battalion, military unit 93687 - 1060th Separate Material Support Battalion, military unit 14403 Command assignments and v/ch designations are reported; they are subject to change and may vary across sources.
Command and Leadership Status (open-source reporting)
The division is reported as commanded by Colonel Vladimir Seliverstov. The 51st Guards Airborne Regiment is reported under Lieutenant Colonel Vyacheslav Alexandrov, and the 137th Guards Airborne Regiment under Colonel Roman Borsuk. Leadership postings in Russian formations are dynamic; open-source reporting since 2023 has reflected changes and inconsistencies. Definitive, current appointment orders and dates are not publicly released in full, and classified personnel records are not available.
Equipment Inventory Overview (reported)
The division fields airborne combat vehicles and support systems designed for airdrop and air-landing: BMD-1 and BMD-2 infantry fighting vehicles, the more modern BMD-4M, BTR-D airborne APC-based platforms including the BTR-ZD Skrezhet self-propelled anti-aircraft variant, 2S9 Nona-S 120 mm self-propelled mortar/howitzers, D-30 122 mm towed howitzers, and 9K35 Strela-10 short-range surface-to-air missile systems. Exact quantities per unit are not publicly disclosed.
Airborne Combat Vehicles (BMD family) Capabilities
BMD-1: approximately 7.5–7.6 t, armed with a 73 mm 2A28 Grom gun and ATGM capability (9M14 Malyutka), crew 3 plus dismounts; amphibious and airdroppable. BMD-2: approximately 8.2 t, armed with a 30 mm 2A42 cannon and ATGM capability (e.g., 9M113 Konkurs), crew 3 plus dismounts; amphibious and airdroppable. BMD-4M: approximately 13.5–14 t, armed with a 100 mm 2A70 gun (capable of firing gun-launched ATGMs such as the 9M117 series) coaxial with a 30 mm 2A72 cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun; modernized fire-control, amphibious, and airdroppable. These vehicles provide the division with mobile, air-transportable armor and direct-fire support.
Indirect Fire Support (2S9 Nona-S and D-30)
2S9 Nona-S: 120 mm rifled mortar/howitzer on an airborne chassis; typical range approximately 8.8 km with standard HE ammunition and up to around 12.8 km with rocket-assisted projectiles; amphibious and airdroppable. D-30 122 mm towed howitzer: maximum range roughly 15.4 km with standard HE; rate of fire up to 7–8 rounds per minute in short bursts. The combination provides both light tracked self-propelled indirect fire for mobile operations and towed artillery for sustained fire support.
Short-Range Air Defense
9K35 Strela-10 (SA-13): tracked SHORAD system using IR-homing missiles (e.g., 9M37/9M333) with an engagement range of up to approximately 5 km and engagement altitude up to roughly 3.5 km under favorable conditions. BTR-ZD Skrezhet: anti-aircraft adaptation of the BTR-D airborne APC typically mounting a twin 23 mm ZU-23-2 cannon; effective slant range against low-flying targets is on the order of 2–2.5 km. These systems provide low-altitude, short-range coverage tailored to mobile airborne formations. The presence of additional MANPADS or radar systems is not specified in the provided data.
Reconnaissance and Engineer Capabilities
The 173rd Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (military unit 54392) provides ground reconnaissance, target acquisition, and route surveillance in support of airborne operations. Unmanned aerial systems are widely used in the VDV, but specific models and quantities in this battalion are not identified in the provided material. The 388th Separate Guards Engineer Battalion (military unit 12159) supports obstacle breaching, field fortification, mobility/counter-mobility tasks, route clearance, and survivability. Detailed equipment holdings (e.g., mine plows, bridging assets, EOD systems) for these battalions are not publicly disclosed.
Communications and Command-and-Control
The 731st Separate Guards Communications Battalion (military unit 93687) provides division-level signal support, establishing and maintaining secure voice and data links between the headquarters and subordinate units. This includes mobile command post support, radio relay, and network services. Specific system types and frequencies are not publicly released; classified signal plans, crypto, and detailed communications architectures are not available.
Logistics and Sustainment
The 1060th Separate Material Support Battalion (military unit 14403) provides transportation, supply, maintenance, and field services at division level. Functions include ammunition and fuel distribution, vehicle recovery and repair, rations and water supply, and medical evacuation support. Typical military logistics vehicles in Russian service include Ural and KamAZ-series trucks; exact motor pool composition, stockage levels, and throughput rates for this battalion are not publicly available.
Mobility and Airlift Integration
The division is organized for deployment by air using Military Transport Aviation assets (e.g., Il-76 series for personnel and heavy equipment, smaller transports for light loads). Core armored platforms (BMD family and BTR-D derivatives) and artillery (2S9 Nona-S) are designed for parachute airdrop or air-landing. Specific airfields used for staging and airdrop operations are not identified here; detailed air movement tables, load plans, and drop zone coordinates are not publicly available.
Infrastructure and Facilities
Garrisons in Tula and Ryazan host barracks, motor pools, maintenance workshops, training areas, and storage depots supporting the division’s operations and equipment. Standard facilities for airborne units include parachute packing and maintenance areas, armories, ammunition depots, and vehicle parks sized for light armored fleets. Detailed site diagrams, ammunition storage locations, security postures, and access control measures are restricted information and are not publicly disclosed.
Transportation Network Access
Tula and Ryazan are connected to Moscow and other regions by major federal highways (notably M2 and M5) and rail lines, facilitating movement of personnel and materiel during mobilization or rotation. Railheads in both regions support heavy equipment transport by flatcar when required. Specific rail spur access, convoy routes, time–distance factors, and movement schedules for the division are not publicly released.
Modernization Status Indicators
The reported presence of BMD-4M in the 137th Guards Airborne Regiment indicates ongoing VDV modernization that has proceeded since the mid-2010s, while continued operation of legacy BMD-1/BMD-2 in the 51st regiment suggests a mixed-fleet transition. The BTR-ZD Skrezhet and 2S9 Nona-S remain characteristic legacy systems within airborne formations. The inventory reported here does not list the BTR-MDM Rakushka personnel carrier or newer SHORAD systems; their presence or absence in this division cannot be confirmed from the provided data.
Operational Role and Employment
As an airborne division, the formation’s doctrinal employment emphasizes rapid insertion, seizure of key terrain, disruption of adversary rear areas, and enabling follow-on forces. The combination of air-droppable light armor, organic indirect fire, and short-range air defense provides mobility and tactical flexibility at the cost of heavy armor protection. Specific operations, deployments, and current readiness levels are not covered by the provided information and are not fully available in open sources.
Data Confidence and Gaps
The unit designations, military unit numbers, commanders, and equipment types in this report reflect the provided inputs and commonly cited open-source data on the 106th Guards Airborne Division. Leadership assignments, equipment distributions, manning levels, and detailed facility information are subject to change and are only partially documented publicly. Exact equipment quantities, base layouts, security procedures, communications parameters, and classified operational details are not publicly available or are restricted; they are therefore not included.