13th Missile Division
Overview and Command Structure
The 13th Missile Division (military unit 68545) is a formation of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) subordinate to the 31st Missile Army, whose headquarters is in Orenburg. The division is garrisoned at Yasny (also known by the nearby Dombarovsky missile base) in Orenburg Oblast and operates silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). It comprises multiple missile regiments and supporting units, maintaining continuous nuclear deterrent readiness within the RVSN force structure.
Location and Garrison Footprint
The division’s headquarters and primary garrison are located at Yasny, Orenburg Oblast, Russian Federation (approximate area around 51.0°N, 59.9°E). Operational infrastructure includes a hardened divisional command post, a missile technical support area, residential and administrative compounds, communications facilities, and dispersed, secured silo fields across the broader Dombarovsky area. The location has rail and road access suitable for heavy logistics and has historically supported both operational RVSN activities and silo-based space launch conversions.
Order of Battle and Unit Identifiers
Open sources consistently attribute the following units to the division: 13th Missile Division HQ (military unit 68545); 175th Missile Regiment (military unit 26164); 368th Missile Regiment (military unit 07393); 494th Missile Regiment (military unit 39986); 621st Missile Regiment (military unit 34074); 767th Missile Regiment (military unit 21424); and the 618th Communications Node (military unit 08301). Official Russian Ministry of Defense publications rarely list military unit (v/ch) numbers, but these identifiers are widely referenced in regional and veterans’ documentation.
R-36M2 'Voevoda' Complex and Associated Regiments
The R-36M2 'Voevoda' (GRAU index 15A18M; NATO reporting name SS-18 Mod 5/6; complex 15P018M) is a silo-based heavy ICBM associated in this division with the 175th (v/ch 26164), 368th (v/ch 07393), 494th (v/ch 39986), and 767th (v/ch 21424) Missile Regiments. Key publicly known characteristics include cold launch from hardened silos; intercontinental range (on the order of 11,000 km); very high throw-weight (commonly cited near 8.8 metric tons); and load-outs up to 10 MIRVs (warhead configurations and numbers on deployed missiles are not publicly disclosed). The R-36M2 remains in limited service in Russia and is among the heaviest ICBMs ever fielded.
UR-100N UTTKh and Avangard Deployment
The division also hosts UR-100N UTTKh (GRAU 15A35; NATO SS-19 'Stiletto') missiles configured to carry the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). The first Avangard-equipped missile was officially reported on combat duty on 27 December 2019 at this division’s base area. Subsequent official announcements in 2022–2023 reported additional Avangard-equipped missiles entering duty at Yasny/Dombarovsky. Open sources attribute the Avangard deployment within the division to the 621st Missile Regiment (v/ch 34074). The Avangard HGV is designated 15Yu71; detailed performance parameters and exact on-duty launcher counts have not been publicly disclosed.
Silo Fields, Technical Sites, and Support Infrastructure
The division’s missile regiments control dispersed groups of hardened silos with layered physical security (perimeter fencing, access control points, guard posts) and protected underground launch facilities. Silos are connected by service roads and supported by maintenance and power infrastructure. A missile-technical base supports missile handling and checkout procedures; nuclear warhead custody and handling are controlled by the 12th Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense (12th GUMO). Specific silo locations, numbers per regiment, and detailed hardening features are not publicly released.
Command, Control, and Communications
The 618th Communications Node (military unit 08301) provides the division’s fixed communications backbone for command and control, linking regimental command posts, the divisional command post, and higher headquarters (31st Missile Army/RVSN). The node supports secure voice and data channels over redundant paths (including terrestrial lines and radio), ensuring message delivery for alerting, status reporting, and launch authorization procedures. Architecture details, frequencies, encryption, and network topology are not publicly available.
Arms-Control Status and Transparency
The division’s silo-based ICBMs have been accountable under strategic arms treaties (START I and New START). Under New START, deployed heavy ICBMs and their silos were subject to data exchanges and inspections; however, the Russian Federation announced the suspension of its participation in New START in February 2023, which halted on-site inspections and notifications. As a result, post-2023 transparency on deployed launcher counts and warhead loadings at the divisional level is limited to official statements and open-source assessments.
Recent Public Reporting and Modernization Notes (2019–2024)
Publicly reported developments for this division include the initial operational deployment of the Avangard HGV on UR-100N UTTKh boosters starting in December 2019, with additional Avangard missiles reportedly placed on duty in 2022–2023. Russia has also announced the introduction of the RS-28 'Sarmat' heavy ICBM into service beginning in 2023, with initial deployments publicly associated with the 62nd Missile Division (Uzhur). While Russian officials have linked future Sarmat rearmament plans to sites that currently operate heavy ICBMs, there has been no official public confirmation of Sarmat on duty at Yasny/Dombarovsky as of late 2024.
Information Gaps and Classification Caveats
Specifics such as the exact number of deployed silos per regiment, precise silo coordinates, detailed readiness states, warhead loading per launcher, internal command-post configurations, and communications system parameters are not publicly available or are classified. Military unit numbers listed here align with widely cited open sources; official confirmation of internal manning, equipment distribution by regiment, and current inventory figures has not been released. Where figures or configurations are not publicly confirmed, they are omitted.