1st Guards Mixed Aviation Division
Identification
The metadata is consistent with the aviation-division headquarters at Krymsk under Russia’s 4th Air and Air Defence Army. CNA’s order of battle places the 1st mixed/composite aviation division in Krymsk, and a 2018 Russian transport-regulator order lists a licensed fuel-handling site at “aerodrome v/ch 40491” in Krymsky Raion, matching the supplied unit number. ([cna.org](https://www.cna.org/reports/2021/08/Russian-Forces-in-the-Southern-Military-District.pdf))
Disposition
Open-source order-of-battle reporting ties the formation to four combat regiments whose basing matches the supplied placemarks: 3rd Composite Aviation Regiment at Krymsk, 31st Fighter Aviation Regiment at Millerovo, 368th Assault Aviation Regiment at Budyonnovsk, and 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment at Morozovsk. This indicates a distributed divisional footprint across Krasnodar Krai, Rostov Oblast, and Stavropol Krai rather than a single-airfield formation. ([cna.org](https://www.cna.org/reports/2021/08/Russian-Forces-in-the-Southern-Military-District.pdf))
Aircraft
In CNA’s 2021 assessment, the Krymsk regiment operated mainly Su-27 variants with several Su-30M2 trainers; the Millerovo regiment fielded two Su-30SM squadrons plus more than 20 MiG-29 airframes that CNA assessed might not all be operational; the Budyonnovsk regiment had two squadrons of Su-25SM/SM3 attack aircraft; and the Morozovsk regiment had three squadrons of Su-34 fighter-bombers, about 36 aircraft. These are dated public estimates, not confirmed March 2026 inventories. ([cna.org](https://www.cna.org/reports/2021/08/Russian-Forces-in-the-Southern-Military-District.pdf))
Logistics
The Krymsk HQ airfield has visible evidence of established sustainment infrastructure in public records: a Federal Service for Transport Supervision order reissued Gazpromneft-Aero’s license for hazardous-goods loading and unloading at the “aerodrome v/ch 40491” branch in Krymsky Raion. That supports assessment of an enduring fuel-and-rail logistics node at the divisional headquarters airfield, although comparable public documentation was not confirmed here for every subordinate base. ([gkrfkod.ru](https://gkrfkod.ru/zakonodatelstvo/prikaz-rostransnadzora-ot-06072018-n-vb-566fs/))
Role
CNA assessed the Krymsk-based division as the largest aviation formation under the 4th Air and Air Defence Army, responsible for countering threats across that army’s area of responsibility. Because of its proximity to Ukraine, CNA further assessed that it was likely maintained at relatively higher readiness and would be tasked for initial combat operations in a major contingency. ([cna.org](https://www.cna.org/reports/2021/08/Russian-Forces-in-the-Southern-Military-District.pdf))
Conflict exposure
At least one subordinate base has been repeatedly exposed to long-range strike activity: AP identified Morozovsk as the home of the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment and reported drone attacks there in December 2023 and again on April 5, 2024. AP noted that Ukrainian claims about aircraft destroyed or damaged in the April 2024 strike could not be independently verified, so reported loss figures should be treated as unconfirmed. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/2e64d1970d7318256f98e3e7880d2832?utm_source=openai))