22nd Army Corps
Formation and Role
The 22nd Army Corps is a formation of the Coastal Troops of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet, established in 2017 in Crimea to consolidate and command ground forces supporting coastal defense and land operations on the peninsula. It is subordinate to the Black Sea Fleet, which is part of Russia’s Southern Military District. The corps’ mission set includes coastal area defense, protection of naval bases and critical infrastructure, and provision of ground combat power for operations in and around Crimea.
Headquarters and Command
Headquarters: Simferopol, Crimea. The provided information names Lieutenant General Arkadiy Marzoyev as commander. Open sources have reported several commander changes since the corps’ establishment; the current commander’s identity cannot be independently verified here. The HQ location in Simferopol is consistently reported in public sources. Detailed command biographies or current staff rosters are not publicly available or are classified.
Legal and Geopolitical Context
Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014. Ukraine and the majority of UN member states do not recognize the annexation; under international law Crimea is considered Ukrainian territory. Russian military basing, infrastructure expansion, and unit deployments in Crimea since 2014 are conducted under Russian control but remain internationally disputed.
Order of Battle Summary (as reported)
The following units are widely reported as components of the 22nd Army Corps: 126th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade (military unit 12676) with reported equipment including T-72B3 tanks, BTR-80 armored personnel carriers, D-30 122 mm howitzers, and BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers; 8th Separate Artillery Regiment (military unit 87714) with BM-21 Grad, 2B26 Grad-K, 9P140 Uragan, and 2S19 Msta-S systems; 127th Separate Reconnaissance Brigade (military unit 67606); 133rd Separate Logistics Brigade (military unit 73998); 4th Separate NBC (RCB) Protection Regiment (military unit 86862); and the 1096th Separate Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (military unit 83576) with 9K317 Buk-M2 and 9K33 Osa systems.
Data Hygiene: Duplicates and Ambiguities
The provided list contains duplicates of the 126th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade, the 8th Separate Artillery Regiment, and the 133rd Separate Logistics Brigade, and marks the 127th Separate Reconnaissance Brigade with a question mark. Military unit numbers (e.g., 12676, 87714, 73998, 67606) are unique identifiers; duplicates with the same unit number refer to the same formation rather than distinct units. The “(?)” next to the 127th Reconnaissance Brigade indicates uncertainty in the source; however, open-source reporting has repeatedly associated that brigade and its unit number (67606) with the corps in Crimea.
126th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade (mu 12676)
Role: primary ground maneuver formation for coastal defense and land operations in Crimea. Reported equipment: T-72B3 tanks, BTR-80 APCs, D-30 122 mm towed howitzers, and BM-21 Grad 122 mm multiple rocket launchers. Commonly reported garrison: Perevalne (Simferopol District), where the brigade has been based since post-2014 reorganization. Tasks include defense of approaches to key Black Sea Fleet facilities and provision of combined-arms capability on the peninsula.
8th Separate Artillery Regiment (mu 87714)
Role: corps-level fire support. Reported equipment: BM-21 Grad and 2B26 Grad-K (122 mm MLRS), 9P140 Uragan (220 mm MLRS), and 2S19 Msta-S (152 mm self-propelled howitzer). Location reporting places the regiment in the Simferopol area (often associated with Perevalne). The unit provides area-saturation fires, counterbattery capability, and general support/ reinforcing fires for the corps’ maneuver elements.
127th Separate Reconnaissance Brigade (mu 67606)
Role: tactical and operational reconnaissance in support of the corps. Open sources associate the brigade with the Sevastopol area. Typical activities include ground reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition. Russian reconnaissance brigades commonly field small UAV detachments; open-source reporting has documented the use of UAVs such as Orlan-10 by Russian reconnaissance units in Crimea. Specific subunit structure and equipment densities are not publicly released.
133rd Separate Logistics Brigade (mu 73998)
Role: material-technical support (MTO) to the corps. Functions include supply (fuel, ammunition, rations), transport, maintenance and repair, and medical evacuation support. Basing is publicly associated with the Simferopol area to leverage road and rail connectivity. The brigade supports reception, staging, and onward movement via Crimea’s rail hubs and road network.
4th Separate NBC Protection Regiment (mu 86862)
Role: radiation, chemical, and biological (RCB) defense for the corps and key Black Sea Fleet facilities. Tasks include detection and monitoring of hazardous agents, decontamination of personnel and equipment, smoke/obscuration, and specialized engineering support during incidents involving hazardous materials. The regiment is publicly linked to Sevastopol-area basing. Detailed equipment holdings (e.g., specific decontamination systems) are not comprehensively disclosed in open sources.
1096th Separate Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (mu 83576)
Role: ground-based air defense for corps assets and critical infrastructure. Reported systems: 9K317 Buk-M2 (medium-range SAM) and 9K33 Osa (short-range SAM). The regiment is associated with Sevastopol-area deployments in public reporting. It provides point and area air defense coverage and integrates with Black Sea Fleet and Aerospace Forces’ wider air-defense network in Crimea.
Basing and Infrastructure Overview
Core locations associated with 22nd Army Corps units include Simferopol (headquarters, logistics), Perevalne (major ground garrison hosting the 126th Brigade and other elements), and Sevastopol (air defense, reconnaissance, NBC protection, and Black Sea Fleet support infrastructure). Crimea’s rail hubs (notably Dzhankoi and Simferopol) and the regional highway network provide internal lines of communication. The Kerch Strait Bridge links Crimea to Russia and is a principal logistics corridor. Ports and naval bases in Sevastopol support the Black Sea Fleet and associated coastal troops.
Artillery and Fire Support Capabilities
Reported systems and typical performance: D-30 122 mm towed howitzer with a maximum range of approximately 15.4 km; BM-21 Grad and 2B26 Grad-K (122 mm MLRS) with ranges typically 20–40 km depending on rocket type; 9P140 Uragan (220 mm MLRS) with a range up to approximately 35 km; 2S19 Msta-S (152 mm self-propelled howitzer) with ranges around 24–29 km depending on ammunition. These assets provide area fires, counterbattery missions, and deep interdiction within their range envelopes.
Air-Defense Capabilities
1096th SAM Regiment’s reported systems provide layered coverage: 9K317 Buk-M2 (medium range) with engagement ranges commonly cited up to approximately 45–50 km and engagement altitudes up to around 25 km; 9K33 Osa (short range) with engagement ranges typically up to 10–12 km and altitudes up to roughly 5 km. These systems protect maneuver units and fixed sites and operate within an integrated air-defense environment alongside other Crimean air-defense assets (e.g., Navy and Aerospace Forces units).
Training Areas and Exercises
Crimea hosts multiple training areas used by Black Sea Fleet coastal troops and associated ground units. Open sources regularly reference the Opuk training range (near Feodosiya) for large-scale amphibious and combined-arms drills and mountainous training areas near the Crimean interior (e.g., locales in the Simferopol district) for ground-force maneuvers. Units of the 22nd Army Corps routinely participate in scheduled exercises and readiness checks conducted by the Black Sea Fleet and the Southern Military District.
Operational Employment Since 2022 (Open-Source Reporting)
Since February 2022, open-source reporting has described elements of the 22nd Army Corps operating in southern Ukraine and providing defense and support functions across Crimea. The 126th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade has been repeatedly mentioned in reporting on ground combat operations, while artillery and air-defense units have been cited for providing fires and air-defense coverage in the southern theater. Specific operational details, current dispositions, and casualty figures are not comprehensively disclosed in public sources.
Security and Classification Considerations
Exact unit strengths, detailed tables of organization and equipment by subunit, precise deployment locations, readiness levels, and current operational tasking are not publicly available or are classified. Where unit locations are described, they refer to widely reported garrison areas rather than precise coordinates. This analysis relies on publicly reported, non-classified information and the unit listings provided.
Summary Assessment
The 22nd Army Corps in Crimea provides the Black Sea Fleet with a self-contained ground-force package that includes maneuver (126th Brigade), fires (8th Artillery Regiment), reconnaissance (127th Brigade), logistics (133rd Brigade), NBC defense (4th Regiment), and organic air defense (1096th Regiment). Headquarters functions are centered in Simferopol, with principal garrisons reported in Perevalne and Sevastopol. The corps fields a mix of legacy and modernized equipment, including T-72B3 tanks, 122/152 mm artillery, 122/220 mm MLRS, and Buk-M2/Osa air-defense systems. Its basing and infrastructure leverage Crimea’s road and rail network and proximity to Black Sea Fleet installations.