28th Guards Missile Division
Location Analysis
The 28th Guards Missile Division is headquartered in Kozelsk, Kaluga Oblast, Russia. This strategic location is approximately 250 kilometers southwest of Moscow, providing both proximity to the capital and depth from potential western threats. The division's missile regiments and support units are dispersed across fortified sites in the region, maximizing survivability and operational security. The surrounding terrain is predominantly forested and rural, offering natural concealment and complicating adversarial reconnaissance and targeting efforts.
Organizational Structure
The division comprises several missile regiments, communications, technical, and support units. The 74th, 168th, and 214th Missile Regiments are the primary combat elements, each equipped with silo-based RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The 292nd Communications Unit and the 3854th Combat and Communications Regulation Base provide critical command, control, and communications (C3) infrastructure, while the 2506th Technical Missile Base is responsible for missile maintenance, storage, and technical support.
Missile Capabilities
The division's combat regiments are equipped with RS-24 Yars (NATO reporting name: SS-27 Mod 2) silo-based ICBMs. The RS-24 Yars is a solid-fueled, MIRV-capable missile with an estimated range of 11,000 kilometers. Each missile can carry up to four independently targetable nuclear warheads, enhancing the division's deterrence and second-strike capabilities. The silo-based deployment increases survivability against preemptive strikes, and the missile's modern guidance systems provide high accuracy.
Infrastructure Capabilities
The division's infrastructure includes hardened missile silos, underground command posts, secure communications nodes, and technical support facilities. The missile silos are constructed to withstand significant overpressure from conventional and nuclear attacks. The command infrastructure is designed for redundancy, with multiple layers of physical and electronic security. Technical bases such as the 2506th provide secure storage, routine maintenance, and warhead handling, ensuring high readiness levels.
Communications and Command
The 292nd Communications Unit and the 3854th Combat and Communications Regulation Base are responsible for maintaining robust, secure, and redundant communications links within the division and with higher command echelons. These units operate a combination of fixed and mobile communications assets, including hardened cable networks, satellite uplinks, and radio relay systems. This ensures reliable command and control, even under conditions of electronic warfare or physical attack.
Technical Support and Maintenance
The 2506th Technical Missile Base is tasked with the storage, routine maintenance, and technical servicing of the division's missile arsenal. This includes warhead handling, missile fueling (where applicable), and periodic system diagnostics. The base is equipped with specialized facilities for the safe handling of nuclear materials and is staffed by personnel trained in both technical and safety protocols. This unit is critical for sustaining the operational readiness of the division's missile regiments.
Operational Readiness and Security
The division maintains a high state of operational readiness, with regular training exercises, security drills, and system checks. Physical security is enforced through layered perimeters, electronic surveillance, and rapid reaction forces. Cybersecurity measures are in place to protect command and control systems from intrusion or disruption. The division's posture is consistent with Russian strategic doctrine, emphasizing survivability, rapid response, and credible deterrence.