29th Combined Arms Army
Formation Overview
The 29th Combined Arms Army (CAA) is a field army of the Russian Ground Forces subordinate to the Eastern Military District. Its headquarters is located at Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai (military unit 32853). Open reporting indicates the formation was re‑established in the mid‑2010s and provides operational command and control over multi‑branch ground formations deployed across the Transbaikal region.
Headquarters and Command
Headquarters: military unit 32853, Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai. Open-source reporting has named Major General Oleg Moiseev among commanders of the 29th CAA; command appointments may change and are not always publicly announced. The army headquarters coordinates planning, training, mobilization, and operational control, and is supported in communications and automation by the 101st Command and Control Brigade (military unit 38151).
Order of Battle (Subordinate Units Identified)
The following formations are publicly associated with the 29th CAA: 36th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade (military unit 06705; equipment set includes T‑72B tanks, 2S3 Akatsiya 152 mm self‑propelled howitzers, BMP‑2 infantry fighting vehicles, and BM‑21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems); 200th Artillery Brigade (military unit 48271; 2A65 Msta‑B 152 mm towed howitzers, BM‑27 Uragan 220 mm MLRS, MT‑12 Rapira 100 mm anti‑tank guns); 3rd Missile Brigade (military unit 92088; 9K720 Iskander‑M operational‑tactical missile system); 140th Anti‑Aircraft Missile Brigade (military unit 32390; 9K37 Buk‑M1 medium‑range SAM); 101st Command and Control Brigade (military unit 38151); 19th NBC Protection Regiment (military unit 56313).
Garrison and Basing Overview
Subordinate units are distributed across Zabaykalsky Krai with the army headquarters in Chita. The 36th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade is based in the Borzya area; the 200th Artillery Brigade and the 3rd Missile Brigade are based in the region that includes the Gorny area; the 140th Anti‑Aircraft Missile Brigade provides air defense coverage in the Chita/Domna sector; the 101st Command and Control Brigade and the 19th NBC Protection Regiment are stationed in the Chita area and nearby garrisons. These sites are connected to the Trans‑Siberian and Trans‑Manchurian rail corridors, enabling strategic mobility.
36th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade (military unit 06705)
Role: combined‑arms maneuver brigade. Reported commander: Lieutenant Colonel Andrey Voronkov (command tours are subject to change). Equipment set: T‑72B main battle tanks; BMP‑2 IFVs; 2S3 Akatsiya 152 mm SPH; BM‑21 Grad 122 mm MLRS; organic short‑range air defense, anti‑tank, engineer, and logistics elements per Russian motor rifle brigade tables. Typical capabilities: brigade‑level offensive/defensive operations with integrated fires and air defense; sustained operations in steppe and taiga terrain typical of Transbaikalia. The brigade trains on regional ranges (including the Borzya area and the Tsugol training ground).
200th Artillery Brigade (military unit 48271)
Role: army‑level general support fires. Known equipment: 2A65 Msta‑B 152 mm towed howitzers (max range approx. 24.7 km with standard projectiles; up to ~28–29 km with base‑bleed); BM‑27 Uragan 220 mm MLRS (typical range 35+ km depending on rocket type); MT‑12 Rapira 100 mm anti‑tank guns (direct fire up to several kilometers, with AP/HEAT/HE rounds). Typical structure includes howitzer battalions, an MLRS battalion, and an anti‑tank battalion, with meteorological, survey, UAV/target acquisition, and logistics support. The brigade provides deep and counter‑battery fires and can mass salvoes for area suppression.
3rd Missile Brigade (military unit 92088) — Iskander‑M
Role: operational‑tactical missile strikes. System: 9K720 Iskander‑M with 9P78‑1 transporter‑erector‑launchers. The 9M723 quasi‑ballistic missile has a nominal range up to 500 km and is guided by inertial/GLONASS with terminal guidance, designed for high accuracy (commonly cited circular error probable on the order of a few meters). A standard brigade formation fields multiple launch batteries with associated reload vehicles, command posts, maintenance, and security units. Mission sets include strikes against high‑value targets (C2 nodes, air defense, logistics) within theater depth.
140th Anti‑Aircraft Missile Brigade (military unit 32390) — Buk‑M1
Role: army‑level medium‑range air defense. System: 9K37 Buk‑M1 (NATO: SA‑11 Gadfly). Typical engagement envelope: up to ~35 km range and ~22 km altitude against aircraft and some missile threats, depending on missile variant and engagement conditions. A brigade generally comprises several SAM battalions with 9S18 Kupol (Tube Arm) target acquisition radar, 9A310 TELARs, 9A39 reload/launcher vehicles, and brigade‑level command and technical support. The brigade provides layered coverage for maneuver and fixed sites in the Chita/Domna sector.
101st Command and Control Brigade (military unit 38151)
Role: operational‑level communications, automated command and control, and deployable headquarters support. Capabilities include establishing multi‑band radio, radio‑relay, satellite, and data networks; deploying mobile command posts; and providing information assurance for the army headquarters and subordinated formations during garrison and field operations.
19th NBC Protection Regiment (military unit 56313)
Role: nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC/CBRN) defense. Tasks include CBRN reconnaissance and monitoring, decontamination of personnel, equipment, and terrain, aerosol camouflage/smoke support, and specialized engineering assistance. The regiment trains to support both garrison force protection and field operations, integrating with maneuver and artillery units during combined‑arms training.
Infrastructure and Construction Activity (Iskander site, August 2022)
Open imagery and reporting in August 2022 indicated construction activity associated with the 3rd Missile Brigade’s basing area in Zabaykalsky Krai, consistent with upgrades typical for Iskander‑M units (e.g., new heated vehicle storage, maintenance bays, administrative facilities, and improved security perimeters). Public sources have not provided authoritative, current completion status; detailed site schematics and protected‑storage information are not publicly released.
Training Areas and Exercises
The formation routinely utilizes regional training areas, including the Tsugol training ground in Zabaykalsky Krai, which has hosted large‑scale exercises (e.g., Vostok series). Additional maneuver and live‑fire ranges in the Borzya and Chita/Domna areas support combined‑arms, artillery, air defense, and CBRN training. These sites enable unit‑to‑brigade level tactical exercises and operational‑level command‑post drills.
Logistics and Lines of Communication
Garrisons are positioned along key rail corridors (Trans‑Siberian and Trans‑Manchurian lines) with road networks linking Chita, Borzya, and regional training areas. Railheads at Chita and Borzya facilitate strategic movement and resupply. The proximity to established depots and the Eastern Military District’s support infrastructure enables rotation of equipment for overhaul and seasonal sustainment in severe climate conditions.
Equipment Capability Summary
Maneuver: T‑72B MBTs and BMP‑2 IFVs enable combined‑arms operations with direct‑fire and mechanized infantry support. Fires: 2S3 SPH and 2A65 towed howitzers provide 152 mm indirect fire; BM‑21 and BM‑27 MLRS deliver area effects at short‑to‑medium ranges; MT‑12 guns add direct anti‑armor fires. Missiles: 9K720 Iskander‑M offers high‑precision operational‑tactical strike capability to a nominal 500 km. Air defense: Buk‑M1 provides medium‑range coverage against aircraft and some missile threats. C2 and NBC: the 101st C2 Brigade sustains communications and command automation; the 19th NBC Regiment provides CBRN protection and decontamination.
Information Availability and Caveats
Specifics such as current commander assignments, exact garrison street addresses, detailed site layouts, unit end‑strength, readiness levels, ammunition holdings, and any potential special warhead storage arrangements are not fully available in public sources; if such details are classified or sensitive, they are not disclosed. The unit designations, equipment types, and general basing locations listed here reflect publicly reported information associated with the 29th Combined Arms Army and its subordinate formations.