29th Guards Missile Division
Division Overview
The 29th Guards Missile Division (military unit 59968) is a formation of the Russian Federation Strategic Rocket Forces (RVSN) based in Irkutsk Oblast, Siberian Federal District. Its mission is strategic nuclear deterrence using road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles. Open sources and official Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) communications commonly refer to it as the Irkutsk missile formation. The division fields RS-24 Yars (road-mobile) systems across its subordinate regiments.
Subordination and Command
The division is subordinated to the 33rd Guards Rocket Army of the RVSN. The RVSN is a separate branch of the Russian Armed Forces responsible for ground-based strategic nuclear forces. The 33rd Guards Rocket Army commands multiple Siberian-based ICBM formations, including both road-mobile and silo-based units.
Order of Battle and Unit Designations
The division’s publicly cited structure includes: • Division Headquarters — military unit 59968. • 92nd Missile Regiment — military unit 48409 — RS-24 Yars (road-mobile). • 344th Missile Regiment — military unit 44008 — RS-24 Yars (road-mobile). • 586th Guards Missile Regiment — military unit 52009 — RS-24 Yars (road-mobile). These military unit numbers (в/ч) are widely reported in open-source defense references and Russian publications.
Garrison and Deployment Areas (Irkutsk Oblast)
Public reporting places the division’s elements at multiple sites within Irkutsk Oblast, including the closed settlement Zvezdny (near Usolye-Sibirskoye), as well as the towns of Zima and Taishet. Open sources consistently associate the 92nd Missile Regiment (v/ch 48409) with Zvezdny, the 344th Missile Regiment (v/ch 44008) with Taishet, and the 586th Guards Missile Regiment (v/ch 52009) with Zima. Precise facility coordinates, internal layouts, and secure infrastructure details are not publicly released.
Missile System: RS-24 Yars (SS-27 Mod 2)
The RS-24 Yars is a three-stage, solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile deployed in both silo and road-mobile variants; the 29th Guards Missile Division operates the road-mobile configuration. Key publicly reported attributes include intercontinental range (commonly cited as over 10,000 km, approximately 11,000 km) and multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). The mobile launcher uses a heavy high-mobility 8-axle (16x16) transporter, widely identified as the MZKT-79221 chassis. Initial operational deployment of Yars in the RVSN occurred in 2010 (first regiment at Teykovo).
Infrastructure Capabilities
As with other RVSN mobile formations, the division’s permanent deployment sites typically include hardened vehicle storage for transport-erector-launchers (TELs), maintenance and technical support areas, command-and-control nodes, communications facilities, and training infrastructure (including simulators). Standard RVSN practice provides protected shelters for TELs, fueling and power support units, and specialized facilities for missile handling and storage at designated technical bases. Specific site engineering features for the listed regiments are not published in official open sources.
Operational Employment and Training
According to recurring MoD releases, the Irkutsk missile formation routinely conducts field dispersal, concealed movement along prepared patrol routes, counter-sabotage drills, camouflage and deception, engineering obstacle clearance, and communications/control exercises. Mobile regiments alternate between garrison duty at permanent deployment positions and field deployments on designated patrol areas in surrounding terrain. Live launch activities are announced by the MoD when conducted; otherwise, routine training includes alert procedures, TEL maneuvering, and survivability measures.
Logistics and Transportation Context
Irkutsk Oblast is traversed by the Trans-Siberian Railway and major federal roadways, facilitating heavy logistics. The regimental garrisons at Zima and Taishet lie on the Trans-Siberian corridor, and Zvezdny is in proximity to Usolye-Sibirskoye and Irkutsk transport hubs. These networks support delivery of large components, materiel, and personnel, as well as periodic rotation of equipment for overhaul at specialized facilities outside the region. Specific rail spurs, storage depots, and movement schedules are not disclosed publicly.
Modernization and Legacy Systems
Historically, the division deployed RS-12M Topol (SS-25) road-mobile ICBMs. Open sources report a phased rearmament to RS-24 Yars during the late 2010s and early 2020s, with successive regiments transitioning to the newer system. By the early 2020s, public reporting consistently identified the 92nd, 344th, and 586th Guards Missile Regiments as operating RS-24 Yars within the Irkutsk formation.
Arms Control and Treaty Context
The New START Treaty entered into force on 5 February 2011 and was extended to 4 February 2026. On 21 February 2023, the Russian Federation announced suspension of participation, and routine treaty-mandated inspections and data exchanges have not been conducted since. As a result, up-to-date public, verifiable counts of deployed launchers by specific regiments are not available from treaty notifications. Historically, RVSN mobile ICBM bases, including those in Irkutsk Oblast, were included in declared data and subject to verification measures when the treaty regime was fully implemented.
Typical Mobile Regiment Composition (General RVSN Template)
Open military sources describe a standard RVSN mobile missile regiment template as comprising three battalions with three TELs each (nine launchers total), plus command, communications, security, engineering, maintenance, and logistics subunits. Actual launcher counts and internal compositions for specific regiments are not officially disclosed and may vary based on operational and modernization factors.
Security and Force Protection
RVSN mobile units employ layered security, including dedicated security companies, counter-sabotage detachments, perimeter defenses at permanent deployment sites, and convoy security measures during field deployments. Training frequently emphasizes detection of reconnaissance assets, use of decoys and camouflage, and rapid dispersal to pre-planned field positions. Specific guard routines, sensor arrays, and response procedures remain undisclosed for operational security.
Information Limitations
Precise coordinates, facility blueprints, detailed inventories, alert postures, and nuclear warhead handling procedures for the 29th Guards Missile Division and its regiments are not publicly available and would be classified. The information herein is derived from open-source reporting and official MoD communications, which do not provide granular technical specifics for the cited sites.