2nd Guards Army Corps
Formation Identity and Current Status
The formation widely referred to as the 2nd Army Corps originated from the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) People’s Militia and has been incorporated into the Russian Ground Forces. Open-source defense reporting since late 2022 indicates the corps is subordinated within the Russian Southern Military District, typically under the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army. The use of the honorific “Guards” for the corps itself is not confirmed in publicly available official Russian Ministry of Defense publications; references to a “2nd Guards Army Corps” therefore remain unverified. The corps primarily operates in and around Luhansk Oblast, which is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine.
Headquarters Location
The corps’ headquarters has been consistently reported as located in the city of Luhansk. During the conflict, command elements have operated from the Luhansk urban area, leveraging existing administrative and military infrastructure. Precise facility locations, internal layouts, and current dispersion of staff elements are not publicly disclosed.
Command and Control
The corps is assessed to fall under the command structure of the Russian Ground Forces via the Southern Military District, generally through the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army. There is no authoritative public confirmation identifying a current corps commander. The identification of a “Major General Ovcharov” as commander has appeared in some open-source reporting, but this has not been corroborated by official, citable Ministry of Defense releases as of 2025. Command appointments in the theater have been fluid; absent primary-source confirmation, the current commander’s identity remains unverified.
Subordinate Structure Overview
Historically, the 2nd Army Corps has comprised multiple separate motor rifle brigades and supporting units (artillery, air defense, reconnaissance, engineering, logistics, and electronic warfare). However, full and current order of battle details are not comprehensively published by official sources. Since integration into the Russian Ground Forces (2022–2023), elements have undergone standardization and reorganization, but the exact listing of present subordinate brigades and battalions remains incompletely documented in the public domain.
4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade: Identification
The 4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade has been repeatedly associated with the 2nd Army Corps in open-source accounts. The designator “military unit 74347” (в/ч 74347) has been attributed by multiple OSINT compilations to this brigade following its integration into the Russian force structure, but this unit number is not confirmed by official Russian Ministry of Defense publications. Prior to formal incorporation, the brigade was part of the LPR’s People’s Militia. The brigade’s precise manning, current structure, and permanent garrison details are not publicly disclosed.
4th Brigade Equipment Profile (Open-Source Attributions)
Open-source materials attribute the following legacy Soviet/Russian systems to the 4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade: T-72B series main battle tanks (125 mm 2A46 family gun; typical Kontakt-1 ERA on baseline B variants), BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles (73 mm 2A28 gun with 9M14 Malyutka ATGM capability on standard variants), 2S1 Gvozdika 122 mm self-propelled howitzers (approximate maximum range ~15.2 km with standard HE; up to ~21 km with rocket-assisted projectiles), and BM-21 Grad 122 mm multiple launch rocket systems (40-tube launcher; typical ranges ~20–40 km depending on rocket type). The presence and quantities of these systems within the brigade at any point in time are not officially published and can vary with operational losses, replacements, and resupply.
Integration into the Russian Armed Forces (2022–2023)
Following Russia’s announced annexation of occupied areas on 30 September 2022, Russia moved to incorporate the LPR/DPR corps-level formations into the Russian Ground Forces. Throughout late 2022 and into 2023, the 2nd Army Corps underwent formalization under Russian military administration, including the assignment of Russian-style military unit numbers to previously LPR-designated units and the adoption of Russian organizational, administrative, and logistical standards. Publicly available primary-source documents detailing every redesignation are limited; much of the known mapping relies on consistent OSINT reporting rather than official comprehensive rosters.
Operational Employment
Since 2022, the 2nd Army Corps has predominantly operated within Luhansk Oblast and adjacent sectors of the eastern front. Engagement areas have included urban and peri-urban zones previously held by Ukrainian forces (e.g., Severodonetsk–Lysychansk area) and the forested and rural corridors along the Svatove–Kreminna axis. The corps’ role has encompassed defensive holding, local offensive actions, and support to larger operational groupings under the Southern Military District. Real-time dispositions, current axes of advance, and detailed task organization are not publicly disclosed.
Logistics and Sustainment
As a corps-level formation, sustainment for the 2nd Army Corps integrates Russian Ground Forces logistics practices, including centralized ammunition supply for artillery and MLRS, armored vehicle repair and recovery, and medical evacuation chains. The equipment set associated with the 4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (e.g., T-72 series tanks, BMP-1 IFVs, 2S1 SPHs, and BM-21 MLRS) is compatible with legacy Soviet-caliber ammunition stocks, facilitating resupply from Russian depots. Specific depot locations, supply routes, and throughput rates are not publicly detailed.
Designations and Unit Numbers
Russian formations typically carry a military unit number (в/ч). The designation “в/ч 74347” has been publicly linked by OSINT to the 4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Army Corps following its integration into Russian structures. Official, comprehensive lists correlating all LPR-era units to new Russian military unit numbers have not been released. As a result, while the 74347 attribution is widely circulated, it should be treated as unconfirmed absent primary-source documentation.
Information Reliability and Gaps
Key details relevant to the queries remain partially or wholly unconfirmed in open official sources: (1) the application of the “Guards” honorific to the 2nd Army Corps; (2) the identity of the current corps commander—references to a Major General with the surname Ovcharov have not been substantiated by official releases; (3) the definitive military unit number of the 4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade and exact current equipment holdings. Where precise figures or identities are not publicly available, this report refrains from asserting them as fact.