2nd Guards Combined Arms Army
Location Analysis
The 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army is headquartered in Samara, a strategically significant city in the Volga Federal District. Samara's location provides logistical advantages due to its proximity to major transportation networks, including railways and the Volga River, facilitating rapid deployment and resupply. The region's infrastructure supports the concentration and movement of large military formations, enhancing operational flexibility for both defensive and offensive operations in the western and central sectors of Russia.
Command Structure and Leadership
The 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army operates under the command of Major General Vyacheslav Gurov. The army's hierarchical structure encompasses multiple brigades and regiments, each specializing in distinct operational roles. The presence of dedicated command and control units, such as the 91st Command and Control Brigade (military unit 59292), ensures robust communications and coordination across subordinate formations, enhancing the army's responsiveness and operational coherence.
Mechanized and Armored Capabilities
The army fields several motor rifle brigades with significant mechanized and armored assets. The 15th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (military unit 90600) is equipped with T-72BM main battle tanks, BTR-82AM armored personnel carriers, 2B9 Vasilek automatic mortars, and 9K33 Osa short-range air defense systems, supporting both peacekeeping and conventional combat roles. The 21st Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade (military unit 12128) is classified as a heavy brigade, featuring T-72B3/BA tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, and advanced artillery systems such as the 2S19 Msta-S and 2S19M2 Msta-SM, as well as 9K331 Tor-M1 air defense systems. The 30th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (military unit 45863) further augments the army's mechanized strength with T-72B3 tanks, BTR-82A APCs, 2B14 Podnos mortars, and D-30 howitzers.
Missile and Rocket Artillery Assets
The 92nd Missile Brigade (military unit 30785) is equipped with the 9K720 Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile system, providing the army with a precision-strike capability against high-value targets at operational depths. The 385th Guards Artillery Brigade (military unit 32755) operates a diverse array of artillery, including 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled howitzers, BM-27 Uragan multiple rocket launchers, and 9P149 Shturm-S anti-tank missile carriers, as well as MT-12 Rapira anti-tank guns. The 950th Rocket Artillery Regiment (military unit 92190) further enhances fire support with additional BM-27 Uragan systems, enabling saturation bombardment and counter-battery operations.
Air Defense Capabilities
The 297th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade (military unit 02030) provides layered air defense coverage with the deployment of 9K317 Buk-M2 and 9K317M Buk-M3 medium-range surface-to-air missile systems. These platforms are capable of engaging a wide spectrum of aerial threats, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles, thus significantly enhancing the army's protection against air attacks and contributing to the overall integrated air defense network.
Engineering and Support Units
The 39th Engineer Regiment (military unit 53701) and the engineer-sapper battalion of the 21st Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade provide critical combat engineering support, including fortification construction, obstacle breaching, and mobility/counter-mobility operations. The 2nd NBC Protection Regiment (military unit 18664) is responsible for nuclear, biological, and chemical defense, ensuring force survivability in contaminated environments. These units collectively enhance the operational sustainability and adaptability of the army in diverse combat scenarios.
Specialized and Intelligence Units
The 234th Separate Special Purpose Radio-Battalion GRU (military unit 73759) conducts signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic warfare operations, supporting situational awareness and information dominance. The presence of such specialized units indicates a robust capability for electronic surveillance, interception, and disruption of adversary communications, which is integral to modern combined arms operations.
Command and Control Infrastructure
The 91st Command and Control Brigade (military unit 59292) underpins the army's command infrastructure, providing secure and resilient communications, data processing, and battlefield management systems. This capability ensures effective command and control across all echelons, facilitating real-time decision-making and synchronization of complex operations involving multiple combat and support elements.
Operational Readiness and Integration
The 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army demonstrates a high degree of operational integration, combining mechanized, artillery, missile, air defense, engineering, NBC protection, and intelligence assets within a cohesive organizational framework. The diversity and modernity of its equipment, coupled with specialized support units, enable the army to conduct a wide spectrum of operations, ranging from conventional high-intensity conflict to peacekeeping and stability missions.