35th Separate Internal Troops Brigade
Formation Overview and Legal Status
The units enumerated are formations of Russia’s former Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (VV MVD), including a named brigade and multiple regiments, battalions, special‑purpose detachments, and aviation units. The 35th Separate Internal Troops Brigade (military unit 7452) is identified with its headquarters in Samara. On 5 April 2016 the Internal Troops were reorganized into the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation (Rosgvardiya) by Presidential Decree No. 157, and their status and authorities were codified by Federal Law No. 226‑FZ of 3 July 2016. Since that transition, legacy VV formations were transferred into Rosgvardiya, often retaining their military unit numbers in official usage; many units also underwent redesignation. Where present‑day designations or detailed orders of battle are not officially published, they cannot be confirmed via open sources.
Headquarters and Geographic Context: Samara
Samara is a major industrial and transportation hub in the Volga Federal District, situated on the Volga River with extensive road and rail connectivity (including the Kuibyshev Railway) and access to Kurumoch International Airport (IATA: KUF; ICAO: UWWW). This location provides multi‑modal lines of communication relevant to staging, sustainment, and rotation of internal security forces. The city’s logistics infrastructure and proximity to central Russian regions historically facilitated support to federal internal security deployments without requiring lengthy strategic movement. No specific installation addresses or facility layouts for the listed units are publicly released in authoritative sources.
Identified Units and Designators (as provided)
The following formations are identified by name and military unit (m/u) number: 35th Separate Internal Troops Brigade — m/u 7452 (HQ: Samara); 113th Special Mechanized Regiment — m/u 5599; 524th Training‑Reserve Regiment — m/u 6622; Special Commandant’s Office — m/u 3509; 589th Internal Troops Regiment — m/u 3473; 738th Separate Special Motorized Internal Troops Battalion — m/u 3997; 34th Separate Operational Brigade — m/u 3671; 86th Special Motorized Internal Troops Regiment — m/u 5561; 26th Special Purpose Detachment "Bars" — m/u 5598; 29th Special Purpose Detachment "Bulat" — m/u 6795; 20th Special Purpose Detachment "Vega" — m/u 7463; 675th Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment — m/u 3797 (Mi‑8MTV‑2, Il‑76); 8th Separate Internal Troops Aviation Squadron — m/u 3731 (Mi‑8MTV‑2). In Russian practice, a military unit number is an official designator used for administrative and postal purposes.
Organizational Characteristics and Relationships
Within the VV MVD, a “separate” brigade or regiment was typically subordinated to a regional (district) command rather than to local civilian authorities, and it controlled organic battalions and support elements. Special motorized regiments and battalions provided mobile internal security capabilities, while operational brigades constituted larger formations with combined arms support tailored for internal security tasks. Special purpose detachments (spetsnaz VV) were independent tactical units used for high‑risk law‑enforcement support and counterterrorism missions under federal authority. The listing provided includes several independent formations; the presence of units alongside the 35th Separate Brigade does not, by itself, establish direct subordination among them. Where specific command relationships are not published by official sources, they cannot be asserted.
Mission Set and Legal Authorities
Under federal statutes, Internal Troops (and, since 2016, the National Guard Troops) are tasked to: assist internal affairs bodies in protection of public order and public safety; participate in combating terrorism and extremism in coordination with the Federal Security Service; protect important state facilities and special cargo as directed by the Government of the Russian Federation; participate in territorial defense; support the implementation of states of emergency or martial law; and assist with border protection in coordination with competent agencies. These authorities are now defined for Rosgvardiya in Federal Law No. 226‑FZ of 3 July 2016 following the transfer of the Internal Troops into the National Guard structure.
Capabilities by Unit Type
Special motorized regiments and battalions provide mobile crowd‑control, convoy and facility security, route security, and rapid reinforcement of police operations, with organic logistics and communications support. Operational brigades aggregate multiple maneuver battalions with staff, logistics, signals, engineering, and medical elements, enabling sustained internal security operations and staged deployments. Special purpose detachments (spetsnaz VV) conduct high‑risk arrests, direct‑action support to counterterrorism operations, reconnaissance, and precision tasks under strict federal tasking. Training‑reserve regiments conduct initial and refresher training, maintain mobilization resources, and manage replacement flows. Special commandant’s offices handle garrison security, discipline and military police functions, movement control, and site access in their areas of responsibility.
Aviation Platforms and Transport Capacity
The aviation units listed include Mi‑8MTV‑2 helicopters and Il‑76 transport aircraft. The Mi‑8MTV‑2 is a twin‑turbine, medium‑lift helicopter variant used for troop transport, supply, medevac, and command‑and‑control; typical capacities include up to approximately 24 troops or equivalent cargo, with an external sling load of up to about 4,000 kg, cruise speed near 230 km/h, and a standard range on the order of 500 km (extendable with auxiliary fuel). The Il‑76 family is a four‑engine, strategic/operational airlifter widely used in Russia; typical figures for common variants include payloads in the 40–50‑ton class, cruise speeds around 750–800 km/h, and ranges on the order of 4,000 km at substantial payload, as well as configured troop or paratroop carriage. The presence of these platforms in Internal Troops/ Rosgvardiya aviation enables rapid movement of personnel and materiel in support of internal security operations.
Logistics and Mobility Considerations
Garrisons in and around Samara benefit from redundant ground lines of communication (federal highways and the Kuibyshev Railway), riverine access via the Volga, and proximity to Kurumoch International Airport, facilitating strategic and operational movement. Internal Troops formations historically relied on organic truck fleets for ground mobility, with staging enabled by rail or air transport for longer distances. Aviation elements using Mi‑8 helicopters provide tactical lift, route reconnaissance, and casualty evacuation, while fixed‑wing assets (where assigned) enable interregional deployments with minimal lead time. These infrastructure features reduce reliance on long overland marches for force repositioning.
Infrastructure and Support Features of Sites
Brigade‑ and regiment‑level internal security installations typically include command and staff facilities, barracks, motor pools and maintenance workshops, ammunition and specialized equipment storage, small‑arms ranges, training areas (including urban training sites), communications and dispatch centers, and medical support posts. Aviation elements operate from airfields or heliports with hangars, fuel storage, and ground support equipment. Specific site plans, secure storage locations, and detailed facility layouts for the listed military units are not publicly released; where such information is restricted or classified, it cannot be provided.
Interagency Coordination and Operational Employment Patterns
Internal Troops units routinely coordinated with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (police), the Federal Security Service (for counterterrorism and counter‑extremism), the Ministry of Defense (transport and training support), EMERCOM (disaster response), and regional authorities. Tasks included reinforcement of public order operations, protection of critical facilities and special cargo, route security, cordon‑and‑search support during counterterrorism operations, and rapid reaction to large public events or emergencies. Aviation units expanded the reach of these missions by enabling quick insertion, resupply, and medical evacuation.
Historical Context
Internal Troops formations from multiple regions were deployed in the 1990s and 2000s to the North Caucasus for counterterrorism and stabilization operations, including the conflicts in Chechnya and subsequent security missions in the region. Deployments were conducted under federal authority with rotational patterns across districts. This historical employment context is broadly documented for the service; assignment of specific operations to any particular unit listed here requires official sourcing and is not asserted without such documentation.
Current Status and Nomenclature Post‑2016
With the creation of Rosgvardiya in 2016, Internal Troops units were transferred into the National Guard Troops structure. Many units retained their military unit numbers in subsequent documentation, but names, roles, and command relationships were updated as part of the reorganization. Aviation units of the Internal Troops were incorporated into Rosgvardiya’s aviation component. Where present‑day official titles, exact subordination paths, or detailed orders of battle for the specific units listed have not been published by competent authorities, those details cannot be confirmed in open sources.
Information Gaps and Verification Notes
Not publicly available or classified details include exact garrison addresses, facility blueprints, secure storage locations, unit headcounts, tables of organization and equipment by unit, and current command relationships for each listed formation. Open sources do not provide authoritative confirmation of present‑day redesignations for all enumerated units. Any assertion of unit‑specific deployments, equipment inventories, or leadership rosters should be treated as unverified unless supported by official publications, statutory registries, or authoritative releases.
Summary Assessment
The provided list identifies a cluster of Internal Troops formations anchored by the 35th Separate Internal Troops Brigade (m/u 7452) in Samara, together with special motorized and training units, special purpose detachments, and aviation elements equipped with Mi‑8MTV‑2 helicopters and Il‑76 transports. Functionally, these units collectively cover internal security maneuver, high‑risk tactical support, training and replacement, garrison security, and tactical‑to‑operational air mobility. Since April–July 2016, such formations have been part of the National Guard Troops (Rosgvardiya) under federal law, with many legacy military unit numbers retained but organizational names and subordination updated. Specific present‑day designations, locations, and full orders of battle are not comprehensively public; where not officially released, they cannot be provided.