46th Separate Operational Purpose Brigade
Unit Overview
The 46th Separate Operational Purpose Brigade (military unit 3025) is a formation of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation (Rosgvardiya). It originated within the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) in 2000 and was transferred to Rosgvardiya in 2016 following the creation of the National Guard Troops. The brigade is based in the Chechen Republic and conducts internal security and counter-terrorism tasks as part of the North Caucasus District of National Guard Troops.
Command Subordination and Legal Basis
The brigade is subordinated to the North Caucasus District of National Guard Troops (VNG RF). The establishment of Rosgvardiya and the transfer of Internal Troops to the new structure were enacted by Presidential Decree No. 157 of 5 April 2016 and Federal Law No. 226-FZ "On the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation" dated 3 July 2016. Mission execution in counter-terrorism contexts is carried out under the legal framework of Federal Law No. 35-FZ "On Combating Terrorism" (6 March 2006) and under the coordination of the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAK) and the Federal Security Service (FSB) where applicable.
Garrison and Area of Responsibility
The brigade is headquartered in the city of Grozny, Chechen Republic. Elements are stationed at multiple sites within the republic to support internal security, protection of public order, facility security, and counter-terrorism operations. Precise addresses and the full disposition of subunits are not publicly disclosed.
Reported Organizational Structure
Open-source reporting indicates the brigade comprises operational purpose regiments and battalions, supported by dedicated reconnaissance, communications, engineer-sapper, logistics, repair/restoration, artillery, and medical elements. The exact current order of battle and personnel strength are not published by Rosgvardiya; organizational details below reflect publicly reported designations and military unit numbers.
Reported Subordinate Units and Military Unit Numbers
- 46th Separate Operational Purpose Brigade (Headquarters) — military unit 3025 - 424th Separate Operational Purpose Battalion — military unit 2671 - 248th Separate Special Motorized Internal Troops Battalion "North" — military unit 4156 - 249th Separate Special Motorized Internal Troops Battalion "South" — military unit 4157 - 140th Artillery Regiment — military unit 5382 - 34th Special Purpose Detachment — military unit 6775 - 358th Separate Operational Purpose Battalion — military unit 6776 - 359th Separate Special Motorized Battalion — military unit 6778 - 94th Operational Purpose Regiment — military unit 6779 - 96th Operational Purpose Regiment — military unit 6780 - 352nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion — military unit 6783 - 353rd Separate Communications Battalion — military unit 6784 - 354th Separate Engineer-Sapper Battalion — military unit 6785 - 355th Separate Repair and Restoration Battalion — military unit 6786 - 356th Separate Logistics Battalion — military unit 6787 - 357th Separate Medical Battalion — military unit 6788 - 360th Separate Operational Purpose Battalion — military unit 6791 - 743rd Separate Operational Purpose Battalion — military unit 6884 - 744th Separate Operational Purpose Battalion — military unit 6885 Note: Rosgvardiya does not routinely publish full, current subunit listings; historical and contemporary designations may coexist in open sources.
Roles and Mission Sets
Core tasks include maintaining public order; protecting critical state facilities and communications; counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency operations; convoy and area security; route clearance and area control; force protection for state agencies; and support to special operations conducted by competent authorities. In wartime or special legal regimes, Rosgvardiya units can be tasked with territorial defense and rear-area security functions.
Infrastructure and Base Facilities
Brigade-level infrastructure in Grozny includes a headquarters complex, barracks and administrative buildings, motor pools and maintenance workshops, ammunition and equipment storage, fuel points, training ranges for small arms and tactical drills, and medical and logistics support facilities. Detailed site layouts, internal security systems, and storage arrangements are not publicly released.
Equipment and Armament
Operational purpose units of Rosgvardiya in the North Caucasus are commonly observed with armored personnel carriers (BTR-80/BTR-82A), armored cars (GAZ Tigr/Tigr-M), and standard military trucks (Ural/KamAZ), along with small arms and crew-served weapons (AK-series rifles, PKM/PKP machine guns, SVD-type designated marksman rifles, AGS-17/30 automatic grenade launchers, 12.7 mm heavy machine guns). Precise equipment holdings by subunit within military unit 3025 are not officially disclosed.
Fire Support and Artillery
The 140th Artillery Regiment (military unit 5382) provides the brigade’s organic fire support. Internal Troops and Rosgvardiya artillery formations have historically employed 82 mm and 120 mm mortars and 122 mm towed howitzers (such as the D-30) for indirect fire. Specific artillery systems and quantities currently assigned to military unit 5382 are not publicly confirmed.
Reconnaissance and Special Purpose Capabilities
The 352nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion (military unit 6783) and the 34th Special Purpose Detachment (military unit 6775) furnish reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, and specialized tactical capabilities in support of operational units. Detailed tactics, manning, and equipment tables for these subunits are not published.
Signals and C4ISR
The 353rd Separate Communications Battalion (military unit 6784) supports command-and-control through field communications nodes, radio relay, and data links between brigade headquarters and subordinate elements. Specific communications suites, encryption systems, and frequency usage are not publicly disclosed.
Engineering and EOD
The 354th Separate Engineer-Sapper Battalion (military unit 6785) provides mobility, counter-mobility, and survivability support, including fortification works, route clearance, obstacle emplacement, and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tasks. Exact EOD inventories and specialized equipment are not publicly available.
Logistics, Maintenance, and Supply
Sustainment is provided by the 356th Separate Logistics Battalion (military unit 6787) and the 355th Separate Repair and Restoration Battalion (military unit 6786). These units handle supply, transportation, vehicle recovery, field repairs, armament maintenance, and materiel management. Fuel, ammunition, and spare parts storage are controlled under standard Rosgvardiya regulations; detailed stock levels and supply routes are not public.
Medical Support
The 357th Separate Medical Battalion (military unit 6788) delivers Role-1/Role-2 level medical support, including triage, stabilization, and evacuation coordination for wounded personnel. Information on bed capacity, surgical teams, and evacuation assets is not publicly disclosed.
Operational Activity and Deployments
The brigade and its predecessors have conducted sustained internal security and counter-terrorism operations in the North Caucasus since 2000. After the establishment of Rosgvardiya in 2016, operational tasks of internal security continued in the Chechen Republic. Since February 2022, Rosgvardiya has publicly acknowledged deployments to occupied areas of Ukraine for rear-area security, policing, and facility protection; open-source reporting has linked elements of North Caucasus Rosgvardiya formations, including units associated with the 46th Brigade, to such tasks. Comprehensive official deployment rosters at the subunit level are not released.
Security Measures and Access Control
Brigade facilities are guarded installations with controlled entry points, perimeter fencing, guard posts, and patrols in line with standard Russian military and Rosgvardiya security procedures. Photography restrictions and controlled access apply. Specific guard routines, sensor systems, and response times are not publicly available.
Known Identifiers and Designations
Common designations include: 46th Separate Operational Purpose Brigade; 46-я отдельная бригада оперативного назначения (46-я обрОН); military unit (v/ch) 3025. Reported subordinate military unit numbers associated in open sources include v/ch 2671, 4156, 4157, 5382, 6775, 6776, 6778, 6779, 6780, 6783, 6784, 6785, 6786, 6787, 6788, 6791, 6884, and 6885.
Infrastructure Capabilities
The brigade’s site infrastructure supports sustained operations through on-base training areas, weapons storage compliant with Russian standards for small arms and explosives, motorized and armored vehicle parks with maintenance bays, fuel storage and distribution points, and communications hubs linking to district-level command. Ammunition and POL (petroleum, oil, lubricants) are handled under controlled storage and movement procedures; details of capacity and throughput are not disclosed.
Personnel and Manning
Rosgvardiya does not publish authorized or actual personnel strength for individual brigades or battalions. Operational purpose brigades typically consist of multiple maneuver battalions/regiments and enabling units adequate for independent operations in internal security and counter-terrorism roles. Current manning levels for military unit 3025 and its listed subunits are not publicly available.
Information Gaps and Reliability Assessment
Rosgvardiya and the Russian government do not provide comprehensive, current orders of battle, equipment lists, or garrison addresses for the 46th Brigade and its subunits. The unit designations and military unit numbers listed above are drawn from open-source references and official mentions where available. Specific equipment holdings, exact subunit locations within the Chechen Republic, detailed site layouts, and current deployment rosters are not publicly disclosed; therefore, those details cannot be provided without access to restricted information.