82nd Separate Internal Troops Brigade
Executive Summary
The units identified are elements of Russia’s former Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and, following the 2016 reorganization, form part of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation. They are listed as the 82nd Separate Internal Troops Brigade (military unit 6515, headquarters in Barnaul, Altai Krai), the 656th Internal Troops Operational Regiment (military unit 6720), and the 563rd Internal Troops Regiment (military unit 3484). These formations are internal security troops rather than Ministry of Defense line forces. Their core functions include public order, protection of critical facilities, support to counterterrorism operations, convoy and detention security, and territorial defense tasks as defined by Russian law. Precise current manning, detailed tables of organization and equipment, and specific site addresses are not officially disclosed in open sources.
Verified Unit Identifiers
82nd Separate Internal Troops Brigade, military unit 6515, headquarters Barnaul, Altai Krai; 656th Internal Troops Operational Regiment, military unit 6720; 563rd Internal Troops Regiment, military unit 3484. These identifiers are consistent with Russian military unit numbering conventions for Internal Troops (в/ч). After the April–July 2016 transfer of Internal Troops to the National Guard Troops, many legacy designations remain in public and archival references, while official contemporary nomenclature typically appends of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation.
Organizational Context and Legal Status
On 5 April 2016, Presidential Decree No. 157 established the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops (Rosgvardiya) and initiated the transfer of Internal Troops into this structure. Federal Law No. 226-FZ of 3 July 2016 On the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation codified missions and authorities. Prior to this, Internal Troops operated under Federal Law No. 27-FZ of 6 February 1997 On the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As a result, the named units fall under Rosgvardiya command, organized by territorial districts, separate from the Ministry of Defense.
Location Analysis
The 82nd Separate Internal Troops Brigade is headquartered in Barnaul, the administrative center of Altai Krai in the Siberian Federal District. Barnaul is a regional logistics hub with established rail and road connections to major Siberian cities, supporting troop movement and sustainment. The garrison layout for such formations is typically situated within or adjacent to established military zones with controlled access. For the 656th Internal Troops Operational Regiment (military unit 6720) and the 563rd Internal Troops Regiment (military unit 3484), the user-provided data includes unit numbers but not garrison cities; open-source confirmation of precise siting and addresses is limited and not officially published.
Mission Set and Legal Authorities
Under Federal Law No. 226-FZ, National Guard Troops missions include protecting public order and public safety; guarding important state facilities and special cargo; assisting the Federal Security Service and other agencies in counterterrorism and the fight against extremism; participating in territorial defense and states of emergency; and providing convoy and detention security tasks. Internal Troops formations re-subordinated to Rosgvardiya, such as the 82nd Brigade and the 656th and 563rd regiments, are structured to perform these internal security and protection roles rather than front-line combined-arms warfare.
Command and Subordination
Rosgvardiya organizes its troops by territorial districts with subordinate brigades, regiments, and separate battalions. Units stationed in Altai Krai, such as those headquartered in Barnaul, are administered within the National Guard’s territorial command framework for Siberia. Operational control of such units in counterterrorism is coordinated with the National Anti-Terrorism Committee and the Federal Security Service as required by law. Detailed current chains of command, internal staff structures, and command relationships for the listed units are not publicly released.
Typical Force Structure
A separate operational brigade in the Internal Troops and Rosgvardiya context commonly comprises a headquarters, several operational or motorized battalions, a reconnaissance element, an engineer-sapper company, a signals company, logistics and maintenance companies, a medical unit, and NBC protection elements. An operational regiment typically includes a headquarters, multiple operational battalions or companies, support companies, and service units. Authorized strengths and precise tables of organization vary by period and mission and are not officially published in open sources; the above reflects widely reported patterns for Internal Troops and National Guard formations.
Equipment and Mobility Profile
Internal Troops and Rosgvardiya operational units are documented in open sources using wheeled armored personnel carriers such as BTR-80 and BTR-82A, light armored vehicles such as GAZ Tigr, and standard logistics trucks including Ural and KamAZ families. Small arms typically include AK-series rifles, light and general-purpose machine guns, designated marksman rifles, and automatic grenade launchers, alongside riot-control equipment for public order missions. Communications, engineer, and medical support assets are integral. Exact equipment holdings for the 82nd Brigade, 656th Regiment, and 563rd Regiment are not officially disclosed; the foregoing describes commonly observed types within comparable units.
Infrastructure Capabilities
Garrison complexes for brigade and regimental Internal Troops or Rosgvardiya units generally include headquarters and command posts, barracks, motor pools and maintenance facilities, arms rooms and ammunition storage with layered access controls, training grounds and obstacle courses, small-arms ranges, dining and medical facilities, fuel storage, and perimeter security with controlled entry points. Integration with railheads and major road networks supports deployment and sustainment. Specific site layouts and secure areas for the named units are restricted information and are not publicly released.
Training and Readiness
Training in Internal Troops and Rosgvardiya formations is focused on public order operations, urban patrolling, convoy and facility security, counter-sabotage and anti-terror support tasks, marksmanship and small-unit tactics, communications, first aid, and CBRN procedures. Units conduct periodic readiness inspections and participate in interagency exercises under the National Anti-Terrorism Committee framework. Detailed training schedules, readiness levels, and evaluation results for the listed units are not available in open sources.
Operational Employment Patterns
Internal Troops and, since 2016, Rosgvardiya units routinely support public order across their regions of responsibility, guard critical state facilities, and provide reinforcement to law enforcement during high-profile events or emergencies. Historically, Internal Troops units were deployed to counterinsurgency and security operations in the North Caucasus. Since the creation of Rosgvardiya, open sources have reported deployments of National Guard units in internal security roles across Russia. Attribution of specific operations to the 82nd Brigade, the 656th Regiment, or the 563rd Regiment requires official confirmation; such detailed operational records are not publicly available.
Logistics and Lines of Communication
Barnaul’s position within the Siberian transport network, with established rail connections and regional highways, provides logistical depth for a brigade headquarters and supporting units. Such connectivity facilitates movement to regional training areas and supports inter-district reinforcement if tasked. For the 656th and 563rd regiments, without confirmed garrison data in open sources, only general remarks on Rosgvardiya’s reliance on rail and road mobility apply.
Security and Access Considerations
National Guard Troops facilities are controlled-access military sites. Photography, geospatial data, and detailed site schematics are restricted by Russian law, and specific addresses and internal layouts are generally not published. Publicly accessible information typically includes unit designations and, in some cases, city-level location data. Any additional details beyond officially released information cannot be provided.
Information Gaps and Confidence Assessment
Confirmed data points include the unit designations, military unit numbers, and the 82nd Separate Internal Troops Brigade headquarters city of Barnaul. The current detailed order of battle, exact garrison addresses for the 656th Internal Troops Operational Regiment and the 563rd Internal Troops Regiment, equipment inventories, personnel strengths, and contemporary subordination specifics are not publicly released or are inconsistently reported in open sources. Where this analysis references missions, structure, and equipment, it describes established patterns for Internal Troops and Rosgvardiya formations rather than asserting unit-specific classified details.