96th Internal Troops Division
Organizational Context and Status
The 96th Internal Troops Division (military unit 3469) was a formation of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (VV MVD), with its headquarters indicated in Sverdlovsk Oblast at the garrison "Kalinovka-1". In 2016 the Internal Troops were transferred into the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops (Rosgvardiya) by Presidential Decree No. 157 of 5 April 2016 and Federal Law No. 226-FZ of 3 July 2016. Legacy divisional structures were reorganized under Rosgvardiya; many units were redesignated as brigades or separate formations. Authoritative public sources do not consistently list the post-2016 redesignations for every legacy VV unit identified below, so the designations herein reflect their historical Internal Troops nomenclature. Historically, the division was subordinated to the Ural Regional Command of the Internal Troops.
Location Analysis (Sverdlovsk Oblast, Kalinovka-1)
Sverdlovsk Oblast is a central Ural industrial region centered on Yekaterinburg, served by the Trans-Siberian Railway, Koltsovo International Airport (ICAO: USSS), regional airfields, and major highway corridors to Tyumen, Chelyabinsk, and Perm. The headquarters location described as "Kalinovka-1" reflects a military garrison locality (a common Russian convention for closed or restricted settlements with numerical suffixes). Precise coordinates, perimeter extents, and facility layouts for this site are not published in authoritative open sources. The region’s transport network enables rapid ground and air movement for internal security forces based in the oblast.
Order of Battle (Identified Subordinate Units and v/ch Numbers)
The following formations are identified with the 96th Internal Troops Division, with their military unit numbers (v/ch): 18th Internal Troops Regiment (v/ch 3256); 543rd Internal Troops Regiment (v/ch 3280); 620th Internal Troops Regiment (v/ch 3474); 12th Special Purpose Detachment "Ural" (v/ch 6748); 23rd Special Purpose Detachment "Obereg" (v/ch 6830); 395th Separate Special Motorized Internal Troops Battalion (v/ch 5425); 131st Special Motorized Internal Troops Regiment (v/ch 7438); 335th Separate Operational Purpose Battalion (v/ch 7605); 214th Separate Communications Battalion (v/ch 3728); 9th Separate Aviation Squadron (v/ch 3732; aircraft types noted: An-26, Mi-8MTV-2); Division Headquarters (v/ch 3469).
Unit Roles and Statutory Missions
Under Federal Law No. 27-FZ of 6 February 1997 "On the Internal Troops of the MVD of the Russian Federation" (repealed in 2016) and, subsequently, Federal Law No. 226-FZ of 3 July 2016 "On the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation," the Internal Troops/ Rosgvardiya mission set includes: protection of important state facilities and special cargoes; participation in maintaining public order and public safety in coordination with police; counter-terrorism and operations against illegal armed groups; territorial defense tasks when assigned; and support to emergency regimes as provided by federal law. The regiments, battalions, and special purpose detachments listed fulfill these roles through security, patrol, convoy, and operational deployments.
Special Purpose Detachments "Ural" (v/ch 6748) and "Obereg" (v/ch 6830)
The named special purpose detachments are Internal Troops (VV) special operations elements trained for high-risk internal security tasks within the statutory framework: counter-terrorism support, high-risk detentions, targeted raids, and reinforcement of operations against illegal armed groups. Such detachments emphasize small-unit tactics, precision marksmanship, urban and close-quarters operations, and rapid deployment. Open public sources do not provide official manpower figures, detailed tables of organization, or current Rosgvardiya redesignations for these specific detachments.
Line Regiments (18th v/ch 3256; 543rd v/ch 3280; 620th v/ch 3474) — Functions and Equipment
The Internal Troops regiments provided the principal manpower for static security of key sites, patrolling, convoy escort of special cargoes, and reinforcement of public order operations. In the Internal Troops system, regiments commonly operated with motorized infantry-like subunits for area security and quick reaction. Typical Internal Troops equipment included standard Russian service small arms and riot-control gear, and, in many formations, armored personnel carriers of the BTR-80-series for protected mobility. Specific holdings and current equipment rosters of the 18th, 543rd, and 620th Regiments are not published in authoritative open sources.
Special Motorized and Operational Purpose Units (395th v/ch 5425; 131st v/ch 7438; 335th v/ch 7605)
The 395th Separate Special Motorized Battalion and the 131st Special Motorized Regiment represent Internal Troops formations oriented to motorized patrolling, convoy security, and rapid reinforcement of public order measures. The 335th Separate Operational Purpose Battalion is an operational maneuver element intended for quick-reaction tasks and reinforcement of security operations. Published open sources do not provide official strength figures or current post-2016 redesignations for these specific units.
Aviation Support (9th Separate Aviation Squadron, v/ch 3732)
The 9th Separate Aviation Squadron is identified with An-26 fixed-wing transports and Mi-8MTV-2 helicopters. The An-26 is a twin-turboprop transport with a rear loading ramp; typical performance includes a payload on the order of 5.5–6.0 tonnes, troop seating for roughly 38–40 personnel, a cruising speed around 440–540 km/h, and ranges dependent on payload and fuel configuration. The Mi-8MTV-2 is a medium-lift helicopter variant with a cruising speed near 225 km/h, troop seating commonly up to about 24 personnel, and capability for internal cargo and external sling loads. In Internal Troops/Rosgvardiya service, these aircraft perform personnel and cargo transport, medical evacuation, aerial observation, and insertion of small detachments. Authoritative sources do not publish the permanent basing location for v/ch 3732; operations in Sverdlovsk Oblast would typically utilize established regional airfields and helipads.
Command and Control Support (214th Separate Communications Battalion, v/ch 3728)
The 214th Separate Communications Battalion provides command, control, and communications support to the divisional headquarters and subordinate units. Typical functions include establishing fixed and mobile communications nodes; radio, radio-relay, and wired communications; information security measures consistent with Russian COMSEC policy; and support to command posts during exercises and operations. Detailed equipment inventories and specific system types for this battalion are not released in authoritative public sources.
Infrastructure and Basing Features
A divisional headquarters and its associated garrison in Sverdlovsk Oblast would be expected to include administrative buildings, barracks, vehicle parks and maintenance areas, fuel storage, ammunition depots compliant with safety standoff standards, small-arms ranges, training facilities (including obstacle courses and urban training areas), and secure communications facilities. Where an aviation squadron is associated, operations are supported by access to airfields and helipads for Mi-8-class helicopters and handling for light transports such as the An-26. Exact site layouts, storage capacities, and protective construction at the "Kalinovka-1" garrison are not publicly released.
Logistics and Mobility Considerations
Sverdlovsk Oblast’s position on the Trans-Siberian Railway and its regional road network supports rail and road movement of personnel and materiel to and from the divisional area. Koltsovo International Airport and local airfields provide air mobility for personnel rotations and freight, in addition to the organic support from the 9th Separate Aviation Squadron (v/ch 3732). Internal Troops and, since 2016, Rosgvardiya logistics follow national-level provisioning systems; the distribution of fuel, ammunition, and specialized riot-control equipment is managed through regional depots and unit supply services. Detailed throughput figures and supply node locations are not published in authoritative open sources.
Operational Employment Context (1994–2009)
Internal Troops formations, including those from the Ural regional command, were routinely deployed to federal operations in the North Caucasus between 1994 and 2009 in support of counter-terrorism and internal security missions. This pattern of rotation is documented in official Russian statements and widely reported open sources. Specific deployment dates and operations for the units listed herein are not comprehensively published in authoritative open records.
Legal Framework and Reorganization (2016–present)
The legal basis for the Internal Troops was Federal Law No. 27-FZ of 6 February 1997 (repealed). The formation of the National Guard Troops (Rosgvardiya) was enacted by Presidential Decree No. 157 of 5 April 2016 and codified by Federal Law No. 226-FZ of 3 July 2016. These acts transferred Internal Troops structures to Rosgvardiya and adjusted missions and subordination. Post-2016, Internal Troops divisions and regiments were reorganized; many became operational purpose brigades or separate units. Official, consolidated lists mapping every legacy v/ch to current Rosgvardiya unit designations are not published.
Administrative Identifiers and Nomenclature (v/ch)
Military unit numbers (voyennaya chast, v/ch) are administrative identifiers used by Russian security and defense organizations. These numbers appear in a wide range of official documents (e.g., procurement notices, court filings, government registries) and can persist even when a unit’s formal title changes. The unit numbers provided—such as v/ch 3469 (division HQ), 3256, 3280, 3474, 6748, 6830, 5425, 7438, 7605, 3728, and 3732—are consistent with the Internal Troops/Rosgvardiya numbering conventions. Current public sources do not comprehensively reconcile all legacy v/ch numbers with post-2016 unit titles.
Data Reliability and Information Gaps
Publicly available, authoritative sources do not disclose precise coordinates, current manning levels, detailed tables of organization and equipment, storage capacities, or real-time readiness for the units and sites listed. Many operational details remain classified or unpublished for security reasons. Where relevant, this analysis relies on established statutory roles, typical Internal Troops/Rosgvardiya practices, and the unit identifications provided. Assertions about current designations, locations, or equipment beyond what is explicitly published in official sources are not made.
Summary of Capabilities
The 96th Internal Troops Division (v/ch 3469), as historically constituted, integrated line regiments for area security and convoy tasks; special motorized and operational purpose units for rapid response and public-order reinforcement; special purpose detachments for high-risk internal security and counter-terrorism support; a separate communications battalion for C2; and an aviation squadron operating An-26 and Mi-8MTV-2 for personnel and cargo movement. Its headquarters location in Sverdlovsk Oblast placed it on major national transport axes, enabling deployments across the Ural region and beyond. Following the 2016 transition to Rosgvardiya, the functions associated with these units continue within the National Guard Troops framework, although unit titles and structures were reorganized and are not comprehensively detailed in open official publications.