Ministry of Defense
Overview and Data Integrity Notes
The listing identifies several Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) sites and units, including the central headquarters in Moscow, major command-and-control infrastructure, air transport units, logistics and repair facilities, and specialized centers. One entry—224th Flight Unit—appears duplicated without distinction. The leadership detail naming Sergei Shoigu as Defense Minister is not current; Andrei Belousov was appointed Defense Minister in May 2024. Where military unit (m/u) numbers and specific inventories are cited, many details are not officially published and may vary over time; they are treated here as reported, with corroboration noted where available.
Ministry of Defense Headquarters (Znamenka 19, Moscow)
Znamenka 19 in central Moscow is a long-established address for the administrative headquarters of the Russian Ministry of Defense. It houses core MoD directorates and offices that support ministerial-level command, policy, planning, and administration. As of May 2024, the Defense Minister is Andrei Belousov; Sergei Shoigu moved to the Security Council in 2024. The Znamenka complex functions in conjunction with the larger MoD campus on the Frunzenskaya Embankment, which includes the National Defense Management Center (NDMC).
National Defense Management Center (NDMC), Moscow
The National Defense Management Center is the supreme command-and-control node of the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces, integrating strategic and operational monitoring, planning, and coordination on a 24/7 basis. The complex, commissioned in 2014, is located on the Frunzenskaya Embankment in Moscow and is frequently shown in official footage hosting high-level briefings. It links federal, regional, and military departmental control systems and supports crisis response, force posture management, and interagency coordination.
Main Building of the Ministry of Defense (m/u 25776)
The term Main Building commonly refers to the expanded MoD complex on the Frunzenskaya Embankment that incorporates administrative offices and the NDMC. The listing associates military unit 25776 with this site; open-source verification of that specific unit number is limited. Detailed internal layout, staffing, and protected facilities information are not publicly released.
223rd Flight Unit (Special-Purpose Aviation)
The 223rd Flight Unit (223rd Flight Detachment) supports special-purpose air transport for the MoD, including personnel movements, VIP and delegational transport, and cargo tasks. It is commonly associated with Chkalovsky Air Base (Shchyolkovo urban okrug, Moscow Oblast). The listing attributes a mixed fleet—5 Il-62M, 4 Il-76MD, 6 Tu-134, 13 Tu-154B, and 5 Tu-154M—reflecting types historically used by this unit; the exact current inventory is not officially published and has likely evolved, as Tu-134/154 fleets in Russia have been broadly reduced in recent years. Capability-wise, Il-62M provides long-range passenger/VIP lift, Il-76MD delivers medium-to-heavy cargo lift (circa 42 t payload class), and Tu-134/154 provide short-to-medium-range passenger transport.
224th Flight Unit (State Airlines)
The 224th Flight Unit State Airlines (often cited as 224th Flight Unit or 224 LO) is a state air operator employed by the MoD to conduct heavy and medium airlift using aircraft operated under civil registrations for government tasks and charter missions. The listing cites 9 An-124 and 18 Il-76MD; actual counts vary over time and are not consistently disclosed. Operations are associated with military transport aviation hubs, including Seshcha Air Base (Bryansk Oblast) for An-124 and other bases such as Tver/Migalovo and Ivanovo-Severny for Il-76-series aircraft. Typical capabilities include strategic airlift by An-124-100 (approximately 120 t payload class) and medium-heavy lift by Il-76MD (approximately 42 t payload class).
Duplication Note: 224th Flight Unit
The 224th Flight Unit appears twice in the listing with identical aircraft counts. There is no accompanying information differentiating the entries. In the absence of additional identifiers (e.g., separate detachments, different operating locations, or distinct registries), this is treated as a duplicate reference to the same state operator.
103rd Armor Repair Plant (m/u 32107)
The 103rd Armor Repair Plant (often referenced in open sources as 103rd BTRZ) is publicly associated with Atamanovka, Zabaykalsky Krai (Chitinsky District). Military unit 32107 is widely cited in conjunction with this plant. It performs overhaul and repair of armored vehicles (e.g., T-72/T-62 family tanks and other tracked platforms), reactivation of stored equipment, and component refurbishment. The facility forms part of the MoD’s maintenance and sustainment base supporting force readiness and equipment life extension.
Interspecies (Interservice) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Center (m/u 20924)
The Interservice Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Center is publicly associated with Kolomna, Moscow Oblast through government procurement notices that reference military unit 20924. The center supports UAV operator training, test and evaluation, doctrine/methodology development, and integration of unmanned systems across services. Detailed equipment holdings, organizational structure, and current training throughput are not publicly disclosed.
662nd Medical Equipment and Property Center (m/u 96484)
The 662nd Medical Equipment and Property Center is a logistics formation responsible for the procurement, storage, and distribution of medical materiel for the MoD’s medical service. The listing cites military unit 96484. Open sources provide limited verifiable detail on its precise location and warehouse footprint. Its functions typically include inventory management, quality control, kitting for field medical units, and support to mobilization reserves.
Scientific-Technical Center, Federal Department for Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons (m/u 66762)
The Scientific-Technical Center supports the former Federal Department tasked with safe storage and destruction of chemical weapons under Russia’s obligations to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Russia announced completion of its declared chemical weapons destruction in 2017 under OPCW verification. The listing associates military unit 66762 with this center. Public information indicates the center’s role encompasses technical oversight, documentation, and environmental monitoring tied to the legacy destruction program; granular location and internal organizational details are not broadly published.
18th Engineer Troops Testing Site (m/u 93268)
The 18th Engineer Troops Testing Site is a proving ground for the testing and evaluation of engineering troops’ equipment and methods, including bridging and ferry systems, obstacle breaching and demining systems, fortification technologies, and field construction equipment. The listing identifies military unit 93268. Open-source information on the exact location and current range layout is limited. Activities typically include state trials, acceptance testing, and training support for engineer units.
Strategic Functions Summary
The enumerated sites and units collectively represent critical functions: ministerial command and administration (Znamenka 19), strategic and operational command-and-control (NDMC/Main Building complex), strategic and operational airlift (224th Flight Unit), special-purpose transport (223rd Flight Unit), maintenance and industrial sustainment (103rd Armor Repair Plant), capability development and training (Interservice UAV Center and Engineer Troops Testing Site), and medical logistics (662nd Medical Equipment and Property Center). The Scientific-Technical Center supports compliance and legacy oversight related to chemical weapons destruction under the CWC.
Leadership and Status Update
As of May 2024, Andrei Belousov serves as the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, replacing Sergei Shoigu. As of October 2024, Gen. Valery Gerasimov remained Chief of the General Staff. The listing’s reference to Sergei Shoigu as Defense Minister is therefore out of date.
Confidence and Classification Notes
Core roles, locations, and public-facing functions of the headquarters and the NDMC are well documented. The association of the 103rd Armor Repair Plant with Atamanovka (m/u 32107) and the Interservice UAV Center with Kolomna (m/u 20924) is widely corroborated in open sources. Specific aircraft counts for the 223rd and 224th Flight Units, internal unit structures, detailed inventories, and exact locations or layouts for several support units (m/u 96484, 66762, 93268, 25776) are not comprehensively published and may be classified; where such details are presented in the listing, they are treated as unverified unless otherwise noted.