Russian Airborne Forces (VDV)
Organizational Overview
The Russian Airborne Forces (Vozdushno-desantnye voyska, VDV) constitute a separate branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, subordinate to the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff. Formally traced to 2 August 1930, the VDV’s core missions include parachute and air-landing operations, rapid-reaction air assault, and reinforcement of strategic directions. The branch comprises Guards airborne and air assault divisions, separate air assault and special-purpose formations, and dedicated support units (communications, logistics, engineer, medical). Operational deployment relies on Military Transport Aviation of the Aerospace Forces (e.g., Il‑76 series) for strategic airlift.
Command and Leadership
Commander: Colonel General Mikhail Teplinskiy. The Commander exercises authority over VDV combat and support formations, training, mobilization readiness, and integration with joint and interservice structures. The VDV Headquarters functions under military unit 25953. Within the support structure, the 38th Guards Communications Brigade (military unit 54164) is commanded by Colonel Viktor Babikov, and the VDV Central Property Storage Base operates under military unit 40917. These unit identifiers (voyennaya chast numbers) are standard Russian administrative designations used for official correspondence and accountability.
Headquarters – Russian Airborne Forces (military unit 25953)
The VDV Headquarters provides centralized command-and-control, operational planning, force development, training oversight, mobilization, and materiel management for airborne and air assault formations. It directs subordinate commands and coordinates closely with Military Transport Aviation for airlift scheduling, staging, and airborne/air-landing operations. The HQ is based in Moscow. It employs automated command-and-control (C2) tools used across the VDV (e.g., the Andromeda-D system) and relies on dedicated signal and logistics echelons for deployable command posts and sustainment.
38th Guards Communications Brigade (VDV) – military unit 54164
Role: theater-level and operational C2 support to the VDV. The brigade establishes, operates, and defends multi-echelon communications for the VDV Headquarters and major formations, including fixed, mobile, and deployable command posts. Functions include radio, radio-relay, and satellite communications; field telecommunication networks; information assurance; and support to automated C2 (e.g., Andromeda-D) nodes. Typical equipment in such formations includes digital VHF/UHF/HF radio families (e.g., R‑168 Akveduk), command-staff vehicles (e.g., R‑149MA1), radio-relay systems, and satellite terminals. Commander: Colonel Viktor Babikov. The unit’s “Guards” honorific denotes distinguished historical service.
242nd VDV Training Center – military unit 64712
Mission: training of junior specialists for the VDV. The center conducts initial and advanced instruction in parachute preparation and airborne insertion techniques; small arms and crew-served weapons; driver/mechanic and gunner training for VDV armored and artillery systems; communications and logistics specialties; and leadership preparation for contract servicemembers and NCOs. Public reporting places the 242nd in Omsk Oblast. Trainees are qualified on VDV parachute systems (e.g., D‑10 series) and on core VDV platforms such as BMD-4M infantry fighting vehicles, BTR-MDM Rakushka armored carriers, and 120 mm self-propelled artillery/mortar systems (e.g., 2S9 Nona-S), aligning output with the equipment sets of operational formations.
VDV Central Property Storage Base – military unit 40917
Function: centralized materiel hub for the VDV. The base receives, stores, maintains, and issues organizational property and war-reserve stocks, including individual gear, parachute systems and airdrop equipment, select vehicle and weapons spares, and other class II/IV-type supplies. It supports force generation by equipping training establishments and operational units, and enables surge deployment by ensuring packaged sets of materiel can be dispatched to VDV formations on demand. Quality assurance and lifecycle maintenance for sensitive items (e.g., parachutes and airdrop rigging) are integral tasks.
Equipment and Systems Associated With These Units
C2 and communications: Andromeda-D automated command-and-control system; R‑168 Akveduk digital radios; command-staff vehicles such as R‑149MA1; radio-relay assets; and satellite communications terminals (e.g., R‑441 series), providing layered connectivity from headquarters to maneuver echelons. Airborne equipment and training platforms: BMD‑4M infantry fighting vehicles with the Bakhcha‑U combat module; BTR‑MDM Rakushka armored personnel carriers; 2S9 Nona‑S 120 mm self-propelled artillery/mortar; and standard VDV parachute systems (e.g., D‑10). Strategic airlift for airborne operations is provided by Il‑76 series aircraft under the Aerospace Forces’ Military Transport Aviation.
Operational Interdependencies and Roles
The VDV Headquarters (military unit 25953) integrates planning, training, and operations, tasking the 38th Guards Communications Brigade (military unit 54164) to establish and sustain communications for headquarters and deployed formations. The 242nd VDV Training Center (military unit 64712) provides a continuous pipeline of trained personnel qualified on VDV-specific platforms and parachute procedures. The VDV Central Property Storage Base (military unit 40917) equips both training and operational units, issuing and maintaining critical gear. Together, these entities enable force generation, command-and-control, and sustainment for airborne and air assault missions.
Recent Organizational Developments (2023–2025)
Russian officials have publicly announced measures to expand and reconstitute VDV force structure since 2023, including the restoration of a Guards airborne division and the addition of regiments within existing divisions. Concurrently, deliveries of modernized VDV equipment—most notably BMD‑4M and BTR‑MDM vehicles—have continued in publicly reported batches, aligning training requirements at the 242nd and communications/automation upgrades supported by the 38th Guards Communications Brigade. These developments indicate an emphasis on increasing the VDV’s capacity for sustained operations and modernized C2 integration.
Administrative Identifiers and Status
Military unit numbers (voyennaya chast, v/ch) are official Russian administrative identifiers used for records, logistics, and correspondence: VDV HQ – military unit 25953; 38th Guards Communications Brigade – military unit 54164; 242nd VDV Training Center – military unit 64712; VDV Central Property Storage Base – military unit 40917. The “Guards” designation reflects historical distinctions awarded to select units for combat merit.
Information Limitations
Specific street addresses, current personnel strengths, detailed equipment inventories, and precise internal task organization of these units may be classified or not publicly released. Only verifiable, open-source facts are included. Where exact locations or quantities are not confirmed in publicly available materials, they are not provided.