Southern Military District
District Overview
The Southern Military District (SMD; Russian: ЮВО) is a Joint Strategic Command responsible for Russia’s southwestern and southern axes. Headquarters: Rostov-on-Don. Open-source reporting in 2023–2024 identifies Colonel General Sergei Kuzovlev as district commander; leadership assignments have been subject to frequent changes since 2022 and may have been updated since the latest public releases. The SMD’s area of responsibility encompasses the North Caucasus republics (Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, North Ossetia–Alania, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Adygea), Krasnodar and Stavropol krais, Rostov, Volgograd, and Astrakhan oblasts, and the occupied Crimean Peninsula (including Sevastopol). Principal subordinate formations include the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army, 49th Combined Arms Army, 58th Combined Arms Army, the 22nd Army Corps (Crimea), and the 4th Air and Air Defense Army; the Black Sea Fleet operates as a separate service but is integrated within the SMD joint strategic framework.
Order of Battle Highlights from Provided Units
The provided list reflects a cross-section of SMD formations and institutions spanning special operations, fires, air defense, command-and-control, electronic warfare, logistics, engineering, nuclear/biological/chemical (NBC) defense, training, and storage/repair bases. Notable entries include: special operations forces (10th Separate Spetsnaz Brigade, military unit 51532; 22nd Separate Guards Spetsnaz Brigade, military unit 11659; 25th Separate Spetsnaz Regiment, military unit 05525; 346th Separate Spetsnaz Brigade, military unit 31681), long-range rocket artillery (439th Guards Rocket Artillery Brigade, military unit 48315), army air defense (77th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, military unit 33742), C2/communications and ISR (175th Command and Control Brigade, military unit 01957; 176th Communications Brigade, military unit 71609; 154th Separate Radio-Technical Brigade, military unit 13204; 74th Separate Special Purpose Radio-Technical Regiment, military unit 68889; 543rd Geospatial Information and Navigation Center, military unit 25688; 362nd Command Intelligence Center GRU, military unit 47187), electronic warfare and information operations (19th Separate EW Brigade, military unit 62829; 711th Information Countermeasures Center GRU, military unit 76853; 2140th Psychological Operations Group GRU, military unit 03128), engineering/NBC and repair (11th Separate Guards Engineer Brigade, military unit 45767; 28th Separate NBC Protection Brigade, military unit 65363; 10th Separate Repair and Evacuation Regiment, military unit 25356), logistics and medical (78th Separate Logistics Brigade, military unit 11384; 293rd Separate Automobile Battalion, military unit 46027; 529th Special Purpose Medical Unit, military unit 40880), training (54th Intelligence Training Center, military unit 90091; 187th Interspecific Junior Specialists Training Center [Engineer Troops], military unit 73420), and material storage/repair bases (719th Artillery Ammunition Base, military unit 01704; 744th Artillery Armament Base, military unit 42286; 670th Armored Equipment Warehouse, military unit 52205; 7024th Military Equipment Storage and Repair Base, military unit 45278; 91st Communications Equipment Repair and Storage Base, military unit 69674; 2728th NBC Weapons and Equipment Storage Base, military unit 42751; 82nd Engineer Base, military unit 29235).
Special Operations Forces Posture
The SMD’s special operations component, as reflected in the provided entries, includes: 10th Separate Spetsnaz Brigade (military unit 51532), 22nd Separate Guards Spetsnaz Brigade (military unit 11659), 25th Separate Spetsnaz Regiment (military unit 05525), and 346th Separate Spetsnaz Brigade (military unit 31681). According to the supplied data, these units field BTR-80 armored personnel carriers and light armored mobility platforms such as the GAZ-233014 STS Tigr, with selected formations also operating mine-resistant protected vehicles Ural-63095 Typhoon-U and KamAZ-63968 Typhoon. These formations conduct long-range reconnaissance, direct-action, and other special tasks. Spetsnaz brigades/regiments are administratively aligned to the military district while being tasked operationally through the Main Directorate (GU) of the General Staff.
Rocket Artillery and Long-Range Fires
The 439th Guards Rocket Artillery Brigade (military unit 48315) is equipped with the 300 mm 9K58 Smerch and the modernized 9K515 Tornado-S. Smerch provides heavy MLRS effects at tens of kilometers range with a range of compatible rocket natures, while Tornado-S introduces guidance and extended-range munitions reportedly exceeding 100 km, enhancing precision relative to legacy Smerch rockets. These systems enable deep fires against area targets, logistics hubs, and concentrations, and can be configured for varied warheads (unitary, submunitions) as publicly documented for the system family.
Army Air Defense
The 77th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade (military unit 33742) operates the S-300V4 army air defense system. The S-300V4 is a tracked, mobile surface-to-air missile system designed to counter fixed-wing aircraft, cruise missiles, and certain classes of ballistic missiles. Open sources attribute to the S-300V4 significant engagement envelopes (with the 9M82-series interceptors reported at extended ranges) and enhanced anti-missile capabilities compared to earlier S-300V variants. Integration with the 4th Air and Air Defense Army’s radar network and command posts provides a layered air-defense picture over key SMD sectors.
Command, Control, Communications, and ISR
SMD command-and-control and sensing architecture in the provided data includes: 175th Command and Control Brigade (military unit 01957) and 176th Communications Brigade (military unit 71609) for fixed and mobile command posts, trunk and tactical communications, and protected data services; 154th Separate Radio-Technical Brigade (military unit 13204) and 74th Separate Special Purpose Radio-Technical Regiment (military unit 68889) for radar coverage and specialized radio-technical tasks; 543rd Geospatial Information and Navigation Center (military unit 25688) for geodesy, mapping, and navigation support (including GLONASS integration); and the 362nd Command Intelligence Center GRU (military unit 47187) for operational intelligence processing and dissemination. Together these elements enable theater-level situational awareness, targeting support, and assured communications across the district.
Electronic Warfare and Information Operations
The 19th Separate Electronic Warfare Brigade (military unit 62829) provides electronic attack and protection capabilities, including radio reconnaissance, communications jamming, GNSS disruption, and electronic support to mask and protect friendly forces. Complementing EW, the 711th Information Countermeasures Center GRU (military unit 76853) conducts information security and countermeasures activities, and the 2140th Psychological Operations Group GRU (military unit 03128) provides psychological operations. The 54th Intelligence Training Center (military unit 90091) supports training pipelines for intelligence and related specializations. These organizations form the district’s non-kinetic effects and information operations framework.
Engineering and NBC Defense
Engineering and CBRN capabilities are represented by the 11th Separate Guards Engineer Brigade (military unit 45767) and the 28th Separate NBC Protection Brigade (military unit 65363). The engineer brigade provides mobility (breaching, bridging), counter-mobility (minelaying), survivability (field fortifications), and EOD tasks, while the NBC brigade conducts radiological/chemical reconnaissance, decontamination, and aerosol camouflage. The 10th Separate Repair and Evacuation Regiment (military unit 25356) performs battlefield recovery and maintenance support to restore combat platforms. The 187th Interspecific Junior Specialists Training Center (Engineer Troops; military unit 73420) and the 82nd Engineer Base (military unit 29235) underpin engineer force generation and materiel sustainment.
Logistics, Transport, and Medical Support
The 78th Separate Logistics Brigade (military unit 11384) is the district-level logistical backbone for supply distribution (ammunition, fuel, rations), field services, and potential pipeline/field depot operations as configured in Russian ground forces logistics doctrine. The 293rd Separate Automobile Battalion (military unit 46027) provides additional transport capacity. Medical support is provided by the 529th Special Purpose Medical Unit (military unit 40880), a deployable capability for surgical care, stabilization, and medical evacuation support. These units, in conjunction with storage/repair bases, enable sustained operations and rapid support to maneuver formations.
Storage and Repair Infrastructure
Material readiness and mobilization depth are evidenced by multiple storage and repair facilities: 719th Artillery Ammunition Base (military unit 01704); 744th Artillery Armament Base (military unit 42286); 670th Armored Equipment Warehouse (military unit 52205); 7024th Military Equipment Storage and Repair Base (military unit 45278); 91st Communications Equipment Repair and Storage Base (military unit 69674); 2728th NBC Weapons and Equipment Storage Base (military unit 42751). These installations store artillery systems and munitions, armored vehicles, communications gear, and NBC equipment, and conduct maintenance necessary to return equipment to operational status or to equip newly formed units during mobilization.
Equipment Notes (from Provided Entries)
Special operations units in the list are equipped with BTR-80 8x8 armored personnel carriers, GAZ-233014 STS Tigr 4x4 armored vehicles, and Typhoon-family MRAPs (Ural-63095 Typhoon-U and KamAZ-63968 Typhoon). The 439th Guards Rocket Artillery Brigade fields 9K58 Smerch and 9K515 Tornado-S 300 mm MLRS; Tornado-S supports guided, extended-range rockets compared to legacy Smerch. The 77th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade is equipped with the S-300V4 army SAM system, a tracked platform with reported extended-range interceptors and anti-missile capabilities. These equipment sets are widely documented in open sources and align with the formations’ operational roles.
Geographic and Infrastructure Considerations
The SMD benefits from dense road and rail networks linking Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Stavropol, Volgograd, and Astrakhan, including the M-4 “Don” highway and multiple north–south/east–west rail corridors. Proximity to the Black Sea and Azov Sea ports (e.g., Novorossiysk) and to regional airfields supports strategic mobility and sustainment. Units listed are distributed across the SMD’s territories, including the North Caucasus, Rostov Oblast, and the greater Kuban–Lower Volga region, enabling coverage of the Ukrainian, Caucasus, and Caspian directions. Specific garrison addresses for listed military units may be restricted or not uniformly disclosed in public domains.
Data Hygiene and Duplications in the Provided List
The following entries appear twice and refer to the same formations: 78th Separate Logistics Brigade (military unit 11384); 22nd Separate Guards Spetsnaz Brigade (military unit 11659); 744th Artillery Armament Base (military unit 42286). No separate formations with identical titles and military unit numbers are known in open sources; these are duplicate listings rather than distinct units.
Classification and Information Gaps
Many detailed attributes of these units (exact personnel strengths, precise unit-level locations, internal battalion/squadron counts, readiness levels, and current operational tasking) are not publicly released or are classified. Where necessary, this analysis relies on unit designations, military unit numbers (в/ч), and widely documented equipment associations. If specific classified details are required (e.g., exact garrison coordinates, secure communications plans, or current deployment orders), they cannot be provided.