Special Operations Forces
Executive Summary
The Russian Special Operations Forces (SSO) maintain their headquarters in Moscow Oblast at Kubinka-2 and are publicly associated with several core sites and units: Special Purpose Center "Senezh" (military unit 92154), Special Purpose Center "Kubinka-2" (military unit 01355), the Special Operations Forces Training Center (military unit 43292), and the 561st Emergency Rescue Center and its headquarters (both referenced as military unit 00317). These entities provide command, operational, training, and emergency rescue functions. Open-source reporting identifies Major General Valery Flyustikov (also transliterated Flustikov) as the SSO commander. Exact internal structures, personnel strengths, and detailed facility layouts are not publicly disclosed.
Organizational Overview of Russian Special Operations Forces (SSO)
The SSO are a distinct component under the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, publicly acknowledged by the Ministry of Defense in 2013. Their mission set, as described in official and open sources, includes strategic reconnaissance, direct action, target designation for precision strike, counter-terrorism in military contexts, and the preparation and support of special operations domestically and abroad. The SSO are organized around special purpose centers and supporting units, with dedicated training and enabler elements. Publicly available information does not enumerate the full order of battle or equipment holdings.
Command and Headquarters
Headquarters: Moscow Oblast, Kubinka-2. Commander: Major General Valery Flyustikov (also rendered Flustikov in English), publicly identified as the SSO commander in official sanctions notices issued by the United Kingdom and European Union in 2022. Open sources consistently place the SSO command at Kubinka-2; however, Russian Ministry of Defense publications do not provide detailed, official descriptions of the internal command structure or the exact location within the garrison.
Location Analysis: Kubinka-2 Garrison, Moscow Oblast
Kubinka-2 lies west of Moscow within Moscow Oblast, in proximity to the town of Kubinka and major ground lines of communication, notably the M1 (E30) highway and the Moscow–Smolensk rail corridor. The nearby Kubinka air base enhances air mobility and liaison with the Aerospace Forces. The garrison is also close to the Alabino training area, a major Western Military District range complex, supporting combined-arms integration and rehearsals. The site’s transport connectivity allows rapid movement to other Moscow-region airfields such as Chkalovsky and onward to regional air transport hubs (e.g., Tver/Migalovo) for strategic lift.
Facility Profile: Special Purpose Center "Senezh" (military unit 92154)
Special Purpose Center "Senezh" is publicly associated with the Solnechnogorsk area of Moscow Oblast, near Lake Senezh, from which it takes its name. Open-source material attributes to Senezh a central role in SSO operational tasking and advanced preparation. Russian officials have acknowledged the participation of SSO personnel in the 2014 Crimea operation and in combat operations in Syria; numerous public accounts connect Senezh cadres to those activities. Specific internal composition, subunits, training syllabi, and facility schematics are not officially released.
Facility Profile: Special Purpose Center "Kubinka-2" (military unit 01355)
Special Purpose Center "Kubinka-2" (military unit 01355) operates from the Kubinka-2 garrison in Moscow Oblast, co-located with the SSO’s command presence. Its publicly attributed functions include forming, equipping, and deploying special operations detachments and conducting mission-specific preparation. Co-location with the headquarters and proximity to air and rail nodes improve mission planning, logistics, and rapid deployment. Authoritative Russian sources do not disclose detailed unit structure, specific ranges, or secure-storage arrangements at this site.
Facility Profile: Special Operations Forces Training Center (military unit 43292)
The Special Operations Forces Training Center (military unit 43292) is publicly referenced in open sources as the SSO’s dedicated training institution. Its role is described as initial, advanced, and specialized instruction for SSO personnel, including mission preparation for diverse environments. Precise location details and a comprehensive curriculum are not officially published; open-source references generally associate the center with the Moscow Oblast SSO footprint. Information on training throughput, course durations, and facility specifications is not available in official public releases.
Support Unit: 561st Emergency Rescue Center and HQ (military unit 00317)
The 561st Emergency Rescue Center (military unit 00317) and its headquarters, referenced under the same unit number, are Ministry of Defense emergency-rescue formations that provide search-and-rescue and emergency response support to military activities. Open sources list the unit in connection with Moscow Oblast, though official publications do not provide a definitive, detailed basing schema. The center’s statutory function is to conduct emergency and rescue operations in support of the Armed Forces; specifics on deployment readiness, detachment locations, and specialized capabilities are not publicly disclosed.
Infrastructure Capabilities and Mobility
The SSO’s Moscow Oblast basing grants access to multiple transport modalities: road (M1 and M10/M11 corridors), rail (Belorussky direction to Kubinka and Solnechnogorsk), and military aviation (nearby Kubinka air base and Chkalovsky airfield). Integration with Aerospace Forces military transport aviation enables rapid strategic movement. Proximity to major training areas (e.g., Alabino) facilitates combined-arms integration and live-fire certification. These infrastructure features collectively support short-notice deployment and sustainment without disclosing sensitive operational specifics.
Known Activities and Publicly Reported Operations
Russian officials have publicly acknowledged the involvement of SSO elements in the 2014 operation to seize Crimea and in combat operations in Syria from 2015 onward, including target designation and reconnaissance roles. The Ministry of Defense publicized the actions of an SSO officer, Senior Lieutenant (posthumously Captain) Aleksandr Prokhorenko, who was killed near Palmyra in March 2016 and awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation. Beyond these examples, detailed mission data, force packages, and timelines for current operations are not released in official open sources.
Security, Access, and Classification Caveats
Access to SSO facilities is restricted, and detailed information on internal layouts, sensors, armories, command-and-control nodes, and communications architecture remains classified. Open-source references to military unit numbers and general garrison locations provide only high-level indications. This assessment avoids any disclosure of non-public tactical vulnerabilities, guard routines, or other sensitive security details. Where authoritative publication is lacking, this report identifies the absence of public data rather than inferring specifics.
Notable Identifiers and Open-Source Corroboration
The following identifiers are widely cited in open sources: Special Purpose Center "Senezh" (military unit 92154), Special Purpose Center "Kubinka-2" (military unit 01355), Special Operations Forces Training Center (military unit 43292), and the 561st Emergency Rescue Center and its headquarters (military unit 00317). The SSO commander is publicly named as Major General Valery Flyustikov (Flustikov), designated under UK and EU sanctions in 2022. Russian Ministry of Defense materials confirm SSO existence and selected activities but do not release comprehensive unit structures or basing details.