# 56th Guards Air Assault Regiment

The 56th Guards Air Assault Order of Kutuzov and Patriotic War 1st class Don Cossack Regiment (Russian: 56-й гвардейский десантно-штурмовой орденов Кутузова и Отечественной войны 1-й степени Донской казачий полк) is an airborne regiment of the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV). Based at Feodosia in Crimea, the regiment is part of the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division. It was formed in 2021 from the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade, based at Kamyshin. The brigade was first formed in 1979 and fought in the Soviet–Afghan War, the First Chechen War and the Second Chechen War.

## History
### World War II (1943–1945)

The formation was created on 11 June 1943, when the 7th and 17th Guards Airborne Brigades were formed. A strong group of VDV was deployed to the 4th Ukrainian Front consisting of the 4th, 6th and 7th Guards Airborne Brigades. It was planned to use Crimean Offensive Operation. In December 1943, the 4th and 7th Guards Airborne Brigades were redeployed to the Moscow Military District.
On January 15, 1944, in accordance with the order of the commander of the Airborne Forces of Red Army No. 00100 dated December 26, 1943, in the city of Stupino in the Moscow region, on the basis of the 4th, 7th and 17th separate guards airborne brigades (the brigades were stationed in the cities of Vostryakovo, Vnukovo, Stupino), the 16th Guards Airborne Division was formed. The division had 12,000 soldiers according to the staff. In August 1944, the division was redeployed to the city of Starye Dorogi in Mogilev Region and on August 9, 1944, it became part of the newly formed 38th Guards Airborne Corps.
In October 1944, the 38th Guards Airborne Corps became part of the newly formed separate guards airborne army. On December 8, 1944, the army was reorganized into the 9th Guards Army, the 38th Guards Airborne Corps became a guards rifle corps. By order of the Stavka of the Supreme High Command No. 0047 of December 18, 1944, the 16th Guards Airborne Division was reformed into the 106th Guards Rifle Division of the 38th Guards Rifle Corps. The 4th Separate Guards Airborne Brigade was reformed into the 347th Guards Rifle Regiment, the 7th Separate Guards Airborne Brigade into the 351st Guards Rifle Regiment, and the 17th Separate Guards Airborne Brigade into the 355th Guards Rifle Regiment.
The 106th Guards Rifle Division included:
* 347th Guards Rifle Regiment;
* 351st Guards Rifle Regiment;
* 355th Guards Rifle Regiment;
* 107th Separate Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division;
* 193rd Separate Guards Communications Battalion;
* 123rd Separate Guards Anti-Tank Division;
* 139th Separate Guards Engineer Battalion;
* 113th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Company;
* 117th Separate Guards Chemical Company;
* 234th Separate Guards Medical Battalion.
The division also included the 57th Artillery Brigade, consisting of three regiments:
* 205th Cannon Artillery Regiment;
* 28th Howitzer Artillery Regiment;
* 53rd Mortar Regiment.
In January 1945, the division, as part of the 38th Guards Rifle Corps, was redeployed by rail to Hungary, and by February 26 it was concentrated east of the city of Budapest in the area: Szolnok - Abony - Soyal - Teriel, and in early March it became part of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. On March 16, 1945, having broken through the German defenses, the 351st Guards Rifle Regiment reached the Austro-Hungarian border. In March–April 1945, the division took part in the Vienna offensive operation, advancing in the direction of the front's main attack.
The division, in cooperation with units of the 4th Guards Army, broke through the enemy's defenses north of the city of Székesfehérvár, reached the flank and rear of the main forces of the 6th SS Panzer Army, which had penetrated the front's defenses between Lakes Velence and Balaton. In early April, the division launched an attack in the northwest direction, bypassing Vienna, and, in cooperation with the 6th Guards Tank Army, broke the enemy's resistance, advanced to the Danube, and cut off the enemy's retreat routes to the west. The division successfully fought in the city, which continued until 13 April.
By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 29.03.1945, for participation in the defeat of eleven enemy divisions southwest of Budapest and the capture of the city of Mor, the division was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree. For breaking through the fortified line of defense and capturing the city of Mor, the entire personnel received the gratitude of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 26.04.1945 "for participation in the capture of Vienna", the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Since then, April 26 has been considered the unit's annual holiday. During the Vienna offensive, the division fought its way through over 300 kilometers. On some days, its advance reached 25-30 kilometers per day.
From 5 to 11 May 1945, the division, as part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, took part in the Prague offensive. On May 5, the division was raised on alert and marched to the Austro-Czechoslovak border. Having come into contact with the enemy, on May 8 it crossed the Czechoslovak border and immediately captured the city of Znojmo. On 9 May the division continued combat operations to pursue the enemy and successfully developed an offensive on Retz, Pisek. The division marched, pursuing the enemy, and in 3 days covered 80-90 km with fighting. At 12:00 on 11 May 1945, the advance detachment of the division reached the Vltava River and met with troops of the American 5th Army near the village of Olešnia. Here, the division's combat path in the Great Patriotic War ended.

### Cold War (1945–1979)

After the end of hostilities, the division returned from Czechoslovakia to Hungary under its own power. From May 1945 to January 1946, the division was camped in the forests south of Budapest. Based on the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 1154474ss of 3.06.1946 and the directive of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR No. org/2/247225 of 7.06.1946, by 15 June 1946, the 106th Guards Rifle Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov Division was reformed into the 106th Guards Airborne Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov Division.
Since July 1946, the division was stationed in Tula. The division was part of the 38th Guards Airborne Vienna Corps (corps headquarters - Tula). On December 3, 1947, the division was awarded the battle banner. Based on the directives of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of September 3, 1948 and January 21, 1949, the 106th Guards Airborne Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov Division as part of the 38th Guards Airborne Vienna Corps became part of the Airborne Army.
In April 1953, the Airborne Army was disbanded. Based on the directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces dated January 21, 1955, by April 25, 1955, the 106th Guards Airborne Division left the 38th Guards Airborne Vienna Corps, which was disbanded, and switched to a new structure of three regiments with a cadre battalion (incomplete) in each parachute regiment.
From the disbanded 11th Guards Airborne Division, the 137th Guards Parachute Regiment was accepted into the 106th Guards Airborne Division. The deployment point is the city of Ryazan. The personnel of the 351st Guards Airborne Regiment participated in military parades on Red Square in Moscow, took part in large-scale exercises of the Ministry of Defense and in 1955 parachuted near city of Kutaisi ​​(Transcaucasian Military District).
In 1956, the 38th Guards Airborne Vienna Corps was disbanded and the division became directly subordinate to the Airborne Forces Commander. In 1957, the regiment conducted demonstration exercises with parachuting for military delegations from Yugoslavia and India.
Based on the directives of the USSR Minister of Defense from March 18, 1960 and the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces from June 7, 1960 to November 1, 1960:
* the 351st Guards Airborne Regiment (city of Yefremov, Tula Region) was accepted into the 105th Guards Airborne Vienna Red Banner Division from the 106th Guards Airborne Division;
* The 105th Guards Airborne Division (excluding the 331st Guards Parachute Regiment) was redeployed to the Turkestan Military District in the city of Fergana in the Uzbek SSR;
* The 351st Guards Airborne Regiment was stationed in the city of Chirchik of the Tashkent Region.
In 1966, after the Tashkent Earthquake, the personnel of the 351st Regiment provided assistance to residents of the city affected by the disaster, and helped local authorities maintain order.
In 1973, the 351st Regiment received a new battle flag. Until that time, it had been the battle flag of the 7th Airborne Brigade from the Great Patriotic War, with traces of shell fragments.
In 1974, the 351st Regiment was parachuted into one of the regions of Central Asia and participated in large-scale exercises of TurkVO. Being the vanguard of the Airborne Forces of the Central Asian region of the country, the regiment participated in parades in the capital of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
In 1977, the 351st Regiment received BMD-1 and BTR-D. The personnel of the regiment at that time was 1,674 people.
Based on the directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces dated August 3, 1979, the 105th Guards Airborne Division was disbanded by December 1, 1979.
The division was left in Fergana with the 345th Separate Guards Airborne Regiment of the Order of Suvorov of a significantly larger composition (a howitzer artillery division was added to it) than usual and the 115th Separate Military Transport Aviation Squadron.
By November 30, 1979, on the basis of the 351st Guards Parachute Regiment of the 105th Guards Airborne Division new 56th Guards Airborne Brigade, with main base in the village of Azadbash, Chirchik district, Tashkent Oblast, Uzbek SSR, was formed.

### Afghanistan (1979–1989)

The 56th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade was formed on 1 October 1979 in Chirchiq from the disbanded 105th Guards Airborne Division's 351st Guards Airborne Regiment. The new brigade inherited battle honors from that unit. On 13 December, the brigade was transferred to Termez in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. On 27 December, the brigade's 4th Airborne Battalion crossed the Afghan border and secured Salang Pass. The 3rd Air Assault battalion was airlifted by helicopter into Afghanistan and captured Rabat-Mirza-Kushka Pass on the next day. Between 13 and 14 January 1980, the brigade crossed the border and concentrated at Kunduz.
At the same time, the 3rd Air Assault Battalion moved to Kandahar. In February, the 4th Airborne Battalion was transferred to Charikar but was moved back to Kunduz in the same year. The 2nd Air Assault Battalion was attached to the 70th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade in March. In December 1981, the brigade was moved to Gardez. The brigade was reequipped with the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle in 1985. On 5 April 1985, it was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1st class. It fought in Operation Magistral from December 1987 to January 1988. In June 1988, the brigade crossed the border back into Turkmenistan during the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. After its return from Afghanistan, the brigade was based in Ýolöten. The brigade became the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade in 1989.

### After collapse of the Soviet Union (1991–2000)

In January and February 1990, the brigade was deployed to Baku to patrol the border as a result of the Baku pogrom. On 1 June, the brigade was transferred to the Soviet airborne and renamed the 40th Separate Airborne Brigade. The newly renamed brigade was transferred to Fergana a week later to conduct security operations. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the brigade was moved to the North Caucasus in Karachay-Cherkessia. The brigade was given the designation Don Cossack on 22 April 1994. Between December 1994 and October 1996, the brigade fought in the First Chechen War. In 1997, it was renamed the 56th Guards Airborne Regiment. In August 1999, a battalion sized task force of the regiment was deployed to fight in the Second Chechen War. After being withdrawn from Chechnya in November 2004, the regiment once again became the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade on 1 May 2009 and in July 2010 was designated as the 56th Guards Airborne Brigade (Light). In 2013, it became part of the Russian Airborne Troops.
In January 2016, VDV commander General Colonel Vladimir Shamanov announced that a new range near Kamyshin would be built in the spring of that year due to the higher intensity of combat training.
In 2021 it was indicated that the brigade would be redeployed to Crimea and reformed as a regiment. In mid-2021 it relocated from Kamyshin in Volgograd Oblast, Russia to Feodosia in Crimea. These circumstances explain a lot of the poor facilities, chaos, and undermanning described in Pavel Filatyev's memoir text. In November, 2021 it was confirmed that the new regiment would become a component of the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division effective as of December 2021.
According to Pavel Filatyev's memoir, the reformed regiment attacked from Crimea to Kherson as part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and took part in combat in southern Ukraine. In September 2023 the regiment was deployed at the Southern theatre around the village of Verbove.

## Component units 2021

* 1st Air assault battalion
* 2nd Air assault battalion
* 3rd Air assault battalion
* Tank battalion
* Reconnaissance battalion
* Artillery battalion
* Anti-aircraft battery
* Anti-tank battery
* Rifle (sniper) company
* Electronic warfare company
* Signals company
* Engineer company
* Landing support company
* Medical company
* Maintenance company
* Material support company
* RCB company
* Brigade command company

## Commanders

* Alexander Petrovich Plokhikh (1980–1981)
* Mikhail Karpushkin (1981–1982)
* Viktor Arsentevich Sukhin (1982–1983)
* Viktor Matveevich Chizhikov (1983–1985)
* Vitaly Raevsky (1985–1987)
* Valery Evnevich (1987–1990)
* Alexander Sotnik (1990–1995)
* Sergei Mishanin (1995–1996)
* Rustam Aliev Stepanenko (1996–1997)
* Pavel Kirsi (2002–2007)
* Igor Timofeyev (2007–2012)
* Alexander Vitalievich Lebedev (2012–2014)
* Alexander Valitov (August 2014–March 2018)
* Colonel Yevgeny Nikolayevich Tonkikh (March 2018–March 2020)
* Colonel Andrey Vladimirovich Kondrashkin (March 2020–2022)