Northern Military District (Russia)
The Northern Military District (), until January 2021 known as the Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command (), is one of the five military districts of the Russian Armed Forces, with its jurisdiction primarily within the northern region of European Russia and the Arctic Ocean. The Northern Military District is the third largest military-administered district by geographic size. It contains four federal subjects of Russia: Arkhangelsk Oblast, Komi Republic, Murmansk Oblast, Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Additionally, the military district contains most of Russia's islands in the Arctic Sea, including those located in federal subjects not within the district . The district's main aim is to concentrate all military responsibility over Russia's territories in the Arctic as well as securing all Russian interests and power projection in the region. The District is headquartered in Severomorsk, and its current military commander is Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev, who has held the position since 3 May 2019. History. The Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command was established on 1 December 2014 when it was split off from the Western Military District, initially as Russia's only joint military command to give greater autonomy to the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet. The military command  transformated into a fully-fledged military district on 1 January 2021, according to a Decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 5 June 2020. The military command will become the Northern Military District once transformation is completed. Since 1 January 2021, Northern fleet has the status of military district. Bases. Airfields and ports on several islands, which were last used by the Soviet Union, will be re-opened: the 'Temp Air Base' on (Kotelny Island) in New Siberian Islands, Rogachevo Air Base on Novaya Zemlya and the Nagurskoye Air Base in the Franz Josef Land archipelago. In addition, a  new naval base on Wrangel Island was to be built, using prefabricated modules. In addition, at least seven airfields on the continental part of the Arctic Circle will be opened or re-opened, with Tiksi in Yakutia expected to house the bulk of the Arctic air force. Other continental airfields include Naryan-Mar Airport, Alykel Airport close to the city of Norilsk and Mys Shmidta and Ugolny Airport, both located in Chukotka. Units. Naval Forces. As of 7 January 2015, the commander of the Northern Fleet reportedly envisaged a series of coordination-improving tasks, including submarine underwater operations, assigned to  cruise vessels. Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov also said that a specialised training centre will be set up for servicemen performing military service in the Arctic Region in 2015. See: Northern Fleet Order of Battle. Ground forces. The Coastal Troops of the Northern Fleet ("Береговые войска Северного флота") are the fleet's ground combat element. They include marines, coastal motor rifle infantry and coastal anti-ship missile and artillery elements. The principal brigades of the Corps consist of 2 Arctic motorized infantry brigades: Coastal Troops of the Northern Fleet ("Береговые войска Северного флота") The two arctic motor  rifle brigades are expected to accomplish coast patrolling missions, protect sites and territories on the coast of the northern seas and the Arctic Ocean, support and escort ships sailing along the Northern Sea Route, and demonstrate the military presence in the Arctic. According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov, an Arctic motorized rifle brigade is, as of October 2014, under formation in the Murmansk Oblast, near the Norwegian border, while the second brigade is scheduled for 2016 to be stationed in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Air and air defence forces. The 45th  Air and Air Defenсe Forces Army is the principal air force formation assigned to the Northern Fleet. As of 2021, fighter units consist of several regiments with a combination of MiG-29, MiG-31, Su-24, Su-25, Su-27, Su-33 and Su-34 fighter and strike aircraft. Additional Anti-submarine, ISTAR and transport aircraft and helicopters are also deployed within the Air Army. The 40th Mixed Aviation Regiment, flying Backfire bombers, is also deployed within the Northern Fleet operational area but remains under the command of Russian Long-Range Aviation Forces. Air defence elements are said to consist of Pantsir-S1 missile and artillery systems , which have been put on duty on the Kotelnyy Island of the New Siberian Islands archipelago in 2014. The deployment of intermediate and long-range air defence systems in this area has also been planned. The command involved was the 1st Air and Air Defence Forces Command, including the 531st, 583rd, and 1258th Air Defence Regiments, the 331st and 332nd Radio-Technical Regiments, with other units stationed in Murmansk, Chukotka and Arkhangelsk Oblasts. Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev said in an interview that by 2017 the Tiksi airport complex will be operational, and it will be  garrisoned with upgraded MiG-31 interceptors. A number of redesignations from 2014 changed the apparent order of battle. Air and Space Defence Brigades were changed back to the familiar nomenclature of Air Defence Divisions, and thus the 1st Air Defence Division (Russia) was reformed. The 1st Air and Air Defence Forces Command returned to the previous title 6th Air and Air Defence Forces Army. In January 2016, Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu announced that the Northern Fleet 45th Air and Air Defence Army ( Северного флота) had been formed in December 2015. The force includes the 1st and 3rd Air Defence Divisions, and  at least 6 other aircraft regiments, including the 100th and 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiments, and the 73rd Anti-Submarine Squadron Long Range of Tupolev Tu-142s. Composition. According to a report from the Institute for the Study of War, in March 2018 the command composed of: 45th Air Force and Air Defense Army. 3rd Air Defence Division. The 3rd Air Defence Division was formed in 2019 and became operational in 2020. It is responsible for the air defence of the arctic. Leadership. From the command's formation in December 2014 to December 2020, it has been accustomed to have the  serving commander of the Russian Northern Fleet as commander of the leadership of the Joint Strategic Command as well. By January 2021, after the transition from military command to district, the leadership was upgraded to the level of the Military District commander.