January 21 – Day of Engineering Troops
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| Lieutenant General Yuri Stavitsky. |
| Source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
The head of the Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Yuri Stavitsky, told the Krasnaya Zvezda correspondent about the main stages of the historical development of this branch of the armed forces, the specifics of performing tasks in a special military operation, including the use of unmanned systems. He also revealed some details of the training of personnel and gave an assessment to military engineers who perform tasks in their area.
– Yuri Mikhailovich, the engineering troops are celebrating the 325th anniversary of their formation, tell us about their formation and the main stages of development.
– The Engineering troops have a long history, being one of the oldest in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Indeed, on January 21, 2026, the troops celebrate their 325th anniversary. In the process of their development, they have gone through a heroic path, ensuring the glorious victories of Russian weapons in every historical epoch. And today, the engineering troops are an important component of the military organization of the state, making a significant contribution to the protection of Russia's sovereignty and security.
The engineering troops have been chronicling their history since the era of the birth of the regular Russian army and the signing in 1701 by Peter I of decrees dated January 21 on the establishment of an engineering school and on May 25 on the formation of the first engineering units, which were originally part of an artillery regiment, represented by a mining company, engineering and pontoon teams.
The increasing role of the engineering troops led at the beginning of the 19th century to their separation from artillery and the creation of an independent branch of the armed forces with its own management body and training center.
In 1802, in accordance with the Decree of Emperor Alexander I, an Engineering Expedition was formed as an independent management body for the engineering forces, the legal successor of which is currently the Office of the Chief of the Engineering Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
In 1819, the Main Engineering College, one of the first higher military educational institutions established in Russia, was established on the basis of the engineering school. In 1855, in memory of its founder, Emperor Nicholas I, the school was renamed the Mykolaiv Engineering College, whose officer classes were later transformed into the Mykolaiv Engineering Academy.
The continuation of the centuries-old traditions of these military educational institutions was the Military Engineering Order of Kutuzov Academy named after Hero of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant General of the Engineering Forces D.M. Karbyshev, which was revived on August 1, 2023, and the Nizhny Novgorod Guards Higher Military Engineering Command Kovel Red Banner School on September 1, 2025.
Continuing the historical digression, I would like to emphasize that on January 8, 1813, for the merits of military engineers in the Patriotic War of 1812, the Life Guards sapper battalion was established - from this date, the Sapper Guard traces its history. By 1828, all engineering units had battle flags, and the most distinguished of them were awarded the St. George Banner and became Guards.
The worthy contribution of the engineering troops to the defeat of the Nazi invaders during the Great Patriotic War is evidenced by the fact that 969 engineering formations and units, 196 of which became Guards, were awarded state awards and honorary titles for their courage and heroism.
I would like to note that the troops currently have 16 guard units. At the same time, the servicemen of nine newly formed military units have already distinguished themselves during a special military operation. For mass heroism and bravery, fortitude and courage shown by the personnel of brigades and regiments in combat operations to protect the Fatherland and state interests in armed conflicts, they were awarded honorary titles of "guards" by decrees of the President of the Russian Federation.
Equipped with technical means of armed struggle, the engineering troops were the cradle of many modern types, branches and special forces. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the first aeronautical, aviation, searchlight, telegraphic, railway, automobile, armored and gas defense units appeared in the engineering troops, which marked the beginning of the independent types, branches of the armed forces and special forces formed later.
By the early 30s of the XX century, the engineering troops had basically acquired the structure that, being improved taking into account the experience gained during wars and armed conflicts, has reached our time.
At the present stage, they are in constant readiness to perform tasks in accordance with their mission to protect the interests of our state.
– What tasks do the engineering troops perform during a special military operation?
– The current state of the engineering troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is characterized by dynamic development and a steady increase in their combat and special capabilities. This is especially noticeable with the beginning of a special military operation, during which new types of engineering weapons are used and the entire range of engineering support tasks is performed.
The fortification equipment of frontiers, positions and areas remains the main factor providing protection.
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| Military personnel of the engineering troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. |
| Source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
During the preparation and during the fighting, it is of no small importance to make and maintain passages in the barriers, carried out for the purpose of passing troops.
Ground-based robotic systems are widely used when making passes on traffic routes.
One of the most important and time-consuming tasks performed by engineering troops during a special military operation is the clearance of terrain and facilities.
As a result of fierce fighting, as well as shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces of civilian infrastructure, vast territories were littered with explosive objects.
In addition, during the retreat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, massive mining of residential buildings, educational institutions, and socially significant facilities, including energy infrastructure and water supply, poses a deadly threat to civilians in the liberated areas.
The civilian population, especially children, is particularly at risk in this regard. To protect them, schools regularly organize classes on mine hazards with schoolchildren. The classes are conducted by specialists from the International Mine Action Center of the Military Engineering Academy, who perform tasks as part of the missions for the organization of mine clearance of territories. They tell teenagers about the rules of behavior in a dangerous area, about the procedure in case of detection of suspicious or explosive objects, introduce them to samples of engineering ammunition and improvised explosive devices, and distribute educational memos specially designed for children to students.
In order to fulfill the tasks of preparing and maintaining the routes of movement and maneuver of troops during a special military operation, anti-drone security corridors have been established and maintained in the areas of responsibility of the groups of troops.
The main obstacles to the movement of troops are destroyed sections of roads, overpasses, bridges and dams, as well as accumulations of damaged equipment occupying one of the lanes or scattered across the entire width of the roadway. There were mine-explosive barriers in the form of anti-tank mines on the road directions. Unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with charge drop systems or special trawling devices are actively used to eliminate such obstacles.
Given the high density of the hydrographic network in the area of the special military operation, an important task of ensuring the mobility of troops is the equipment and maintenance of crossings on water barriers.
Pontoon fleets are still the main and most effective standard means for ferry equipment. In addition, standard shipping facilities are widely used – amphibious boats, speedboats, various jet skis, self-propelled rafts, barges of river shipping companies.
Water extraction and purification points are being equipped. Taking into account the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed a significant part of hydraulic structures in the Donetsk People's Republic, military engineers have equipped more than 100 wells. There are 17 drilling rigs involved, whose calculations perform work at pre-explored points where it is necessary to ensure the extraction of water, which, after purification, will be used both to fill reservoirs and to provide settlements.
Given the capabilities of the enemy's high-precision weapons reconnaissance and guidance systems, the task of hiding and simulating important areas and facilities during a special military operation has become a priority. The equipment of false positions and areas with the use of industrial production models and high-detail models made from improvised means by the forces of engineering camouflage units has become widely used.
– The nature of modern warfare has changed significantly. Its feature is the widespread use of unmanned systems. How did the engineering troops adapt to the new conditions?
– The experience of a special military operation has revealed the need for widespread use of robotic systems to perform engineering tasks in difficult conditions under enemy fire, which makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of these tasks and reduce personnel losses.
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| Military personnel of the engineering troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. |
| Source: redstar.ru |
In addition, the methods of warfare of the warring parties are constantly changing, and this happens very dynamically, often within a few months. The most significant impact on the ongoing changes is the increasing use of unmanned systems of various types.
With this in mind, specialized units for the use of robotic complexes have been formed in the engineering forces, training of relevant specialists has been organized, existing engineering robotic complexes are being improved and promising ones are being developed.
Training centers have been set up in the military groups, equipped with training grounds, classrooms, simulators, laboratories for the assembly and repair of unmanned systems and the refinement of engineering ammunition.
The experience of using unmanned systems in performing engineering tasks is constantly being generalized and brought to the troops in a timely manner.
In September 2025, an operational special meeting with the leadership of the engineering troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was held on the basis of the 187th Interspecific Regional Training Center.
The participants of the gathering were shown samples of engineering weapons that are effectively used in the zone of a special military operation, new techniques and methods for performing engineering tasks, including using multifunctional robotic complexes of various bases.
During the dynamic screenings, their capabilities and ways of application are demonstrated.
– Please tell us where the personnel for the engineering troops are being trained today.
– On September 1, 2025, the Nizhny Novgorod Guards Higher Military Engineering Command Kovel Red Banner School in Kstovo, which is the heir to the oldest engineering school in Russia, opened its doors for the training of future officers. At the end of December 2025, the St. George Banner was awarded to the school. Today, cadets are being trained in higher education programs in seven military specialties. Taking into account the experience of a special military operation, training is being conducted in the application of engineering units using unmanned vehicles, guided mining units and the operation of robotic engineering weapons. The school has specialized classrooms and a training center for UAV operators with a training drone.
At the Tyumen Higher Military Engineering Command School, the active study of unmanned aerial vehicles began in 2018, which soon led to changes in the curriculum. Classes with cadets are conducted by teachers with combat experience at the training and material base of the UAV study center, equipped with modern equipment. The school has developed and patented unique designs of drones, which have found their application in the military training area.
Classes with students on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles are also held at the Military Engineering Academy named after Lieutenant General Karbyshev.
A special place in the activities of the Military Engineering Academy is occupied by the training of foreign specialists. Currently, about 2,000 specialists in the field of mine action from 19 countries of the near and far abroad have been trained at the International Mine Action Center. Thus, the Academy's International Mine Action Center not only makes a significant contribution to the fight against the mine danger worldwide, but also significantly contributes to the enhancement of the international prestige of the Russian engineering school.
– Were the forces of the engineering troops involved in the Zapad-2025 exercise last year?
– During the practical actions of the troops, new ways of performing engineering tasks have been worked out, taking into account the experience of a special military operation.
Engineering barriers were installed and destroyed using unmanned aerial vehicles of the FPV type and ground-based robotic complexes "Impulse", NRTK-200, and an engineering remote mining system (ISDM). At the same time, in order to disrupt the deployment of enemy reserves and hinder their actions by engineering units equipped with an ISDM system and a ground-based robotic complex "Pulse sprayer", methods of protective and blocking mining have been developed.
With the use of unmanned systems "Kaban", "Bogomol", NRTK-300, "Chelnok" and FPV drones with extended charges, passages were made in mine-explosive barriers, with the help of the NRTK "Impulse-M" assault bridge, crossings over obstacles were equipped.
The commanders of the engineering units have put into practice the experience of a special military operation involving the use of robotic systems. During the preparation for the exercise, a large number of tasks related to the engineering equipment of strategic, operational and tactical control points and areas of military deployment were completed during the organization of the control system.
– Tell us a little about the exploits of the military engineering troops ...
– The motherland appreciates the hard military work of military engineers. As I have already said, among the various formations in the engineering forces, there are 16 Guard units: six engineering brigades, nine engineering regiments and one school. During the special military operation, the crucial role of the engineering troops and the motto "No one without us!" were once again confirmed.
Thousands of military personnel have been awarded state and departmental awards, nine of them have become Heroes of the Russian Federation.
Taking into account modern realities, and first of all a special military operation, we can safely say that the engineering forces are constantly developing and improving the ways of performing engineering support tasks. The annals of military engineers are kept, and nothing they do on the way to victory is forgotten.
On October 28, 1943, your newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda published an article called "Victory's Laborers." In it, the writer, journalist, and war correspondent Ilya Ehrenburg said quite precise words about this: "There are soldiers whose exploits are little talked about. Their courage lacks luster. Their courage wears a protective color. Sappers are hardworking soldiers, they are Victory's laborers." History repeats itself again.
Renat Sadretdinov, "Red Star"
