Moscow. December 6. INTERFAX - A new motorized rifle division in the Kaliningrad region, which, according to the Russian military, was created in response to NATO activity, has received more than 40 upgraded tanks this year, the Baltic Fleet said on Monday.
"At the westernmost border of the Russian Federation, the division's units are constantly replenished with modern weapons, so over the past year more than 40 modern T-72B3M tanks have been received by the tank regiment, about 1 thousand servicemen have received new combat equipment "Ratnik", which also bears the unofficial name "soldier of the future kit," the press service of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Federation said.
The military stated that "this made it possible to increase the capabilities of units when performing tasks for their intended purpose."
In December 2020, the command of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Federation announced that a new motorized rifle division was being formed in the Kaliningrad region in response to the build-up of NATO forces at the Russian borders.
The new motorized rifle division became part of the Baltic Fleet Army Corps.
The fleet's message notes that during the winter and summer training periods in 2021, the new division conducted more than 2 thousand tactical training sessions, including more than 100 exercises of various levels with live firing, including regimental exercises and participation in the joint strategic exercise "West-2021".
Baltflot reported on the improvement of the combat training of the new division.
"Crews and numbers of calculations of T-72B3M tanks, armored personnel carriers BTR-82A and infantry fighting vehicles BMP-2, BPM-3, MLRS "GRAD", as well as artillery systems conducted more than a thousand live firing with a standard projectile, including from RPG-7B and AGS-17 hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers," the report says.
"In 2022, the level of combat training in the winter period is planned to be increased by more than 10%, based on the average ammunition consumption to ensure a high level of combat training of the division's units," Baltflot said.
In 2016, it was officially reported that the 11th Army Corps was formed as part of the Baltic Fleet in the Kaliningrad Region.
In May 2018, it was officially reported that the missile brigade in the Kaliningrad Region had been re-equipped with the Iskander-M operational and tactical complexes from the Tochki-U to the Iskander-M operational and tactical complexes.
In the Kaliningrad region, the Russian military has modern coastal missile systems "Bal" and "Bastion", as well as long-range air defense systems S-400 "Triumph" (Almaz-Antey concern).
In July 2019, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Russian military had completed the construction of a new arsenal near Kaliningrad for storing missiles, torpedoes and artillery ammunition, as well as a new airfield for the Baltic Fleet naval aviation.
On May 18, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Nikolai Evmenov announced that the Russian Baltic Fleet will receive new diesel submarines against the background of NATO's strengthening in the region.