It will be deployed in the Moscow or Leningrad military district
A new air army will be deployed against NATO, sources told Izvestia in the Russian Defense Ministry. It will be formed in the Western Strategic direction as part of the Moscow or Leningrad Military District. It will consist of several fighter aviation regiments, a bomber regiment, an army aviation brigade, as well as air defense units and radio engineering troops. According to experts, the strengthening of the western borders by Aerospace Forces is especially important against the background of Finland's and Sweden's accession to NATO in the near future.
The New Army
A new army of the Air Force and air defense will be deployed in the western direction, sources told Izvestia in the military department. The decision on which military district this association will be part of has not yet been made. It can be a recreated Moscow Military District or Leningrad Military District. The air army will include regiments of fighters, bombers, as well as air defense units and radio engineering troops. The new air army will organizationally consist of several fighter regiments, a bomber regiment and an army aviation brigade.
Last year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced plans to divide the Western Military District into two — Moscow and Leningrad. They were abolished during the reforms of the beginning of the last decade.
Flight-tactical exercises of the Su-34 multifunctional fighter-bomber with the use of unguided aircraft missiles and C-13 aircraft bombs at the Shagol military airfield
Image source: Photo: TASS/URA.RU/Anna Mayorova
In early June, the head of the Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate (GOMA) of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Yevgeny Burdinsky, confirmed that two military districts would be created this year. He also announced plans to create two armies — combined arms and air. Burdinsky did not specify the direction where they will be formed.
The Azov Naval District, five divisions and 26 brigades will also be re-created. In this regard, Burdinsky called the main task of the military enlistment offices the fulfillment of the task of selecting citizens for military service under a contract, as well as the fulfillment of the norm of conscription of citizens for military service.
Anti-aircraft missile systems S-400 "Triumph" from the air defense unit of the Central Military District during training to repel an air strike of a simulated enemy near the village of Plotnikovo
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Kirill Kukhmar
According to the head of the GOMA of the General Staff, the main efforts will focus on recruiting new formations and maintaining the staffing of the contract troops at the level of 95-97%.
— Currently, fighting is underway in the western direction. In addition, the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO plays a role," Valery Gorbenko, the former commander of the 4th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense, commented on the plans of the Ministry of Defense to Izvestia. — They were neutral, and now there should be our corresponding grouping. There will be NATO bases there, respectively, our Armed Forces, including aviation, should stand opposite. Deploying an army is the right decision. We should have started last year. The only question is where they will take so many planes, and most importantly — trained flight personnel. For a long time it was necessary to open new flight schools and train more personnel.
Attention to the West
Now the Western Military District includes the 6th Red Banner Army of the Air Force and Air Defense. It consists of one mixed aviation division, several helicopter regiments, as well as an army aviation brigade. Also in the composition of this association there are two air defense divisions equipped with anti-aircraft systems S-300 and S-400. The area of responsibility of the 6th Army is one of the longest. It covers the territory of Russia from Karelia to Voronezh.
Multi-purpose fighter Su-35 of the Russian Aerospace Forces, involved in a special military operation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
— Most likely, the basis of the new air army will be the 6th Army, which will be reformed in the future, - said military historian Dmitry Boltenkov. — It can be assumed that after the division of the Western Military District into Leningrad and Moscow, the area of responsibility of the 6th Army will be halved. Therefore, for the first time, the necessary number of personnel, aviation equipment, as well as anti-aircraft missile systems and radar complexes for the formation of a new association is already available. But in the future, the Russian defense industry will have to work hard. At the very least, we are talking about the need to supply Su-34 and Su-35 bombers to the military in the near future to form new aviation regiments. Anti-aircraft systems will also be needed, including the Pantsir, S-400 and S-350. They will be used by new air defense regiments.
It is not the first time recently that the Ministry of Defense has been strengthening the aviation component in the western strategic direction. As reported by Izvestia, this year assault aviation units equipped with the famous "Rooks" — attack aircraft of the Su-25 family should appear here. Until recently, there was not a single assault aviation regiment in the Western Military District. The task of the "Rooks" will be the direct support of Ground Forces on the battlefield. Also, the attack aircraft will interact with helicopters of the army aviation.
Anti-aircraft missile and cannon complex "Pantsir-S1" at a field airfield in the zone of a special military operation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Valentin Kapustin
In addition, the Ministry of Defense will deploy Naval aircraft and helicopters at the Levashovo airfield near St. Petersburg. In addition to combat aircraft, it is planned to deploy passenger and transport aircraft and helicopters belonging to the naval aviation of the Navy. In November 2022, a special engineering battalion was transferred from the Murmansk Region to the Levashovo airfield. Its personnel engaged in the construction of bases, as well as ground infrastructure for aircraft and helicopters of Naval aviation.
Earlier, Izvestia also reported on plans for large-scale deliveries of Su-30SM2 fighters to naval aviation. Priority is given to the Baltic Fleet.
The deployment of additional forces in the western strategic direction takes place against the background of Finland and Sweden joining NATO. Finland became a member of the alliance on April 4, while Sweden remains at the negotiation stage. Earlier, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu instructed to form a new army corps in the Republic of Karelia, which will include three motorized rifle divisions as part of the Ground Forces and two airborne assault divisions.
Roman Kretsul
Alexey Ramm
