The new units will significantly increase the combat capabilities of the "black berets", experts believe
As part of the newly created divisions of the Marine Corps of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, special divisions of river assault boats will appear. Now this issue is being worked out in the military department, sources told Izvestia in the Russian Defense Ministry. But as an experiment, the first such division has already been formed. The task of the new units will be the fight against enemy boats, amphibious landings, fire suppression of the enemy on the banks of rivers, lakes and in coastal marine areas. Having received funds for actions on rivers, the marine corps will become more autonomous during its combat operations — this will significantly increase its combat capabilities, experts believe.
River divisions
The issue of creating special divisions of river assault boats as part of marine divisions is being worked out in the Russian Defense Ministry, sources in the military department told Izvestia. One division has already been formed as an experiment and has begun to perform combat missions in the zone of its own. The new units are designed to conduct combat operations on rivers, lakes, large reservoirs and in coastal marine areas. They are created taking into account the experience of their own in Ukraine.
According to the interlocutors of the publication, the final decision will be made based on the results of the combat work of the already formed river division.
The exact organizational and staff structure of the divisions and the types of boats that will enter their service are not disclosed. But it is expected that the new formations will include assault boats, fire support boats, floating transporters, as well as special assault units for action on land.
A serviceman of the Russian Navy during firing practice
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Grigory Sysoev
Previously, marine brigades had companies of amphibious landing vehicles, recalled military expert Dmitry Boltenkov.
— Basically, these formations were intended to ensure the landing of troops, rescue teams and assault groups, — he told Izvestia. — They were armed with floating PTS transporters, Zodiac high-speed assault boats and other equipment. Now such divisions have decided to increase and scale. If there is such a company in the brigade, then there is a division in the division. Such forces will be in demand.
The expert recalled that now a significant part of the line of contact passes along the Dnieper.
— The Ukrainian forces are trying to carry out various raids, landings of saboteurs and landings on our coast, — Dmitry Boltenkov said. — We are stopping these actions for now. But we will definitely step up and conduct large-scale raid and amphibious operations ourselves. The Dnieper is a wide and big river, and you can't take it with a rush. It is necessary to prepare for this in advance.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Victor Tolochko
Image source: iz.ru
Russia, as a great sea and river power, has a lot of experience in using such forces, military historian Miroslav Morozov told Izvestia.
— During the Great Patriotic War, our river flotillas used different types of boats, — he recalled. — Armored boats were distributed that could provide fire support. In fact, they were river tanks: depending on the project, they were armed with one or two T-34 tank turrets, machine guns, and rocket launchers. They not only provided fire support, but also transported troops, made tactical or operational landings. There were boats with special weapons — for example, armed with mortars or Katyusha launchers. There were minesweeper boats that destroyed mines on the Volga in 1942-43. The enemy mined the river to interrupt military and economic transportation.
After the Great Patriotic War, there were many conflicts in the world, during which armed boats were widely used on the rivers.
— The United States in Vietnam widely used such forces for patrolling in the Mekong Delta and other rivers, — he recalled. — The experience of using such forces is more than enough.
Now the process of miniaturization is underway, and the choice of boats for new connections is obvious. A small ship is easier to disguise and hide from the enemy, the expert noted.
Crew members aboard a United States Navy patrol boat, Vietnam
Image Source: Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org/National Archives
— In the new units, it is possible to use the widest range of boats, — said Miroslav Morozov. — Having received funds for crossing large rivers, the marines will become more free in conducting their combat operations, will not depend on the engineering equipment of the ground forces. The new units will increase the capabilities of the Russian Marine Corps.
Combat prospects of new units
Now intense fighting is going on in the SVO zone along the Dnieper. There, our troops are also opposing the Ukrainian Marine Corps, which is trying to seize bridgeheads on the right bank and on islands in the delta of the river.
The last time, as Izvestia wrote, the Ukrainian command tried to concentrate troops to force the Dnieper on the night of October 29. The main direction of the strike, presumably, was planned in the area of Kakhovka.
On the night of October 29, a combined strike by VKS aircraft and tactical missiles was carried out on the concentration sites of the VFU. After that, the preparations for the landing were stopped.
Russian troops destroyed the boat of the sabotage group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the Dnieper
Image source: Photo: Social networks
Expeditionary forces
In recent years, the Marine Corps units have been noticeably strengthened, and their functionality has been expanded. The formations received reconnaissance and tank battalions.
In the future, the "black berets" will become expeditionary forces capable of acting in the interests of Russia abroad. In particular, to participate in local conflicts, conduct humanitarian operations, evacuate Russian citizens, etc.
The decision to reformat the Marine Corps was made based on the results of an analysis of the combat operations of these units in Syria. There, the "black berets" took the Tartus naval base under protection, and also repeatedly participated in combat missions.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Zurab Javakhadze
Image source: iz.ru
The American equivalent
In the USA there are connections for action on rivers — river divisions of the Navy. These units are designed to conduct security operations in river and coastal marine areas.
They report to the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), which is responsible for supporting operations abroad.
In particular, the American "rivermen" who operated in Iraq became "famous" all over the world in 2016. Then the Iranian Navy seized two American riverboats after they entered Iranian territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. Photos of detained US Navy sailors kneeling have been published in the world's largest media.
"Rivermen" of the US Navy detained in the Persian Gulf
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Zuma
The United States began to provide technical assistance to Ukrainian units long before the start of the SVO. In particular, in 2021 they handed over 10 Willard speedboats and more than 70 Zodiac inflatable boats. At the same time, two Island-type boats arrived from America. During the SVO, the supply of boats and high-speed amphibious boats increased.
Alexey Ramm
Bogdan Stepovoy
