Vladimir Putin recreated the Leningrad and Moscow military
The re-establishment of the Leningrad and Moscow military districts was one of the responses to Finland's accession to NATO and Sweden's aspiration to join the alliance, experts interviewed by Izvestia said. The corresponding decree was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 26. LenVO will be responsible for reflecting the threats coming from the Baltic States, the Scandinavian countries and Finland. And the Moscow VO will be engaged in European and Ukrainian directions. By the same decree, the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions were included in the military administrative system of Russia - they became part of the Southern Military District. Ultimately, this should improve the management of troops, experts say.
Two instead of one
On February 26, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the re-establishment of the Leningrad (LenVO) and Moscow (MVO) military districts. By the same document, the President included the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions into the Southern Military District. The document comes into force on March 1, 2024.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexander Kazakov
Izvestia's help
The presidential decree defines the borders of the Leningrad and Moscow military districts.
LenVO is defined within the administrative boundaries of the Republic of Karelia, the Komi Republic, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Kaliningrad, Leningrad, Murmansk, Novgorod and Pskov regions, St. Petersburg, as well as the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
The MVO includes the territories of Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kostroma, Kursk, Lipetsk, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Oryol, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tula and Yaroslavl regions and Moscow.
The decision to recreate the Moscow and Leningrad military districts was made in 2022, when Finland and Sweden declared their desire to join NATO — this was explicitly stated by the head of the Defense Ministry, Sergei Shoigu.
— Since 2022, the geopolitical situation in the world has changed significantly, — military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. — Finland has been added to the NATO countries, and Sweden is going there in full swing. If Finland used to be conditionally neutral, now it is becoming a conditionally hostile country to us. And it is necessary to create a separate command in the north-western strategic direction. It will develop combat plans, and if necessary, conduct them throughout this territory from Kaliningrad to Murmansk.
The expert noted that this decision was expected.
— We have a small section of the border with Norway in the north. Previously, the Northern Fleet looked after him, but now all this is the area of responsibility of the Leningrad Military District. And the Moscow Military District will look at the European direction, including Belarus and Ukraine," he explained.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexander Polegenko
Image source: iz.ru
The formation of new districts is the dictate of time, taking into account a special military operation, military expert Gennady Alekhine told Izvestia.
"Experience has shown that we need to have separate Leningrad and Moscow military districts," he explained. — As for the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, it is quite logical that now they will be part of the Southern Military District. This is important considering the solution of military-administrative tasks. They cover a whole range of issues — combat training, logistics, logistics, mobilization of resources. Ultimately, this will improve the management of troops.
Return to 2010
The Leningrad and Moscow military districts were abolished in 2010. Then the Western Military District was created on their base. It included three armies — the 6th combined arms in the north, the 1st Guards Tank in the center and the 20th combined arms in the south. It also included the Northern and Baltic Fleets and the 1st Air Force and Air Defense Command.
In 2014, the Northern Fleet was allocated to a separate operational and strategic command, equal in status to the military district. And at the end of last year, all other fleets were removed from the jurisdiction of the district commanders and reassigned to the commander-in-chief of the Navy.
Russian Navy
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexander Polegenko
By a presidential decree dated February 26, the Northern Fleet is deprived of the status of an interspecific strategic association. Previously, his powers extended to the territory of Komi, Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions, Nenets Autonomous District. Now all these regions are included in the LenVO. Only naval forces, coastal units of the Navy and naval aviation remain behind the naval command.
To the new headquarters
On February 23, Sergei Shoigu and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin inspected the progress of major repairs to the headquarters of the Moscow Military District on the Kosmodamianskaya Embankment in the capital. In the combat control room of the headquarters of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Sergei Sobyanin handed over to the Minister of Defense the act of acceptance of the object after carrying out a complex of repair and restoration works. As noted in the military department, the deployment of units of the MVO headquarters in the reconstructed building is scheduled for March this year.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin (left to right) during an inspection of the headquarters of the Moscow Military District
Image source: Photo: TASS/Vadim Savitsky
"Currently, the governing bodies of the Moscow Military District are being formed and funds are being prepared to accommodate the headquarters of the joint strategic command of the Moscow Military District in a historic building on the Kosmodamianskaya Embankment," the Defense Ministry said.
Earlier, Izvestia reported that new motorized rifle divisions would appear as part of the newly formed Leningrad Military District. The creation of a tank division is also being considered, but no decision has yet been made on this matter. These new connections will be covered by the northwestern regions of Russia.
Roman Kretsul