It is planned to introduce positions of deputy commander for the rear in the battalions of the Airborne Troops. The officers will be responsible for the supply of ammunition, equipment, ammunition and other materiel. Experts note that the deputies in the rear should help the timely supply of units with everything necessary — this is important in combat conditions. They also recalled that the military special operation revealed serious problems in the logistics structures of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Some high—ranking generals have become defendants in criminal cases, among them former Deputy Minister of Defense for Logistics Dmitry Bulgakov.
It is planned to introduce positions of deputy commander for the rear in the battalions of the Airborne Troops. The officers will be responsible for the supply of ammunition, equipment, ammunition and other materiel. Experts note that the deputies in the rear should help the timely supply of units with everything necessary — this is important in combat conditions. They also recalled that the military special operation revealed serious problems in the logistics structures of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Some high—ranking generals have become defendants in criminal cases, among them former Deputy Minister of Defense for Logistics Dmitry Bulgakov.
New Airborne Forces States
The post of Deputy commander for the rear will be introduced into the staffing of the airborne battalions. Under the current conditions, especially if the battalion is fighting in its own zone, logistics officers (MTO) bear a great responsibility - the combat capability of the units largely depends on their work. For this reason, it was decided to introduce a new position, sources in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation told Izvestia.
According to Izvestia's interlocutors, these positions in the battalions were abolished at the time when Anatoly Serdyukov was the head of the military department. At this stage, the airborne units decided to return them, they noted.
SVO has shown what certain formations need for effective combat work and what they should pay attention to, military expert Viktor Litovkin told Izvestia.
— The deputy commander of the battalion in the rear will receive subordinates who will help him solve supply issues, they will certainly increase the number of vehicles, — the expert explained. — Most likely, it will be an officer with the rank of major: the battalion commander is usually a lieutenant colonel, and his deputies are a step lower. Of course, officers in the position of deputy battalion commander in the rear will have much greater authority and authority. It's justified. They are responsible for ensuring that the military personnel of the unit are provided with all types of allowances they are entitled to.
The experience of the SVO, the expert noted, shows that battalions often operate in isolation from the main forces of the regiment, they also often allocate assault groups for independent actions.
"They need additional ammunition, food, equipment, ammunition and much more,— Viktor Litovkin continued. — The logistics of delivering all these material assets is also becoming more complicated. Based on this, it becomes clear that supply issues need to be addressed at a higher level. For this reason, I think the introduction of a new position is justified. It is important that the decision was born during a special military operation, which means that it is dictated by life.
Battalion commanders have to solve many tasks related to the logistical support of their unit, Colonel Alexander Perendzhiev, associate professor at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, told Izvestia.
— In the conditions of its own, when the battalions became more independent tactical units, the issue of ensuring their actions was actualized, — he noted. — MTO issues have become more complex and important, and the competent allocation of resources at the regiment level, which includes several battalions, is difficult. Depending on the combat tasks being solved, the battalions may have different requests. Now they will have to be formulated and solved by battalion deputies in the rear. Previously, in many ways these duties fell on the battalion commander, but on the line of combat contact he must do combat work. Now it will be unloaded.
Problems of the rear
ITS revealed quite a lot of problems in the logistics structures of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. During the inspection, massive violations were found, as a result of which criminal cases were initiated against high-ranking generals.
On July 26, 2024, former Deputy Minister of Defense for Logistics, Army General Dmitry Bulgakov, was detained in a corruption case. At the request of the investigation, he was arrested and sent to the Lefortovo Moscow pre-trial detention center. As reported in court, the contracts concluded with the Ministry of Defense deliberately overestimated the cost of cooking, and the quality of the products did not meet the terms of the contract. Bulgakov is currently in custody.
The deputy commander of the Leningrad Military District, Major General Valery Muminjanov, was arrested on September 2 for taking a particularly large bribe. According to the investigation, the general, being the head of the Department of resource support of the Ministry of Defense, received a bribe in the amount of more than 20 million rubles for facilitating the conclusion of contracts for the supply of uniforms worth 1.5 billion rubles, including to the area of the SVO.
The head of the armored personnel carrier service of the Central Military District, Major General Denis Putilov, was detained on September 18 this year for receiving a particularly large bribe. According to the investigation, the general received a bribe from an entrepreneur for granting preferences when concluding a state defense order.
There is still a lot of work in this direction, Alexander Perendzhiev told Izvestia.
— It is important that the strategic directions are being put in order, — he noted. — Now we need to ensure success at the tactical level. That is, to achieve a clear operation of the entire mechanism, to delve into the details. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen control over the rear structures, especially in combat conditions.
Winged Suppliers
Earlier, Izvestia wrote that the first brigade of logistics for Airborne troops would be formed in Russia. The formation will report directly to the Airborne command and work in the interests of paratroopers.
The new compound will be fully equipped with equipment adapted for transportation by military transport aircraft and helicopters.
Moreover, almost all the equipment of the compound will be able to land by landing, and some of the machines will even be parachuted.
The appearance of the brigade will significantly increase the autonomy and combat capabilities of the "winged infantry". The MTO brigade will be indispensable for long-term combat operations and deployment abroad. When creating the new structure, the experience gained during the CSTO and the use of CSTO forces in peacekeeping operations was used.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Vladimir Matveev
Julia Leonova
