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2023-05-25 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Another account has emerged of the fate of the Russian 1439th Regiment, which was reported to have been virtually wiped out in March

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Posted by Enver Slager8035 2023-05-25 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ] Top

#1 A few quibbles:

1) Russians don't typically assign regimental units as part of of a brigade. Originally, the Slavic Brigade was merely a battalion, presumably filled with recruits in the course of the war. When the war became really hot, I assumed under the orders of Col. Gen. Valery Gerasimov, it was restructured to be a part of the Russian Army., and this filled out with maneuver battalions and with specualist units

Under the old military structures (pre 2009), regiments could be assigned to brigades, but that usually happened with specialist units, tanks and artillery, and the like -- not a maneuver unit such as an rifle regiment. And those specialist units were independent.

2) Maneuver regiments are strictly assigned to divisional units. In rotating units to and from the line of contact, a regiment could move, but not fight separately. That is why the Russians constant refer to their brigades as independent. You'll note that there were not other designations to the 1439th Regiment. It should have had a Motorized Rifle Regiment designation.

3) It should be noted that every maneuver unit in the Russian Army is assigned a five digit identification code separate from their designation. Unless the writer can come up with that code, I seriously doubt a 1439th Regiment ever existed.

Posted by badanov 2023-05-25 00:26|| 2023-05-25 00:26|| Front Page Top

#2 According to Rantburg.com archives, the 1st Slavic Brigade was and still is involved in combat operations near Avdievka.

Posted by badanov 2023-05-25 00:32|| 2023-05-25 00:32|| Front Page Top

#3 "The first casualty of war is truth."
~ Unknown

Posted by Besoeker 2023-05-25 00:38|| 2023-05-25 00:38|| Front Page Top

#4 The 1st Slavic Brigade is a DNR formation. That a Russian formation is attached to it is not a surprise. It is also a crying shame because the Donetsk troops are known to abuse the Russians under their command and view them as patsies to rob and meat for the grinder.

Forbes March 7: ‘Unjustified Losses.’ A Regiment Of Demoralized Russian Draftees Begs Vladimir Putin For Mercy—But Putin Isn’t Listening.

Posted by Enver Slager8035 2023-05-25 01:07|| 2023-05-25 01:07|| Front Page Top

#5 It should be noted that every maneuver unit in the Russian Army is assigned a five digit identification code separate from their designation. Unless the writer can come up with that code, I seriously doubt a 1439th Regiment ever existed.

95380.

Posted by Enver Slager8035 2023-05-25 01:29|| 2023-05-25 01:29|| Front Page Top

#6 Thanks for the insight on that badanov

Posted by DarthVader 2023-05-25 09:15|| 2023-05-25 09:15|| Front Page Top

#7 Worth noting now:

Russia's Army has been condensed, from when there were 200 divisional units and 10 military districts, to where it is now with four military districts and less than 30 divisional units.

You'd think in all that that finding a simple Russian Motorized Rifle Regiment would be easy.

My best guess is that whomever recruited those people simply came up with a unit ID and designation. Those men were what the US Army calls (or called, dunno) fillers, mobilized soldiers who were sent to the front as replacements.

Posted by badanov 2023-05-25 10:42|| 2023-05-25 10:42|| Front Page Top

#8 Each Russian oblast is required by Moscow for mobilizing a quota of men and equipping them with what resources they have (not a lot). They bear no resemblance to their given unit designation nor are they given training beyond firing a clips from old AKs. They were lied to when told they would guard rear areas. It's putting the mob in mobilization.

I found the story interesting because how profoundly these men were abandoned by Moscow and the army command, even after their slaughter and multiple pleadings. Finally, the their governor organized a convoy to send some relief all the way across Russia to the survivors.

Nor was this situation a one off. Units of Russian mobilized soldiers have begun to record complaints about integration with and subjugation to Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) forces in addition to continuing complaints about DNR command. Russia’s 1252nd regiment

Posted by Enver Slager8035 2023-05-25 18:52|| 2023-05-25 18:52|| Front Page Top

#9 I found the story interesting because how profoundly these men were abandoned by Moscow and the army command, even after their slaughter and multiple pleadings. Finally, the their governor organized a convoy to send some relief all the way across Russia to the survivors.

If a breakup occurs, this - both the situation and the initiative of local governors - will be the genesis. This is how private armies emerge.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2023-05-25 19:43|| 2023-05-25 19:43|| Front Page Top

#10 The oligarchs are forming dozens of private military companies. Each wanting to protect or expand their empire when the SHTF.

Posted by Enver Slager8035 2023-05-25 19:51|| 2023-05-25 19:51|| Front Page Top

#11 As for really large numbered units in WW2 "...Merrill’s Marauders (named after Frank Merrill) or Unit Galahad, officially named the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)...". Though one of my favorite names was Popski's Private Army (officially No. 1 Demolition Squadron, PPA).

Posted by magpie 2023-05-25 21:07|| 2023-05-25 21:07|| Front Page Top

23:33 JohnQC
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22:22 Enver Slager8035
21:18 SteveS
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