Author: David Batashvili, Research Fellow at the Rondeli Foundation

Rondeli Russian Military Digest is a weekly brief that reports key activities by and developments within the armed forces of the Russian Federation. Researchers, civil servants and everyone else interested in what is going on in the military of one of the most dangerous nations on the planet – tune in and enjoy.

You can see all issues of Rondeli Russian Military Digest at this page. For your convenience, we have added the Digest Content Search that helps users find the digest’s issues containing information they need using key words and phrases.

For a comprehensive geographic view of the Russian military structure see our Interactive Map of the Russian Military Forces.

 

Geostrategic Activities

War in Ukraine – Three Ukrainian military service members were killed and one was wounded by the Russian hybrid forces on the Donbas frontline during the week of 16-22 August 2021.

War in Syria – Russian air force conducted strikes in the Syrian rebel-held Idlib region on 19, 20, 21 and 22 August 2021.

The Arctic Game – Udaloy I / Project 1155 Fregat class anti-submarine destroyer Severomorsk, on a long-range expedition in the Arctic region since 10 August 2021, operated in the north-eastern Norwegian Sea around 20 August where it was observing a NATO naval exercise.

On 17 August 2021, the Northern Fleet’s Project 22010 Kruys class special purpose intelligence collection ship Yantar was spotted operating near the western coast of Ireland, in the vicinity of underwater internet cables. On 18 August, Yantar moved in the southwestern direction. Yantar reportedly left its base in Murmansk Oblast for a long-range expedition on 8 August.

Yantar

Britain’s fighters based in Romania intercepted a Russian Su-24 attack aircraft over the Black Sea on 17 August 2021.

 

Structural Changes

New 47th Missile Brigade and 238th Artillery Brigade were established in 2020 in Korenovsk, Krasnodar Krai, under the command of the 8th Army (HQ in Novocherkassk, Rostov Oblast).

 

Rearmament and Modernization

A new Alexandrit / Project 12700 class minesweeper Georgiy Kurbatov joined the Russian navy on 20 August 2021 and was set to join the Black Sea Fleet.