80th Arctic Motor Rifle Brigade
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 80th Separate Arctic Motor Rifle Brigade
| native_name = 80-я отдельная мотострелковая бригада
| image = Sleeve patch of the 80th Motorized Rifle Brigade.svg
| image_size = 150px
| caption = Brigade badge
| dates = 2014–Present
| country = {{RUS}}
| branch = {{navy|Russia}}
| type = Mechanized infantry
| role = Arctic Warfare
| command_structure = 14th Army Corps
| garrison = Alakurtti, Murmansk Oblast
}}
The 80th Separate Arctic Motor Rifle Brigade (80-я отдельная мотострелковая бригада) (Military Unit Number: 34667) is a specialist arctic warfare formation of the Coastal Troops of the Russian Navy formed in 2014.
History
= Formation =
The brigade was formed on 31 December 2014, and its battle flag presented on 17 January 2015 by the commander of the Northern Fleet, Admiral Vladimir Korolev. The brigade was formed to be the second specialized arctic brigade in the Arctic, along with its sister unit the 200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade.{{Cite web|title=Первой в России арктической бригаде Северного флота вручили Боевое знамя соединения|url=https://tass.ru/spb-news/1703940|access-date=2020-10-09|website=ТАСС}}{{Cite web|title=Арктическую бригаду мотострелков Северного флота подняли по учебной тревоге|url=https://tass.ru/spb-news/2642315|access-date=2020-10-09|website=ТАСС}}{{Cite web|date=2017-02-06|title=Олени и ледоколы — Россия начинает "Большую игру" в Арктике?|url=https://cezarium.com/arctic-biggame/|access-date=2020-10-09|website=Цезариум|language=ru}}{{Cite web|date=2016-10-26|title=Войсковая часть 34667 (80-я ОМСБр)|url=https://voinskayachast.net/suhoputnie-voyska/motostrelkovie/vch34667|access-date=2020-10-09|website=Воинские части России|language=ru-RU}}
As of 2020, the brigade falls under the command of the specially formed 14th Army Corps, itself part of the Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command. The brigade's mission is to patrol the border and protect permanent locations along the Russian-Norwegian Border. The brigade is based in the village of Alakurtti in the Murmansk Oblast.{{Cite web|title=Арктическая бригада провела стрельбы в приграничье|url=https://thebarentsobserver.com/ru/bezopasnost/2020/03/arkticheskaya-brigada-provela-strelby-v-prigraniche|access-date=2020-10-09|website=The Independent Barents Observer|language=ru}}
Recruits of the new brigade undergo severe psychological, physical, and arctic training and testing.
= Russian invasion of Ukraine =
It took part in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was sent to the Donbas region at the end of June 2022.{{Cite tweet |user=pmakela1 |number=1544219747662848001 |title=Russian army has sent at least one BTG from the 80th Arctic motorized rifle brigade to Ukraine. Previously the 80th, stationed close to the Finnish border at Alakurtti, has only sent a recce company to Ukraine. 80th was the last untapped unit in the North |first=Petri |last=Mäkelä}}
In July 2023, the Russian Ministry of Defense awarded service members of the brigade for destroying Ukrainian military equipment in Kherson Oblast.{{cite web |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-1-2023 |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 1, 2023 |last=Stepanenko |first=Kateryna |last2=Bailey |first2=Riley |last3=Wolkov |first3=Nicole |last4=Barros |first4=George |last5=Evans |first5=Angelica |last6=Kagan |first6=Frederick |date=1 July 2023 |website=Institute for the Study of War |access-date=2 July 2023 |quote="The Russian MoD also demonstratively awarded servicemen of the 80th Arctic Motorized Rifle Brigade (14th Army Corps, Northern Fleet) - a unit within the Russian 'Dnepr' Group of Forces - for destroying Ukrainian military equipment in Kherson Oblast."}}
It was reported by the newspaper Izvestia on July 4, 2023, that the 200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade and the 80th Arctic Motor Rifle Brigade would merge to form a new motor rifle division, the first component of the 14th Army Corps' elevation into a combined arms army.{{cite web |last1=Hird |first1=Karolina |last2=Mappes |first2=Grace |last3=Wolkov |first3=Nicole |last4=Evans |first4=Angelica |last5=Kagan |first5=Frederick W. |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 4, 2023 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-4-2023 |website=Institute for the Study of War |access-date=6 July 2023}}
In September 2024, Newsweek reported that the 80th Arctic Motor Rifle Brigade suffered 80 percent casualties around the Dnieper–Bug estuary the previous April.{{cite web | last=Brugen | first=Isabel van | title=Russia's Arctic brigade "decimated" in Dnieper estuary clashes: Report | website=Newsweek | date=2024-09-04 | url=https://www.newsweek.com/russia-arctic-brigade-dnieper-river-clashes-1948686 | access-date=2024-11-16}}
Composition
Many recruits tend to want to join these new "specialist units." The arctic brigades are significantly smaller than the Table of Organization and Equipment of other motor rifle brigades. These brigades also have new arctic equipment.{{Cite web|title=Минобороны: арктическая мотострелковая бригада впервые участвует в проверке боеготовности|url=https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/1831454|access-date=2020-10-09|website=ТАСС}}{{Cite web|last=tvzvezda.ru|first=Редакция|date=2015-10-07|title=Арктические стрелки уничтожили "террористов" на Новой Земле|url=https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201510071353-ip48.htm|access-date=2020-10-09|website=Телеканал «Звезда»|language=ru}}{{Cite web|title=Арктическая мотострелковая бригада получит более 100 единиц военной техники|url=https://tass.ru/spb-news/1714036|access-date=2020-10-09|website=ТАСС}}{{Cite web|last=Giles|first=Keir|title=Assessing Russia's Reorganized and Rearmed Military|url=https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2017/05/assessing-russias-reorganized-and-rearmed-military?lang=en|access-date=2020-10-09|website=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace|language=en}}
Two sources in 2017 and 2020 give some of the following units as part of an Arctic motor rifle brigade:{{Cite web|title=Арктическая бригада Северного флота провела стрельбы из ЗРПК "Панцирь-С1" на Котельном|url=https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/2277257|access-date=2020-10-09|website=ТАСС}}{{Cite web|date=2017-05-16|title=80 ОМСБр: Арктическая мотострелковая бригада|url=https://cezarium.com/80-brigade/|access-date=2020-10-09|website=Цезариум|language=ru}}
- Brigade Headquarters
- Commandant's Company (HQ Company)
- Communications Battalion
- Electronic Warfare Company
- Reconnaissance Battalion
- 1st Arctic Motor Rifle Battalion
- 2nd Arctic Motor Rifle Battalion
- Snipers Company
- Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion
- Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion (other Motor Rifle Brigades (MRBs) can have a battalion)
- Engineer Company (other MRBs can have a battalion)
- Logistics Company (see above note)
- Maintenance Battalion
- Medical Company
- CBRN Protection Company
- UAV Company
Equipment
The brigade's transport equipment consists mainly of MT-LBVMK AFVs, articulated tracked vehicles like DT-10, DT-30 and TTM-4902,{{Cite web |last=tvzvezda.ru |first=Редакция |date=2016-02-14 |title=Война на снежном бездорожье: какая армейская техника выполняет задачи в полярных широтах |url=https://tvzvezda.ru/news/201602140833-9gk3.htm |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=Телеканал «Звезда» |language=ru}} snowmobiles A-1 and TTM-1901 "Berkut" with a heated cabin{{Cite web |title=Арктическая мотострелковая бригада получит более 100 единиц военной техники - ТАСС |url=https://tass.ru/spb-news/1714036 |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=TASS}} and all-wheel drive Ural and KAMAZ trucks, adapted to extremely low temperatures.{{Cite web |last=tvzvezda.ru |first=Редакция |date=2015-10-07 |title=Арктические стрелки уничтожили "террористов" на Новой Земле |url=https://tvzvezda.ru/news/201510071353-ip48.htm |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=Телеканал «Звезда» |language=ru}}
The brigade is also armed with 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers.{{Cite web |last=tvzvezda.ru |first=Редакция |date=2015-02-16 |title=Мотострелки Арктики испытывают "Гвоздики" и "Акации" |url=https://tvzvezda.ru/news/201502161014-bmu3.htm |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=Телеканал «Звезда» |language=ru}}
File:Golomyanny Island 06.jpg|MT-LBVMK
File:Openwater2016-39.jpg|2S1 Gvozdika
File:Army2016demo-151.jpg|DT-10
File:Army2016demo-148.jpg|DT-30
File:ArcticBrigadeTacticalTraining-03.jpg|TTM-4902
File:Army2016-404.jpg|TTM-1901 Berkut
File:Army2016-403.jpg|A-1
Footnotes
- DAvid Axe, [https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/10/07/russias-reindeer-brigade-is-fighting-for-its-survival-in-southern-ukraine/?sh=2a2603744206 Russia's Reindeer Brigade is fighting for its survival in Southern Ukraine], Forbes, 7 October 2022
{{Brigades of the Russian Ground Forces}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 2014
Category:Mechanised infantry brigades of Russia
Category:Military units and formations of Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine