North Caucasus Military District

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District Emblem
District Emblem

The North Caucasus Military District is a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. It now comprises the Republic of Adygeya, the Republic of Dagestan, the Republic of Ingushetia, the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, the Republic of Kalmykia, the Karachayevo-Cherkess Republic, the Republic of North Osetia-Alaniya, the Chechen Republic, Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, and Astrakhan, Volgograd, and Rostov oblasts. It has the same borders as the Southern Federal District, and has been commanded by General of the Army Alexander Baranov since July 2004.

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[edit] History

The District was originally established on 4 May 1918, and reorganised as a field formation during the Russian Civil War. The First Cavalry Army was formed in the District in November 1919.[1] The District was reformed in the early 1920s with its headquarters at Rostov. Kliment Voroshilov was made district commander. During the 1920s and 1930s the District became home to many training establishments, which were to multiply greatly during World War II. The 19th Army was formed in the District in May-June 1941 under fomer district commander Ivan Konev and was engaged against the Germans from the beginning of Operation Barbarossa. 50th and 53rd Cavalry Divisions were also formed here, joining the Soviet Western Front.

Later the District became the site of the battles around Rostov in November 1941 where the Germans suffered defeat, and the Battle of Stalingrad, which has been described as the most ferocious battle to date. Following the conclusion of the Battle of the Caucasus, the North Caucasian Front and the headquarters of the 56th Army were disbanded in accordance with a Supreme Command directive of the 20 November 1943. The Separate Coastal Army was formed, for the second time, on their base.

Immediately following the war, to demobilise the force, on 9 July 1945 the territory was split into three military districts: Donskoy, Stavropol'skiy and Kubanskiy. The Donskoy Military District was located in the territory of the Rostov, Stalingrad and Astrakhan provinces, the Stavropol military district consisted of the Stavropol territory, the Groznyy region, Kabardino-Balkarii and North Osetia, and the Kuban military district comprised the territory of Krasnodar. The staff of the Donskoy Military District was located in Rostov-on-Don, and was considered the heir of the traditions of the North Caucasian military district. In 1946 the Donskoy military district was renamed again as the North Caucasian MD. The official Russian military website notes the work of the soldiers of the district in helping repair the ravages of the war.

The important Kapustin Yar test range was created in the District following the war.

The District was awarded the Order of the Red Banner in 1968.

In 1979 Scott and Scott reported the District's HQ address as Rostov-na-Donu 18, Ulitsa Tekucheva, Dom 135.

[edit] Commanders 1945-2006

[edit] Post 1990

The official website underlines the importance of the District as a border formation with the task of securing the southern boundary of the Russian Federation. The first conflict the District became involved in in the post Soviet period was the attempted secession of South Ossetia from Georgia to join North Ossetia, which is a federal subject of the Russian Federation. Soldiers from the District became involved in protecting installation in Vladikavkaz from irregular fighters in late 1992.

The District has been the primary Russian military formation responsible for managing the Chechen conflict throughout the First and Second Chechen Wars. The Second Chechen War is now (2007) in its ninth year, though insurgent activity is decreasing. Twenty-six soldiers won the Hero of Russia star in the first war, and 43 in the second.

The District includes:

The 58th Army's creation was announced on April 26, 1995; previously there had only been corps headquarters in the District (and the 58th was formed from the previous 42nd Army Corps headquarters).[4]

Today the Armed Forces do not have the primary role in directing the anti-terrorist effort in the North Caucasus region. The Regional Operational Headquarters (ROSh), chaired by the Deputy Director FSB RF (Head of the department for protection of the constitutional structure and the campaign against terrorism) directs and conducts the counter-terrorist operation.[5] Subordinated to it is the Combined Grouping of Troops (OGV) in the North Caucasus drawing on the Armed Forces, the Interior Troops, the FSB, and other agencies.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Russian Ministry of Defence,History of the North Caucasus Military District, www.mil.ru, accessed August 17, 2007
  2. ^ Generals.dk, accessed January 2008. Trofimenko was a former commander of the Central Asian MD (pre 1941), the 7th Army (Soviet Union), and the Belarussian Military District.
  3. ^ Jamestown Foundation, Putin's Order on Mountain Brigades Results in Competing Forces
  4. ^ http://www.afpc.org/rrm/rrm3.htm - creation of 58th Army
  5. ^ C.W. Blandy, Advent of Mountain Brigades, Conflict Studies Research Centre, November 2007

[edit] References

  • Feskov, V.I., et al. The Soviet Army in the Years of the Cold War: 1945-91, Tomsk University Publishing House, Tomsk, 2004 (including for commanders' dates in office)
  • Scott, Harriet and William F. Russian Military Directory, 2002
  • Scott, Harriet and William F. The Armed Forces of the USSR, Westview Press, Boulder, Co., 1979.