The armed forces in any state are key element ensuring the country's defense capability. Their proper management depends on their proper organization. The structure of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation ensures the rapid and correct performance of the functions assigned by law to the state military organization of the country.

Structure of the RF Armed Forces

Armed Forces – military organization Russian Federation, the main function of which is to repel military aggression in order to ensure territorial integrity, as well as carry out tasks in accordance with international obligations Russia. The RF Armed Forces were created on May 7, 1992. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief is the President of the Russian Federation. In accordance with the Presidential Decree of 2008, the strength of the Russian Armed Forces is set at 2,019,629 people, of which 1.3 million are military personnel.

Organizationally, the Armed Forces consist of three services, three separate branches of the military, the Logistics Service, as well as the Quartering Service, which is not a branch of the Armed Forces. In addition, the Structure of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was created according to territorial principle: the territory of the Russian Federation is divided into 4 military districts.

Territorial structure

Today in the Russian Federation there are four military districts, which are assumed by the territorial structure of the Armed Forces:

1. Western Military District. The command and headquarters are located in St. Petersburg.
2. Eastern Military District. The command and headquarters are located in Khabarovsk.
3. Central Military District. The command and headquarters are located in Yekaterinburg.
4. Southern Military District. The command and headquarters are located in Rostov-on-Don.

The structure of the armed forces of the Russian Federation in the diagram:

Types of aircraft

The main element of the Armed Forces are the types of armed forces. In the Russian military department, the law establishes the presence of three types of armed forces: the Air Force, the Ground Forces and the Navy.

Today, the Ground Forces are the largest branch of the Russian armed forces. Their main function is to conduct offensive actions, the purpose of which is to defeat the enemy, seize and retain his territory, individual areas and borders, repulse the invasion of the enemy’s country and his large landings, and carry out artillery and missile strikes on greater depth. In turn, the Ground Forces are organizationally composed of military branches. These types of troops can perform tasks independently or jointly.

Motorized Rifle Troops (MSV)- the most numerous branch of troops in the Ground Forces. They are also the most numerous branch of the military. Today, the motorized rifle troops are armed with armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, which should ensure the mobility of the infantry. MRFs are organizationally composed of motorized rifle subunits, units and formations.

Motorized rifle, tank, artillery and other units and units may be part of the MRF.

Tank troops (TV)- the main striking force, characterized by high mobility, maneuverability and resistance to weapons mass destruction, including nuclear. The main tasks, based on the technical equipment of TV: achieving a breakthrough, developing operational success. Artillery, motorized rifle, missile, and tank units and subunits can operate as part of a TV.

Missile Forces and Artillery (RF&A): nuclear and fire destruction of the enemy is the main task. It is armed with rocket and cannon artillery. The MFA includes subunits, units and formations of howitzer, rocket, cannon, anti-tank artillery, and structural elements support, control, mortars and artillery reconnaissance.

Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces (Air Defense Forces)- this branch of the military must ensure protection of the Ground Forces from air strikes, as well as countering enemy aerial reconnaissance. Towed, mobile, man-portable anti-aircraft gun systems and anti-aircraft missile systems are in service with the Air Defense Forces.

Also, the organizational structure of the Armed Forces presupposes the presence in the Armed Forces of special troops and services that perform highly specialized tasks in order to ensure daily and combat activities ground forces.

• Signal Corps,
• Electronic warfare troops,
• Corps of Engineers,
• Automobile troops,
• Railway troops, etc.

are special troops.

Air Force

Air Force similarly, the Ground Forces consist of branches of aviation that ensure the implementation of the tasks assigned to the Air Force.

Long-Range Aviation designed to strike and defeat enemy military groups in the strategic and operational depths, their economically and strategically important areas, including with the help of nuclear weapons.

Frontline aviation operates at operational depth. It can perform tasks both independently and during joint operations on land and at sea.

Army aviation provides support to ground forces by destroying enemy armored and mobile targets. Also, Army Aviation forces provide mobility for the Ground Forces.

Military transport aviation carries out the transportation of cargo, troops and equipment, and is also involved in military air operations. IN Peaceful time The main function is to ensure the vital activity of the Armed Forces, and in the military - the mobility of the armed forces.

The structure of the armed forces of the Russian Federation assumes the presence of Air Force Special Aviation, Anti-aircraft missile forces And Radio technical troops, which significantly expand the range of tasks assigned to the Air Force.

Navy

Navy- the main force of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to protect the interests of Russia in the Exclusive Maritime (Economic) Zone, conduct search and rescue operations, as well as conduct combat operations at sea.

The Navy includes:

• Submarine Forces,
• Surface Forces,
• Coastal troops,
• Naval aviation,
• parts and connections for special purposes.

The Navy is also organizationally divided into:

• Baltic Fleet,
• Black Sea Fleet,
• Northern Fleet,
• Pacific Fleet,
• Caspian flotilla.

Independent branches of the military

Some tasks require special equipment and trained personnel. The structure of the Armed Forces assumes the presence independent childbirth troops:

1. Airborne troops;
2. Strategic Missile Forces;
3. Aerospace Defense Forces.

Aerospace Defense Forces

The youngest branch of the military. Although our power began space exploration back in the 1960s, it was only in the 21st century that the Aerospace Defense Forces were separated into a separate branch of the military from Rocket Forces strategic purpose.

The most important tasks are:

• detection of a missile strike;
• control of a constellation of spacecraft;
• missile defense of the Russian capital.

Strategic Missile Forces

Today they are the main land component nuclear forces Russia. The main function is considered to be deterrence of possible aggression. But if necessary, they can deliver a preemptive strike on important economic and military targets of the enemy, as well as the destruction of his military groups.

Airborne troops

They were created back in the 1930s. Today they are entrusted with the function of conducting landing operations and conducting combat operations behind enemy lines.

Military formations from a military unit and above have the status legal entity. In civil law relations, they act as organizations in the organizational and legal form of federal government institutions. Military formations have stamps with reproduction State emblem of the Russian Federation and their conventional and real names, seals, stamps, forms, personal and other accounts necessary for carrying out their activities territorial authorities Federal Treasury. In order to ensure their activities in the prescribed manner, military formations are assigned to the operational management buildings, structures, premises, equipment, machinery, weapons, inventory and others necessary for carrying out activities material resources. Land are provided to military formations for free, unlimited use. Military formations conclude and execute civil contracts and agreements.

Information about the locations of military formations, staffing and payroll numbers of personnel, personnel status, the availability and technical condition of weapons, military equipment, other materiel and other information constitutes a state secret.

Name of military formation

Military formations have real and conventional names.

The conventional name includes the phrase “military unit” and its four-digit numerical designation (for example: “military unit No. 12345”). If in the text it is necessary to refer to a military unit without indicating a number, then the phrase “military unit” is used.

The actual name consists of a combined arms number, staff name, honorary names (if assigned) and names of state awards (if the military formation is awarded an order(s)) (for example: 1234 Guards Arkharin Order of Lenin Red Banner Separate Tank Regiment).

In unclassified documents, as a rule, the conventional names of military formations are used, with the exception of documents of a congratulatory nature and documents in which it is necessary to emphasize the special status of the military formation, its history, tasks and merits.

Battle banner of a military formation

Framed (framed) part (S.ch.)- a military formation maintained in peacetime with a reduced peacetime staff as an organizational and material base for deployment when wartime mobilization is announced. Weapons, military equipment and other materiel in cropped part usually kept in a state of preservation for wartime staff. Typically, a peacetime regiment forms a wartime brigade.

Aviation unit, military unit- a separate aviation unit, a separate aviation detachment, a separate aviation squadron, an aviation base, an aviation regiment, an aviation equipment display center, a testing center, an aviation training center, a flight test station of a military representative office or an aircraft repair plant, a joint aviation detachment, an aviation sports organization ROSTO ( DOSAAF).

Training unit, military unit- military formation (brigade, regiment, battalion, company), intended for training and additional training of military personnel undergoing military service by conscription and by contract according to training programs. There are training programs for training squad commanders (sergeants), medical instructors, car and armored vehicle drivers, armored vehicle gunners, radiotelephonists and radiotelegraph operators, special communications specialists, radiation, chemical and biological protection specialists, warrant officers and others.

see also

Literature

• Soviet military encyclopedia - M.: Voenizdat, 1976 - 1980. - (in 8 volumes). - 105,000 copies.

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See what “Military formation” is in other dictionaries:

This term has other meanings, see Formation (meanings) ... Wikipedia

Wed. 1. process of action according to Ch. to form 1., 2., to form 1., 2. 2. The result of such an action; newly formed military unit; military formation. Ott. A large and influential group in the gangster world; bandit formation... ... Modern Dictionary Russian language Efremova

I; Wed 1. to Shape and Shape. F. character, worldview. F. grape bushes. Hasty f. new divisions. Complete f. cabinet of ministers. 2. usually plural: formations, ni. Military unit, unit. Fresh, reserve... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

military unit- ▲ military branch unit. gun calculation. tank and airplane crew. compound. formation. military unit. team (sapper #). platoon. company. battalion. regiment. division. half a company. brigade squadron. battery. frame. division. squadron... ... Ideographic Dictionary of the Russian Language

formation- I; Wed 1) to shape and be formed. Formation of character and worldview. Formation of grape bushes. Hasty formation of new units. Complete the formation... Dictionary of many expressions

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UNIFICATION OF THE ARMED FORCES- a military formation of a branch of the Armed Forces, including several lower-level formations, formations, units, various types and branches of the Armed Forces, special forces, headed by a single staff command body. Depending on the composition and decisions... ... War and peace in terms and definitions

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For many civilians, words such as squad, platoon, company, regiment and others are known. However, most of them have never thought about the difference between, for example, a squad from a regiment, and a platoon from a company. Actually the structure military units is formed based on the number of military personnel. In this article we will look at the size of each military unit and understand in detail the structure of military formations.

Brief description of units and number of military personnel

In order to clearly control military personnel, military units have a specific structure, each unit of which has its own commander or chief. Each unit has a different number of troops, and is part of a larger unit (a squad is part of a platoon, a platoon is part of a company, etc.). The smallest unit is the squad, it includes from four to ten people, and the largest formation is the front (district), the number of which is difficult to name, since it depends on a number of factors. To have a clearer idea of ​​the size of a military unit, it is necessary to consider each of them, which we will do next.

What is a department and how many people are there?

As noted above, the smallest military unit is a squad that is directly part of a platoon. The squad commander is the direct superior of the squad personnel. In army jargon it is abbreviated as “Chest of Drawers”. Most often, the squad leader has the rank of junior sergeant or sergeant, and the squad itself may consist of ordinary soldiers and corporals. Depending on the type of troops, the department may different quantities Human. Interestingly, the equivalent of a squad in tank units is the tank crew, and in artillery units it is the crew. The picture below shows several examples of differences between the squad, crew and crew

The picture shows a motorized rifle squad, but in fact battalions have various departments, for example: the battalion commander’s control department (4 people), the reconnaissance department of the control platoon (4 people), the weapons repair department of the repair platoon (3 people), the communications department (8 people) and others.

What is a platoon and how many people are in it?

The next largest number of personnel is the platoon. Most often it includes from three to six departments, respectively, its number ranges from fifteen to sixty people. As a rule, the platoon is commanded by a junior officers– junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant.
On the infographic you can see examples of motorized rifle and tank platoons, as well as a fire platoon of a mortar battery


Thus, we see that motorized rifle platoon consists of a platoon command (platoon commander and deputy) and 3 squads (we looked at the composition of the squads above in the picture). That is, only 29 people.
A tank platoon consists of 3 tank crews. It is important that the commander of a tank platoon is also the commander of the first tank, so there are only 9 people in a tank platoon.
A fire platoon consists of 3-4 crews, each crew consists of 7 people, so the platoon size is 21-28 people.

Also, in addition to the units presented in the example, there are many different platoons in various brigades and regiments. As an example, let's list just a few of them:

• Platoon control
• Communications platoon
• Reconnaissance Platoon
• Engineer platoon
• Grenade Platoon
• Logistics Platoon
• Medical platoon
• Anti-aircraft missile platoon
• Repair platoon, etc.

Company and number of people in it

The third largest military formation is the company. Depending on the type of troops, the size of a company can be from 30 to 150 soldiers, who are part of 2 to 4 platoons. Thus, the strength of a tank company is 31–40 people, and the number of military personnel in a motorized rifle company fluctuates between 150 people. The company is also a formation of tactical importance, which means that the servicemen who are part of the company, in the event of combat operations, can perform tactical tasks independently, without being part of the battalion. Often the company is commanded by an officer with the rank of captain, and only in some units this position is held by a major. Also, depending on the type of troops, a company may have a different name. For example, an artillery company is called a battery, an aviation company is called an aviation unit, and previously there was also a cavalry company, which was called a squadron.

In the example we have a tank and motorized rifle companies, as well as a mortar battery

Battalion and number of military personnel in it

As in other military units, the size of the battalion depends on the type of troops. The battalion consists of 2 - 4 companies, and has from 250 to 1000 people. As you can see, this military unit already has quite an impressive number, and therefore is considered the main tactical formation, capable of acting independently.

Many have heard the song of the group “Lube” called “Combat”, but not everyone knows what it means. So, the battalion is commanded by the battalion commander, which is abbreviated as “battalion commander”, in whose honor this composition of the same name was written. A battalion commander is the position of a lieutenant colonel, but most often battalion commanders are captains and majors, who have the opportunity to advance in their rank and receive the stars of a lieutenant colonel.

The battalion's activities are coordinated at battalion headquarters. Just like a company, a battalion, depending on the type of troops, may be called differently. For example, in the artillery and anti-aircraft missile forces they are called divisions (artillery division, air defense division).

There are many more specific units in battalions and divisions that were mentioned above. Therefore, we will present the structure in the form of separate infographics

Regiment and its composition

The regiment consists of three to six battalions. The strength of the regiment does not exceed two thousand people. The regiment itself is a directly key tactical formation that is completely autonomous. To command such a formation, you must have the rank of colonel, but in practice, lieutenant colonels are more often appointed as regiment commanders. A regiment may contain several different units. For example, if a regiment has three tank battalions and one motorized rifle battalion, then the regiment will have the name tank. Also, depending on the type of troops, a regiment can perform different tasks: combined arms, anti-aircraft, logistics.

There are also more numerous units that were heard by civilians much less often than the above-mentioned formations. We will try to briefly talk about them in the next part of the article.

Brigade, division, corps, army, front

After the regiment, the next largest in size is the brigade, which usually numbers from two to eight thousand troops. The brigade consists of several battalions (divisions), several auxiliary companies, and sometimes two or even three regiments. An officer with the rank of colonel is appointed brigade commander (abbreviated as brigade commander).

The main operational-tactical formation is a division. It includes several regiments, as well as many auxiliary units of various types of troops. The highest officers with the rank of major general and above are allowed to command the division, since the strength of the division is an impressive 12 - 24 thousand people.

The next military formation is the army corps. It is formed from several divisions, which can reach one hundred thousand people. There is no predominance of any military branches when creating an army corps, since it is a combined arms formation. The corps commander can be a senior military officer - major general and above.

The army as a military unit consists of several corps. Exact amount military personnel can range from two hundred thousand to a million, depending on the structure. The army is commanded by a major general or lieutenant general.

The front, and in peacetime the military district, is the largest unit of all existing in the armed forces. It is very difficult to name its number, since it can change depending on the political situation, military doctrine, region, etc. The position of front commander can be held by a lieutenant general or an army general.

General principles for forming the number of units

From the above, you can build a certain chain that will help to finally clarify general principles formation of the number of units:

• 5 – 10 people form a department;
• 3 – 6 squads form a platoon;
• 3 – 6 platoons create a company;
• 3 – 4 companies form a battalion;
• 3 – 6 battalions create a regiment;
• 2 – 3 battalions form a brigade;
• several brigades and auxiliary units form a division;
• 3 – 4 divisions create an army corps;
• 2 – 10 divisions are capable of forming an army

You also need to remember that the number of military units may depend directly on the type of troops. For example, tank units are always significantly inferior in number to motorized rifle units.

Other tactical terms

In addition to the above-mentioned terms of the number of military units, the following concepts can also be distinguished:

1. Unit – all military formations that are part of the unit. In other words, military terms such as squad, platoon, company, etc. can be expressed by the word "unit".
2. A military unit is the main independent unit of the Armed Forces. Most often, the unit consists of a regiment or brigade. Also, individual companies and battalions can be military units. The main features of the part are:

• availability of open and closed military numbers;
• military economy;
• bank account;
• postal and telegraph address;
• own office work;
• official seal of the part;
• the commander's right to issue written orders.

All these signs indicate that the unit has the autonomy it needs.

1. Compound. In fact, this term can only describe a division. The word “connection” itself implies the union of several parts. If the composition of a brigade is formed from separate battalions and companies that have the status of units, then in this case the brigade can also be called a formation.
2. An association. Unites units such as corps, army, front or district.

Having analyzed all the above concepts, you can understand on what principles the numerical classification of military units is built. Now, watching films on military topics, or communicating with a military man, having heard most military terms, you will have a clear idea of ​​them. It is worth noting that this article does not pay due attention to the structure of aviation and naval formations, since they do not differ significantly from military ones.

Reading literature, watching films or programs on military topics, an ordinary person constantly encounters the names of various military formations that are not entirely clear to him. Any military man will immediately understand what this means. we're talking about, what kind of troops is represented by this military formation, what is the number of soldiers, what tasks does it perform on the battlefield. For civilians, such information is not familiar due to their ignorance. The division also belongs to such unfamiliar to an ordinary person terms.

The meaning of the term "division"

A division is one of the main tactical military formations. It combines different branches of the military, but one of them still prevails. The structures of, for example, a tank and motorized rifle division are completely consistent with each other. The only difference is that a tank regiment includes two or three tank regiments and one motorized rifle regiment. But in motorized rifle it’s exactly the opposite. It consists of two or three motorized rifle regiments and only one tank regiment. But in addition to these regiments, the division also accommodates companies and battalions of other types of troops. For example, an automobile battalion or a chemical defense company.

The modern army of the Russian Federation includes such divisions as missile, tank, airborne, aviation, artillery and motorized rifle divisions. A division for other types of troops is not the largest formation. Either a regiment or a brigade predominates there. Division commander - important person in her life. They can become a military man with the rank of major general.

Historical necessity

The 20th century was marked for humanity by many wonderful achievements in the field of science. But the terrible side of this century was two global wars that affected more than one country. In such wartime, people measured the military strength and potential of other states by the number of divisions. The defense of each country was built precisely on this military formation, and not only defense. A large number of divisions could increase the importance of any country among other states. Division is a variable concept. That is, in each country the number of people and weapons forming a division was different. Therefore, comparing the military potential of countries on this basis at the present stage is considered incorrect.

Divisions during the war

Divisions in the USSR before the start of the Great Patriotic War were one of the main military formations. The number of such tactical units in the entire Red Army throughout the war totaled 132 divisions. The number of personnel in each of them was about 15 thousand people. The armament and technical equipment of the divisions were only slightly inferior to similar indicators. Also, each of them was reinforced with 16 tanks and armored vehicles, which significantly increased combat power. Due to the times, the divisions also had horses in their composition, the number of which reached 1,100 individuals. Insufficient funding for the army led to a drop in the division's power level as a tactical military unit. But the war forced the country to activate all its forces, including financial ones. The divisions received the missing resources, including replenishment of personnel. This helped a lot in resolving the situation at the front in a positive way.

Regiment and division - what is the difference?

Both in Soviet times and in modern times Russian army The regiment is a key military formation. If we consider the regiment from the economic side, it immediately becomes clear that it is completely autonomous in this regard. Most often, the regiment commander is a colonel. The predominant branch of the military gives the name to the regiment, although it includes more than one branch of the military. The largest and main formation is the division. The regiment is part of it, connecting with other regiments, companies and divisions. Unlike a division, the predominance of a certain type of troops is very pronounced. In its ranks, the regiment can contain 200-900 personnel.

Division and brigade

The brigade serves as an intermediate link between the regiment and the division. In many countries of the world it is also considered one of the main military formations. In its structure, a brigade is very similar to a regiment, but the number of units included in it is much larger. The brigade's personnel is 2-8 thousand people. The main thing in this tactical formation, as in the regiment, is the colonel. A division is a larger formation. It has its own headquarters to coordinate military operations, divisions and units. A brigade is considered a more flexible and simpler formation, unlike a division. This led to the Russian army being transferred to a brigade structure. Divisions survived only in a few branches of the military.

Division command

As mentioned earlier, a major general is at the helm of the division. This military rank is common in many countries of the world, including the Russian Federation. A major general is one of the senior officers. On the career ladder, he was located between a colonel and a lieutenant general.

The position of division commander appeared after the reform of the military forces in 1924. This was a typical command position. In 1935, after the decision of the Central Executive Committee, the personal rank of “division commander” was introduced, that is, division commander. In the Red Army, the division commander stood above the brigade commander (brigade commander) and below the corps commander (corps commander). This title existed until 1940, when it was abolished, once again becoming simply a position.

Guards Division - what is it?

The Guards Division was considered one of the most elite military formations. The most important and difficult tasks were entrusted to her. The Guard as an elite part of the army appeared during the era of slavery. The concept of “guard” in a close to modern meaning was first used in the 12th century in Italy. This was the name given to a detachment of soldiers protecting the state banner. This innovation was adopted by Peter I. He created the first regiments of the Guard in 1690.

During the Second World War, the divisions, which were called Guards, were considered the best. The title of “Guards” was awarded to them for special courage and heroism, as well as for the ability to skillfully conduct battle.

In September 1941, by order of the People's Commissar of the USSR, even rifle divisions were transformed into guards divisions. Subsequently, this day became the day of the Guard. For example, the 42nd Guards Rifle Division inherited its high rank from the First Guards Rifle Brigade. Each such division was presented with a banner that had special meaning for them. In addition, the monetary reward for service in such a unit also increased. The salary of chiefs was increased by 1.5 times, and that of privates by 2 times.

In 1942, a new decree was issued, in which, among other things, a special “Guard” badge was established. He rushed around right side breasts

Airborne troops

The Airborne Division is part of a special type of troops that have the ability to operate behind enemy lines. This one was created in order to counteract the enemy, destroying them and their control points. The Airborne Forces, operating in the rear, must help the sailors. Such divisions have the most modern equipment, and the types of weapons are varied. In order to drop the necessary loads in the most difficult conditions ( bad weather, open area, night darkness or daylight, high altitude) The Airborne Forces use parachute landing equipment. The airborne division, along with the brigade, is the main unit of this type of troops.

In peacetime, the Airborne Forces do not stop performing their service. They perform a variety of tasks that help maintain the level of combat readiness of the troops, as well as the mobilization determination of the civilian population. This is very important, since when a military conflict occurs, it is the mood of people and high combat readiness that decide a lot. From the above, we can conclude that the airborne division is a kind of command reserve that is turned to if it is necessary to carry out an operation to capture the enemy either from the air or from the rear.

Thus, the division is the main formation of the tactical branch in all types of troops. Although the modern Russian army has abandoned the divisional system, other countries and organizations, such as NATO, actively use this system. The division's combat path is not easy. This has been proven in many wars, but it is an indispensable military formation.

The structure of the army is clear and understandable, but only for those who served in it. For most civilians, a unit, a company and a division are a certain unit, which means a certain number of soldiers, but how many? Let's try to understand the divisions of the army, determine what is larger: a regiment or a division, an army or a front.

From small to large

The entire variety of military personnel representing the Russian army is divided into units, which are also divided and so on sequentially down to the minimum unit - a squad consisting of 4-10 people. Its number is related to the type of troops and the task being performed.

So, in tank forces, a squad is a tank crew of 3-4 people, and in an artillery unit it is a crew of 6 people. A unit may be called a fire group or flight. It does specific task, making do with small forces.

Employees in the unit, as a rule, communicate closely with each other and are well able to coordinate joint actions. In modern military tactics, a well-trained unit can play a significant role in a battle, carrying out reconnaissance activities, penetrating behind enemy lines, and so on.

Two or three fire groups cooperate in a squad led by a commander. The effectiveness of such a team depends significantly on the quality military training each of its members, as well as the coordination of the actions of the soldiers. Much is determined by the well-organized infrastructure and direct leadership of the detachment.

Such associations give good results, provided that they include professional military personnel with experience in combat operations. They are maneuverable, difficult to detect by the enemy, highly qualified and capable of coping with various tasks.

• platoon;
• company;
• battalion;
• regiment;
• division and brigade;
• frame;
• army;
• front or army corps.

From lieutenant to colonel

A platoon is a structure that includes several squads. The number of people in it can range from 15 to 60, depending on the type of troops. It is led by a military man with the rank of lieutenant, including junior or senior.

Initially, a platoon was a rifle unit; the army had 3 platoons that fired “in turns,” so while some were reloading, others were conducting aimed fire. Today the diversity of this unit is much wider, and they are united by an approximate number of people.

A separate type of platoon has a name in accordance with the combat mission, it can be:

• tank;
• anti-aircraft missile;
• medical;
• motorized rifle;
• engineering and sapper;
• intelligence and so on.

The next unit is a company. This is a tactical structure. It can operate both within the battalion structure and independently. For example, the third reconnaissance company or the first airborne communications company. In certain branches of the Russian military, a company has a special name: a battery in artillery, a squadron in cavalry, a flight in aviation. This structure is commanded by a captain, less often by a major.

How many people are there in a Russian army company? Since it includes 2-4 platoons, it has from 30 to one and a half hundred military personnel. Two to four companies form a battalion numbering more than 250 people.

This structure is quite numerous and can independently carry out many military tasks, the coordination of which is carried out by the battalion headquarters, headed by a major or captain, less often a lieutenant colonel. All information and sources of resources are concentrated at the headquarters; it is from here that command, communications, coordination of actions, and the organizational part are carried out.

The manager must have an assistant, whose functions include recording and adjusting ongoing actions, as well as assistance in developing future operations. It is important for the battalion to have a source of replenishment that allows it to carry out its assigned tasks. Since his soldiers are limited in material support only by what they can carry themselves or transport on existing transport, they are constantly in need of additional equipment.

Officers with the rank of lieutenant colonel often command regiments, where they earn the next rank - colonel. The regiment consists of 3 to 6 battalions, with a total strength of no more than 2 thousand people. This unit is completely autonomous and independently carries out combat missions.

The regiment includes not only fire units, but also repair departments, medical centers, communications platoons, etc. Due to this, the regiment fully coordinates its activities and ensures viability. Resources must arrive regularly, so the regiment is assigned warehouses and workshops that produce the necessary resources.

The rank and file is the main active force of the army; it is from them that battalions, companies and regiments are formed

Commanding thousands

Even more massive elements are brigades and divisions. The first includes a number of battalions and auxiliary companies, maybe a couple of regiments. It is equivalent to a reinforced battalion. The total number can reach up to 8 thousand people. It is led by a brigade commander with the rank of colonel.

In addition to combat units, brigades include combat support structures: engineers, artillery, medical units, and logistics support. Brigades are divided into general and specialized. The latter include battalions of only one type: armored, cavalry, anti-aircraft, and so on.

As necessary, other units can join the brigade at the time the task is completed, then they become subordinate to the previous leadership. The leadership of the brigade is carried out through the headquarters, which, in addition to the brigade commander, includes staff officers.

How many people are in a division of the Russian armed forces? Today this is from 1 to 2 tens of thousands of soldiers. During the Great Patriotic War, the division's strength was more scattered: from 8 to 30 thousand. Therefore, a division is sometimes equated to a brigade, but it is a larger structure, which includes regiments in small numbers and auxiliary units.

They are commanded by a major general or a higher rank. Today, divisions are smaller and can be formed according to the intended task, including a very small number of soldiers, but the presence of headquarters and resource support points is preserved.

The special position of the division in the structure of the navy. Here it is smaller in number of people and includes several ships or a squadron, a couple of aircraft sections subordinate to the head of the unit.

The corps can include up to one hundred thousand people, uniting a group of divisions. This is a combined arms formation that has no specialization and is led by a major general or an officer with more than high rank. Corps are numbered, as a rule, with Roman numerals, but the formations subordinate to them are numbered with Arabic numerals.

A group of corps is united into an army, which includes a minimum of 100 thousand people, and the upper limit is limited to a million. Such numbers are not found in the domestic armed forces, which is due to total number population in the country.

During military conflicts, its composition can grow significantly due to the mobilization of the population. The command of the army rests on the shoulders of a major general or lieutenant general. An army can have a geographical name or a numerical name, or a combination of both is possible.

The army corps includes many units performing various functions

The structure of the army includes a wide range of battalions and divisions; individual structures may not belong to the army in accordance with its territorial location. The largest structure of the army is the military district, called the front during combat operations.

The number of soldiers and officers included in its composition is difficult to determine. It varies depending on the military doctrine of the state, the political situation in the world and other factors, including from 400 thousand soldiers to 1 million. Sometimes they unite national formations.

The command of this structure is entrusted to the lieutenant general or army general, who bears primary responsibility for the results of the military campaign and determines the tactics of military operations. Other names are also found in military terminology: formation, military unit, association. But they predominantly act as special cases, differing in a given branch of the military in their specificity and the military task being implemented.

It is not easy to understand the intricacies of military terms; in order to understand what is bigger and how this or that unit is formed, you need to serve for more than one year, becoming familiar with the structure and historical past of the Russian army.

After all, names are often rooted in the past and remain to this day, although the structure may have already changed. The size of the armed forces is also changing, which is associated with demographic issues, as well as the improvement of weapons and tactics of waging wars that no longer require a large contingent.