Russia To Create New Airborne Regiment In Crimea - Shoigu

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2021) Russia plans to reorganize the 56th airborne assault brigade into an airborne assault regiment with the permanent deployment location in the Crimean city of Feodosia, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday.

According to open data, the 56th airborne assault brigade is currently stationed in the city of Kamyshin, Volgograd region.

"As part of building up the combat capabilities of troops this year, it is planned to complete the deployment of the third airborne assault regiment of the 76th division in Pskov and by the end of the year to reorganize the 56th airborne assault brigade into the 56th airborne assault regiment with permanent deployment in Feodosia," Shoigu said at a ministerial board meeting.

According to the minister, the Russian airborne troops have reached a new qualitative level of rapid response to military security threats.

After Crimea's reunification with Russia in 2014, the personnel of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on the peninsula has increased by one third to 25,000 troops.

As part of measures to boost Crimea's security, Su-30 fighter jets, unmanned aircraft, the S-400 air defense system as well as Bal and Bastion coastal missile systems were deployed to the peninsula. The naval group was replenished with six diesel-electric submarines of project 636 Varshavyanka and three frigates of project 11356. NATO warships have also sufficiently increased the time of their presence in the Black Sea that is monitored by the Russian Black Sea Fleet.