The Russian armed forces have a very complex and ramified structure, which includes several different branches and types of troops. The number of the Russian army, ranking fifth in the world in terms of the number of employees, is estimated at 900 thousand people. At the same time, the mobilization resource reaches 30 million people.
The structure of the Armed forces of the Russian Federation
The strength of the Russian army is often understood as the total number of employees in all branches and types of troops. In order to get a more comprehensive picture of the size of various army units, it is worth paying attention to the structures of the Russian armed forces.
Historically, the basis of the army structure of Russia are three types of troops: ground forces, the navy and the air force (converted not so long ago into the military space forces). Of great importance for the country's defense are also the airborne and missile troops of strategic designation, belonging to certain types of troops.
At the same time, each genus and species has its own structural and territorial divisions. For example, the Russian Navy is divided into four fleets and one flotilla, and also includes foreign naval bases.
Ground troops
Being one of the three branches, the ground forces are intended for combat operations mainly on land. Their structure is very complex, and the share in the total number of the Russian army is very significant. In 2018, the number of military personnel serving on a contract or draft basis in these ranks is about 280 thousand people.
Although it was customary to erect the history of the Russian ground forces by the 13th century, they appeared in their modern form in 1992. As a result of efforts undertaken to maintain the structure of the Armed Forces after the collapse of the USSR, the ground forces included departments, associations, military units, special educational institutions, institutions and defense enterprises.
Throughout the post-Soviet period, the armed forces of the Russian Federation underwent constant reform and reorganization, one of the main parts of which was the reduction of personnel and the abandonment of foreign military bases.
If in 1992 the number of divisions in the ground forces reached 102, and the number of personnel was about 1,400,000, then by 2017 there were no more than 280 thousand troops in the ground forces, and only eight divisions remained. Therefore, answering the question of what is the size of the Russian army, it is worthwhile to clarify that it is constantly regulated by presidential decrees on the draft for military service.
Ground forces structure
Each kind of troops in Russia has its own commander in chief. The ground forces are currently commanded by Oleg Salyukov. In turn, the ground forces are divided into tank, motorized rifle, missile, air defense troops and special forces.
From an organizational point of view, the smallest unit of command in the ground forces is the platoon, which serves as the basis of the company. In the Russian army, the number of companies is not the same in different branches of the army. The minimum composition of the company in the communications troops, where the number of troops in the unit does not exceed 50 people. At the same time, the number of companies in motorized rifle troops can reach 110 people.
Battalions, regiments, brigades, and divisions are made up of companies. The latter are subordinate to the command of the armies, of which there are twelve in the current Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Navy
The most important part of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is its fleet, which has a long and glorious history. The official date of the founding of the Russian fleet is 1696.
The Navy ensures the security of Russia and the inviolability of its maritime borders, as well as the presence of the Russian flag in remote regions of the oceans. Speaking about the size of the Russian army, it is also worth mentioning the number of employees in the Russian fleet. In 2018, the number of naval personnel reaches 148 thousand people. Organizationally, this structure consists of the Baltic, Black Sea, Northern and Pacific fleets. The Caspian flotilla has a special status.
The fleet includes both submarine forces and surface ships, as well as coastal and carrier-based aircraft. The marine corps and coastal defense troops are also subordinate to the fleet.
Missile forces
At the moment , strategic missile forces are considered an independent branch of the armed forces providing nuclear deterrence to the enemy and guaranteeing a retaliatory strike in case of aggression against the country. The size of the Russian army also includes the personnel of the Strategic Missile Forces, which is 60 thousand people.
The basis of the combat power of the Strategic Missile Forces is mine-based missiles and ground ballistic missiles. However, missiles with nuclear warheads are also in service with the fleet, including the submarine.
It is worth noting that Russia's nuclear shield is the base that ensures the sovereignty of the Russian Federation in the international arena.