Ground Forces of the Russian Federation Сухопутные войска Российской Федерации Suhoputnye voyska Rossiyskoy Federatsii |
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Flag of the Russian Ground Forces
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Active | 1992 – present (current form) |
Country | Russia |
Allegiance | Ministry of Defence |
Type | Army |
Size | 658,000 personnel + 750,000 reserve (2015), does not include Airborne Troops (VDV) |
Part of | Russian Armed Forces |
Headquarters | Frunzenskaya Embankment 20-22, Moscow |
Anniversaries | 1 October |
Engagements |
Transnistria War Civil War in Tajikistan East Prigorodny conflict War in Abkhazia 1993 Russian constitutional crisis First Chechen War War of Dagestan Second Chechen War Russo-Georgian War Insurgency in the North Caucasus Military intervention in Ukraine Syrian Civil War |
Commanders | |
Current commander |
Colonel General Oleg Salyukov (since 2 May 2014) |
The Ground Forces of the Russian Federation (Russian: Сухопутные войска Российской Федерации, tr. Suhoputnye voyska Rossiyskoy Federatsii) are the land forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formed from parts of the collapsing Soviet Army in 1992. The formation of these forces posed economic challenges after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and required reforms to professionalize the force during the transition.
Since 1992, the Ground Forces have withdrawn many thousands of troops from former Soviet garrisons abroad, while remaining extensively committed to the , peacekeeping, and other operations in the Soviet successor states (what is known in Russia as the "near abroad").
The primary responsibilities of the Ground Forces are the protection of the state borders, combat on land, the security of occupied territories, and the defeat of enemy troops. The Ground Forces must be able to achieve these goals both in nuclear war and non-nuclear war, especially without the use of weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore, they must be capable of protecting the national interests of Russia within the framework of its international obligations.
The Main Command of the Ground Forces is officially tasked with the following objectives:
The newly re-emergent Russia retained most of the ranks of the Soviet Army, with some minor changes. The principal difference from the usual Western style is some variation in generals' rank titles—in at least one case, Colonel General, derived from German usage. Most of the rank names were borrowed from existing German/Prussian, French, English, Dutch, and Polish ranks upon the formation of Russian regular army in the late 17th century, and have lasted with few changes of title through the Soviet period.