21st independent Landing-Assault Brigade

21-я отдельная десантно-штурмовая бригада

Military Unit: 31571; from 1992: 54801

Activated 19.2.73 in Kutaisi, Georgian SSR.

Organisation 1973:

802nd independent Landing-Assault Battalion (Tsulukidze, Georgian SSR) - military unit: 36685
803rd independent Landing-Assault Battalion (Kutaisi, Georgian SSR) - military unit: 55055
804th independent Landing-Assault Battalion (Kutaisi, Georgian SSR) - military unit: 57351
1059th independent Artillery Battalion (Kutaisi, Georgian SSR)
1171st Aviation Group (Kutaisi, Georgian SSR)

1.9.77 re-organised:

1171st Aviation Group was disbanded, and was divided into 292nd and 325th independent Helicopter Regiments
1059th independent Artillery Battalion was disbanded, and was replaced by two independent batteries (artillery and anti-aircraft artillery)

1986 parts of the brigade took part in the clean-up at Chernobyl, Kiev Oblast, after the nuclear accident.

In early 1988 both helicopter regiments were detached from the brigade.

In 7.89 after armed Armenians had occupied Yerevan airport, the brigade landed in helicopters at the airport and retook it.

7.12.89 landed at Leninakan, Armenian SSR, for rescue duties after the massive earthquake.

1.6.90 transferred to the VDV, and renamed 21st indpendent Airborne Brigade.

12.94 to 11.96 took part in the Chechen operations.

1.5.98 renamed 247th Air-Landing Assault Regiment, attached to the 7th Guards Airborne Division.

Headquarters:

Kutaisi, Georgian SSR, 1973 - 1992 - one battalion at Tsulukidze, Georgian SSR: possibly 42 18 08N, 42 23 44E
Stavropol, Krasnodar Kray, 1992 - today

Equipment:

19.11.90: 18 D-30 [CFE treaty data exchange]
1.1.2000: 72 BMP-2, 36 BTR-80, 26 BTR-D, 18 2s9 Nona, 13 BTR-3D, 9 BTR-RD, 8 1V119, 1583 men [CFE treaty data exchange]

Subordination:

Brigade coordinates:

Kutaisi barracks [US designation: Kutaisi Army Barracks Southeast AL 2]: 42 14 38N, 42 43 04E
Stavropol barracks: 45 01 51N, 42 01 30E