Fairy tales

Infantry of the Russian Empire: history, uniform, weapons. Special forces of the Russian Imperial Army - Jaegers Jaeger regiments of the Russian Empire

Researchers of the history of the Russian army are well acquainted with this genre of literature - descriptions of the history of the regiment. There are about two hundred similar works; their creation has become a kind of tradition for Russian officers of the 19th century. This work was undertaken by educated and worthy representatives of the officers, capable of systematizing and presenting specific and complex material so that it would be of interest to researchers and the general public.

Captain Nikolai Ivanovich Geniev, under the leadership of the regiment commander and with the support of his fellow soldiers, created a valuable work, not only about the military history and fate of a particular regiment, but the culture and people of his and previous times.

“The History of the Pskov Infantry, Field Marshal Prince Kutuzov Smolensk Regiment, 1700-1881” is, first of all, a description of the regiment’s military operations and significant historical events associated with it.

They trace in detail not only the battles, but also the formation and reorganization of its units, the changes that took place in the name of the regiment, uniforms and insignia. The book contains lists of regimental commanders and regiment officers awarded orders and insignia. When writing regimental histories, regimental archives and memories of officers were used.

The history of the regiment begins with the reform of Peter I: “The first recruitment, carried out by decree on November 8, 1699 of the sovereign builder of military affairs in Russia Peter 1, brought 27 regiments into the ranks of the army, and among them the first in time of formation (June 5, 1700 g.) was Ivan Mevs, which is now the 11th Pskov Infantry General Field Marshal Prince Kutuzov-Smolensk Regiment. The eldest of 27, he is also one of the eldest in the general military family, occupying fourth place in it.”

The regiments were named after the names of their commanders and were divided into three divisions. The future Pskov infantry was given command to a foreign colonel, Ivan Ivanovich Mevs. His father, Johann Mevs, arrived in Moscow during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and he and his three sons devoted themselves to military service in the Russian troops.

The first military operations even before the Battle of Poltava, a new formation that was included in Sheremetyev’s army, was carried out under the name Mevsov Regiment and was repeatedly stationed in Pskov. In 1706, the regiment was renamed after the chief of the regiment, General Peter von Dolbon, into the Dolbonov Regiment.

The Tsar's Decree of March 10, 1708 concerned the general renaming of Russian regiments “by city” and from that moment the name “Pskov” remained in the name of the regiment until 1918, when decrees of the Soviet government disbanded the regiments established by Peter the Great. The history of the regiment by that time totaled 200 years.

The name of the regiment over the course of 80 years (this period is covered by the book) changed 16 more times; it was infantry, musketeer, huntsman, but “Pskov” remained unchanged.

In 1712, Peter's regiments were assigned banners depicting the coat of arms of the province of the same name. Therefore, in the Pskov Infantry Regiment, such “banners were blue, with an image in the upper corner of the banner of a golden leopard and above it a hand emerging from the clouds.”

The work of Captain Geniev describes in detail all the military campaigns of the Pskov Infantry Regiment, but special attention is paid to the participation of the regiment in the Patriotic War of 1812 under the command of Colonel Dmitry Petrovich Lyapunov. The regiment took part in the defense of Smolensk, the battle of Polotsk and the battle of Borodino.

This is the most important page in the regiment’s combat history, especially considering that from 1799 to 1813, that is, until his death, Field Marshal Prince Kutuzov-Smolensky was the chief of the regiment.

On November 27, the Russian Federation celebrates Marine Corps Day. This is a professional holiday for all military personnel serving in the Marine Corps, as well as people who served in it before. Although the history of the Marine Corps goes back centuries, this holiday is still young. It was established by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy of the Russian Federation No. 433 dated December 19, 1995. The date November 27 was not chosen by chance. Exactly 310 years ago, on November 16 (27), 1705, Tsar Peter the Great issued a Decree on the creation of a “regiment of naval soldiers.”

If we take world history, the marine corps has existed almost from the same time as the ancient states had military flotillas. It is known that the first detachments of warriors on ships appeared among the Phoenicians and ancient Greeks. In ancient Greece, marines were called "epibates". Strictly speaking, epibats included all the people who were on the ship and did not belong to the ship’s crew, but most often this word meant naval soldiers. In Athens, epibates were recruited from representatives of the fetes, the lowest social stratum of Athenian society. Epibates fought on the decks of ships, and also landed from ships onto land. In ancient Rome, marines were called liburnarii and manipularii. They were recruited from among freedmen, that is, as in Ancient Greece, the military craft of a marine was not considered socially prestigious by the Romans. At the same time, although the libernari were well armed and trained at the level of ordinary legionnaires, they received less pay.

The formation of the Marine Corps in its modern form - as a separate branch of the military - occurred already in modern times. The first country to acquire its own regular marine formations was Britain. The presence of numerous overseas colonies and constant colonial wars and uprisings in the territories under their control created the need for the formation and gradual improvement of special military units that could conduct combat operations on land and at sea - during naval battles. In addition, an important function of the Marine Corps at that time was to ensure internal security on ships. The fact is that the sailors of warships were a very specific contingent, recruited not only voluntarily, but also through deception from representatives of the lower social classes. The conditions of service in the navy were very difficult and ship mutinies, followed by the murders of the captain and officers and the transition to “pirates,” were not uncommon. To suppress riots, detachments of naval soldiers were stationed on ships. Large ships typically carried a Marine company of 136 men, under the command of a Marine captain assisted by a lieutenant, staff sergeant, and sergeants. The marines played the main role during boarding battles, and during landings on the coast they were strengthened by the ship’s sailors under the command of a naval officer. In this case, the Marine officer served as the deputy commander of the expeditionary force.

"Sea Soldiers" of "Company Pyotr Alekseev"

Although Peter the Great signed the decree on the creation of a regiment of naval soldiers in 1705, in reality military detachments, which can be considered the prototype of the Russian marine corps, appeared much earlier. Back in the second half of the 16th century, on the orders of Ivan the Terrible, a flotilla was created, the crews of which included special detachments of archers. When the first Russian military sailing ship "Eagle" was built in 1669, its crew also included a team of 35 Nizhny Novgorod archers under the command of Ivan Dozhirov. The ship's gunners were tasked with performing guard duty and participating in boarding battles. However, apart from the fact that the Streltsy served on the ship, they were no different from the rest of the Streltsy units. However, the service of the ship "Eagle" was short-lived, so the detachment of naval archers remained only an episode in Russian naval history. The need for the formation of the Marine Corps as a special type of troops was realized only by Peter the Great, who studied European military experience. The need to create a marine corps was explained by Russia’s struggle for access to the seas - the Azov and Baltic. Initially, detachments from among specially seconded soldiers and officers of the army infantry regiments - Ostrovsky, Tyrtov, Tolbukhin and Shnevetsov - began serving on Russian ships. Almost immediately after the start of combat use of “sea soldiers”, their effectiveness in boarding battles was proven. Thanks to the actions of the soldiers, several victories were won over large ships of the Swedish fleet. In May 1703, two Swedish ships were captured at the mouth of the Neva.

Peter the Great, who was a participant in the battle, was finally convinced of the need to form special military units that could operate in boarding and landing battles. In the fall of 1704, Peter the Great decided to “create regiments of naval soldiers (depending on the number according to the fleet) and divide them according to captains forever, to which corporals and sergeants should be taken from old soldiers for the sake of better training in formation and order.” Initially, soldiers of the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments were used as marines on the ships of the Russian fleet. It was from among the soldiers and officers of these most combat-ready units of the Russian army that the formation of the Naval Regiment (regiment) began. After the decree of November 16 (27), 1705, Admiral Fyodor Golovin, to whom the Tsar entrusted the formation of the regiment, gave the corresponding order to the Russian Vice Admiral of Norwegian origin Cornelius Kruys: “according to the Decree of His Majesty, we must have one naval regiment, and so I ask you, if you please compose this , so that he would be one of 1200 soldiers, and what belongs to that, what is in the gun and so on, please sign up with me and do not leave the others behind; and how many are there in number or there has been a great decline, then we are trying to find recruits.” Thus, in addition to Peter the Great, Fyodor Golovin and Cornelius Cruys were at the origins of the creation of the Russian Marine Corps.
The regiment's officers were formed from among the non-commissioned officers of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments who had combat experience in the Northern War. It is noteworthy that Peter the Great himself was listed as the commander of the 4th company of the Marine Regiment under the name of Peter Alekseev. The regiment served in the Baltic Sea and included two battalions of five companies each. The regiment consisted of 45 officers, 70 non-commissioned officers and 1,250 privates. The first Russian marines were armed with guns with baguettes (a prototype of a bayonet), cutlasses and sabers. Soon after its creation, the Naval Regiment took part in the Northern War, during which it was used primarily for boarding and landing operations. Already in 1706, the Naval Regiment received its first baptism of fire. Captain Bakhtiyarov’s team managed to capture the Swedish bot “Espern” in a boarding battle.

In 1712, it was decided to form five separate battalions instead of the Naval Regiment. The decision to switch to a battalion structure was made based on an analysis of the experience of the combat use of the Naval Regiment during the Northern War. The regimental organization seemed too cumbersome, making it difficult to use the Marines in combat conditions. Therefore, it was decided to form a Naval Regiment, and on its basis create five naval battalions. The admiral's battalion served on the ships of the center of the squadron, the vice-admiral's battalion was stationed on boarding landing ships, the rear admiral's battalion - on the ships of the squadron's rearguard, the galley battalion - on combat galleys, the admiralty battalion served to protect naval bases, the admiralty and coastal institutions of the Russian fleet. Each such battalion included 22 officers and 660 non-commissioned officers and privates. The naval boarding and landing teams, led by their commanders, were operationally subordinate to the ship commanders, but in daily service and training they were subordinate to the chief of the squadron's marine corps, to whose position the commander of the marine battalion was usually appointed. After participating in naval campaigns and battles, the ship's boarding and landing teams served as guards to naval bases and engaged in combat training at the location of their battalions. The ship's crew included from 80 to 200 soldiers, that is, approximately a company of Marines. In the galley fleet, naval soldiers made up 80-90% of ship crew members, being, at the same time, galley rowers. There were 150 people serving on the scampaway, of which only 9 were sailors, and the rest were marines. The command of the scampaway was also carried out by a Marine officer. In addition to the Marine Corps itself, an amphibious corps numbering 18-26 thousand military personnel was formed. In 1713, the strength of this unit reached 29,860 people, united in 18 infantry regiments and a separate infantry battalion. In 1714, the marines took part in the Battle of Gangut. It involved two guards, two grenadiers, eleven infantry regiments and a galley battalion of marines - a total of about 3,433 Russian army personnel. An important part of the Northern War was the conduct of landing operations against Sweden, in which the marines played the main role. Thus, in 1719 alone, the landing corps, then commanded by Admiral General Apraksin, carried out 16 landing operations in the area from Stockholm to Norrköping. Another 14 operations were carried out between Stockholm and Gefle.

From the Northern War to the First World War

After the end of the Northern War, the marines were already an integral part of the Russian army and navy. The next campaign in which Russian marines participated was the Persian Campaign of 1721-1723. It involved 80 companies of marines, which later became part of 10 regiments, 2 battalions in each regiment. It was thanks to the marines that Russian positions in the Caspian Sea were strengthened. Later, from among the marines who took part in the campaign, two naval regiments were formed in the Baltic Fleet.

Since the Northern War, Russian naval soldiers have fought in virtually every major war fought by the Russian Empire. They were used to conduct amphibious landing operations to capture coastal fortresses, conduct reconnaissance and organize sabotage, and boarding battles. Marines were often thrown onto land to reinforce ground infantry regiments. Russian marines have been involved in the Seven Years' War and the Russian-Turkish Wars. During the Russian-Turkish War of 1735-1739. a combined marine battalion of 2,145 soldiers and officers recruited from two Baltic naval regiments took part in the siege and capture of the Azov fortress. During the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. The marines successfully operated during the assault on the Prussian fortress of Kolberg. It was taken by a detachment of marines and sailors under the command of Captain 1st Rank G.A. Spiridova. The Marine Corps also performed well during the Archipelago Expedition of 1769-1774, when the Russian fleet blocked the Dardanelles, and landing troops were landed on the islands of the Archipelago, the Greek and Turkish coasts. In total, during the campaign, more than 60 landing detachments, formed from among the soldiers and officers of the Baltic Fleet marines, were landed from the ships of the Russian fleet. Five squadrons with 8,000 marine soldiers and officers on board were transferred from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea. In addition to the marine regiments of the Baltic Fleet, the landing detachments also included military personnel of the guards and army infantry regiments - the Life Guards of Preobrazhensky, Kexholm, Shlisselburg, Ryazan, Tobolsk, Vyatka and Pskov.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-1791, amphibious assault took part in the assault and capture of the Turkish fortress of Izmail. An amphibious flotilla was sent to storm Izmail under the command of Major General Osip Deribas, a Russian officer of Spanish origin whose actual name was Jose de Ribas. The landing party, commanded by his brother Colonel Emmanuel de Ribas, included Cossacks of the Black Sea Cossack Army, battalions of Kherson grenadiers and Livland rangers, who, after landing, occupied coastal fortifications. The naval infantry of the Black Sea Fleet began with the assault on Izmail. In 1798-1800 The marines took part in the Mediterranean campaign of Admiral Fyodor Ushakov, during which Russia managed to capture the Ionian Islands, occupy the island of Corfu, and land on the Italian coast. Marine battalions under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Skipor and Majors Buasel and Brimmer took part in the assault on the island of Corfu. The actions of the marines were subsequently highly appreciated by Admiral Ushakov, who reported on the courage and combat readiness of the marines to Emperor Paul I.
It should be noted that the officers and soldiers of the Russian Marine Corps differed from their European colleagues primarily in moral qualities - they served their country and considered it as their military duty, while the Marine Corps of European states was staffed by mercenaries - people of an adventurous nature, for whom the main value remained reward for service. The most important distinguishing characteristic of the Russian marines was their excellent ability to carry out bayonet attacks and aimed fire. Constant readiness to engage the enemy head-on remains a core skill of Marines to this day. That is why enemies, even in the wars of the twentieth century, were afraid of the marines, calling them both the “black death” and “sea devils.”

In 1803, another organizational transformation of the Russian Marine Corps took place. Based on individual battalions, four naval regiments were formed, three of which were subordinate to the command of the Baltic Fleet and one was part of the Black Sea Fleet. Marines took part in the second Archipelago Expedition of Vice Admiral Senyavin in 1805-1807. , The Hanoverian Expedition of 1805 in 1811 created the 25th Infantry Division, which included two brigades formed from marines. This division fought well on the land fronts of the Patriotic War of 1812. On the Borodino field there is a monument to the Life Guards Jaeger Regiment and the sailors of the Guards Marine Crew. It was the Marines who carried out the tasks of constructing bridges and crossings for the movement of the Russian army and the subsequent destruction of bridges and crossings when French troops approached. Midshipman detachment M.N. Lermontov from thirty marines was supposed to destroy the bridge over the Kolocha River and, in the event of the French approach, prevent the crossing of the river. When the French attacked the village of Borodino on August 26, the Russian rangers, after fierce resistance, were forced to retreat. After this, the Marines set fire to the bridge, but the French rushed straight to the burning bridge and the Marines had to participate in hand-to-hand combat with the French. Barclay de Tolly sent two chasseur regiments to the aid of thirty marines, after which, through joint efforts, they managed to destroy the advancing French regiment. Midshipman Lermontov received the Order of St. Anne, 3rd degree, for this battle.

However, after the end of the Patriotic War of 1821, in 1813 the marine corps was transferred to the army department, after which the Russian marine corps ceased to exist for almost a century. Obviously, this was an unforgivable mistake by the Russian high military command and the emperor. The result of this miscalculation was the numerous problems that the Russian army and navy faced in the wars of the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. So, during the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. There was an obvious need for marine infantry units. It was necessary to form 17 naval battalions from among the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet, who went down in history with their indomitable courage and valor shown during the defense of Sevastopol. However, the situation could have been different had there been regular regiments or at least battalions of marines in the Black Sea Fleet at that time. However, the Russian authorities did not draw the appropriate conclusions from the Crimean War - the Marine Corps was never recreated. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Port Arthur, defending against Japanese troops, felt the need for marines. It was defended by seven naval battalions formed from the personnel of the ships, a separate landing detachment of sailors, three naval rifle companies and machine gun teams.

Only in 1910 did the tsarist military leaders again talk about the need to form the marine corps as a separate branch of the military as part of the navy. In 1911, the Main Naval Staff developed a project to create infantry units at the country's main naval bases. It was planned to create an infantry regiment as part of the Baltic Fleet, as well as the Black Sea and Vladivostok battalions. In August 1914, two battalions of sailors from the Guards Fleet Crew and one battalion of sailors from the 1st Baltic Fleet Crew were formed in Kronstadt. On August 1, 1914, the creation of naval battalions in the Black Sea Fleet began. The commander of the fleet signed the “Regulations on the temporary separate Kerch naval battalion.” Two more battalions were sent to the military commandant of the Batumi fortress. A separate company of marines was formed in the Caspian Sea, and a separate landing detachment from among the marines of the Black Sea Fleet was stationed in Baku. In March 1915, already during the First World War, a separate naval battalion of the 2nd Baltic Fleet Crew was transformed into a Special Purpose Naval Regiment, which included rifle companies, a mine company, a machine gun team, a communications team, regimental artillery, technical workshop, convoy, crews of the steamship “Ivan-Gorod” and boats. In 1916, the fleet command came to the conclusion that it was necessary to further develop and strengthen the forces of the Marine Corps, for which it was decided to form two divisions - the Baltic and the Black Sea. The Baltic division was created on the basis of a marine brigade, and the Black Sea division was formed as a result of the combination of naval battalions that had existed since 1915. However, the final formation of the Baltic and Black Sea marine divisions was never destined to happen.

The first steps of the Soviet Marine Corps

As a result of the February Revolution, the divisions were disbanded. Nevertheless, sailors played a vital role in the events of both the revolution and the Civil War, acting primarily as units operating on land. It can be said that it was the sailors, due to the spread of revolutionary views among the navy, who became the striking force of the revolutions of 1917. The directive of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs, dated January 1918, emphasized the need to include platoon volunteers of “comrade sailors” in each echelon being formed. About 75 thousand sailors fought on the land fronts in the battles of the Civil War. The most famous among them, of course, were Pavel Dybenko, Anatoly Zheleznyakov, Alexey (Foma) Mokrousov. In 1920, in Mariupol, to defend the coast of the Sea of Azov occupied by the “reds” and conduct landing operations, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Division was formed, which was not officially called a marine division, but in fact that is exactly what it was. The division consisted of four regiments of two battalions each, a cavalry regiment, an artillery brigade, and an engineer battalion. The strength of the division reached 5 thousand people. It was the naval division that made an important contribution to the liberation of Kuban from the “whites”. After the end of the Civil War, the units manned by sailors who fought on the fronts were disbanded. In the 1920s - 1930s. There were no marine units in the fleets. Before World War II, the Soviet Navy did not have a single specially built landing ship, since in the 1920s - 1930s. The armies and navies of the world did not pay due attention to amphibious operations, but rather focused on the development of anti-amphibious defense of coastal areas.

Only at the end of the 1930s, due to the growing military-political tension in the world, work began on creating the first Soviet units of regular marines. On June 17, 1939, the commander of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet ordered “in accordance with the instructions of the People's Commissar of the Navy, to begin the formation of a separate special force for temporary peacetime staff! rifle brigade stationed in Kronstadt...” On December 11, 1939, the People's Commissar of the USSR Navy ordered that the special rifle brigade of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet be considered a coastal defense unit and subordinated to the Military Council of the Fleet. The special rifle brigade of the Baltic Fleet took an active part in the Soviet-Finnish War, landing as part of the landing forces on the islands of the Gulf of Finland. A special ski detachment of the Marine Corps and special forces battalions took part in the Soviet-Finnish War. On April 25, 1940, the People's Commissar of the USSR Navy signed an order to reorganize a separate special rifle brigade into the 1st Special Marine Brigade. Thus, it is the day of April 25, 1940 that can be considered the starting point in the history of the Soviet Marine Corps.

"Black Death" during the Second World War

However, until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet military and naval commands did not pay due attention to the development of the Marine Corps. There was only one marine brigade attached to the Baltic Fleet, although other fleets, primarily the Black Sea Fleet, also felt the need for such formations. The mistakes of Soviet military leaders and naval commanders began to be felt already in the first days of the war. Therefore, the formation of units and formations of the Marine Corps at the expense of naval crews began to be carried out at an accelerated pace in the first months of the war. At the very beginning of the war, the command began to form naval rifle brigades - they operated on land fronts and were staffed by personnel of the navy and marine brigades - they participated in landing operations, the defense of naval bases and reconnaissance and sabotage operations.
By October 1941, 25 marine brigades had been formed. Marines played a vital role in the defense of Leningrad and Moscow, Stalingrad and Odessa, Sevastopol and the naval bases of the Arctic. But the Marines fought most actively on the Black Sea coast. There was a higher efficiency of the Marine Corps compared to rifle units and formations of ground forces. But the Marines suffered much more significant losses even compared to the infantrymen. During the war, the Marine Corps was not only used on land as ordinary infantry units, but also participated in landing, reconnaissance, and sabotage operations on all fronts. The most active units of the Marine Corps operated in the Black Sea region, on the Crimean and Caucasian coasts. In the battles near Sevastopol, 1,050 Nazi troops were killed by Marine snipers alone. The Nazis were afraid of the Marines like fire and nicknamed them the “Black Death.” During the war, one division, 19 brigades, 14 regiments and 36 battalions of marines, with a total number of over 230 thousand military personnel, fought on various fronts and at different times. At the same time, the organizational structure of the Marine Corps during the Great Patriotic War was characterized by a lack of order. Firstly, three types of units and formations could be classified as marine infantry: 1) naval rifle brigades operating on the land front; 2) the marine brigade itself, which performed the functions of amphibious assault and defense of naval bases and the coast; 3) rifle units and formations that did not have the official name “marine”, but were recruited based on the personnel of the navy and, in fact, were also the marine corps.

Secondly, a unified structure of such units was not developed. Most often, marines were organized into brigades, and the regimental structure did not become widespread during the Second World War. As historians emphasize, it was due to a lack of artillery and machine guns. Thus, the 384th Separate Nikolaev Red Banner Marine Corps Battalion of the Black Sea Fleet included two rifle companies, a machine gun company, a company of anti-tank rifles, a company of machine gunners, a reconnaissance platoon, a sapper platoon, a communications platoon, a medical unit and a utility department. The battalion lacked artillery, which negatively affected the ability to conduct independent combat operations in coastal areas. The battalion numbered 686 people - 53 officers, 265 petty officers and 367 privates.

However, there were much better armed units of the Marine Corps. Thus, the 31st separate Petrozavodsk Marine Battalion of the Onega Military Flotilla consisted of three rifle companies, one machine gun company, one machine gun company, one battery of 76 mm guns and one battery of 45 mm weapons, a mortar battery, reconnaissance, engineer and anti-aircraft guns. machine gun platoon, armored vehicle platoon, diving platoon, ambulance and utility platoon. With such a structure, carrying out independent combat missions already seemed quite possible. During the Great Patriotic War, Soviet marines showed miracles of courage, bravery and determination. Two hundred marines received the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the famous intelligence officer V.N. Leonov became a Hero of the Soviet Union twice. Marine units and formations played a major role in the Soviet-Japanese War in August 1945. It was thanks to the landing operations of the Pacific Fleet that Soviet troops managed to quickly occupy South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, gain a foothold in Korean ports and finish off the resisting Kwantung Army.

Post-war period. From disbandment to prosperity

It would seem that the success of the Marine Corps during the Great Patriotic War, the heroism of the Marines should have convinced the Soviet leadership and military command of the need for the existence of this unique type of troops. But in the post-war period, units and formations of the Marine Corps in the Soviet Union were again liquidated. To an important extent, this decision of the Soviet leadership was facilitated by the rapid development of nuclear missile weapons. In the mid-1950s. Nikita Khrushchev openly spoke about the uselessness of the Marine Corps in modern conditions. Marine units and formations were disbanded, and officers were sent to the reserves - and this despite having unique combat experience and excellent training. In 1958, the production of landing ships was stopped in the Soviet Union. And this is against the background of global political events associated with the decolonization of Asia and Africa and the beginning of a number of local wars and conflicts. While the USSR abandoned the Marine Corps and paid little attention to the development of the Navy as a whole, the USA and Great Britain were developing their navies and improving the training and armament of Marine Corps units. In the United States, the Marine Corps has long become one of the most important instruments for protecting American political interests outside the country, to some extent becoming a symbol of the American armed forces (it is no coincidence that it is the Marines who serve as guards for American embassies and missions abroad).

Only by the beginning of the 1960s. The Soviet leadership began to realize the need to revive the domestic marine corps. Moreover, the Soviet Union played an increasingly active role in world politics, including in remote regions - Tropical Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean. The need for special troops that could be transported by sea and used for landing and reconnaissance and sabotage operations was growing. In 1963, in accordance with the directive of the USSR Ministry of Defense of June 7, 1963, the 336th Bialystok Order of Suvorov and Alexander Nevsky Guards Separate Marine Regiment was formed, stationed in the city of Baltiysk, Kaliningrad region of the RSFSR. Guard Colonel P.T. was appointed the first commander of the regiment. Shapranov. Already in December 1963, the 390th separate marine regiment was created in the Pacific Fleet, stationed at a base in Slavyansk, six kilometers from Vladivostok. In 1966, on the basis of the 61st motorized rifle regiment of the 131st motorized rifle division of the Leningrad Military District, the 61st separate Red Banner Kirkenes Marine Regiment was formed, subordinate to the command of the Northern Fleet. In the Black Sea, the marine corps was revived in November 1966. After the Baltic Marine Regiment took part in joint Soviet-Romanian-Bulgarian exercises, one of its battalions remained in the region and was included in the Black Sea Fleet as the 309th separate battalion Marine Corps. The following year, 1967, the 810th Separate Marine Regiment of the Black Sea Fleet was formed on its basis. Given the operational situation in East and Southeast Asia, the first Marine Corps formation was created in the Pacific Fleet. On the basis of the 390th separate marine regiment, stationed near Vladivostok, the 55th marine division was created. A separate battalion of marines was also formed as part of the Caspian Flotilla. That is, by the beginning of the 1970s. The USSR Navy included one division, three separate regiments and one separate battalion of marines.

Since 1967, units of the USSR Marine Corps regularly served in the oceans, taking part in a number of major military-political conflicts during the Cold War. Soviet marines visited Egypt and Ethiopia, Angola and Vietnam, Yemen and Somalia, Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe, Benin and the Seychelles. Perhaps it was the Marine Corps in the 1960s - 1970s. remained the most “belligerent” branch of the USSR troops. After all, the Marines took part in numerous local conflicts abroad, defending the strategic interests of the Soviet Union. Thus, Soviet marines had to provide assistance to the Egyptian army during the Egyptian-Israeli war. In Ethiopia, a Marine company landed at the port of Massau and fought with local separatists. In the Seychelles, Soviet marines under the command of Captain V. Oblogi prevented a pro-Western coup d'etat.

By the end of the 1970s. The Soviet leadership finally realized the importance and necessity of the existence of marine formations and units as part of the country's Navy. In November 1979, individual marine regiments were reorganized into separate marine brigades, which also led to a change in the status of the formations - from a tactical unit to a tactical formation. The battalions included in the brigades received the name of separate and the status of tactical units. In addition to the brigades created on the basis of regiments, an additional 175th separate marine brigade was created as part of the Northern Fleet. Thus, by 1990, the marine corps, which was part of the Coastal Forces of the USSR Navy, included: the 55th Mozyr Red Banner Marine Division (Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok), the 61st Kirkenes Red Banner Separate Marine Brigade (Northern Fleet, p. Sputnik near Murmansk), 175th separate marine brigade (Northern Fleet, Serebryanskoye village near Murmansk), 336th Guards Bialystok Order of Suvorov and Alexander Nevsky separate marine brigade (Baltic Fleet, Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad region), 810th Separate Marine Brigade (Black Sea Fleet, Kazachye village near Sevastopol), a separate marine battalion of the Caspian Flotilla. The number of marines in the USSR Navy during this period reached 12.6 thousand military personnel; in the event of mobilization, the number of marines could be increased by 2.5-3 times.

Marines of the new Russia

The collapse of the Soviet Union did not affect the Marine Corps. All marine units remained part of the Russian armed forces. Currently, the Coastal Forces of the Russian Navy include 4 separate marine brigades and several separate regiments and battalions. Officer training is carried out, first of all, at the Far Eastern Higher Combined Arms Command School in Blagoveshchensk and at the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School (since 2008). Russian marines honorably fulfilled their constitutional duty to combat terrorism in the Chechen Republic, participated in a number of other armed conflicts in the post-Soviet space, and are currently taking part in ensuring security in sea waters not only in Russia, but also abroad - including in the Indian Ocean, where operations are carried out against Somali pirates. Currently, the Marine Corps remains a highly combat-ready branch of the military, service in which is very prestigious. The Marine Corps has repeatedly confirmed its necessity and high importance for the Russian state and the protection of its interests. On Marine Corps Day, it remains to congratulate all Marines and Marine Corps veterans and wish them, first of all, victories and achievements and, most importantly, no combat losses.

The history of the Russian army is an integral part of Russian culture, which is necessary for everyone who considers himself a worthy son of the great Russian land to know. Despite the fact that Rus' (later Russia) waged war throughout its existence, the specific division of the army, the assignment of a separate role to each of its components, as well as the introduction of appropriate distinctive signs began to occur only during the time of the emperors. The infantry regiments, the indestructible backbone of the empire, deserved special attention. This type of troops has a rich history, since each era (and each new war) introduced colossal changes to them.

Shelves of the new order (17th century)

The infantry of the Russian Empire, like the cavalry, dates back to 1698 and is a consequence of the army reform of Peter 1. Until that time, rifle regiments predominated. However, the emperor’s desire not to be different from Europe took its toll. The number of infantry amounted to more than 60% of all troops (not counting the Cossack regiments). War with Sweden was foreshadowed, and in addition to the existing soldiers, 25 thousand recruits were selected and undergoing military training. The officer corps was formed exclusively from foreign military personnel and people of noble origin.

The Russian military was divided into three categories:

Infantry (ground forces).
Land militia and garrison (local forces).
Cossacks (irregular army).

In total, the new formation amounted to about 200 thousand people. Moreover, infantry stood out as the main type of troops. Closer to 1720, a new rank system was introduced.

Changes in weapons and uniforms

The uniform and weapons also underwent changes. Now the Russian soldier fully corresponded to the image of a European military man. In addition to the main weapon - a gun, the infantrymen had bayonets, swords and grenades. The material for the mold was of the best quality. Great importance was attached to its tailoring. From this time until the end of the 19th century, there were no significant changes in the Russian army. Apart from the formation of elite regiments - grenadiers, rangers, etc.

Infantry in the War of 1812

In view of the upcoming events (Napoleon Bonaparte's attack on Russia), which became precisely known from intelligence reports, the new Minister of War Barclay de Tolly, recently appointed to this post, considered it necessary to make massive changes in the Russian army. This was especially true for infantry regiments. In history, this process is known as the military reforms of 1810.

The infantry of the Russian Empire at that time was in a deplorable state. And not because there was a shortage of personnel. The problem was organization. It was precisely this moment that the attention of the new Minister of War was devoted to.

Preparation of the army of 1812

Preparatory work for the war with France was presented in a memorandum entitled “On the protection of the western borders of Russia.” It was approved by Alexander 1 in 1810. All the ideas outlined in this document began to be translated into reality.

The army's central command system was also reorganized. The new organization was based on two points:

Establishment of the War Ministry.
The establishment of command and control of a large active army.

The Russian army of 1812, its condition and readiness for military action were the result of 2 years of work.

Infantry structure 1812

The infantry made up the majority of the army and included:

Garrison units.
Light infantry.
Heavy infantry (grenadiers).

As for the garrison component, it was nothing more than a reserve of the ground unit and was responsible for the timely replenishment of the ranks. It also included Marines, although these units were commanded by the Ministry

Replenishment of the Lithuanian and Finnish regiments organized the Life Guards. Otherwise they were called elite infantry.

Composition of heavy infantry:

4 guards regiments;
14 regiments of grenadiers;
96 regiments of foot troops;
4 Marine Regiments;
1st battalion of the Caspian fleet.

Light Infantry:

2 guards regiments;
50 regiments of rangers;
1 naval crew;

Garrison troops:

1 garrison battalion of the Life Guards;
12 garrison regiments;
20 garrison battalions;
20 battalions of internal guards.

In addition to the above, the Russian army included cavalry, artillery, and Cossack regiments. Militia formations were recruited in every part of the country.

Military regulations of 1811

A year before the start of hostilities, a document was born showing the correct actions of officers and soldiers in the process of preparing for battle and during it. The title of this paper is the military regulations on infantry service. It stated the following points:

features of officer training;
soldier training;
the location of each combat unit;
recruiting;
rules of conduct for soldiers and officers;
rules for formation, marching, saluting, etc.;
firing;
hand-to-hand combat techniques.

As well as many other components of military service. The infantry of the Russian Empire became not only protection, but also the face of the state.

War of 1812

The Russian army of 1812 consisted of 622 thousand people. However, only a third of the entire army was withdrawn to the western border. The reason for this was the disbandment of individual units. The southern Russian army was still in Wallachia and Moldavia, since the war with Turkey had just ended, and it was necessary to control the territory.

The Finnish corps, under the command of Steingel, numbered about 15 thousand people, but its location was in Sveaborg, since it was intended to become the landing group that would carry out the landing on the Baltic coast. Thus, the command planned to break Napoleon's rear.

Most of the troops were stationed in garrisons in various parts of the country. A large number of soldiers were stationed in Georgia and other areas of the Caucasus. This was explained by the war with the Persians, which ended only in 1813. A considerable number of troops were concentrated in the fortresses of the Urals and Siberia, thereby ensuring the safety of the borders of the Russian Empire. The same applies to the Cossack regiments concentrated in the Urals, Siberia and Kyrgyzstan.

In general, the Russian military was prepared for a French attack. This concerned numbers, uniforms, and weapons. But for the reasons listed above, by the time the invaders invaded, only a third of it was sent to repel the attack.

Armament and uniform of 1812

Despite the fact that the command adhered to the use of rifles of one caliber (17.78 mm) by troops, in reality there were more than 20 different calibers of rifles in service. The greatest preference was given to a gun of the 1808 model with a triangular bayonet. The advantage of the weapon was a smooth barrel, a well-coordinated striking mechanism and a comfortable butt.

Melee weapons of the infantry are sabers and broadswords. Many officers had it. Typically, it was a bladed weapon, the hilt of which consisted of gold or silver. The most common type was the saber with the engraving “For Bravery.”

As for the armor, it has practically left the infantry uniform. Only among the cavalry could one find a semblance of armor - shells. For example, cuirasses, which were intended to protect the cuirassier’s torso. Such armor was capable of withstanding a blow from a bladed weapon, but not a firearm bullet.

The uniform of Russian soldiers and officers were uniforms, exquisitely sewn and tailored to the owner of the vestments. The main task of this form was to provide its owner with freedom of movement, without restricting him at all. Unfortunately, this could not be said about ceremonial uniforms, which caused serious inconvenience to officers and generals at parties.

Elite regiments - huntsmen

Observing how special military formations of the Prussians, called “jaegers,” allow the enemy to achieve their goals, one of the Russian commanders-in-chief decided to form a similar unit in the Russian army. Initially, only 500 people with experience in hunting became candidates. The Jaeger regiments of the Russian Empire are a kind of partisans of the late 18th century. They were recruited exclusively from the best warriors who served in the musketeers and

The uniform of the rangers was simple and did not differ in the bright colors of the uniform. Dark colors predominated, allowing them to blend into the environment (bushes, stones, etc.).

The armament of the rangers is the best weapon that could ever be in the ranks of the Russian army. Instead of sabers they carried bayonets. And the bags were intended only for gunpowder, grenades and provisions, which could last for three days.

Despite playing a key role in many battles and being an indispensable support for light infantry and cavalry, they were disbanded in 1834.

Grenadiers

The name of the military formation comes from the word “Grenada”, i.e. "grenade". In fact, it was infantry, armed not only with guns, but also with a large number of grenades, which were used to storm fortresses and other strategically important objects. Because The standard Grenada weighed a lot, so in order to hit the target, it was necessary to get closer to it. Only warriors distinguished by courage and great experience were capable of this.

Russian grenadiers were recruited exclusively from the best soldiers of ordinary infantry. The main task of this type of troops is to undermine the enemy’s fortified positions. Naturally, the grenadier had to be distinguished by hefty physical strength in order to carry a large number of grenades in his bag. Initially (under Peter 1), the first representatives of this type of army were formed into separate units. Closer to 1812, divisions of grenadiers were already created. This type of troops existed until the October Revolution.

Russian involvement in World War I

The prevailing economic rivalry between England and Germany caused the clash of more than 30 powers. The Russian Empire had its place in the First World War. Being the owner of a powerful army, she became the guardian of the interests of the Entente. Like other powers, Russia had its own views and counted on lands and resources that could be appropriated by intervening in the global battle.

Russian Army in World War I

Despite the lack of aviation and armored vehicles, the Russian Empire did not need soldiers in the First World War, since their number exceeded 1 million people. There were enough guns and cartridges. The main problem was with the shells. In history, this phenomenon is known as the “shell crisis.” After five months of war, the Russian army's warehouses were empty, which led to the need to buy shells from the allies.

The soldiers' uniform consisted of a cloth shirt, trousers and a cap of dark green khaki color. Boots and a belt were also indispensable soldier attributes. In winter, an overcoat and a hat were issued. During the war years, the infantry of the Russian Empire did not suffer any changes in uniform. Unless the cloth was replaced with moleskin - a new material.

They were armed with Mosin rifles (or three-line rifles), as well as bayonets. In addition, soldiers were given pouches and gun cleaning kits.

Mosin rifle

Also known as three-line. Why it is called this is a relevant question to this day. It is known that the Mosin rifle is a weapon that has been in demand since 1881. It was used even during the Second World War, as it combined three main characteristics - ease of operation, accuracy and range.

Why is it called the three-line? The fact is that previously the caliber was calculated based on the length. Special lines were used. At that time, one line was 2.54 mm. The Mosin rifle cartridge was 7.62 mm, which fit 3 lines.

Chasseur regiments in the Russian Empire existed from the beginning of the Napoleonic Wars until the end of the Crimean War.
At their core, these were light infantry regiments that appeared under Rumyantsev (although they did not then bear the name of Jaeger) and were intended for operational operations in forests, villages, ambushes, as well as to support the actions of light cavalry.
The equipment of the rangers was the lightest: instead of swords, bayonets were inserted into the belts; Heavy grenadier bags were replaced with light musketeer bags, tents were taken away, hat braids were stripped, and raincoats were left only to those who wanted them. Each soldier was equipped with a shnobzak (bag), and later a backpack, with a three-day supply of food.
Historically, rangers often produced people who became famous for their military talents. Thus, among the commanders of the ranger corps were Kutuzov, Gudovich, Mikhelson, and the battalion commanders at different times were Barclay de Tolly, Bagration and Count M.F. Kamensky.
During the Crimean War, the Russian army consisted of 42 Jaeger regiments, i.e. almost half of the entire infantry (there were 110 infantry regiments in total). However, during this military campaign, the infantry rifle battalions showed their enormous advantage over the rangers, and immediately after its end, a complete transformation of the ranger regiments took place.
In 1856, all carabinieri jäger regiments were renamed grenadier regiments; all chasseur regiments were converted into infantry regiments (with the exception of the Tiflis and Mingrelian chasseur regiments, renamed grenadier regiments). The Life Guards Jaeger Regiment was renamed the Life Guards Gatchina (the name Jaeger was returned in 1871) and reorganized into a general infantry position. Thus, the Jaeger regiments ceased to exist; they merged with the line troops into single rifle companies, battalions and regiments.

2. The uniform of a ranger in the Russian army during the Crimean War consists of a cap (more popularly known as a peakless cap), an overcoat, a set of shoulder straps, a cartridge and capsule bag, a satchel, a shirt, a tie, pantaloons of Flamsky linen and boots. The main external difference from the infantryman's kit is that all leather equipment was painted black.

3. Beginning in the 1820s, the overcoat became the main type of outerwear for military campaigns.
During the Crimean War, the active army wore exclusively greatcoats, and ceremonial uniforms were stored in warehouses.
The gray cloth overcoat was worn in winter and summer, in cold and hot weather. They slept in it and provided shelter during overnight stays. For the soldiers, it was clothing, a tent and a blanket at the same time.
The fairly spacious cut allowed for free movement. Unlike the uniform, it did not restrict movement. The long floors retained heat well and, in addition, made it possible to wrap yourself in it like a blanket.
In hot weather, the floors were pulled inward, and the overcoat turned into a kind of semi-caftan.

4. It should be noted that in total the Russian army numbered 1 million people, who were distributed throughout the vast territory of the Russian Empire. This fact and the technological level of the country led to the fact that there was no centralized supply in the army.
The regiments received the necessary material from which the soldiers themselves made their uniforms. Or they placed orders for specially trained people using money collected from salaries. But most often everything was done in the regiments, in free time, in the evenings with a torch.
Due to difficulties with supplies, the soldier actually had one set of uniform, which, as mentioned above, was worn all year round.
To say that the soldier was hot in the summer is to say nothing.
Little of. The infantryman's trousers were white. Naturally, they got dirty very quickly both in battle and during normal service. But an army is an army, and a soldier, among other things, also had to constantly take care that his uniform looked clean and tidy.

5. Boots - traditional footwear of the Russian soldier. Unlike modern army boots, they were made of inside-out leather. They were painted black only up to the base of the boot.

6. The colors of shoulder straps and collars differed among different regiments. There were four colors in total: white, red, blue and green. Each color signified a specific regiment number in the division. The color of the edging also mattered. He determined the battalion number. For example, the 1st one had it red, the 2nd one had it blue, and so on.
The numbers of companies, batteries or squadrons were placed on the caps. The buttons were also numbered. But, in fact, it was more of a tribute to fashion, adopted from the French, and they did not matter.
This infantryman of the Borodino Chasseurs of His Imperial Highness the Sovereign Heir Tsarevich Regiment, which he served in the 3rd Chasseurs Company (number on the cap) of the 33rd Regiment (number on the button) of the 17th Division (number on the shoulder strap).

7. The equipment of the Russian army included a special bag for storing capsules. It was attached to shoulder slings.
By the way, each soldier had a backpack. According to the regulations approved on October 20, 1851, it was supposed to contain the following things:
"... a) Things required both on a campaign and at inspection inspections - two pairs of foot wraps; shoe goods or boots; two shirts; headphones; mittens with mittens (in the summer); a cap; a tin for capsules; several feathers, with the ends cut off; a greasy cloth; a dry rag; a screwdriver, a fawn, a sharpened scraper made of hard wood, all three on one strap; a spare seed rod strung on a piece of glass, greased with lard (whoever owns it).
b) Things required only during the hike - crackers and salt for 4 days; a pair of soles; a tin of wax or lard.
c) Small things that fit in a backpack - a button plate; brushes: clothes, shoe and bleach; chalk and glue; soap; scissors; mustache fabric; fabricated comb; at least 3 needles; threads; thimble; awl; dratva; wax; knife; head comb; pocket for storing small items..." (c)

8. The soldiers were armed with muzzle-loading percussion rifles, copied from French models. The state of the Russian Empire at the time of the Crimean War did not allow the army to be re-equipped with rifled guns. This did not have the best effect on the course of the campaign.

The technical side of the defeat of the Russian army in the Crimean War of 1853-1856 was the relative backwardness of its weapons. The Anglo-French troops had rifled fittings, which allowed a loose formation of rangers to open fire on the Russian troops before they approached a distance sufficient for a volley from smoothbore rifles. The close formation of the Russian army, designed primarily for one group salvo and a bayonet attack, with such a difference in weapons, became a convenient target and suffered significant losses in each attack.

For the preparation of this story, many thanks to the reconstruction group "Borodinsky huntsman. 1855" (Moscow-St. Petersburg, leader Ilya Ulyanov), huntsmen Boris Megorsky and Mikhail Papsuev (pictured), as well as