Grozny (Chechnya) December 31, 1994 v.1.

0 February 22, 2006 Ravi Rikhye The source of this orbat is a book of unknown origin apparently called Block By Block. It is a history of modern urban warfare. Chapter 6, by Timothy L. Thompson, describes the battle for Grozy, which began on December 31, 1994, and ended on February 8, 1995. Supplemntary information has been gathered from other sources. The orbat does not seem to place the Russian MVD units. We may note that by January 1/2 the Russian advance had been defeated. The operation was so badly planned that the city was not even surrounded till January 12, something which should have been done before the assault. The battle was a clear Russian victory, but the propaganda victory went to the Chechans: the world was amazed at the inept performance of Russian commanders and the state of chaos and total unpreparedness. Because public memory is selective, and telescopes as time goes by, it may be no exaggeration to say the Battle for Grozny put the whole reputation of the Soviet Army that it had gained in the Great Patriotic War under a cloud. No good estimate of the Chechen forces is available. One estimate speaks of 15,000 men 1 ; the Russians deployed only 6,000 men of 38,000 mobilized for the operation, violating every precept of urban warfare, which requires a 4-1 to 6-1 superiority in manpower. Summary of Heavy Equipment Mobilized for Operations 2 230 tanks 353 APC 388 artillery pieces Summary of Battalions 24,000 troops total. 2 tank 5 MR 7 paratroop 20 MVD Since the MVD forces were given as 4700 by the Russians, clearly most battalions were severely understrength. 80 tanks
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US Army War College carlisle-www.army.mil/usawc/Parameters/99summer/thomas.htm Article by Danish officer and a university professor: http://www.caucasus.dk/publication1.htm

208 BMP 182 guns/mortars 3 90 helicopters Regional Orbat Mozdok Grouping 4 General Lieutenant V.M. Chilindin Moved from the northwest 131st Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade (MRB) 1000 men; 80% casualties in the attack because after they entered the city unopposed the men left their vehicles unguarded at the train station. Many proceeded to buy train tickets for the journey home! The Chechens emerged to surround the brigade and wipe it out. HQ 106th Paratroop Division 5 81st Motorized Rifle Regiment (90th Division). Only 7 of the regiments platoon commanders were experienced officers the rest were newly commissioned 276th Motorized Rifle Regiment 56th Independent Paratroop Brigade

Left flank: 81st MRR Center: 131st MRB Right: 276th MRR Vladikavkaz Axis General Lieutenant Chindarov Moved from the west. 693rd MRB (19th Motorized Rifle Division) 1 regiment 76th Paratrooper Division 1 battalion 21st Independent Paratrooper Brigade. Kizlyar Grouping General Lieutenant Lev Roklin Moved from the east. 20th Motorized Rifle Division

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It is unclear if these were heavy mortars only or included calibers less than 120mm. The groupings were named after the towns/cities which served as assembly areas. 5 The author of the chapter assumes the two MRR were part of 106th Paratroop Division. While the division HQ may have been used to command the two regiments, there were from other formations.

Assault Units/Storm Groups These were divided into four groups.

Map is from Chapter 6

East General Major Nikolay Staskov Storm detachments of the 129th MRR 1 parachute battalion from the 98th Airborne Division. Objective: Capture the bridges across the river and link up with the Northern and Western Force Group to block the central part of the city. West General Major V. Petruk 2 storm detachments of the 19th Motorized Rifle Division (Vladikovkaz) 1 regiment of the 76th Airborne Division (Pskov)

Objective: Attackalong a zone bordered on the right by the railroad tracks and on the left by Popovicha Street. Their objectives were to capture the train station and then blockade the presidential palace from the south. This axis did not make it to its jumping off point when the attack began. North General Major K. Pulikovsky 131st MRB 276th MRR 81st MRR Objective: isolate the Chechen formation from the city proper. Northeast General Lieutenant Lev Rokhlin Objective: isolate north district and Presidential Palace from rest of the city. 255th MRR Other United Identified o 74th Brigade: apparently part of North grouping. Stopped to celebrate New Years Eve and did not move in time to join December 31 attack, which it was supposed to reinforce. o 503d Regiment: parent formation unidentified, part of North grouping. Did not move as commander said unit was not prepared for combat and he did not want to risk him men pointlessly. o Two Spetsnaz units; sent to south of the city to block Chechen withdrawal routes. Had no resupply or support; surrendered to Chechens several days after running out of food. Additional Reading Suggested o www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1289/MR1289.ch2.pdf