Naval Infantry

Naval Infantry  (russian Морская пехота)are are the amphibious force under the command of the navy, similar to the US Marine Corps. They have seen action in the Great Patriotic War, The Soviet war in Afghanistan and the First and Second Chechen wars.

The first russian naval infantry units were used in the time of Ivan IV. In 1669 the first Russian sailing warship of Western European type "Orel" had the 35 persons team used for boarding, landing and security of the warship.

The official date of foundation of Russian naval infantry is November 16, 1705, when according to the decree of Peter I the Great a regiment of naval infantry was formed for boarding, landing and security service on the ships of the Baltic Fleet.

Units
These are the currently active Naval Infantry units.
 * 55th Naval Infantry Division - Vladivostok
 * 336th Guards "Belostokskaya" separate brigade - Baltiysk
 * 61st "Kirkinesskaya" separate brigade - poss.Sputnik
 * 810th separate regiment - poss. Kazache
 * 77th Guards separate brigade of marines - Kaspiysk
 * Separate battalion - Moscow

Links

 * Naval Infatry @ Wikipedia