131st Rocket Brigade
The 131st Rocket Brigade was a tactical ballistic missile brigade of the Soviet Army and Russian Ground Forces from 1960 to 1993. Based at Luga, Leningrad Oblast, it was part of the Leningrad Military District.[1][2] It was formed from an anti-aircraft artillery regiment.[3]
| 131st Rocket Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1960–1993 |
| Country |  Soviet Union (1960–1991) Russia (1992–1993) |
| Branch | Soviet Army (1960–1991) Russian Ground Forces (1992–1993) |
| Type | Tactical ballistic missile brigade |
| Part of | Leningrad Military District |
| Garrison/HQ | Luga |
| Decorations |  Order of Suvorov 3rd class |
| Battle honours | Rezekne |
History
The 240th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment was part of the 10th Guards Army at the beginning of August 1943, the first time it appears in the Combat composition of the Soviet Army.[4] The regiment remained with the 10th Guards Army for the rest of the war. [5]
The regiment helped capture Rezekne in July 1944 under command of Lieutenant Colonel Viktor Petrovich Kazantsev. For its actions the regiment was awarded the honorific "Rezekne".[6] During World War II, the regiment also received the Order of Suvorov 3rd class. Between 1945 and 1960 it was known as the 240th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment.[3]
The brigade was formed in 1960 in Luga with the Leningrad Military District,[2] apparently from parts of the 240th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment. [3] Other elements of the regiment became the 59th Anti-Aircraft Rocket Brigade.[7] It included three separate rocket battalions and a technical battery. It was equipped with R-11 Zemlya and R-17 Elbrus tactical ballistic missiles. The brigade was disbanded in 1993.[1]
References
- Holm, Michael. "131st Missile Brigade". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
- Shirokorad, Alexander (2005). Атомный таран XX века [Atomic Ram of the 20th Century] (in Russian). Moscow: Veche. p. 82. ISBN 5953306644.
- Feskov et al 2013, p. 292
- Combat composition of the Soviet Army, 1 August 1943
- Combat composition of the Soviet Army, 1944 and 1945
- Освобождение городов [Liberation of the city] (in Russian). Moscow: Voenizdat. 1985. Source appears to lack page numbers.
- Feskov et al 2013, p. 293
- Feskov, V.I.; Golikov, V.I.; Kalashnikov, K.A.; Slugin, S.A. (2013). Вооруженные силы СССР после Второй Мировой войны: от Красной Армии к Советской [The Armed Forces of the USSR after World War II: From the Red Army to the Soviet] (in Russian). 1 Land Forces. Tomsk: Tomsk University Press. ISBN 9785895035306.