Russia to form new amphibious assault battalion in the annexed Crimea
According to the Head of the Russian State Duma's defense committee, Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov, a separate amphibious-assault battalion will be formed in the Crimea by December 1st, 2017 within the 7th Guards Mountain Airborne Division. It will be stationed near the city of Feodosia. The formation of the battalion has already begun, as reported by Russia’s TASS news agency.
"By the decision of the Collegium of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Crimea, a separate amphibious-assault battalion will be formed by December 1st of this year within the 7th Guards Mountain Airborne Division. The battalion will be deployed near the city of Feodosia in the eastern part of the peninsula," Shamanov reported.
"The formation of the battalion has already begun. It will be staffed by contract servicemen", the head of the Defense committee added.
He reported that, in accordance with existing plans, this battalion will become the basis of the new 97th Amphibious-Assault Regiment, the third of such kind in the Seventh Division. This regiment will be formed in the Crimea by the end of 2019.
"It is planned that by the end of 2019 the battalion would be transformed into the new 97th Amphibious-Assault Regiment which will consist of three amphibious-assault battalions and a number of other combat units, as well as logistics units", Shamanov said.