The Order of Lenin Moscow Air Defence District was a formation of the Soviet Air Defence Forces and the Russian Air Defence Forces, which existed from 1954 to 1998, to fulfill the tasks of anti-aircraft defence of administrative and economic facilities. The district administration was in Moscow.
District history The Moscow Air Defence District has a long history, dating back to the Second World War. During the war the defence of Moscow was carried out, in part, by the 1st Air Defence Corps and the 6th Fighter Aviation Corps PVO. As part of these formations at the beginning of massive Nazi air raids had more than 600 fighters; more than 1,000 guns of small and medium calibers; 350 machine guns; 124 fixed anti-aircraft barrage balloons; 612 stations; and 600 anti-aircraft searchlights. The presence of such large forces, skillful management organisation foiled enemy attempts to inflict massive air strikes. Only 2.6% of the total number of Axis aircraft flew in the outskirts of Moscow as a result of their efforts. Air defence forces defending Moscow destroyed 738 enemy aircraft. In addition, assaults by the 6th Fighter Aviation Corps inflicted heavy blows, destroyed 567 enemy aircraft on the ground. Overall, the Air Defence Forces destroyed 1,305 aircraft, and in combat with the enemy armies of Nazi Germany and its allies, alongside the Air Force, destroyed 450 tanks and 5,000 military vehicles. The Moscow district air defence had been provided during the Second World War by initially the Moscow PVO Corps Region. The Corps Region Headquarters, then formed the Moscow Front PVO from 6 April 1942 – 10 July 1943. In turn, the Moscow Front PVO was redesignated as Headquarters, Special Moscow PVO Army.
Until 1950, MiG-15 interceptor regiments were concentrated in the Moscow District to protect the capital against U.S. bomber attack. After 1950 significant elements, the 64th Fighter Aviation Corps, were redeployed to fight in the Korean War.
In 1948 the North-Western Air Defence District was redesignated the Moscow Air Defence Region, which became the Moscow Air Defence District in 1950.Michael Holm, Order of Lenin Moscow Air Defence District, accessed December 2012.
In 1956, the Tagansky Protected Command Point operated as an emergency command post headquarters of the Moscow Air Defence District communication center.
For its great contribution to strengthening the defence power of the Soviet state and its armed defence, success in combat and political training and in connection with the 50th anniversary of the Soviet Army and the Navy by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 22, 1968, the Moscow Air Defence District was awarded the "Order of Lenin". The Order was handed over to the Moscow Air Force and Air Defence District for continuity.
The district's commander, Marshal of Aviation Anatoly Konstantinov, was replaced shortly before the Mathias Rust affair in 1988 for insufficient support of Mikhail Gorbachev's perestroika policy.Bill Keller, Moscow dismisses more air generals, New York Times, June 18, 1987
History of Moscow's air defence Organising for the air defence of Moscow began on April 25, 1918, when the Military Director of the Moscow District issued Order No. 01 of 25.04.1918, establishing the Moscow Air Defence Directorate.
The units, formations and associations that carried out air defence of Moscow, depending on the prevailing situation and the tasks to be solved, had different organizational forms: Office of Moscow's Air Defence (since 25.04.1918); 1st separate territorial-positional anti-aircraft artillery battalion (1924) 31st separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion (1924-1929); 1st Air Defence Brigade (from 21.09.1929); 1st Air Defence Division (since 17.08.1931); 1st Air Defence Corps (since 11.01.1938). As a result of the uncontrolled flight of a German Junkers Ju 52 aircraft on 15 May 1941 (:ru:Инцидент с пролётом Ju-52 над СССР), a repression effort was launched which led to the arrest and death of Hero of the Soviet Union General-lieutenant Pyotr Pumpur in June 1941; Moscow Air Defence Zone (since June 1941) including the 24th Fighter Aviation Division and the 120th Fighter Aviation Regiment; Moscow Air Defence Corps District (27.12.1941) as part of the Moscow Military District; Moscow Air Defence Front (since April 5, 1942)Resolution. State Defence Committee. No. GKO-1541ss dated April 5, 1942. "On the strengthening of Moscow's air defence" Special Moscow Air Defence Army (since June 29, 1943); Moscow Air Defence Group Central Front of Air Defence (since December 24, 1944); Air Defence Forces of Moscow Central Front of Air Defence (since March 1945); Air Defence Forces of Moscow Central DistrictGeneral Staff Directive of October 25, 1945 (since October 25, 1945); Air Defence Forces of Moscow North-West District of Air Defense of the North-West DistrictGeneral Staff Directive of May 23, 1946 (from May 23, 1946); Moscow Air Defence RegionThe Directive of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of August 14, 1948 (since August 14, 1948); Moscow Air Defence DistrictOrder of the Minister of Defence of the USSR of August 20, 1954 (from August 20, 1954); Moscow District of the Air Force and Air Defence (since 1998); Special Purpose Command (since 1 September 2002); Operational-Strategic Command of Air-Space Defence (:ru:Оперативно-стратегическое командование воздушно-космической обороны) (1 July 2009 - 1 December 2011) Order of Lenin Air and Missile Defence Command (Ордена Ленина командование противовоздушной и противоракетной обороны (1 December 2011 - 2015); 1st Army of Air and Aerospace Defence (Special Designation) (1-я ордена Ленина армия противовоздушной и противоракетной обороны особого назначения) (since 1 August 2015)
1st Air Defence Army of Special Designation In August 1950, the Soviet Government decided to create an additional air defence zone around Moscow. The S-25 Berkut stationary anti-aircraft missile system was chosen as the main armament. According to the plan, it was supposed to disperse 56 anti-aircraft rocket regiments armed with S-25 air defence systems in two echelons around Moscow, which were supposed to ensure the defeat of air targets at a depth of 100 kilometers and a reach of about 25 kilometers in height.
The first test of the S-25 took place in July 1951. In 1953, a prototype of the V-200 missile guidance station was tested. At the same time, work began on the arrangement and construction of missile positions and military camps for future air defence formations.
The formation was created as part of the Moscow Air Defence District on October 24, 1952, with the army headquarters in the city of Balashikha Moscow Oblast.
From the end of 1952 and during 1953, units of the 1st Air Defence Army were created. In early December 1953, the creation of the 1st Special Purpose Air Defence Army was completed. As part of the army, 4 "air defence corps" were formed.
In March 1954, the S-25 complexes were delivered to the formation with subsequent adjustment of the equipment, fine-tuning of the components and assemblies of the complexes.
In August 1954, the formation became part of the troops of the Moscow Air Defence District. With the completion of acceptance work for all anti-aircraft missile systems that came at the beginning of 1955, the S-25 system was put into service.
For the full functioning of the units and formations of the 1st Air Defence Army, two rings of concrete roads were built around Moscow with a total length of 2000 kilometers, with a distance of about 50 and 100 kilometers from the center of Moscow. Anti-aircraft missile regiments were dispersed along the outer and inner rings. 34 regiments were dispersed on the outer ring, 22 regiments on the inner ring.
The Moscow District of the Air Force and Air Defence was formed in 1998 on the basis of formations and units of the Moscow Air Defence District District and 16th Red Banner Air Army.
In connection with the ongoing reform of the Russian Armed Forces, the Moscow Region of the Air Force and Air Defence on September 1, 2002 was reorganized into the Special Purpose Command.
The establishment of a new Operational-Strategic Command for Air and Space Defence was reported in 2008-2009. The command was to be established by the end of 2010 and located at Balashikha near Moscow, where the previous 1st Air Defence Corps was located.
Commanders The following officers commanded the Moscow Air Defence Region or the district during its existence. Marshal of the Soviet Union Kirill Moskalenko (19481953) Colonel-General Nikolay Nikiforovich Nagornyy, 1953 - 1954 Marshal of the Soviet Union Pavel Batitsky (1954July 1966) Colonel-General Vasiliy Vasilevich Okunev, 7.66 - 8.70 Marshal of Aviation Aleksandr Koldunov, 8.70 - 1975 Colonel-General Boris Viktorovich Bochkov, 1975 - 1980 Marshal of Aviation Anatoly Konstantinov, 1980 - 1987 1987–1989 – Colonel-General V. Tsar'kov 1989–1991 – Colonel-General Viktor Prudnikov 1991–1998 – Colonel-General Anatoly Kornukov.
The composition of the district The composition of the district included:
In 1955 the district included the 52nd Fighter Aviation Army, the 151st Guards Fighter Aviation Division PVO (Klin, Moscow Oblast, 38th independent Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (Rzhev, Kalinin Oblast), the 182nd independent Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron 90th independent Transport Aviation Squadron (Stupino, Moscow Oblast), the 1st Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division (Maryino-Znamenskoye, Moscow Oblast), and six other anti-aircraft artillery divisions, and nine other anti-aircraft artillery regiments.
District forces 1988 In 1988 the Order of Lenin Moscow Air Defence District had four air defence corps and a division, which included 11 fighter aviation regiments, one transport helicopter regiment, 28 anti-aircraft rocket regiments, and four radar brigades and regiments. The corps were the 2nd, at Balashikha (which included the 28th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment at Krichev, 3rd at Rzhev, 7th at Kursk, and 16th at Gorky.V.I. Feskov et al 2004, 150. The 7th Air Defence Corps was redesignated the 7th Air Defence Division in the early 1990s.
Order of Lenin Moscow District of Air Defence (Московский ордена Ленина округа ПВО)
District Command and Staff (Командование и штаб округа) - Moscow, RSFSR 118th District Communications Nod (118-й узел связи округа) - Moscow 436th Separate Transport Aviation Regiment (436-й отдельный транспортный авиационный полк) - Stupino, Moscow Oblast, RSFSR - An-12, An-26, An-24, Mi-8 1082nd Separate Automobile Battalion of the Moscow District of Air Defence, awarded the Order of Lenin (1082-й отдельный ордена Ленина Московского Округа ПВО автомобилный батальон) 1st Red Banner Air Defence Army of Specific Purpose (1-я Краснознамённая армия ПВО особого назначения) - Balashikha, Moscow Oblast, RSFSR 1082nd Command Post (1082-й командный пункт) - Balashikha 9th Communications Nod (9-й узел связи) - Balashikha 2366th Separate Cable Communications Battalion (2366-й отдельный батальон кабельной связи) - Mytishchi, Moscow Oblast, RSFSR 1081st Separate Automobile Battalion (1081-й отдельный автомобилный батальон) 1092nd Separate Automobile Battalion (1092-й отдельный автомобилный батальон) 669th Separate Equipment Service and Overhaul Battalion (669-й отдельный батальон по обслуживанию и восстановлению техники) - Istra, Moscow Oblast, RSFSR - 26 S-300 missile air defence regiments between the four divisions - 52nd Radio-Technical Brigade (52-я отдельная радиотехническая бригада) - Mytishchi 4 separate radio-technical battalions (sing. отдельный радиотехнический батальон): 2317th (Kashira), 2318th (Kosteryovo), 2319th (Savyolovo) and 2320th (Goretovo, Moscow Oblast) 86th Air Defence Division of Specific Purpose (86-я дивизия ПВО специального назначения) - Vidnoye 499th Separate Signals Battalion (499-й отдельный батальон связи) - Vidnoye