North Western Operational Command

North Western Operational Command
File:North Western Operational Command insignia.png
Active	2001-present
Country	Belarus
Branch	Belarus Ground Forces
Type	Command
Garrison/HQ	Borisov
Commanders
Current commander	Major General Alexander Volfovich
Chief of Staff	Major General Valeriy Gnilozub

The North Western Operational Command (SZOK) is a command of the Belarus Ground Forces. It is headquartered at Borisov and is commanded by Major General Alexander Grigoryevich Volfovich. The command includes a mechanized brigade and a mixed artillery brigade. It was formed in 2001 from the 65th Army Corps.

History

In April 1946, the 65th Army was reorganised as the 7th Mechanised Army. On 20 December, it became the 7th Tank Division (Mobilization), with its divisions becoming regiments. It was headquartered in Borisov from May 1948. On 21 March 1950, it was increased in strength to an army with its old designation. In 1955 the 7th Mechanized Army was equipped with the IS-3, T-54, T-34 and PT-76 tanks, as well as the ISU-122 self-propelled gun.

In 1957, the 7th Mechanized Army was transformed into 7th Tank Army.

• The 10th Tank Division was reformed in the 34th Tank Division
• 15th Guards Mechanized Division was reformed in the 47th Guards Tank Division
• 27th Guards Mechanized Division - the 39th Guards Tank Division.

The formation actively participated in well-known large-scale exercises and maneuvers such as "Dnepr", "Neman", "Dvina", Exercise Zapad-81 and "Fall 88". By a Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 15 January 1974, for good results in combat training, the 7th Tank Army was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

In 1960, the 47th Guards Tank Division was renamed the 45th Guards Tank Division.

In 1965, the 45th Guards Tank Division Rivne became a training tank formation of district subordination Belorussian Military District, and the 39th Guards Tank Division was reorganized into the 37th Guards Rechitsa Tank Division.

From 1960 to 1980, the basis of the 7th Tank Army were the 3rd Kotelnikovsky Guards, 34th Dnieper, 37th Guards Tank Division Rechitskaya. According to the directive of the USSR Ministry of Defense 25/01/89 3rd Guards Tank Division Kotelnikovsky disbanded with effect from 1.6.89. Instead, in Zaslonova from the Southern Group of Forces (Hungary) came the 19th Guards Tank Division Nikolaevsk Budapest.

On 7 November 1990 Tank Army had 764 tanks T-62 and T-72, 208 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 212 guns, mortars and multiple rocket launchers. It also included the Scud-equipped 76th Missile Brigade.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus were created on the basis of the Belorussian Military District, including the 7th Tank Army. In 1993, the 7th Tank Army was renamed the 7th Army Corps, and in 1994 the 65th Army Corps. In December 2001, as a result of the reform of the Armed Forces of Belarus, the corps was transformed into the North-Western Operational Command (NWOC). Since then the troops and staff of the NWOC have participated in the exercises "Neman-2001", "Berezina-2002", "The Shield of the Fatherland - 2004", "The Shield of the Union - 2006", "West-2009" and others. A joint operational exercise of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, "Shield of the Union", was held in 2011. The exercise was held at the Ashuluk range in Astrakhan Oblast in the Russian Federation.

Units

• 120th Guards Rogachevskaya Mechanised Brigade (339th Guards Mechanized Group of tank and motorized infantry battalions, 334th and 355th Tank Battalions, 356th Motorized Rifle Battalion, 310th Artillery Group, 149th Separate Communications Battalion, 126th Separate Engineer Battalion, 82nd Repair and Refurbishment Battalion, Minsk);
• 231st Mixed Artillery Brigade (Borovka);
• 427th Multiple Rocket Launcher Regiment;
• 502nd Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment (Osipovichi).
• 740th Minsk Anti-Aircraft Rocket Brigade (with SAM "Osa"; Borisov);
• 42nd Separate Signal (Radio) Battalion.

Electronic warfare troops:

• 244th Signals Intelligence Center

Corps of Engineers:

• 7th Torun Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Red Star Engineering Regiment (Borisov);

Storage Bases:

• 814th Service Center part of 2 repair battalions (Borisov)
• 19th Nikolaevsk-Budapest Red banner Order of Suvorov 2nd class Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment (former 19th Guards Mechanized Brigade, Zaslonovo)
• 34th Dneprovskaya Base for Storage of Weapons Technology - possibly disbanded (former 34th Tank Division, Borisov)
• 37th Rechitkaya Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment (former 37th Guards Tank Division; Polotsk).

See also

• List of Soviet armies