{"id":6506,"date":"2015-12-06T08:32:18","date_gmt":"2015-12-06T08:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/informnapalm.org\/en\/?p=6506"},"modified":"2015-12-24T14:47:06","modified_gmt":"2015-12-24T14:47:06","slug":"dec06-artillery-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/informnapalm.org\/en\/dec06-artillery-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"East Is a Delicate Matter: 29 Servicemen from 291st Artillery Brigade in Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"

In result of another OSINT investigation we have discovered an artillery unit of the 291st separate artillery brigade <\/strong>(military unit No. 64670, Southern Military District, 58th army, stanitsa Totskaya, Republic of Ingushetia, Russia) which, regardless numerous Kremlin’s statements<\/a>\u00a0about the ‘impossibility of the Russian ground operation in Syria’,\u00a0was transferred to this Middle East country within the unstated land mission\u00a0in September\u00a0of\u00a02015.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In total 29 soldiers from the 291st artillery brigade sent to Syria with the ‘international mission’ have been found. Deployment of the unit (including the organic 2A65 ‘Msta-B’<\/strong> 152mm howitzers) has been\u00a0done via the sea<\/a>\u00a0from the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s naval base in Novorossiysk with the help of LPDs starting from September, 2015. The Middle East assignment is planned for 3-4 months with a possible prolongation. The personnel assigned to Syria mainly consists\u00a0of newly-baked contract soldiers who had signed their contracts on a ‘voluntary-compulsory’ basis after 6-12 months of compulsory service in this artillery unit which has been\u00a0already disclosed in our articles<\/a>\u00a0in the context of the ‘Rostov-Ukraine assignments’.<\/p>\n

Let us remind you that in October of 2015 in “Russia Began a Concealed Ground Operation in Syria<\/a>” article we made a reasonable assumption that the KamAZ-63501\u00a0artillery\u00a0trucks together with\u00a0the drawn ‘Msta’ howitzers\u00a0noticed on march in near\u00a0Al-Shelfatiyeh (Latakia province) could have belonged to the 291st brigade. A month later, our predictions were fully confirmed by the results of our OSINT investigation. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"predpolojenie\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Russian artillerists, disclosed by the InformNapalm’s scouts, are mainly registered to the North-West of Latakia. Based on the photo evidence, we can state that the 291st brigade’s units follow the ‘roving battery’ tactics, learnt in the summer and fall of 2014 during the hostilities in Donbas.<\/p>\n

The area of responsibility of the 291st brigade covers the line of contact between the Assad’s army and the moderate opposition. The maximum firing range of a\u00a0‘Msta-B’ unit is 28.9 km. But since there are only the rebel forces within this range, it appears that the Russian artillery takes part in the Syrian civil war and not in the fight against ISIS.<\/p>\n

Note: In those tough\u00a0days the Russian artillery was massively shelling\u00a0the Ukrainian forces\u00a0and peaceful settlements, both from the Rostov Oblast, and from the territory of Ukraine\u00a0during short raids, which has been\u00a0reflected in a number of our publications (see 1<\/a> and 2<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n

\"www\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"obsteli-slaid\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The 291st brigade’s\u00a0geo-referencing:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aleksandr Shcherbakov<\/b>\u00a0unveiled his exact location<\/a> on a photo<\/a> (archive<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"Selection_083\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Selection_084\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Aleksandr Makidonsky <\/strong>poses<\/a>\u00a0in front of a mountain (archive<\/a>) – such landscape and flora can be found in close proximity to the abovementioned geotag from the picture of Aleksandr Shcherbakov. These are the coordinates on several examples of the map –\u00a01<\/a>, 2<\/a>, 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Selection_085\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Selection_090\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Misha Lbov<\/strong> made a picture in front of<\/a> a power line pylon and a woodline (archive<\/a>), which are characteristic for this region. Here is a map<\/a> showing this power line, the distance between the pylons and the geotag from Aleksandr’s photo is 20 km.<\/p>\n

\"Selection_091\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Selection_098\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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In the\u00a0following picture<\/a> (archive<\/a>) Aleksandr Makidonsky<\/strong> and Aleksandr Shcherbakov<\/strong> are shown with green meadows and cypresses in background; one-storey buildings, sand and sandstones can be seen near them. Alike terrain is also found on the map<\/a> not far from the mentioned geotag.<\/p>\n

\"Selection_099\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Selection_100\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

According to this picture<\/a> (archive<\/a>), Dmitry Chernyshev<\/strong>\u00a0is apparently in a different place, supposedly at the artillery base located not far from the village of Al Hamrat<\/strong>\u00a0and to the North<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0Shayrat <\/strong>airbase.<\/p>\n

\"Selection_101\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Selection_102\"<\/a><\/p>\n

All the listed artillerists of the 291st brigade\u00a0transferred to Syria have been disclosed and identified in the result of investigation of social statuses, comments, pictures, contacts, tags, etc. The common features which unite all these ‘internationalist-artillerists’ are duty station, alike photos, same equipment\u00a0(including the desert uniform for the hot climate<\/em>), informal outfit and Syrian cloths, hookahs, selfies with the locals, photos in olive woods, etc.<\/p>\n

The list of 29 servicemen from the 291st artillery brigade in Syria:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Aleksandr Shcherbakov\u00a0<\/strong>– a contract servicemen born in Volgograd on April 8, 1995. He has several selfies (1<\/a>, 2<\/a>) with geotags in his album –\u00a0Qal’at Burze, to the North-East of Latakia\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n

\"4\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3<\/a>\"1<\/a>\"Screenshot\"<\/a>\"7\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"19\"<\/a>\"2\"<\/a>\"24\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"34\"<\/a>\u00a0\"9\"<\/a>\"18\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"o\"<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Aleksandr Makidonsky \u00a0<\/strong>– \u00a0a contract serviceman (since 2013)\u00a0born in Krasnodar. The real last name is supposedly Darzyan\u00a0<\/strong>– he has a sister Gayane Darzyan<\/a>\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"4\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"10\"<\/a>\"9\"<\/a>\"20\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"13\"<\/a>\"14\"<\/a>\"15\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"156\"<\/a>\"258\"<\/a>\"259\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Vladimir Chelyabinsk\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>– \u00a0a contract serviceman from Chelyabinsk (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, \u0430lbum<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a> \"3\"<\/a> \"6\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Dmitry Chernyshov<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman from Vladikavkaz (archives\u00a0– profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a>\"8\"<\/a>\"9\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"17\"<\/a> \"22\"<\/a> \"62\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Aleksei Bukovskih <\/strong>– a contract serviceman from Shagonare born on December 8, 1993 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a>\"3\"<\/a> \"6\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

6. Aleksei Zubov <\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born in Orenburg on July 1, 1995 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3\"<\/a>\"4\"<\/a>\"42\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Diman Zhuravlev<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Samara on October 6, 1995\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"4\"<\/a>\"1-1-1\"<\/a>\"14\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

8. Misha Lbov<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Perm on February 16\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>,\u00a0contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"2<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3\"<\/a>\"8\"<\/a>\"9\"<\/a><\/p>\n

9. Dmitry Semashkov\u00a0<\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born in Buguruslan on July 5, 1995 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"4\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a> \"2\"<\/a> \"5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"7\"<\/a> \"36\"<\/a> \"39\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

10. Vlad Filin<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Vladivostok on November 8, 1995\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3-1-1\"<\/a>\"4\"<\/a>\"5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

11. Ivan Kasmynin <\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born on December 27, 1995\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"12\"<\/a> \"17\"<\/a> \"23\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

12. Vladimir Sorokin<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Magnitogorsk on May 18 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3\"<\/a>\"1-44\"<\/a>\"7\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

13. Maks Guryanov<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Abdulino on February 9 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>). <\/em>He supposedly has been on the ‘Ukrainian assignment’, which is justified by the pictures 8 and 9.<\/p>\n

\"2<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3\"<\/a> \"5\"<\/a> \"7\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"12\"<\/a> \"19\"<\/a>\"28\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"39\"<\/a> \"43\"<\/a>\"41\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

14. Vladimir Filippov<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Volgograd on May 22\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3\"<\/a>\"5\"<\/a>\"2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

15. Stanislav Rostov <\/strong>– a contract serviceman since August, 2014. He was born in Volgodonsk (archives: profile\u00a01<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a02<\/a>, album\u00a01<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a02<\/a>, contacts)<\/em>. Allegedly, he has participated in the war in Ukraine – at least this is proved by the photos on the wall of his profile (see the archive of profile 1, the original picture has been deleted). Sadder but wiser he does not post photos from the abroad trips any more. But a geotag on a photo of his brother-in-arms Rostislav Andreev disclosed the fact of his previous ‘Ukrainian assignment’\u00a0(mentioned later<\/em>).<\/p>\n

\"12\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"62\"<\/a> \"67\"<\/a> \"72\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Boewik\"<\/a>\"107\"<\/a> \"139\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

16. David Mhitaryan <\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born in Krasnodar on March 20, 1994 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>. This soldier also has no pictures from the abroad trips in his profile, Rostislav Andreev let him down as well.<\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"9\"<\/a>\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

17. Tema Nasonov <\/strong>– a contract serviceman\u00a0from Rostov-on-Don\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>. Same story with Rostislav Andreev.<\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Video\"<\/a>\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

18. Aleksei Dreiman<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born on May 31, 1990 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>. He has a status saying “90 days to go”, which might mean the term of the assignment.\u00a0No photos from the war in Ukraine, but we should again\u00a0thank Rostislav Andreev.<\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a>\"7\"<\/a>\"11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"16\"<\/a> \"19\"<\/a>\"39\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

19. Vadim Koval<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Izobilniy on April 18, 1996 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"4\"<\/a> \"5\"<\/a>\"7\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"14\"<\/a> \"21\"<\/a> \"36\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

20. Vanya Zimin<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Tomsk on March 31, 1996 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>,\u00a0contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a> \"3\"<\/a>\"5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

21. Vlad Musienko <\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born in Krasnodar on April 11, 1996 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1<\/a><\/p>\n

\"4\"<\/a> \"25\"<\/a>\"65\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

22. Dzharudin Aliev<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman (archives:\u00a0\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0444\u0438\u043b\u044c<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

23. Pavel Kuzmin<\/strong>\u00a0– a contract serviceman, born in Arkhangelsk on August 9, 1991 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"5\"<\/a> \"12\"<\/a> \"27\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

24. Aleksandr Karatnik <\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born in Kotlas on June 28, 1994 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3\"<\/a> \"2\"<\/a>\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

25. Artem Badambaev <\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born on MArch 1, 1989 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"3\"<\/a> \"8-1\"<\/a> \"11\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

26. Dmitry Nasonov <\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born on August 24, 1994 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"1-1\"<\/a> \"2\"<\/a>\"5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

27. Nikolai Efremov<\/strong>\u00a0– supposedly the battery commander (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

28. Andrei Sokolov <\/strong>– a contract serviceman from Moscow\u00a0(archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>,\u00a0contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a> \"6\"<\/a> \"7\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a> \"5\"<\/a> \"8\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"11\"<\/a> \"14\"<\/a> \"19\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

29. Aleksandr Fedorov <\/strong>– a contract serviceman, born in Mineralnye Vody on March 10 (archives:\u00a0profile<\/a>, album<\/a>, contacts<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"2\"<\/a> \"7\"<\/a> \"13\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"0\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong>\u00a0besides the listed\u00a0above Russian servicemen from the 291st artillery brigade on ‘the Syrian assignment’ we should highlight a few soldiers who have drawn our attention:<\/em><\/p>\n