Busy at war, infantrymen from Pechenga absent from Murmansk parade
A record-short military parade in Murmansk did not include troops from the 71st Guards Rifle Infantry Division, normally one of the most powerful military units on the Kola Peninsula.
The May 9 parade in Murmansk, which lasted only about half an hour, featured no military hardware and significantly fewer troops than in previous years.
Several forces based in the heavily militarised region were not represented in the parade. Among them was the 71st Guards Rifle Infantry Division from Pechenga, a unit stationed only a few kilometres from the borders with Norway and Finland.
The division, previously known as the 200th Motorised Rifle Brigade, has traditionally taken part in the military parade in Murmansk. It is normally considered one of the region’s most capable military formations, with more than 3,000 well-trained personnel.
The force is also expected to expand significantly in the coming years. Its recent upgrade from brigade to division status implies a planned increase in manpower to more than 10,000 personnel.
One reason for its absence may be the large number of soldiers currently fighting on occupied Ukrainian territory. Infantry units from Pechenga have been involved in the full-scale war against Ukraine since the start of the invasion in 2022, and losses have been severe.
In the first year of the full-scale war alone, rifle infantry units from Pechenga may have lost up to 1,500 soldiers.
While other military units from the region marched through central Murmansk, the 71st Guards Rifle Infantry Division issued a video greeting instead.
“Soldiers of the 71st Guards Motorised Rifle Division send their best wishes to the residents of the Pechenga District on Victory Day from the zone of the special military operation,” the message read.
The May 9 parade in Murmansk included a total of 12 different units.
Leading the parade was a unit from the Northern Fleet’s 24th Submarine Division. It was followed by an FSB border guard unit and an FSB coastguard unit.
In imagery reminiscent of the late 1930s, the two FSB formations were led by a security service major dressed in an NKVD uniform.
The parade also included units from the Northern Fleet’s 403rd Independent Aviation Regiment, the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade, the 80th Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade, the Northern Fleet’s female 7th Independent Aviation Regiment, as well as formations from the Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM), the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Ministry of the Interior, and the military centre of Murmansk Arctic University.
Unlike last year, the parade did not include any formations from military youth organisations such as Yunarmiya and VOIN, neither the Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research (GUGI).
The 71st Guards Rifle Infantry Division is based in Pechenga, an area located along the borders with Norway and Finland.
