The VDV (Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska, airborne forces) are not part of the VKS but an independent service directly under the supreme command — the Kremlin's strategic reserve. They belong here because they depend on the air force for their very existence: the VTA provides the parachute and air transport, and their operations require air superiority or at least an open air corridor.
The VDV are light, fast and elite — with their own armoured vehicles (BMD series), artillery, reconnaissance and their own air defence (light, air-transportable systems, see § 5.10). In Ukraine, after the failed air assault at Hostomel (2022), they have been used mainly as elite infantry.
Doctrinal headquarters (pre-2022)
| Unit | Type | Garrison |
|---|---|---|
| VDV Headquarters | Command | Moscow |
| 7th Guards Air Assault Division (mountain) | Division | Novorossiysk (Krasnodar) |
| 76th Guards Air Assault Division | Division | Pskov |
| 98th Guards Airborne Division | Division | Ivanovo |
| 106th Guards Airborne Division | Division | Tula |
| 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade | Brigade | Ulyanovsk |
| 11th Guards Air Assault Brigade | Brigade | Ulan-Ude |
| 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade | Brigade | Ussuriysk |
| 45th Guards Spetsnaz Brigade | Special forces | Kubinka |
Unit structure
| Echelon | Composition |
|---|---|
| Division | 2–3 para/air-assault regiments + artillery regiment + air-defence, recce and support units |
| Regiment | Para/air-assault battalions + organic artillery and air defence |
| Battalion | Para/air-assault companies with BMD vehicles |
The VDV is the textbook example of inter-service dependency: without the transport fleet of the VTA and without controlled airspace an air assault is impossible. At the same time the VDV increases the demand for VTA capacity and air-defence cover — exactly the scarce assets within the VKS.