Kyrgyz Army

The Kyrgyz Ground Forces, also commonly known as the Kyrgyz Army is the infantry branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The current commander of the Kyrgyz Army is Colonel Nurlan Kiresheyev.[2]

Kyrgyz Ground Forces
Кыргызстандын куралдуу күчтөру
Сухопутные войска Кыргызстана
Uniform sleeve patch of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces
ActiveJanuary 25, 2017-Present
Country Kyrgyzstan
BranchArmed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan
TypeGround Force
Size8,500 (2012)
HeadquartersBishkek
ColorsRed and Yellow
MarchMarch "Kyz kuumai" (Кыз Куумай)
Commanders
Commander-in-chiefSooronbay Jeenbekov
Commander of the ArmyColonel Nurlan Kiresheyev[1]
Insignia
Military Ensign (Kyrgyz, obverse)
Military Ensign (Russian, reverse)

History
The parade contingent from the Panfilov Division during the 2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade on Red Square in 2010.

Kyrgyzstani authorities at first thought not having an entire army. That idea has since has been replaced by plans to create a conscripted army of 5,000 troops. During the months since independence, Kyrgyzstan advocated for a unified CIS Army which would replace the Soviet army. Those plans collapsed when Russia announced that it would not finance CIS troops. In April 1992, Kyrgyzstan formed a State Committee for Defense Affairs, and in June the republic took control of all troops on its soil (meaning remaining units of the former Soviet army).[3] In 1994, 30 percent of the officer corps were ethnic Russians.[4]The first commander was General Valentin Luk'yanov, an ethnic Ukrainian.[5] On January 25, 2017, President Almazbek Atambayev officially founded the Kyrgyz Army, with Colonel Erlis Terdikbayev acting as its first commander.[6]

Structure

Ground forces are divided into 2 military commands, the Northern and Southern Groups of Forces.[7][8]

Northern Group of Forces

Southern Group of Forces
Members of the 25th Special Forces Brigade Scorpion in 2013
  • 68th Independent Mountain Rifle Brigade (Osh)[11]
  • Armored Battalion (Ala-Buka District)
  • Machine Gun and Artillery Battalion
  • Mountain Rifle Battalion “Batken”[11]
  • 24th Independent Special Purpose Battalion "Snow Leopard" (Ilbirs)[12]
  • Reconnaissance Battalion
  • anti-aircraft artillery regiment
  • parts and subdivisions of support, chemical protection, etc.

Equipment

Weapons

Armor
Name Origin Type In service Notes
Armored fighting vehicle
T-72 Soviet Union Main battle tank 150[13]
BTR-80 Soviet Union Amphibious APC 10[13]
BTR-70 Soviet Union Amphibious APC 25[13]
BRDM-2 Soviet Union Amphibious APC 30[13]
BMP-1 Russia Infantry fighting vehicle 230[13]
BMP-2 Russia Infantry fighting vehicle 90[13]
Artillery
122mm howitzer D-30 Soviet Union Howitzer 107[13] 35 are the M-30 standard.
152mm howitzer D-1 Soviet Union Howitzer 16[13]
100mm field gun BS-3 Soviet Union Field gun 18[13]
T-12 antitank gun Soviet Union Field gun 18[13] 100mm round
Self-propelled artillery
2S1 Soviet Union Self-propelled howitzer 18[13]
2S9 Anona Soviet Union Self-propelled howitzer 12[14]
Multiple rocket launchers
BM-21 Grad Soviet Union Multiple rocket launcher 15[13]
BM-27 Uragan Soviet Union Multiple rocket launcher 6[13]

In August 2010, the Kyrgyz MOD received 45 Ford Ranger pickups and 44 Polaris quads from the U.S. Embassy's Office of Military Cooperation to increase the mobility of Kyrgyz counterterrorism units, particularly in mountainous regions.[15]

References
  1. https://24.kg/english/83383_Commander_of_land_forces_of_Kyrgyzstan_appointed/
  2. https://kyrtag.kg/en/news/nurlan-kiresheev-naznachen-komanduyushchim-sukhoputnymi-voyskami-vs-kyrgyzstana%5B%5D
  3. Pike, John. "Kyrgyzstan- Army". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  4. Buyers, Lydia M. (2003). Central Asia in Focus: Political and Economic Issues. Nova Publishers. ISBN 9781590331538.
  5. Hays, Jeffrey. "MILITARY IN KYRGYZSTAN: WEAPONS, TROOPS, POLICY | Facts and Details". factsanddetails.com. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
  6. https://24.kg/archive/en/vlast/183887-news24.html/
  7. https://www.armyrecognition.com/kyrgyzstan_kyrgyz_army_land_ground_forces_uk/index.php
  8. Vad777, accessed July 2008, reporting http://www.sk.kg/2004/n19/7.html - 2004, a dead link
  9. "Новая воинская часть построена для спецназа минобороны «Илбирс»". kyrtag.kg (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  10. Ибраев, Замир (2015-05-26). "Бригада «Илбирс», дислоцированная в Кок-Жангаке, обзавелась новым военным городком". K-News (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  11. ЦЕНТРАЛЬНО-АЗИАТСКИЙ РУБЕЖ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ДОГОВОРА О КОЛЛЕКТИВНОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ
  12. Десантные части и соединен
  13. Kyrgyzstan Army Equipment Globalsecurity.org Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  14. Jane's Armour and Artillery 1997-98 ISBN 0-7106-1542-6
  15. "Press release - Embassy of the United States Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
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