Russian National Guard Granted Authority to Arm Personnel with Heavy Weapons.

According to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense, as of August 8, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law granting the Russian National Guard, known as Rosgvardia, the authority to arm its personnel with heavy weapons. This decision comes in the wake of growing concerns about internal security threats and follows the Wagner mutiny in June 2023.
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Russian National Guard (Picture source: Yandex )

Rosgvardia, an expansive force with up to 200,000 personnel, was established in its modern form in 2016 and is led by Viktor Zolotov, a former bodyguard of President Putin. The recent decision to enhance the force's capabilities with heavy weapons reflects the government's intention to strengthen its internal security apparatus.

Previously, the Russian National Guard was not equipped with combat vehicles such as tanks or Infantry Fighting Vehicles. The National Guard units have the same equipment the Internal Troops used before. She has received Ural-VV 6×6 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles developed by the Ural Automotive Plant (Ural AZ) as of 2018. The Ural-432009 [Ural-VV] has been adopted by Rosgvardiya, and the service has already started to receive the MRAP.

The Wagner mutiny, which took place in June of this year, appears to have played a pivotal role in motivating this decision. Despite Zolotov's assertion that Rosgvardia's response during the mutiny was "excellent," doubts surround the effectiveness of the force's actions against the Wagner group, the very type of internal security threat it was designed to combat.

Critics and analysts have highlighted the lack of concrete evidence supporting Rosgvardia's effective suppression of the mutiny, raising questions about the force's readiness and competence in facing such challenges. Some believe that this decision to arm Rosgvardia with heavy weapons might aim to address potential shortcomings exposed during the Wagner mutiny.

Zolotov's earlier suggestion that heavy equipment should include artillery and attack helicopters indicates a concerted effort by the Kremlin to allocate substantial resources to Rosgvardia, solidifying its role as a key organization responsible for ensuring regime stability. This strategic move underscores the government's commitment to internal security while also suggesting a potential shift in its approach to managing domestic threats.

President Putin, through this announcement, is solidifying the Russian National Guard's position as a key element in maintaining internal security in Russia. Recent events involving Wagner have highlighted the vulnerabilities in the existing security apparatus of the ruling power, making it undoubtedly necessary to strengthen it. The practical implications of this decision, including the specific heavy weapons that will be provided to Rosgvardia, and how Russia, already embroiled in a conflict with Ukraine, will manage to supply such equipment in sufficient numbers to a force of 200,000 personnel, remain to be seen.