Combat History in Ukraine
The 90th Guards Tank Division is a large unit of the Russian Ground Forces, under direct control of the Central Military District and headquartered in Chebarkul.
Its first involvement in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine was part of the Kyiv Offensive, more specifically of its eastern flank: elements of the unit were stopped, based on geolocated equipment losses, north of Brovary.
A notorious video shows a column of Russian vehicles stopped by Ukrainian artillery in the town of Skybyn, less than 30 kilometers from Maidan Square, on or before March 10th, 2022.
This column is assumed to have belonged to the 6th and 239th Tank Regiments of the 90th Guards Tank Division.
Following the failure of the Kyiv Offensive, parts of the Division were possibly withdrawn from combat for several months, while others were soon redeployed to Kharkiv Oblast and to the Severodonetsk front.
After the Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive, most of the Division spent a short time in Kherson Oblast before being once again transferred to eastern Ukraine.
The Division spent most of 2023 covering the Kreminna front but was not involved in major fighting and was likely re-equipping and reconstituting its sub-units.
This was made evident towards the end of the year, when most of the Division was moved and committed to support the Avdiivka Offensive as part of the main effort’s costly but relentless armored assaults, leading to the full occupation of the city by mid-February.
The Division continues to operate in the Avdiivka area, with at least 2 of its 3 Tank Regiments employing new T-90M tanks.
Analysis
239th Tank Regiment seems to have been the Division’s first unit to receive new T-90Ms at some point in 2023, with sources claiming their use as early as of March 2023 in the Kreminna area.
“An integral part of the assault on the Kreminny direction is fire support for our tankers. And now, with representatives of the 239th regiment on the legendary T-90M Proryv, we go to the firing positions”.
Several sources highlight, however, that not all Battalions are fully manned and equipped, with claims that the Regiment might even actually only have about 30% of its combat strength, more equal to a Battalion in size.
While this remains unconfirmed, at least one video shows soldiers claiming to be from this Regiment with a T-80BV in the background, confirming that the 239th is not fully-equipped with T-90Ms.
The Motorized Rifle Battalion likely employs a mix of BMP variants, with a “239”-marked BMP-1 being disabled recently near Avdiivka. Dubious claims from pro-Russian websites also mention BMP-3s, though none have been confirmed to be in use with the Regiment.
As is now common to most Russian units, a “Storm-Z” detachment (presumably Company-sized) is attached as assault/“expendable” infantry.
The Reconnaissance Company is assumed to operate a small number of BTR-80s.
The Artillery Battalion might employ Msta-S (152mm) SPHs, though this is based on a single, pre-war source.Based on MIA reports, parts of 239th Tank Regiment (at least 3rd Battalion) took part in the battle for the Tsarskaya Okhota restaurant south of Avdiivka.
The infamous T-90M that was ambushed by Bradleys in Stepove also belonged to the Regiment.6th Tank Regiment has more recently received some T-90Ms as well, based on their latest losses and the massive assault on the village of Tonenke that took place on March 30th. A february video, however, shows a T-72B3 Obr. 2022 in use with 3rd Battalion, meaning this Regiment is also not fully equipped with T-90Ms.
Among the tanks, BMP-1s and BMP-2s from the Motorized Rifle Battalion can be seen in videos of the assault on Tonenke.
A “Storm” (Z?) detachment is also present, as mentioned previously.
Details on the Reconnaissance Company are not known, though it received signal amplifiers as recently as December.
The Regiment’s Artillery Battalion was equipped with towed Msta-B (152mm) guns in 2022, but no recent sources were found.The Regiment’s Commanding Officer, Andrey Zakharov, was killed in action near Brovary in March 2022. This occurred near the notorious “Skybyn column” video and a specific command vehicle loss might precisely be where the commander was hit.
80th Tank Regiment lacks information in the public space, compared to its two previous counterparts. It does not appear to have taken part in major fighting recently, though it was committed to Avdiivka with the rest of the Division.
Likely not having received T-90Ms, this Regiment is mostly based on T-72B Obr. 1989s and possibly T-72AVs (since before 2022) and its known losses in the past year are low.
A video shows its servicemen with BMP-2s which are probably mixed with BMP-1s in the Motorized Rifle Battalion.
A “Storm-Z” detachment is present based on MIA reports.
No information could be found regarding the Regiment’s Artillery Battalion.
A 2022 loss of an MTLB with a mounted ZU-23 anti-aircraft cannon means these probably complement MANPADS in the Anti-Aircraft Battery.228th Motorized Rifle Regiment seems to be primarily mounted on BTR-82As, though its known losses are also low leading to uncertainty.
Images have surfaced of Z-STS Akhmat MRAPs in use with the Regiment, probably either in the Motorized Rifle Battalions or in the “Storm-Z” detachment.
The Tank Battalion is named “Ural” and has been seen with T-80BVs despite originally using T-72B3 Obr. 2016s in 2022.
The Artillery Battalion, specifically a Battery named “Neva”, has appeared in several video interviews with Msta-B (152mm) towed howitzers.428th Motorized Rifle Regiment is a mobilized unit, mostly from Bashkortostan, which was formed in late 2022 after the September/October mobilization.
It’s nicknamed “Bashkir” Regiment, but it’s a separate entity from the volunteer “Bashkortostan Regiment”.
The attachment of this Regiment to the Division was confirmed by WarSpotting.
Its Tank Battalion has been seen operating T-80BV Obr. 2022s, while no footage or information could be found of its Rifle Battalions and overall structure.
A patch belonging to the “8th Company” confirms the three-battalion organization.
Parts of the unit first left for Ukraine in late October 2022, as seen in a “goodbye concert” held for the mobilized.
An early 2023 video depicts personnel from a Company of the 428th complaining about the lack of training and support received after being mobilized, and the subsequent high casualties sustained on the Kreminna front.400th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment is the divisional artillery element and has been seen on the Avdiivka front.
A recent video showcases the use 2S5 Giatsint-S (152mm) self-propelled howitzers, while the unit employed 2S3 Akatsiyas as late as 2022. The two Battalions are likely still split between these two systems.
Divisional rocket artillery is provided by a BM-21 Grad Battalion which also used BM-27 Uragans before the invasion. It’s uncertain whether this is still the case.30th Recon Battalion possibly uses a limited number of Z-STS Akhmat MRAPs and (based on a single Russian source) Orlan-10 UAS.
An interview with an unsatisfied mobilized Company commander remarks how his video complaint to Putin due to lack of supplies for the unit was violently answered by other soldiers (he was later transferred), highlighting how frequently this happens in Russian units.288th Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion used Tor SAM systems as of 2022, with additional claims of Tunguskas and (unlikely) Buk-M3s.
Engineer, Communications/Signals, Medical and Logistics Battalions make up the rest of the Division’s support units.
Additional Sources
239TR: T-90M (Source #1, #2, #3), receiving EW kits, 3rd TB - 7th Coy., Medical Coy., pre-2022 BMP-2Ms, structure pre-Division (7th Tank BDE)
6TR: Msta-B (2022)
80TR: T-72B (2022)
B, T-72B3 Obr. 2016 (2022)
400AR: Akatsiya/Grad (2022)
Great research!