SS vs. NKVD

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Art
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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#46

Post by Art » 28 Aug 2019, 13:46

Art wrote:
25 Aug 2019, 21:47
As of 1 October 1941 the only NKVD artillery unit was an artillery regiment in the Dzershinksy Motorized Rifle Divisions at Moscow. During October it donated some elements to form 2nd Motorized Rifle Divisions which included a 2nd artillery regiment. These two were the only artillery units of the NKVD troops, as far as I know. Both regiments saw a limited employment at Novgorod in the winter 1943/44 as mentioned above.
Authorized organization of the NKVD artillery regiment of 1st and 2nd Motorized Rifle Divisions (NKVD TO&E No.0113):
Officers - 141, NCOs - 245, privates - 725, total 1112 men
The regiment consists of three battalions and a supply battery.
Equipment: 20 76-mm guns, 16 122-mm howitzers, 3 AA machine guns, 12 AT rifles, 26 sniper rifles, 12 machine pistols, 50 radios, 67 automobiles, 10 kitchen trailers.
From
http://voenspez.ru/index.php?topic=9279.0

Art
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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#47

Post by Art » 28 Aug 2019, 23:31

By June 1941 NKVD military forces had 312 tanks:
12 T-37
40 T-38
188 BT-7
72 BT-7M

Deliveries by years:
BT:
1936 - 12 BT-7
1937 - 11 BT-7
1938 - 119 BT-7
1939 - 46 BT-7
1940 - 72 BT-7M

Authorized organization included a tank battalion in the Dzerzhinsky Special Purpose Motorized Rifle Division, which after mobilization was reformed as a tank regiment of two battalions. In October 1941 one of the tank battalions was given to the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division, and the other was left with the Dzershinky Division. Both divisions didn't see major actions in 1941. Also there were tank companies in separate motorized rifle regiments, and tank squadrons in cavalry regiments, and some tanks were given to the NKVD border troops. Seems that detailed breakdown isn't available anywhere.


Volyn
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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#48

Post by Volyn » 29 Aug 2019, 02:22

I came across a uniform for an officer in the NKVD Frontier Troops cavalry.
https://gmic.co.uk/topic/13591-nkvd-fro ... cer-c1940/

Did NKVD have cavalry units, or were they only a sub-unit of the border troops?

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#49

Post by Art » 29 Aug 2019, 08:28

There were several cavalry regiments split from the NKVD border forces in 1941. I've posted a detailed organization in another topic:
viewtopic.php?p=1918604#p1918604

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#50

Post by Volyn » 29 Aug 2019, 12:40

Art wrote:
29 Aug 2019, 08:28
There were several cavalry regiments split from the NKVD border forces in 1941. I've posted a detailed organization in another topic:
viewtopic.php?p=1918604#p1918604
Thank you Art, how would NKVD cavalry compare to the SS cavalry in their use during the war?

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#51

Post by Art » 29 Aug 2019, 23:55

I'm not sure why should they compare with SS cavalry. As far as I understand in 1941 21 Calvary Regiment saw battle actions in Ukraine, suffered heavy losses in the Uman pocket and was disbanded in the autumn of 1941.
And also one unit: 17 Remount Cavalry Regiment of the NKVD border guard forces which later became 17 Cavalry Regiment, which saw combat actions regular German (or probably Romanian) troops in North-Caucasus in 1942.

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#52

Post by Art » 01 Sep 2019, 16:00

Some comments and explanations on the organization of the NKVD troops in 1941:

NKVD military forces were controlled by a deputy chief of the NKVD (by June 1941 – general Maslennikov). The deputy chief had a small secretariat to handle correspondence but didn’t posses a dedicated staff of headquarter. Matters relating to operations, organization, mobilization, personnel and training were delegated to branches of the NKVD forces which possessed considerable autonomy. As of 06.41 there were the following NKVD’s directorates which controlled military branches:
- Main Directorate for Border Forces
- Main Directorate for Railroad and Industry Security Forces
- Directorate for Operative Forces (included NKVD’s military schools)
- Directorate for Convoy Forces
also NKVD’s subdivisions dealing with all branches of the NKVD military forces:
- Military Supply Directorate
- Directorate for Political Propaganda
- Military Construction Department

Border troops: basic organization was a border detachment. Several detachments and other elements were combined into border districts. In June 1941 - 18 border districts, 94 border detachments (incl. 5 coastal), 8 coastal guard ships detachments, 11 aviation squadrons, 4 river cutters detachments. OOB and personnel strength are given in an earlier topic:
viewtopic.php?p=1918270#p1918270

Organization of the NKVD border detachment:
- HQ with a commandant (HQ) platoon and an engineer platoon
- 3-5 “komedendatura” (battalion): each of HQ, 4 line “zastava” (platoon) (42-64 men, 1-2 medium machine gun, 3-4 light machine guns each), and a reserve platoon (42 men, 2 medium machine guns, 4 light machine guns)
- Maneuver group: 3-5 platoons of 50 men
- NCO school
- motor transport company and other service elements
Total in the detachment: 1400-2000 men, 20-30 50-mm mortars, 48-60 Maxim machine guns, 80-122 light machine guns, 1200-1800 rifles, 25-30 automobiles, 200-300 horses, 120-160 dogs.
Some reinforced detachments had as many as 3000 men.

Border forces maintained 11 air squadrons for patrolling border areas. As of 1.06.41 the NKVD border troops had 48 MBR-2 flying boats, 94 R-5 and R-10 recon airplanes, 35 SB bombers/recon planes, 16 U-2 and 6 UTI-4 training airplanes.
After mobilization border forces formed several reserve (replacement) regiments (as far as I can indentify - 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, and 44 Reserve Regiments), and several reserve battalions with numbers in the 180s series. NKVD coastal guard was absorbed by the Soviet Navy. In other respects organization apparently remained mostly the same.

Railroad security troops - the task was to secure vulnerable objects of railroad infrastructure - bridges, tunnels etc. An elementary unit was a garrison. There were 5 types of garrisons (from 16 to 50 men). Several garrisons were combined into a company, companies made up battalions and regiments. There were no fixed organization tables of the regiment/separate battalion. Each of them had a unique organization which depended on the number of garrisons it fielded. In addition to garrisons the regiments had a reserve company (100-150 men) and could also include an armor train or an armored railcar company (3 armored cars). By June 1941 the NKVD troops had 18 armored trains and 36 armored railcars.
Total strength on 1.6.41 – 61 682 men in 10 divisions and 8 brigades. Divisions and brigades were administrative units with elements spread over a large territory. Total 1486 garrisons that secured 1697 objects (bridges, tunnels, depots). After mobilization – 2664 garrisons which secured 3120 objects – 2 227 railroad bridges and tunnels, 459 water pump stations, 420 road bridges, 14 military depots).
OOB before and after mobilization described here:
viewtopic.php?p=1920147#p1920147

Industry security troops guarded 153 objects (factories, electric power stations, radio stations). As with railroad security troops each unit had its unique organization dependent on the number of size of objects it secured. Peacetime and wartime OOB and authorized strength given in another topic:
viewtopic.php?p=1920147#p1920147
After mobilization they secured 403 objects of industry.

NKVD convoy troops escorted convicts to penitentiary systems and arrested from prisons to courts and between prisons, provided external security for prisons. In wartime they escorted POWs from the frontline zone and guarded POWs camps. Contrary to what Glantz erroneously claimed they didn’t secure GULag camps. As of 1.1.40 convoy troops guarded 113 prisons, 23 POW camps, and serviced 156 courts. Units by June 41: 2 divisions, 7 brigades consisting of 17 regiments, 27 separate battalions and 5 NCO schools. Total 38 311 men (actual strength) in February 1941. There were 5 different TO&Es for the convoy regiment (1136-2054 men), and 3 TO&Es for a separate battalion (407-735 men). In addition to light weapons they possessed machine guns and 50-mm mortars. On 1 July 1941 after mobilization 44 432 men which secured 110 objects (54 prisons, 13 NKVD depots, 8 POW camps, 26 POW reception points, 9 special objects), provided convoy service to 109 courts.

According to a document from August 1945 total strength (not specified actual or authorized) of the NKVD forces prior to the war was 342 059 men. By components:
Border forces - 168 135
Operative forces - 27 385
Convoy forces - 38 280
Railroad security forces - ?
Industry security forces - 29 352
Military schools - ?
Supply depots - 1851

Kovyrshin (2010) gives slightly different numbers:
Border forces - 168 000 (incl. 4400 in air component)
Operative forces - 27 800
Convoy forces - 38 311
Railroad security forces - 61 157
Industry security forces - 29 944
which with schools and supply elements must add up to about the same sum (340 thousand).

Three years earlier in 1938 the authorized strength of NKVD forces was 280 thousand men, so there was a 25% increase. Which is rather small considering that the number of men in the Red Army increased almost threefold during the same period.

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#53

Post by Art » 03 Sep 2019, 09:10

After the start of the war on 25.6.41 Potiburo ordered to appoint commanders of army rear security (commanders of NKVD forces) at every front (army group) which would control all NKVD military forces, police and destroyer battalions (militia) in the operational zone. Their task was formulated as "establish order in the army's rear, clear roads of refugees, capture deserters, clear communications, regulate transportation and evacuation, secure signal communications, liquidate saboteurs". Accordingly on 26 June the NKVD appointed:
- commander of rear security of the North Front LG G.A. Stepanov (previously commander of the Leningrad Border District)
- commander of rear security of the North-West Front MG K.I. Rakutin (commander of the Baltic Border District)
- commander of rear security of the West Front LG G.G. Sokolov (commander of the NKVD Border Forces)
- commander of rear security of the South-West Front MG V.A.Khomenko (commander of the Ukrainian Border District)
- commander of rear security of the South Front MG N.P. Nikolskiy (commander of the Moldavian Border District)
By the order of 26.6.41 the following NKVD units were given under their control:

1. North Front (LG Stepanov)
14 border detachments - 17082 men
1 reserve border regiment - 2153 men
2 reserve border battalions - 1322
1 motorized rifle division of operative forces [21st] - 5915
1 railroad security division [2nd] - 11164
1 industry security division [20th] - 9590
1 convoy brigade [41st] - 3509
Total 50 735 men

2. North-West Front [MG Rakutin]
3 border detachments - 3 580 men
1 motorized rifle division of operative forces [22nd] - 3904
1 railroad security regiment - 1447
2 convoy troops battalions - 1142
Total 10 073 men

3. West Front (LG Sokolov)
2 border detachments - 1577 men
1 reserve border regiment - 2153
1 motorized rifle regiment of operative forces - 1191
4 railroad security regiments - 8520
1 brigade of convoy forces [42nd] - 5736
Total 19 177 men

4. South-West Front (MG Khomenko)
9 border detachments - 15000
1 reserve border regiment - 2153
1 division of operative forces (23rd) - 8193
2 railroad security divisions (5th and 10th) - 15 068
2 industry security brigades - 10 676
4 convoy regiments - 7820
2 separate battalions - 1142
Total 60 052 men

5. Special group [with reserve armies] (MG Lyubiy)
3 border detachments - 2076
2 railroad security regiments - 4931
1 reserve railroad security battalion - 517
1 convoy regiment - 1600
Total 9124

6. South Front (MG Nikolskiy)
5 border detachments - 8880 men
1 reserve border regiment - 2153
1 battalion of operative forces - 300
2 convoy regiments - 2974
Total 14 277 men

Total 163 388 men in all the six commands.

As a result about a third of the NKVD mobilized force was attached to the Soviet operational army while still being subordinated to respective NKVD directorates in matters of organization, personnel, training, supply etc. Thereafter all newly formed Soviet Fronts (separate armies) also received their command of NKVD rear security forces. Employment of these forces was threefold: some were used for their primary police and security tasks in the army area, some were employed as the first-line combat forces against regular Whermacht (Axis) troops, some continued their nominal missions (security of factories, railroads, escort of prisoners etc). Heavy casualties were suffered by the end of 1941, which led to many formations and units being disbanded. Of large formations these were (as far as I can count) 9 and 10 Railroad Security Divisions, 23 Motorized Rifle Division, 41 Convoy Brigade.

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#54

Post by Art » 05 Sep 2019, 09:07

Other changes relating to NKVD military forces until the end of 1941:
- in June-July 1941 NKVD provided cadres of officers and NCOs and formed 15 Red Army's rifle divisions (243, 244, 246, 247, 249, 250, 251, 252, 254, 256, 257, 259, 262, 265, 268 divisions). With about 1500 men per division that meant a transfer of more than 20,000 personnel from the NKVD forces.
- In July 1941 after military counterintelligence was reorganized as NKVD special sections the NKVD formed military units attached to them. Namely: a rifle battalion at the NKVD special section of the front, a rifle company - at the field army, a rifle platoon - at corps and division (brigade) (NKVD order of 19.07.41). Personnel was drawn from NKVD military forces. Authorized strength of the rifle platoon was 43 men, 1 medium, 3 light machine guns, and 3 trucks. Company - 124 men, 3 medium and 9 light machine guns, 1 armored cars, 5 trucks and 2 motorcycles. Battalion - 420 men, 9 medium and 27 light machine guns, 20 horses, 1 car, 14 trucks, 3 armored cars, 9 motorcycles, 3 field kitchens. Total not less than 10 thousand men taken from NKVD forces. Later on tables of organization varied but dedicated units were attached to the NKVD special sections/SMERSH until the end of the war.
- In August 1941 NKVD Main Directorate for Railroad and Industry Security Forces and Directorate for Convoy Forces were merged and became the Main Directorate for Interior Forces which now controlled railroad guard, factory guard and convoy troops. The directorate was headed by major general Apollonov who was also an acting commander of all NKVD military forces and deputy chief of the NKVD. Apollonov was only 34 years old and was promoted to major general only a year earlier, which is indicative of the scale of NKVD generals transfer to positions in the Red Army.
- In September 1941 border detachments securing the rear area of the operational army started to be reorganized as border regiments according to the TO&Es issued on that month.
- By the GKO decree of 14 December 1941 NKVD railroad security forces absorbed the NKPS railroad guard - a civil security agency maintained by the NKPS (ministry of railroads) and inherited its former tasks - security of railroad stations and stations buildings, security of stations cash offices and cargo, escort of freight trains to prevent pilferage. Accordingly the strength of the NKVD railroad security forces was increased by 40,000 men.

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#55

Post by Art » 05 Sep 2019, 09:24

Until the end of 1941 NKVD forces securing the rear of the Soviet operational army detained and processed 685 629 men, including
- 562 856 stragglers
- 19 847 former POWs
- 82 089 civilians deviating from conscription
- 246 marauders
- 4260 civilians deserting from defense works
- 16 322 civilians without document etc

Of them 1249 were arrested as suspected spies or saboteurs, 1019 as collaborators, 935 - for "anti-Soviet agitation", 27 994 as deserters.
Own losses of border troops assigned to rear security were 24 579 men killed, dying of wounds, and missing, and 5730 wounded. By February 1942 elements of border forces assigned to rear security included 36 border regiments, 4 border detachments, 3 border battalions and 2 separate border "komendatura" with authorized strength of 67 610 and actual strength - 46 390 men.

(From a report by generals Apollonov and Stakhanov of 27.02.1942)

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#56

Post by Art » 06 Sep 2019, 21:24

One singular feature typical 1941 was a formation of various improvised combat units and formation with personnel partly or fully drawn from NKVD forces. I'm not in position to fully catalogue them, but here are those I know of:

- 1 NKVD Rifle Division - formed in late August 1941 by the HQ of NKVD rear security forces of the North/Leningrad Front by an oral order of Marshall Voroshilov. Initial composition - 1, 2, and 3 (later 7) NKVD Rifle Regiments which were based on the TO&E of the Red Army rifle regiment. Of about 10 thousand men about a half were taken from various NKVD forces elements at Leningrad, the rest were reservists. The division saw combat employment at Mga beginning from late August 1941 and then on the Neva front near Leningrad. In the summer 1942 it was transferred to the Red Army as 46 Rifle Division.

- 20 NKVD Rifle Division - formed in early September 1941 at Leningrad using a HQ of the 20 NKVD Industry Security Division. Initial composition - 7, 8, 9 NKVD Rifle Regiments (yes, there were two different regiments No.7), which, I guess, were also modeled after the Red Army rifle regiment. Personnel came from NKVD police, fire guard, and militia. In September 1941 the division occupied the defense perimeter east and north of Leningrad, from October - in action on the Neva front. In the summer 1942 transferred to the Red Army as 92 Rifle Division

- 21 Motorized Rifle Division of the NKVD operative forces - reorganized as combat division also in early September 1941 by inclusion of the 6 and 8 NKVD Rifle Regiment (formed based on 6 and 8 NKVD Border Detachments, and again there were two regiments No.8) and divisional support troops. The division occupied the south-west part of the defense perimeter around Leningrad, from mid-September it was in action in the Leningrad suburbs. In the summer 1941 transferred to the Red Army as 109 Rifle Division.

- Separate Border Brigade of the Leningrad Front - initially an ad-hoc group of border troops operating against Finns in the Karelian Isthmus. Later employed for rear security tasks north defense of the Finnish Gulf coast north of Leningrad, Composition: 3, 5, 33, 102 NKVD Border Detachments. In the summer of 1942 absorbed by the Red Army as 27 Rifle Brigade

- Staff of NKVD forces of Leningrad - initially created in September 1941 to control various NKVD elements in the Leningrad area, ended up as a HQ of NKVD troops deployed in the city proper. Disbanded in January 1942.

- 6 (8) NKVD Motorized Rifle Division - formed by the South-West Front in December 1941 based on the establishment of the pre-war Red Army's motorized division. Incorporated 6, 16, and 28 Motorized Rifle Regiments of the NKVD operative forces (formerly belonging to the 23 NKVD Motorized Rifle Division), 10 Howitzer Artillery Regiment (formerly belonging to the Red Army's 10 Tank Division). Other division units were formed anew partly from personnel drawn from NKVD elements attached to the South-West Front. From January 1941 the division was in action between Kursk and Belgorod much to the chagrin of the NKVD which had other plans on it. In July 1942 absorbed by the Red Army as 63 Rifle Division.

- 4 NKVD Crimean Division - formed by the 51 Army in August 1941 based on NKVD border units in Crimea (23, 24, and 25 Border Komendatura's) augmented with reservists. Initially composed of 3, 6, and 9 Rifle Regiments. Other three Crimean Rifle Divisions were about the same time had nothing to do with NKVD. In October 1941 the division was officially transferred to the Red Army and regularized as 184 Rifle Division. 184 RD was occupied coastal defenses in Crimea and was mostly destroyed in November 1941. Remains were incorporated to the Sevastopol garrison

- Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade aka Composite Brigade of the North-West/Kalinin Front - an ad-hoc unit incorporating 1 Motorized Rifle Regiment of of the NKVD operative forces and Red Army's 29 Cavalry Regiment. In December 1941 what remained of this unit was included in the reformed 247 Rifle Division of the Red Army. NKVD officially disbanded 1 Mot.Rifle Regiment in February 1942

- 15 Motorized Rifle Regiment of the NKVD operative forces - in July 1941 with Red Army's elements was incorporated in ad-hoc group in Karelia, later the Petrozavodsk Division. In September 1941 the division was regularized as the 37 Rifle Division, accordingly personnel of the regiment was included in the 20 Rifle Regiment of this division. Later in 1942 the regiment was restored by the NKVD.

- 26 (Composite) Border Regiment - formed in August 1941 based on 26 (Odessa) Border Detachment. On 1 September was included in an-hoc Odessa Rifle Division as 2 Rifle Regiment. When Odessa division was regularized on 10 September as 421 Rifle Division, the regiment was renamed 1331 Rifle Regiment. The division was evacuated from Odessa to Crimea where it was disbanded in November 1941.

- Composite (Border) Regiment - formed in November 1941 near Sevastopol using elements of NKVD border, convoy and railroad security troops and remains of the 184 Rifle Division (see above). The regiment was included in the 2 Rifle Division of the Maritime Army (former 2 Cavalry Division evacuated from Odessa). In January 1941 the division was renamed as 109 Rifle Division, accordingly the regiment became 456 Rifle Regiment. Both the 109 RD and 456 RR were destroyed at Sevastopol in July 1942.

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#57

Post by Volyn » 07 Sep 2019, 17:22

Art wrote:
06 Sep 2019, 21:24
- 1 NKVD Rifle Division - ... In the summer 1941 it was transferred to the Red Army as 45 Rifle Division.
Art do you know the date when they were transferred to this division?

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#58

Post by Art » 07 Sep 2019, 18:43

Corrected: 46 Rifle Division and summer 1942.

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#59

Post by Art » 11 Sep 2019, 09:20

Major formation of NKVD forces (districts, divisions, brigades) by the end of 1941:
Pre-war formations:
HQ of Murmansk Border District - employed as a HQ of rear security troops of the 14 Army, then HQ of an operational group within rear security troops of the Karelian Front
HQ of the Karelo-Finnish Border District – converted to the HQ of rear security troops of the Karelian Front
HQ of the Leningrad Border District – converted to the HQ of rear security troops of the North/Leningrad Front
HQ of the Baltic Border District - converted to the HQ of rear security troops of the North-West Front
HQ of the Belorussian SSR - converted to the HQ of rear security troops of the West Front
HQ of the Ukrainian SSR - converted to the HQ of rear security troops of the South-West Front
HQ of the Moldavian SSR - converted to the HQ of rear security troops of the South Front
HQ of the Black Sea Border District – converted to the HQ 4 Crimean NKVD Division, then reformed from HQ of the 24 Border Detachment.
HQ of the Georgian Border District – active
HQ of the Armenian Border District – active
HQ of the Azerbaijan Border District – active
HQ of the Turkmen Border District – active
HQ of the Central Asia Border District – active
HQ of the Kazakh Border District – active
HQ of the West Siberia Border District – active
HQ of the Transbaikal Border District – active
HQ of the Khabarovsk Border District – active
HQ of the Maritime Border District – active

OMSDON (Separate Special Purpose Motorized Rifle Division) – active
2 Railroad Security Division – active
3 Railroad Security Division – active, employed as HQ of rear security troops of the Bryansk Front
4 Railroad Security Division – active, subordinated to the HQ of rear security troops of the South-West Front
5 Railroad Security Division – active, subordinated to the HQ of rear security troops of the South-West Front
6 Railroad Security Division – active
7 Railroad Security Division – active
8 Railroad Security Division – active
9 Railroad Security Division – disbanded 1.9.41
10 Railroad Security Division – disbanded 8.9.41
11 Industry Security Division - active
13 Convoy Division – active
14 Convoy Division – active

Separate Aviation Brigade of Border Forces - active
27 Railroad Security Brigade – active
29 Railroad Security Brigade – active
30 Railroad Security Brigade – active
41 Convoy Brigade – disbanded on 1.11.41
42 Convoy Brigade - active
43 Convoy Brigade – active
44 Convoy Brigade - active
45 Convoy Brigade – active
46 Convoy Brigade – active
47 Convoy Brigade – active
57 Industry Security Brigade – active, employed as a combat unit on the Bryansk Front.

newly formed 22.6.-31.12.41:

Staff of NKVD forces of Leningrad – formed on 15.9.41
Staff of the NKVD security forces of the Moscow Defense Zone – formed on 15.10.41.
NKVD Police Division – formed on 5.11.1941 from the NKVD Police Brigade onthe South Front.
1 NKVD Rifle Division – formed on the Leningrad Front on 22.8.1941
2 Special Purpose Motorized Rifle Division – formed at Moscow form OMSDON elements on 15.10.1941
6 (or 8) Motorized Rifle Division – formed on the South-West Front in December 1941.
12 Industry Security Division – formed on 25.8.41 from the 67 Industry Security Brigade (Moscow)
18 Railroad Security Division – formed with the start of mobilization from the 26 Railroad Security Brigade (Tbilisi)
19 Railroad Security Division – formed with the start of mobilization from the 28 Railroad Security Brigade (Gorky)
20 Industry Security Division – formed with the start of mobilization from the 56 Industry Security Brigade (Leningrad). On 5.9.1941 reformed as the 20 NKVD Rifle Division, former units assigned to the Staff of NKVD forces of Leningrad.
21 Motorized Rifle Division - formed with the start of mobilization at Leningrad. Converted to combat division in early September 1941.
22 Motorized Rifle Division - formed with the start of mobilization at Riga. Nearly destroyed at Tallinn in August 1941, HQ still formally active by the start of 1942.
23 Motorized Rifle Division - formed with the start of mobilization at Kiev. Disbanded on 9.9.41
25 Industry Security Division – formed with the start of mobilization from the 58 Industry Security Brigade

Special Purpose Motorized Rifle Brigade – formed at Moscow on 15.10.41 from the NKVD Special Group (commando unit)
Separate Border Brigade – formed at the Leningrad Front on 30.9.41
36 Railroad Security Brigade - formed with the start of mobilization from elements of the 5 Railroad Security Division
69 Industry Security Brigade – formed with the start of mobilization from elements of the 11 Industry Security Division. Subordinated to NKVD rear security HQ of the West Front.
71 Industry Security Brigade – formed with the start of mobilization from elements of the 57 Industry Security Brigade (Voroshilovgrad). Employed as a combat unit on the South Front.
76 Motorized Rifle Brigade – formed with the start of mobilization at Tbilisi
77 Cavalry Brigade – formed with the start of mobilization at Mary (Central Asia)

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Re: SS vs. NKVD

#60

Post by Art » 11 Sep 2019, 19:57

NKVD border units at the Soviet western borders and changes in their OOB by the end of 1941.
Murmansk Border District:
82 Border Detachment ->82 Border Regiment/Karelian Front
100 Border Detachment ->100 Separate Border Battalion/Karelian Front
101 Border Detachment ->101 Border Regiment/Karelian Front
17 Separate Border Komendatura – Karelian Front
20 Separate Border Komendatura – Karelian Front
District NCO School – Karelian Front
1 North Border Ship Detachment->to the North Fleet
1 Construction company – Karelian Front
2 Construction company – Karelian Front
Separate Signal company - Karelian Front
Newly formed: 181 Separate Reserve Battalion (at mobilization?)

Karelian Border District
1 Border Detachment ->1 Border Regiment/Karelian Front
3 Border Detachment – in the Separate Border Brigade/Leningrad Front
72 Border Detachment –> 72 Border Regiment/Karelian Front
73 Border Detachment –> 73 Border Regiment/Karelian Front
80 Border Detachment -> 80 Border Regiment/Karelian Front
District NCO School -> NCO school of NKVD rear security forces of the Karelian Front
Separate Signal Company - disbanded
Newly formed: 185 Separate Reserve Battalion (at mobilization?), Sep. Signal Company of the Karelian Front’s NKVD rear security forces

Leningrad Border District

5 Border Detachment – in the Separate Border Brigade/Leningrad Front
7 Border Detachment -> 7 Rifle Regiment/1 NKVD Rifle Division/Leningrad Front
9 Border Detachment -> 9 Border Regiment/North-West Front
11 Border Detachment ->11 Border Regiment/North-West Front
33 Border Detachment - in the Separate Border Brigade/Leningrad Front
102 Border Detachment - in the Separate Border Brigade/Leningrad Front
103 Border Detachment – Leningrad Front
District NCO School – Leningrad Front
District service dog school – Leningrad Front
1 Baltic Border Ship Detachment –> to the Baltic Fleet
4 Construction Company - disbanded
Separate Signal Company – Leningrad Front
Newly formed:
1-6 Separate Border Komedatura/Leningrad Front
Separate Commandant Company/Leningrad Front
37 Reserve Rifle Regiment (formed at mobilization)->37 Border Regiment/North-West Front
Separate Sapper Company (formed at mobilization) - disbanded

Baltic Border District
6 Border Detachment ->6 Rifle Regiment/21 Motorized Rifle Division/Leningrad Front
8 Border Detachment – formed 8 Rifle Regiment/ 21 Motorized Rifle Division/Leningrad Front, reformed near Leningrad by the end of 1941
10 Border Detachment->10 Border Regiment/North-West Front
12 Border Detachment->destroyed at Libava, disbanded
Separate Coastal Guard Detachment (Hanko) – Leningrad Front
2 Baltic Border Ship Detachment –> to the Baltic Fleet
5 Naval NCO School -> to the Baltic Fleet
District NCO School – disbanded
Separate Signal Company - disbanded
Newly formed: Separate Signal Company of the NKVD rear security forces of the North-West Front

Border forces of the Belorussian SSSR
13 Border Detachment->13 Border Regiment/Kalinin Front
16 Border Detachment->16 Border Regiment/West Front
17 Border Detachment-> 17 Border Regiment/South-West Front
18 Border Detachment->18 Border Regiment/South-West Front
83 Border Detachment->83 Border Regiment/Kalinin Front
86 Border Detachment - disbanded
87 Border Detachment -> 87 Border Regiment/West Front
88 Border Detachment - disbanded
105 Border Detachment – disbanded
106 Border Detachment – disbanded
107 Border Detachment – disbanded
District NCO School - disbanded
Separate Signal Company - disbanded
Newly formed:
38 Reserve Rifle Regiment (formed at mobilization)->38 Border Regiment, mostly destroyed
Separate Sapper Company (formed at mobilization) - disbanded
Separate Signal Company of the NKVD rear security forces of the West Front

Border forces of the Ukrainian SSR

20 Border Detachment – disbanded
22 Border Detachment – disbanded
90 Border Detachment -> 90 Border Regiment/South-West Front
91 Border Detachment -> 91 Border Regiment/South-West Front
92 Border Detachment -> 92 Border Regiment/South-West Front
93 Border Detachment - disbanded
94 Border Detachment - disbanded
95 Border Detachment - disbanded
97 Border Detachment - disbanded
98 Border Detachment -> 98 Border Regiment/South-West Front
Sep. Komendatura (Kolomiya) – disbanded
District NCO School - disbanded
Separate Signal Company - disbanded
Newly formed:
42 Reserve Rifle Regiment (formed at mobilization) -disbanded
Separate Sapper Company (formed at mobilization) - disbanded
Separate Signal Company of the NKVD rear security forces of the South-West Front

Border forces of the Moldavian SSR
2 Border Detachment -> 2 Border Regiment/South Front
23 Border Detachment -> 23 Border Regiment/South Front
24 Border Detachment -> 24 Border Regiment/South Front
25 Border Detachment -> 25 Border Regiment/South Front
79 Border Detachment -> 79 Border Regiment/South Front
2 Separate Border Komendatura - disbanded
3 Separate Border Komendatura - disbanded
4 Separate Border Komendatura - disbanded
5 Separate Border Komendatura - disbanded
4 Black Sea Border Ship Detachment -> to the Black Sea Fleet
District NCO School – disbanded
Separate Signal Company - disbanded
Newly formed:
43 Reserve Rifle Regiment (formed at mobilization) - disbanded
Separate Signal Company of the NKVD rear security forces of the South Front

Black Sea Border District

26 Border Detachment -> formed 184 Rifle Division, reformed in December 1941
32 Border Detachment – active, Novorossiysk
23 Separate Border Komendatura – formed 3 Rifle Regiment/4 Crimean Rifle Division in August 41, disbanded in November
24 Separate Border Komendatura - formed 6 Rifle Regiment in August 41/4 Crimean Rifle Division, disbanded in November
25 Separate Border Komendatura - formed 9 Rifle Regiment in August 41/4 Crimean Rifle Division, disbanded in November
1 Black Sea Border Ship Detachment -> to the Black Sea Fleet
2 Black Sea Border Ship Detachment -> to the Black Sea Fleet
2 Naval NCO School -> to the Black Sea Fleet
District NCO School -?
See also an original OOB here:
viewtopic.php?p=1918270#p1918270
As commented above HQ of border districts were reorganized as HQ of NKVD rear security troops at the fronts in September 41 (NKVD Shtat 06), most surviving border detachments were reorganized as border regiments (NKVD Shtat 05). Disbanded border detachments were either fully destroyed or lost most of their men. "Komendatura" was battalion-sized unit of border troops. Reserve units were formed with the start of mobilization for training replacements for border troops.

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