Formations of the Soviet Army

The Soviet Ground Forces, successor to the Red Army, the title changing in 1945, employed a wide range of different military formations.

The Soviets used the term "Театр войны," Theatre of War (TV), to describe a large area of the world in which there might be several teatr voennykh deistvii, (TVDs) usually translated as theatres of military action/operations.

[1] Generally this concept equates to the largest extent of what Western thinkers would describe as a Theater (warfare).

"[28] From the 1950s to the 1980s the branches ("rods") of the Ground Forces included the Motor Rifle Troops; the Soviet Airborne Forces, from April 1956 to March 1964; Air Assault Troops (Airborne Assault Formations of the Ground Forces of the USSR [ru], from 1968 to August 1990); the Tank Troops; the Rocket Forces and Artillery [ru] (Ракетные войска и артиллерия СССР, from 1961, including artillery observation units); Army Aviation, until December 1990; Signals Troops; the Engineer Troops; the Air Defence Troops of the Ground Forces (see Air Defence Troops of the Russian Ground Forces and ru:Войска противовоздушной обороны Сухопутных войск СССР); the Chemical Troops; and the Rear of the Ground Forces.

"[31] Services included Medical Troops; veterinary; topographical survey (военно-топографическую службу); finance, military justice; band (Military Band Service Directorate (or Directorate of Military Music) in the MOD); intendance (quartermaster); and administrative.