The Russian Guard will be armed with tanks and artillery after Prigozhin’s rebellion

The Russian Guard troops will be armed with heavy equipment: tanks and artillery. This was announced by the head of the department, Viktor Zolotov, on June 27. He answered the questions of journalists after the meeting of President Putin with representatives of security forces on Cathedral Square of the Kremlin. He thanked them for suppressing the failed putsch by PMC “Wagner”.

According to Zolotov, the issue of arming was “discussed with the president.” He did not name the terms, volumes and types of weapons that will be supplied to the Russian Guard and specified that the supply of equipment will depend on the financing of the Russian Guard.

The Russian Guard troops were formed on the basis of internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in 2016. The Russian Guards have combat aircraft and armored personnel carriers, it is assumed that they should participate in large-scale police and counter-terrorist operations. The department has artillery, mainly mortars and howitzers.

During the rebellion of PMC “Wagner”, mercenary units took control of a city with a million population, Rostov-on-Don, blockaded another such city, Voronezh, in fact met no resistance from the Russian armed forces. Rosgvardiya employees took part in setting up pickets, which were ignored by the Wagnerites.

According to Zolotov, the personnel of his department worked “magnificently”, in full cooperation with other law enforcement agencies. He stated that he was preparing to meet the rebels with his children and grandson on the approaches to Moscow, and before the planned battle he even “gave his wife a stash.”

The defense of Moscow is one of the tasks of the Dzerzhinsky division, which is part of the Russian Guard. However, the troops of the “Wagner” group did not reach the city: the PMC retreated without a fight, after negotiations with Prigozhin, who was allowed to leave for Belarus.