DEPLOYMENT OF SOVIET GROUND FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN,(SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81T00034R000100360001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 29, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 1, 1980
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/29: CIA-RDP81
Imagery analysis report
I
Deployment of Soviet Ground Forces in
Afghanistan, (S)
Top Secret
IAR-0304/8025X1
NOVEMBER 1980
Copy 17 0
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i op aecre
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Warning Notice
Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
(WNINTEL)
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
NOFORN- Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals
NOCONTRACT- Not Releasable to Contractors or
Contractor/Consultants
PROPIN- Caution- Proprietary Information Involved
USIBONLY- USIB Departments Only
ORCON- Dissemination and Extraction of Information
Controlled by Originator
REL. . . This Information has been Authorized for
Release to .. .
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Top Secret RUFF
DEPLOYMENT OF SOVIET GROUND FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN
(S)
1. (TSR) This report summarizes the Soviet ground forces deployment in Afghanistan,
This nearly cloud-free imagery covered approximately
99 percent of Afghanistan. The Wakhan Valley between the Soviet Union, China, and Pakistan was the
only area not imaged (Figure 1).
2. (S/D) Significant activities observed during this period included the identification of at least 14
additional Soviet units and seven new Soviet bivouacks (Table I and Figure 1). Nine Soviet battalion-sized
units were also identified in either combat operations or transit (Table I and Figure 1). In addition, the
Soviet tactical POL pipeline was observed in its entirety, extending from its origin in the Soviet Union to
its terminus at Pol-E Khomri, Afghanistan (Figure 1).
3. (SAD) The estimated number of Soviet ground forces personnel in Afghanistan (Table 2) is based
on the number of personnel per unit.' The totals do not reflect the probable presence of a Soviet military
advisory group which could number in the thousands.
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 Table 1.
Soviet Ground Forces Units In Afghanistan,
(Items keyed to Figure 1)
This table in its entirety is classified SECRET/ V Iv TEL
Item Location/BE No
Jabyk/Salang Pass Area
Bagram Airfield
IS nmSW of -
Bagram Airfield at
34-45-08N/069-05-34 E_
Jabal Os Sarai Soviet Bivouac
Salang Pass Search Area
Along the Soviet tactical
POL pipeline from Pol?E
Tranship Pt
Kunduz Airfield
Northeast Afghanistan
Deployment Area
*Indicates new unit/bivouac identification.
**Indicates full complement not observed.
Units Present
I army command post
2 prob division command
I motor transport battalion
I maintenance battalion
I construction t
.
1 army-level rear services
I airborne regiment
(unit bivouac present)
Elements of 1 engineer
battalion
1 rear services depot
1 airborne battalion*
1 artillery battalion*
I rocket launcher battery*
Elements of I engineer
battalion
Elements of I motorized
rifle regiment
I motorized rifle battalion*
All 3 airborne
battalions absent
Rest of battalion
at Chankar Soviet
bivouac
Prob from the
airborne regiment
at Bagram Airfield
Rest of battalion
at Bagram Airfield
Only 1 battalion
present
Providing security
for Salang Pass- -
& tunnel
Only 1 battalion
- presen
Providing security
along pipeline
3,6.23-45N/067.56-45 E
35.27- ION/067-49-55E
Only I battalion
present
II
-
at 37-03-020N/069-25-35E
Eastern Afghanistan and the Konar Valley
2 battalions present on
I company present
3 battalions absent
2 battalions absent
Conducting operations/
in transit
In Konar Valley
Providing security along
highway at various
checkpoints
1 command post
Elements of I motorized
rifle regiment
Elements of army rear
services & support
I prob.motor transport
regiment
motorized rifle battalions
I tactical pipeline construction
battalion*
battallon
2 artillery batteries*
I prob division command post
I motorized rifle regiment**
1artillery battalion
I reconnaissance battalion
2 airborne battalion
2 signal battalion
I chemical defense battalion
I antiaircraft artillery regiment
post* -
Elements of I artillery
Elements of I antitank battalion
I engineer battalion*
I motor transport battalion*
I maintenance battalion*
I tank company*
Remarks
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Top Secret RUFF
Item
Top Secret
I battalion present
Tank battalion absent
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Table 2.
Estimated Soviet Ground Forces Personnel in Afghanistan,
This table in its entirety is rlaevslfied SECRET/W ti/,y7'EL
"Unit strengths are rounded off to the nearest 50.
**This total represents the three motorized rifle divisions less two subordinate tank regiments and three FROG battalions
(totalling 2,500 personnel), which have either withdrawn from or never deployed to Afghanistan
IA R-0304/80
Unit
Number
Total Personnel*
Remarks
Division Combat Troops
Motorized Rifle Division
35,000**
Motorized Rifle Regiment
6,750
Independent/unsubordina
ted
Airborne Division
7;300-
Airborne Regiment -
1,800
Airborne Battalion
400
Unsubordinated
Army-Level Units
Command Post
1,250
Signal Units
3,150
Includes all eommo,
Rocket Launcher Regiment
1;100
- radar, & jamming
units
Rear Services/Logistics
8,250
Includes all construction,
Total
65,000
- maint motor transport;
and bridging units
posts
12
2 airborne regiments --
1 artillery regiment
1 artillery battalion
I airborne assault gun
13
1 antiaircraft regiment -
I army-level signal unit
14
I army-level early warning
unit
I communications jamming
- battalion
15
d
1 airfield ground support
unit
16
Location/BE No
Units Present
Remarks
Faizabad Airfield
motorized rifle battalions
JormjFaizabad Search Area
2 motorized rifle hattalions*
I battalion at 31-00-OON/ -
070-53-30E/town of Mazar;
I battalion 12 nm SE
ofMazar at
36-SS-57N/071-02-42E
Eshkashem Search Area
motorized rifle battalion
Afghan A474
Nalirin Barracks Division
I motorized rifle battalion
Regiment & Battalion
Taligan Airfield
I battalion-size task force*
Khwaja Ghar Area
motorized rifle battalion*
Unit was in transit
Search -
17 Jalalabad Soviet Bivouac 3
I motorized rifle regiment**
1 airborne battalion**
18 Jalalabad Airfield
motorized rifle company
19 Ghazni Military Camp SE
1 motorized rifle regiment**
20 Gardez Airfield
I motorized rifle company
21 Ghazni Soy Mil Ops Search
I prob motorized rifle
Area
battalion*
32-46-SON/068-28.15 E
22 _ Chagasary Complex
I motorized rifle battalion
Central Afghanistan
23 Panjab Area Search
I battalion-sized task force*
34.23.30N/067-00-4SE
24 Nayak Airfield
1 motorized rifle battalion*
Western and Southern Afghanistan Area
25 Shindand Deploymet Area
I division command post
I tank regiment** -
1 motorized rifle regiment
I artillery regiment
I antitank battalion
1 multiple rocket launcher
battalion
1 reconnaissance battalion_
I SA-8 regiment (3 batteries)
I chemical defense battalion
I motor tranport battalion
I maintenance battalion
i multiple rocket launcher
regiment (nondivisional)
6 Herat Soviet Deployment Area
I motorized rifle regiment**
27 Herat/Kushka Road Search Area
I tank battalion*
Adreskan
Elements of 1 engineer
at 33-38-15NJ062-15-30E
battalion*
29 Kandahar Soviet MRR
I motorized rifle regiment
Bivouac
I airborne battalion
I construction unit
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Top Secret RUFF
AN
ITEMS KEYED TO TABLE 1
28~ADRESKAN
25.
SHINDAND
FIGURE 1. LOCATIONS OF SOVIET GROUND FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN
Top Secret
KHWAJA
0 TALOQAN
9 ? 15?
KUNDUZ
IQONDUZ
NAUTICAL MILES
NPIG T0297
100
S T A N
fA R-0304/8O25X1
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Top Secret
Top Secret
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