Soviet Forces in Mongolia
# Soviet Forces in Mongolia

Soviet (Russian) troops in Mongolia is a generic name for various formations of the Red Army, Soviet Armed Forces and Armed Forces of the Russian Federation located at various times in the territory of Mongolia and Mongolian People's Republic (MPR).

For the first time, Soviet troops were introduced into Mongolia in 1921 during the period of Civil War in Russia and Mongolian People's Revolution in order to Liquidation of the White Movement, which had a foothold in the territory of this country. In March 1925, the Soviet Union withdrew troops from the MPR.

Later, troops were brought in in 1932 to suppress the Khubsugul uprising, in 1937, which was due to the need to repel Japanese aggression against the allied Mongolian state and in 1967 to carry out tasks to defend the country from a potential military threat from China. The troops of the USSR stationed on the territory of Mongolia, in contrast to the deployment in other allied countries, did not form the so-called "group of forces", "grouping" or "contingent", but were directly subordinate to the center or Transbaikal Military District.

## Protocol of 1936

"In January 1936, in the face of an increased threat by Japan, the government of Mongolia turned to the government of the USSR with a request for military assistance. In February of the same year, the Soviet government announced that the Soviet Union would help the MPR protect itself from Japanese aggression. Following this, on March 12, a Soviet-Mongolian protocol on mutual assistance for a period of 10 years was signed in Ulaanbaatar, which replaced the 1934 agreement. In accordance with this protocol, Soviet troops were deployed on the territory of Mongolia. By May 25, 1939, the number of these troops, which were part of the 57th separate rifle corps and took part in the first battles on Khalkhin-Gol, was 5,544 people, of which 523 commanders and 996 junior commanders."

Later, the 17th Army and the 39th Army were stationed in Mongolia. The 39th Combined Arms Army, whose headquarters was in Ulaan baatar, included two tank divisions, three motorized rifle divisions, a reconnaissance brigade, two anti-aircraft missile brigades, a radio engineering brigade, a separate communications regiment, two engineer regiments, an air assault battalion, an electronic warfare battalion, a separate helicopter regiment, a separate radio battalion.

On February 4, 1989 a Soviet-Chinese agreement was signed to reduce the number of troops on the border. On May 15, 1989, the Soviet leadership announced a partial and then a complete withdrawal of the 39th Army of the Trans-Baikal Military District from Mongolia. The army consisted of two tank and three motor rifle divisions - more than 50 thousand military personnel, 1816 tanks, 2531 armored vehicles, 1461 artillery systems, 190 aircraft and 130 helicopters.

Soviet/Russian troops were finally withdrawn in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The withdrawal of troops from Mongolia took 28 months. On September 25, 1992, the completion of the withdrawal of troops (by that time, no longer Soviet, but Russian) was officially announced. The last Russian soldiers left Mongolia in December 1992.

## Further military cooperation

On May 21, 2008, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation visited Mongolia, who was received by President N. Enkhbayar and held talks with his colleague J. Batkhuyag. A medium-term program of military-technical cooperation has been signed and is being implemented. According to the agreed schedule, deliveries of military equipment and weapons to Mongolia from the presence of the Russian Ministry of Defense began.

