ABSTRACT
Soviet Naval Infantry has a proud tradition, Peter the Great created the Russian Naval Infantry on November 16, 1705, when he formed a sea regiment consisting of two battalions of five companies each in the Baltic Fleet. The naval infantry was reactivated during World War I, and by the war's end, there were two divisions in the Baltic and Black Sea fleets. The use of naval infantry throughout World War II was decisively influenced by the fact that the navy was relegated to the minor role of supporting the ground forces. A tactical amphibious landing is the most common naval infantry operation and could include such missions as destroying communications facilities or tactical nuclear weapons, seizing vital bridges and road junctions, or disrupting the movement of enemy forces. Soviet amphibious forces have taken part in a number of major exercises that have demonstrated their level of training and probable use in war.
