airborne troops, airborne troops And the military traditions of the airborne troops live, and still every soldier, officer, general proudly says: "We serve in the airborne troops!" She said to the count, gesturing solemnly to the countess, who was holding a snuff-box with a portrait in one hand, a letter in the other, and pressed her lips to one or the other.
Seeing the count, she stretched out her arms to him, hugged his bald head and looked over his bald head again at the letter and the portrait, and again, in order to press them to her lips, slightly pushed the bald head away. Vera, Natasha, Sonya and Petya entered the room, and the reading began. The letter briefly described the campaign and two battles in which Nikolushka participated, promoted to officer and said that he kisses the hands of maman and papa, asking for their blessings, and kisses Vera, Natasha, Petya. In addition, he bows to mr Sheling, and m me Shos and the nanny, and, in addition, asks to kiss dear Sonya, whom he still loves and still remembers. Hearing this, Sonya blushed so that tears came into her eyes. And, unable to withstand the glances that turned at her, she ran into the hall, scattered, whirled around and, inflating her dress with a balloon, flushed and smiling, sat down on the floor. The Countess was crying.
- What are you crying about, maman? - said Vera. - Throughout everything he writes, one should rejoice, not cry.
This was completely fair, but the count, the countess, and Natasha all looked at her reproachfully. "And who is she in!" thought the Countess.
Nikolushka's letter was read hundreds of times, and those who were considered worthy to listen to him had to come to the countess, who would not let go of him. The tutors, nannies, Mitenka, some acquaintances came, and the countess reread the letter every time with new delight and every time she discovered new virtues from this letter in her Nikolushka. How strange, extraordinary, joyful she was that her son was that son who was slightly perceptibly tiny limbs stirring within her 20 years ago, the son for whom she had quarreled with the mischievous count, the son who had learned to speak before: “ pear ", and then" baba "that this son is now there, in a foreign land, in a foreign environment, a courageous warrior, alone, without help and guidance, doing some kind of man's work there. The whole world century experience, indicating that children are made by men imperceptibly from the cradle, did not exist for the countess. The maturation of her son at each stage of maturity was as extraordinary for her as there had never been millions of millions of people who had matured in the same way. Just as it was not believed 20 years ago that that little creature that lived somewhere under her heart would scream and begin to suckle and speak, so now she could not believe that this same creature could be that strong, the brave man, the model of sons and people that he was now, judging by this letter.
- What a calm, how he describes it cute! - she said, reading the descriptive part of the letter. - And what a soul! Nothing about myself ... nothing! About some kind of Denisov, and he himself, probably, is braver than all of them. He does not write anything about his suffering. What a heart! How will I recognize him! And how I remembered everyone! I have not forgotten anyone. I always, always said, even when he was like this, I always said ...
It took more than a week to prepare, write the brillons, and write letters to Nikolushka from the whole house; under the supervision of the countess and the count's solicitude, the necessary things and money were collected for uniforms and the provision of a newly produced officer. Anna Mikhailovna, a practical woman, managed to arrange for herself and her son patronage in the army even for correspondence. She had the opportunity to send her letters to the Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, who commanded the guard. The Rostovs assumed that the Russian guard abroad is a completely definitive address, and that if the letter reaches the Grand Duke in command of the guard, then there is no reason that it does not reach the Pavlograd regiment, which should be there nearby; and therefore it was decided to send letters and money through the courier of the Grand Duke to Boris, and Boris had to deliver them to Nikolushka. Letters were from the old count, from the countess, from Petit, from Vera, from Natasha, from Sonya and, finally, 6,000 money for uniforms and various things that the count sent to his son.

12th November Kutuzovskaya combat army, who was camped near Olmutz, was preparing for the next day for the review of two emperors - Russian and Austrian. The guards, who had just arrived from Russia, spent the night 15 versts from Olmutz and the next day, right at the inspection, at 10 o'clock in the morning, entered the Olmutskoe field.
Nikolai Rostov that day received a note from Boris informing him that the Izmailovsky regiment was spending the night 15 versts before reaching Olmutz, and that he was waiting for him to deliver a letter and money. Rostov especially needed the money now, when, returning from the campaign, the troops stopped at Olmutz, and well-equipped supplyants and Austrian Jews, offering all kinds of temptations, filled the camp. The Pavlograd residents held feasts after feasts, celebrations of awards received for the campaign and a trip to Olmutz to the newly arrived Caroline Wengerka, who opened a tavern there with a female servant. Rostov recently celebrated his production of cornets, bought a Bedouin, Denisov's horse, and was indebted to his comrades and storekeepers all around. Having received Boris's note, Rostov and his friend drove to Olmutz, had lunch there, drank a bottle of wine and went alone to the guards camp to look for his childhood friend. Rostov has not yet had time to put on his uniform. He was wearing a well-worn cadet jacket with a soldier's cross, the same leggings lined with worn leather, and an officer's saber with a lanyard; the horse he rode was a Don one, bought by a campaign from a Cossack; the hussar's crumpled cap was wickedly put back and on one side. Approaching the camp of the Izmailovsky regiment, he thought about how he would hit Boris and all his fellow guardsmen with his fired combat hussar appearance.
The guards went through the entire campaign as if they were on festivities, flaunting their purity and discipline. The crossings were small, the backpacks were carried on carts, the Austrian authorities prepared excellent meals for the officers at all the crossings. The regiments entered and left the cities with music, and the whole campaign (which the guardsmen were proud of), by order of the Grand Duke, people walked in step, and the officers walked in their places. Boris walked and stood all the time of the campaign with Berg, now the company commander. Berg, having received a company during the campaign, managed with his diligence and accuracy to earn the trust of his superiors and arranged his economic affairs very profitably; During the campaign, Boris made many acquaintances with people who could be useful to him, and through a letter of recommendation he brought from Pierre, he met Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, through whom he hoped to get a place in the headquarters of the commander-in-chief. Berg and Boris, neatly and cleanly dressed, having rested after their last day's march, sat in the clean apartment assigned to them in front of a round table and played chess. Berg held a smoking pipe between his knees. Boris, with his characteristic accuracy, with his thin white hands set the checkers in a pyramid, waiting for Berg's move, and looked at his partner's face, apparently thinking about the game, as he always thought only about what he was doing.
- Well, how will you get out of this? - he said.
- We will try, - Berg answered, touching the pawn and again lowering his hand.
At this time, the door opened.
“Here he is, at last,” shouted Rostov. - And Berg is here! Oh, you, petisanfan, ale kushe dormir, [Children, go to bed,] - he shouted, repeating the words of the nurse, at which they once laughed together with Boris.
- Fathers! how you have changed! - Boris stood up to meet Rostov, but, getting up, did not forget to support and put the falling chess in place and wanted to hug his friend, but Nikolai moved away from him. With that special feeling of youth, which is afraid of broken roads, wants, without imitating others, to express his feelings in a new way, in his own way, if only not in the way that the elders express it, often pretending to be, Nikolai wanted to do something special when meeting with a friend : he wanted to pinch, push Boris, but just not kiss, as everyone did. Boris, on the other hand, calmly and friendly hugged and kissed Rostov three times.
They had not seen each other for almost half a year; and at the age when young people take their first steps on the path of life, both have found enormous changes in each other, completely new reflections of the societies in which they took their first steps in life. Both had changed a lot since their last meeting and both wanted to quickly show each other the changes that had occurred in them.
- Oh, you damned floor polishers! Clean, fresh, as if from a walk, not that we are sinners, the army, - said Rostov with baritone sounds new for Boris in his voice and army grips, pointing to his mud-splattered leggings.
The German hostess leaned out of the door at Rostov's loud voice.
- What, pretty? He said with a wink.
- Why are you shouting so! You’ll scare them, ”said Boris. “I didn’t expect you to-day,” he added. - Yesterday, I just gave you a note through a friend of Kutuzovsky's adjutant - Bolkonsky. I didn't think that he would deliver you so soon ... Well, what are you, how? Already fired? Boris asked.
Rostov, without answering, shook the soldier's St.George cross, which hung on the cords of his uniform, and, pointing to his tied hand, smiling, looked at Berg.
“As you can see,” he said.
- That's how, yes, yes! - Boris said smiling, - and we also made a glorious trip. After all, you know, His Highness constantly rode with our regiment, so we had all the comforts and all the benefits. In Poland, what kind of receptions were, what kind of dinners, balls - I cannot tell you. And the Tsarevich was very merciful to all our officers.
And both friends told each other - one about their hussar revelry and military life, the other about the pleasantness and benefits of serving under the command of high-ranking officials, etc.
- About the guard! - said Rostov. - But what, let's go get some wine.
Boris winced.
“If you really want to,” he said.
And going up to the bed, he took out a purse from under the clean pillows and ordered them to bring wine.
“Yes, and give you the money and the letter,” he added.
Rostov took the letter and, throwing money on the sofa, leaned his elbows on the table with both hands and began to read. He read a few lines and glared at Berg. Meeting his gaze, Rostov covered his face with a letter.
“However, they sent you a decent amount of money,” said Berg, looking at the heavy purse pressed into the sofa. - Here we are, and with a salary, count, we make our way. I'll tell you about myself ...
- That's what, my dear Berg, - said Rostov, - when you receive a letter from the house and meet your man, whom you want to ask about everything, and I will be here, I will leave now so as not to interfere with you. Listen, please go somewhere, somewhere ... to hell! He shouted, and immediately, seizing him by the shoulder and looking affectionately into his face, apparently trying to soften the rudeness of his words, he added: “You know, don’t get angry; dear, darling, I say from the bottom of my heart, as to our old friend.
“Oh, have mercy, Count, I really understand,” said Berg, getting up and speaking in a throaty voice.
- You go to the owners: they called you, - added Boris.
Berg put on a clean frock coat, without specks or specks, fluffed the temples up in front of the mirror, as Alexander Pavlovich wore, and, convinced by Rostov's glance that his frock coat had been noticed, left the room with a pleasant smile.
- Oh, what a brute I am, however! - said Rostov, reading the letter.
- And what?
- Oh, what a pig I am, however, that I have never written and so frightened them. Oh, what a pig I am, ”he repeated, suddenly blushing. - Well, let's go for wine to Gavril! Well, okay, let's do it! - he said…
In the letters of relatives, there was also a letter of recommendation to Prince Bagration, which, on the advice of Anna Mikhailovna, was taken out by the old countess through friends and sent to her son, asking him to demolish it for its intended purpose and use it.
- That's nonsense! I really need it, - said Rostov, throwing the letter under the table.
- Why did you leave it? Boris asked.
- A letter of recommendation, the devil is in my letter!
- How the hell is it in the letter? - picking up and reading the inscription, said Boris. - This letter is very necessary for you.
“I don’t need anything, and I’m not going to be an adjutant to anyone.”
- From what? Boris asked.
- Lackey position!
- You are still the same dreamer, I see, - said Boris, shaking his head.
- And you are still the same diplomat. Well, that's not the point ... Well, what are you doing? Asked Rostov.
- Yes, that's how you see. So far so good; but I confess that I would really like to get into the adjutants, and not remain in the front.
- Why?
- Then, that, having already gone through the career military service, we must try to make, if possible, a brilliant career.
- Yes, that's how! - said Rostov, apparently thinking about something else.
He looked intently and questioningly into the eyes of his friend, apparently in vain looking for a solution to some question.

A source:
https://rusi.org/publication/engi-defence-systems/detailing-russian-forces-syria
Note: The unit of the 120th Guards ABR was confirmed by our Ministry of Defense.

So, Sutyagin reports:

Ground troops:

1. Battalion tactical group of the 810th Marine Brigade (Sevastopol) - 542nd separate airborne assault battalion, headquarters and command units - about 580 people.
No comments

2. 162nd separate reconnaissance battalion of the 7th airborne assault division (Novorossiysk) - about 320 people.

3. The reconnaissance battalion of the 74th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (Yurga) - about 440 people.

4. The battalion tactical group of the 27th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (Moscow) - two motorized rifle and a tank company - about 300 people.

5. Battalion special purpose probably the 3rd Special Forces Brigade (Togliatti); it is also possible that this battalion belongs to the 22nd Guards Brigade of the Special Forces (Rostov-on-Don) - 230 people.

6. Sniper team of TsSN "Senezh" (Solnechnogorsk) - the number is unknown.
No comments

7. Howitzer battalion of the 120th Guards Artillery Brigade (Kemerovo, more precisely Yurga) - eighteen 2A65 Msta-B, 270 people.
Note. The Ministry of Defense confirmed the 5th howitzer battery of the brigade in the area of ​​the settlement. Hamrat (Homs)

8. Two batteries MLRS 9A52 "Smerch", it is assumed the 439th Guards Missile and Artillery Brigade (Znamensk, Astrakhan region) - 4 installations, 50-60 people.
No comments

9. Howitzer battery of the 8th artillery regiment (Simferopol) - six towed howitzers 2A65 Msta-B, seventy people.
Note. No comments

10. Flamethrower battery from the 20th regiment of the RKhBZ (Nizhny Novgorod) - six TOS-1A "Solntsepёk", thirty people.

11. Electronic warfare company - six R-330B launchers, three R-378B radio jamming stations and six radio jamming stations SPR-2 "Rtut-B", the 64th motorized rifle brigade (Khabarovsk) is supposed to, about sixty people.
No comments

12. The electronic warfare company - the Krasnukha-4 complex (on two cars), the 17th electronic warfare brigade (Nizhneudinsk) is supposed - about twenty people.
No comments

The total number of the ground component of the Russian group is estimated at about 2,400 people.

Aerospace Forces:

1. Four Su-30SM fighters from the 120th mixed aviation regiment (Domna; all four aircraft are identified by the side numbers "26, 27, 28, 29 red").

2. Four Su-34 bombers of the 47th mixed aviation regiment (Buturlinovka; all four aircraft are identified with side numbers "21, 22, 25, 27 red").

3. From twenty-four to thirty bombers Su-24M and Su-24m2 of the 2nd Guards Bomber Regiment (Shagol; seven aircraft with side numbers "04, 05, 08, 16, 25, 26, 27 white") and 277- 1st Bomber Regiment (Khurba; tied five boards with numbers "71, 72, 74, 75, 76 white").

4. Ten Su-25SM attack aircraft, two Su-25UB 960 assault aviation regiment (Primorsko-Akhtarsk; all twelve aircraft are tied - Su-25SM side numbers "21, 22, 24, 29 red" in brown-green-blue tricolor camouflage , and "25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32 red" in a gray color, Su-25UB with side numbers "44, 53 red").

5. Twelve Mi-24PN helicopters and two Mi-8AMTSh of the 113th helicopter regiment (Novosibirsk; all fourteen helicopters are attached - Mi-24PN side numbers "03, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 34 , 36, 37, 40 yellow ", Mi-8AMTSh" 212, 252 yellow ")

6. Up to eight Mi-28N helicopters - the 2nd squadron of the 487th helicopter regiment (Budennovsk) is supposed.

7. Flying command post Il-22M - from the 144 AWACS Aviation Regiment (Ivanovo; registration number RA 75917)

8. One or two reconnaissance Il-20M with unknown numbers from the 257th mixed air regiment (Khabarovsk).

9. An air defense battery of six "Pantsir-S1" (SA-22) installations, presumably of the 1537th anti-aircraft missile regiment (Novorossiysk) - about ninety-five people.

10. Airfield service battalion (jet aircraft) - 360-380 people.

11. Airfield service company (helicopters) - 90-110 people.

12. Communications and control battalion air traffic- 240-270 people.

In general, the number of the Russian Aerospace Forces group in Syria is estimated at 1200-1350 people, including 150-180 pilots, 280 aviation technicians, 690-760 people in support and up to 100 people in air defense.

It is assumed that there will be additional airbases to Khmeyim, in particular, with the Mi-28 based there.

P.S. Sutyagin has enough inaccuracies and mistakes.