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Military unit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mechanized Infantry Forces of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Механізовані війська, romanized: Mekhanizovani viiska) are the general basis and primary combat formations of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. They execute tasks of holding the occupied areas, lines and positions tasks of enemy's impacts repelling, of penetrating the enemy's defense lines, defeating the enemy forces, capturing the important areas, lines and objectives, Capture and expel enemy forces from territory and can operate in structure of marine and landing troops.[1]
Mechanized Infantry Forces | |
---|---|
Механізовані війська | |
Active | 1992 - Present |
Country | Ukraine |
Branch | Ukrainian Ground Forces |
Type | Mechanized Infantry / Armored forces |
Size | 31 Brigades |
Anniversaries | 6 May, Day of the Mechanized Infantry |
Insignia | |
Shoulder sleeve insignia |
The Mechanized Infantry Corps of the Ukrainian Ground Forces are organized into mechanized infantry brigades and motorized infantry brigades that help perform the principal missions entrusted to the Ukrainian Ground Forces and the wider Armed Forces as a whole.
When the Ukrainian Ground Forces had been formed on the basis of the Soviet Army in Ukraine in 1991-92, the majority of the new forces involved infantry (motor rifle/mechanized) divisions, a few of these with roots dating back to the Russian Civil War and the Ukrainian War of Independence and majority with Second World War battle honours. What are today the 24th, 28th, 30th, 72nd, 92nd and 108th Brigades, among others, were then infantry divisions, which would become infantry brigades in the 21st century and are the oldest in active service.
In 2000, when the National Guard was merged with the Internal Troops, a few National Guard of Ukraine units, including the current Presidential Brigade were given to the Ukrainian Ground Forces instead of undergoing reflagging as special police formations.
Following Euromaidan and in the midst of the first years of the Russo-Ukrainian War the heritage of many of the brigades was replaced, under the insistence of President Petro Poroshenko, with the identities of the infantry and cavalry of both the Ukrainian People's Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic of the War of Independence and their short-lived armed forces, with some of the honorifics celebrating other heroes from Ukraine's past.
Battle honours won during the Second World War and Soviet orders and decorations were removed from unit titles and their colours. It was in these circumstances that the forces gradually expanded again with the raising of more brigade-level formations in the infantry, coupled with the Westernized training regimen and the modernization of the forces, which resulted in the debut of three more specialities for the Ukrainian infantry:
In the wake of the full Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a new type of infantry speciality was created to assist in the needs of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in this current period:
All of these brigades constitute the Infantry Corps of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
The Ukrainian Ground Forces Mechanized infantry brigades, which are the majority of those units of the Infantry Corps, are traditionally structured around either the tracked BMP-1 or BMP-2 IFV or a variant of the BTR wheeled family of APCs or IFVs (like the BTR-3 and BTR-4). These brigades are designed to be able to conduct combined arms maneuver warfare in an effort to take and hold territory from enemy forces in wartime operations. Doctrinally, the mechanized infantry brigades are built around three mechanized infantry battalions with a supporting motorized infantry battalion and tank battalion. The Russian invasion in 2022, opted the brigades to integrate militia battalions raised in the beginning of the invasion into brigade rifle infantry battalions as part of its Order of Battle, increasing their size further, with the latter addition in 2023 of an assault infantry battalion. [2] As such some of the brigades are already nearing division size in strength.
Motorized infantry formations, a much more younger type of infantry brigade that debuted in the 2010s after Euromaidan and are a legacy of the war in Donbas, are organized around the Humvee systems or similar vehicles, including those of Ukrainian manufacture. However, they do not have a tank battalion assigned to it. Their medium counterparts, the Jäger (Rifle) Infantry Brigades, are similarly organized but have a tank battalion, and can be either mechanized or motorized in its composition and armaments. Mechanized rifle infantry brigades may have an option for a motorized rifle battalion in its brigade Order of battle to put in line with the rest of the infantry brigades. Assault infantry brigades, a newer form of infantry brigade which was created in light of the 2022 invasion, are different, in which these are dedicated as the offensive assault forces in wartime operations against enemy formations and fortified positions in conjunction with other types of infantry brigades and the armor.
These brigades perform the same duties of combined arms operations as in the regular mechanized infantry brigades in both peacetime and war. Due to brigades being designed for independent operations in peace and war, these brigades have a complete set of organic supporting units including a headquarters and Headquarters company, a complete field artillery regiment, an anti-tank battalion, an anti-aircraft defense battalion, a sniper company, a recon company, an engineer battalion, material repair battalion, logistics battalion, electronic warfare company, radar company, CBRN defense company, signals company, medical company, a commandant's platoon and a military band under brigade Headquarters.
Since the start of the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine, the size and composition of Ukraine's mechanized and motorized infantry brigades, as well as its rifle infantry and assault infantry brigades, have changed dramatically to include both more men - and women - as the Armed Forces of Ukraine constantly mobilize but also to include the different kinds of weapons and equipment being supplied by Ukraine's Western backers.
Ukraine's two mountain infantry brigades are organized in like manner as the mechanized infantry but are organized for mountain warfare operations in wartime as well as other operations as needed and are armed similarly.
Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
Mechanized Infantry Battalion (x3)
Battalions armed with variants of the BTR family (BTR-70, BTR-80, BTR-3, BTR-4) notionally will have 600 personnel mounted in 45 vehicles. Battalions armed with variants of the BMP family of vehicles (BMP-1, BMP-2) notionally will have 520 personnel mounted in 40 vehicles.[3]
Motorized Infantry Battalion
Rifle Infantry Battalion
Assault Infantry Battalion
A few of these brigades currently have that speciality type battalion and personnel of these battalions are given special training for offensive operations. These battalions are organized in like manner as the mechanized and motorized infantry battalions and are armed and supplied with vehicles similar to those of the mechanized.
Tank Battalion
T-64s and its variants have been the traditional standard tank of the Mechanized Infantry, however some armored battalions are armed with T-72s.
Field Artillery Regiment
Anti-Tank Battalion (under field artillery regiment, otherwise independent under direct brigade command)
Anti-Aircraft and Missile Defense Artillery Battalion/Regiment
Sniper Company
Reconnaissance Company
Combat Engineer Battalion
Repair Battalion
Logistics Battalion
Electronic Warfare Company
Radar Company
Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear Defense Company
Signals Company
Medical Company
Commandants Platoon – Commandant's Platoons are technically military police platoons as all personnel are trained as regimental police officers and staff by the Military Police of the Armed Forces.
Brigade Band – Brigade Bands are military bands made up of personnel of the brigade who are members of the Military Music Department. All musicians of the brigade must have proper musical proficiency and a music degree upon joining the band.
Motorized/Mechanized Rifle Infantry/Jäger Infantry Battalion (x3)
The battalions of the rifle infantry brigades are organized in like manner as the motorized infantry battalions under mechanized infantry brigades. However, both the 61st and 68th Brigades fields wheeled and/or tracked mechanized infantry vehicles. The 13th and 141st-144th (Reserve) Rifle Brigades are all motorized formations.
Motorized Infantry Battalion (x3)
The infantry battalions of motorized infantry brigades are organized in like manner as the motorized infantry battalions under mechanized infantry brigades.
Unlike the regular mechanized and mechanized rifle infantry brigades the motorized infantry originally did not have a tank battalion but a few brigades today like the 58th and 59th Brigades have a tank battalion activated in their ORBAT.
In 2019, 6 May was declared as the official Day of the Mechanized Infantry and thus serves as the official branch holiday of the Mechanized Infantry.
Brigade Name | Garrison / HQ | Unit Designation | Unit Number | Years in Service | Other Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Infantry Corps, Ukrainian Ground Forces | |||||
Regular Infantry Brigades (Mechanized Infantry, Motorized Infantry, Assault Infantry, Jaeger (Ranger)) | |||||
Separate Presidential Brigade | Kyiv, Kyiv oblast | ОПБр[4] | A-0222[5] | January 2, 1992 - today[4] | Former 1st National Guard Infantry Regiment, reflagged as UGF unit 2000 |
1st Special Purpose Brigade | N/A | 1 ОБрСпП[6] | A-4044[7] | March 4, 2022 - today[7] | (National Guard unit transferred to the UGF).[6] |
3rd Assault Brigade | 3 ОШБр[8] | A-4638[9] | November 1, 2022 - today[10] | Raised by veterans of the former Azov Regiment (National Guard) who transferred to the AFU via Special Operations Forces and TDF Brigades | |
5th Assault Brigade | 5 ОШБр[11] | A-4010[12] | May 10, 2022 - today[13] | ||
10th Mountain Assault Brigade | Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk oblast | 10 ОГШБр[14] | A-4267[15] | October 1, 2015 - today[16] | |
11th Motorized Brigade | Chernihiv oblast | 11 ОМПБр | N/A | October 1, 2017 - today | |
14th Mechanized Brigade | Volodymyr, Volyn oblast | 14 ОМБр | A-1008 | December 1, 2014 - today | |
15th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 15 ОМБр | A-0610 | March 15, 2016 - today | |
21st Mechanized Brigade | 21 ОМБр | January 21, 2023 - today | |||
22nd Mechanized Brigade | Chernivtsi, Chernivtsi Oblast | 22 ОМБр | 1941-2003; early 2023 - today | ||
23rd Mechanized Brigade | Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast | 23 ОМБр | February 18, 2023 - today | ||
24th Mechanized Brigade | Yavoriv, Lviv oblast | 24 ОМБр | A-0998 | February 18, 1992 - today | |
28th Mechanized Brigade | Chornomorske, Odesa oblast | 28 ОМБр | A-0666 | February 18, 1992 - today | |
30th Mechanized Brigade | Novohrad-volynskyi, Zhytomyr oblast | 30 ОМБр | A-0409 | December 6, 1991 - today | |
31st Mechanized Brigade | Zhytomyr Oblast | 31 ОМБр | Spring 2023 - today | ||
32nd Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 32 ОМБр | February 9, 2023 - today | ||
33rd Mechanized Brigade | 33 ОМБр | A-4447 | April 1, 2016 - today | ||
41st Mechanized Brigade | 41 ОМБр | March 16, 2023 - today | |||
42nd Mechanized Brigade | 42 ОМБр | January 25, 2023 - today | |||
43rd Mechanized Brigade | Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast | 43 ОМБр | Spring 2023 - today | ||
44th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 44 ОМБр | March 2, 2023 - today | ||
47th Mechanized Brigade | 47 ОМБр | A-4699 | April 26, 2022 - today | ||
53rd Mechanized Brigade | Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk oblast | 53 ОМБр | A-0536 | April 30, 2014 - today | |
54th Mechanized Brigade | Bakhmut, Donetsk oblast | 54 ОМБр | A-0693 | December 1, 2014 - today | |
56th Motorized Brigade | Mariupol, Donetsk oblast | 56 ОМПБр | A-0989 | February 23, 2015 - today | |
57th Motorized Brigade | Nova kakhovka, Kherson oblast | 57 ОМПБр | A-1736 | October 30, 2014 - today | |
58th Motorized Brigade | Konotop, Sumy oblast | 58 ОМПБр | A-1376 | February 17, 2017 - today | |
59th Motorized Brigade | Haisyn, Vinnytsia oblast | 59 ОМПБр | A-1619 | December 8, 2014 - today | |
60th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 60 ОМБр | A-1962 | November 10, 2015 - today | |
61st Mechanized Brigade | 61 ОМБр | A-3425 | |||
62nd Mechanized Brigade | Berdychiv, Zhytomyr oblast | 62 ОМБр | A-4467 | December 1, 2015 - today | |
63rd Mechanized Brigade | Starokostyantyniv, Khmelnytskyi oblast | 63 ОМБр | A-3719 | July 23, 2017 - today | |
65th Mechanized Brigade | Starychi, Lviv oblast | 65 ОМБр | A-7013 | April 1, 2022 - today | |
66th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 66 ОМБр | A-7014 | April 18, 2022 - today | |
67th Mechanized Brigade | 67 ОМБр | A-4123 | November, 2022 - April 14, 2024 | Unit was disbanded after losing key position while fighting in Chasiv Yar in April of 2024[17] | |
68th Jager Brigade | 68 ОЄБр[18] | A-4056[19] | April 8, 2022 - today[20] | ||
72nd Mechanized Brigade | Bila Tserkva, Kyiv oblast | 72 ОМБр | A-2167 | February 18, 1992 - today | |
88th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 88 ОМБр | February 15, 2023 - today | ||
92nd Assault Brigade | Kluhyno-bashkyrivka, Kharkiv oblast | 92 ОШБр | A-0501 | December 1, 1999 - today | Formerly 48th Motor Rifle Division, Central Group of Forces, Czechoslovakia |
93rd Mechanized Brigade | Cherkaske, Dnipro oblast | 93 ОМБр | A-1302 | January 1, 1992 - today | |
100th Mechanized Brigade | Lutsk, Volyn Oblast | 100 ОМБр | June 26, 2018 - today | Formerly the 100th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces | |
110th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 110 ОМБр[21] | A-4007[22] | April 10, 2022 - today[21] | |
115th Mechanized Brigade | Cherkasy oblast | 115 ОМБр[23] | A-4053[24] | March 1, 2022 - today[23] | |
116th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 116 ОМБр | January 30, 2023 - today | ||
117th Mechanized Brigade | Sumy, Sumy Oblast | 117 ОМБр | February 2023 - today | ||
118th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 118 ОМБр | Spring 2023 - today | ||
128th Mountain Assault Brigade | Mukachevo, Zakarpattia oblast | 128 ОГШБр | A-1556 | January 19, 1992 - today | |
150th Mechanized Brigade | Volyn oblast | 150 ОМБр | A-4935 | October 10, 2023 - today | |
151st Mechanized Brigade | Dnipro, Dnipro Oblast | 151 ОМБр | A-4941 | 2023-present | |
152nd Jager Brigade | N/A | 152 ОЄБр | A-4948 | 2023-present | Formerly a mechanized unit, reflagged as a Jager unit in August of 2024 |
153rd Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 153 ОМБр | A-4955 | Fall 2023 - today | In April of 2024, the unit was reflagged as the 153rd Infantry Brigade. But was later reestablished as a mechanized unit in June of 2024.[25] |
154th Mechanized Brigade | N/A | 154 ОМБр | A-4962 | Fall 2023 - today | |
Reservist Infantry (Mechanized Infantry, Motorized Rifle Infantry) | |||||
141st Infantry Brigade | N/A | 141 ОСБр | А-4808 | 2023-present | |
142nd Infantry Brigade | 142 ОСБр | А-4820 | 2023-present | ||
143rd Infantry Brigade | 143 ОСБр | А-4844 | 2023-present | ||
144th Infantry Brigade | 144 ОСБр | A-4828 | 2023-present | ||
155th Mechanized Brigade | Mala Lyubasha, Rivne Oblast | 155 ОПБр | A-5001 | 2024-present | |
156th Infantry Brigade | N/A | 156 ОПБр | A-5003 | 2024-present | |
157th Infantry Brigade | N/A | 157 ОПБр | A-5006 | 2024-present | |
158th Infantry Brigade | N/A | 158 ОПБр | 2024-present | ||
159th Infantry Brigade | Mykolaiv Oblast | 159 ОПБр | 2024-present |
The Mechanized Infantry are equipped with the following vehicles:
Under development:
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