25th Separate Airborne "Sicheslav" Brigade
25-та окрема повітрянодесантна «Січеславська» бригада
Brigade insignia
Active5 June 1993 – present[1]
Country Ukraine
Branch Ukrainian Air Assault Forces
RoleAir Assault Forces
Garrison/HQHvardiiske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Motto(s)No One But Us (Ukrainian: Ніхто, крім нас!)
Engagements
Decorations
For Courage and Bravery
WebsiteOfficial Facebook page
Commanders
Current
commander		Colonel Yuriy Sodol

The 25th Separate Airborne Brigade "Sicheslav" (Ukrainian: 25-та окрема повітрянодесантна Січеславська бригада)[2] is an airborne formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.

It is the only airborne unit of Ukrainian Air Assault Forces which has BMD-1[3][4] and BMD-2[5][6][7] airborne infantry fighting vehicles in its inventory. In addition, it is the only unit which can be dropped anywhere by parachute, together with their armored vehicles, from Il-76MD aircraft.[8]

History

Between June 25 and August 11, 1969, the 217th Guards Airborne Regiment (Base #11389 [Military Unit No.11389?]) of the 98th Guards Airborne Division of the Soviet Airborne Forces was relocated to Bolhrad (Bolgrad), Odesa Oblast.[9]

After the dissolution of the USSR, the 98th Guards Airborne Division was split between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. In the spring of 1993, the 217th Guards Airborne Regiment was relocated to Ivanovo in Russia. The regiment's Battle Flag, Order of Kutuzov, and 55% of the supplies were also relocated.[9][10]

Current unit

By the order of Minister of Defence of Ukraine the new Ukrainian airmobile brigade based on the elements of the Soviet 217th Guards Airborne Regiment was formed in Bolgrad in May 1993. By December 1, 1993, the brigade was finally formed as one of the units of the 1st Airmobile Division.[9]

From October 1995 until December 1999, 800 paratroopers from the brigade served as part of the 240th Special Battalion in former Yugoslavia. Later they served as peacekeepers in Kosovo.[10]

Between May and June 2002, the Brigade was relocated to the urban-type settlement Hvardiyske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The brigade was given the honorable designation "Dnipropetrovsk", for their battle achievements and high level of professionalism. On July 16, 2002, Leonid Kuchma awarded the unit with its new Battle Flag.[9]

By the order of the Minister of Defence the Brigade was transferred from the 1st Airmobile Division to the 6th Army Corps on November 8, 2002.[9]

On the occasion of the 30th Independence Day of Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renamed the unit from 25th Separate Dnipropetrovsk Airborne Brigade (Ukrainian: 25 окрема Дніпропетровська повітряно-десантна бригада Cухопутних військ Збройних Сил України, romanized: 25 okrema Dnipropetrovs’ka povitryano-desantna bryhada Sukhoputnykh viys’k Zbroynykh Syl Ukrayiny[11]) to its current name.[2]

Combat operations

War in Donbass

On June 13, 2014, an IL-76 Transport was shot down killing forty 25th Airborne Brigade troopers near Luhansk, Ukraine. “On the night of June 13–14, firing from an anti-aircraft gun and a large-caliber machine gun, anti-regime forces cynically and treacherously shot down a Ukraine armed forces transport plane IL-76 which was bringing personnel for rotation,” said in a statement posted on the Defense Ministry's official website.[12]

A company of the brigade was deployed to Crimea during the 2014 Crimean crisis. It became one of the few, if not the only, Ukrainian unit to leave Crimea as a unit, still bearing their arms.[13]

Two of its IFVs were captured by rebels during the war in Donbas. One of the vehicles was a BMD-1 and the other a BMD-2. Both are now used by the separatists. A 2S9 Nona-S was also captured by rebel forces.[14] After elements surrendered 6 vehicles to pro-Russian separatists in the 2014 Sloviansk standoff,[15] Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov announced the brigade would be disbanded, however this decision was later canceled. The brigade has taken an active role in the fighting in Eastern Ukraine.[16]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

The unit takes part in combat in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. On March 15, 2022, a video was released showing a Russian tank being destroyed by the brigade.[17] On March 18, 2022, the brigade released more photos of destroyed Russian T-72s.[18]

In September 2022, the brigade was seen reaching the outskirts of Kupiansk alongside SBU Alpha Group, 92nd Mechanized Brigade, and the 80th Air Assault Brigade. That same day, the Kyiv Post announced the liberation of the city, despite the Ukrainian Armed Forces operational silence.[19] The UK Ministry of Defence commented, suggesting that the capture of the city dealt a "significant blow" due to Russian supply nodes routing to the Donbas region.[20]

On 16 October 2023, Ukrainian Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said that the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade had shot down a Mi-8 without supplying the location.[21]

Structure

As of 2023, the brigade's structure is as follows:[22]

  • 25th Airborne Brigade, Hvardiiske
    • Headquarters & Headquarters Company
    • 1st Parachute Battalion
    • 2nd Parachute Battalion
    • 3rd Parachute Battalion
    • Snipers Company
    • Tank Company (Air Transportable) (The tank company of 25th Airborne Brigade, equipped with T-80BV tanks).
    • Artillery Group
      • Self-Propelled Artillery Division (2S9 Nona)
      • Anti-Tank Guided Missiles Artillery Battery (9K111 Fagot)
      • Howitzer Artillery Division (D-30)
      • Reactive Artillery Division (BM-21 Grad)
      • Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery division
    • Reconnaissance Landing Company
    • Parachute Artillery Regiment
    • Anti-Aircraft Company
    • Engineer and Sapper Company
    • Maintenance Company
    • CBRN Protection Company
    • Logistic Company
    • Landing Support Company
    • Material Support Company
    • Medical Company
    • Communication Company
    • Proving Grounds
    • Brigade Band

Past commanders

  • Colonel Ivan Volodymyrovych Aleshchenko 1993 - 1996
  • Colonel Oleksandr Mykolaiovych Zashchytnikov 1996 - 1998
  • Lieutenant Colonel Yuriy Anatoliovych Garbus 1998 - 1999
  • Colonel Andriy Ivanovych Maksymenko 1999 - 2001
  • Colonel Ihor Vasyliovych Luniov 2001 - 2003
  • Colonel Ihor Yaroslavovych Stelmah 2003 - 2004
  • Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Vasyliovych Kolchik 2004 - 2006
  • Colonel Oleh Volodymyrovych Svystak 2006 - 2007
  • Colonel Yuriy Ivanovych Sodol' 2007–present

Traditions

On July 16, 2002, the brigade was awarded the honorary name "Dnipropetrovsk".[23]

On August 23, 2021, in accordance with the Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 414/2021 of August 23, 2021, the brigade was assigned the honorary name "Sycheslavska", and the Decree of the President of Ukraine of July 16, 2002 No. 654 "On assigning the honorary name "Dnipropetrovsk" to 25 separate airborne units brigade of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" — recognized as having lost its validity.[24]

On October 14, 2021, in Zaporizhzhia on the island of Khortytsia, during the visit of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy, brigade commander Colonel Yevhen Kurash was given the brigade's new Regimental Colour in a Presentation of Colours ceremony.[25]

On June 28, 2022, the brigade was awarded the honorary citation "For Courage and Bravery".[26]

Valery Ananiev, a soldier of the brigade, wrote the fiction book Footprints on the Road, which, among other things, described Valery's service in the brigade before the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war and his experience and combat path after it began.[27]

References

  1. ↑ From 8 of November 2002 — 25th Airborne Brigade
  2. 1 2 (in Ukrainian) The president gave military units honorary titles in honor of historical figures Archived 2022-08-03 at the Wayback Machine, Historisna Pravda (24 August 2021)
  3. ↑ "Новини Управління Прес-служби МО". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  4. ↑ "Боевая машина десантная БМД-1". Archived from the original on 2007-08-12. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  5. ↑ "Новини Управління Прес-служби МО". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  6. ↑ "Новини Управління Прес-служби МО". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  7. ↑ "Новини Управління Прес-служби МО". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  8. ↑ "Міністерство оборони України - Новини". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "25 Отдельная Днепропетровская Воздушно-десантная бригада ВС Украины" (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2014-12-03. Retrieved 2014-12-03.
  10. 1 2 "С момента формирования личный состав 25 овдбр принимал участие в многочисленных учениях, в том числе и международного масштаба, выполнял различные задачи командования". Archived from the original on 2007-08-12. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  11. ↑ "President.Gov.Ua". Archived from the original on 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
  12. ↑ "49 die as pro-Russia rebels down Ukraine army plane". Los Angeles Times. 14 June 2014. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  13. ↑ Російські окупанти випустили з Криму дніпропетровських десантників зі зброєю [Russian occupiers released commandos from Dnipropetrovsk with their weapons]. Ukrainska Pravda (in Ukrainian). March 25, 2014. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  14. ↑ List of captured armored vehicles in the Ukrainian civil war. Archived 2014-09-03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "Украинские Новости". Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  16. ↑ Mstyslav Chernov. Peter Leonard. "Eastern Ukraine tense after outbreak of fighting" Archived 2015-06-05 at the Wayback Machine. Associated Press, 4 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015
  17. ↑ @UAWeapons (March 15, 2022). "#Ukraine: The complete destruction of a Russian T-72 variant by the 25th Airborne Brigade of Ukraine. It is not cl…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ↑ 25 окрема повітрянодесантна Січеславська бригада (March 18, 2022). "Трохи гарних новин у стрічку!" [Some good news in the feed!]. Facebook (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2022-03-18. Трохи гарних новин у стрічку! Ворожа техніка знищена разом з особовим складом!🔥 Десант працює! Смерть ворогам! Слава Україні!🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 #stoprussia #ДШВ #ЗСУ #Завжди_Перші{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) (registration required)
  19. ↑ "Ukrainian Forces Capture Key Town as Counteroffensive Gathers Pace: Kyiv". MSN. 10 September 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  20. ↑ Cole, Brendan (2022-09-10). "Russia taken by surprise as Ukraine counterattack advances 30 miles: U.K." Newsweek. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  21. ↑ "'Burns Well, Good Job' – Ukraine Downs Yet Another Russian Helicopter". The Kyiv Post. 2022-09-16. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  22. ↑ "25 ОВДБр (В0440, 25-я отдельная Сечеславская воздушно-десантная бригада)". wartears.org (in Ukrainian). 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  23. ↑ "Указ Президента України Про присвоєння почесного найменування "Дніпропетровська" 25 окремій повітрянодесантній бригаді Сухопутних військ Збройних Сил України". zakon.rada.gov.ua. Archived from the original on 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2019-09-18.
  24. ↑ "Указ Президента України № 414/2021 «Про присвоєння почесного найменування 25 окремій повітрянодесантній Дніпропетровській бригаді Десантно-штурмових військ Збройних Сил України»". Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  25. ↑ У Запоріжжі президент України Володимир Зеленський надав почесні найменування та бойові прапори військовим частинам Archived 2021-10-14 at the Wayback Machine // ', 2021-10-14 (in Russian)
  26. ↑ Decree of the President of Ukraine from 28 червня 2022 year № 450/2022 «Про відзначення почесною відзнакою «За мужність та відвагу»» Archived 2022-06-29 at the Wayback Machine (in Ukrainian)
  27. ↑ "Сліди на дорозі". Сліди на дорозі (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 25th Airborne Brigade (Ukraine).
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.