46th Airmobile Brigade
46-та окрема аеромобільна бригада
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
ActiveDecember 23, 2016 – today
Country Ukraine
Branch Ukrainian Air Assault Forces
RoleAir assault forces
Garrison/HQPoltava, Poltava Oblast
Motto(s)Always ready!
EngagementsWar in Donbas
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Decorations
For Courage and Bravery
Websitehttps://www.facebook.com/oaembr46
Commanders
Current
commander		Col. Valeriy Skred

The 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade (Ukrainian: 46-та окрема аеромобільна бригада; 46 ОАеМБр; Military Unit Number A4350) is a brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces formed in 2016,[1] based in Poltava.[2]

History

The United Kingdom offered the Ukrainian government training on British soil for Ukrainian recruits, and the 46th Air Assault Brigade was one of the selected brigades. Fresh Western supplies, like as Wolfhound MRAPs and Husky TSV tactical vehicles, were also delivered to the brigade. The Brigade was converted from a heavy assault brigade to a light assault brigade.[3] The 46th Airmobile Brigade took part in the Kherson operation after arriving from the United Kingdom.[3] The Brigade no longer uses equipment built in the Soviet Union or Ukraine, such as BTR-3s, BMP-1s, or T-80s.[4]

The Brigade from Poltava was dubbed the 46th Airmobile Brigade.[4] The unit also got a new emblem.[1]

The unit was an integral part of the defense in Bakhmut and in Soledar, both of which have been the site of some of the most intense fighting in the war.[5][6]

On March 13, 2023, the Washington Post published a news report after interviewing the then Commander of the 46th Airmobile Brigade Anatolii "Kupol" Kozel stating that Ukraine was short of skilled troops, munitions and was sustaining high losses as pessimism grew. In his interview, Anatolii "Kupol" Kozel admitted to getting 100 new soldiers every week who were poorly trained and that most of these soldiers would flee or refuse to fire their weapons as they were afraid of the sound of the shots.[7][8] Anatolii "Kupol" Kozel was demoted to deputy commander after his interview and in response resigned from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the aftermath, a video of soldiers from the 46th Airmobile Brigade surfaced on various telegram channels protesting the demotion of Anatolii "Kupol" Kozel.

During the 2023 Ukrainian Counteroffensive the brigade was involved in Southern Ukraine campaign in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Orikhiv direction.[9]

In December 2023, the brigade's Garuda drone team began operating near Mar'inka, Donetsk Oblast.[10] It is believed the entire brigade has moved to that direction, though this is unconfirmed.[11]

Structure

As of 2023 the brigade's structure is as follows:

  • 46th Air Assault Brigade, Poltava
    • Headquarters & Headquarters Company
    • 1st Battalion
    • 2nd Battalion
    • 3rd Battalion
    • 4th Battalion
    • Artillery Group (equipped with 2S1 and BM-21 Grad)[1]
      • Self-propelled howitzer-artillery division (2S1)
      • Howitzer Artillery Division (D-30)
      • Anti-tank battery
    • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion (equipped with Shilka)[1]
    • Reconnaissance Company "Garuda"
    • Support units (including engineers, communication, medics, and material support)[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "46 окрема аеромобільна бригада ДШВ ЗС України". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  2. ↑ "Ukraine resisting in Lysychansk, Russian army turns attention to Sloviansk - La Prensa Latina Media". 26 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  3. 1 2 "Ukrainian soldiers arrive in UK for training with British forces". the Guardian. 2022-07-09. Retrieved 2023-01-08.
  4. 1 2 "Russo-Ukraine War - 09 September 2022". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  5. ↑ Axe, David. "Bakhmut Is 'Soaked In Blood' As Eight Of Ukraine's Best Brigades Battle 40,000 Former Russian Prisoners". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  6. ↑ "Soledar is under AFU control, heavy fighting going on there". Interfax-Ukraine. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  7. ↑ "Ukraine short of skilled troops and munitions as losses, pessimism grow". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  8. ↑ "Battalion commander of 46th Brigade demoted after Washington Post interview and resigns". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  9. ↑ "Завдання – максимальне наближення моменту, коли F-16 допоможуть нам тримати якнайдалі російських терористів – звернення Президента України" (in Ukrainian). President of Ukraine. 25 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Підрозділ "Гаруда" 46-ї ОАеМБр ФПВ дроном атакує російську піхоту в Мар'їнці, Донецька область" (in Ukrainian). @EjShahid. 13 December 2023.
  11. ↑ "Ukraine Control Map". Project Owl.
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