Mechanized Infantry (Ukraine)

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Mechanized Infantry Forces of Ukraine (Template:Langx) 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]

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.

History

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:

  • Mountain infantry brigades
  • Motorized infantry brigades
  • Rifle infantry brigades

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.

Organization of the Ukrainian mechanized infantry division until the 2000s

Brigade organization

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.

Mechanized Infantry

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
  • After the 2016 reforms, each mechanized infantry brigade received one motorized infantry battalion. But after the Russian invasion in 2022, mechanized brigades have seen more motorized battalions attached to themselves. The battalions are organized in like manner as their mechanized counterparts and are armed with Humvees or similar vehicles, many of them nationally produced in Ukraine.
Rifle Infantry Battalion
  • The 2022 invasion of Russia in Ukraine saw each mechanized infantry brigade add one rifle infantry battalion upon the urging of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to the brigade Order of Battle. The battalions are organized in like manner as the motorized battalions under the brigade framework and are based on the civilian militia battalions that were raised to resist the Russian invasion of the country. These battalions may or may not have similar vehicles as the motorized battalions use.
Assault Infantry Battalion
  • Also another creation stemming from the aftermath of the 2022 Russian invasion, the assault infantry battalion under mechanized infantry brigades are designated and organized to serve as wartime shock and offensive forces slated to lead up the advance of brigade infantry and armored elements into enemy defensive positions, fortifications, trenches, etc. and attack enemy rear areas on the battlefield as may be assigned by brigade or operational command leadership. In peacetime, these would act as a strategic reserve force for the brigade.
  • 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
  • Headquarters and Target Acquisition Battery
  • Recon Battery
  • Observer Battery
  • Self-propelled artillery Battalion (2x 2S1 Gvozdika)
  • Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
  • Anti-Tank Battalion (under field artillery regiment, otherwise independent under direct brigade command)
    • Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
    • 3x/4x Anti-Tank Batteries (towed/self-propelled/MPATS)
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.

Rifle Infantry (Jäger)

Motorized/Mechanized Rifle Infantry/Jäger Infantry Battalion (x3)

  • Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • Rifle Infantry Company (Mechanized/Motorized) (x3 or x4)
  • Mortar Battery (6x 120mm)
  • Grenade Platoon (6x AGS-17)
  • Reconnaissance Platoon
  • Air Defense Platoon (9x Igla MANPADS)
  • Engineer and Sapper Platoon
  • Signals Platoon
  • Battalion Medical Center
  • Supply Company
    • Technical Support Platoon
    • Material Support Platoon

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

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.

Professional holiday

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.

Brigades list

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))
File:Separate Regiment of the President of Ukraine.svg Separate Presidential Brigade Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast ОПБр[4] A-0222[5] January 2, 1992 - present[4] Former 1st National Guard Infantry Regiment, reflagged as UGF unit 2000.
File:3rd Assault Brigade.png 3rd Assault Brigade Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast 3 ОШБр[6] A-4638[7] November 1, 2022 - present[8] Raised by veterans of the former Azov Regiment (National Guard) who transferred to the AFU via Special Operations Forces and TDF Brigades.
File:I 5 storm reg.png 5th Assault Brigade N/A 5 ОШБр[9] A-4010[10] May 10, 2022 - present[11]
File:5th Tank Brigade.png 5th Heavy Mechanized Brigade Kamianka-Buzka, Lviv Oblast 5 ОВМБр[12] A-4594[10] 2016 - 2022, January 10, 2023 - present[11] Formally the 5th Tank Brigade.
File:10th Mountain Assault Brigade Insignia (UA).svg 10th Mountain Assault Brigade Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast 10 ОГШБр[13] A-4267[14] October 1, 2015 - present[15]
11th Motorized Brigade Chernihiv Oblast October 1, 2017 – December 31, 2019
File:13th Separate Jager Brigade Insignia.png 13th Jaeger Brigade N/A October 1, 2023 - 2023
File:14 ОМБр.svg 14th Mechanized Brigade Volodymyr, Volyn Oblast 14 ОМБр A-1008 December 1, 2014 - present
File:15 ОМБр.png 15th Mechanized Brigade N/A 15 ОМБр A-0610 March 15, 2016 - December 31, 2019
File:14 ОМБр.svg 17th Heavy Mechanized Brigade Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 17 ОВМБр A-3283 February 1, 1992 - present Formally the 17th Tank Brigade.
File:21st Separate Mechanized Brigade (2).png 21st Mechanized Brigade N/A 21 ОМБр A-4689 January 21, 2023 - present
File:22nd Separate Mechanized Brigade SSI (ver. 2, with tab).svg 22nd Mechanized Brigade Chernivtsi, Chernivtsi Oblast 22 ОМБр A-4718 1941-2003; early 2023 - present
File:23rd Separate Mechanized Brigade SSI.svg 23rd Mechanized Brigade Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast 23 ОМБр A-4741 February 18, 2023 - present
File:24 ОМБр.svg 24th Mechanized Brigade Yavoriv, Lviv Oblast 24 ОМБр A-0998 February 18, 1992 - present
File:28 ОМБр к.svg 28th Mechanized Brigade Chornomorske, Odesa Oblast 28 ОМБр A-0666 February 18, 1992 - present
File:30 ОМБр.svg 30th Mechanized Brigade Zviahel, Zhytomyr Oblast 30 ОМБр A-0409 December 6, 1991 - present
File:31st Separate Mechanized Brigade SSI (with tab).svg 31st Mechanized Brigade Zvyahel, Zhytomyr Oblast 31 ОМБр A-4773 Spring 2023 - present
File:32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade.png 32nd Mechanized Brigade Ozerna, Kyiv Oblast 32 ОМБр A-4784 February 9, 2023 - present
File:33 ОМБр.png 33rd Mechanized Brigade Rivne Oblast 33 ОМБр A-4447 April 1, 2016 - present
File:41st mech.png 41st Mechanized Brigade Odesa, Odesa Oblast 41 ОМБр A-4576 March 16, 2023 - present
File:42nd Mechanized Brigade.png 42nd Mechanized Brigade Chortkiv, Ternopil Oblast 42 ОМБр A-4667 January 25, 2023 - present
File:43rd Separate Mechanized Brigade.png 43rd Mechanized Brigade Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 43 ОМБр A-4698 Spring 2023 - present
File:Ukrainian 44th Mechanised Brigade Insignia.png 44th Mechanized Brigade N/A 44 ОМБр A-4723 March 2, 2023 - present
File:47th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion SSI (informal).png 47th Mechanized Brigade Hostomel, Kyiv Oblast 47 ОМБр A-4699 April 26, 2022 - present
File:53-а механізована бригада.png 53rd Mechanized Brigade Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast 53 ОМБр A-0536 April 30, 2014 - present
File:54th Separate Mechanized Brigade SSI (with tab).svg 54th Mechanized Brigade Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast 54 ОМБр A-0693 December 1, 2014 - present
File:56th Motorized Infantry Brigade SSI.svg 56th Motorized Brigade Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast 56 ОМПБр A-0989 February 23, 2015 - present
File:57 ОМПБр к.svg 57th Motorized Brigade Nova kakhovka, Kherson Oblast 57 ОМПБр A-1736 October 30, 2014 - present
File:58th Separate Motorized Brigade SSI (no tab).svg 58th Motorized Brigade Konotop, Sumy Oblast 58 ОМПБр A-1376 February 17, 2017 - present
File:59 ОМПБр.png 59th Motorized Brigade Haisyn, Vinnytsia Oblast 59 ОМПБр A-1619 December 8, 2014 - present
File:60-та окрема піхотна бригада.png 60th Mechanized Brigade N/A 60 ОМБр A-1962 November 10, 2015 - present
File:61 ОПЄБр к.svg 61st Mechanized Brigade 61 ОМБр A-3425 November 10, 2015 - present
File:62 ОГПБр.png 62nd Mechanized Brigade Berdychiv, Zhytomyr Oblast 62 ОМБр A-4467 December 1, 2015 - present
File:63-тя окрема механізована бригада.png 63rd Mechanized Brigade Starokostyantyniv, Khmelnytskyi Oblast 63 ОМБр A-3719 July 23, 2017 - present
File:65механізованабригада.png 65th Mechanized Brigade Starychi, Lviv Oblast 65 ОМБр A-7013 April 1, 2022 - present
File:66 ОМБр к.svg 66th Mechanized Brigade Oster, Chernihiv Oblast 66 ОМБр A-7014 April 18, 2022 - present
File:7th duk sso.png 67th Mechanized Brigade Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 67 ОМБр A-4123 November, 2022 - present Unit was partially disbanded after losing key position while fighting in Chasiv Yar in April of 2024,[16] but re-formed with new leadership.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
File:68th jager brigade.png 68th Jager Brigade N/A 68 ОЄБр[17] A-4056[18] April 8, 2022 - present[19]
File:72 ОМБр.svg 72nd Mechanized Brigade Bila Tserkva, Kyiv Oblast 72 ОМБр A-2167 February 18, 1992 - present
File:88th Separate Mechanized Brigade.png 88th Mechanized Brigade N/A 88 ОМБр February 15, 2023 - 2023
File:92nd Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade SSI.svg 92nd Assault Brigade Kluhyno-bashkyrivka, Kharkiv Oblast 92 ОШБр A-0501 December 1, 1999 - present Formerly 48th Motor Rifle Division, Central Group of Forces, Czechoslovakia.
File:93 ОМБр 1.png 93rd Mechanized Brigade Cherkaske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 93 ОМБр A-1302 January 1, 1992 - present
File:100th Mechanised Brigade Insignia.png 100th Mechanized Brigade Lutsk, Volyn Oblast 100 ОМБр A-7028 June 26, 2018 - present Formerly the 100th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces.
File:110 brigade.png 110th Mechanized Brigade N/A 110 ОМБр[20] A-4007[21] April 10, 2022 - present[20]
File:115th Separate Mechanized Brigade SSI (with tab).svg 115th Mechanized Brigade Cherkasy Oblast 115 ОМБр[22] A-4053[23] March 1, 2022 - present[22]
File:116th Separate Mechanized Brigade SSI (with tab).svg 116th Mechanized Brigade N/A 116 ОМБр A-4722 January 30, 2023 - present
File:117th mech.png 117th Mechanized Brigade Sumy, Sumy Oblast 117 ОМБр A-4674 February 2023 - present
File:118th Separate Mechanized Brigade Insignia.webp 118th Mechanized Brigade N/A 118 ОМБр A-4712 Spring 2023 - present
File:Нашивка 125-ої окремої бригади територіальної оборони ЗСУ.svg 125th Territorial Defense Brigade Lviv, Lviv Oblast 125 ОБр ТрО A-7831 January 19, 1992 - present
File:Нашивка 127-ої окремої бригади територіальної оборони ЗСУ.svg 127th Territorial Defense Brigade Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast 127 ОБр ТрО A-7383 January 19, 1992 - present
File:Нашивка 128-ої окремої бригади територіальної оборони ЗСУ.svg 128th Territorial Defense Brigade Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 128 ОБр ТрО A-7384 January 19, 1992 - present
File:128 ОГШБр.png 128th Mountain Assault Brigade Mukachevo, Zakarpattia Oblast 128 ОГШБр A-1556 January 19, 1992 - present
File:150th Mechanised Brigade Insignia.png 150th Mechanized Brigade Volyn Oblast 150 ОМБр A-4935 October 10, 2023 - present
File:151st Mechanised Brigade Insignia - First Variant.png 151st Mechanized Brigade Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 151 ОМБр A-4941 2023 - present
File:Ukrainian 152nd Mechanised Brigade Insignia (No Tab).png 152nd Jager Brigade Pyriatyn, Poltava Oblast 152 ОЄБр A-4948 2023 - present Formerly a mechanized unit, reflagged as a Jager unit in August of 2024.
File:153rd Mechanised Brigade Insignia.png 153rd Mechanized Brigade N/A 153 ОМБр A-4955 Fall 2023 - present 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.[24]
File:154th Mechanized Brigade Insignia - First Variant.png 154th Mechanized Brigade N/A 154 ОМБр A-4962 Fall 2023 - present
Reservist Infantry
(Mechanized Infantry, Motorized Rifle Infantry)
File:141st Infantry Brigade Insignia - First Variant.png 141st Infantry Brigade Rivne Oblast 141 ОСБр А-4808 2023 - present
File:142nd Separate Reserve Rifle Brigade SSI.svg 142nd Infantry Brigade N/A 142 ОСБр А-4820 2023 - present
File:143rd Separate Reserve Rifle Brigade SSI.svg 143rd Infantry Brigade 143 ОСБр А-4844 2023 - present
File:144th Infantry Brigade.png 144th Infantry Brigade 144 ОСБр A-4828 2023 - present
File:155th Infantry Brigade Insignia.png 155th Mechanized Brigade Mala Lyubasha, Rivne Oblast 155 ОПБр A-5001 2024 - present
File:156th Mechanized Brigade.png 156th Mechanized Brigade Uzhhorod, Zakarpattia Oblast 156 ОПБр A-5003 2024 - present
File:157th Infantry Brigade Insignia - First Variant.png 157th Mechanized Brigade N/A 157 ОПБр A-5006 2024 - present
File:158th Infantry Brigade Insignia - First Variant.png 158th Mechanized Brigade Chernihiv, Chernihiv Oblast 158 ОПБр A-5002 2024 - present
File:159th Infantry Brigade Insignia.png 159th Mechanized Brigade Pervomaisk, Mykolaiv Oblast 159 ОПБр A-5000 2024 - present
File:160th Mechanized Brigade.png 160th Mechanized Brigade Starychi, Lviv Oblast 160 ОПБр A-4977 2024 - present
161st Mechanized Brigade N/A 161 ОПБр 2024 - present
162nd Mechanized Brigade 162 ОПБр 2024 - present

Vehicular equipment

The Mechanized Infantry are equipped with the following vehicles:

Under development:

  • BVMP-62, BVMP-64, BTMP-84 tracked heavy IFVs.
  • BTRV-64 tracked heavy APC.
  • BMPT-K-64 wheeled heavy APC.

References

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  1. ↑ The Army of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
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  • forum.milua.org (for 62nd Bde details)

Template:Military of Ukraine Template:Country topics

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