53rd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

53rd Mechanized Brigade
Brigade Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active2014–present
Country Ukraine
BranchUkrainian Ground Forces
TypeMechanized forces
Part ofOperational Command East
Motto(s)"Maintain thy arms"
EngagementsWar in Donbas

Russo-Ukrainian War

Insignia
Former sleeve patch
Military unit

The 53rd Mechanized Brigade named after Volodymyr Monomakh is a brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, subordinated to Operational Command East.

History

Brigade's battleworn signed flag from the defense at the Vinets stronghold during the battle of Artemivsk

In 2014, the brigade was formed in the village of Nova Lyubomyrka in Rivne Oblast.[2] The brigade includes units formed from territorial defense battalions. The brigade also includes units derived from elements of the 17th Guards Tank Brigade and the 24th Mechanized Brigade. The brigade includes three mechanized battalions, a tank battalion, artillery, two battalion tactical groups, air defense, intelligence company. The brigade's 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion is the former 14th Cherkasy Territorial Defense Battalion of the 24th Mechanized Brigade. The brigade's 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion is also a battalion formerly of the 24th Mechanized Brigade.

In February 2015, the brigade fought in the war in Donbas.[3] On 25 May 2015, the brigade repulsed a separatist attack.[4] In September, the brigade was deployed in Avdiivka.[5]

On July 23, 2016, Ukrainian Minister of Defence Stepan Poltorak announced the Deputy Commander of the brigade has been demoted and dismissed for selling arms and ammunition.[6][7]

From April to October 2017, the brigade units held positions on the Svitlodar Arc. At the beginning of November 2017, the units of the brigades were withdrawn from the ATO area to rest and restoration of combat capacity to landfill in the village of Cherkasy Dnipropetrovsk region.[8]

In 2019, units of the brigade were deployed near Horlivka.[9]

On October 29, 2019, the brigade units left the war zone for rotation. During this time, the brigade had lost 7 soldiers in combat.[9]

On May 6, 2020, the President of Ukraine gave the brigade an honorary name in honor of Volodymyr Monomakh.[10]

The brigade defended Volnovakha at the beginning of the war, and was forced to withdraw to Vuhledar by mid-March. On 21 June 2022, the brigade recaptured the village of Pavlivka, Donetsk Oblast, near Vuhledar.[11]

In late October – early November 2023 the brigade was deployed in the southern sector of Avdiivka.[12]

Structure

As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:

References

  1. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/01/15/bakhmut-wagner-battle-strategy/
  2. ^ "Минобороны формирует более 16 новых военных частей, – список" [Ministry of Defence creates more than 16 new military units – list]. ipress.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  3. ^ Omelian, Mikhail. "На Рівненщині благословили бійців 53-ої Окремої механізованої бригади" [Rivne region blessed fighters 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade]. www.cerkva.info (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  4. ^ Demchuk, Lina (26 May 2015). "Бійці 53-ї механізованої бригади дали відсіч бойовикам в районі Сизого" [Soldiers of 53rd Mechanized Brigade gave resistance to militants in the Syzoho region]. uapress.info (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  5. ^ "53-я в Авдіївці: Моя "нова" стара зброя" [53rd in Avdiivka: My "old" new weapons]. www.hromadske.tv (in Ukrainian). 29 September 2015. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Deputy commander in ATO zone dismissed, charged with trading in ammunition". Ukrainian Independent Information Agency. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Міністр оборони генерал армії України Степан Полторак позбавив військового звання та звільнив зі служби заступника командира 53 омбр" [Defense Ministry Army General of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak stripped of rank and dismissed from service deputy commander 53rd Mechanized Brigade] (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  8. ^ "На полігоні біля Дніпра урочисто зустріли бригаду, яка повернулася з АТО". dnipro.depo.ua (in Ukrainian). ДеПо.Дніпро. 5 November 2017. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  9. ^ a b "53 омбр повернулася з-під Горлівки. За ротацію – семеро загиблих". novynarnia.com/. Новинарня. 2019-10-29. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Указ Президента України № 168/2020". Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  11. ^ Gall, Carlotta; Lima, Mauricio (2022-07-21). "A Village Retaken, and a Confidence Boost for Ukraine's Troops". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  12. ^ Axe, David. "A Ukrainian Brigade Ran Low On Ammo. That, Plus Some Bad Weather, Was All The Advantage Russian Troops Needed To Breach Avdiivka". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
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1Unless stated otherwise, the brigade is mechanized.