The 10th Mountain Assault Brigade was formed on 1 October 2015, in Kolomyia, as part of the Operational Command West. Its formation was driven by the need to protect
Northern Bukovina from potential Romanian territorial claims[failed verification] and to prepare for any future conflict with Russia.[5] The brigade was composed of experienced soldiers and volunteers, including the 24th Separate Assault Battalion and the former
Aidar Battalion.[6] Its first commander, Colonel
Vasyl Zubanych, was a
Hero of Ukraine and a former battalion commander in the
128th Mechanized Brigade.[7] To attract new recruits, the brigade offered a 25% pay increase to volunteers who joined the brigade on a contract basis.[8] The first group of recruits consisted of 1,000 volunteers.[9] In January 2016, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported that the brigade was ready to begin its combat training.[10] The brigade was stationed at
Bila Tserkva and later relocated to Kolomyia once new barracks were completed.[8] In February 2016, the Ukrainian Ground Forces decided to form a new Bukovina mountain battalion in
Chernivtsi, and the 8th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion and the 46th Separate Special-Purpose Battalion "Donbas-Ukraine" were added to the brigade's roster.[11] The 10th Mountain Assault Brigade thus became a formidable unit, consisting of a few thousand soldiers.[9] The Brigade played a crucial role in the war in Donbas, serving from 25 May to November 2016.[9] The brigade was deployed to defend key areas around
Marinka,
Krasnohorivka,
Taramchuk,
Stepne, and
Solodke, where it faced relentless attacks from separatist and Russian artillery, mortars, and tanks.[12] Despite the challenges, the brigade held its ground, successfully defending against repeated assaults from enemy forces.[13]
On 24 August 2016, the
Independence Day of Ukraine, the brigade was presented with its battle flag by President
Petro Poroshenko, recognizing their bravery and dedication in defending their country.[14] During its tour in the Donbas war, the brigade lost 22 which were killed in action before the end of the deployment.[15] After completing its tour in the Donbas, the brigade returned to Kolomyia in November.[16] The 24th Assault and 46th Separate Special Purpose Battalions were withdrawn from the brigade due to the desire to station them closer to their homes, as 80% of their personnel were from western Ukraine.[16] The brigade underwent further reorganization after its first deployment to the war in Donbas from May to November 2016.[11] In December 2016, the 108th and 109th Separate Mountain Assault Battalions were established to replace the previously withdrawn 24th Assault and 46th Separate Special Purpose Battalions.[17] The brigade resumed its mountain training, including a climb to Veliky Verkh and to the summit of
Hoverla, the tallest peak in Ukraine, to honor the Ukrainian casualties of the
Battle of Debaltseve.[7] In September 2017, the brigade was deployed again to the Donbas to defend positions around
Popasna, with a soldier being killed in action on 23 September during fighting at Novooleksandrivka.[17]
During the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the brigade was reported to have taken part in the defense of the country in
battles around Mariupol in February 2022[18] and
Bakhmut in December 2022.[19] In mid-March 2022, units of the brigade's 109th Battalion captured the village of
Kukhari [
uk] in
Kyiv Oblast, preventing a potential Russian breakthrough towards
Kyiv.[20] On 14 February 2023, the brigade was granted the
Edelweiss honorific by President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy in honor of its mountain troops traditions.[21]
Structure
As of 2023, the brigade's structure is as follows:[22]