Ukrainian Ground Forces formation
Military unit
The 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade (59-та окрема мотопіхотна бригада ) is a formation of the
Ukrainian Ground Forces formed in 2014. The brigade was activated on 8 December 2014 in the city of
Haisyn in
Vinnytsia Oblast and took command of three volunteer
territorial defense battalions .
On 24 August 2015,
Ukraine's Independence Day , the brigade received its
flag and became fully operational. The brigade fought in the
war in Donbas and will become a mechanized formation in the future.
History
On 8 December 2016, the commander of
Operational Command South named the 59th Brigade the best Ukrainian motorized brigade according to 2015 summary.
[1]
On 20 January 2018, the brigade's units returned to garrison in
Haisyn from frontlines. They were deployed in the combat zone in Donbas in the
Pryazovia region since May 2017.
[2]
Russian invasion of Ukraine
The main units of the 59th Brigade were deployed to a camp in the
Oleshky Sands at the onset of the
Russian invasion of Ukraine . Vastly outnumbered by Russian forces
advancing from Crimea , most of the brigade withdrew over the
Dnieper River to
Mykolaiv , where it took part in
the city's defense . The 9th "Vinnytsia Scythians" Battalion was sent to cover
Melitopol in the early hours of the invasion, and its commander
Serhii Kotenko was later killed in action near
Zaporizhzhia on 9 March.
[3]
[4]
[5]
From mid-March 2022, units of the 59th Brigade held front line positions in the village of
Posad-Pokrovske in
Kherson Oblast along with Ukraine's
28th Brigade .
[6] After the
Russian withdrawal from right-bank Kherson Oblast, the brigade was moved to the
Donetsk Oblast front, near the village of
Pisky .
[7] A
combat drone unit attached to the 59th Brigade took part in the
battle of Bakhmut under the command of
Robert Brovdi .
[8]
During summer 2023, the brigade continued to operate on the Donetsk front.
[9] Units of the brigade, including the 11th Battalion, were positioned on the Pisky-
Pervomaiske front outside of the city of
Donetsk in June 2023.
[10] By September 8, 2023, the brigade's units had cleared Russian positions and entrenched themselves in
Opytne , bringing part of the settlement back under Ukrainian control.
[11]
"Chosen Company", a group of volunteers from the United States, Australia, and several other countries, is attached to the 59th Brigade as an assault detachment within the brigade's reconnaissance company. The unit, which was formerly a part of the
International Legion , conducted reconnaissance and assault operations during the
2023 counteroffensive .
[12]
[13]
Structure
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:
[14]
59th Motorized Brigade ,
Haisyn
Brigade Headquarters and HQ Company
9th Motorized Infantry Battalion "
Vinnytsia "
Aerial Reconnaissance Unit "Airships"
10th Motorized Infantry Battalion "
Polissya "
11th Motorized Infantry Battalion "
Kyivan Rus' "
1st Rifle Infantry Battalion
Separate Infantry Battalion “
Da Vinci Wolves ”. Commander
Serhii Filimonov .
Tank Battalion
Artillery Regiment
Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery
Observer Battery
Towed Howitzer Artillery Battalion (
D-20 )
MLRS Battalion
Anti-tank Artillery Battalion (
MT-12 Rapira )
Anti-Aircraft Missile Defense Artillery Battalion
Reconnaissance Company
UAV Battalion "Inquisition"
[15]
"Michigan" Group
"Key" Group
"Baltic" Group
"Eyes of Retribution" Group
Combat Engineer Battalion
Maintenance Battalion
Logistic Battalion
Signal Company
Radar Company
Medical Company
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company
MP Platoon
Brigade Band
References
^
"Другу річницю від дня заснування відзначила 59 окрема мотопіхотна бригада | Гайсинська районна рада" [The 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade celebrates its second anniversary | Haisyn district council]. gayrayrada.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 31 January 2018 .
^
"Гайсинська 59-та бригада повертається з передової додому (ФОТО)" [Haysyn 59th Brigade returns home from the front line (PHOTOS)]. vn.depo.ua . Retrieved 31 January 2018 .
^ Lukashova, Sonia; Buderatskyi, Yevhen (18 September 2023).
"Major General Andrii Sokolov was in charge of the defence of Ukraine's south. An interview covering Chonhar, Kherson and Melitopol" .
Ukrainska Pravda . Retrieved 4 May 2024 .
^ Schwirtz, Michael (6 March 2022).
"Proud Band of Ukrainian Troops Holds Russian Assault at Bay — for Now" . New York Times . Retrieved 8 March 2022 .
^
"Загиблому командиру "Вінницьких скіфів" присвоїли звання Герой України та удостоїли орденом "Золота Зірка" " (in Ukrainian). 21 March 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2024 .
^ Glinski, Stephanie (5 June 2024).
"The Ukrainian Village That Sacrificed Itself for Kherson" .
Foreign Policy . Retrieved 29 November 2022 .
^ Наконечна, Тетяна (6 September 2023).
"Історія героя-танкіста, який брав участь у прориві на Херсонщині" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 9 May 2024 .
^ Gall, Carlotta; Berehulak, Daniel (6 March 2023).
"Ukrainian Soldiers, Nearly Encircled, Push Russians Back" . The New York Times .
ISSN
0362-4331 . Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^
"Завдання – максимальне наближення моменту, коли F-16 допоможуть нам тримати якнайдалі російських терористів – звернення Президента України" (in Ukrainian). President of Ukraine. 25 August 2023.
^
" "Таке чувство, як "ні шагу назад" у них": як артилерія 59-ї бригади ЗСУ навалює по росіянах під Пісками й Донецьком. ВІДЕО" . Новинарня (in Ukrainian). 28 June 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2024 .
^
"ВСУ продвинулись возле Опытного и приблизились к Донецкому аэропорту" (in Ukrainian). President of Ukraine. 8 September 2023.
^
a
b
Truth From The Frontline, Pure Violence - 'Chosen Company' Foreign Fighter Ukraine Interview , retrieved 15 March 2024
^
a
b
"Australian man fighting with Ukraine killed in Russian artillery strike" . ABC News . 19 November 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024 .
^
"59th Motorized Brigade" . Retrieved 25 August 2023 .
^
"ЗСУ знаходять місця ночівлі окупантів і знищують їх гранатами (Відео)" . Military Courier (in Ukrainian). 8 December 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024 .
Operational Commands Strategic Groups Corps Infantry
Brigades1 Regiment Rifle Battalions
Tank
Artillery
Reconnaissance
Army Aviation
Anti-Aircraft Missile
Engineering
Brigades Regiments
Operational Support
Maintenance
Pontoon bridge
Signal
1 Unless stated otherwise, the brigade is mechanized.