82nd Air Assault Brigade (Ukraine)
| 82nd Air Assault Brigade | |
|---|---|
| 82 окрема десантно-штурмова бригада | |
 | |
| Active | March 2023 – present |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Branch |  Ukrainian Air Assault Forces |
| Role | Air assault forces |
| Size | 2,000[2] |
| Garrison/HQ | Chernivtsi, Chernivtsi Oblast |
| Equipment | Challenger 2, Marder 1A3, Stryker, M119 |
| Engagements | Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Website | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt. Col. Pavlo Rozlach |
The 82nd Separate Air Assault Brigade (Ukrainian: 82 окрема десантно-штурмова бригада; 82 ОДШБр; Military Unit Number A2582) is a unit of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. The brigade is located in Chernivtsi.
History
[edit]The brigade's creation was announced as part of an expansion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, alongside the 21st Mechanized Brigade, 22nd Mechanized Brigade, 23rd Mechanized Brigade, 31st Mechanized Brigade, 32nd Mechanized Brigade, 33rd Mechanized Brigade, 49th Artillery Brigade, and the 47th Assault Brigade. Initial reports suggested that, alongside the aforementioned units, the 82nd will be outfitted with older equipment from existing units which are being retrofitted with new Western supplies.[3]
In May 2023 Forbes reported that the 2022–2023 Pentagon document leaks indicated the 82nd would be outfitted with new equipment that Ukraine received. Including 14 Challenger 2s, 90 Strykers, 40 Marders and 24 M119 howitzers. The brigade's core consists of veterans from the 25th Airborne Brigade and the 80th Air Assault Brigade which were trained on the new equipment in the United Kingdom. Forbes has speculated that the 82nd Air Assault Brigade will form part of the spearhead for the anticipated 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive.[4]
The Kyiv Post stated that the Ukrainian military has never acknowledged the existence of the unit and reinforced Forbes reporting that the unit would consist of "about half of [the Ukrainian military's] best NATO-delivered infantry armored vehicles". They stated that whenever the unit sees combat, despite their western equipment and training, they would still be a "green formation fighting together as a unit for the first time."[5]
On 21 June, 2023, the first Challenger 2s were seen in the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive, the only brigade reported to have Challenger 2s is the 82nd Airborne. However, there has been no mention of the units involvement in the counteroffensive so far.[6] This has led the Kyiv Post to speculate that the 82nd is a deception formation, meant to mask the real recipient of the Challenger 2s.[7] On June 14, the Asia Times reported that the Brigade's artillery units were drawn from strategic reserves to assist on the Velyka Novosilka front.[8]
On June 22, Forbes assessed that the 82nd, and the 117th Mechanized Brigade were being held in reserve waiting for a significant breach in Russian lines to allow them to storm Melitopol.[9] On August 16, the Kyiv Post claimed that the unit was "finally in action" and that there was evidence that ″the 82nd Air Assault Brigade is heavily involved in the fight for the village of Robotyne in the western Zaporizhzhia region″.[10]
Equipment
[edit]The brigade is armed with tanks Challenger 2 (14 units), Marder 1A3 IFV (40 units), Stryker APC (90 units) and M119 howitzers (24 units).[11]
Structure
[edit]As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:
- 82nd Separate Air Assault Brigade, Chernivtsi, Chernivtsi Oblast
- Brigade Headquarters and HQ Company
- 3rd Battalion Tactical Group. Formed in 2013 on the basis of 300th Mechanized Regiment.
- 1st Battalion
- 2nd Battalion
- 3rd Battalion
- Tank Company
- 82nd Field Artillery Group
- Headquarters and Target Acquisition Battery "Silver Falcon"
- 1st Self-propelled Artillery Battalion
- 2nd Self-propelled Artillery Battalion
- Rocket Artillery Battalion
- Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion
- Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
- Reconnaissance Company
- FPV Drone Company "Wild Division"
- Attack Drone Company "Specialists"
- Combat Engineer Battalion
- Maintenance Company
- Logistics Company
- Signals Company
- Radar Company
- Medical Company
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company
- MP Company
- Brigade Band
References
[edit]- ^ "Two Ukrainian air assault brigades get new insignias". Ukrainska Pravda. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Ukraine's Powerful 82nd Brigade, Once Held In Reserve, Has Finally Joined The Counteroffensive". Forbes. 2023-08-15. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
- ^ Axe, David. "Ukraine Is Forming A Dozen New Brigades—And Giving Them Old Weaponry". Forbes. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ Axe, David. "Ukraine's 82nd Air Assault Brigade Is Ridiculously Powerful—And Could Lead The Coming Counteroffensive". Forbes. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ^ Korshak, Stefan. "Ukraine's Counteroffensive, Units to Watch #3 – 82nd Air Assault Brigade". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
- ^ Balmforth, Tom. "Factbox: Who are the forces involved in Ukraine's counteroffensive?". Reuters. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ Oliphant, Roland. "British Challenger 2 tanks seen on Ukraine battlefield for first time". The Daily Telegraph. MSN. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ Bryen, Stephen. "Russian general dies as Ukraine steps up offensive". Asia Times. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ Axe, David. "For The Ukrainian Army, The Road To Melitopol Is Mile after Mile Of Russian Trenches". Forbes. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ "Ukraine's 'Ridiculously Powerful' 82nd Air Assault Brigade Is Finally in Action". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ Axe, David. "Ukraine's 82nd Air Assault Brigade Is Ridiculously Powerful—And Could Lead The Coming Counteroffensive". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2023-08-31. Retrieved 2023-11-09.