The 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade (Ukrainian: 59-та окрема мотопіхотна бригада, romanized: 59 okrema motopіkhotna bryhada) 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.
| 59th Separate Motorized Brigade "Yakiv Handziuk" | |
|---|---|
| 59-та окрема мотопіхотна бригада «Якова Гандзюка» 59 okrema motopіkhotna bryhada "Yakiv Handziuk" | |
.png) Brigade insignia | |
| Active | 8 December 2014 – present |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Branch |  Ukrainian Ground Forces |
| Type | Motorized infantry |
| Size | Brigade |
| Part of | Operational Command South |
| Garrison/HQ | Haisyn, Vinnytsia Oblast |
| Nickname(s) | "Steppe Predators" ("Stepovi Khyzhakhy") |
| Motto(s) | "To Victory" |
| Engagements | |
| Website | Official Facebook page |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Bohdan Shevchuk |
| Insignia | |
| Former sleeve patch |  |
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 the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
History
On 8 December 2016, the commander of Operational Command South named the 59th Brigade the best Ukrainian motorized brigade according to a 2015 summary.[1]
On 20 January 2018, the brigade's units returned to garrison in Haisyn from the frontlines. They had been 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 2022.[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 8 September 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] In 2024, a New York Times article reported three incidents where members of Chosen Company killed Russian POWs, based on statements made by former members of the company.[14]
As of July 2024, the 59th Brigade was positioned near Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Oblast.[15][16] Syrskyi ordered an inspection of the 59th Brigade in July 2024 amid losses and accusations of misconduct against its commander, Bohdan Shevchuk,[15][16] who was appointed in April 2024.[16]
Structure
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:[17]
- 59th Motorized Brigade, Haisyn
- Brigade Headquarters and HQ Company
9th Motorized Infantry Battalion "Vinnytsia" (military unit A2896)
- Aerial Reconnaissance Unit "Airships"
10th Motorized Infantry Battalion "Polissya" (military unit A2960)
11th Motorized Infantry Battalion "Kyivan Rus'" (military unit A2980)
1st Rifle Infantry Battalion- 2nd Rifle Infantry Battalion
70th Rifle Battalion (military unit A4628)
Separate Infantry Battalion "Da Vinci Wolves". Commander Serhii Filimonov.- Tank Battalion (T-64BV and T-72)
Artillery Group
- Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery[citation needed]
- Observer Battery[citation needed]
- 1st Self-propelled Artillery Division (D-20)[citation needed]
- 2nd Self-propelled Artillery Division (2S1 Gvozdika)[citation needed]
- Multiple Rocket Launcher Battery (BM-21 Grad)[citation needed]
- Anti-tank Artillery Division (MT-12 Rapira)[citation needed]
- Anti-Aircraft Missile Defense Artillery Battalion
- Reconnaissance Company
- Assault Platoon "Chosen Company" (formerly part of the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine). Commander "Ryan".[12][13]
Consolidated UAV Battalion "Inquisition of the 59th Legion"[18]
- "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
- Training Center
- "Night Samurai" Unit.[19]
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.
- ^ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas (6 July 2024). "In Ukraine, Killings of Surrendering Russians Divide an American-Led Unit". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ a b Fornusek, Martin (15 July 2024). "Syrskyi orders inspection of 59th Motorized Brigade after recent losses". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ a b c "Inspection of Ukraine's 59th Brigade finds management issues, but no criminal charges laid". The Kyiv Independent. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 24 August 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.
- ^ Як навчають і тренують «Нічні самураї» 59 ОМПБр.. armiyainform (in Ukrainian). 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.