28th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

History

The original 28th Guards Rifle Division was formed during the Second World War from the 180th Rifle Division in May 1942. The division fought at Kharkiv and Iași. It was with the 37th Army in Bulgaria in May 1945. During the 1980s, the then 28th Guards Motor Rifle Division was part of the 14th Guards Army headquartered at Chișinău, in the Moldavian SSR (Odesa Military District). After the fall of the Soviet Union it became part of the reorganised Ukrainian 6th Army Corps. After the 6th Army Corps was disbanded in 2013, the brigade became part of Operational Command South.

The brigade fought in the war in Donbas. On 22 August 2016, its Guards title was removed. On 22 August 2019 by decree of President Volodymyr Zelensky the official name of the brigade became: 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Knights of the First Winter Campaign.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

The brigade took part in the defense of Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the southern front. According to the chairman of the Public Council at the Odesa Regional State Administration Serhiy Bratchuk, the Russians tried to conduct a maritime and air landing in on the Black Sea coast of the Mykolaiv area. As a result of the brigade, the Russians' attempt to land was stopped, and they retreated, losing up to 25 soldiers. Two more saboteurs were detained in the village of Kobleve. After the defense of Kobleve, elements of the 28th Brigade took part in the defense of Voznesensk.

The brigade defended the Oleksandrivka and Posad-Pokrovske sectors of the front line between Kherson and Mykolaiv throughout 2022.{{Cite web |title=Living under the fire: everyday life of a family farm from Kherson region on the front line

On 10 November, the 28th Brigade reportedly captured Kyselivka. Two days later, on the 12th of November, elements of the brigade were seen entering Kherson as part of the liberation of the city during the southern offensive.

Elements of the brigade were also present in the battle of Bakhmut as of February 2023, with servicemen interviewed by CNN and portrayed by The New Yorker. Between November 2022 and January 2023, a battalion of the 28th Mechanized Brigade numbering 600 men was reported to had been almost annihilated fighting in a village south of Bakhmut, with around 70 soldiers said to have been encircled and massacred in one incident.

The Brigade's artillery battalion has been observed using M109A4BE self-propelled howitzers to provide supporting fire to other elements of the 28th Brigade fighting in and around the city of Kostiantynivka as of August 2025 by United24.

The drone reconnaissance unit "Madyar's Birds", led by Robert "Madyar" Brovdi was absorbed into the brigade at some point during the war.

Structure

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

• 28th Mechanized Brigade, Chornomorske
  • Headquarters & Headquarters Company
  • 1st Mechanized Battalion
  • 2nd Mechanized Battalion
  • 3rd Mechanized Battalion
  • 5th Reserve Battalion
  • Detachment South of Ukrainian Volunteer Army
  • Tank Battalion
  • Artillery Battalion
    • Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery
    • Self-propelled Artillery Battery (M109)
    • Self-propelled Artillery Battery (PzH 2000)
    • Rocket Artillery Battery (BM-27 Uragan)
    • Anti-tank Artillery Battery (100 mm anti-tank gun T-12)
  • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battery
  • Reconnaissance Company
  • Mobile Assault Unit "Kurt & Company"
  • Attack Drone Company
  • Engineer Battalion
  • Engineering Support Group
  • Maintenance Battalion
  • Logistic Battalion
  • Sniper Company
  • Electronic Warfare Company
  • Signal Company
  • Radar Company
  • Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company
  • Medical Company

27th Separate Mechanized Brigade 1161th Artillery Regiment 40th Separate Signal Battalion

References

References

1. (21 November 2006). "Представники верифікаційної структури Бундесверу в рамках Віденського документу 1999 року проінспектують 28-у окрему механізовану бригаду 6-го армійського корпусу Сухопутних військ ЗС України, що розташована на Одещині". Press Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
2. (17 May 2023). "Gains Near Bakhmut Raise Ukraine's Hopes of a Turning Tide". The New York Times.
3. "Лицар: на півдні України загинув наш захисник, командир 28-ї окремої механізованої бригади Віталій Гуляєв".
4. (23 June 2006). "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 569/2006". Press Service of the President of Ukraine.
5. (3 June 2015). "Heavy fighting resumes in Ukraine".
6. (22 August 2016). "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №344/2016". President of Ukraine.
7. (22 August 2019). "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №618/2019". President of Ukraine.
8. (2022-02-25). "Російські війська спробували висадити десант під Одесою - противник відступив з втратами {{!}} РБК-Україна".
9. (2022-02-25). "В районі Коблево українські військові знищили 25 російських десантників / НВ".
10. Ткач, Юлія. (2023-04-19). "«Ми розбили усю колонну», — боєць 28-ї бригади розповів про бої за Вознесенськ".
11. Glinski, Stephanie. (2024-06-05). "The Ukrainian Village That Sacrificed Itself for Kherson".
12. (2022-07-24). "На Миколаївщині загинув командир 28-ї бригади ЗСУ Віталій Гуляєв".
13. (10 November 2022). "Capo militare Usa: "Settimane per ritiro russo da Kherson". Da Usa altri 400 milioni aiuti militari".
14. (2023-02-01). "Fighting Wagner is like a 'zombie movie' says Ukrainian soldier".
15. Mogelson, Luke. (2023-05-22). "Two Weeks at the Front in Ukraine".
16. (22 May 2023). "Two Weeks at the Front in Ukraine".
17. UNITED24. (2025-08-15). "US M109 Howitzers Near Kostiantynivka, Donetsk 🔥 Wild Day With Ukrainian 28th Brigade @OMBr28".
18. (2025-06-23). "Inside Kostiantynivka, a Ukrainian City Living in a Killzone".
19. Luczkiw, Stash. (18 March 2023). "OPINION: Ukraine's Avengers: Every Nation Needs Its Superheroes". [[Kyiv Post]].
20. (31 October 2023). "«Підскакуємо на багі і закидуємо вогнем» — репортаж з «Куртом» біля Бахмута".