51st Guards Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

History

In late 1947 the 15th Guards Rifle Division was relocated from the Austrian city of Vladimir-Volyn and Lyuboml. In the postwar years the unit's soldiers helped civilians rebuild postwar economy, harvest, were involved in the construction of irrigation systems in the Kuban and the Crimea. In September 1965, in an Order of the Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union commemorating the 51st Rifle Division оf the Russian Civil War, which staunchly took the first blows of the German-Soviet war, the 15th Guards Motor Rifle Division was given the number "51" and the honorary title of Perekop, becoming the 51st Guards Motor Rifle Division (second formation; the previous 51st Guards Motor Rifle Division had been disbanded in 1960 and used to form the 29th Guards Rocket Division). It remained as part of the 13th Army (Soviet Union) in the Carpathian Military District since the late 1940s (when it was reassigned from the disbanding 5th Guards Army) until the fall of the Soviet Union.

In 1988 the division comprised the 170th Tank Regiment, 44th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment, 47th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment, 50th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment, 43rd Guards Artillery Regiment, and 59th Anti-Aircraft Rocket Regiment, plus smaller units.

Independent Ukraine

On January 19, 1992, personnel of the division took the oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the 1991 Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. During the 1990s, the 13th Army was redesignated the 13th Army Corps. On September 17, 1999, in the framework of the 800th anniversary of the Volyn-Galician Principality and to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Division received from the President of Ukraine, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma Battle Flag and the honorary title of "Volyn" (Ukaz No. 1193/99).

Some 400 reservists will be added to the brigade's personnel in time of war to bring troop numbers up to wartime strength. The median age of the reserves, which in 2005 consisted of 440 officers, sergeants, and soldiers, is 25–30 years old.

The brigade was involved in the war in Donbas. It suffered 18 deaths after being ambushed near Volnovakha on 22 May 2014. During August 2014, the brigade made three unsuccessful attempts to retake Ilovaisk. On 25 August, brigade soldier Andrei Krupa was captured by Russian troops and released a month later.

In October 2014, President Petro Poroshenko ordered the disbandment of the brigade. Elements of the brigade judged to have performed well in combat became the new 14th Mechanized Brigade.

Brigade Order of Battle

• [[Image:50-й танковий батальйон.jpg|25px]] 50th Separate Armor Battalion
• [[Image:44-й механізований полк.jpg|25px]] 44th Mechanized Regiment
• [[Image:47-й механізований полк.jpg|25px]] 47th Mechanized Regiment
• [[Image:170-й танковий полк.jpg|25px]] 170th Mechanized Regiment
• [[Image:11-й інженерно-саперний батальйон.jpg|25px]] 11th Engineer Battalion (Brovary)
• [[Image:21-й розвідувальний батальйон.jpg|25px]] 21st Separate Reconnaissance Battalion
• [[Image:309-й батальйон тилового забезпечення.jpg|25px]] 309th Combat Service Support Battalion
• [[Image:43-й артилерійський полк.jpg|25px]] 43rd Artillery Regiment
• [[Image:59-й зенітний ракетний полк.jpg|25px]] 59th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
• [[Image:25-й батальйон зв'язку.jpg|25px]] 25th Signal Battalion
• [[Image:24-й військовий полігон.jpg|25px]] 24th Field Training Site (Range)

Awards

• 1942 received the Order of Lenin
• ??? received the Order of the Red Banner (2)
• ??? received the Order of Suvorov
• ??? received the Order of Kutuzov

Past Commanders

• (??? – 2009) Colonel Volodymyr Kravchenko
• (10.2009 – 10.2012) Lieutenant Colonel Zaluzhnyi Valery Fedorovych
• (10.2012 – 05.2014) Colonel Yatskiv Volodymyr Vasyliovych
• (05.2014 – 08.2014) acting Colonel Pivovarenko Pavlo Vasyliovych, died on August 29, 2014, in a battle near Ilovaisk.

References

References

1. [http://www.mil.gov.ua/index.php?lang=ua&part=news&sub=read&id=10521 Новини Управління Прес-служби МО]
2. (September 2018)
3. Michael Holm, [http://www.ww2.dk/new/rvsn/29gvmd.htm 29th Guards Missile Division], accessed January 2013.
4. Feskov et al 2004, p.54
5. "NAU-Online -> Про присвоєння почесного найменування "Волинська" 51 механізованій дивізії 13 армійського корпусу Західного оперативного командування Збройних Сил України".
6. [http://www.mil.gov.ua/index.php?lang=ua&part=news&sub=read&id=6090 Новини Управління Прес-служби МО]
7. [http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/206229.html Ukrainian army death toll in Volnovakha soars to 18], [[Interfax-Ukraine]] (23 May 2014)
   {{in lang. uk [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/05/22/7026161 They began to know the names of six soldiers killed near Volnovaha], [[Ukrayinska Pravda]] (22 May 2014)
8. Morello, Carol. (2014-08-03). "Ukraine's frontline troops, surrounded by enemies". The Washington Post.
9. (August 20, 2015). "Turning Point".
10. (2014-09-29). "Ukrainians say Russian troops captured them in east Ukraine". Reuters.
11. "51 бригада стане 14-ою, - Порошенко".
12. "У найбільшої військової частини у Волинській області новий командир!".
13. "Зниклого комбрига 51 ОМБР Пивоваренка ідентифікували за ДНК".