Mechanized Infantry (Ukraine)

History

When the Ukrainian Ground Forces had been formed on the basis of the Soviet Army in Ukraine in 1991-92, the majority of the new forces involved infantry (motor rifle/mechanized) divisions, a few of these with roots dating back to the Russian Civil War and the Ukrainian War of Independence and majority with Second World War battle honours.

What are today the 24th, 28th, 30th, 72nd, 92nd and 108th Brigades, among others, were then infantry divisions, which would become infantry brigades in the 21st century and are the oldest in active service.

In 2000, when the National Guard was merged with the Internal Troops, a few National Guard of Ukraine units, including the current Presidential Brigade were given to the Ukrainian Ground Forces instead of undergoing reflagging as special police formations.

Following Euromaidan and in the midst of the first years of the Russo-Ukrainian War the heritage of many of the brigades was replaced, under the insistence of President Petro Poroshenko, with the identities of the infantry and cavalry of both the Ukrainian People's Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic of the War of Independence and their short-lived armed forces, with some of the honorifics celebrating other heroes from Ukraine's past.

Battle honours won during the Second World War and Soviet orders and decorations were removed from unit titles and their colours. It was in these circumstances that the forces gradually expanded again with the raising of more brigade-level formations in the infantry, coupled with the Westernized training regimen and the modernization of the forces, which resulted in the debut of three more specialities for the Ukrainian infantry:

• Mountain infantry brigades
• Motorized infantry brigades
• Rifle infantry brigades

In the wake of the full Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a new type of infantry speciality was created to assist in the needs of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in this current period:

• The Assault infantry brigade, with the creation of the 3rd and 5th Brigades in 2022

All of these brigades constitute the Infantry Corps of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

Organization of the Ukrainian mechanized infantry division until the 2000s

• Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion
• 3x Mechanized Infantry Brigades/Regiments
• Armored Brigade/Regiment
• Field Artillery Regiment/Brigade
• Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion/Regiment
• Mortar Battery
• Combat Engineer Regiment/Battalion
• Signals Battalion
• Reconnaissance Battalion
• Logistics/Combat Service Support Regiment
• Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence Company
• Radar Company
• Military Police Company/Platoon
• Division Band

Brigade organization

The Ukrainian Ground Forces Mechanized infantry brigades, which are the majority of those units of the Infantry Corps, are traditionally structured around either the tracked BMP-1 or BMP-2 IFV or a variant of the BTR wheeled family of APCs or IFVs (like the BTR-3 and BTR-4). These brigades are designed to be able to conduct combined arms maneuver warfare in an effort to take and hold territory from enemy forces in wartime operations.

Doctrinally, the mechanized infantry brigades are built around three mechanized infantry battalions with a supporting motorized infantry battalion and tank battalion. The Russian invasion in 2022, opted the brigades to integrate militia battalions raised in the beginning of the invasion into brigade rifle infantry battalions as part of its Order of Battle, increasing their size further, with the latter addition in 2023 of an assault infantry battalion. As such some of the brigades are already nearing division size in strength.

Motorized infantry formations, a much more younger type of infantry brigade that debuted in the 2010s after Euromaidan and are a legacy of the war in Donbas, are organized around the Humvee systems or similar vehicles, including those of Ukrainian manufacture. However, they do not have a tank battalion assigned to it. Their medium counterparts, the Jäger (Rifle) Infantry Brigades, are similarly organized but have a tank battalion, and can be either mechanized or motorized in its composition and armaments. Mechanized rifle infantry brigades may have an option for a motorized rifle battalion in its brigade Order of battle to put in line with the rest of the infantry brigades. Assault infantry brigades, a newer form of infantry brigade which was created in light of the 2022 invasion, are different, in which these are dedicated as the offensive assault forces in wartime operations against enemy formations and fortified positions in conjunction with other types of infantry brigades and the armor.

These brigades perform the same duties of combined arms operations as in the regular mechanized infantry brigades in both peacetime and war. Due to brigades being designed for independent operations in peace and war, these brigades have a complete set of organic supporting units including a headquarters and Headquarters company, a complete field artillery regiment, an anti-tank battalion, an anti-aircraft defense battalion, a sniper company, a recon company, an engineer battalion, material repair battalion, logistics battalion, electronic warfare company, radar company, CBRN defense company, signals company, medical company, a commandant's platoon and a military band under brigade Headquarters.

Since the start of the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine, the size and composition of Ukraine's mechanized and motorized infantry brigades, as well as its rifle infantry and assault infantry brigades, have changed dramatically to include both more men - and women - as the Armed Forces of Ukraine constantly mobilize but also to include the different kinds of weapons and equipment being supplied by Ukraine's Western backers.

Ukraine's two mountain infantry brigades are organized in like manner as the mechanized infantry but are organized for mountain warfare operations in wartime as well as other operations as needed and are armed similarly.

Mechanized Infantry

Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company

• Command Platoon
• HQ Elements

Mechanized Infantry Battalion (x3)

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Infantry Company (x3/x4)
• Mortar Battery (6x 120mm)
• Grenade Platoon (6x AGS-17)
• Reconnaissance Platoon
• Air Defense Platoon (9x Igla Man-portable air-defense system)
• Engineer and Sapper Platoon
• Signals Platoon
• Battalion Medical Center
• Forward Support Company
  • Technical Support Platoon
  • Material Support Platoon

Battalions armed with variants of the BTR family (BTR-70, BTR-80, BTR-3, BTR-4) notionally will have 600 personnel mounted in 45 vehicles. Battalions armed with variants of the BMP family of vehicles (BMP-1, BMP-2) notionally will have 520 personnel mounted in 40 vehicles.

Motorized Infantry Battalion

• After the 2016 reforms, each mechanized infantry brigade received one motorized infantry battalion. But after the Russian invasion in 2022, mechanized brigades have seen more motorized battalions attached to themselves. The battalions are organized in like manner as their mechanized counterparts and are armed with Humvees or similar vehicles, many of them nationally produced in Ukraine.

Rifle Infantry Battalion

• The 2022 invasion of Russia in Ukraine saw each mechanized infantry brigade add one rifle infantry battalion upon the urging of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to the brigade Order of Battle. The battalions are organized in like manner as the motorized battalions under the brigade framework and are based on the civilian militia battalions that were raised to resist the Russian invasion of the country. These battalions may or may not have similar vehicles as the motorized battalions use.

Assault Infantry Battalion

• Also another creation stemming from the aftermath of the 2022 Russian invasion, the assault infantry battalion under mechanized infantry brigades are designated and organized to serve as wartime shock and offensive forces slated to lead up the advance of brigade infantry and armored elements into enemy defensive positions, fortifications, trenches, etc. and attack enemy rear areas on the battlefield as may be assigned by brigade, corps or operational command leadership. In peacetime, these would act as a strategic reserve force for the brigade for peacetime and/or wartime operations.

• A few of these brigades currently have that speciality type battalion and personnel of these battalions are given special training for offensive operations. These battalions are organized in like manner as the mechanized and motorized infantry battalions and are armed and supplied with vehicles similar to those of the mechanized.

Tank Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • Signals Platoon
• Tank Company (3x/4x T-64BV)
• Armored Recon Platoon
• Anti Aircraft Platoon
• Engineer and Sapper Platoon
• Forward Support Company
• Medical Station

T-64s and its variants have been the traditional standard tank of the Mechanized Infantry, however some armored battalions are armed with T-72s.

Field Artillery Regiment

• Headquarters and Target Acquisition Battery
• Recon Battery
• Observer Battery
• Self-propelled artillery Battalion (2x 2S1 Gvozdika)
• Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
• Anti-Tank Battalion (under field artillery regiment, otherwise independent under direct brigade command)
  • Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
  • 3x/4x Anti-Tank Batteries (towed/self-propelled/MPATS)
• Security Battalion

Anti-Aircraft and Missile Defense Artillery Battalion/Regiment

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
• If for a battalion:
  • 3x Air Defense Batteries (Towed/SPAAG)
  • Air Defense Missile Artillery Battery
  • Man-portable air-defense system Battery
• If for a regiment:
  • Air defense artillery battalion (towed/SPAAG)
  • Air defense missile artillery battalion
  • Man-portable air-defense system Infantry Battery/Battalion

Sniper Company

Reconnaissance Company

Combat Engineer Battalion

Repair Battalion

Logistics Battalion

Electronic Warfare Company

Radar Company

Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear Defense Company

Signals Company

Medical Company

Commandants Platoon – Commandant's Platoons are technically military police platoons as all personnel are trained as regimental police officers and staff by the Military Police of the Armed Forces.

Brigade Band – Brigade Bands are military bands made up of personnel of the brigade who are members of the Military Music Department. All musicians of the brigade must have proper musical proficiency and a music degree upon joining the band.

Rifle Infantry ([[Jäger (infantry)|Jäger]])

Motorized/Mechanized Rifle Infantry/Jäger Infantry Battalion (x3)

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Rifle Infantry Company (Mechanized/Motorized) (x3 or x4)
• Mortar Battery (6x 120mm)
• Grenade Platoon (6x AGS-17)
• Reconnaissance Platoon
• Air Defense Platoon (9x Igla MANPADS)
• Engineer and Sapper Platoon
• Signals Platoon
• Battalion Medical Center
• Supply Company
  • Technical Support Platoon
  • Material Support Platoon

The battalions of the rifle infantry brigades are organized in like manner as the motorized infantry battalions under mechanized infantry brigades. However, both the 61st and 68th Brigades fields wheeled and/or tracked mechanized infantry vehicles. The 13th and 141st-144th (Reserve) Rifle Brigades are all motorized formations.

Motorized Infantry

Motorized Infantry Battalion (x3)

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Motorized Infantry Company (x3)
• Mortar Battery (6x 120mm)
• Grenade Platoon (6x AGS-17)
• Reconnaissance Platoon
• Air Defense Platoon (9x Igla Man-portable air-defense system )
• Engineer and Sapper Platoon
• Signals Platoon
• Battalion Medical Center
• Supply Company
  • Technical Support Platoon
  • Material Support Platoon

The infantry battalions of motorized infantry brigades are organized in like manner as the motorized infantry battalions under mechanized infantry brigades.

Unlike the regular mechanized and mechanized rifle infantry brigades the motorized infantry originally did not have a tank battalion but a few brigades today like the 58th and 59th Brigades have a tank battalion activated in their ORBAT.

Professional holiday

In 2019, 6 May was declared as the official Day of the Mechanized Infantry and thus serves as the official branch holiday of the Mechanized Infantry.

Brigades list

Vehicular equipment

The Mechanized Infantry are equipped with the following vehicles:

• M55S, T-62, T-64, T-72, T-80, Leopard 1, Leopard 2, M1 Abrams, Challenger 2, PT-91 Twardy main battle tanks in armored battalions.
• AMX-10 RC wheeled light tanks/armored reconnaissance vehicles in armored battalions and reconnaissance battalions.
• FV101 Scorpion tracked light tanks/armored reconnaissance vehicles in armored battalions and reconnaissance battalions.
• BMP-1, BMP-2, BMP-3, BVP M-80, M2 Bradley, YPR-765, Pansarbandvagn 302, Marder 1 IFV, Combat Vehicle 90, BMP-1LB tracked infantry fighting vehicles in tracked mechanized infantry battalions.
• BTR-3, BTR-4, KTO Rosomak wheeled infantry fighting vehicles in wheeled mechanized infantry battalions or wheeled motorized infantry battalions.
• BTR-60, BTR-70, BTR-80, BTR Otaman 6x6, Kamaz Typhoon, Ural Typhoon, VAB, M1117, ACSV, TAB-71, Stryker, ACMAT Bastion, Patria Pasi, Pandur 1, Mbombe 6, Pegaso BMR wheeled armored personnel carriers in wheeled mechanized infantry or wheeled motorized infantry battalions.
• MT-LB, GT-MU, FV103 Spartan, FV105 Sultan, FV432, FV430 Bulldog, M113, Bandvagn 202, Bandvagn 206, BvS 10 tracked armored personnel carriers in tracked mechanized infantry battalions.
• BRDM-2, Ferret, Fennek wheeled armored scout cars, some on tank destroyer configuration.
• MT-LB-12 (TD) tracked tank destroyers.
• FV107 Scimitar tracked armored reconnaissance vehicles.
• Bushmaster, AMZ Dzik, Cougar, Mastiff, Mamba APC, International MaxxPro, BMC Kirpi, BPM-97 and Iveco LMV MRAPs in wheeled mechanized infantry battalions, wheeled motorized infantry battalions and reconnaissance battalions.
• Humvees, GAZ Tiger, Roshel Senators, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, ATF Dingo, BATT UMG, Snatch Land Rover, Gaia Amir, MSPV Panthera T6, Mowag Eagle I, Novator, VPK-Ural armored cars and mobility vehicles in wheeled motorized infantry battalions and reconnaissance battalions.

Under development:

• BVMP-62, BVMP-64, BTMP-84 tracked heavy IFVs.
• BTRV-64 tracked heavy APC.
• BMPT-K-64 wheeled heavy APC.

References

• forum.milua.org (for 62nd Bde details)

References

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