Ukrainian Air Assault Forces

History

The Ukrainian Airmobile Forces were created in 1992 as part of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, from units of the Soviet Airborne Forces (VDV) stationed on Ukrainian territory after the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 25 December 1991. Part of the Soviet 98th Guards Airborne Division became the basis for the Ukrainian 1st Airmobile Division, which became known as the most capable division in the Ukrainian Ground Forces during the 1990s.

In the 15 years after their creation, Ukrainian paratroopers have served in peacekeeping missions to the Balkans, in Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ethiopia, Georgia and DR Congo. In 2007, the 13th Separate Airmobile Battalion served as part of Polish–Ukrainian Peace Force Battalion, a peacekeeping unit with Kosovo Force.

War in Donbas and beyond

In August 2014 the 95th Air Assault Brigade conducted a raid behind the separatist lines. The 95th Brigade, which had been reinforced with armor assets and attachments, launched a surprise attack on separatist lines, broke through into their rear areas, fought for 450 kilometers, and destroyed or captured numerous Russian tanks and artillery pieces before returning to Ukrainian lines and established a corridor in which the Ukrainian army units and civilians trapped at the border could retreat. It was one of the longest armored raids in military history.

In 2016, the Ukrainian Airmobile Forces became an independent branch of the Armed Forces. Previously, they were part of Ukrainian Ground Forces.

On 21 November 2017 (Ukraine's Paratroopers' Day) President Petro Poroshenko stated that 469 Ukrainian paratroopers had been killed in the (ongoing) Russo-Ukrainian War. On 21 November 2018 he adjusted this to 487 killed.

2017 reforms

Air Assault Forces Day was celebrated on 2 August in Ukraine, as it was in the Soviet Union, until 2017, when it changed to 21 November 2017. President Poroshenko said "It is logical to celebrate your professional holiday on November 21. The usual August 2 is the date of the first jump of paratroopers in the Moscow Military District. How is it about us? Moscow is not Kyiv. Ukraine is not Russia." He added that "The start of the new Paratroop Day is part of the Ukrainianization of the historical and political calendar – the replacement of the Soviet-Russian imposed upon us."

On 21 November 2017 the Air Assault Forces received its new insignia – the dome of a parachute "as a symbol of airborne units around the world" and the wings of Archangel Michael and "the flaming sword with which he hits the enemies". The color of the Ukrainian paratroopers was changed to maroon, and from 2017 the UkrAAF wear the maroon berets common to many Western airborne units.

On 23 May 2018, President Poroshenko signed legislation that renamed the Airmobile Forces as the Air Assault Forces.

On 6 November 2025 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy moved Ukraine's Air Assault Forces Day to 8 November because according to the Revised Julian calendar the feast day of its patron Saint Michael is celebrated on 8 November.

Russian invasion

Main article: Russian invasion of Ukraine

Beginning Thursday, 24 February 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UkrAAF have been participants of some of the land combat actions of the current conflict, fighting alongside their brethen from the Ground Forces, Territorial Defense and the National Guard.

Losses

As of February 20, 2024, the air assault forces suffered a total of 3,104 soldiers killed in action, according to publicly available information. This increased to at least 6,526 KIA as of July, 2025, with the 95th Air Assault Brigade suffering the most KIAs (with 1,319 killed).

Organization

In 2014, the staffing of an airmobile brigade was brought up to 1,200 servicemen. Each brigade was given at least one artillery battalion from the 25th and 55th artillery brigades and a tank battalion. Currently, the total staffing of the brigades ranges from 1,000 to 2,200 personnel, depending on the deployment. Most of the brigades operate in 1-2 battalion tactical groups, in each of which, in addition to infantry battalions, there are up to two field artillery battalions and at least one tank company equipped with BTRs and BMP IFVs.

Organization 2001

In 2001 the Airmobile Force consisted of:

Current structure

Commanders

Armament

Personal firearms

• PM, semi-automatic pistol (9×18mm)
• AKS-74, para assault rifle (AK-74 with folding skeleton buttstock) (5.45×39mm)
• AKS-74U, short-barreled para assault rifle carbine with folding skeleton buttstock(5.45×39mm)
• AKMS, para assault rifle with a downward-folding metal stock similar to that of the German MP40 (7.62×39mm)
• – AK-74 modernization
• Fort-221 – TAR-21 licensed copy
• RPKS-74, the light weight para machinegun (5.45×39mm)
• PKM, general purpose machine gun (7.62×54mmR)
• Dragunov SVDS sniper rifle (7.62×54mmR)
• GP-25 and GP-30, the under-barrel 40 mm grenade launchers for fragmentation and gas grenades which are attached to AKS-74 of some paratroopers to increase firepower for combating enemy foot troops
• AGS-17 "Plamya" (Flame), automatic grenade launcher – may be replaced in the future by a much lighter UAG-40.

Armored vehicles

• T-80 - principal main battle tank
• Challenger 2 main battle tank
• BMD-1
• BMD-2
• BMD-3
• BTR-MDM
• BTR-D
• BTR-80
• BTR-70
• BTR-3
• BTR-4
• Stryker
• MT-LB
• GT-MU
• KrAZ "Spartan"
• HMMWV M1114 UAH
• AT105 Saxon
• Dozor-B
• Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé
• Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle

Artillery

• M777 howitzer
• 2S9 "Nona-S" configuration of 2S9 Nona, 120 mm self-propelled mortar
• 2S23 Nona-SVK
• 2S1 Gvozdika
• 2S3 Akatsiya
• BM-21 Grad
• ZU-23-2, an aged but effective and powerful design of a double barrel 23 mm anti-aircraft gun, commonly used against infantry and even APCs and IFVs, it is either mounted on any amphibious hulls, usually based on PT-76 light tank, or can be towed by jeep or truck as it has wheels.

Vehicles

• KrAZ-6322
• GAZ-66
• Joint Light Tactical Vehicle

Gallery

File:Гвардійський спецназ взяв нову висоту - наодинці з небом 7216 (21514334409).jpg|A KRAZ Spartan File:На полігоні у Гончарівському тривають навчальні збори резервістів 1-ї окремої танкової бригади (27734086840).jpg|A MTLB File:Міжнародні навчання «Saber Junction-2018» (24) (44223012115).jpg|Soldiers prepare for movement during Saber Junction-2018. File:Міжнародні навчання «Saber Junction-2018» (64) (44414039954).jpg|Soldiers during Saber Junction-2018 File:Ukrainian Airmobile Forces.jpg|VDV troops in a military parade in 2014, when they still wore sky-blue berets and telnyashka shirts like their Russian counterparts File:Ukrainian government soldier in Sloviansk, July 9, 2014.jpg|VDV soldier in 2014 during the War in Donbas File:Mil.gov.ua 2014-08-21.jpg|VDV BTR-80 during the War in Donbas File:Ukrainian Airmobile Forces Flag.svg|Flag of the Airmobile forces until 2017 File:ВДВ-Україна.svg|Shoulder sleeve insignia until 2017 File:Emblem of Airmobile troops of Ukraine.svg|Former emblem

Notes

References

References

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