10th Mountain Assault Brigade
10-та окрема гірсько-штурмова бригада
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
ActiveOctober 1, 2015 - Today
Country Ukraine
Branch Ukrainian Ground Forces
TypeMechanized Infantry
Part ofOperational Command West
Garrison/HQKolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Motto(s)With a shield or on a shield!
EngagementsRusso-Ukrainian War
Commanders
Current
commander		N/A

The 10th Mountain Assault Brigade "Edelweiss" (Ukrainian: 10-та окрема гірсько-штурмова бригада "Едельвейс") is a specialized unit of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, specifically trained for mountain warfare operations.[2] Based in Kolomyia and part of Operational Command West, the brigade has a history of defending their country in various conflicts, including the war in Donbas in 2016 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[3] During these conflicts, the brigade, defended Marinka, Popasna, Mariupol and Bakhmut.[4]

History

The 10th Mountain Assault Brigade was formed on 1 October 2015, in Kolomyia, as part of the Operational Command West. Its formation was driven by the need to protect Northern Bukovina from potential Romanian territorial claims and to prepare for any future conflict with Russia.[5] The brigade was composed of experienced soldiers and volunteers, including the 24th Separate Assault Battalion and the former Aidar Battalion.[6] Its first commander, Colonel Vasyl Zubanych, was a Hero of Ukraine and a former battalion commander in the 128th Mechanized Brigade.[7] To attract new recruits, the brigade offered a 25% pay increase to volunteers who joined the brigade on a contract basis.[8] The first group of recruits consisted of 1,000 volunteers.[9] In January 2016, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported that the brigade was ready to begin its combat training.[10] The brigade was stationed at Bila Tserkva and later relocated to Kolomyia once new barracks were completed.[8] In February 2016, the Ukrainian Ground Forces decided to form a new Bukovina mountain battalion in Chernivtsi, and the 8th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion and the 46th Separate Special-Purpose Battalion "Donbas-Ukraine" were added to the brigade's roster.[11] The 10th Mountain Assault Brigade thus became a formidable unit, consisting of a few thousand soldiers.[9] The Brigade played a crucial role in the war in Donbas, serving from 25 May to November 2016.[9] The brigade was deployed to defend key areas around Marinka, Krasnohorivka, Taramchuk, Stepne, and Solodke, where it faced relentless attacks from separatist and Russian artillery, mortars, and tanks.[12] Despite the challenges, the brigade held its ground, successfully defending against repeated assaults from enemy forces.[13]

On 24 August 2016, the Independence Day of Ukraine, the brigade was presented with its battle flag by President Petro Poroshenko, recognizing their bravery and dedication in defending their country.[14] During its tour in the Donbas war, the brigade lost 22 which were killed in action before the end of the deployment.[15] After completing its tour in the Donbas, the brigade returned to Kolomyia in November.[16] The 24th Assault and 46th Separate Special Purpose Battalions were withdrawn from the brigade due to the desire to station them closer to their homes, as 80% of their personnel were from western Ukraine.[16] The Brigade, underwent further reorganization after its first deployment to the war in Donbas from May to November 2016.[11] In December 2016, the 109th and 108th Separate Mountain Assault Battalions were established to replace the previously withdrawn 24th Assault and 46th Separate Special Purpose Battalions.[17] The brigade resumed its mountain training, including a climb to Veliky Verkh and to the summit of Hoverla, the tallest peak in Ukraine, to honor the Ukrainian casualties of the Battle of Debaltseve.[7] In September 2017, the brigade was deployed again to the Donbas to defend positions around Popasna, with a soldier being killed in action on 23 September during fighting at Novooleksandrivka.[17]

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the brigade is reported to have taken part in the defense of the country and engaged in battles around Mariupol in February 2022 and Bakhmut in December 2022.[18]

On 14 February 2023, the brigade was granted the Edelweiss honorific by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in honor of its mountain troops traditions.[19]

Structure

As of 2023, the brigade's structure is as follows:[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-reports-more-advances-south-battles-rage-east-2023-07-24/
  2. ^ "The 10th Mountain Assault Brigade neutralized three dozen Russian invaders". Militarnyi. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  3. ^ "Ukrainian mountain assault battalion shows destruction, capture of Russian invaders". www.ukrinform.net. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  4. ^ "Volodymyr Zelensky: The situation in Donbas is difficult; I thank our guys who hold their positions firmly and find opportunities to "subtract" the occupiers". odessa-journal.com. 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  5. ^ "10 гірсько-штурмова бригада поповниться легендарним підрозділом, "Айдар" базуватиметься у Коломиї" [10th Mountain Brigade will included the legendary assault unit Aidar based in Kolomyia]. 10brygada.com.ua (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Ukrainian Military Pages: В ЗСУ формують 10-ту гірсько-штурмову бригаду" [Ukrainian Military Pages: In the Armed Forces formed the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade]. www.ukrmilitary.com (in Ukrainian). 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  7. ^ a b "У складі ЗСУ сформували нову гірсько-штурмову бригаду, - Міноборони" [As part of the Armed Forces formed a new mountain-assault brigade - Defense]. Den (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  8. ^ a b "На Прикарпатті створять нову гірську штурмову бригаду - Народна армія" [In the mountainous Carpathian region will create new assault brigade]. na.mil.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Narodna armiya. 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
  9. ^ a b c "10-та окрема гірсько-штурмова бригада повертається з передової у Коломию. ФОТО" [10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade returns to Kolomyia from the front]. Vikna (in Ukrainian). 3 November 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  10. ^ "У Чернівецькій області створять окремий гірсько-штурмовий батальйон" [A new separate mountain battalion will be created in Chernivtsi Oblast]. vidido.ua (in Ukrainian). 15 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  11. ^ a b "Гірські піхотинці 10 огшбр "Едельвейс" взяли найвищу вершину України — Говерлу" [10th ohshbr "Edelweiss" Mountain Infantry take highest peak in Ukraine, Hoverla] (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  12. ^ Ragutskaya, Liliya (14 October 2017). "У мене в РФ рідня, але я росіян сюди не кликав: як воює на Донбасі наймолодша бригада ЗСУ" [I have family in Russia, but I am not called Russian here: How the youngest Ukrainian Armed Forces brigade fought in the Donbas]. Apostrof (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  13. ^ "НАЙМОЛОДША В ЗСУ: ЯК 10-ТА ШТУРМОВА БРИГАДА СВЯТКУВАЛА РІЧНИЦЮ – СЮЖЕТ" [Youngest in the Armed Forces: The story of how the 10th Brigade celebrated its anniversary]. 5 Kanal (in Ukrainian). 1 October 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  14. ^ Goncharova, Olena (6 October 2017). "Russia's war against Ukraine has killed at least 2,752 soldiers". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  15. ^ Miller, Christopher (10 August 2016). "Guns Of August: Fears Of Full-Scale War Return As Casualties Mount In Ukraine". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  16. ^ a b "У Коломиї створили нову 10 гірсько-штурмову бригаду" [In Kolomyia created new Mountain-Assault Brigade]. 10brygada.com.ua (in Ukrainian). 21 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  17. ^ a b "Russian invasion update: Ukraine repels tank attack, captures six Russians in Mariupol". Ukrinform. 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  18. ^ Tetiana Pushnova (24 December 2022). "The war overwhelmed everything: how Andriy Lyubka threw literature and sat on the "needle of volunteering"". Life (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  19. ^ Zelenskyy awards special honourable title to the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade. Ukrainska Pravda (14 February 2023)
  20. ^ "Ukraine Downs Another Russian Warplane | MENAFN.COM". menafn.com. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
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