| 25th Airborne "Sicheslav" Brigade | |
|---|---|
| 25-та окрема повітрянодесантна «Січеславська» бригада | |
 Brigade insignia | |
| Active | 5 June 1993 – present[1] |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Branch |  Ukrainian Air Assault Forces |
| Role | Air Assault Forces |
| Part of |  7th Rapid Response Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | Zarichne, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast |
| Mottos | No One But Us (Ukrainian: Ніхто, крім нас!) |
| Engagements | |
| Decorations | .svg) For Courage and Bravery |
| Website | Official Facebook page |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel Yevhen Kurash |
| Insignia | |
| Flag |  |
The25th Airborne Brigade "Sicheslav" (Ukrainian:25-та окрема повітрянодесантна "Січеславська" бригада; 25 ОПДБр,MUN А1126)[2] is anairborne formation of theUkrainian Air Assault Forces.
The brigade is the only airborne unit of Ukrainian Air Assault Forces which possessesBMD-1[3][4] andBMD-2[5][6][7] airborne infantry fighting vehicles, and is the only unit which can be deployed anywhere byparachute, together with armored vehicles, fromIl-76MD aircraft.[8]
Between 25 June and 11 August 1969, the217th Guards Airborne Regiment (Base #11389 [Military Unit No.11389?]) of the98th Guards Airborne Division of theSoviet Airborne Forces was located inBolhrad, Odesa Oblast, now in modern Ukraine.[9]
After the dissolution of theUSSR, the98th Guards Airborne Division was split between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. In the spring of 1993, the 217th Guards Airborne Regiment was relocated toIvanovo, Russia, together with the regiment'swar flag, theOrder of Kutuzov, and 55% of its supplies.[9][10]
The Ukrainian airmobile brigade was formed inBolhrad in May 1993, following an order by theUkrainian Minister of Defence. It was created from the elements of the Soviet 217th Guards Airborne Regiment. On 1 December 1993, the brigade was established as one of the units of the1st Airmobile Division.[9] From October 1995 until December 1999, 800 paratroopers from the brigade served as part of the 240th Special Battalion in thecountries of former Yugoslavia, later serving as peacekeepers inKosovo.[10]
Between May and June 2002, the brigade was relocated toHvardiyske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. It was given the honorable designation "Dnipropetrovsk" for their battle achievements and high level of professionalism. On 16 July 2002, it was awarded its new war flag by the thenUkrainian President,Leonid Kuchma. The brigade was transferred from the1st Airmobile Division to the6th Army Corps on 8 November 2002.[9]
During the 30thIndependence Day of Ukraine, PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky renamed the unit the 25th Airborne Brigade "Sicheslav".[2]
On 13 June 2014, an IL-76 transport plane was shot down nearLuhansk, Ukraine, killing 40 25th Airborne Brigade troops. According to a statement released by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, "On the night of June 13–14, firing from an anti-aircraft gun and a large-caliber machine gun, anti-regime forces cynically and treacherously shot down a Ukraine armed forces transport plane IL-76 which was bringing personnel for rotation."[11]
A company of the brigade was deployed toCrimea duringits annexation by Russia in 2014. It became one of the few, if not the only, Ukrainian units to leave Crimea as a unit, still bearing their arms.[12]
Two of the brigade'sBMD-2s were captured by rebels during the war in Donbas.[13] Acting PresidentOleksandr Turchynov announced his intention to disband the brigade, a decision that was later reversed. Since the start of theRusso-Ukrainian war, the brigade has taken an active role in the fighting in eastern Ukraine.[14]
The brigade participated in the 2022 full-scaleRussian invasion of Ukraine. On 15 March 2022, a video was released showing a Russian tank being destroyed by the brigade.[15] On 18 March 2022, the brigade released more photographs of destroyed RussianT-72s.[16]
The 25th Brigade participated inthe 2022 counteroffensive in theKharkiv Oblast. Units of the brigade received orders to advance up to 40 miles (64 km) into Russian-held territory at high speed.
Elements of the brigade began advancing at 3:30 a.m. on 6 September, advancing 11 miles (18 km) and reachingVolokhiv Yar [uk]. Units of the 25th continued moving southeast, towards the city ofIzium, for several days with little resistance.[17] The initial battle plans called for these units to halt their advance outside of Izium, but due to an unexpected Russian withdrawal, they took the city on 10 September.[17][18]
After taking Izium, units of the 25th Brigade were ordered to capture the city ofLyman inDonetsk Oblast. Part of the brigade's advance passed through the village ofKorovii Yar,[17] and units of the brigade entered Lyman from the direction ofDrobysheve.[19] After Lyman, elements of the brigade crossed into theLuhansk Oblast.[17] As of November 2022, it was reported that the 25th Brigade was still taking part in combat in theLuhansk Oblast.[20]
On 16 October 2023, Ukrainian Colonel GeneralOleksandr Syrskyi said that the 25th Airborne Brigade had shot down aMi-8.[21] In March 2024, Syrskyi publicly praised the 25th Brigade for its efforts in repelling Russian attacks on the villages ofBerdychi andOrlivka.[22]
The Brigade has spent most time in the defense of the Pokrovsk direction.[23] They were equipped with a variety of vehicles including German-made Leopard 1A5 tanks, Marder Infantry fighting vehicels,[24] Giatsint-S 152mm self-propelled gun,[25] and vehicles provided by private fundraisers.[26] In September of 2024 25th Airborne Brigade would utilize the Ukrainian built Ratel S UAV to clear tunnels in near Novohrodivka.[27] In December of 2024 Russian assaults in the Pokrovsk direction increased dramatically. On December 29th, alone, 48 attacks were launched in a single day with thirty being repelled the same day. The 25th Brigade received special recognition for their role in Defending against the assault.[28] PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky commended the brigade for helping to contribute to Russia's record losses in the offensive.[29]
In February of 2025 the 25th Airborne Brigade liberated the village of Kotlyne near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk Oblast.[30] The strategically important village fell under Russian control in January.[31] During the engagement, the 25th Brigade also captured nine Russian soldiers by having them surrender to a UAV drone equipped with a loud speaker.[32] According to Brigade officials paratroopers helped to clear the village.[33]
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:[34][35]
Headquarters & Headquarters Company
1st Airborne Battalion
2nd Airborne Battalion
3rd Airborne Battalion
Artillery Group
Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Division
Communication Company
Reconnaissance Landing Company
Tank Company (Air Transportable) (T-80BV)
Engineer and Sapper Company
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company
Logistics Company
Maintenance Company
Material Support Company
Medical CompanyOn 23 August 2021, in accordance with the Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 414/2021, the brigade was assigned the honorary name "Sycheslavska". The Decree of the President of Ukraine of 16 July 2002 No. 654 "On assigning the honorary name "Dnipropetrovsk" to 25 Airborne Brigade of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" retired its previous name from official use.[36] On 14 October 2021, during Zelenskiy's visit to Zaporizhzhia on the island of Khortytsia,, brigade commander Colonel Yevhen Kurash was presented with the brigade's new Regimental Colour.[37] On June 28, 2022, the brigade was awarded the honorary citation "For Courage and Bravery".[38]
Трохи гарних новин у стрічку! Ворожа техніка знищена разом з особовим складом!🔥 Десант працює! Смерть ворогам! Слава Україні!🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 #stoprussia #ДШВ #ЗСУ #Завжди_Перші
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