109th Territorial Defense Brigade (Ukraine)

The 109th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces (109-та окрема бригада територіальної оборони) is a military formation of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine in Donetsk Oblast. It is part of Operational Command East.

Formation
Head of Donetsk Oblast military civilian administration Pavlo Zhebrivskyi on 27 April 2018 announced that a Brigade will be formed in Donetsk Oblast. Battalions were planned to be in Kramatorsk, Bakhmut, Pokrovsk and two in Mariupol. On 1 July 2018 the brigade was formed in Donetsk Oblast. 3,500 soldiers aged twenty-five to sixty-years old signed 3-5 year contracts. Five day exercises were planned in Bakhmut starting 25 September for the 6 battalions. Battalions were stationed in Mariupol, Bakhmut, Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, Marinka and Volnovakha.

104th Defense Battalion was made up of reservists from Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, Toretsk and Sloviansk.

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
The 104th Defense Battalion fought in Bakhmut from 24 February to November. From December to January 2023, the battalion was moved to Sumy Oblast to help protect the border. In January and February, the battalion was involved in combat near Kreminna.

In April 2023, brigade commander Colonel Anatolii Vyshnevskyi stated that units of the brigade had fought in Lyman, Bahmut, Avdiivka, Vodiane, Marinka, Vuhledar and Mariupol. He also stated that 54 prisoners of war had returned home.

Structure
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:
 * Headquarters (Mariupol)
 * 104th Territorial Defense Battalion (Bakhmut) А7270
 * 105th Territorial Defense Battalion (Volnovakha) А7271
 * 106th Territorial Defense Battalion (Kramatorsk) А7272
 * 107th Territorial Defense Battalion (Mariupol) А7273
 * 108th Territorial Defense Battalion (Marinka) А7274
 * 109th Territorial Defense Battalion (Pokrovsk) А7275
 * FPV Drone Group "Muramasa"
 * Engineering Company
 * Communication Company
 * Logistics Company
 * Mortar Battery

Commanders

 * Colonel Andrii Haldak 2018 – 2019
 * Colonel Anatolii Vyshnevskyi 2022 - present

Insignia
Emblem shows a crossed silver spear with a sabre. This image was used as a seal for Kalmius Palanka, a territorial district within the organization of the Zaporozhian Host the Lower, current territory of Donetsk Oblast.