25th Airborne Brigade (Ukraine)

The 25th Separate Airborne Brigade "Sicheslav" (25-та окрема повітрянодесантна "Січеславська" бригада; 25 ОПДБр, Military Unit Number А1126) is an airborne formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.

The brigade is the only airborne unit of Ukrainian Air Assault Forces which possesses BMD-1 and BMD-2   airborne infantry fighting vehicles, and is the only unit which can be deployed anywhere by parachute, together with armored vehicles, from Il-76MD aircraft.

History
Between 25 June and 11 August 1969, the 217th Guards Airborne Regiment (Base #11389 [Military Unit No.11389?]) of the 98th Guards Airborne Division of the Soviet Airborne Forces was located in Bolhrad, Odesa Oblast, now in modern Ukraine.

After the dissolution of the USSR, the 98th Guards Airborne Division was split between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. In the spring of 1993, the 217th Guards Airborne Regiment was relocated to Ivanovo, Russia, together with the regiment's war flag, the Order of Kutuzov, and 55% of its supplies.

Current unit
The Ukrainian airmobile brigade was formed in Bolhrad in May 1993, following an order by the Ukrainian 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 the 1st Airmobile Division. From October 1995 until December 1999, 800 paratroopers from the brigade served as part of the 240th Special Battalion in the countries of former Yugoslavia, later serving as peacekeepers in Kosovo.

Between May and June 2002, the brigade was relocated to Hvardiyske, 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 then Ukrainian President, Leonid Kuchma. The brigade was transferred from the 1st Airmobile Division to the 6th Army Corps on 8 November 2002.

During the 30th Independence Day of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky renamed the unit the 25th Separate Dnipropetrovsk Airborne Brigade.

War in Donbass
On 13 June 2014, an IL-76 transport plane was shot down near Luhansk, 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."

A company of the brigade was deployed to Crimea during the 2014 Crimean crisis. It became one of the few, if not the only, Ukrainian units to leave Crimea as a unit, still bearing their arms.

Two of the brigade's infantry fighting vehicles were captured by rebels during the war in Donbas. Both vehicles, in addition to a 2S9 Nona-S, were captured and used by the separatist militants. After elements of the brigade surrendered six vehicles to pro-Russian separatists in the 2014 Sloviansk standoff. Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov announced his intention to disband the brigade, a decision that was later reversed. Since the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the brigade has taken an active role in the fighting in Eastern Ukraine.

Russian invasion of Ukraine
The brigade has participated in the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. On 15 March 2022, a video was released showing a Russian tank being destroyed by the brigade. On 18 March 2022, the brigade released more photographs of destroyed Russian T-72s.

The 25th Brigade participated in the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv Oblast, publishing footage of its forces in the city of Izium on 10 September 2022. On 16 October 2023, Ukrainian Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said that the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade had shot down a Mi-8. He did not specify the location. In March 2024, Syrskyi publicly praised the 25th Brigade for its efforts in repelling Russian attacks on the villages of Berdychi and Orlivka.

Structure
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:


 * 25th Airborne Brigade, Hvardiiske
 * I_25air_hq.png Headquarters & Headquarters Company
 * I_25air_1bat.png 1st Airborne Battalion
 * I_25air_2bat.png 2nd Airborne Battalion
 * I 25air 3bat.png 3rd Airborne Battalion
 * Sniper Platoon
 * Aerial Reconnaissance Unit "Alastor"
 * I 25air antiaircraft.png Artillery Group
 * Self-Propelled Artillery Division (2S9 Nona)
 * Howitzer Artillery Division (D-30)
 * Rocket Artillery Division (BM-21 Grad)
 * Anti-Tank Guided Missile Battery (9K111 Fagot)
 * 25BrAG.png Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Division
 * I 25air communications.png Communication Company
 * I 25air recon.png Reconnaissance Landing Company
 * I 25air tankbattalion.png Tank Company (Air Transportable) (T-80BV)
 * I 25air sapper.png Engineer and Sapper Company
 * I 25air cbrn.png Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company
 * I 25air logistic.png Logistics Company
 * I 25air repair.png Maintenance Company
 * Landing Support Company
 * I 25air support.png Material Support Company
 * I 25air medic.png Medical Company
 * Proving Grounds
 * Brigade Band

Past commanders

 * Colonel Ivan Volodymyrovych Aleshchenko 1993 - 1996
 * Colonel Oleksandr Mykolaiovych Zashchytnikov 1996 - 1998
 * Lieutenant Colonel Yuriy Anatoliovych Garbus 1998 - 1999
 * Colonel Andriy Ivanovych Maksymenko 1999 - 2001
 * Colonel Ihor Vasyliovych Luniov 2001 - 2003
 * Colonel Ihor Yaroslavovych Stelmah 2003 - 2004
 * Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Vasyliovych Kolchik 2004 - 2006
 * Colonel Oleh Volodymyrovych Svystak 2006 - 2007
 * Colonel Yuriy Ivanovych Sodol' 2007–2015

Honours
On 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 separate airborne units brigade of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" retired its previous name from official use. 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. On June 28, 2022, the brigade was awarded the honorary citation "For Courage and Bravery".