3rd Assault Brigade

The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade (3-тя окрема штурмова бригада) is a brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces formed in 2022.

The brigade was established by a merger of the Azov SSO (Special Operations Forces) units that had been created by former Azov Battalion veterans. The brigade is commanded by Andriy Biletsky, founder and former commander of the Azov Battalion and former People's Deputy of Ukraine.

History
With the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, most units of the Azov Regiment were based in Mariupol where they soon would be besieged. Outside of Mariupol, many former veterans of Azov outside the city began forming new units, in particular in Kyiv, Sumy and Kharkiv. These units were soon integrated into the Special Operations Forces (SSO) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and became collectively known as "Azov SSO".

In November 2022, all the former Azov SSO were merged into a single fully operational combat unit within the Ukrainian Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The formation of this brigade was strategically designed to create a highly mobile, well-equipped, and extensively trained force capable of engaging in both defensive and offensive operations.

An important milestone for the brigade occurred on 24 February 2023, when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally presented the Regimental Colour during a ceremonial event. The colors of the brigade were said to "symbolize the tenacity of the traditions of Ukrainian statehood; from precisely the times of the Kievan Rus', the Cossack period, the first liberation struggles in the early 20th century to modern times.

The brigade's soldiers took part in the liberation of Kherson and overall Kherson region, as well as in the battle of Bakhmut. On April 12, 2023, the brigade's official media resources announced the start of recruitment efforts. In May 2023, it was one of the first to report successful offensives in the Bakhmut district against the Russian Ground Forces.

On 15 September 2023, after months of fighting, the brigade liberated Andriivka, and held onto it despite a Russian counterattack on 17 September. Ukrainian ground forces commander General Syrskyi called Klishchiivka and Andriivka "important elements of the Russian Bakhmut-Horlivka defensive line", and ISW assessed that the capture of these settlements defending a key Russian ground line of communication will make it difficult for the already weary defending forces to replenish and continue defending.

In February of 2024, shortly after the dismissal of Zaluzhnyi, the brigade was transferred into Avdiivka to relieve the potential encirclement of the city. After the fall of Avdiivka on February 17, the brigade took new defensive lines west of Avdiivka around Lastochkyne. On 17 February, the brigade’s press officer, Oleksandr Borodin, claimed that during its relocation to Avdiivka, his unit had killed 1,500 Russians, and wounded over 3,500, and destroyed 20 armoured vehicles. He also said that the brigade has "no reports" of large numbers of their soldiers being taken prisoner.

On 27 May 2024, the brigade claimed to have killed, wounded or taken prisoner "close to" 600 Russian troops in Kharkiv Oblast. One Russian soldier captured by the brigade claimed in an interview that he was the only survivor of his 15-man section following an attack. On 19 June, the brigade claimed that their 1st Mechanised Battalion had killed 250 Russians in Kharkiv Oblast, publishing a video that purportedly "proved" their claims.

Controversies
According to the Socialist online newspaper Mediapart, the French army trained soldiers from the 3rd Assault Brigade at the La Courtine camp, in the Creuse in 2023. Several of them displayed neo-Nazi symbols and on their social network profiles there are: "Hitlerian salutes, Celtic crosses, emblems of several SS divisions, skulls, pictures of Adolf Hitler". Mediapart asked the French Ministry of the Armed Forces to comment on the matter. The response was "It is the Ukrainian armed forces that organise the flow and selection of Ukrainian soldiers sent to France and Europe. We therefore have no comment to make on this organisation". The Politician Catherine Couturier protested against the Ministry of the Armed Forces.

In 2022, the Canadian Army was also criticised for training soldiers of the 3rd Assault Brigade.

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


 * 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast. Brigade executive officer Major Maksym Zhorin since 2023.
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company
 * 3rd Assault Brigade 1st Assault Battalion Insignia.png 1st Assault Infantry Battalion. Commander Petro "Rollo" Horbatenko.
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company
 * 2shurtmrota.png 2nd Assault Company
 * 3 Assault Company.png 3rd Assault Company
 * 4 Штурмова рота 1 Батальйон 3 Штурмова.png 4th Assault Company
 * Mortar Battery
 * Reconnaissance Platoon
 * Primus FPV.png FPV Drone Unit "Primus"
 * Hatred3oshbr.svg Special Reconnaissance and Sabotage Unit "Hatred"
 * Engineer_platoon_of_the_1st_assault_battalion_of_the_3rd_AB.png Engineer Platoon
 * Vuzolzvyazku1shbr3oshbr.svg Communication Center "S6"
 * Medical Platoon
 * 2shb3oshbr.svg 2nd Assault Infantry Battalion. Commander Dmytro "Slip" Kukharchuk.
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company
 * First Company Second Assault Battalion Third Assault Brigade.pdf 1st Assault Company
 * Galician Platoon.svg 1st Assault Platoon "Galician"
 * Algiz Platoon 2 Assault Battalion 3rd AB.png 2nd Assault Platoon "Algiz"
 * 2nd assault company of the 2nd assault battalion.png 2nd Assault Company
 * 3ombr deception logo.png "Decepticons" Platoon
 * Вовча зграя.png "Wolf Pack" Platoon
 * Assault Platoon Myron.png "Myron" Platoon
 * Shturmcompant3oshbr-cropped.svg 3rd Assault Company
 * 1st Platoon "NC13"
 * 2nd Platoon "Frost"
 * 2shturmbat.svg 3rd Platoon "Pesto"
 * 4th Assault Company
 * 2 Штурмовий батальйон Взвод Зв’язку.svg Communications Platoon
 * 2nd assault battalion Medical service.png Medical Platoon
 * Shershen.png Reconnaissance and Strike UAV Unit "Hornet"
 * 3rd Assault Brigade 1st Mechanised Battalion Insignia.png 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion. Formed in February 2022 as 98th Territorial Defence Battalion 'Azov-Dnipro'. Commander Bohdan Korzhenko "Adik".
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company
 * 1st Mechanized Company
 * 2nd Mechanized Company
 * 1st mechanized brigade, 3rd mechanized company.png 3rd Mechanized Company
 * FRST Crew
 * Reconnaissance Platoon
 * Revenge Group 3 oshbr.png Attack Drone Platoon "Revenge Group"
 * Armored Group. Commander "Malyuk"
 * Separate Anti-Tank Platoon
 * 1st Mortar Battery. 120mm mortars, Commander "Bald"
 * 2nd Mortar Battery. 82mm mortars. Commander "Shamil"
 * Separate Engineering-Sappe Platoon 1st Mechanized Battalion.png Separate Engineering and Sapper Platoon
 * Technical Support Platoon
 * Medical Platoon
 * 3rd Assault Brigade 2nd Mechanised Battalion Insignia.png 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion. Commander Denys "Var" Sokur.
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company
 * 1st Mechanized Company
 * Spus 3 ОШБр.svg "Spear" Platoon
 * 2nd Mechanized Company. Chief Sergeant "Tarzan"
 * Підрозділ «HYDRA».png "Hydra" Unit
 * 3rd Mechanized Company. Commander Oleksandr "Salidol" Vinnikov.
 * 4th Mechanized Company. Commander "Gerysh"
 * Punkgroup2mb3oshbr.svg UAV Group "Punk". Artillery Spotting, FPV drops.
 * Lumiere Group 3 ОШБр.png UAV Group "Lumiere". FPV drops and kamikaze drones.
 * Mortars3oshbr.png 1st Mortar Battery. 120mm mortars
 * Gangofgunners3oshbr.png 2nd Mortar Battery "Gang of Gunners". 82mm mortars
 * Technical Support Platoon
 * Fire Support Company of the 3rd AB.png Fire Support Platoon (SPG-9, Mk 19)
 * Medical Service 2nd Mechanized Battalion 3rb AB.png Medical Platoon
 * 3rd Assault Brigade 1st Rifle Battalion Insignia.png 1st Rifle Battalion
 * 3assault 2rifle.png 2nd Rifle Battalion
 * Tankbattalion3oshbr.svg Tank Battalion
 * Headquarters & Headquarters Company
 * 1st Tank Company
 * Steel Werewolves Tank Battalion 2 Company 3rd AB.png 2nd Tank Company "Steel Wolves"
 * Field Artillery Regiment
 * Headquarters and Target Acquisition Battery
 * Observer Battery
 * 1ST SELF-PROPELLED ARTILLERY DIVISION “KOMANDA POSTRIL”.svg 1st Self-propelled Artillery Battalion "Commando Postril"
 * 2 self-propelled artillery batteries.png 2nd Self-propelled Artillery Battalion
 * 2sadn3oshbr.png 2nd Artillery Battery "Martial Family"
 * Readn3oshbr.png Rocket Artillery Battalion (Bastion-01 and Bastion-02)
 * 3rd Assault Brigade Anti-Tank Battalion Insignia.png Anti-Tank Battalion
 * 1 company of the anti-tank battalion 3rd Assault Brigade.png 1st Company
 * Centuriaazov.png 3rd Company "Centuria"
 * Paskuda Group 3rd AB.png FPV Drone Unit "Paskuda Group"
 * Anti-aircraft Defense Missile Artillery Regiment
 * BBS3AB.webp Unmanned Systems Battalion (formed in February of 2024 as an expansion of UAV group "Kryla")
 * 3assault Kryla.png Aerial Reconnaissance Company "Kryla"
 * FatumUkraine.png Reconnaissance and Strike UAV Unit "Fatum"
 * UAV Crew "Over Head"
 * UAV Crew "Vitrolom"
 * TERRA_unit.png Aerial Reconnaissance Unit "Terra"
 * Mosquitos drone group.png UAV Unit "Mosquitos"
 * 3assault sniper.png Sniper Platoon "GAR"
 * Nova 3oshbr.svg NOVA Technology Center
 * Intelligence Company
 * 3rd Assault Brigade Engineer Battalion Insignia.png Engineer Battalion
 * Engineer Reconnaissance Platoon 3rd AB.png Engineer Reconnaissance Platoon
 * Engineer-Sapper Platoon.png Engineer Sapper Platoon
 * Logistics battalion.png Logistics Battalion
 * Підрозділ зв'язку 3 ОШБр.png Signals Company
 * Хорунжа Служба.png Khorunzha Service
 * Service Battalion.png Maintenance Battalion
 * Radar Company
 * Медична Рота 3 ОШБр.png Medical Company
 * Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company
 * FPV Drone Training School "Kill House"
 * MP Platoon
 * Brigade Band