116th Territorial Defense Brigade (Ukraine) explained
The 116th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces (Ukrainian: 116-та окрема бригада територіальної оборони) is a military formation of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine in Poltava Oblast. It is part of Operational Command North.
History
Formation
On 25 June 2018 the brigade was formed in Poltava Oblast.[1] From 25 to 29 September units of brigade took part in large strategic command-staff training "Cossack Volition – 2018".[2] By the end of 2018, more than 4,000 reservist completed rifle days, where they received basic training and instructions on how to fulfill their duties as territorial defense forces.[3]
In June 2019 Brigade held a large scale, 7 day exercise.[4]
On 17 February 2022 Brigade commander Lieutenant colonel Kalentiev Kostiantyn informed that brigade had a core of 300 contract officers, sergeants and soldiers.[5]
Russo-Ukrainian War
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
When on 26 February Russian Armed Forces invaded, they reached North-East parts of Poltava Oblast. First battle happened in Vepryk. During the night of 26-27 February units of the brigade along with various regular Ukrainian Armed Forces formations, destroyed 2 columns in vicinity of Hadiach. On containing 29 vehicles and another 150.[6] For more than 10 days heavy battles raged on border of Poltava and Sumy Oblasts. Each time Russian forces tried to cross Sula river, they were stopped by artillery units of the Brigade. In those battles brigade captured lots of enemy tanks, artillery and anti-aircraft guns.[1] On 9 March Brigade destroyed another enemy column,[7] capturing 3 tanks which were transferred to regular army units.[8] Units of the Brigade took part in liberation of Sumy Oblast. Later was involved in 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive, it remained in Kharkiv region till the end of 2022.[9]
In January 2023 units of the Brigade were fighting near Soledar and Bakhmut.[10] Later it was sent to Toretsk. After a short rest and recuperation Brigade saw action near Marinka and Avdiivka.[9]
Structure
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:
- Headquarters
- 144th Territorial Defense Battalion (Poltava) А7310[11]
- Aerial Reconnaissance Group "Nightingales" ("Solovey")[12]
- 145th Territorial Defense Battalion (Kremenchuk) А7311[13]
- 146th Territorial Defense Battalion (Hadiach) А7312[14]
- 147th Territorial Defense Battalion (Lubny) А7313[15]
- 148th Territorial Defense Battalion (Myrhorod) А7314[16]
- 149th Territorial Defense Battalion (Lokhvytsia) А7315[17]
- Counter-Sabotage Company
- Engineering Company
- Communication Company
- Logistics Company
- Mortar Battery
Commanders
- Lieutenant colonel Kalentiev Kostiantyn 2019 - February 2022
- Colonel Chakhlov Oleksandr[1] February 2022 - present
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Fonin. Yaroslava. Понад 10 днів на перетині Полтавської та Сумської точилися важкі бої — інтерв'ю з учасником подій «Гадяцького сафарі». poltavawave.com.ua. uk. 30 June 2022. 1 March 2023. For more than 10 days, heavy battles were fought at the intersection of Poltava and Sumy - an interview with a participant of the Hadiach Safari events.
- Web site: Полтавці долучилися до військових навчань. ФОТО. poltava365.com. uk. 29 September 2018. 1 March 2023. Poltava citizens participated in military exercises. PHOTO.
- Web site: На Полтавщині готують підрозділи територіальної оборони. np.pl.ua. uk. 16 December 2018. 1 March 2023. Territorial defense units are being prepared in Poltava Oblast. 19 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190119121434/http://np.pl.ua/2018/12/na-poltavshchyni-hotuiut-pidrozdily-terytorial-noi-oborony/.
- Web site: Dushenko. Aliona. Під Кременчуком стрілятимуть: розпочались навчальні збори бригади тероборони. np.pl.ua. uk. 3 June 2019. 1 March 2023. They will shoot near Kremenchuk: training sessions of the ground defense brigade have begun.
- Web site: Synytska. Daryna. Наступного тижня у Полтавській ОДА запрацює рекрутинговий центр для запису в тероборону. poltava.to. uk. 17 February 2022. 1 March 2023. Next week, a recruiting center for enlisting in the Teroboron will open in the Poltava Regional State Administration.
- Web site: Synytska. Daryna. У Полтавській області знищили колону з російськими танками. poltava.to. uk. 27 February 2022. 1 March 2023. A convoy of Russian tanks was destroyed in the Poltava region.
- Web site: Synytska. Daryna. На кордоні між Сумщиною та Полтавщиною військові й тероборона знищили кілька десятків одиниць російської техніки. poltava.to. uk. 10 March 2022. 1 March 2023. On the border between Sumy Oblast and Poltava Oblast, the military and territorial defense forces destroyed several dozen units of Russian equipment.
- Web site: Synytska. Daryna. Тероборона Полтавщини захопила три російські танки і передала їх ЗСУ. poltava.to. uk. 11 March 2022. 1 March 2023. Territorial Defense Forces of Poltava Oblast captured 3 Russian tanks and transferred them to Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- News: Kruk. Viktor. Володимир Зеленський подякував бійцям 116 бригади територіальної оборони з Полтавщини. telegraf.in.ua. 17 May 2023. 18 August 2023. uk. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the soldiers of the 116th Territorial Defense Brigade from Poltava Oblast.
- Web site: Sirobab. Natalka. Дмитро Лунін – про 116-у бригаду тероборони: «Це не мій рівень відповідальності – надавати оцінку діям військових». kolo.news. uk. 27 January 2023. 1 March 2023. Dmytro Lunin - about the 116th ground defense brigade: "It is not my level of responsibility to evaluate the actions of the military".
- Web site: Synytska. Daryna. 5,3 млн грн спрямує Полтава на формування і підтримку територіальної оборони наступні 3 роки. poltava.to. uk. 15 February 2022. 1 March 2023. UAH 5.3 million will be directed by Poltava to the formation and support of territorial defense for the next 3 years.
- Web site: SOLOVEY . 2024-02-13 . Telegram.
- Web site: Pavlenko. Svitlana. У Кременчуці з'явився новий окремий військовий підрозділ, який "поселять" в приміщення наркодиспансера. kg.ua. uk. 11 January 2022. 1 March 2023. A new separate military unit has appeared in Kremenchuk, which will be "settled" in the premises of the drug dispensary.
- Web site: Lysohor. Mykola. За останній тиждень стало відомо про загибель 32-х захисників з Полтавщини. poltava.to. uk. 30 January 2023. 1 March 2023. In the last week, it became known about the death of 32 defenders from Poltava Oblast.
- Web site: У Лубнах провели навчання з тероборони. np.pl.ua. uk. 21 February 2022. 1 March 2023. Territorial defense units training was held in Lubny.
- Web site: Спочивай з миром, миргородський воїне!. myrgorod.pl.ua. uk. 17 March 2022. 1 March 2023. Rest in peace, Myrhorod warrior!.
- Web site: Radko. Viktor. 3 жовтня – День територіальної оборони України. lmr.gov.ua. uk. 3 October 2021. 1 March 2023. October 3 is the Day of Territorial Defense of Ukraine.