| Unit Name: | 81st Airmobile Brigade |
| Caption: | Shoulder Sleeve Insignia |
| Dates: | October 7, 2014 – present |
| Country: |  Ukraine |
| Native Name: | 81-ша окрема аеромобільна бригада |
| Branch: | Ukrainian Air Assault Forces |
| Role: | Air assault forces |
| Battles: | War in Donbas Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Website: | https://www.facebook.com/81oaembr |
| Commander1: | Col. Oleksandr Lykhman |
| Garrison: | Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast |
| Motto: | Born to win |
The 81st Separate Slobozhanska Airmobile Brigade (Ukrainian: 81-ша окрема аеромобільна Слобожанська бригада; 81 ОАеМБр)[2] is a brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. The brigade fought in the war in Donbas and in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The 81st Airmobile Brigade was established in fall 2014 from elements of the 25th Airborne Brigade.[3] The brigade includes the 90th and 122nd Separate Airborne Battalions. In May 2015, the volunteer OUN Battalion became part of the brigade.[4] The brigade fought in the Battle of Donetsk Airport. On 9 June 2015, brigade Lieutenant Ivan Zubkov was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine posthumously for calling in artillery fire on himself during the battle at Donetsk Airport. The brigade's 90th Battalion was named for Zubkov on 30 December of that year.[5]
At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the brigade spent a month defending the city of Izium. Afterwards, it took up the defense of Oleksandrivka. On 30 April 2022, the brigade was withdrawn from the front line through Sviatohirsk.[6]
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence reported that the brigade was attacked by Russian missile troops during the night of the 24-25 April 2022.[7] They fought in Izyum, Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Bohorodychne, Sviatohirsk, Yarova, Drobysheve, and liberated Lyman.[8]
By September 10, the brigade had become involved in the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive. After fighting for Bohorodychne for more than three months, the brigade raised the Ukrainian flag over the village on September 11, 2022.[9] On September 24, Russian military bloggers reported that the brigade liberated half of Novoselivka, just 10 km north of Lyman. Four days later on the 28th, the town was fully recaptured alongside members of the National Guard of Ukraine. Following the town's capture, the brigade turned south and east towards Lyman.[10] On October 1, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced the withdrawal from Lyman.[11]
As of 2024 the brigade's structure is as follows: