72nd Guards Mechanized Brigade

29th Rifle Division (1941-43)
72nd Guards Rifle Division (1943-57)
72nd Guards Motor Rifle Division (1957-1992)
72nd Guards Mechanized Division (1992-2001)
72nd Guards Mechanized Brigade (2002-present)

72nd Mechanized Brigade Sleeve Patch
Active December 5, 1941[1] - Present
Country Ukraine
Branch Ukrainian Army
Type Brigade
Role Mechanized
Size ~3,000
Part of 8th Army Corps
Garrison/HQ Bila Tserkva, Kiev Oblast
Equipment T-64[2]
Engagements World War II
Soviet war in Afghanistan
2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine[3]
Decorations Order of the Red Banner
Commanders
Current
commander
Lieutenant General Sergiy Ostrovskiy[4]

The 72nd Mechanized Brigade is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. It was previously named the 29th Rifle Division (2nd formation) and then the 72nd Guards Rifle Division of the Soviet Ground Forces.

History

World War II

On February 2, 1943 the Battle of Stalingrad was finally over. Due to the heroism of the soldiers the 29th Rifle Division (2nd formation) was redesignated the 72nd Guard Rifle Division by Directorate of the General Staff order №104 on March 1, 1943.

29th Rifle Division 72nd Guard Rifle Division
106 Rifle Regiment 222 Guards Rifle Regiment
128 Rifle Regiment 224 Guards Rifle Regiment
77 Artillery Regiment 155 Guards Artillery Regiment

On March 3, 1943, 72nd Guard Rifle Division was involved in battles for liberation of Belgorod. Soon they were near Kharkiv and Krasnohrad. The 72nd Guards Rifle Division became a motor rifle division stationed in the Kiev Military District.

Ukraine

After the fall of the Soviet Union it was transferred to Ukraine. In 1992, Colonel ЛИТВИНЦЕВУ Володимиру Яковичу - Commander 72nd Guards Motor Rifle Division of the Kiev Military District was given the rank of Major General. (Edict of the President of Ukraine No.90/92, 20 лютого 1992)

On August 23, 1995, Colonel Nikolai Nikolaevich TSYTSYURSKOMU, Commander 72nd Mechanized Infantry Division of the 1st Army Corps of the Odessa Military District, was given the rank of Major-General. (Edict of the President of Ukraine No.792/95) On June 29, 1999 the 72 Red Guards Mechanized Division of the North Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was given the honorary title of "Kiev".[5] It was later reduced in size to a mechanized brigade.

In accordance with a decree of August 23, 1998, Colonel ПЕДЧЕНКУ Григорію Миколайовичу - командирові 72nd Mechanised Division Північного оперативного командування Ground Forces of Ukraine; was promoted to major-general.[6]

In May 2014 72nd Guards Mechanized Brigade was involved in the Mariupol standoff during the 2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine.[3] During this conflict Ukrainian singers Zlata Ognevich and Anastasia Prikhodko raised money for the Brigade.[7]

Awards

Famous people of the Division

Divisional Order of Battle

1988-1991

Late Soviet Period Structure[8][9]

1992 - 2002

Brigade Order of Battle 2002-present

Past commanders

References

External links

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