56th Motorized Brigade (Ukraine)

56th Motorized Brigade
56th Motorized Brigade
Ukrainian: 56-та окрема Маріупольська мотопіхотна бригада
	56th Motorized Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	23 February 2015 – present
Country	Ukraine
Branch	Ground Forces
Type	Motorized infantry
Size	Brigade
Part of	Operational Command South
Garrison/HQ	Mariupol
Engagements	Russo-Ukrainian War Russian Invasion of Ukraine Siege of Mariupol; Battle of Pisky; Battle of Bakhmut; ;
Decorations	; For Courage and Bravery
Commanders
Current; commander	Col. Dmytro Trofimuk

The 56th Motorized Brigade of Mariupol is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The brigade was activated on 23 February 2015 in the city of Dnipro in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and took command of three volunteer territorial defence battalions. The brigade fought in the Russo-Ukrainian War and has functioned as a motorized brigade.

The brigade gain fame as one of defending Ukrainian units of Mariupol during siege of 2022.

In June 2019, it was announced the 56th Motorized Brigade would be transferred to the Ukrainian Naval Infantry and remain based in Mariupol as part of the effort to increase the size of Ukrainian Marine Corps to 4 brigades.^[4]

As of December 2023, the brigade was holding an 18-kilometer front line near Kramatorsk with around 7 000 men. Its commander, 38-year old Yan Iatsychen, complained of lack of artillery and ammunition.^[5]

At the end of August 2026, brigade was defending Kramatorsk, where it has served since 2024.^[6]^[7]

Commanders

2015: Colonel Andriy Viktorovych Melnyk^[8]^[9]
2016—2017: Colonel Serhiy Stepanovych Perets^[10]
2018—2021: Colonel Igor Vyacheslavovich Ivanov^[11]
2021—2023: Colonel Serhiy Anatolyovich Sirchenko
2023—2024: Colonel Yan Volodymyrovych Yatsishen^[12]
2024—2024: Colonel Serhiy Oleksiyovych Onushko
2024—2025: Colonel Andriy Dibrova
Since 2025: Colonel Dmytro Vasilyevich Trofimuk^[13]

Structure

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

56th Motorized Brigade, Mariupol
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company
- 21st Motorized Battalion "Sarmat"
- 23rd Motorized Battalion "Khortytsia"
- 37th Motorized Battalion
- Caucasus Legion
- Tank Battalion
- Artillery Group
  - Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery
  - 1st Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (152 mm SpGH DANA)
  - 2nd Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (D-20)
  - Rocket Artillery Dattalion (BM-21 Grad)
  - Anti-tank Artillery Battalion (MT-12 Rapira)
- Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
- Reconnaissance Company
- Attack Drone Company "Katenyata"
- Sniper Platoon
- Engineer Battalion
- Logistic Battalion
- Maintenance Battalion
- Signal Company
- Radar Company
- Medical Company
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company

All three Motorized Battalions - 21st, 23rd and 37th were formed in 2014 as Territorial Defense Battalions "Sarmat", "Khortytsia" and "Zaporozhzhia". They were all reformed in 2015 under the command of 56th Motorized Brigade. Caucasus Legion joined the ranks of the brigade in September 2023. It was originally formed in June 2022 with volunteers from the Caucasus region.

References

↑ "In Mariupol, a war of images to prove who controls the city". The Observers - France 24. 30 March 2022.
↑ Axe, David. "The Russians Want Pisky. The Ukrainians Want Pisky. Neither Army Has Enough Troops For A Quick Victory". Forbes.
↑ https://56ompbr.mil.gov.ua/
↑ "56-у мотопіхотну бригаду передадуть морській піхоті". 10 June 2019.
↑ "Dans le Donbass, les soldats ukrainiens en panne de munitions". Le Monde.fr (in French). 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
↑ https://freeradio.com.ua/rosiiany-khovaiut-bronetekhniku-v-bakhmuti-ta-poliuiut-na-avtivky-v-kramatorsku-56-bryhada-zsu/
↑ https://56ompbr.mil.gov.ua/about
↑ "Порошенко нагородив легендарних командирів, які відзначилися у боях на Донбасі". Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
↑ "Президент Нагородив Бойових Командирів, Які Відзачилися У Зоні Ато". Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
↑ "Наша армія сьогодні і завтра: роздуми героїв". ukrinform.ru (in Russian). Укрінформ. 14 October 2016. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
↑ "День з 56-ю окремою мотопіхотною Маріупольською бригадою". armyfm.com.ua. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
↑ З Днем Сухопутних військ ЗСУ | Наша бригада належить до Сухопутних військ – найчисельнішої частини Української армії. В наших лавах люди з різних куточків країни, різної освіти, віку,... | By 56 окрема мотопіхотна Маріупольська бригадаFacebook (in Ukrainian), retrieved 23 July 2024
↑ https://www.facebook.com/share/15z8GAtbRR/

[1] "In Mariupol, a war of images to prove who controls the city". The Observers - France 24. 30 March 2022.

[2] Axe, David. "The Russians Want Pisky. The Ukrainians Want Pisky. Neither Army Has Enough Troops For A Quick Victory". Forbes.

[3] ttps://56ompbr.mil.gov.ua/

[4] "56-у мотопіхотну бригаду передадуть морській піхоті". 10 June 2019.

[5] "Dans le Donbass, les soldats ukrainiens en panne de munitions". Le Monde.fr (in French). 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.

[6] ttps://freeradio.com.ua/rosiiany-khovaiut-bronetekhniku-v-bakhmuti-ta-poliuiut-na-avtivky-v-kramatorsku-56-bryhada-zsu/

[7] ttps://56ompbr.mil.gov.ua/about

[melnik-8] "Порошенко нагородив легендарних командирів, які відзначилися у боях на Донбасі". Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.

[9] "Президент Нагородив Бойових Командирів, Які Відзачилися У Зоні Ато". Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2015.

[10] "Наша армія сьогодні і завтра: роздуми героїв". ukrinform.ru (in Russian). Укрінформ. 14 October 2016. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.

[:0-11] "День з 56-ю окремою мотопіхотною Маріупольською бригадою". armyfm.com.ua. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.

[12] З Днем Сухопутних військ ЗСУ | Наша бригада належить до Сухопутних військ – найчисельнішої частини Української армії. В наших лавах люди з різних куточків країни, різної освіти, віку,... | By 56 окрема мотопіхотна Маріупольська бригадаFacebook (in Ukrainian), retrieved 23 July 2024

[13] ttps://www.facebook.com/share/15z8GAtbRR/

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