128th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

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1st Turkmenistan Rifle Division (1922-35) 83rd Mountain Rifle Division (1935-43) 128th Guards Mountain Rifle Division (1943-57) 128th Guards Motor Rifle Division (1957-1991) 128th Mechanized Division (1992-2004) 128th Mechanized Brigade (2004-present)
Brigade Insignia
Active	July 12 1922 - January 1992 January 1992 - present
Country	Ukraine
Branch	Ukrainian Ground Forces
Type	Mechanized
Part of	13th Army Corps
Garrison/HQ	Mukachevo^[1] Zakarpattia Oblast Ukraine
Colour of the Brigade
Anniversaries	July 12
Engagements	World War II
Decorations	Order of the Red Banner (2}
Battle honours	Turkestan, Zakarpattia
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Viktor Ganyshchak^[2]
Notable commanders	Sergiy Tumoshkov (1st Commander)
Insignia
Guards unit
Mechanized branch insignia

The 128th Guards Mechanized Brigade is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

Full name of the Brigade is 128th Separate Guards Mechanized Turkestan-Zakarpattia twice Order of Red Banner Brigade, (Ukrainian: 128 окрема гвардійська механізована Туркестансько-закарпатська двічі ордена Червоного Прапора бригада)^[3].

1 History
2 Division Order of Battle
3 Former Commanders
4 Awards
5 References

[edit] History

The 128th Mechanized Division was first formed within the then USSR's Red Army as the 1st Turkmenistan Rifle Division on July 12, 1922 in the city of Poltoratsk (now Ashgabat, Turkmenistan). Sergiy Tumoshkov became the Division's first commander. The Division was renamed 83rd Mountain Rifle Division on July 1, 1935.^[4]

From January 1, 1943 the Division fought near the area of Krasnodar where it was assigned to the 56th Army. After successfully liberating the region of Kuban and the Taman Peninsula, the Division was awarded the Guards designation on October 8, 1943. The Division was renamed again as the 128th Guards Turkmenistan Mountain Rifle Division.^[1]

On April 24, 1944 for participation in battles for Crimea the Division was awarded its first Order of the Red Banner. During the month of august, the Division participated in battles for Carpathian Mountains. The Division liberated Zakarpattya and on October 12, 1944 crossed the border with Czechoslovakia. Units of the Division liberated Ostrava, Olomouc and other cities.^[1]

On May 8, 1985 the Division was awarded its second Order of the Red Banner in honor of the 40th anniversary of Victory Day.^[2]

On May 27, 2000 the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, General of the Army Oleksandr Kuzmuk presented the Division with its Battle Banner, and read the Order of the President of Ukraine awarding the Division the honorable name "Zakarpattia".^[2]

In 2002 the Division was under 38th Army Corps.^[5] After 38th Army Corps was disbanded, the Division became part of 13th Corps.

On June 18, 2004 the 128th Guards Motor Rifle Division was reorganized into a Brigade by the order of Minister of Defense.^[2]

Brigade has a training ground near the city of Vynohradiv.

[edit] Division Order of Battle

315th Mechanized Regiment
487th Mechanized Regiment
398th Armor Regiment Uzhorod^[1]
15th Mountain Infantry Battalion^[6]
47th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion
10th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion
331st Artillery Regiment
757th Anti-Tank Battalion

The 327th Mechanized Regiment^[7] was reorganized to form the 15th Mountain Infantry Battalion, which became the only Mountain Infantry formation in the current Ukrainian Ground Forces.

[edit] Former Commanders

Sergiy Tumoshkov - July 12, 1922 -
Colonel Viacheslav Hryhorovych Zabolotnyi - 1992^[8]
Major General Genadiy Vorobyov - 2001^[9]
Vasyl Kok - 2004^[10]
Colonel Sergiy Viktorovich Goroshnikov - 2005 -

[edit] Awards

October 8, 1943 received the honorable designation "Guards" for liberating the region of Kuban and the Taman Peninsula.
April 24, 1944 received the Order of the Red Banner for participating in Liberation of Crimea.
May 8, 1985 received the Order of the Red Banner in honor of the 40th anniversary of Victory Day.
On January, 10th 2000 was given its Battle Banner and the honorable name "Zakarpattia"^[11]