72nd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)
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| 29th Rifle Division (1941-43) 72nd Guards Rifle Division (1943-57) 72nd Guards Motor Rifle Division (1957-1992) 72nd Mechanized Division (1992-2001) 72nd Mechanized Brigade (2002-present) |
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|---|---|
 72nd Mechanized Brigade Sleeve Patch |
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| 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 |
| Engagements | World War II Soviet war in Afghanistan |
| Decorations | Order of the Red Banner |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lieutenant General Sergiy Ostrovskiy[2] |
The 72nd Mechanized Brigade is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. It was previously named the 29th Rifle Division and then the 72nd Guards Rifle Division of the Soviet Ground Forces.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] World War II
On December 5, 1941 the 29th Rifle Division was being formed in Akmolinsk, Kazakhstan. By January 16, 1942 the division was finally formed.
Division was made up of 106th, 128th, 299th Rifle and 77th Artillery Regiments. Separate 125th Anti-Tank, separate 78th Saper, separate 124th Signal, 29th Medical Battalions. 104th Reconnaissance Company.
Until June 1942 it was held in reserve, until the men had received enough training.
In July 1943 29th Rifle Division was ordered to move to Stalingrad and join the 64th Army. In August of 1942 units of the division first met with the Germans. During Battle of Stalingrad they killed 5,242 and took 13,447 captive.
On February 2, 1943 the Battle of Stalingrad was finally over. Due to the heroism of the soldiers the 29th Rifle Division 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 after the Second World War and after the collapse of the Soviet Union became part of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. It was later reduced in size to a mechanized brigade
[edit] Awards
- March 1, 1943 received the honorable designation "Guards"
- January 1944 received Order of the Red Banner award for clearing the city of Kirovohrad
- September 20, 1943 received the honorable name "Krasnohradska"
[edit] Famous people of the Division
- Lieutenant Volodymyr Mykheiev - First person in the division to receive Hero of Soviet Union award
- Oles' (Oleksandr) Honchar - Famous Writer
[edit] Divisional Order of Battle
[edit] 1988-1991
Late Soviet Period Structure[3][4]
- 222nd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment - Bila Tserkva
- 224th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment - Bila Tserkva
- 229th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment - Bila Tserkva
- 292nd Armored Regiment - Honcharivske
- 155th Guards Artillery Regiment - Smila
- 1129th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment - Bila Tserkva
- 1345th Anti-Tank Battalion
- 117th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion - Bila Tserkva
- 538th Separate Signal Battalion - Bila Tserkva
- 220th Separate Engineer Battalion - Bila Tserkva
- 280th Separate Maintenance Battalion
- 892nd Combat Service Support Battalion
[edit] 1992-2002
155th Artillery Regiment- 224th Mechanized Regiment
229th Mechanized Regiment
1129th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
23rd Chemical Battalion- 59th Separate Armor Battalion
72nd Separate Tank Battalion- 117th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion
149th Medical Battalion- 220th Engineer Battalion
280th Maintenance Battalion- 538th Signal Battalion
- 892nd Combat Service Support Battalion
1345th Anti-Tank Battalion
[edit] Brigade Order of Battle
[edit] 2002
- 1st Mechanized Battalion[5]
[edit] Past commanders
- Colonel Fedir Mykytovich Zhabrov June 1942
- Lieutenant Colonel Anatoliy Ivanovych Kolobutin June 1942 - October 1942
- Major General Anatoliy Ivanovych Losiev October 1942 - Spring 1945
- Major General Sergiy Bezlishchenko
- Lieutenant General Sergiy Ostrovskiy
[edit] References
- ^ Урядовий портал :: Президент України перебуває у 72-й окремій Гвардійській механізованій бригаді
- ^ Новини Управління Прес-служби МО
- ^ Ракетный комплекс 9К72: Краснознаменный Киевский военный округ (штаб - Киев)
- ^ А.Г.Ленского и М.М.Цыбина „Советские сухопутные войска в последний год существования СССР” (Санкт-Петербург, 2001)
- ^ Новини Управління Прес-служби МО
http://www.rkka.ru/handbook/reg/72gsd.htm
