110th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)
{{Short description|Ukrainian Ground Forces unit}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade
| native_name = {{lang|uk|110-та окрема механізована бригада}}
| image = 110 brigade.png
| image_size =
| caption = Shoulder sleeve insignia
| start_date = March 8, 2022
| country = {{Flagu|Ukraine}}
| branch = {{army|Ukraine}}
| role = Mechanized infantry
| command_structure = Operational Command North
| equipment = BMP-1, YPR-765, 152 mm SpGH DANA, RM-70 Vampire
| patron = Marko Bezruchko
| battles ={{Tree list}}
- Russo-Ukrainian War
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Battle of Avdiivka
- Pokrovsk offensive
- Velyka Novosilka offensive
{{Tree list/end}}
| commander1 = Vacant
| notable_commanders = Serhiy Zakharevych{{KIA}} (February–July 2025)
}}
The 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Marko Bezruchko ({{Langx|uk|110-та окрема механізована бригада імені Марка Безручка}}) is a brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces formed in 2022.{{Cite web |title=Defense forces shoot down enemy aircraft near Avdiivka |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3675557-defense-forces-shoot-down-enemy-aircraft-near-avdiivka.html |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=www.ukrinform.net |date=26 February 2023 |language=en}} Since then, it has gained prominence for its part in the battle of Avdiivka, where it fought for almost two years before being ordered to retreat in February 2024.
History
The brigade was formed in March 2022, shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Soon after its formation, the brigade was deployed in Avdiivka, and defended the city, as well as the Avdiivka Coke Plant, until it was captured in February of 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2023/10/27/one-exhausted-ukrainian-brigade-in-avdiivka-reportedly-blew-up-200-russian-vehicles-and-killed-800-russian-troops/|title=One Exhausted Ukrainian Brigade In Avdiivka Reportedly Blew Up 200 Russian Vehicles And Killed 800 Russian Troops|lang=en|first=David|last=Axe|website=Forbes|access-date=2023-11-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://worldcrunch.com/focus/avdiivka-ukraine-frontline|title=From The Trenches Of Avdiivka, Ukraine's Hell On Earth - Worldcrunch|lang=en|website=worldcrunch.com|access-date=2023-11-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2023/11/02/to-save-avdiivka-the-ukrainians-could-boost-the-battle-hardened-110th-brigade/|title=To Save Avdiivka, The Ukrainians Could Boost The Battle-Hardened 110th Brigade|lang=en|first=David|last=Axe|website=Forbes|access-date=2024-01-26}}
On August 24, 2022, the brigade received the honorary name of Marko Bezruchko, a General of the Ukrainian National Republic who led the defense, against the Russian SFSR offensive, of the Polish city of Zamość in August-September 1920.{{Cite web|title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №606/2022|trans-title=DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE No. 606/2022|url=https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/6062022-43757|website=Office of the President of Ukraine|date=2022-08-24|accessdate=2024-07-05|language=Ukrainian}}{{Cite web|title=У Гданську назвали сквер на честь генерала армії УНР|trans-title=In Gdansk, the square was named in honor of the UPR army general|url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2020/11/26/7274960|website=Ukrayinska Pravda|date=2020-11-26|accessdate=2024-07-05|language=Ukrainian}}
As the fighting for Avdiivka intensified in October 2023, the brigade successfully repelled multiple Russian assaults, mostly around the AKHZ plant and the village of Stepove, where the 47th Mechanized Brigade was deployed.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-12 |title=US declassifies intel as the White House pushes for more Ukraine funding |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/12/white-house-ukraine-intel-declassified-00131296 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Politico |lang=en}}
In late 2023, soldiers defending Avdiivka started to suffer from a lack of artillery ammunition. FPV drones were able to partially compensate for the lack of artillery shells, but were limited by their range and vulnerability to bad weather.{{Cite web |last=Axe |first=David |title=Russian Artillery Gunners Are Getting Cocky. As Ukraine Runs Out Of Ammo, Russian Guns Gather For Devastating Salvos. |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/02/02/russian-artillery-gunners-are-getting-cocky-as-ukraine-runs-out-of-ammo-russian-guns-gather-for-devastating-salvos/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Forbes |language=en}} Many observers blamed the lack of ammunition on members of the US Republican Party, who opposed an aid package worth $61 billion proposed by president Joe Biden.{{Cite web |last=Axe |first=David |title=A Ukrainian Brigade Ran Low On Ammo. That, Plus Some Bad Weather, Was All The Advantage Russian Troops Needed To Breach Avdiivka. |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/02/06/a-ukrainian-brigade-ran-low-on-ammo-that-plus-some-bad-weather-was-all-the-advantage-russian-troops-needed-to-breach-avdiivka/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Forbes |lang=en}}
On February 4, 2024, Russian troops took advantage of cloudy weather conditions and broke through the 110th Brigade's positions, gaining a foothold in the northern part of the city. The brigade suffered significant losses, as Russian servicemen captured positions close to the main road in and out of Avdiivka.
On 13 February 2024, the 110th Mechanized Brigade was rotated out of Avdiivka after having defended the city non-stop since March 2022. The 3rd Assault Brigade was deployed to the city to cover the retreat.{{Cite web |last=Axe |first=David |title=Ukraine Has Two Specialized Assault Brigades. It Sent One To Avdiivka To Cover The Garrison's Retreat. |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/02/13/ukraine-has-two-specialized-assault-brigades-it-sent-one-to-avdiivka-to-cover-the-garrisons-retreat/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Forbes |language=en}}
The brigade returned to combat in May 2024, two months after being rotated out of Avdiivka.{{cite web|url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/05/2/7454023/|title=Після двох місяців відновлення 110 бригада повертається на фронт
|first1=Тетяна|last1=Олійник|first2=Ольга|last2=Кириленко|date=2024-05-02|access-date=2024-05-02|website=Ukrainska Pravda|lang=uk}}
On 20 May 2024 the Poltava city council renamed a street in its city in honour of the brigade, the Heroes of the 110th Brigade Street.{{cite news |title=In Zaporizhzhia, a street was renamed in honor of teenage partisans who were killed by the occupiers in Berdyansk|url=https://www.istpravda.com.ua/short/2024/05/21/163935/|access-date=22 May 2024|work=Istorychna Pravda|date=21 May 2024|language=Ukrainian}}
As of July 2024, the brigade was defending against Russia's Pokrovsk offensive.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/07/25/a-day-after-getting-surrounded-near-prohres-two-ukrainian-battalions-overruled-their-commander-and-fought-their-way-to-safety/|title=A Day After Getting Surrounded Near Prohres, Two Ukrainian Battalions Overruled Their Commander—And Fought Their Way To Safety|date=25 July 2024|website=Forbes|access-date=7 August 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/07/23/confused-ukrainian-troops-jam-their-own-drones-as-russian-forces-advance-toward-pokrovsk/ | title=Confused Ukrainian Troops Jam Their Own Drones as the Russians Advance | website=Forbes }}
As of 23 January 2025, during the Russian assault on Velyka Novosilka, the 110th Brigade didn't get the time to withdraw from the southern part.{{Cite web |last=Martyniuk |first=Yevheniia |date=2025-01-24 |title=Russians threaten to encircle strategic Velyka Novosilka as troops film from village center |url=https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/01/24/russians-threaten-to-encircle-strategic-velyka-novosilka-as-troops-film-from-village-center/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Euromaidan Press |language=en-US}} On 31 January, the brigade command announced they were critically short of infantry personnal. An officer of the brigade declared that soldiers went absent without leave (AWOL) "pretty frequently".{{Cite news |last=Harding |first=Luke |date=2025-01-31 |title='Everybody is tired. The mood has changed': the Ukrainian army's desertion crisis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/31/tired-mood-changed-ukrainian-army-desertion-crisis |access-date=2025-02-08 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
In February 2025, Mykola Chumak was replaced as brigade commander by Colonel Serhiy Zakharevych, who had previously been the deputy commander of the 33rd Mechanized Brigade. Zakharevych was killed by a Russian missile strike on the village of Huliaipole in Dnipropetrovsk oblast on 1 July, 2025.{{cite news|last=Bashynskyi|first=Pavlo|date=1 July 2025|title=Commander of the 110th Brigade, Serhiy Zakharevich, died at the front|url=https://unn.ua/en/news/commander-of-the-110th-brigade-serhiy-zakharevych-died-at-the-front|work=Ukrainian National News|location=Kyiv|access-date=1 July 2025}}{{cite news|author=|date=1 July 2025|title=The commander of the 110th Brigade was killed in a strike|url=https://militaryland.net/news/the-commander-of-the-110th-brigade-was-killed-in-a-strike/|work=MilitaryLand.net|access-date=1 July 2025}}{{cite news|author=|date=1 July 2025|title=Zelensky awaits probe report on Russian strike killing brigade commander|url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4010451-zelensky-awaits-probe-report-on-russian-strike-killing-brigade-commander.html|work=Ukrinform|access-date=2 July 2025}}
Structure
File:Mykola Chumak in Avdiivka on 20 December 2023 - (cropped).jpg
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:{{Cite web |last=UkrInform |title=Ukrainian Forces Regain Control of More Than 60 Settlements in Kherson Region |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/post/228 |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Get the Latest Ukraine News Today - KyivPost |language=en}}
- 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade,
- Brigade Headquarters & Headquarters Company
- 1st Mechanized Battalion
- 2nd Mechanized Battalion
- 3rd Mechanized Battalion
- 12th Separate Rifle Battalion
- Tank Battalion
- Field Artillery Regiment
- 22x22px Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery
- 1st Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (152 mm SpGH DANA)
- 2nd Artillery Battalion (122-mm howitzer D-30)
- Rocket Artillery Battalion (RM-70 Vampire)
- Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion
- Unmanned Systems Battalion
- Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
- Reconnaissance Company
- Engineer Battalion
- Transmissions Company
- Radar Company
- Medical Company
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company
- Maintenance Battalion (BREM-2 ARVs)
- Commandant's Platoon
- Logistics Battalion
References
{{Authority control}}{{Ukrainian Ground Forces}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 2022
Category:Military units and formations of Ukraine in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Category:Mechanized brigades of Ukraine
{{UGF-stub}}