123rd Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 123rd Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade named after the Hero of the Soviet Union Kliment Voroshilov (2023–present)
2nd Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade named after the Hero of the Soviet Union Kliment Voroshilov (2014–2023)
| native_name = 123-я отдельная гвардейская мотострелковая бригада имени Героя Советского Союза Климента Ворошилова
| image = Sleeve patch of the 123rd Motor Rifle Brigade.svg
| caption = Unit patch sleeve
| dates = 1 November 2014 – present
| allegiance = {{flagicon image|Flag of Lugansk People's Republic.svg}} Luhansk People's Republic (2014–2022)
{{flagdeco|Russia}} Russia (2022–present)
| branch = {{ill|LPR People's Militia|ru|Народная милиция Луганской Народной Республики}} (2014–2022)
{{army|RUS}} (2022–present)
| role = Motorized infantry
| command_structure = 20px 3rd Guards Combined Arms Army
| garrison = Luhansk
| patron = Kliment Voroshilov
| battles = {{tree list}}
- Russo-Ukrainian War
- War in Donbas
- Battle of Debaltseve
- Invasion of Ukraine
- Battle of Rubizhne
- Battle of Sievierodonetsk
- Battle of Lysychansk
{{tree list/end}}
| decorations = {{GuardsUnitRussia}}
| identification_symbol = 200px
| identification_symbol_label = Former insignia
}}
The 123rd Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade named after the Hero of the Soviet Union Kliment Voroshilov ({{langx|ru|123-я отдельная гвардейская мотострелковая бригада имени Героя Советского Союза Климента Ворошилова, 123 oмсбр}}; MUN 73438) is a military unit of Russian Ground Forces. Until January 1, 2023, it was part of the Luhansk People's Militia. It is attached to the 3rd Guards Combined Arms Army.
History
= War in Donbas =
The unit was first formed as the 2nd Motor Rifle Brigade on November 1, 2014. It was based on three early LPR battalions: "Zarya", which became the 1st Motor Rifle Battalion; "Don", which became the 2nd Motor Rifle Battalion; and "Hooligan", which became the 3rd.
File:Patch of the Zarya Battalion.svg
"Zarya" ("Dawn") was originally formed in early 2014 as the 1st LNOB (Luhansk People's Liberation Battalion/Луганский Народно-освободительный батальон), part of the "Army of the South-East". It had been founded by Igor Plotnitsky, who later became the leader of the LPR, and as such, remained one of the LPR's most important battalions.
By mid-2015, the strength of the LPR 2nd Motor Rifle Brigade was thought to be around 4,500 personnel. Ukrainian analysts considered the LPR 2nd Motor Rifle Brigade to be one of the most powerful units in the DPR and LPR, partly because it consistently had the highest staffing level compared to other units.{{Cite book |last=Crowther |first=Edward |title=Armed formations of the Luhansk People's Republic 2014-2022 |last2=Crowther |first2=Edward R. |date=2023 |publisher=Helion & Company Limited |isbn=978-1-80451-217-3 |series=War in Ukraine / Edward Crowther |location=Warwick |page= |pages=29-31}}
On November 1, 2015, Plotnitsky awarded the brigade the "Guards" status,{{Cite web |date=2015-11-01 |title=Глава ЛНР присвоил Второй бригаде Народной милиции почетное звание гвардейской (ФОТО) |trans-title=The head of the LPR awarded the Second Brigade of the People's Militia the honorary title of Guards (PHOTO) |url=https://lug-info.ru/news/glava-lnr-prisvoil-vtoroi-brigade-narodnoi-militsii-pochetnoe-zvanie-gvardeiskoi-8072/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=lug-info.ru |language=ru}} and on September 5, 2016, he named the brigade after the Hero of the Soviet Union Marshal Kliment Voroshilov.{{Cite web |date=2016-09-05 |title=Глава ЛНР присвоил Второй гвардейской мотострелковой бригаде Народной милиции имя Ворошилова |trans-title=The head of the LPR awarded the Second Guards Motor Rifle Brigade of the People's Militia the name of Voroshilov |url=https://lug-info.ru/news/glava-lnr-prisvoil-vtoroi-gvardeiskoi-motostrelkovoi-brigade-narodnoi-militsii-imya-voroshilova-16860/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=lug-info.ru |language=ru}}
= Russian invasion of Ukraine =
The brigade took part in battles of Rubizhne, Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk.
In January 2023, after the 2nd Army Corps was incorporated into the Russian Armed Forces, the brigade was renamed the 123rd Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade.{{Cite web |title=123-я мотострелковая бригада: состав, вооружение и участие в СВО |trans-title=123rd Motor Rifle Brigade: composition, armament and participation in the SMO |url=https://amalantra.ru/123-motostrelkovaya-brigada/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=amalantra.ru}}
On July 17, 2023, brigade commander Denis "Tashkent" Ivanov was killed by a Ukrainian FPV drone.{{Cite web |last=Мещерская |first=Анна |date=2024-07-17 |title=В Тамбове установили бюст Героя Российской Федерации Дениса Иванова |trans-title=A bust of Hero of the Russian Federation Denis Ivanov was installed in Tambov |url=https://novostitambova.ru/news/171549357367/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Новости Тамбова |language=ru-RU}}
Structure
References
{{reflist}}
{{Brigades of the Russian Ground Forces}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 2014
Category:Pro-Russian militant groups
Category:Separatist forces of the war in Donbas
Category:2014 establishments in Ukraine
Category:Paramilitary organizations based in Ukraine
Category:Military of the Luhansk People's Republic
Category:Military units and formations of Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine