32nd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)
{{Short description|Ukrainian Ground Forces unit}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade
| native_name = {{lang|uk|32 окремої механізованої бригади}}
| image = 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade.png
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Sleeve Patch of the 32nd Brigade
| dates = February 9, 2023 - present
| country = {{flagcountry|Ukraine}}
| branch = {{army|Ukraine}}
| type =
| role = Mechanized Infantry
| command_structure = Operational Command North
| garrison =
| motto =
| battles = Russo-Ukrainian War
2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine{{cn|date=April 2025}}
2023 Ukrainian Counteroffensive{{cn|date=April 2025}}
| website = https://www.facebook.com/32OMB
| commander1 = Denis Merzlikin{{cn|date=April 2025}}
| identification_symbol = 200px
| identification_symbol_label = Old sleeve patch of the 32nd Mechanized Brigade (Pre November 2023)
}}
The 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Steel" ({{Langx|uk|32 окремої механізованої бригади}}) is a brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces formed in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Axe |first=David |title=Ukraine Is Forming A Dozen New Brigades—And Giving Them Old Weaponry |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2023/04/11/ukraine-is-forming-a-dozen-new-brigades-and-giving-them-old-weaponry/ |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=Forbes |language=en}} Originally the brigade was going to be armed with an unknown number of M2 Bradleys, 10 Czech T-72EA tanks and 90 MaxxPro armored trucks but was later reported to be equipped with older T-64s and M113s.{{Cite web |last=Axe |first=David |title=The Ukrainian Army Apparently Downgraded Its New 32nd Brigade, And Deployed It Somewhere Quiet |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2023/07/05/the-ukrainian-army-apparently-downgraded-its-new-32nd-brigade-and-deployed-it-somewhere-quiet/ |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=Forbes |language=en}}
History
The brigade was at the stage of formation as of February 2023.{{Cite web |title=Зеленський: Надихає, коли бачиш українську рішучість і знаєш, що перемога буде |url=https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/3697675-zelenskij-nadihae-koli-bacis-ukrainsku-risucist-i-znaes-so-peremoga-bude.html |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=www.ukrinform.ua |language=uk}} It has been involved in the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} In August 2023, it was reported that the brigade had been involved in combat in an area southeast of the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast.{{cite web|website=The Guardian|access-date=29 April 2025|date=29 August 2023|first=Dan|last=Sabbagh|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/29/holdouts-quit-kupiansk-after-renewed-russian-shelling-ukraine|title=‘I couldn’t take it any more’: holdouts quit Kupiansk after renewed Russian shelling}}
On 5 May 2025, the brigade was awarded the honorary name "Steel" by decree of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/2812025-54777 УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №281/2025]
Personnel
According to the Ukrainian TV channel 1+1, as of August 2023, a large number of the brigade's soldiers did not have time to receive proper training after mobilization and were sent to frontline positions and allowed to perform combat missions after only two months of training.
Structure
As of 2024 the brigade's structure is as follows:{{Cite web |title=За останній тиждень стало відомо про загибель 32-х захисників з Полтавщини |url=https://poltava.to/news/69797/ |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=Інтернет-видання «Полтавщина» |language=uk}}
- 32nd Separate Mechanized Brigade,
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company
- 1st Mechanized Battalion
- 2nd Mechanized Battalion
- 3rd Mechanized Battalion
- 20px 405th Rifle Battalion (unit number A4863){{Cite web|url=https://militaryland.net/ukraine/armed-forces/405th-rifle-battalion/|title=405th Rifle Battalion}}
- Tank Battalion
- Artillery Group
- Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
- Reconnaissance Company
- Engineer Battalion
- Logistic Battalion
- Maintenance Battalion
- Signal Company
- Radar Company
- Medical Company
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Proteccion Company (CBRN-defense)
References
{{Authority control}}{{Ukrainian Ground Forces}}
Category:Military units and formations of Ukraine in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Category:Military units and formations established in 2023
Category:Mechanized brigades of Ukraine
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