Imam Shamil Dagestan Battalion (Ukraine)
{{Update|date=January 2025}}
{{About||the Al-Qaeda aligned Islamist Organisation in North Caucasus |Imam Shamil Battalion}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Imam Shamil Battalion
| native_name = {{native name|uk|Батальйон імені імама Шаміля}}
| image = Imam Shamil Battalion.png
| image_size =
| caption = Battalion Insignia
| start_date = {{Start date|2022}}
| country = {{flag|Ukraine}}
| allegiance = {{flagicon image|Флаг_Свободного_Дагестана.svg}} Dagestani Opposition
25px Ministry of Defence (Ukraine)
| branch = {{Army|Ukraine}}
| type = Battalion
| role =
| size = Several hundred
| command_structure = 22px International Legion of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine
| garrison =
| current_commander= Saipulaev Muhammad Ibrahimovich
| identification_symbol = 200px
| identification_symbol_label = Flag
| identification_symbol_2 =
| identification_symbol_2_label =
| nickname = Dagestan Liberation Battalion
| patron = Imam Shamil
| motto =
| colors =
| march =
| mascot =
| battles = 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Insurgency in the North Caucasus
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
}}
The Imam Shamil Dagestan Volunteer Battalion is a volunteer combat unit operating under the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a part of the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine against the Russian forces. It mainly consists of volunteers from Dagestan which seek an independent Dagestan from Russian rule. It was established in October 2022 after Russian invasion of Ukraine and is named after the national hero of Dagestan, Imam Shamil.
History
The battalion was officially established in the beginning of October 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a part of the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine. It was created by the public-political organization "Dagestan National Center", which consists of members of the Dagestan diaspora in Ukraine, it's stated goal is to help Ukraine win the war against Russia and liberate Dagestan from Russian rule.{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://www.kavkazr.com/a/tsena-za-nezavisimostj-razryv-s-imperiey-zapadnye-eksperty-o-buduschem-rossii/32108702.html|title="Цена за независимость – разрыв с империей". Западные эксперты о будущем России|website=RFE/RL|access-date=2022-11-05|archive-date=2022-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105033700/https://www.kavkazr.com/a/tsena-za-nezavisimostj-razryv-s-imperiey-zapadnye-eksperty-o-buduschem-rossii/32108702.html}}{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://www.kavkazr.com/a/antivoennyy-protest-v-kalmykii-pobeg-ot-domashnego-nasiliya-v-dagestane-i-koldovstvo-v-chechne/32107798.html|title=Антивоенный протест в Калмыкии, побег от домашнего насилия в Дагестане и "колдовство" в Чечне|website=RFE/RL|access-date=2022-11-05|archive-date=2022-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105085432/https://www.kavkazr.com/a/antivoennyy-protest-v-kalmykii-pobeg-ot-domashnego-nasiliya-v-dagestane-i-koldovstvo-v-chechne/32107798.html}} The association "For a free Caucasus", an affiliate of the Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum is also related to the battalion's creation.{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://utrokavkaz.info/2022/07/25/vyhodtsy-iz-dagestana-formiruyut-novoe-podrazdelenie-dlya-vojny-c-rossiej/|title=Выходцы из Дагестана формируют новое подразделение для войны c Россией|author=|website=Morning Caucasus|date=2022-07-25|access-date=2022-10-16|archive-date=2022-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016112548/https://utrokavkaz.info/2022/07/25/vyhodtsy-iz-dagestana-formiruyut-novoe-podrazdelenie-dlya-vojny-c-rossiej/}}{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRrqiLBwXpI|title=Джабраил Мирзоев. Выступление на Конференции Кавказского Союза о освобождении и будущем Дагестана|website=media office "Free Caucasus"|date=2022-10-30|access-date=2022-10-30|archive-date=2022-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030174144/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRrqiLBwXpI}}{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://t.me/Dagestan_N_C/3|title=Обращение Дагестанского Национального Центра к жителям Дагестана|website=Dagestan National Center|date=2022-09-25|access-date=2022-11-01|archive-date=2022-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101152240/https://t.me/Dagestan_N_C/3}}
The battalion is mainly composed of Dagestanis who previously fought as part of various formations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Dagestani soldiers from the Krym Battalion and volunteers, which were united into a single Dagestani battalion{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://fakty.ua/ru/409910-v-ukraine-sozdan-dagestanskij-batalon|title=В Украине создан дагестанский батальон|website=fakty.ua|access-date=2022-10-29|archive-date=2022-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105194014/https://fakty.ua/ru/409910-v-ukraine-sozdan-dagestanskij-batalon}} under the command of Muhammad Saipulaev.{{Cite web|lang=ru-RU|url=https://uatv.ua/pri-pomoshhi-mobilizatsii-putin-istreblyaet-natsmenshinstva-kak-spastis/|title=При помощи мобилизации Путин истребляет нацменьшинства — как спастись|website=UATV|date=2022-10-01|access-date=2022-10-15|archive-date=2022-10-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015153232/https://uatv.ua/pri-pomoshhi-mobilizatsii-putin-istreblyaet-natsmenshinstva-kak-spastis/}}
The battalion along with Morning Dagestan and Adat People's Movement acted as the initiators and coordinators of the 2022 North Caucasian protests.{{Cite web |title=Акция в Махачкале завершилась после жестких задержаний протестующих |url=https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/381491/ |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=Кавказский Узел}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-26 |title=В ОП считают, что акции протеста против мобилизации в Дагестане координировал Киев |url=https://rapsinews.ru/incident_news/20220926/308315885.html |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=РАПСИ |language=ru}}
"We started the fight against Russia long before that, 10-15 years ago. In Ukraine, they decided to continue, because what has affected us for 100 years has now affected [Ukraine]"{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://www.kavkazr.com/a/dagestanskiy-bataljon-imeni-imama-shamilya-vystupit-v-voyne-na-storone-ukrainy-/32106693.html|title=Дагестанский батальон имени имама Шамиля выступит в войне на стороне Украины|website=Kavkazr|access-date=2022-10-29|archive-date=2022-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221029102832/https://www.kavkazr.com/a/dagestanskiy-bataljon-imeni-imama-shamilya-vystupit-v-voyne-na-storone-ukrainy-/32106693.html}}
Following the conclusion of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the battalion aims to work for the "liberation" of an independent Dagestan from Russian "imperialism".
In December 2022, according the battalion was fighting in the Donetsk Oblast along with the "Brotherhood" battalion{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYXA10jlOPM|title=Победа Дагестана близко! Корчинский и Джабраил Мирзоев о оккупация Дагестана россией и освобождении|author=Dmytro Korchynskyi| website=YouTube |date=13 December 202|access-date=2022-12-21}}
In March 2023, the battalion also saw combat during the Battle of Bakhmut along with other volunteer formations.{{Cite web|title=Дагестанцы в обороне Бахмута: интервью с замкомандира батальона|url=https://www.kavkazr.com/a/dagestantsy-v-oborone-bahmuta-intervjyu-s-zamkomandira-bataljona/32319599.html|website=Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty|date=2023-03-15|accessdate=2023-11-22|language=ru}}
Commanders
- Saipulaev Muhammad Ibrahimovich (2022-){{Cite web|lang=ru-RU|url=https://chechenews.com/дагестанский-батальон-имени-имама-ша/|title=Дагестанский батальон имени имама Шамиля выступит в войне на стороне Украины|author=Marsho|website=Chechenews|date=2022-10-30|access-date=2022-11-05|archive-date=2022-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105085031/https://chechenews.com/дагестанский-батальон-имени-имама-ша/}}{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://www.kavkazr.com/a/antivoennyy-protest-v-kalmykii-pobeg-ot-domashnego-nasiliya-v-dagestane-i-koldovstvo-v-chechne/32107798.html|title=Антивоенный протест в Калмыкии, побег от домашнего насилия в Дагестане и "колдовство" в Чечне|website=RFE/RL|access-date=2022-11-06|archive-date=2022-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105085437/https://www.kavkazr.com/a/antivoennyy-protest-v-kalmykii-pobeg-ot-domashnego-nasiliya-v-dagestane-i-koldovstvo-v-chechne/32107798.html}}
Sources
- [https://www.kavkazr.com/a/dagestanskiy-bataljon-imeni-imama-shamilya-vystupit-v-voyne-na-storone-ukrainy-/32106693.html Батальон имени имама Шамиля выступит в войне на стороне Украины]
- [https://qirim.news/ru/novosti/v-ukraine-sozdan-batalon-dagestantsev-imeni-imama-shamilya/ В Украине создан батальон дагестанцев имени Имама Шамиля]
- [https://www.ukr.net/news/details/society/93944904.html За Украину приехали воевать граждане Дагестана]
References
{{Reflist}}
Category:2022 establishments in Ukraine
Category:Regiments of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
Category:Battalions of Ukraine
Category:Military units and formations established in 2022
Category:Pro-Ukraine foreign volunteer units in the war in Donbas