3rd Assault Brigade (Ukraine)

The brigade, which was established in November 2022, emerged from the Azov Special Operations Forces (SSO) and initially comprised veterans of the Azov Regiment.[2] Since then it is a fully operational combat unit within the Ukrainian Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[3] The formation of this brigade was strategically designed to create a highly mobile, well-equipped, and extensively trained force capable of engaging in both defensive and offensive operations.[2] Presently, the brigade is stationed in the vicinity of Bakhmut, a city located in the Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine.[4]

An important milestone for the brigade occurred on February 24, 2023, when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally presented the Regimental Colour during a ceremonial event.[5]

On 9 of May, in the midst of internal squabbles between the Russian high command and Wagner PMC leadership about distribution of ammunition, the 3rd Brigade performed a counter-attack in Bakhmut that was able to recover almost 3 kilometres of territory. The first one to report the attack was Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who claimed that while his forces were forbidden to retreat, the 72nd Motorized Brigade folded and retreated amidst the attack. Raising internal tension among Russian forces. The 3rd Assault Brigade later corroborated those claims, releasing videos of the attack.[6][7]

As of 2023 the brigade's structure is as follows:

• 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast
  • Headquarters & Headquarters Company
  • 1st Assault Battalion
  • 2nd Assault Battalion
  • 1st Mechanized Battalion
  • 2nd Mechanized Battalion
  • Tank Battalion
  • Artillery Group
  • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
  • Terra Unit
  • Hornet Unit
  • Reconnaissance Company
  • Engineer Battalion
  • Logistic Battalion
  • Signal Company
  • Maintenance Battalion
  • Radar Company
  • Medical Company