Ukrainian Naval Infantry

Former Russian Imperial army general Pavlo Skoropadskyi understood the importance of naval infantry in providing security to the country. Being the commander-in-chief of land and naval forces, Skoropadskyi brought attention to creating the naval infantry during his first month in power. On May 23, 1918, he ordered the Department of Navy to Begin forming a Brigade of naval infantry consisting of three regiments.[3][7][8]

The mission of the Naval Infantry was protecting coastal areas, serving as a garrison force for forts and conducting landing operations. According to the order the Brigade was divided into three regiments. First regiment was responsible for the areas between the western border until the village of Suchavka, near Odesa. Second regiment was responsible for territory between Suchavka and Stanislavov. Third regiment protected the areas from Stanislavov until Perekop. Brigade was also put in charge of guarding the property of the Navy Department.[7]

Each of the three regiments consisted of three kurins. Each kurin consisted of three Sotnia and a machine gun unit. Commandant of the first regiment was Ilarion Isaievych.[7]

On August 31, 1918, each unit was given the permanent headquarters. First regiment's HQ was located in Odesa, second's HQ in Mykolaiv and third's HQ in Kherson. Also at this time 3 squadrons of cavalry were formed. First was stationed in Odesa, second in Ochakiv and third in Perekop.[7]

In October 1918 new recruits born in 1899, would have joined the ranks of the naval infantry, however due to the political situation of that autumn the recruits had to wait until a better time.[7]

Not long after, Pavlo Skoropadskyi was removed from power in an uprising led by Symon Petliura. The Naval Infantry continued to faithfully serve their nation under the banner of the Ukrainian People's Republic. Many of them have died for freedom and independence.[7]

A Ukrainian naval infantryman armed with a Dragunov sniper rifle takes part in Exercise Northern Light '03 on the west coast of Scotland in 2003.

On February 22, 1993, the 880th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion of the Black Sea Fleet commanded by Major Vitaliy Rozhmanov pledged their allegiance to Ukraine.[6][9]

After the Navy was created on July 1, 1993, as a separate service branch of the Armed Forces, the first battalion of the Naval Infantry was formed in the city of Sevastopol.[6][10] The first naval infantrymen were transferred from the airmobile units. On September 1, 1993, the 41st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion was formed. By September 20, 1994, the 4th Naval Infantry Brigade was stationed in the Tylove village of Crimea.[10]

From May 1996 until 1998, the Brigade was a part of the Ukrainian National Guard.[10] In 1998, it was transferred to the Navy and re-designated the 1st Separate Naval Infantry Brigade.[10] In 1999, the Brigade consisted of two battalions numbering 1,500 marines.[11] During 2003–04, the Ukrainian armed forces underwent a program to reduce the number of brigades, and the Naval Infantry Brigade was reduced to a Battalion.[10]

A Ukrainian Naval Infantry BTR-80 takes part in Exercise Sea Breeze 2010.

US and Ukrainian marines simulating casualty extraction using a Mi-8 during the multinational Sea Breeze exercise in 2011.

The command of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine made a decision to form a new Naval Infantry battalion by force of a mechanised battalion located in Kerch. In December 2013 the militaries of the new 501st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion have taken the Naval Infantry Oath.[12]

The 1st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion was under the jurisdiction of the 36th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade,[6] and it was stationed in Feodosiya and there was also another one battalion (501st Bn.) which was stationed in Kerch; both were in the Crimea until late March 2014. After the Russian annexation of the Crimea the battalions were deployed to another location out of the peninsula. After the annexation of Crimea Ukraine's marine forces composed of only about 200 active duty personnel.[13]

Special reconnaissance units of the Marine Corps were deployed against insurgents during the 2014 war in Donbas. Oleksandr Zinchenko of the 73rd Spetsnaz Detachment was the first Ukrainian Marine killed during the war in Donbas.[14] The Ukrainian Marine Corps was particularly hard hit by the Crimea Crisis as all of their forces except for the 73rd Spetsnaz Detachment were stationed on the peninsula, due to this the unit had to undergo extensive reorganization before being able to be deployed to the war in the Donbas.[15][16][17][18]

In September 2014 the Ministry of Defense announced that the Marine Corps were reforming from the Crimea Crisis and the remaining members of the 1st Marine Battalion which was stationed in Feodosya would take an active part in the war in Donbas.[19] On 29 October 2014 Ukraine's Marine Corps conventional forces, recently recovered from the Crimea Crisis suffered their first casualty near Mariupol, the Marine was a Major and was killed when his unit's position came under Russian artillery fire.[20]

On 8 November 2014 Ukrainian marines returned to their permanent place of deployment in Mykolaiv as part of a regular rotation of Ukrainian forces during the war in Donbas.[21]

On 23 May 2018, the NI celebrated the first Marine Corps Birthday celebrations, the holiday being officially sanctioned by President Petro Poroshenko as part of a nationalization of the former Soviet holidays, replacing those with the ones celebrating Ukrainian military history. The holiday marked the formation of the first marine units in May 1918, during the Ukrainian War of Independence. New colours were awarded incorporating the speciality badge awarded to the unit in 2007. The NI was transformed into the Fleet Marine Division with 2 brigades and an independent brigade of marine artillery. The former black berets were changed to light green following the practice of the British Royal Marines and the Italian Army Lagunari.[22][23][24]

The new colours include the blue cross from the naval ensign as an acknowledgement of its role as a constituent service of the Navy. Plans are underway for the formation of a 3rd Marine brigade, bringing the total number of brigades to four plus one MRL regiment, with an option for a fourth brigade.

If the expansion continues it can be possible that the Naval Infantry Corps will be elevated to a full Corps-sized formation within the Navy, becoming the largest ever marine unit in Eastern Europe outside of Russia and with possible accession to NATO, the largest marine component within its European member armed forces.

However Ukraine joining NATO is extremely unlikely. Due to the comments of President Zelenskiy.[25]

The ideal goal in the reform of the Naval Infantry Corps is to form a unit which would be similar to the units sent to Iraq. It is planned that there will be no more conscripts in the Naval Infantry, only professional naval infantrymen under contract service.[25]

With the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Naval Infantry fought against Russian forces invading the country. They are active at the southern regions of Ukraine, having participated at the Southern Ukraine and Eastern Ukraine campaigns.

Ukrainian Marines inside a British-donated Mastiff PPV and with a MG3 machine gun during the 2022 invasion of the Ukraine

On 12 April 2022, videos have emerged of fighters apparently from the 501st Battalion of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade vowing not to surrender their positions, saying "We are holding on to every bit of the city wherever possible," and "But the reality is the city is encircled and blocked and there was no re-supply of ammunition or food,".[26] The next day, Russian Defence Ministry as well as the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced 1,026 Ukrainian Marines, including 162 officers, of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade laid down their weapons and surrendered in Mariupol.[27][28] Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said he had no information about the claim, and there was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian President's office nor the Ukrainian general staff.[29] A top advisor to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said another Marine unit that was encircled in the middle of Mariupol had broken through to connect with the Azov Regiment and that Mariupol is still standing.[30] By 16 April, the Marines and Azov had entrenched themselves in the Azovstal iron and steel works, the last Ukrainian bastion in Mariupol.[31] By May 17, most Azovstal defenders surrendered.[32]

In June, a kangaroo court of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) condemned three members of the Ukrainian Marines in Mariupol to death: Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Brahim Saadoun. The three of them were foreign volunteers and were accused by the Russians of mercenarism,[33] which has been disputed as the three of them were sworn members of the Ukrainian Navy, making them active-duty soldiers who should be protected by the Geneva conventions on prisoners of war.[34] They were released in September as part of a prisoner swap.[35]

• 1st Regiment - Odesa
  • 1st Kurin
    • 1st Sotnia
    • 2nd Sotnia
    • 3rd Sotnia
    • Machine Gun Unit
  • 2nd Kurin
  • 3rd Kurin
• 2nd Regiment - Mykolaiv
• 3rd Regiment - Kherson
• 1st Cavalry Squadron - Odesa
• 2nd Cavalry Squadron - Ochakiv
• 3rd Cavalry Squadron - Perekop

• Corps HQ
• 1st Air Assault Battalion "Lion"
• 2nd Air Assault Battalion "Berkut"
• 1st Air Assault Reconnaissance Battalion "Sword"
• Separate Combat Engineer Battalion "Crab"
• Separate Signal Company
• 1st Anti-Tank Battalion
• 1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion
• 1st Marine Artillery Battalion
• 2nd Marine Artillery Battalion

Ukrainian marines practicing urban warfare during the Rapid Trident 2014 exercise on 23 September 2014.

1st Naval Infantry Battalion in 2017.

As of 2023 the Fleet Naval Infantry Division's structure is as follows:

• Fleet Marine Infantry Division of the Ukrainian Navy, Mykolaiv
  • Division HQ
  • Division HQ Services Battalion
    • Guard of Honour Company
  • 36th Marine Brigade, Mykolaiv
    • Headquarters & Services Company
    • 1st Naval Infantry Battalion, Mykolaiv (BTR-80)
    • 501st Naval Infantry Battalion, Mariupol (BTR-80)
    • 503rd Naval Infantry Battalion, Berdiansk (BTR-80)
    • 505th Naval Infantry Battalion (under formation)
    • 4th Naval Infantry Battalion (Air Assault) (under formation)
    • 1st Naval infantry Tank Battalion (T-80)
    • 1st Naval Infantry Brigade Artillery Group
      • Regimental HQ and Target Acquisition Battery
      • 1st Naval Infantry Self-propelled Field Artillery Battalion (2S1 Gvozdika)
      • 1st Naval Infantry Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
      • 1st Naval Infantry Anti-tank Artillery Battalion (MT-12 Rapira)
      • Marine Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion
      • Security Company
      • Engineer Company
      • Replacement and Maintenance Battery
      • Logistics Company
      • Signals Platoon
      • CBRN-defense Platoon
    • 1st Marine Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion
    • 1st Marine Combat Engineer Battalion
    • 1st Marine Maintenance Battalion
    • 1st Marine Logistics Battalion
    • Force Reconnaissance Company
    • Sniper Company
    • Electronic Warfare Company
    • Signals Company
    • Anti-Aircraft Radar Company
    • CBRN-defense Company
    • Medical Company
    • Military Police Company
    • Naval Infantry Brigade Band
  • 35th Marine Brigade, Dachne
    • Headquarters & Services Company
    • 136th Naval Infantry Battalion (under formation)
    • 137th Naval Infantry Battalion
    • 18th Naval Infantry Battalion (under formation)
    • 88th Marine Battalion (Air Assault) (under formation)
    • 2nd Marine Tank Battalion
    • 2nd Marine Artillery Group
      • Regimental HQ and Target Acquisition Battery
      • Naval Infantry Self-propelled Field Artillery Battalion (2S1 Gvozdika)
      • Naval Infantry Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
      • Naval Infantry Anti-tank Artillery Battalion (MT-12 Rapira)
      • Naval Infantry Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion
      • Security Company
      • Engineer Company
      • Replacement and Maintenance Battery
      • Logistics Company
      • Signals Platoon
      • CBRN-defense Platoon
    • 2nd Naval Infantry Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion
    • 2nd Naval Infantry Engineer Battalion
    • 2nd Naval Infantry Maintenance Battalion
    • 2nd Naval Infantry Logistics Battalion
    • Force Reconnaissance Company
    • Sniper Company
    • Electronic Warfare Company
    • Signals Company
    • Anti-Aircraft Radar Company
    • CBRN-defense Company
    • Medical Company
    • Military Police Company
    • 35th Naval Infantry Brigade Band
  • 37th Marine Brigade (under formation stage)
    • Headquarters & Services Company
    • 19th Marine Battalion
    • 20th Marine Battalion
    • 3th Marine Battalion
    • 3rd Marine Tank Battalion (T-80)
    • 3rd Marine Artillery Group
      • Regimental HQ and Target Acquisition Battery
      • 1st Marine Artillery Battalion (Towed) (D-30)
  • 38th Marine Brigade (under formation stage)
    • Headquarters & Services Company
  • 32nd Marine Artillery MLRS Regiment, Altestove
    • Headquarters & Headquarters Battery
    • 1st Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-27 Uragan)
    • 2nd Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
    • 3rd Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
    • Security Company
    • Engineer Company
    • MRL Replacement and Maintenance Company
    • Logistic Company
    • Signal Platoon
    • CBRN-defense Platoon
    • Regimental Band
  • 406th Marine Field and Coastal Defense Artillery Brigade (Amphibious)
    • Brigade Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery
    • 64th Field Artillery Battalion (MU А4217), Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Odesa Oblast
    • 65th Field Artillery Battalion (MU А3687), Dachne-2 village, Odesa Oblast
    • 66th Field Artillery Battalion (MU А2611), Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast
    • 67th Field Artillery Battalion (MU А1804), Ochakiv, Mykolaiv Oblast
    • 1st Naval Infantry Anti-tank Artillery Battalion (MT-12 Rapira)
    • Mariine Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion
    • Security Company
    • Engineers Company
    • Maintenance and Replacement Battery
    • Logistics Company
    • Signals Platoon
    • CBRN-defense Platoon
    • Marine Brigade Band
  • 37th Marine Signals Regiment, Radisne, Odesa Oblast
  • 140th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion (raised in 2019)[36]
  • 7th Naval Infantry Divisional Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion, Ochakiv, Mykolaiv Oblast (to be expanded to regiment)
  • Divisional Marine Engineer Battalion (to be expanded to Regiment size)
  • Naval Infantry Maintenance Battalion
  • Naval Infantry Division Logistics Battalion
  • Sniper Company
  • Electronic Warfare Company
  • HQ Signals Company
  • Anti-Aircraft Radar Company
  • Divisional CBRN-defense Company
  • Divisional Medical Company (to be expanded to battalion)
  • Divisional Military Police Company (to be expanded into battalion)
  • Marine Division Band Mykolaiv

It was announced June 10, 2019 that the 56th Motorized Brigade may be transferred to the Ukrainian Naval Infantry.[37] It is not known if the 56th Brigade would be redesignated as either the 37th or 40th Naval Infantry Brigades or if it will retain its current designation as 56th Brigade.

The marine infantry battalions are organized as follows:

• Marine Battalion Headquarters & Headquarters Company
  • 1st Company (Air Assault)[38]
  • 2nd Company
  • 3rd Company
  • Mortar Battery
  • Logistic Company
  • Reconnaissance Platoon
  • Anti-Aircraft Missile Artillery Platoon
  • Anti-tank Artillery Platoon
  • Engineer Platoon
  • Landing Equipment/Assault Amphibian Platoon
  • Signal Platoon
  • Medical Platoon

The tank and artillery battalions are organized similarly but with one to 4 tank companies or artillery batteries.