Short-lived existence of 62nd Mechanized Brigade

The existence of the 62nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces has been a subject of many speculations. Unlike the other reserve brigades in the 60-series—such as the 60th, 61st, and 63rd—which were reactivated in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, there was little to no public information about the 62nd Brigade at that time. However, social media posts by volunteers, particularly on Facebook, suggest that the 62nd Mechanized Brigade did exist, at least to some degree, during the autumn and winter of 2022.

The first known mention of the 62nd Mechanized Brigade appeared in September 2022, during the intense fighting around Bakhmut. By October, the brigade was reportedly hastily deployed to that front. Throughout November and December 2022, multiple social media posts emerged from individuals searching for relatives serving in the 62nd Brigade, indicating its active presence. However, in December 2022, all public traces of the brigade abruptly vanished, and it has not been mentioned again since.

The sudden appearance and disappearance of the 62nd Mechanized Brigade suggest that it was likely not fully formed when deployed to Bakhmut in September 2022. This was not an isolated case—similar instances occurred multiple times, particularly during periods when the Ukrainian Army urgently needed reinforcements. At that time, Ukrainian forces were conducting simultaneous offensives in Kharkiv and Kherson, leaving few available brigades to defend Bakhmut. However, following the liberation of Kherson in November, several brigades were freed up and quickly redeployed to Bakhmut, replacing units already stationed there, including the 62nd Brigade.

According to multiple posts, the brigade was deployed near Kurdyumivka, south of Bakhmut. Its positions were later taken over by the 28th Mechanized Brigade, which arrived from Kherson Oblast.

Given that the 62nd Mechanized Brigade never reappeared after December 2022, it is reasonable to assume that the Ukrainian command decided to halt the brigade’s formation and reassign its personnel to other units.

About 62nd Mechanized Brigade

62nd Mechanized Brigade was a mechanized unit of the Ground Forces, originally formed in December 2000 from the 119th Training Center in Berdychiv, Zhytomyr Oblast. Following army reforms in 2004, the brigade was disbanded, with its artillery group becoming the foundation for the first battalion of the 26th Artillery Brigade.

In response to the Russian invasion of Donbas in 2014, the 62nd Mechanized Brigade was reestablished and reached full strength by 2015. By July 2017, the unit was nearing completion of its formation. NATO observers present during exercises praised the professionalism and experience of the brigade’s servicemen. However, for unknown reasons, the brigade was later demobilized and existed only on paper.

With the threat of a renewed Russian invasion in January 2022, the brigade was reactivated alongside other 60-series brigades, though its progress lagged behind other reserve units.

Source: public social media posts from volunteers affiliated with the brigade from September 2022 to December 2022. The data were anonymized to protect the identity of the original posters, as per our Editorial Policy.