Ukrainian volunteer battalions are once again on the frontline and fighting against the Russian invaders.
The volunteer battalions played a key role during the War in Donbas eight years ago. While being incredibly helpful and proved to be indispensable during the early months of the war, one of the biggest downside was that they operated on their own, without any united command.
Ukrainian Army command, well aware of problems like this, stopped the uncontrolled flow of volunteers to the frontline at the very beginning of the Russian Invasion in 2022. Instead, they offered them to fill the gaps and to join already existing units, or create their own within the Ukrainian Army structure with all the benefits. Most of them agreed.
49th Motorized Battalion Carpathian Sich
93rd Mechanized Brigade, Armed Forces of Ukraine
Carpathian Sich has cooperated with 93rd Mechanized Brigade since 2014, it makes only sense to incorporate the volunteer battalion under their command. The second battalion remains independent.
Battalion OUN
1st Tank Brigade, Armed Forces of Ukraine
The battalion OUN has been assigned under the command of 1st Tank Brigade, most likely as a second motorized battalion. The battalion is currently deployed near Zelene Pole.
Battalion Svoboda
4th Rapid Response Brigade, National Guard
The Rapid Response Brigade sustained heavy casualties during the battle of Hostomel. Battalion Svoboda replaces one of the battalions. The second Svoboda battalion serves alongside Kyiv Territorial Defense.
23rd Special Purpose Battalion Legion D
Separate Presidential Brigade, Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Legion D unit reinforces the Separate Presidential Brigade to replace casualties sustained during the battle of Kyiv. The second battalion serves with Ukrainian Territorial Defense of Kyiv.
Special Purpose Unit Honor-Kyiv
1st Detachment, Ukrainian Special Operation Forces
Honor was founded as youth movement of National Corps in Kyiv. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the movement has been transformed to a volunteer company and later reassigned to SSO.
Special Purpose Regiment Azov-Kyiv
Ukrainian Special Operational Forces
Formed from one of the Territorial Defense Battalions in Kyiv and former members of Azov Regiment as Special Purpose Regiment Azov-Kyiv within the structure of SSO.
Brotherhood
Territorial Defense Forces
A volunteer battalion formed in the first days of Russian Invasion, many members were part of the original St Maria Volunteer Battalion in 2014. The unit was later joined the Kyiv Territorial Defense.
Center for Special Operations Ukrainian Volunteer Corps
Ukrainian Special Operation Forces
All four combat battalions of Ukrainian Volunteer Corps has been reformed and assigned under the command of Ukrainian SSO. The dozen of territorial defense companies will soon follow.
Reconnaissance Battalion Sonechko
Separate Presidential Brigade, Armed Forces of Ukraine
The volunteer battalion seems to joined the Separate Presidential Brigade as a separate reconnaissance battalion.
Do you know about any other volunteer battalion that has been reassigned to Ukrainian Army or National Guard? Let us know and we’ll update the list.
Also there is the special purpose unit Lyubart formed of Azov Veterans originally as Territorial defense forces in Lutzk/Volyn, which is now part of the SSO.
Just found out, that according to the head of ODA of Vinnyzja Battalion Sonechko is now part of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
https://www.facebook.com/Добровольчий-розвідувальний-батальйон-Сонечко-104585418854724/ (post of 4.7.)
Als in this post the commander of Sonechko awards soldiers in the name of Kyrylo Budanov (head of Main Intelligence Directorate):
Video
Interesting, given this person is part of Sonechko, and he has в/ч а0222 (Presidential Brigade) in his bio.
Strange…
In a video on Facebook of one of the Sonechko soldiers, he told that he flew one of the helicopters in the special operation to Azovstal… According to this video only Azov units and the Main Intelligence Directorate took part in this operation…
Would you be able to create something that lists all the nationalist groups, Ideology and their size (previous, current and future size)?
Additionally you might have missed Azov Kharkiv/ Ivano-Frank, Kraken, freikorps
Possibly in the future, yes.
Azov-Kharkiv etc were formed directly within the official structure, they aren’t reformed volunteer units.
And by the way:
The Volunteer Corps has 6 Combat Battalions at the moment not 4 (compare with pravysektor website).
can you please post a link?
Sure:
About fifth battalion:
https://pravyysektor.info/duk-ps-nakazy-2022/nakaz-no-22422
About sixth battalion:
https://pravyysektor.info/duk-ps-nakazy-2022/nakaz-no-22722
The tactical group Belarus which was part of the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps (DUK PS) became part of the Kalinouski Battalion which isn’t part of the International Legion, but of the Armed Forces. The Battalion T.Shevchenko is now part of the Border Guards. Now there are no independent forces left.
Do you have information on the tactical structure of these units? Are they “battalions” and “brigades” that fight as they were thrown to the front (like kampfgruppe)? Or they have formal firm structure like elite UKR units?
It strongly depends:
Highly structured and organised:
Generally speaking the Terrororial Defence Forces Units are not as good equiped and organised as regular units.The Specialforces are very good organised and perform very difficult tasks.
Love these based units, good to see the growth. The three swords remind me of the Centuria academy Russoids are so afraid of.
There is a typo in the article: “begging of the Russian Invasion in 2022” instead of beggining
Fixed, thanks.
I first understood that Russia was in deep trouble when Ukraine quickly switched from asking for all volunteers, domestic and foriegn, to instead becoming very selective about who they sign up, train, equip, and send to the front.
there was already an experience of acute problem with irregulars (since Crimea/Donbas affair) and troubles they can stir by themselves. Now they are better prepared (I think) and situation is less immediatelly dire, so the work can be done.
They are also running out of weapons as they are, even with cutting 90% of applicants. Sending thousands of rookies without guns in the front line would help nobody.