129th Brigade Upgraded as Heavy Mechanized Unit

The 129th Territorial Defense Brigade, which transitioned from the Territorial Defense Forces to the Ground Forces in 2024, has now been restructured as a heavy mechanized brigade. The announcement was made via the brigade’s official social media channels.

“Today, we share important news and a significant milestone in the history of our brigade. From now on, the 129th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade becomes the 129th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade. The transition to the status of a heavy mechanized brigade opens up greater opportunities for us in fulfilling our missions and strengthens our combat capabilities to defend Ukraine,” states the official announcement.

The transformation is part of the ongoing reform of the Defense Forces, aimed at transitioning to a corps–brigade structure. Under this new framework, each corps is expected to include a dedicated heavy mechanized brigade.

Recently, the 125th, 127th, and 128th Territorial Defense Brigades have also been converted into heavy mechanized brigades. These changes have taken many by surprise. Instead of strengthening veteran mechanized brigades, the decision to upgrade territorial defense units—originally light infantry formations—has significantly increased the demand for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and experienced personnel. Meanwhile, long-standing mechanized brigades continue to rely on outdated Soviet-era equipment and face severe manpower shortages, with some battalions existing only on paper.

The Ukrainian Ground Forces now consist of nine heavy mechanized brigades. The transformation of the 129th Brigade also marks the final Territorial Defense Brigade transferred to the Ground Forces that had not yet undergone reformation.