Da Vinci Battalion expands to regiment

The 1st Assault Battalion named after Da Vinci has been officially expanded into a regiment, joining the ranks of other recently upgraded units, including the 33rd, 225th, and 425th Assault Regiments. The announcement was made on April 5, 2025, on the same day as the opening ceremony of the unit’s official hub in Kyiv, as reported by several people closely affiliated with the unit.

The ongoing reorganization of assault battalions into regiments is rumored to be linked to the creation of new Army Corps. Each Army Corps formation is expected to include one assault regiment.

About the unit

The unit was originally established in 2014 as the 1st Assault Company within the 5th Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps (DUK). By 2015, it had become an independent unit within the DUK structure, actively fighting alongside regular Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine. In 2022, the unit was expanded into a battalion. On March 7, 2023, during the battle of Bakhmut, its commander, Dmytro Kotsyubaylo—known by the call sign “Da Vinci”—was killed in action.