41st Mechanized Brigade

41st Mechanized Brigade is a unit of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, formed on February 23, 2023, from mobilized personnel during the 2023 mobilization wave. Training was conducted at NATO training facilities, primarily in the United Kingdom. Some servicemen later criticized the NATO-led training as insufficiently adapted to the conditions of the war in Ukraine, arguing that it relied heavily on Middle Eastern operational models and urban warfare scenarios.

In November 2023, the brigade was deployed to the Kupyansk sector. In the spring of 2024, it was redeployed to the area of Chasiv Yar. Shortly before this deployment, brigade commander Oleh Makukha was removed from his position. According to reports, he had refused to occupy certain fortifications that had required significant financial investment but were assessed as unsuitable for effective defense.

Serhiy Romashko subsequently assumed command of the brigade. Reports from servicemen indicated a decline in morale under his leadership, with criticism focusing on limited engagement with frontline units and the issuance of orders allegedly disconnected from battlefield realities. The brigade sustained significant personnel losses during this period.

In July 2024, the 41st Mechanized Brigade replaced the 24th Mechanized Brigade in the Toretsk sector. Weakened by prior fighting in Chasiv Yar, the brigade was unable to hold parts of the contested area and lost several key positions. Allegations later emerged that higher command had not been fully informed of the brigade’s condition, with claims that inaccurate reports had been submitted regarding its strength and operational status. Units attached to the brigade publicly criticized the command following these setbacks.

In September 2024, despite its degraded condition, elements of the brigade were redeployed to Sumy Oblast, where they supported Ukrainian operations in Kursk Oblast.

In the winter of 2025, Colonel Volodymyr Dzyuba replaced Serhiy Romashko as brigade commander.