1st Assault Regiment

1st Assault Regiment, named after ‘Da Vinci’, is a unit of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

Initially formed in 2014 as the 1st Assault Company of the 5th Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps, the unit underwent significant changes. On August 26, 2015, it departed from the 5th Battalion and was restructured as the 1st Company of the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps.

On March 17, 2016, Dmytro Kotsyubaylo was appointed commander of the unit, marking the beginning of its widely known nickname, ‘Da Vinci,’ after Kotsyubaylo’s call sign. Deployed to the combat zone since its inception, the unit has participated in numerous battles alongside regular army forces. It relies primarily on donations and private funding to sustain its operations.

In 2022, the battalion expanded its ranks to reach full battalion strength and assumed command of the unit “Honor.” In 2022, the Da Vinci Wolves unit was reorganized under the command of the 7th Center of SSO and later integrated into the 67th Mechanized Brigade as the 1st Mechanized Battalion. On March 7, 2023, the unit’s commander, Kotsyubaylo, was killed in action near Bakhmut, specifically in the city of Chasiv Yar.

On May 10, 2023, the battalion was reorganized as the 1st Separate Assault Battalion of the 67th Mechanized Brigade, being created as an official unit. In early 2024, the “Honor” and “Ulf” units departed from the battalion and brigade, continuing to use the same name and insignia. They would later go on to form the 108th Mechanized Battalion, as part of the 59th Motorized Brigade.

By April 2024, following the complete restructuring of the 67th Mechanized Brigade, the battalion became fully independent from the brigade. In April 2025, the battalion was expanded to a regiment, becoming the 1st Assault Regiment.

Insignia

The insignia depicts a chevron with a rusty green border and a black canvas. At its center are sharp, angular shapes forming the letters D, V, and W, representing the unit’s nickname, ‘Da Vinci’, with a callback to the time it was known as ‘Da Vinci’s Wolves’. A sword and the number one at the top signify its assault role and designation. Below is a wolf, symbolizing the nickname, with the unit’s abbreviation beneath it.