Additional Brigades, Familiar Questions: Ukraine’s Expansion Continues
Over the past month and a half, MilitaryLand has reported on the formation of additional brigades within the Ukrainian Ground Forces. These developments have occurred despite Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, Pavlo Palisa’s statement in February 2025, stating that the formation of new brigades would cease.
The newly identified mechanized brigades are drawing personnel from existing formations, a practice recently defended by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Syrskyi argued that experienced commanders and non-commissioned officers are necessary to reduce losses and improve the effectiveness of newly established units.
Since the announcement of the formation of new mechanized brigades, three have been identified: the 50th, 55th, and 167th Mechanized Brigades. Just yesterday, MilitaryLand reported the first death within the 50th Mechanized Brigade.
The ‘Rationale’ Behind Continued Expansion
The formations of these new mechanized brigades now appear to be well underway, with recruitment and training likely beginning across these formations, definitely for the 50th and 167th Mechanized Brigades.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, when asked by Liga News for analysis, has defended the creation of these formations, arguing that they are necessary to strengthen Ukraine’s northern border in response to a potential threat from Belarus. His comments come amid renewed concerns over Belarus’s continued support for Russian military operations, including the facilitation of drone attacks against Ukraine.
“Against the backdrop of a potential threat from Belarus, Ukraine needs to form new brigades to strengthen its defense in the northern direction.”
“The new brigades that are currently being formed need people with combat experience, otherwise they will suffer heavy losses. Therefore it is necessary to recruit commanders and sergeants from other units.”
Rumors persist of further brigades beyond those confirmed, with fundraising and recruitment sometimes starting before a unit’s existence is verified. But confirmation remains hard due to the ongoing Corps-Brigade reforms, fabricated units, and social media misreporting, which blur which formations are real. Only time will tell how many prove genuine.
The possibility of additional brigades was first raised by MilitaryLand contributors in May 2026, who sought to determine whether the Ukrainian General Staff would continue expanding the 50th-Series of Brigades. The subsequent emergence of the 55th Mechanized Brigade appears to support that assessment.
Historically, the numbering gap already existed. The 51st Mechanized Brigade was disbanded in 2014, while the 52nd Mechanized Brigade was disbanded in 2004. Prior to its disbandment, the 52nd Mechanized Brigade served under the 6th Army Corps; later reformed into Operational Command South in 2013.
Experienced Brigades Release Personnel
One of the more controversial aspects of these newly formed brigades is their reliance on personnel drawn from existing formations, some of which continue to face manpower shortages of their own.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi recently defended the practice, arguing that newly established units require experienced commanders and non-commissioned officers in order to develop cohesion and reduce losses. Evidence suggests that this process is already underway.
The 50th Mechanized Brigade appears to be primarily drawing personnel from formations within the 21st Army Corps, notably the 93rd Mechanized Brigade and the 433rd Unmanned Systems Regiment. It is also known that some personnel from the 72nd Mechanized Brigade and the 420th Unmanned Systems Battalion are also being transferred.
The transfer of personnel from the 93rd Mechanized Brigade is particularly noteworthy. Widely regarded as one of Ukraine’s most experienced and capable formations, the brigade played a prominent role both during the War in Donbas and throughout the full-scale invasion.
Meanwhile, the 433rd Unmanned Systems Regiment was only recently expanded from a battalion to a regiment. Its apparent contribution of personnel to the newly formed brigades comes as the unit itself continues to develop, raising questions about the simultaneous expansion of unmanned systems formations and the creation of additional mechanized brigades.
The 72nd Mechanized Brigade has also faced persistent manpower challenges, raising questions as to why it has again been selected to provide personnel for newly formed units after previously contributing cadres to formations such as the 153rd Mechanized Brigade.
A former serviceman from the 433rd Unmanned Systems Regiment stated that the unit was recruiting drone pilots, technicians, data analysts, and other specialists through mobilization and transfer programs, with a particular need for sergeants and officers.
The transfer of experienced personnel does not appear to be limited to the 50th Mechanized Brigade. Recruitment efforts linked to the 167th Mechanized Brigade suggest that elements of its leadership may also be drawn from existing combat formations. In a recruitment advertisement, an individual stated that they personally knew the brigade’s commander and had worked alongside him for years within the 68th Jaeger Brigade, now redesignated as the 68th Airmobile Brigade.
This has led to speculation that the commander of the 167th Mechanized Brigade may be Serhiy Tretyak, a former commander of the 68th Jaeger Brigade. While this remains unconfirmed, it would be consistent with Syrskyi’s statement that experienced personnel are being drawn from existing formations to help establish new units.
New Unmanned Systems Brigade Begins Forming
Additional units are not limited to the Ukrainian Ground Forces alone. It has also emerged that a new formation, the 445th Unmanned Systems Brigade, is likely to be established within the Unmanned Systems Forces. This was discovered on Work.ua, a recruitment platform used by the Ukrainian military to hire personnel.
The steady expansion of unmanned systems units in both size and importance continues to be a broader trend throughout the conflict as it drags on. The formation of the brigade also aligns with comments previously made by Syrskyi amid rising tensions with Belarus, as reported by United 24 Media.
“To defend Ukraine along its northern border, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will form new Unmanned Systems Units.”
However, this statement alluded to the expansion and improvement of drone components within the Territorial Defence Forces. These forces have now frequently been seen operating alongside three or four Territorial Defence Battalions for infantry purposes and two Unmanned Systems Battalions. For the better part of over a year now, these units have effectively been transformed into more cohesive formations intended to halt further Russian advances by shifting towards a more defensive doctrine.
No End to Expansion in Sight
The emergence of newly mechanized brigades shows that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are continuing to expand, contradicting assurances that creating additional brigades would cease. Over the past eighteen months, the trend has moved in the opposite direction: new formations have proliferated, particularly within the fast-growing Unmanned Systems Forces.
Formation, however, is only the first hurdle. While veteran personnel are being transferred in to provide leadership and cohesion, several newly raised brigades, despite drawing on battle-hardened units, have reported equipment shortfalls, limited drone and electronic warfare capacity, and the loss of trained soldiers to redistribution elsewhere. Manpower alone has not translated into combat readiness.
The 160th Mechanized Brigade illustrates the resulting strain. Elements of the brigade were attached to the infamous 425th Assault Regiment and committed to operations retaking lost ground north of Pokrovsk, even before it was deployed independently as a full brigade.
It appears that the question of whether Ukraine can form new brigades is out of the picture. It clearly can. The question is instead whether people are ready to accept that the long-term sustainment and employment of these brigades are plausible, while simultaneously continuing to facilitate existing brigades within the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The hardest hurdle is to train, equip, and integrate them without hollowing out massive gaps in existing units or disrupting the broader Army reforms, particularly with the Corps-Brigade structure.
However, it is clear that the expansion of the Ukrainian Defense Forces has not ceased. In fact, it has become endless and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.
If you enjoy this content, the best way to support our site is by sharing it and following us on X, Bluesky and Facebook.
Topics:
Related posts
Our community
Mentioned Units
Support us
