124th Territorial Defense Brigade (Ukraine)
The 124th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces (Ukrainian: 124-та окрема бригада територіальної оборони) is a military formation of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine in Kherson Oblast. It is part of Operational Command South.
124th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces | |
---|---|
Ukrainian: 124-та окрема бригада територіальної оборони | |
Active | 30 June 2018 - present |
Country | Ukraine |
Branch | Armed Forces of Ukraine |
Type | Military reserve force |
Role | Light infantry |
Part of | Territorial Defense Forces |
Garrison/HQ | Kherson Oblast MUN А7053 |
History
Formation
On 30 June 2018, the brigade was formed in Kherson Oblast.[1] From September 3 to 12, 2018,[2] brigade-wide training exercises were held, involving close to 3,500 reservists up to sixty years old. Exercises were held in Bilozerka Raion, Oleshky Raion, Henichesk Raion, Ivanivka Raion, and Skadovsk Raion. Each battalion only had two contract permanent officers, commander and chief of staff, with everyone else being a reservist. A battalion stationed in Oleshky took 300 of its reservists from Oleshky Raion, Kakhovka Raion and Novovorontsovka Raion.[3] The 195th battalion had 290 reservists, including 41 officers from Oleshky Raion, Hola Prystan Raion and Skadovsk Raion.[4] The 197th battalion was stationed on Arabat Spit, and after September 7, began joint patrols with State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and guarding of critical infrastructure in Henichesk Raion.[5][6] From 5 to 15 December, another exercise was held.[7] Kherson Oblast governor Andrii Gordieiev gave awards to members of the 193rd battalion for their participation in the exercise.[8]
Between September 19 and 26, 2020, the 196th battalion took part in another exercise.[9][10]
Another exercise was held from April 7 to 16, 2021, at the cost of two and a half million hryvnia.[11][12]
The 197th battalion had 70% of its contract positions filled by 16 February 2022.[13] However, this specific battalion had insufficient living conditions. Later, a new base was founded in Henichesk.[14]
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On February 24, Major Ihor Likhnov, commander of the 192nd Battalion took a few hundred volunteers and began defense of Kherson. His first battle was for Antonivka Road Bridge, where they were covering retreat for the regular army units. On March 1, one of his companies fought against a Russian tank company. After the city was occupied, a portion of the battalion remained in the city. Part of those were captured. Likhnov with 13 soldiers began to rebuild the battalion, which eventually was used in Donetsk Oblast and in Kherson Oblast.[15]
On that same day, the 194th battalion took part in battle in Lilac Park where they suffered heavy casualties.[16] Lieutenant colonel Dmytro Ishchenko was ordered to move to Mykolaiv in May.[17]
On April 16, 2023, the 193rd battalion together with other units destroyed an enemy ammo depot on the left bank of Dnipro river.[18]
Structure
As of 2022, the brigade's structure is as follows:[19]
- Headquarters
- 192nd Territorial Defense Battalion (Kherson) MUN А7358
- 193rd Territorial Defense Battalion (Beryslav) MUN А7359
- 194th Territorial Defense Battalion (Bilozerka) MUN А7360
- 195th Territorial Defense Battalion (Skadovsk) MUN А7361
- 196th Territorial Defense Battalion (Nova Kakhovka) MUN А7362
- 197th Territorial Defense Battalion (Henichesk) MUN А7363[14]
- Engineering Company
- Communication Company
- Logistics Company
- Mortar Battery
Commanders
- Lieutenant colonel Dmytro Ishchenko (2018 - present)
Insignia
The emblem shows a silver cross with three gold crowns on a blue field, which is a proposed coat of arms of Kherson region during Ukrainian People's Republic.[20]
References
- "Шановні військовослужбовці, бойові побратими та посестри!" [Dear servicemen, brothers-in-arms and sisters-in-arms!]. facebook.com (in Ukrainian). 30 June 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- "На Херсонщині проходять навчальні збори з військовослужбовцями підрозділів бригади територіальної оборони" [In the Kherson region, training sessions are held with servicemen of the units of the Territorial Defense Brigade]. mil.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 6 September 2018. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- "Військові тактичні навчання 124-ої окремої бригади територіальної оборони на Херсонщині розпочато!" [Military tactical training of the 124th separate territorial defense brigade in the Kherson region has begun!]. khoda.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 6 September 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- "Скадовськ. Тривають планові навчання підрозділів територіальної оборони" [Skadovsk. Planned training of territorial defense units continues]. medianova.com.ua (in Ukrainian). 11 September 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- "124-та бригада ТрО патрулює адмінкордон з Кримом" [The 124th brigade of the TRO patrols the administrative border with Crimea]. ukrmilitary.com (in Ukrainian). 9 September 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- "На Херсонщині відбудуться навчання бригади тероборони" [In the Kherson region, the training of the ground defense brigade will take place]. mil.in.ua (in Ukrainian). 31 August 2018. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- "Воєнний стан: на Херсонщині розпочинаються 10-денні збори бригади тероборони" [Martial law: a 10-day meeting of the Teroborony Brigade begins in Kherson Oblast]. pik.ua (in Ukrainian). 4 December 2018. Archived from the original on 23 August 2019.
- "Андрій Гордєєв відзначив військовослужбовців 193-го батальйону 124-ї окремої бригади ТрО" [Andrii Gordieiev honored the servicemen of the 193rd battalion of the 124th separate brigade of the Military Defense Forces]. khoda.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 14 December 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- "19 вересня 2020 року розпочались тактичні навчання 196-го Новокаховського батальйону 124-ї Херсонської бригади територіальної оборони" [On September 19, 2020, tactical training of the 196th Nova Kakhovka Battalion of the 124th Kherson Territorial Defense Brigade began.]. nova.net.ua (in Ukrainian). 19 September 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- "У Новій Каховці завершились навчальні збори 196 батальйону територіальної оборони" [The training sessions of the 196th Territorial Defense Battalion ended in Nova Kakhovka]. nk-online.com.ua (in Ukrainian). 26 September 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- "110-та і 124-та бригади тероборони ЗСУ розпочали збори" [The 110th and 124th territorial defense brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have started their exercises]. ukrmilitary.com (in Ukrainian). 16 April 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
- "110-та і 124-та бригади тероборони ЗСУ розпочали збори" [Teroborona meetings cost 2.5 million hryvnias]. ukrmilitary.com (in Ukrainian). 7 April 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
- "Штат батальйону тероборони Генічеського району укомплектовано на 70%, набір триває" [The staff of the Teroborona battalion of Henichesk district is 70% staffed, recruitment is ongoing]. genichesk.ipc.org.ua (in Ukrainian). 16 February 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- Yereshchenko, Svitlana (24 February 2022). "Тероборону в Генічеську «поселили» у занедбаний дитсадок. Саботаж чи халатність?" [Territorial Defense was "settled" in an abandoned kindergarten in Henichesk. Sabotage or negligence?]. genichesk.ipc.org.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- "Комбат херсонського батальйону територіальної оборони розповів про перші бої за Херсон" [A combatant of the Kherson Territorial Defense Battalion talked about the first battles for Kherson]. pivdenukraine.com.ua (in Ukrainian). 8 December 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- Bratushchak, Oleksii; Reutskyi, Kostiantyn (9 November 2022). "Подвиг у Бузковому парку. Невідома історія окупації Херсона" [A feat in Lilac Park. The unknown history of the occupation of Kherson]. tro.mil.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- Ivantsiv, Anastasiia (1 March 2023). "За Херсон до останнього. Історія подвигу та загибелі оборонців Бузкового парку" [For Kherson to the last. The story of the feat and death of the defenders of Lilac Park]. Suspilne (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- Rohalska, Nadiia (17 May 2023). "Херсонські тероборонівці підірвали склад БК та РЕБ росіян на лівобережжі Дніпра (відео)" [The Kherson Territorial Defense units blew up ammo warehouse and Electromagnetic warfare system on the left bank of the Dnieper (video)]. stopcor.org (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- "В Херсоне предотвратили теракт, запланированный на время проведения мирных акций протеста" [In Kherson, a terrorist attack planned for peaceful protest actions was prevented]. kherson-news.info (in Russian). 6 March 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- Zahrebelnyi, Volodymyr (16 September 2021). "Затверджено нарукавні емблеми для окремих бригад тероборони" [Sleeve emblems for individual Teroborona brigades have been approved]. ArmyInform (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 17 May 2023.