79th Air Assault Brigade (Ukraine)

Pro-Russian protesters blocked the unit's base in Voznesensk on 1 March 2014 and a platoon of soldiers was sent to reinforce and secure the military equipment located at the facility from looting. The protest was resolved without violent clashes.[12] Other than Spetsnaz forces of Ukraine, the unit was one of the first to be mobilized during the Crimean Crisis and the war in Donbas by being deployed to the Crimean-Kherson border in order to prevent Russian forces from a possible advance into mainland Kherson Oblast on 13 March 2014. On March 26 Ukrainian forces secured the Russian Mars-75 naval navigation station located in Kherson Oblast.[13][14]

The unit was deployed to Donbas in May 2014 and fought in the Battle in Shakhtarsk Raion where it held the objective of securing both the Russian border and the strategic Savur-Mohyla hill. The unit, along with the 72nd Mechanized Brigade became trapped in southern Luhansk oblast as pro-Russian forces cut their supply lines from the bulk of Ukrainian force in July. Ukrainian forces attempted to keep the units resupplied delivering 15 tons of supplies through enemy lines to the unit. The 79th Airmobile Brigade was able to break through enemy lines on 7 August 2014 along with much of their equipment, however it was reported that the unit was severely short on ammunition and would likely not be able to continue holding its positions if it did not break through the encirclement.[15] Due to spending a month surrounded by enemy forces the unit was sent back to its home station in order to regroup.[16]

The unit was redeployed after a month of R/R to hold the southern Donetsk Oblast in the Mariupol and Donetsk regions. In September the unit joined the 3rd Separate Spetsnaz Regiment along with National Guard units in the defense of Donetsk Airport.[17][18] Due to their stubborn resistance during the defense of Donetsk Airport they were referred to as Cyborgs.[19]

In 2016, after brigade received a company of T-80 tanks,[20][21] the 79th Airmobile Brigade became 79th Air Assault Brigade.[22]

The brigade took part in the Battle of Mykolaiv, Battle of Lyman, Battle of Sviatohirsk and the Battle of Marinka .

On 18 March 2022, the brigade's base in Mykolaiv was struck by Russian cruise missiles.[23] Dozens of Ukrainian servicemen died in the bombing.[24]

Emblem of the 1st separate amphibious assault company "Belarus"

In June 2023, Valery Sakhashchyk, effective defence minister of the Belarusian United Transitional Cabinet (a government-in-exile opposed to the de facto government of Alexander Lukashenko) informed about the creation of the 1st separate amphibious assault company of Belarusians, which is part of the 79th Air Assault Brigade.[25] The Belarusian assault company is located in the Donetsk direction and is the reserve of the commander of one of the separate assault brigades.[26]

• 1st Battalion
• 2nd Battalion

As of 2023 the brigade's structure is as follows:[28]

• 79th Air Assault Brigade, Mykolaiv
  • Headquarters
  • 1st Air Assault Battalion
  • 2nd Air Assault Battalion
  • 3rd Air Assault Battalion "Phoenix". (Created on August 12, 2014 by Yuri Biryukov)
  • 1st Separate Assault Company “Belarus”. Formed by Belarusian volunteers.
  • Tank Company
  • Artillery Group
    • Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery
    • Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (2S1 Gvozdika)
    • Howitzer Artillery Battalion (2A18 D-30)
    • Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
  • Separate Anti-Aircraft Battery
  • Reconnaissance Company
  • Separate Engineering and Sapper Company
  • CBRN-defense Company
  • Material Support Company
  • Amphibious Support Company
  • Maintenance Company
  • Medical Company
  • Communication Company
  • Proving Grounds