100th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade

It was created by DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko on January 12, 2015.[4][5] On August 15, 2015, the Republican Guard became subordinate to the First Army Corps of the Ministry of Defense of the DPR.[6] It received its battle banner on September 18, 2015.[6] The 100th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade was based in Olenika to Donetsk City.[7] In September 2022, the 100th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade reportedly began recruiting prisoners from prisons across Donetsk.[8]

One of Its Units the Pyatnashka battalion (the fifteeners) named after the first 15 volunteers in Donetsk. Its leader Akhrik Avidzba, a veteran of the Abkhazian conflict was one of those 15. The Pyatnashka defended a checkpoint in Stratonahtiv street just south of the international airport where heavy fighting was ongoing.[7]

Many units of the Republican Guard had been in 2016 reformed into the 100th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade. (Russian: 100-я отдельная мотострелковая бригада «Республиканская гвардия»).[9] The 100th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade was formed as a rapid reaction force with nine Battalion tactical groups, two independent companies, and one separate battalion, with a combined size of between 3,000-5,000. the two separate companies include a reconnaissance battalion nicknamed "Patriot" based in Oleksandrivka and the Viking company. The 8th BTG nicknamed Paynashka is a mainly Abkhazian Volunteer battalion called "Pyatnashka".

The 100th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade defended the area of the front line going from Olenivka, Kalmiuske Raion, Donetsk Oblast to Donetsk International Airport.[7]

It took part in the Battle of Marinka.[10]

In the January 2017 Battle of Avdiivka, the losses of the 1st Battalion of the 100th Brigade were estimated at nine killed and up to thirty wounded,[11] among whom was Ivan Balakay, a combatant nicknamed "Greek".[12]