96th Anti-aircraft Missile Brigade | |
---|---|
96-та зенітна ракетна бригада | |
Active | 1992 – present |
Country | Ukraine |
Allegiance | Ukraine |
Branch | Ukrainian Air Force |
Type | Missile |
Role | Anti-Aircraft |
Part of | Air Command Center |
Garrison/HQ | Danylivka |
Nickname(s) | Kyivska Brigade |
Motto(s) | "Sanctified by fire" |
Anniversaries | April 25 |
Equipment | S-300PS and Patriot |
Engagements | Russo-Ukrainian war |
Decorations | For Courage and Bravery |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Colonel Yaremenko Serhii Volodymyrovych |
Insignia | |
Collar Insignia |
The 96th Anti-aircraft Missile Brigade "Kyivska" is a brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force tasked with air defense operations throughout Kyiv Oblast and Chernobyl NPP. It operates S-300PS and Patriot [1] missile defense systems. It is headquartered at Danylivka in Kyiv Oblast.
In 1992, the 96th Anti-aircraft Missile Brigade of the Soviet Army came under the jurisdiction of Ukraine, becoming a part of the.Ukrainian Air Force.
On 4 December 1998, the brigade was given the honorary name of "Kyivska". [2]
The 96th Brigade is normally stationed on the territory of Kyiv Oblast and are tasked with the air defense of Kyiv, the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant, and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. [3]
The brigade's equipment and personnel normally take part in the military parade on the Independence Day of Ukraine. [4]
On the afternoon of 2 February 2016, while patrolling the territory near Spirne, the personnel of the Brigade noticed movement several hundred meters away, they searched but found no one, while returning they blew up a landmine killing two soldiers of the brigade (Samus Gennadiy Vasyliovych [5] and Leonid Eduardovych Kozoroz [6] ) and wounding four other soldiers of the brigade.
The brigade engaged Russian troops since 24 February 2022, the day of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with a soldier of the brigade (Viktor Vyacheslavovych Kuzmin) being killed near Svatove on the day one of the invasion. [7] [8] On 15 June 2022, the brigade was awarded the honorary award "For Courage and Bravery". [9]
On 27 June 2023, the brigade's commander Serhii Volodymyrovych Yaremenko was awarded the "Hero of Ukraine", the highest military award for Ukrainian personnel, [10] [11] for the brigade's shooting down of 13 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. [12]
The structure of the brigade is as follows: [13]
The 51st Guards Mechanized Brigade was a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, stationed at Volodymyr in Volyn Oblast, on the border with Poland. The Brigade drew its history from the 15th Guards Rifle Division of World War II, which was converted into the 15th Guards Motor Rifle Division in 1957. The division was renumbered as the 51st Guards Motor Rifle Division in 1965 and awarded the honorific Perekop in honor of the 51st Rifle Division of the Russian Civil War.
The 25th Separate Airborne Brigade "Sicheslav" is an airborne formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.
The 28th Mechanized Brigade is a mechanized brigade and part of the formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
Operational Command North is a command of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in northern Ukraine. It was formed in 2013 from the Western Operational Command and Territorial Directorate North by reforming the 13th Army Corps.
The Operational Command South is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in the southern part of Ukraine, which was formed in January 1998 as the Southern Operation Command on the basis of the Odesa Military District and was headquartered in Odesa.
Operational Command West is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in western Ukraine. Its headquarters is located in Rivne.
The Ukrainian Air Defence Forces were an anti-aircraft military service of Ukraine, active from 1992 to 2004.
Serhii Leonidovych Kotenko was a Ukrainian military officer and participant in the Russian invasion of Ukraine who posthumously received the Hero of Ukraine on 16 March 2022. Prior to the war, he was head of the Haisyn District State Administration (2014–2015) and Commander of the 9th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion.
Inna Mykolaivna Derusova was a Ukrainian military medic who was the first woman to be posthumously awarded the Hero of Ukraine distinction.
Ihor Volodymyrovych Bedzai was a Ukrainian naval officer and pilot killed when his helicopter was shot down by invading Russian forces during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was also the Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Navy. He was a posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine as a recipient of the Order of the Gold Star, and the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III class.
Viacheslav Denysovych Radionov was a Ukrainian military aviator, a senior pilot, and a senior lieutenant of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade who was killed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star.
Vitalii Anatoliiovych Movchan was a Ukrainian military service member (lieutenant). He was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine (posthumously) in 2022.
Hennadii Vasyliovych Matuliak was a Ukrainian military officer, colonel, and the commander of the 1st Aviation Squadron of the 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade. He was a pilot of MiG-29, L-39, and Su-25 aircraft. He was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously in 2022.
Andrii Andriiovych Herus is a Ukrainian military personnel, captain of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Air Force, MiG-29 fighter pilot, and participant in the Russian-Ukrainian war. He is a Hero of Ukraine (2022).
Andrii Mykolaiovych Kruhlov is a Ukrainian military personnel, a lieutenant colonel. He is a Hero of Ukraine (2022).
Oleksandr Volodymyrovych Mostovyi is a Ukrainian military commander, a colonel. He is the commander of the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade. He is a participant of the Russian-Ukrainian war and distinguished himself during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He is a Hero of Ukraine (2022).
Yurii Kovalchuk was a Ukrainian military officer and participant in the Russo-Ukrainian War, and posthumous recipient of the Hero of Ukraine, the highest state award in Ukraine.
Oleksandr Serhiiovych Pivnenko is a Ukrainian athlete, serviceman, Brigadier general of the National Guard of Ukraine, a participant in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, member of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff. Hero of Ukraine (2023).
Volodymyr Hryniuk is a prominent Ukrainian activist, soldier, lieutenant colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, commander of the motorized infantry battalion of the 30th separate mechanized brigade. Hero of Ukraine (2015), a participant in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
39th Tactical Aviation Brigade is brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force, tasked with operating Su-27 and Aero L-39 Albatros aircraft. The brigade traces its origin to the 894th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Soviet Air Force but it's direct lineage is from the 9th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Ukrainian Air Force. It is based at Ozerne Air Base.