Odessa Brigade

Last updated
Odessa Brigade
Отдельная бригада особого назначения «Одесса»
Leaders
  • Anton Rayevsky (2014)
  • Alexei "Foma" Fominov (2014–2015)
Dates of operationc. March/May 2014 – January 2015
Country Ukraine
AllegianceFlag of Luhansk People's Republic.svg Luhansk People's Republic
Part of Russian people's militias in Ukraine
Battles and wars War in Donbas (2014–2022)

The Odessa Brigade, or officially the Separate Brigade of Special Purpose "Odessa" or OBrON "Odessa", [1] was a pro-Russian militia in the war in Donbas. It originated as a militant anti-Maidan group which emerged in the Ukrainian city of Odesa in 2014. It emerged within the pro-Russian "Odesskaya Druzhina" movement which was involved in the 2014 Odesa clashes. Following this event, members of "Odesskaya Druzhina" (and others from Odesa and Russia) reorganized themselves into a separatist militia in the Donbas, fighting on behalf of the Luhansk People's Republic in the war in Donbas. The unit was disbanded in January 2015, probably as a result of inter-separatist power struggles.

Contents

History

Origins in the 2014 Odesa clashes

Militants at the pro-Russian camp, referred to as "Odesskaya Druzhina", during the 2014 Odesa clashes. The Odessa Brigade originated from one of these militant factions. Odessa Russian Sring 20140413 03.JPG
Militants at the pro-Russian camp, referred to as "Odesskaya Druzhina", during the 2014 Odesa clashes. The Odessa Brigade originated from one of these militant factions.

The important port city of Odesa (also spelled "Odessa") in Ukraine was one of the locations where pro-Euromaidan and anti-Maidan groups clashed during the Revolution of Dignity of 2014 and the following period of pro-Russian unrest. Radical pro-Russian demonstrators in Odesa mobilized into a militant movement, referred to as "Odesskaya Druzhina". [2] [3] [4] There were other militant groups besides "Odesskaya Druzhina" such as the similarly named "People's Druzhina of Odessa". [4] The militants generally shared extremist right- or left-wing viewpoints, [5] [6] with "Odesskaya Druzhina" being identified by openDemocracy as being antisemitic. [6]

Anton Rayevsky traveled to Ukraine in this context, intending to support pro-Russian forces. [3] Rayevsky, a Russian citizen and ultranationalist, was previously known for being a member of the Russian nationalist and monarchist movement Black Hundreds, and has been described as a Neo-Nazi. [7] [3] [4] He arrived in the city on 19 March, posed as a local resident, and set up base in Odesskaya Druzhina's pro-Russian tent camp in "Kulikovo Field". [7] [4] He joined the group, [3] and trained pro-Russian protestors in "close combat". On VKontakte , he described the group he was training with as "Odessa brigade". [7] Rayevsky and the group subsequently took part in pro-Russian demonstrations in Odesa. [7] At one point, Rayevsky proposed to Odesskaya Druzhina that they should murder the local pro-Ukrainian Right Sector leader. According to Rayevsky, the leadership of "Odesskaya Druzhina" refused to accept this plan. [4] The Ukrainian Security Service eventually arrested Rayevsky for trying to incite ethnic unrest and deported him back to Russia. From Saint Petersburg, he called for armed rebellion against the post-revolution Ukrainian government, calling upon Russians to "take up weapons" and "shed blood". [7] Rayevsky would later fight in the war in Donbas before attempting to become a politician in Russia in 2021, which failed. [3]

Despite Rayevsky's removal, the violence in Odesa continued to escalate. Another Russian citizen, Alexei "Foma" Fominov, had also risen to prominence in the local anti-Maidan movement. [8] Fominov positioned himself as a Russian nationalist and later blamed Ukraine for the war in Donbas. [1] He later claimed that he had served as "commandant of Kulikovo Field", referencing the tent camp outside the city where pro-Russian forces gathered. On 2 May, riots in Odesa resulted in the deadly Trade Unions House fire; many Russian nationalists such as Fominov subsequently left the city. [8]

Activities in the Donbas

A number of these pro-Russian nationalists from Odesa ultimately relocated to Luhansk where Fominov reorganized them into a proper militia. [8] The unit became known for including a large number of volunteers from Russia. Many of these had previously belonged to the "Yakut" militia. [9] Under Fominov, the Odessa Brigade fought at Peremozhnoye, Luhansk International Airport, [9] [10] Izvaryne, Lutuhyne, Dolzhanske, Lysychansk, Georgievka, and Pervozvanivka. [10] The group was involved in the kidnapping and murder of civilians in Peremozhne  [ wikidata ] and Luhansk. These civilians were either known for pro-Ukrainian views or relatively wealthy. [8] Ukrainian officials also claimed that the group was responsible for a number of bombings in Odesa from 2014 to 2015. [8]

Though the unit fought for the separatist Luhansk People's Republic, it did not fully integrate itself into the Luhansk People's Republic Armed Forces. In January 2015, the Odessa Brigade was dissolved by the LPR. Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the LPR surrounded the militia's base, disarmed its fighters, and requested that the militants instead sign up for other units in the LPR Armed Forces. Though a large number of native Odessa Brigade members accepted this offer, most of the foreign volunteers refused and opted to return to Russia. [9] [1] Fominov was arrested on charges of criminal activity by LPR officials, [9] though Ukrainian officials believed that his imprisonment and the Odesa Brigade's dissolution were more likely the result of power struggles within the LPR. [8]

Later developments

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, another pro-Russian "Odessa Brigade" was founded in the context of the Southern Ukraine campaign by regional collaborator Ihor Markov. [11] [12] [13]

Leadership and ideology

Anton Rayevsky, trainer of the anti-Maidan group called the "Odessa brigade", [7] is a Russian ultranationalist and Neo-Nazi. He called for the annexation of Ukrainian territory by Russia. [7] [3] He has numerous Nazi-themed tattoos on his body, [7] [3] and an acquaintance of his reported that in school, Rayevsky would "calmly sit in the back row and read Mein Kampf ". [3] After leaving Odesa, Rayevsky joined other separatist groups before attempting to become a politician in Russia. [3]

The commander of the original armed militia, Alexei "Foma" Fominov, generally posed as Russian nationalist and blamed Ukraine for the warfare in the region. [1] Ukrainian media and officials believed that he had played a major role in escalating the 2014 Odesa clashes as well as in convincing Rodion Miroshyn, deputy of the Luhansk Regional Council, to defect to the separatists. After the 2015 dissolution of the Odessa Brigade, the Luhansk People's Republic prosecutor's office charged him with "murder, robbery and kidnapping of civilians". [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pervomaisk, Luhansk Oblast</span> City in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine

Pervomaisk, also known as Sokolohirsk (Сокологірськ), is a city in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine, on the left bank of the Luhan River. Pervomaisk is located 71 kilometres (44 mi), by road, from Luhansk, 133 kilometres (83 mi) from Izvaryne, where there is the de jure international border between Ukraine and Russia, and 736 kilometres (457 mi) from the capital Kyiv.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right Sector</span> Far-right political party in Ukraine

Right Sector is a loosely defined coalition of right-wing to far-right Ukrainian nationalist organizations. It originated in November 2013 as a right-wing, paramilitary confederation of several ultranationalist organizations at the Euromaidan revolt in Kyiv, where its street fighters participated in clashes with riot police. The coalition became a political party on 22 March 2014, at which time it claimed to have roughly 10,000 members. Founding groups included the Trident (Tryzub), led by Dmytro Yarosh and Andriy Tarasenko, and the Ukrainian National Assembly–Ukrainian National Self-Defense (UNA–UNSO), a political and paramilitary organization. Other founding groups included the Social-National Assembly, and its Patriot of Ukraine paramilitary wing, White Hammer, and the Sich Battalion. White Hammer was expelled in March 2014, and Patriot of Ukraine left the organization, along with many UNA–UNSO members, in the following months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine</span>

From the end of February 2014, in the aftermath of the Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity, which resulted in the ousting of Russian-leaning Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, demonstrations by Russian-backed, pro-Russian, and anti-government groups took place in Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv and Odesa. The unrest, which was supported by the Russian military and intelligence services, belongs to the early stages of the Russo-Ukrainian War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Guard of Ukraine</span> Internal troops and militarised police force of Ukraine

The National Guard of Ukraine is the Ukrainian national gendarmerie and internal military force. It is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, responsible for public security. Originally created as an agency under the direct control of the Verkhovna Rada on 4 November 1991, following Ukrainian independence, it was later disbanded and merged into the Internal Troops of Ukraine in 2000 by President Leonid Kuchma as part of a "cost-saving" scheme. Following the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, amidst the Russian intervention, the National Guard was re-established, and the Internal Troops were disbanded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donetsk People's Republic</span> Disputed Russian republic in eastern Ukraine

The Donetsk People's Republic is a republic of Russia, comprising the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, with its capital in Donetsk. The DPR was created by Russian-backed paramilitaries in 2014, and it initially operated as a breakaway state until it was annexed in 2022. The entire territory of DPR is viewed as sovereign territory of Ukraine by nearly all UN member states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian separatist forces in Ukraine</span> Pro-Russian paramilitary groups in eastern Ukraine

Russian separatist forces in Ukraine, primarily the People's Militias of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), were pro-Russian paramilitaries in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. They were under the overall control of the Russian Federation. They were also referred to as Russian proxy forces. They were active during the war in Donbas (2014–2022), the first stage of the Russo-Ukrainian War. They then supported the Russian Armed Forces against the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the 2022 Russian invasion. In September 2022, Russia annexed the DPR and LPR, and began integrating the paramilitaries into its armed forces. They are designated as terrorist groups by the government of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War in Donbas</span> 2014–2022 war between Ukraine and Russia

The war in Donbas, also known as the Donbas war, was a phase of the Russo-Ukrainian War in the Donbas region of Ukraine. The war began in April 2014, when a commando unit headed by Russian citizen Igor Girkin seized Sloviansk in Donetsk oblast. The Ukrainian military launched an operation against them. The war continued until subsumed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luhansk People's Republic</span> Disputed Russian republic in eastern Ukraine

The Luhansk or Lugansk People's Republic is a republic of Russia in the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, with its capital in Luhansk. The LPR was proclaimed by Russian-backed paramilitaries in 2014, and it initially operated as a breakaway state until it was annexed by Russia in 2022. The entire territory of LPR is viewed as sovereign territory of Ukraine by nearly all UN member states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Novorossiya (confederation)</span> 2014–2015 proposed confederation in eastern Ukraine

Novorossiya or New Russia, also referred to as the Union of People's Republics, was a project for a confederation between the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) in Eastern Ukraine, both of which were under the control of pro-Russian separatists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Igor Plotnitsky</span> Ukrainian separatist leader; 2014–2017 head of the Luhansk Peoples Republic

Igor Venediktovich Plotnitsky is a former Ukrainian separatist leader who served as the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, in eastern Ukraine, from 14 August 2014 to 24 November 2017. He was born 26 June 1964 either in Luhansk or in the town of Kelmentsi, Chernivtsi Oblast. Plotnitsky himself did not issue a public statement on 24 November 2017, but on that day a Luhansk People's Republic website claimed he had resigned as their president. On 25 November the 38-member People's Council of the self-proclaimed state unanimously approved Plotnitsky's resignation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleksey Mozgovoy</span> Pro-Russian rebel and warlord in Eastern Ukraine

Aleksey Borisovich Mozgovoy was a commander of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic in Ukraine. He was the leader of the pro-Russian Prizrak Brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Odesa clashes</span> Clashes between pro-Maidan and anti-Maidan demonstrators in Odesa, Ukraine

In early 2014, there were clashes between rival groups of protestors in the Ukrainian city of Odesa, during the pro-Russian unrest that followed the Ukrainian Revolution. The street clashes were between pro-revolution ('pro-Maidan') protesters and anti-revolution ('anti-Maidan'), pro-Russian protesters. Violence erupted on 2 May, when a 'United Ukraine' rally of about 2,000 was attacked by about 300 pro-Russian separatists. Stones, petrol bombs and gunfire were exchanged. A pro-Russian gunman shot dead a pro-Ukraine protester. Another pro-Ukraine activist and four pro-Russia activists were shot dead in the clashes. The pro-Ukraine group then moved to dismantle a pro-Russian protest camp in Kulykove Pole, causing some pro-Russian activists to barricade themselves in the nearby Trade Unions House. Shots were fired from the building at the pro-Ukraine group, and the pro-Ukrainians attempted to storm the building, which caught fire as the two groups threw petrol bombs at each other.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somalia Battalion</span> Military unit

Separate Guards Assault Battalion "Somalia" named after M. S. Tolstykh, often known as Somalia Battalion, is a military unit of Russian Ground Forces. Until January 1, 2023 it was part of so called self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). In September 2022, with a decree of Vladimir Putin, Russia unilaterally annexed occupied areas of Ukraine, and after that, military units of DPR and LPR were officially incorporated in Russian Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prizrak Brigade</span> Military unit

The Prizrak Brigade (Russian: Бригада «Призрак», romanized: Brigada "Prizrak", lit. 'Ghost Brigade'), founded by Aleksey Mozgovoy, is an infantry unit of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), one of the self-proclaimed breakaway states located in the Donbas. It has been officially designated Prizrak Mechanized Brigade and 4th Territorial Defense Brigade (Alchevsk). According to Amnesty International, the unit is one of the separatist units known for brutal treatment and torture of prisoners of war. Until January 1, 2023, it was part of the Luhansk People's Militia. It is attached to the 3rd Guards Combined Arms Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Territorial Defense Forces (Ukraine)</span> Military unit

The Territorial Defence Forces are the military reserve component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonid Pasechnik</span> Head of the Luhansk Peoples Republic

Leonid Ivanovich Pasechnik is a Ukrainian-born politician who has served as Head of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) since 2017. He holds the position in acting capacity ever since the illegal and unrecognized Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in 2022. Pasechnik had previously held office as the LPR's Minister of State Security from 2014 to 2018.

The Russo-Ukrainian War has seen foreign volunteers participate on both sides of the conflict. Most foreign fighters joined the conflict during one of two waves. The first wave happened from 2014 to 2019 during the War in the Donbas and consisted of approximately 17,241 foreign fighters. The second wave is considered by researchers to have been much larger and began in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The battle of Popasna was a military engagement during the eastern Ukraine campaign as part of the battle of Donbas. The city came under Russian control on 7 May 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusich Group</span> Russian paramilitary unit

The Sabotage Assault Reconnaissance Group(DShRG) "Rusich" is a Russian far-right and neo-Nazi paramilitary unit that has been fighting against Ukrainian forces in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Its co-founder and leader is Alexey Milchakov and operates within the Wagner Group. "Rusich" fought on the side of pro-Russian military in the Donbas war from June 2014 to July 2015, and in the Russian invasion of Ukraine alongside Russian troops.

Odessa Brigade may refer to any of the following:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Командир ОБрОН «Одесса», сдавшись боевикам «ЛНР», оправдывается и винит во всем Украину (видео)" [The commander of the Obron "Odesa", surrendering to the militants of the "LPR", justifies himself and blames Ukraine for everything (video)]. informator.media (in Russian). 10 January 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  2. ↑ Mareš, Laryš & Holzer 2018, Section: The role of Russian militant nationalism during the unrest in Odessa.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Dying to kill The Russian neo-Nazis fighting Vladimir Putin's war to 'denazify' Ukraine". Meduza . 15 July 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "The main person involved in the May 2 tragedy: Egor Kvasnyuk received money for moving the Anti-Maidan tent camp - now he is in Russia". dumskaya.net. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  5. ↑ ""People's squads" in Odessa: the Nazis under the guise of "anti-fascism"". Odesa Daily. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Extremism in South-Eastern Ukraine". Open Democracy. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Anna Dolgov (31 March 2014). "Ultranationalist Activist Publishes Video Plea Calling For Russians to 'Shed Blood' In Ukraine". The Moscow Times . Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Stanislav Kozlyuk (4 May 2017). "Слідами "коменданта Куликового поля"" [In the footsteps of the "commandant of Kulikovo field"]. tyzhden.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "В ЛНР разоружен добровольческий батальон «Одесса»" [Volunteer battalion "Odesa" disarmed in the LPR]. Regnum.ru (in Russian). 12 January 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 ""Він підпалив натовп": фото росіянина з пістолетом під час одеської трагедії вразило соцмережі" ["He set fire to the crowd": a photo of a Russian man with a gun during the Odesa tragedy hit social networks]. obozrevatel.com (in Ukrainian). 12 May 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Ukraine: the birth of the "Odessa Brigade" seems to portend a new Russian offensive against ports on the Black Sea". agenzianova.com. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  12. ↑ "Russia's war on Ukraine: six months of spreading lies". The Frontier Post . 24 August 2022. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  13. ↑ Lilia Ragutskaya (24 July 2022). "ВСУ уничтожают оккупантов сотнями, но предатель Марков размечтался о взятии Одессы и показал "пушечное мясо". Видео" [The Armed Forces of Ukraine are destroying the invaders by the hundreds, but the traitor Markov dreamed about the capture of Odessa and showed "cannon fodder". Video]. obozrevatel.com (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 29 August 2023.

Works cited

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.