The 1st Tank Brigade "

Severia Severia or Siveria ( orv, Сѣверія, russian: Северщина, translit=Severshchina, uk, Сіверія or , translit. ''Siveria'' or ''Sivershchyna'') is a historical region in present-day southwest Russia, northern Ukraine, eastern ...

" () is a brigade of the

Ukrainian Ground Forces The Ukrainian Ground Forces ( uk, Сухопу́тні військá Збрóйних сил Украї́ни), also known as the Ukrainian Army, are the land forces of Ukraine and one of the five branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They ...

formed in 1997.

History

The Brigade is a unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that was formed in 1997 from the 292nd Tank Regiment. In 2014, the brigade was deployed to the border with

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

in the

Sumy region Sumy Oblast ( uk, Сумська́ о́бласть, translit=Sumska oblast; also referred to as Sumshchyna – uk, Су́мщина) is an oblast (province) in the northeastern part of Ukraine. Population: The oblast was created in its most r ...

to protect the route to

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...

. One battalion was also sent to support mechanized brigades in the

Luhansk region Luhansk Oblast ( uk, Луга́нська о́бласть, translit=Luhanska oblast; russian: Луганская область, translit=Luganskaya oblast; also referred to as Luhanshchyna, uk, Луга́нщина) is the easternmost oblast ...

, mainly around the

Luhansk Airport Luhansk International Airport ( uk, Міжнародний аеропорт "Луганськ") was an airport in Luhansk, Ukraine . The airport was located 20 km (12 miles) south of the city center, 9 km to the city limit. Since 11 Jun ...

. In 2015, the brigade supported the 30th Mechanized Brigade in

Debaltseve Debaltseve or Debaltsevo ( uk, Деба́льцеве ''Debálʼtseve'', ; russian: Деба́льцево ''Debálʼtsevo'') is a city of regional significance in the ''de facto'' Donetsk People's Republic; ''de jure'' Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. T ...

, where they destroyed at least three enemy tanks. At the onset of the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...

, the brigade dispersed in anticipation of the imminent bombardment. Following the bombardment, the unit returned to

Chernihiv Chernihiv ( uk, Черні́гів, , russian: Черни́гов, ; pl, Czernihów, ; la, Czernihovia), is a city and municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative center of Chernihiv Oblast and Chernihiv Raion within ...

to respond to Russian vanguard forces. Russian forces attempted to take the city but were repelled. However, they eventually bypassed the city, resulting in the

Siege of Chernihiv The siege of Chernihiv was a military engagement in the city of Chernihiv, in Chernihiv Oblast in the north of Ukraine. It began on 24 February 2022, as part of the northeastern Ukraine offensive, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. On ...

. Despite encirclement, the brigade maintained one supply route for communications and resupply. By 31 March 2022, the brigade had successfully defended the city against Russian attacks and the siege was lifted. Surviving elements of the Russian 41st CAA retreated north to

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...

. The brigade recaptured surrounding Ukrainian towns and the M01 Highway connecting to Kyiv. Following rest and refit in May, elements of the brigade were deployed back to the battle of Donbas in the area of southern

Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; uk, Донецьк, translit=Donets'k ; russian: Донецк ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin and Stalino (see also: cities' alternative names), is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine loca ...

and

Kramatorsk Kramatorsk ( uk, Краматорськ, translit=Kramatorsk ) is a city and the administrative centre of Kramatorsk Raion in the northern portion of Donetsk Oblast, in eastern Ukraine. Prior to 2020, Kramatorsk was a city of oblast significan ...

. For its service in Chernihiv, the southern counteroffensive, and the Donbas region, the unit was awarded the recently established honorary award of "For Courage and Bravery" by Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, ; russian: Владимир Александрович Зеленский, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelenskyy, (born 25 January 1978; also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy) is a Ukrainian politicia ...

. The president also stated that in six months, more than a thousand warriors of this brigade were awarded state awards.

Structure

As of 2023 the brigade's structure is as follows: * 1st Tank Brigade

, Honcharivske, Chernihiv Oblast ** Headquarters & Headquarters Company ** 1st Tank Battalion ** 2nd Tank Battalion ** 3rd Tank Battalion ** 4th Tank Battalion ** 1st Mechanized Battalion ** Artillery Group ** Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion ** Reconnaissance Company ** Engineer Battalion ** Logistic Battalion ** Maintenance Battalion ** Signal Company ** Radar Company ** Medical Company ** CBRN Protection Company

References

Tank brigades of Ukraine Military units and formations of the Russian invasion of Ukraine {{UGF-stub