Ukrainian Naval Infantry

The Ukrainian Naval Infantry Corps ( uk, Морська піхота України, translit=Morsʹka pikhota Ukrayiny), also known as the Ukrainian Marines, is part of coastal defense troops of the Ukrainian Navy. It is used as a component part of amphibious, airborne and amphibious-airborne operations, alone or in coordination with formations and units of the Army in order to capture parts of the seashore, islands, ports, fleet bases, coast airfields and other coast objects from the enemy. It can also be used to defend naval bases, vital shoreline areas, separate islands and coast objects, and security of hostile areas.

Mission

The Naval Infantry's missions are to:
* Act independently during attacks on enemy's naval installations, ports, islands and coastal areas
* Clear the enemy's coastal areas & provide security during the landing of the main forces."Військо України"

Its motto is ''Вірний завжди!'' ("Always Faithful!") .

History

The Marine Corps is descended from the formations of the Black Sea Fleet Naval Infantry of the former Imperial Russian Navy.

Hetmanate

Former Russian Imperial army general Pavlo Skoropadskyi understood the importance of naval infantry in providing security to the country. Being the commander-in-chief of land and naval forces, Skoropadskyi brought attention to creating the naval infantry during his first month in power. On May 23, 1918, he ordered the Department of Navy to ''Begin forming a Brigade of naval infantry consisting of three regiments''.Морська Держава :: Головна сторiнка - Анонси
A long way to the sea: Marines of the Ukrainian People's Republic
Istorychna Pravda (29 April 2021)

The mission of the Naval Infantry was protecting coastal areas, serving as a garrison force for forts and conducting landing operations. According to the order the Brigade was divided into three regiments. First regiment was responsible for the areas between the western border until the village of Suchavka, near Odesa. Second regiment was responsible for territory between Suchavka and Stanislavov. Third regiment protected the areas from Stanislavov until Perekop. Brigade was also put in charge of guarding the property of the Navy Department.

Each of the three regiments consisted of three kurins. Each kurin consisted of three Sotnia and a machine gun unit. Commandant of the first regiment was Ilarion Isaievych.

On August 31, 1918, each unit was given the permanent headquarters. First regiment's HQ was located in Odesa, second's HQ in Mykolaiv and third's HQ in Kherson. Also at this time 3 squadrons of cavalry were formed. First was stationed in Odesa, second in Ochakiv and third in Perekop.

In October 1918 new recruits born in 1899, would have joined the ranks of the naval infantry, however due to the political situation of that autumn the recruits had to wait until a better time.

Not long after, Pavlo Skoropadskyi was removed from power in an uprising led by Symon Petliura. The Naval Infantry continued to faithfully serve their nation under the banner of the Ukrainian People's Republic. Many of them have died for freedom and independence.

Modern history

A Ukrainian naval infantryman armed with a Dragunov sniper rifle takes part in Exercise Northern Light '03 on the west coast of Scotland in 2003.

On February 22, 1993, the 880th Separate Russian Naval Infantry, Naval Infantry Battalion of the Black Sea Fleet commanded by Major Vitaliy Rozhmanov pledged their allegiance to Ukraine.

After the Navy was created on July 1, 1993, as a separate service branch of the Armed Forces, the first battalion of the Naval Infantry was formed in the city of Sevastopol.Морская пехота - состав и дислокация ч2
The first naval infantrymen were transferred from the airmobile units. On September 1, 1993, the 41st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion was formed. By September 20, 1994, the 4th Naval Infantry Brigade was stationed in the Tylove village of Crimea.

From May 1996 until 1998, the Brigade was a part of the Ukrainian National Guard. In 1998, it was transferred to the Navy and re-designated the 1st Separate Naval Infantry Brigade. In 1999, the Brigade consisted of two battalions numbering 1,500 marines.
During 2003–04, the Ukrainian armed forces underwent a program to reduce the number of brigades, and the Naval Infantry Brigade was reduced to a Battalion.

The command of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine made a decision to form a new Naval Infantry battalion by force of a mechanised battalion located in Kerch. In December 2013 the militaries of the new 501st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion have taken the Naval Infantry Oath.

The 1st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion was under the jurisdiction of the , and it was stationed in Feodosiya and there was also another one battalion (501st Bn.) which was stationed in Kerch; both were in the Crimea until late March 2014. After the Russian annexation of the Crimea the battalions were deployed to another location out of the peninsula. After the annexation of Crimea Ukraine's marine forces composed of only about 200 active duty personnel.

Special reconnaissance units of the Marine Corps were deployed against insurgents during the 2014 War in Donbas. Oleksandr Zinchenko of the 73rd Spetsnaz Detachment was the first Ukrainian Marine killed during the War in Donbas. The Ukrainian Marine Corps was particularly hard hit by the Crimea Crisis as all of their forces except for the 73rd Spetsnaz Detachment were stationed on the peninsula, due to this the unit had to undergo extensive reorganization before being able to be deployed to the war in the Donbas.

In September 2014 the Ministry of Defense announced that the Marine Corps were reforming from the Crimea Crisis and the remaining members of the 1st Marine Battalion which was stationed in Feodosya would take an active part in the War in Donbas. On 29 October 2014 Ukraine's Marine Corps conventional forces, recently recovered from the Crimea Crisis suffered their first casualty near Mariupol, the Marine was a Major and was killed when his unit's position came under Russian artillery fire.

On 8 November 2014 Ukrainian marines returned to their permanent place of deployment in Mykolaiv as part of a regular rotation of Ukrainian forces during the War in Donbas.

On 23 May 2018, the NI celebrated the first Marine Corps Birthday celebrations, the holiday being officially sanctioned by President Petro Poroshenko as part of a nationalization of the former Soviet holidays, replacing those with the ones celebrating Ukrainian military history. The holiday marked the formation of the first marine units in May 1918, during the Ukrainian War of Independence. New colours were awarded incorporating the speciality badge awarded to the unit in 2007. The NI was transformed into the Fleet Marine Division with 2 brigades and an independent brigade of marine artillery. The former black berets were changed to light green following the practice of the British Royal Marines and the Italian Army Lagunari.

Expansion

The new colours include the blue cross from the naval ensign as an acknowledgement of its role as a constituent service of the Navy. Plans are underway for the formation of a 3rd Marine brigade, bringing the total number of brigades to four plus one MRL regiment, with an option for a fourth brigade.

If the expansion continues it can be possible that the Naval Infantry Corps will be elevated to a full Corps-sized formation within the Navy, becoming the largest ever marine unit in Eastern Europe outside of Russia and with possible accession to NATO, the largest marine component within its European member armed forces.

However Ukraine joining NATO is extremely unlikely. Due to the comments of President Zelenskiy.

Reform

The ideal goal in the reform of the Naval Infantry Corps is to form a unit which would be similar to the units sent to Iraq. It is planned that there will be no more conscripts in the Naval Infantry, only professional naval infantrymen under contract service.

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

Siege of Mariupol

On 12 April 2022, videos have emerged of fighters apparently from the 36th Separate Marine Brigade vowing not to surrender their positions, saying "We are holding on to every bit of the city wherever possible," and "But the reality is the city is encircled and blocked and there was no re-supply of ammunition or food,". The next day, Russian Defence Ministry as well as the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced 1,026 Ukrainian Marines, including 162 officers, of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade laid down their weapons and surrendered in Mariupol. Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said he had no information about the claim, and there was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian President's office nor the Ukrainian general staff. A top advisor to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said another Marine unit that was encircled in the middle of Mariupol had broken through to connect with the Azov Regiment and that Mariupol is still standing. By 16 April, the Marines and Azov had entrenched themselves in the Azovstal iron and steel works, the last Ukrainian bastion in Mariupol. By May 17, most Azovstal defenders surrendered.

On June, tribunals of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) condmned three members of the Ukrainian Marines in Mariupol to death: Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Brahim Saadoun. The three of them were foreign volunteers and were accused by the DPR of mercenarism, which has been disputed as the three of them were sworn members of the Ukrainian Navy, making them active-duty soldiers who should be protected by the Geneva conventions on prisoners of war.

Organization

1918 structure

*1st Regiment - Odessa
**1st Kurin
***1st Sotnia
***2nd Sotnia
***3rd Sotnia
***Machine Gun Unit
**2nd Kurin
**3rd Kurin
*2nd Regiment - Mykolaiv
*3rd Regiment - Kherson
*1st Cavalry Squadron - Odesa
*2nd Cavalry Squadron - Ochakiv
*3rd Cavalry Squadron - Perekop

1998 structure

*Corps HQ
*1st Air Assault Battalion "Lion"
*2nd Air Assault Battalion "Berkut"
*1st Air Assault Reconnaissance Battalion "Sword"
*Separate Combat Engineer Battalion "Crab"
*Separate Signal Company
*1st Anti-Tank Battalion
*1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion
*1st Marine Artillery Battalion
*2nd Marine Artillery Battalion

Fleet Marine Division

As of 2018 the Fleet Naval Infantry Division's structure is as follows:

*Fleet Marine Infantry Division of the Ukrainian Navy, Mykolaiv
** Division HQ
** Division HQ Services Battalion
** 36th Separate Marine Brigade, Mykolaiv
*** Headquarters & Services Company
*** 1st Naval Infantry Battalion, Mykolaiv (BTR-80)
*** 501st Naval Infantry Battalion, Mariupol (BTR-80)
*** 503rd Naval Infantry Battalion, Berdiansk (BTR-80)
*** 505th Naval Infantry Battalion (under formation)
*** 4th Naval Infantry Battalion (Air Assault) (under formation)
*** 1st Naval infantry Tank Battalion (T-80)
*** 1st Naval Infantry Brigade Artillery Group
**** Regimental HQ and Target Acquisition Battery
**** 1st Naval Infantry Self-propelled Field Artillery Battalion (2S1 Gvozdika)
**** 1st Naval Infantry Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
**** 1st Naval Infantry Anti-tank Artillery Battalion ( MT-12 Rapira)
**** Marine Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion
**** Security Company
**** Engineer Company
**** Replacement and Maintenance Battery
**** Logistics Company
**** Signals Platoon
**** CBRN-defense Platoon
*** 1st Marine Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion
*** 1st Marine Combat Engineer Battalion
*** 1st Marine Maintenance Battalion
*** 1st Marine Logistics Battalion
*** Force Reconnaissance Company
*** Sniper Company
*** Electronic Warfare Company
*** Signals Company
*** Anti-Aircraft Radar Company
*** CBRN-defense Company
*** Medical Company
*** Military Police Company
*** Naval Infantry Brigade Band
** 35th Marine Brigade, Dachne
*** Headquarters & Services Company
*** 136th Naval Infantry Battalion (under formation)
*** 137th Naval Infantry Battalion
*** 18th Naval Infantry Battalion (under formation)
*** 88th Marine Battalion (Air Assault) (under formation)
*** 2nd Naval Infantry Brigade Artillery Group
**** Regimental HQ and Target Acquisition Battery
**** Naval Infantry Self-propelled Field Artillery Battalion (2S1 Gvozdika)
**** Naval Infantry Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
**** Naval Infantry Anti-tank Artillery Battalion ( MT-12 Rapira)
**** Naval Infantry Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion
**** Security Company
**** Engineer Company
**** Replacement and Maintenance Battery
**** Logistics Company
**** Signals Platoon
**** CBRN-defense Platoon
*** 2nd Naval Infantry Tank Battalion (under formation)
*** 2nd Naval Infantry Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion
*** 2nd Naval Infantry Engineer Battalion
*** 2nd Naval Infantry Maintenance Battalion
*** 2nd Naval Infantry Logistics Battalion
*** Force Reconnaissance Company
*** Sniper Company
*** Electronic Warfare Company
*** Signals Company
*** Anti-Aircraft Radar Company
*** CBRN-defense Company
*** Medical Company
*** Military Police Company
*** 2nd Naval Infantry Brigade Band
** 32nd Marine MRL Artillery Regiment, Altestove
*** Headquarters & Headquarters Battery
*** 1st Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-27 Uragan)
*** 2nd Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
*** 3rd Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)
*** Security Company
*** Engineer Company
*** MRL Replacement and Maintenance Company
*** Logistic Company
*** Signal Platoon
*** CBRN-defense Platoon
*** Regimental Band
** 406th Marine Field and Coastal Defense Artillery Brigade (Amphibious)
*** Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery
*** 64th Field Artillery Battalion (MU А4217), Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Odessa Oblast
*** 65th Field Artillery Battalion (MU А3687), Dachne-2 village, Odessa Oblast
*** 66th Field Artillery Battalion (MU А2611), Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast
*** 67th Field Artillery Battalion (MU А1804), Ochakiv, Mykolaiv Oblast
*** 1st Naval Infantry Anti-tank Artillery Battalion (MT-12 Rapira)
*** Naval Infantry Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion
*** Security Company
*** Engineers Company
*** Maintenance and Replacement Battery
*** Logistics Company
*** Signals Platoon
*** CBRN-defense Platoon
*** Naval Infantry Brigade Band
** 37th Marine Signals Regiment, Radisne, Odessa Oblast
** 140th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion (Separate) (new raising as of 2019)
** 7th Naval Infantry Divisional Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion, Ochakiv, Mykolaiv Oblast (to be expanded to regiment)
** Divisional Marine Engineer Battalion (to be expanded to Regiment size)
** Naval Infantry Maintenance Battalion
** Naval Infantry Division Logistics Battalion
** Sniper Company
** Electronic Warfare Company
** HQ Signals Company
** Anti-Aircraft Radar Company
** Divisional CBRN-defense Company
** Divisional Medical Company (to be expanded to battalion)
** Divisional Military Police Company (to be expanded into battalion)
** Marine Division Band Mykolaiv

It was announced June 10, 2019 that the 56th Motorized Brigade may be transferred to the Ukrainian Naval Infantry. It is not known if the 56th Brigade would be redesignated as either the 37th or 40th Naval Infantry Brigades or if it will retain its current designation as 56th Brigade.

The Naval Infantry infantry battalions are organized as follows:

* Naval Infantry Battalion Headquarters & Headquarters Platoon
** 1st Naval Infantry Air Assault CompanyMarine paratroopers received German jump wings
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** 2nd Naval Infantry Company
** 3rd Naval Infantry Company
** Mortar Battery
** Logistic Company
** Reconnaissance Platoon
** Anti-Aircraft Missile Artillery Platoon
** Anti-tank Artillery Platoon
** Engineer Platoon
** Landing Equipment Platoon
** Signal Platoon
** Medical Platoon

The tank and artillery battalions are organized similarly but with one to 4 tank companies or artillery batteries.

Weapons and vehicular equipment

The NIC-UKRN is equipped with the following vehicles:

* T-64, T-72, T-80, PT-91 Twardy main battle tanks in Marine Tank Battalions
* BMP-1, BMP-2, BMP-3 tracked infantry fighting vehicles in tracked Marine Battalions and Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions
* BTR-3, BTR-4 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles in wheeled Marine Battalions and Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions
* BTR-60, BTR-70, BTR-80, VAB, Patria Pasi wheeled armored personnel carriers in wheeled Marine Battalions and Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions
* MT-LB and PTS series (PTS-2 and PTS-3) tracked armored personnel carriers in tracked Marine Battalions and Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions
* BRDM-2 armored scout cars, some on tank destroyer configuration, in Marine Battalions
* Bushmaster, Cougar, Mastiff, International MaxxPro, BMC Kirpi MRAPs in wheeled Marine Battalions, Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions and Marine Reconnaissance
* Humvees, GAZ Tiger, Roshel Senators, Varta, ATF Dingo and Novator armored cars and mobility vehicles in wheeled Marine Battalions, Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions and Marine Reconnaissance

It is also equipped with the following field artillery systems in the Marine Artillery Battalions:

* Maritime Brimstone tactical ballistic missiles
* RK-360MC Nepture, Harpoon (MOBA) and RBS-17 Hellfire anti-ship missiles
* BM-21 Grad, BM-21 Verba, BM-27 Uragan, BM-27 Burevyi, M142 HIMARS, RM-70, S-8 multiple launch rocket systems
* 2S1 Gvozdika, 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm SpGH DANA self-propelled artillery howitzers
* D-30, D-20, 2A65 Msta-B, 2A36 Giatsint-B, M114, M777, FH70, L119 towed howitzers
* 9K114 Shturm, 9M113 Konkurs, 2A29/MT-12 Rapira anti-tank guns
* 82 mm and 120 mm mortars

The 7th Marine Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion and the two brigade air defense battalions are equipped with:

* 9K33 Osa, AN/TWQ-1 Avenger wheeled mobile anti-air defense short range surface-to-air missile launchers
* KS-30, AZP S-60, ZU-23-2, ZPU series towed or truck mounted short range anti-aircraft guns

See also

* Marines

References

{{Ukraine topics, state=collapsed

Ukrainian Navy
Military units and formations of Ukraine
Marines
Military units and formations established in 1918