Ukrainian Naval Infantry
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The Ukrainian Marine Corps (, ), also known simply as the Ukrainian Marines (), is the maritime land force service branch of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are the Military, military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the president of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rad ...
since 2023, responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations. From its modern foundation in 1993 up to 2023 it constituted part of the Coastal Forces of the
Ukrainian Navy The Ukrainian Navy (), is the Navy, maritime force of Ukraine and one of the eight Military branch, service branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The naval forces consist of five components: surface forces, submarine forces, Ukrainian Naval ...
. It is used as a component part of amphibious, airborne and amphibious-airborne operations, alone or in coordination with formations and units of the Ground Forces 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 Marine Corps's principal missions are to: * Act independently during attacks on enemy naval installations, ports, islands and coastal areas * Clear the enemy's coastal areas & provide amphibious landing elements and security forces in support of its own mission or with elements of the Ground Forces and other uniformed organizations * (since 2023) provide, alongside the Navy, the country's coastal defense capabilities against enemy shipping and enemy amphibious attacks"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 Pavlo Petrovych Skoropadskyi (; – 26 April 1945) was a Ukrainian aristocrat, military and state leader, who served as the Hetman of all Ukraine, hetman of the Ukrainian State throughout 1918 following a 1918 Ukrainian coup d'état, coup d'éta ...
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 Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
. 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 A sotnia ( Ukrainian and , ) was a military unit and administrative division in some Slavic countries. Sotnia, deriving back to 1248, has been used in a variety of contexts in both Ukraine and Russia to this day. It is a helpful word to create ...
and a machine gun unit. Commandant of the first regiment was . On August 31, 1918, each unit was given the permanent headquarters. First regiment's HQ was located in
Odesa Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
, second's HQ in
Mykolaiv Mykolaiv ( ), also known as Nikolaev ( ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and a hromada (municipality) in southern Ukraine. Mykolaiv is the Administrative centre, administrative center of Mykolaiv Raion (Raions of Ukraine, district) and Myk ...
and third's HQ in
Kherson Kherson (Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and , , ) is a port city in southern Ukraine that serves as the administrative centre of Kherson Oblast. Located by the Black Sea and on the Dnieper, Dnieper River, Kherson is the home to a major ship-bui ...
. Also at this time 3 squadrons of cavalry were formed. First was stationed in
Odesa Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
, 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 Pavlo Petrovych Skoropadskyi (; – 26 April 1945) was a Ukrainian aristocrat, military and state leader, who served as the Hetman of all Ukraine, hetman of the Ukrainian State throughout 1918 following a 1918 Ukrainian coup d'état, coup d'éta ...
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 The Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR) was a short-lived state in Eastern Europe. Prior to its proclamation, the Central Council of Ukraine was elected in March 1917 Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, as a result of the February Revolution, ...
. 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 Sevastopol ( ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea and a major port on the Black Sea. Due to its strategic location and the navigability of the city's harbours, Sevastopol has been an important port and naval base th ...
.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 Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
. From May 1996 until 1998, the Brigade was a part of the Ukrainian National Guard. In 1998, it was transferred to the
Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
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 36th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade, and it was stationed in Feodosiya and there was also another one battalion (501st Bn.) which was stationed in
Kerch Kerch, also known as Keriç or Kerich, is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of Crimea. It has a population of Founded 2,600 years ago as the Colonies in antiquity#Greek colonies, ancient Greek colony Pantik ...
; both were in the Crimea until late March 2014. Special reconnaissance units of the Marine Corps were deployed against insurgents during the 2014
war in Donbas The war in Donbas, or the Donbas war, was a phase of the Russo-Ukrainian War in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. The war Timeline of the war in Donbas (2014), began in April 2014, when Russian separatist forces in Ukraine, Russian para ...
. 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 Russian annexation of Crimea 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. After the annexation of Crimea there were only 200 marines left in the Ukrainian Naval Infantry, members of the 1st Marine Battalion who had been led by Lieutenant Colonel Dmytro Delyatytskyi out of Crimea to Mykolaiv. In September 2014 the Ministry of Defense announced that the Marine Corps were reforming from the Russian annexation of Crimea 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 annexation of Crimea 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 Mykolaiv ( ), also known as Nikolaev ( ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and a hromada (municipality) in southern Ukraine. Mykolaiv is the Administrative centre, administrative center of Mykolaiv Raion (Raions of Ukraine, district) and Myk ...
as part of a regular rotation of Ukrainian forces during the war in Donbas. Also that year, 16 November was made the official holiday of the Ukrainian naval infantry, because that was when the first oath of office was taken by Ukrainian marines in 1992. The holiday remained on that date until 2018. In 2016 the Odesa Military Academy began training the first class of Naval Infantry officers. Prior to this, there was no specific training institution for marine officers, who came from other branches of service, such as the Ukrainian Ground Forces or the Airmobile Forces. Because of the shortage of officers in the Naval Infantry some of the cadets at the academy that were training to become Airmobile Forces officers were offered courses to become marine officers instead. In 2018 the first twelve of these cadets graduated as Marine Corps lieutenants. In January 2018 it was reported that the Ukrainian government planned to create a Marine Corps to place all Naval Infantry and Coastal Artillery units of the Ukrainian Navy under one command. At this time it was not a separate branch but part of the Naval Forces. As of January 2018 the Coastal and Territorial Defense Forces of the Navy included the 36th Marine Brigade in Mykolaiv, 137th Separate Marine Battalion in Dachne, Odesa Oblast, the 406th Marine Artillery Brigade in Mykolaiv, and the 32nd Separate Artillery Regiment in Altestove, Odesa Oblast. The Naval Infantry were commanded by Colonel Serhii Tartakovskyi. The creation of the Marine Corps Command was a step towards bringing the Ukrainian Navy into line with NATO structures. On 22 February 2018, Decree No.39/2018 of the President of Ukraine established the Marine Corps Command. 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 The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
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.


Reform

The ideal goal in the reform of the Marine 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 Corps, only professional naval infantrymen under contract service.


2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

With the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
, the Naval Infantry fought against Russian forces invading the country. They are active at the southern regions of Ukraine, having participated at the Southern Ukraine and Eastern Ukraine campaigns. As of early 2022 the Ukrainian Marines had 7,000 troops organized in two brigades, six separate battalions battalions, and a separate reconnaissance battalion.


Siege of Mariupol

On 12 April 2022, videos have emerged of fighters apparently from the 501st Battalion of 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 Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov (born 5 October 1976) is a Russian politician and current head of the Chechen Republic. He was formerly affiliated with the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Chechen independence movement, through his father who was the ...
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.


Promotion to service branch of the Armed Forces

In celebration of the 105th Marine Corps Birthday on 23 May 2023, President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who has served as the sixth and current president of Ukraine since 2019. He took office five years after the start of the Russo-Ukraini ...
, in his capacity as Supreme Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, in a visit to a Marine Corps installation announced that effective that day, in gratitude for service to the nation and people, especially during the ongoing Russian invasion, after more than three decades since its reactivation the Marine Corps was to be officially separated from the Ukrainian Navy and was elevated into a service branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with its Commandant General now a part of the General Staff and appointed by the Commander in Chief of the AFU. While it will be a separate service branch of the Armed Forces, arrangements have been made for the Navy to continue assisting the Marine Corps in its amphibious operations through its landing craft and providing air cover as well as providing shore gunnery support from its vessels for its landing operations. The decision to bifurcate from the Navy proper and become an independent branch of the AFU was made with the needs of the Corps and its growing number of servicemen and women currently fighting against Russian forces during the ongoing invasion taken into account, as well as the status of its constituent formations and its mission and obligations in regards to provisions of the Constitution and laws of the republic as a part of the wider Armed Forces in both war and peace. The Corps will also continue to provide Marine detachments to serve in the Navy's seagoing and riverine assets and in defense of its naval bases and stations. Another reason for the separation of its command structure from the Navy was the recognition that the Marine Corps needs to have independence in decision making to more effectively carry out amphibious operations. With the separation, the Fleet Marine Division was transformed into the 1st Marine Division, responsible for the operational combat formations of the Marine Corps. The Navy's overall ground based coastal defense capabilities have been under Marine Corps control since the separation.


Dnieper river campaign

In October 2023, the 38th Marine Brigade crossed the
Dnieper The Dnieper or Dnepr ( ), also called Dnipro ( ), is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. Approximately long, with ...
river into the Russian-controlled
Kherson Oblast Kherson Oblast (, ; ), also known as Khersonshchyna (, ), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) in southern Ukraine. It is located just north of Crimea. Its administrative center is Kherson, on the northern or right bank ...
and captured a bridgehead on the left bank at the village of Krynky. The fighting there has continued into 2024, with at least three Marine Corps brigades being deployed for the campaign. The Ukrainian marines have taken notably heavy losses while crossing the river and fighting to maintain the bridgehead.


Organization


Organization 1918

* Divisional HQ * 1st Marine Regiment -
Odesa Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
** HHC ** 1st Kurin *** 1st Sotnia *** 2nd Sotnia *** 3rd Sotnia *** Machine Gun Sotnia ** 2nd Kurin *** same organization as 1st Kurin ** 3rd Kurin *** same organization as 1st Kurin * 2nd Regiment -
Mykolaiv Mykolaiv ( ), also known as Nikolaev ( ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and a hromada (municipality) in southern Ukraine. Mykolaiv is the Administrative centre, administrative center of Mykolaiv Raion (Raions of Ukraine, district) and Myk ...
** same organization as 1st Regiment * 3rd Regiment -
Kherson Kherson (Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and , , ) is a port city in southern Ukraine that serves as the administrative centre of Kherson Oblast. Located by the Black Sea and on the Dnieper, Dnieper River, Kherson is the home to a major ship-bui ...
** same organization as 1st Regiment * 1st Cavalry Squadron -
Odesa Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
* 2nd Cavalry Squadron - Ochakiv * 3rd Cavalry Squadron - Perekop


Organization 1998

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


Organization 2018

In 2018 the Naval Infantry Division's Organization was as follows: *1st Marine Division, Ukrainian Marine Corps,
Mykolaiv Mykolaiv ( ), also known as Nikolaev ( ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and a hromada (municipality) in southern Ukraine. Mykolaiv is the Administrative centre, administrative center of Mykolaiv Raion (Raions of Ukraine, district) and Myk ...
** Division HQ ** Division HQ Services Battalion *** Guard of Honour Company ** Marine Basic School, Mykolaiv ** 210th Marine Basic Training Center, Radens'k ** 35th Marine Brigade, Dachne *** Headquarters & Services Company *** 136th Marine Battalion (under formation) *** 137th Marine Battalion *** 18th Naval Infantry Battalion (under formation) *** 88th Marine Battalion (Air Assault) (under formation) *** 2nd Marine Tank Battalion *** 35th Marine Artillery Group **** Regimental HQ and Target Acquisition Battery **** 4th Marine Self-propelled Field Artillery Battalion (
2S1 Gvozdika The 2S1 ''Gvozdika'' (, "Dianthus caryophyllus, Carnation") is a Soviet Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled howitzer introduced in 1972 and is in service in Russia and other countries . It is based on the MT-LBu multi-purpose chassis, mount ...
) **** 5th Marine Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (
BM-21 Grad The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...
) **** 6th Marine Anti-tank Artillery Battalion ( MT-12 Rapira) **** 25th Marine Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion **** Security Company **** Engineer Company **** Replacement and Maintenance Battery **** Logistics Company **** Signals Platoon **** CBRN-defense Platoon *** 2nd Marine Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion *** 2nd Marine Combat Engineer Battalion *** 2nd Marine Maintenance Battalion *** 2nd Marine Logistics Battalion *** 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company *** Sniper Company *** Electronic Warfare Company *** Signals Company *** Anti-Aircraft Radar Company *** CBRN-defense Company *** Medical Company *** Military Police Company *** 35th Naval Infantry Brigade Band ** 36th Marine Brigade,
Mykolaiv Mykolaiv ( ), also known as Nikolaev ( ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and a hromada (municipality) in southern Ukraine. Mykolaiv is the Administrative centre, administrative center of Mykolaiv Raion (Raions of Ukraine, district) and Myk ...
*** Headquarters & Services Company *** 1st Marine Battalion, Mykolaiv ( BTR-80) *** 501st Marine Battalion,
Mariupol Mariupol is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is situated on the northern coast (Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius, Kalmius River. Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was the tenth-largest city in the coun ...
(BTR-80) *** 505th Marine Battalion (under formation) *** 4th Marine Battalion (Air Assault) (under formation) *** 1st Marine Tank Battalion (
T-80 The T-80 is a main battle tank (MBT) that was designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union and manufactured in Russia. The T-80 is based on the T-64, while incorporating features from the later T-72 and changing the engine to a gas turbi ...
) *** 36th Marine Artillery Regiment **** Regimental HQ and Target Acquisition Battery **** 1st Naval Infantry Self-propelled Field Artillery Battalion (
2S1 Gvozdika The 2S1 ''Gvozdika'' (, "Dianthus caryophyllus, Carnation") is a Soviet Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled howitzer introduced in 1972 and is in service in Russia and other countries . It is based on the MT-LBu multi-purpose chassis, mount ...
) **** 1st Naval Infantry Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (
BM-21 Grad The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...
) **** 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 *** 1st Force Reconnaissance Company *** Sniper Company *** Electronic Warfare Company *** Signals Company *** Anti-Aircraft Radar Company *** CBRN-defense Company *** Medical Company *** Military Police Company *** 34th Marine Brigade Band ** 37th Marine Brigade *** Headquarters & Services Company *** 19th Marine Battalion *** 20th Marine Battalion *** 3th Marine Battalion *** 6th Marine Battalion (under formation) *** 89th Marine Battalion (Air Assault) *** 3rd Marine Tank Battalion (T-80) *** 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment **** Regimental HQ and Target Acquisition Battery **** 8th Marine Artillery Battalion (Towed) (D-30) **** Marine 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 *** 37th Marine Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion *** 37th Marine Combat Engineer Battalion *** 37th Marine Maintenance Battalion *** 3rd Marine Logistics Battalion *** 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company *** Sniper Company *** Electronic Warfare Company *** Signals Company *** Anti-Aircraft Radar Company *** CBRN-defense Company *** Medical Company *** Military Police Company *** 37th Marine Brigade Band ** 38th Marine Brigade *** Headquarters & Services Company *** 503rd Marine Battalion *** 25th Marine Battalion *** 22nd Marine Battalion *** 91st Marine Battalion (Air Assault) (under formation) *** 14th Marine Battalion (under formation) *** 38th Marine Tank Battalion *** 38th Marine Artillery Regiment *** 38th Marine Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion *** 38th Marine Combat Engineer Battalion *** 4th Marine Maintenance Battalion *** 38th Marine Logistics Battalion *** 4th Force Reconnaissance Company *** Sniper Company *** Electronic Warfare Company *** Signals Company *** Anti-Aircraft Radar Company *** CBRN-defense Company *** Medical Company *** Military Police Company *** 38th Marine Brigade Band ** 40th Marine Brigade (planned for activation) *** Headquarters and Service Company (to be raised) ** 32nd Marine Artillery MLRS Regiment, Altestove *** Headquarters & Headquarters Battery *** 1st Marine Rocket Artillery Battalion ( BM-27 Uragan) *** 2nd Marine Rocket Artillery Battalion (
BM-21 Grad The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...
) *** 3rd Rocket Artillery Battalion (
BM-21 Grad The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...
) *** 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) *** Brigade Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery *** 64th Marine Field Artillery Battalion (MU А4217), Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Odesa Oblast *** 65th Marine Field Artillery Battalion (Coastal Defense), (MU А3687), Dachne-2 village, Odesa Oblast *** 66th Marine Field Artillery Battalion (MU А2611), Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast *** 67th Marine Field Artillery Battalion (MU А1804), Ochakiv, Mykolaiv Oblast *** 1st Marine Anti-tank Artillery Battalion (MT-12 Rapira) *** Marine Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion *** Security Company *** Engineers Company *** Maintenance and Replacement Battery *** Logistics Company *** Signals Platoon *** CBRN-defense Platoon *** Marine Brigade Band ** 37th Marine Signals Regiment, Radisne, Odesa Oblast ** 140th Marine Force Reconnaissance Battalion (raised in 2019) (to be expanded in future as regiment) ** 1st Marine Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Separate) (under formation) ** 7th Marine Divisional Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion, Ochakiv, Mykolaiv Oblast (to be expanded to regiment) ** 1st Marine Division Engineer Battalion (to be expanded to Regiment size) ** 1st Marine Divisional Maintenance Battalion ** Marine Divisional Logistics Battalion ** Sniper Company ** 1st Marine Division 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 Corps Central Band Mykolaiv The marine infantry battalions were organized as follows: * Marine Battalion Headquarters & Headquarters Company ** 1st Company (Air Assault)Marine paratroopers received German jump wings
/ref> ** 2nd Company ** 3rd Company ** Mortar Battery ** Logistic Company ** Reconnaissance Platoon ** Anti-Aircraft Missile Artillery Platoon ** Anti-tank Artillery Platoon ** Engineer Platoon ** Landing Equipment/Assault Amphibian Platoon ** Signal Platoon ** Medical Platoon The tank and artillery battalions are organized similarly but with one to 4 tank companies or artillery batteries.


Current Structure

On 23 May 2023 the Marine Corps, after more than three decades, had its status elevated to that of a service branch of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are the Military, military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the president of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rad ...
and the former Fleet Marine Division was transformed into the 1st Marine Division Ukrainian Marine Corps. The Commandant General's status was finally raised into one equal to that of the other service commanders of the armed forces. With the new status the Marine Corps' brigades and pre-war battalions received new coat of arms effective July.


30th Amphibious Corps

Created in 2024, this elite formation is composed of the active combat and combat support formations of the UkrMC. The 406th Marine Artillery Brigade consists of five artillery battalions equipped with towed M777, 2A36 Giatsint-B, D-20, and MT-12 Rapira howitzers. The 32nd Marine Artillery Brigade consists of four field artillery battalions equipped among others bwith Uragan and Bureviy
multiple rocket launcher A multiple rocket launcher (MRL) or multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is a type of rocket artillery system that contains multiple rocket launcher, launchers which are fixed to a single weapons platform, platform, and shoots its rocket (weapon ...
s. According to blogs, each marine infantry brigade is organized into the following: * Headquarters and Service Company * three to 5-6 marine battalions (one air assault capable) ** HSC ** 3-4 Marine rifle companies ** Marine landing equipment/assault amphibhian company ** Recon company ** Sniper company ** MANPADS company/platoon ** mortar battery * Marine Tank Battalion * Marine Artillery Regiment ** with a HQ and Service Battery, target acquisition unit, security company/battalion, recon and observer battery, either two self-propelled artillery battalions and an optional one or two towed field artillery battalion/s or two to three mixed artillery battalions, a rocket launcher artillery battalion and an anti-tank battalion (under regiment but otherwise under direct brigade control) * Marine Air Defense Missile Artillery battalion/regiment * Marine Brigade armored reconnaissance company/battalion * Marine Brigade Force reconnaissance company * Marine combat engineer battalion * Marine logistics battalion * Marine maintenance battalion * Marine
Unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...
(UAV) company * Marine signal company * Marine air defense radar company * medical company * Military Police company/platoon *
CBRN defense Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense (CBRN defense) or Nuclear, biological, and chemical protection (NBC protection) is a class of protective measures taken in situations where chemical warfare, chemical, biological warfar ...
company * Marine Brigade Band


Weapons and vehicular equipment

The UKRMC is equipped with the following vehicles: * T-64,
T-72 The T-72 is a family of Soviet Union, Soviet main battle tanks that entered production in 1973. The T-72 was a development based on the T-64 using thought and design of the previous Object 167M. About 25,000 T-72 tanks have been built, and refu ...
,
T-80 The T-80 is a main battle tank (MBT) that was designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union and manufactured in Russia. The T-80 is based on the T-64, while incorporating features from the later T-72 and changing the engine to a gas turbi ...
, PT-91 Twardy main battle tanks in Marine Tank Battalions * AMX-10 RC wheeled light tanks/armored reconnaissance vehicles in Marine Tank Battalions and Marine Reconnaissance * FV101 Scorpion tracked light tanks/armored reconnaissance vehicles in Marine Tank Battalions and Marine Reconnaissance *
BMP-1 The BMP-1 is a Soviet Union, Soviet Amphibious vehicle, amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle that has been in service from 1966 to the present. BMP stands for ''Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhoty 1'' (), meaning "infantry fighting vehicle, 1st ...
,
BMP-2 The BMP-2 (''Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty'', , literally "combat machine/vehicle f theinfantry") is an amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following on from the BMP-1 of the 1960s. Development his ...
, BMP-3 tracked infantry fighting vehicles in tracked Marine Battalions and Marine Assault Amphibian Companies/Battalions * BTR-3, BTR-4, KTO Rosomak wheeled infantry fighting vehicles in wheeled Marine Battalions and Marine Assault Amphibian Companies/Battalions *
BTR-60 The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet Union, Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers (APCs). It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen in public for the first time in 1961. BTR (vehi ...
, BTR-70, BTR-80, BTR-7, VAB,
Patria Pasi The Patria Pasi (earlier known as the Sisu Pasi) is a Finnish-made six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) originally designed for Finnish Defence Forces. The first variant was produced in 1983, and serial production began in 1984. It was d ...
wheeled armored personnel carriers in wheeled Marine Battalions and Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions *
MT-LB The MT-LB (, literally "multi-purpose towing vehicle light armored") is a Soviet Union, Soviet multi-purpose, fully amphibious vehicle, amphibious, tracked Armoured fighting vehicle, armored fighting vehicle in use since the 1970s. It was also ...
, PTS series (PTS-2 and PTS-3) and M113 tracked armored personnel carriers in tracked Marine Battalions and Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions * Bandvagn 206 articulated tracked armored personnel carriers in tracked Marine Battalions *
BRDM-2 The BRDM-2 (''Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina'', Боевая Разведывательная Дозорная Машина, literally "Combat Reconnaissance/Patrol Vehicle") is an amphibious armoured scout car designed and developed ...
armored scout cars, some on tank destroyer configuration, in Marine Battalions and Marine Reconnaissance * Bushmaster, Cougar, Mastiff,
International MaxxPro The International M1224 MaxxPro Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle, MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) is an armored fighting vehicle designed by American company Navistar International's subsidiary Navistar Defense along with the Israe ...
, BMC Kirpi MRAPs in wheeled Marine Battalions, Marine Assault Amphibian Battalions and Marine Reconnaissance *
Humvee The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of Military light utility vehicle, light, four-wheel drive Military vehicle#Military trucks, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It ...
s, GAZ Tiger,
Roshel Senator The Roshel Senator is a wheeled military armoured car produced by Roshel of Canada, based on a Ford F-550 chassis. As an APC, it is designed to protect against small arms fire. While designed as effectively a highly versatile SWAT platfo ...
s, Varta,
ATF Dingo The ATF Dingo is a German heavily armored military MRAP infantry mobility vehicle based on a Unimog chassis with a V-hull design, produced by the company KNDS Deutschland (formerly Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW)). The first prototype of the Dingo 1 ...
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 precision strike missiles * RK-360MC Neptune, Harpoon (MOBA) and RBS-17 Hellfire anti-ship missiles *
BM-21 Grad The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...
, BM-21 Verba, BM-27 Uragan, BM-27 Burevyi, M142 HIMARS, RM-70, S-8 multiple launch rocket systems *
2S1 Gvozdika The 2S1 ''Gvozdika'' (, "Dianthus caryophyllus, Carnation") is a Soviet Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled howitzer introduced in 1972 and is in service in Russia and other countries . It is based on the MT-LBu multi-purpose chassis, mount ...
, 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 The 9M113 ''Konkurs'' (; ; NATO reporting name AT-5 ''Spandrel'') is a Soviet SACLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile. A development of the 9K111 Fagot with greater firepower, the 9M113 Konkurs can use the same launchers and is very similar vis ...
, 2A29/MT-12 Rapira anti-tank guns * 82 mm and 120 mm mortars The 7th Marine Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion and the seven brigade air defense artillery battalions/regiments are equipped with: *
9K33 Osa The 9K33 ''Osa'' (; English: "wasp"; NATO reporting name SA-8 ''Gecko'') is a highly mobile, low-altitude, short-range tactical surface-to-air missile system developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and fielded in 1972. Its export version nam ...
,
AN/TWQ-1 Avenger The AN/TWQ-1 Avenger Air Defense System is an American self-propelled surface-to-air missile system which provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-win ...
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


References

{{Ukraine topics, state=collapsed Ukrainian Navy Military units and formations of Ukraine Marines Military units and formations established in 1918