The 108th Territorial Defense Brigade () is a military formation of the Territorial Defense Forces of

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) in simultaneously southern, eastern and central Ukraine, the most important industrial region of the country. It was created on February 27, 1932. Dnipropetro ...

. It is part of

Operational Command East The Operational Command East ( OC East, ) is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in eastern Ukraine. Its headquarters is currently located in Dnipro. History When Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, there were three ...

History

Formation

On 2 July 2018, the brigade was formed in

. From January to mid February 2022 brigade formed all headquarters of its subordinate units. From 24 February brigade began filling its ranks to the full wartime state. A rifle company of the Brigade began training on 27 September 2018. Brigade and battalion commanders with combat experience also took part in exercises. From 15 to 17 May 2019, a joint exercise with police, national guard, security service, civilian medics, local government officials and fire rescue took place in various areas of the Oblast. On 3 September 2019 the 101st Defense Battalion held exercise on the training ground of

17th Tank Brigade The 17th Heavy Mechanized Brigade is a brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces formed in 1940. The full name of the brigade is the 17th Separate Kryvorizka Heavy Mechanized Brigade named after Kostiantyn Pestushko. History The unit's history stem ...

. On 30 July 2021 103rd Defense Battalion held a one-day joint training in Pavlohrad.

Russo-Ukrainian War

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

During February and March, 2022 Brigade was used in defense of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. However, in April, some units were transferred to Donetsk Oblast on border with Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Their first action was defending Velyka Novosilka and Vremivka villages. A unit of the Brigade was used to attack enemy lines in the direction of

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 ...

, to draw out enemy forces and allow Marines to join Azov Regiment. Colonel Dmytro Herasymenko September was appointed brigade commander in September. On 2 October, the brigade received its battle flag. Until November, the Brigade was stationed in Donetsk Oblast. After heavy fighting, units were transferred out from front lines for rest and replenishment. During the next month, units underwent more training and were sent to Zaporizhzhia Oblast border near the city of

Orikhiv Orikhiv (, ; , ) is a city in Polohy Raion, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southern Ukraine. It had an estimated population of as of 1 January 2022. Early in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, many residents were evacuated, with 6,000 remaining by Au ...

. During December part of the brigade joined newly formed

3rd Assault Brigade The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade () is a brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces formed in 2022. The brigade was established by a merger of the Azov SSO (Special Operations Forces (Ukraine), Special Operations Forces) units that had been create ...

. The 98th Defense Battalion 'Azov-Dnipro' became 1st Mechanized Battalion of the new Assault brigade. After the Azov fighter were transferred, the 98th battalion received a new commander and is continuing service with the 108th Brigade. 101st Defense Battalion had a peace time strength of 44-46 soldiers and officers. On 25 February its strength was already 545. On 11 March 2022 the battalion which by this point was a large formation, became the

129th Territorial Defense Brigade The 129th Territorial Defense Brigade () is a military formation of the Territorial Defense Forces (Ukraine), Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine in Kryvyi Rih. It is part of Operational Command East. History Formation The 101st Defense ...

. The 108th Territorial Defense Brigade fought in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast in November of 2023. The Brigade was essential in testing the Ukrainian-made Vampire drone near the southern front line in February of 2024. In September of 2024 the No Chance assault drone unit of the 108th Territorial Defense Brigade demonstrated a new FPV Drone fighting technique of using a thermite flamethrower. The drones were used to flush out enemy tench positions.

Structure

As of 2022 the brigade's structure is as follows: * Headquarters * 98th Territorial Defense Battalion (

Dnipro Dnipro is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper River, Dnipro River, from which it takes its name. Dnipro is t ...

) А7221 *

99th Territorial Defense Battalion (

Kamianske Kamianske (, ; ), previously known as Dniprodzerzhynsk from 1936 to 2016, is an industrial city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine, and a port on the Dnieper, Dnieper River. It serves as the administrative center of Kamianske Raion and Kamianske ...

) А7222 *

100th Territorial Defense Battalion ( Nikopol) А7223 * 101st Territorial Defense Battalion (

Kryvyi Rih Kryvyi Rih ( ; , ), also known as Krivoy Rog ( ), is a city in central Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Kryvyi Rih Raion and its subordinate Kryvyi Rih urban hromada in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The city is part of the Kryvyi Rih Metropo ...

) А7224 - became the

102nd Territorial Defense Battalion ( Novomoskovsk) А7225 * 103ter

103rd Territorial Defense Battalion (

Pavlohrad Pavlohrad (, ) is a city in eastern Ukraine, located within Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. It serves as the administrative center of Pavlohrad Raion. Its population is approximately The rivers of Vovcha (runs through the city towards the Samara Riv ...

) А7226 *

203rd Territorial Defense Battalion (

Synelnykove Synelnykove (, ) is a city and municipality in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is the largest city in the south-eastern part of the region. It serves as the administrative center of Synelnykove Raion within the oblast. It is named after the Ru ...

) А7372 * Engineering Company * Communication Company * Logistics Company * Mortar Battery

Commanders

* Lieutenant Colonel Oleksandr Padetskyi 2018-2022 * Lieutenant Colonel Oleh Syvokon 2022 * Colonel Dmytro Herasymenko September 2022-2024

References

{{Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces Territorial defense Brigades of Ukraine 2018 establishments in Ukraine Military units and formations established in 2018 Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in the Russo-Ukrainian War