The 3rd Independent Tank Brigade ( uk, 3-тя окрема танкова бригада, translit=3-tya okrema tankova bryhada) is a reserve armored formation 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 ...
.
History
Formation
The brigade was formed in 2016. It was armed with
T-72
The T-72 is a family of Soviet/Russian main battle tanks that entered production in 1969. The T-72 was a development of the T-64, which was troubled by high costs and its reliance on immature developmental technology. About 25,000 T-72 tanks ...
tanks.
[
]
Russo-Ukrainian War
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On the 24th of February, 2022, at the start of a large-scale invasion when Russia invaded
An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing co ...
Ukraine, the units of the brigade was sent to help defend Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
. They also took part in Battle of Izium
On the eastern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, eastern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a military engagement began in March 2022 between Russian and Ukraine, Ukrainian forces took place for control over the city of Izium, an ...
and Zaporizhia directions, in Donetsk and Chernihiv region.
In September 2022, during the counteroffensive operation in Kharkiv region, the brigade took part in the liberation of the settlements of Bairak, Shchurivka, Nova Husarivka, and the city of Balakliia
Balakliia ( uk, Балаклія, ; russian: Балаклея, translit=Balakleya) or Balakliya is a city in Izium Raion, in Kharkiv Oblast (province), eastern Ukraine, on the north-east side of the Siverskyi Donets river close to where it is j ...
.
Soldiers of the 3rd Tank Brigade have undergone training in training centers of Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Poland and the Baltic States.
Current structure
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:T-72
The T-72 is a family of Soviet/Russian main battle tanks that entered production in 1969. The T-72 was a development of the T-64, which was troubled by high costs and its reliance on immature developmental technology. About 25,000 T-72 tanks ...
variants, T-84 Oplot
The T-84 is a Ukrainian main battle tank (MBT), based on the Soviet T-80 MBT introduced in 1976, specifically the diesel engine version: T-80UD. The T-84 was first built in 1994 and entered service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 1999. ...
)
**** Reconnaissance Platoon
**** Anti-Aircraft Platoon (9K38 Igla
The 9K38 Igla (russian: Игла́, "needle", NATO reporting name SA-18 Grouse) is a Russian/ Soviet man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. A simplified, earlier version is known as the 9K310 Igla-1 (NATO: SA-16 Giml ...
, FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is an American man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) that operates as an infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM). It can be adapted to fire from a wide variety of ground vehicles, and from helicopters as the Air-to- ...
, Mistral
Mistral may refer to:
* Mistral (wind) in southern France and Sardinia
Automobiles
* Maserati Mistral, a Maserati grand tourer produced from 1963 until 1970
* Nissan Mistral, or Terrano II, a Nissan 4×4 produced from 1993 until 2006
* Micropl ...
MANPADS)
**** Engineer & Sapper Platoon
**** Signals Platoon
**** Medical Station
**** Support Company
***** Technical Support Platoon
***** Material Support Platoon
*** 10th Separate Tank Battalion
**** Headquarters
**** 3x Tank Companies (T-72
The T-72 is a family of Soviet/Russian main battle tanks that entered production in 1969. The T-72 was a development of the T-64, which was troubled by high costs and its reliance on immature developmental technology. About 25,000 T-72 tanks ...
variants, T-84 Oplot
The T-84 is a Ukrainian main battle tank (MBT), based on the Soviet T-80 MBT introduced in 1976, specifically the diesel engine version: T-80UD. The T-84 was first built in 1994 and entered service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 1999. ...
)
**** Reconnaissance Platoon
**** Anti-Aircraft Platoon (9K38 Igla
The 9K38 Igla (russian: Игла́, "needle", NATO reporting name SA-18 Grouse) is a Russian/ Soviet man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. A simplified, earlier version is known as the 9K310 Igla-1 (NATO: SA-16 Giml ...
, FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is an American man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) that operates as an infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM). It can be adapted to fire from a wide variety of ground vehicles, and from helicopters as the Air-to- ...
, Mistral
Mistral may refer to:
* Mistral (wind) in southern France and Sardinia
Automobiles
* Maserati Mistral, a Maserati grand tourer produced from 1963 until 1970
* Nissan Mistral, or Terrano II, a Nissan 4×4 produced from 1993 until 2006
* Micropl ...
MANPADS)
**** Engineer & Sapper Platoon
**** Signals Platoon
**** Medical Station
**** Support Company
***** Technical Support Platoon
***** Material Support Platoon
*** 11th Separate Tank Battalion
**** Headquarters
**** 3x Tank Companies (T-72
The T-72 is a family of Soviet/Russian main battle tanks that entered production in 1969. The T-72 was a development of the T-64, which was troubled by high costs and its reliance on immature developmental technology. About 25,000 T-72 tanks ...
variants, T-84 Oplot
The T-84 is a Ukrainian main battle tank (MBT), based on the Soviet T-80 MBT introduced in 1976, specifically the diesel engine version: T-80UD. The T-84 was first built in 1994 and entered service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 1999. ...
)
**** Reconnaissance Platoon
**** Anti-Aircraft Platoon (9K38 Igla
The 9K38 Igla (russian: Игла́, "needle", NATO reporting name SA-18 Grouse) is a Russian/ Soviet man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. A simplified, earlier version is known as the 9K310 Igla-1 (NATO: SA-16 Giml ...
, FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is an American man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) that operates as an infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM). It can be adapted to fire from a wide variety of ground vehicles, and from helicopters as the Air-to- ...
, Mistral
Mistral may refer to:
* Mistral (wind) in southern France and Sardinia
Automobiles
* Maserati Mistral, a Maserati grand tourer produced from 1963 until 1970
* Nissan Mistral, or Terrano II, a Nissan 4×4 produced from 1993 until 2006
* Micropl ...
MANPADS)
**** Engineer & Sapper Platoon
**** Signals Platoon
**** Medical Station
**** Support Company
***** Technical Support Platoon
***** Material Support Platoon
*** Mechanized Battalion
**** Headquarters
**** 3x Mechanized Companies (BMP-1
The BMP-1 is a Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle, in service 1966–present. BMP stands for ''Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhoty 1'' (russian: link=no, Боевая Машина Пехоты 1; БМП-1), meaning "infantry fighting ...
)
**** Grenade Launcher Platoon (AGS-17
The AGS-17 Plamya ( Russian: Пламя; ''Flame'') is a Soviet-designed automatic grenade launcher in service worldwide.
Description
The AGS-17 is a heavy infantry support weapon designed to operate from a tripod or mounted on an installatio ...
)
**** Reconnaissance Platoon
**** Mortar Battery (120mm/82mm mortars)
**** Anti-Aircraft Platoon (9K38 Igla
The 9K38 Igla (russian: Игла́, "needle", NATO reporting name SA-18 Grouse) is a Russian/ Soviet man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. A simplified, earlier version is known as the 9K310 Igla-1 (NATO: SA-16 Giml ...
, FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is an American man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) that operates as an infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM). It can be adapted to fire from a wide variety of ground vehicles, and from helicopters as the Air-to- ...
, Mistral
Mistral may refer to:
* Mistral (wind) in southern France and Sardinia
Automobiles
* Maserati Mistral, a Maserati grand tourer produced from 1963 until 1970
* Nissan Mistral, or Terrano II, a Nissan 4×4 produced from 1993 until 2006
* Micropl ...
MANPADS)
**** Engineer & Sapper Platoon
**** Signals Platoon
**** Medical Station
**** Support Company
***** Technical Support Platoon
***** Material Support Platoon
*** 1st Rifle Battalion
**** Headquarters
**** 3x Rifle Companies
**** Fire Support Company
**** Reconnaissance Platoon
**** Mortar Battery (120mm/82mm mortars)
**** Engineer & Sapper Platoon
**** Signals Platoon
**** Medical Station
**** Technical Support Platoon
**** Material Support Platoon
*** 2nd Infantry Battalion "Joker"
**** Headquarters
**** 3x Infantry Companies
**** Fire Support Company
**** Reconnaissance Platoon
**** Mortar Battery (120mm/82mm mortars)
**** Engineer & Sapper Platoon
**** Signals Platoon
**** Medical Station
**** Technical Support Platoon
**** Material Support Platoon
*** 36th Separate Rifle Battalion "Steppe Wolves" (Attached)
**** Headquarters
**** 3x Infantry Companies
**** Fire Support Company
**** Reconnaissance Platoon
**** Mortar Battery (120mm/82mm mortars)
***** Rocket Artillery Platoon ("Soroka" MLRS
A multiple rocket launcher (MRL) or multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is a type of rocket artillery system that contains multiple launchers which are fixed to a single platform, and shoots its rocket ordnance in a fashion similar to a volle ...
)
**** Engineer & Sapper Platoon
**** Signals Platoon
**** Medical Station
**** Technical Support Platoon
**** Material Support Platoon
*** Artillery Group
**** Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery (Leleka-100 & A1-CM Furia drones)
***** BUAR UAV Group (Drops/Observation)
**** 1st Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (2S1 Gvozdika
The 2S1 ''Gvozdika'' (russian: link=no, 2С1 «Гвоздика», " Carnation") is a Soviet self-propelled howitzer based on the MT-LBu multi-purpose chassis, mounting a 122 mm 2A18 howitzer. "2S1" is its GRAU designation. An alternative ...
)
**** 2nd Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (2S3 Akatsiya
The SO-152 (Russian: СО-152) is a Soviet 152.4 mm self-propelled gun developed in 1968, as a response to the American 155 mm M109 howitzer. Development began in 1967, according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Sovie ...
)
**** 30th Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad
The BM-21 "Grad" (russian: БМ-21 "Град", lit= hail) 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 ...
, Bastion-01)
**** Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (FGM-148 Javelin
The FGM-148 Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium (AAWS-M), is an American-made portable anti-tank missile system in service since 1996, and continuously upgraded. It replaced the M47 Dragon anti-tank missile in US service. Its fi ...
)
*** Sniper Platoon
*** Reconnaissance Platoon
*** Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion (ZU-23
The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23×152mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for ''Zenitnaya Ustanovka'' (Russian: Зенитная Установка) – anti-aircraft mount. The GRAU index is 2A13.
Developm ...
)
*** Engineer Battalion (BAT-2
The T-64 is a Soviet Union, Soviet tank manufactured in Kharkiv, and designed by Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau. The tank was introduced in the early 1960s. It was a more advanced counterpart to the T-62: the T-64 served in tank di ...
)
*** Transmissions Company
*** Radar Company
*** Medical Company
*** CBRN Protection Company
*** Commandant's Platoon
*** Repair and Restoration Battalion (BREM-1
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1971. It replaced the T-54/55 series as the workhorse of Soviet tank forces (while the T-64 and T-80 served as the Soviet high-technology tanks). In front-line Russian s ...
)
*** Logistics Battalion
References
{{Ukrainian Ground Forces
Tank brigades of Ukraine
Military units and formations of Ukraine in the war in Donbas
Military units and formations of Ukraine in the Russian invasion of Ukraine