The 55th Separate Communications Regiment (A1671) is a

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

level

signal A signal is both the process and the result of transmission of data over some media accomplished by embedding some variation. Signals are important in multiple subject fields including signal processing, information theory and biology. In ...

and

communication Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...

unit of the

Ground Forces of Ukraine The Ukrainian Ground Forces (SVZSU, ), also referred to as the Ukrainian army, is a land force, and one of the eight Military branch, branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was formed from Ukrainian units of the Soviet Army after Declaratio ...

, operationally under the command of

Operational Command West The Operational Command West ( OC West, ) is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in western Ukraine. Its headquarters is located in Rivne. History When Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union, there were three Military Distric ...

. It was established on 5 July 1941 as part of the Soviet union's 13th army and took part in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Then in 1991, it swore allegiance to Ukraine being the first unit to do so and has since 2014, taken part in both the

War in Donbass 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 began in April 2014, when Russian paramilitaries seized several towns. Ukraine's military launched an operation ...

and the

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 ...

History

The 55th separate regiment began its establishment process on 5 July 1941 on the basis of the 675th separate signal battalion in Kozaky,

Oryol Oblast Oryol Oblast (), also known as Orlovshchina (), is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Oryol. Population: Geography It is loc ...

with Captain Iosif Ivanovich Grusha as its first commander. On 30 October 1941, after escaping the encirclement in Stara Huta area together with units of the 13th Combined Arms Army, the 55th separate signal regiment completed its formation and started providing services on 2 November 1941. On 6 August 1943, the regiment was awarded the Battle Banner. In February 1944, the regiment participated in the Rivne-Lutsk offensive and was involved in the capture of

Rivne Rivne ( ; , ) is a city in western Ukraine. The city is the administrative center of Rivne Oblast (province), as well as the Rivne Raion (district) within the oblast.

. On 9 August 1944, the Signal Regiment was awarded the

Order of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner () was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. It was the highest award of S ...

for "excellent valor" against the invading Germans. On 19 February 1945, the regiment was given the honorary name Perokivsky for service during the Battle of

Piotrków Trybunalski Piotrków Trybunalski (; also known by #Etymology, alternative names), often simplified to Piotrków, is a city in central Poland with 71,252 inhabitants (2021). It is the capital of Piotrków County and the second-largest city in the Łódź Voi ...

. The regiment then fought it's way from

Yelets Yelets or Elets () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Lipetsk Oblast, Russia, situated on the Bystraya Sosna River, which is a tributary of the Don River, Russia, Don. Population: History Yelets is the oldest center of the ...

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

. In 1945, the 55th Separate Signal Regiment returned to headquarters in

Rivne Rivne ( ; , ) is a city in western Ukraine. The city is the administrative center of Rivne Oblast (province), as well as the Rivne Raion (district) within the oblast.

after completing it's duties. From 1-20 March 1947, the regiment became the 679th separate signal battalion before being reverted to the 55th regiment between 13 November and 15 December 1948. It later went on to serve during the Chernobyl incident and the Soviet-Afghan War.55-й окремий ордена Червоного Прапора Петроковський полк зв'язку
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[https://web.archive.org/web/20180727083816/http://xn--13-8kc6atx1i.com.ua/voїni-zv%E2%80%99yazkivci-55-okremogo-linijno-vuzlovogo-polku-zvyazku-13-armijskogo-korpusu-suxoputnix-vijsk-zbrojnix-sil-ukraїni-vidznachili-70-chchya-vijskovoї-chastini/ Неофіційний сайт 13 армії. Стаття: «Воїни-зв'язківці 55 окремого лінійно-вузлового полку зв'язку 13 армійського корпусу Сухопутних військ Збройних Сил України відзначили 70-ччя військової частини»]55 окремий полк зв'язку ЗСУ відзначив 75 річницю
/ref> With the proclamation of Ukraine's independence and the

Dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

, the regiment's personnel, led by Colonel Vilen Martirosyan swore allegiance to Ukraine on 2 December 1991 or 6 December 1991 in

Rivne Rivne ( ; , ) is a city in western Ukraine. The city is the administrative center of Rivne Oblast (province), as well as the Rivne Raion (district) within the oblast.

, becoming the first military unit to officially do so. On 1 November 1995, it received A1671. In 2000, the regiment was awarded the Diploma of the International Open Rating of Popularity and Quality of Goods and Services “Golden Fortune” and awarded the Order “For Labor Achievements” 4th degree. From May to June 2000, the regiment's servicemen were deployed as part of the

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (; ), or UNIFIL (; ) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission established on 19 March 1978 by United Nations Security Council Resolutions United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, 425 and Unit ...

from June 2000 to September 2001, as part of

Kosovo Force The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force and military of Kosovo. KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law (European ...

and were also deployed in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

, Congo,

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

and

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

at different times. In July 2004, the 55th Separate Signal Regiment was reformed into the 55th Separate Linear-Nodal Signal Regiment. In May 2005, the regiment's personnel participated in exercises including the deployment of mobile command posts. On 4 May 2006, the 55th Separate Signal Regiment was awarded the Ukrainian Battle banner. The regiment then took part in multiple exercises including "Artery 2007", "Interaction 2010", "Adequate Response 2011", "Perspective 2012" and "Autumn Cyclone 2013". On 31 October 2013, the 55th Separate Signal Regiment was transferred to

Operational Command North The Operational Command North () is a command of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in northern Ukraine. It was formed in 2013 from the Operational Command West and Territorial Directorate North by reforming the 13th Army Corps (Ukraine), 13th Army Corps ...

and was expanded to a brigade on 30 December 2013. With the start of the

, the brigade quickly formed a combined communications unit, which in the spring was deployed to the

ATO zone Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone (), or ATO zone (), was a term used by the media, public, the government of Ukraine, and the OSCE and other foreign institutions to identify Ukrainian territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (oblasts) under the c ...

establishing a command post in Orekhovo, providing communications to Ukrainian units engaged in combat in Shchastya,

Lysychansk Lysychansk ( , ; , ; , ) is a city in Sievierodonetsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. It is located on the high right bank of the Donets River, approximately from the administrative center of the oblast, Luhansk. It faces Sievierodonet ...

Severodonetsk Sievierodonetsk or Severodonetsk, officially since 2024 Siverskodonetsk, is a city in Luhansk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. It is located to the northeast of the left bank of the Donets river and approximately to the northwest from the administrativ ...

, Krasnyi Lyman and Metalist. In summer 2014, the regiment provided communications to the units encircled at the

Luhansk International Airport Luhansk International Airport (; ) 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 June 2014, the airport has been officially closed. It was mostly ...

as well as logistical support to the besieged units, engineering support, escort and convoy transport. During July-August 2014, the unit provided communications to the units engaged in Solntsevo,

Amvrosiivka Amvrosiivka (, ) or Amvrosievka () is a city in Donetsk Raion, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine; residence of Amvrosiivka urban hromada. It was the administrative center of Amvrosiivka Raion until the raion was abolished in 2020. , the population was app ...

and Kuteynykove and evacuated damaged equipment from the

Savur-Mohyla Savur-Mohyla (), often transliterated using the Russian spelling Saur-Mogila (), is a strategic height in the Donets ridge near the city of Snizhne, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. The tall hill is better known for a big monument complex that was ...

area. The regiment continued to perform communication tasks throughout the

but had to partake in combat operations at checkposts en route to

Bakhmut Bakhmut is a city in eastern Ukraine. It is officially the administrative center of Bakhmut urban hromada and Bakhmut Raion in Donetsk Oblast. The city is located on the Bakhmutka River, about north of Donetsk, the administrative center ...

. On 30 March 2015, the brigade was transferred to the

and was stripped of Soviet decorations on 23 December 2015. In 2016, the 55th Separate Signal Brigade was again reorganized into the 55th Separate Signal Regiment. During 2014-2018, the personnel of the regiment were engaged at Orekhovo, Metalist, Stukalova Balka, Zemlianky, Lyman, Vesela Hora,

Shchastia Shchastia (, , ; ) is a city, the former ''de jure'' administrative center of Shchastia Raion in the Luhansk Oblast (province) of Ukraine. Its population was reported as The Luhansk power station, a large power plant built in the 1950s, is loc ...

, Pobeda, Bila Gora, Trokhizbenka,

Stanytsia Luhanska Stanytsia Luhanska (; ) is a Populated places in Ukraine#Rural settlements, rural settlement on the banks of the Donets, Siverskyi Donets River in the Shchastia Raion of Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. Residence of Stanytsia Luhanska settlem ...

, Novokhtyrka,

Rubizhne Rubizhne (, ; , ) is a city in Luhansk Oblast, in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Situated on the left bank of the Donets River near the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. Prior to 2020, it was a city of oblast significance, befor ...

, Heorhiivka, Zholobok, Raihorodne,

Kreminna Kreminna (, ) is a city in Sievierodonetsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. Prior to 2020, it served as the administrative center of former Kreminna Raion. Its population was estimated at as of January 2022. Following the Russian invasio ...

, Cherovnyi Zhovten, Krynske, Geivka,

Starobesheve Starobesheve (; ) is a rural settlement in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. The town is located on the right bank of the river Kalmius, about northwest of the internationally recognized border with Russia. Population: History In the Russian Em ...

and Kuteynykove. Following the

, the regiment has been deployed to provide communications and has been involved in deploying radio networks and remote control lines at the frontlines, performing combat missions since mid 2022. It's tasks mostly included deploying and maintaining command posts, mobile communication support networks, relay points, and installing video surveillance cameras throughout the front but specially in the

Zaporizhzhia Oblast Zaporizhzhia Oblast (), commonly referred to as Zaporizhzhia (), is an oblast (region) in south-east Ukraine. Its administrative centre is the city of Zaporizhzhia. The oblast covers an area of , and has a population of The oblast is an import ...

. On 23 August 2023, it received 2.6 million UAH from Rivne city council.

Commanders

* Hrusha Yosyp Ivanovich (1941) * Lazhintsev Ivan Grigorovich (1942-1947) * Semyon Fedorovych Tsirov (1948-1949) * Lit Ivan Kuzmich (1949-1950) * Tkachenko Ivan Leontiyovych (1950-1951) * Bondarev Grigory Nikolaevich (1951-1957) * Fadeev Sergey Fedorovich (1957) * Pavlo Ivanovich Savvych-Demianyuk (1957-1966) * Kozyr Mykola Vasilyevich (1966-1968) * Semenov Stepan Yakovlevich (1968-1970) * Anatoly Ivanovich Belykh (1970-1974) * Voronin Yevgeny Grigorovich (1974-1976) * Kovalev Nikolay Pavlovich (1976-1980) * Mordvinov Vladimir Vasilyevich (1980-1982) * Korendyuk Eduard Georgievich (1982-1983) * Kryvenko Gennady Andriyovych (1983-1984) * Vilen Harutyunovych Martirosyan (1984-1992) * Berkasov Sergey Fedorovich (1992-1997) * Dovbnya Volodymyr Viktorovych (1997-1998) * Viktor Pavlovych Denysiuk (1998-2002) * Savenko Oleksandr Vasyliovych (2002-2004) * Patapov Sergey Nikolaevich (2004-2014) * Kyago Oleksandr Mykolayovych (2014-2019) * Antonyuk Oleksandr Leonidovych (2019-2023) * Korovchenko Denys Volodymyrovych (2023-)У 55 окремий полк зв'язку в Рівному призначено нового командира
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Equipment

Structure

The structure of the regiment is as follows: * Management & Headquarters * 1st Signal Battalion * 2nd Signal Battalion * Radio relay Battalion * Mobile Communications Battalion * Material support Company * Logistical Support Company * Repair Company * Commandant Platoon

References

{{Ukrainian Ground Forces Military units and formations of Ukraine in the war in Donbas Military units and formations of Ukraine in the Russian invasion of Ukraine Regiments of Ukraine Military units and formations established in 1941