Oplot Brigade

The 5th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade named after A. V. Zakharchenko (), also known as the Oplot Brigade ( Stronghold Brigade), is a military unit of Russian Ground Forces. Until January 1, 2023, it was part of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" (DPR). It is attached to the 51st Guards Combined Arms Army.

History

Prior to the war

Oplot is notable for having an organisational history that began even before the war in Ukraine. It originates from a public organisation of the same name founded in 2010 in Kharkiv by Evgeny Zhilin, a former officer of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The name of the organisation could possibly have come from the T-84 Oplot tank developed at the Malyshev Factory, where Evgeny's father worked. One of the goals of Oplot was the "prevention of glorification" of the UPA. Oplot also had a sports club with around 350 members, who often clashed with nationalistic parties such as Svoboda. During the Euromaidan revolution they became one of the most violent anti-maidan fighters.

War in Donbas

After an unsuccessful attempt to seize power in Kharkiv, most of Oplot members moved to Donetsk to support the emerging Donetsk People's Republic. They were among those who stormed the Donetsk City Council building on 16 April 2014, where the leader of the Donetsk branch of Oplot and future leader of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, demanded a referendum.

By September, the unit was formally incorporated into the 1st Army Corps as the 5th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade "Oplot". The brigade was among the most heavily armed, largest and best equipped DPR brigades.

The brigade was headquartered in Donetsk and was deployed around the city and to the south of it in Dokuchaevsk, where positions atop large spoil heaps allowed them to dominate a long section of the contact line.

On 8 October 2018 the brigade was named after Zakharchenko after his assassination on 31 August.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

The brigade took part in the battle of Izium where they allegedly abused civilians during the occupation of the city. In January 2023, it became part of the Russian army under the 1st Donetsk Army Corps, which was later reformed into the 51st Combined Arms Army.

According to Ukrainian reports, the brigade was involved in combat on the Maryinka front west of Donetsk in November 2023. In June 2024, the brigade was involved in the battle of Krasnohorivka.

The commander of the brigade, Russian major general Pavel Klimenko, was killed in Ukraine on 6 November 2024 by a kamikaze drone.

On 5 December 2024 the brigade was awarded the "Guards" status.

The unit was heavily involved in the battle of Kurakhove along with the 110th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade and received an official commendation from the Russian Minister of Defence for the capture of the city.

References

{{Brigades of the Russian Ground Forces

Military units and formations established in 2014
Military of the Donetsk People's Republic
Separatist forces of the war in Donbas