150th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

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The 150th Separate Mechanized Brigade (Ukrainian: 150 окрема механізована бригада, romanized: 150 okrema mekhanizovana bryhada), is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces formed in 2023. It was part of the creation of four other brigades to expand the Ukrainian Ground Forces in response to the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine and is expected to participate in a potential Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2024.

As of 1 August 2024, it was known that elements of the brigade have been deployed to the Toretsk direction in eastern Ukraine to help stabilise the situation near Niu York and Toretsk itself.^[4][5]

The brigade was announced in mid-October 2023, alongside the creation of five new mechanized brigades as part of the Ukrainian Ground Forces - accounting for a five percent expansion of the Ground Forces.^[6]

By 17 October 2023, it was reported that the brigade had already received a military unit identification number, and was in the stage of formation.^[7] It was reported by the brigade that the unit is trained in accordance with NATO standards and personal war experience.^[8]

It was reported by Forbes that the brigades are drawing their cadres of experienced officers and non-commissioned officers from existing brigades, while filling out the rest of their positions with new mobilized recruits.^[6] The brigade is also reportedly structured with the command and organisational core consisting of experienced servicemen with combat experience gained in eastern Ukraine in skirmishes with the Russian Armed Forces.^[9] The brigade includes both military personnel who have recently started their career, alongside experienced soldiers.^[9]

According to Forbes, it is unclear where the brigade will receive its equipment that makes them a mechanized brigade; rather than a glorified infantry or motorized brigade. It was noted that the new brigades may not receive new, modern vehicles such as Polish KTO Rosomak "Wolverine's" but will instead have to make do with old, vulnerable, and plentiful BMPs and other old-era Soviet equipment.^[6] Since then, the brigade has upgraded several of its armoured vehicles to meet modern requirements.

The sleeve insignia of the brigade has an appearance reflecting where the units garrison is located at, in Volyn, Volyn Oblast. The insignias appearance consists of a shield cut in half diagionally, with the lower portion being a green canvas with three spears pointing from the bottom right to the top left of the shield. The upper half of the shield is a red canvas with a white heraldic cross, symbolising the flag of Volyn Oblast. A subdued variant of the insignia also exists in darker, more greyer green colours to hide the primary colour elements of the insignia to make it less distinguishable and visible.

The insignia has a strikingly similar resemblance to the insignia of the 14th Mechanized Brigade, another mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces which also contains a spear and a flag of Volyn Oblast on its insignia.

The brigade is armed with a variety of small weapons, official publications by the brigade show that soldiers of the brigade primarily utilise older models of the Kalashnikov rifle series such as the AKM.^[10][11] Very few publicised materials of the brigade show more modernised variants of these rifles such as the AK-74, being used in limited numbers.^{[12][13][14][15]} Additionally, the brigade also possesses some units of M240B's.^[15]

As of July 2024, the brigade utilizes the following small arms:

• AKM - Soviet/Russian assault rifle
• AK-74 - Soviet/Russian assault rifle
• AK-74M - Russian assault rifle^[16]
• M240B - American general-purpose machine gun^[15]

The brigade holds a number of vehicles in its arsenal. Similarly to other brigades such as the 154th Mechanized Brigade, the brigade has received older Soviet-era model tanks such as the T-64BV.^[17] Several T-64BV tanks are in the brigades possession, notably with the modifications from 2017.^{[18][19][20][21]}

The brigade also has a small quantity of infantry fighting vehicles such as the BMP-2, with one being present amongst the brigade's inventory and in service.^[22] Some of these vehicles are also of Czechoslovakian origin, being designated as BVP-2.^[23] Limited numbers of BMP-1's have also been sighted on publications by the brigade, being a BMP-1TS variant used by the brigade. The brigade is also known to have several BRDM-2's in service, as well as a BREM-2.^[20]

In June 2024, it was reported that several old Soviet-era tanks such as the T-64 in the brigade's service were upgraded to meet modern standards.^[24][25]

As of June 2024, the brigade operates the following vehicles:

• T-64 - Soviet main battle tank
• BMP-1 - Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle
• BMP-2 - Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle
• BRDM-2 - Soviet amphibious armored scout car

The brigade was reported to be formed in anticipation of a potential Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2024, as well as to bolster Ukrainian defenses in eastern Ukraine to relieve depleted units deployed there.^[2][9]

Similarly to other brigades such as the 153rd Mechanized Brigade which has been deployed to Kharkiv Oblast amidst Russia's 2024 Kharkiv offensive, seeing combat action, the brigade also has recently been deployed in response to the growing situation in eastern Ukraine.^[26] According to social media publications, it was acknowledged that some elements of the brigade have been deployed to the Toretsk direction in Ukraine, an industrial city located in the Bakhmut raion which is located approximately 15 kilometers from the town of Niu York in eastern Ukraine.^[4] This confirms the purpose of the brigade to be utilised in bolstering Ukrainian defenses in the east of the country.^[27][28]

As of 23 January 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:

• 150th Separate Mechanized Brigade
  • Brigade's Headquarters
  • 1st Mechanized Battalion
  • 2nd Mechanized Battalion
  • 3rd Mechanized Battalion
  • 413th Separate Rifle Battalion (A4858)
  • Tank Battalion
  • Reconnaissance Company
  • Artillery Group
  • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
  • Engineer Battalion
  • Logistic Battalion
  • Signal Company
  • Maintenance Battalion
  • Radar Company
  • Medical Company
  • Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear Protection Company