UKRAINE - ARMY 1st Tank Brigade

Russo-Ukrainian War

In January 2015, elements of the brigade were reported to have participated in the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport to attempt a breakthrough. Then on 18 November 2015, the Soviet decorations included in the brigade's full name (1st Separate Guards Tank Novohrad Orders of the Red Banner, Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Alexander Nevsky and Red Star Brigade, (Ukrainian: 1-а окрема гвардійська танкова Новгородська орденів Червоного Прапора, Кутузова, Богдана Хмельницького, Олександра Невського і Червоної Зірки бригада)^[6] were removed under Ukrainian decommunization law, leaving the name to be 1st Guards Tank Brigade (Ukrainian: 1-ша окрема гвардійська танкова бригада).^[7] Furthermore, on 22 August 2016, its Guards title was also removed.^[8] It was granted the Siverska honorific on 24 August 2017. As of April 2021, the brigade was seen fighting in Donbas until Russia began massing troops along Ukraine's border, moving back to its original garrison outside of Kyiv.

At the onset of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the brigade's elements dispersed in anticipation of the imminent barrage of artillery, rockets, and airstrikes in the opening hours. Following the bombardment, the unit returned to Chernihiv to respond to Russian vanguard forces from the 41st Combined Arms Army which consisted of a number of meeting engagements in the surrounding forests.^[9] Russian forces made attempts to take the city on the road to Kyiv but were repelled; they eventually bypassed the city.^[10] The brigade, augmented by Territorial Defense Forces and reserves, remained in Chernihiv while Russian reinforcements began to encircle the city as a result of more failed assault. This resulted in the Siege of Chernihiv.^[11][12] Despite encirclement, the brigade maintained one supply route for communications and resupply.^[9] By 31 March 2022, the brigade had successfully defended the city against Russian attacks and the siege was lifted. Surviving elements of the Russian 41st CAA retreated north to Belarus. The brigade recaptured surrounding Ukrainian towns and the M01 Highway connecting to Kyiv.^[13]

Following, the brigade was deployed to the north of the Donbas before conducting rest and refit in May. By July, elements of the brigade were deployed back to the Battle of Donbas in the area of southern Donetsk and Kramatorsk.^[14] The unit was given the recently established honorary award of "For Courage and Bravery" by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for its service in Chernihiv, the southern counteroffensive, and the Donbas region. He went further stating "in six months, more than a thousand warriors of this brigade were awarded state awards."^[15]