Ukrainian Airmobile Forces
| Ukrainian Airmobile Forces | |
|---|---|
| Високомобільні десантні війська України | |
 Flag of the Ukrainian Airmobile Forces | |
| Active | 1992–present |
| Branch |
 Ukrainian Ground Forces |
| Type | Airborne Forces |
| Role |
Light Infantry Airmobile infantry Peacekeeping |
| Headquarters | Kyiv |
| Motto(s) |
"Ніхто крім нас!" ("Nobody, but us!") |
| Anniversaries |
Airmobile Forces Day (2 August) |
| Engagements |
Kosovo Force (KFOR) Iraq War 2014 Crimean Crisis War in Donbass |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Major general Myhaylo Zabrodskyi |
| Insignia | |
| Alternative Flag |
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| Shoulder sleeve insignia |
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The Ukrainian Airmobile Forces or VDV (from "Vysokomobil'ni desantni viyska Ukrayiny", Ukrainian: Високомобільні десантні війська України, ВДВ; High-mobile Airborne Forces of Ukraine) is a highly mobile component of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The airmobile forces consist of formations, units and elements of the Army and the Army aviation, trained for combined activities behind the enemy lines. The airmobile forces are in constant combat readiness and are the high mobility branch of forces. In the 15 years after their creation Ukrainian paratroopers have served in peacekeeping missions to the Balkans, in Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ethiopia, Georgia and Congo.[1]
2001 Structure
In 2001 the Airmobile Force consisted of:[2]
| Unit | Base # | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headquarters 1st Airmobile Division | А0220 | Bolhrad | inactive since 2003 |
| 25th Airborne Brigade | А1126 | Hvardiyske (Dnipropetrovsk Rerion) | |
| 45th Airmobile Brigade | А1533 | Bolhrad | |
| 27th Mechanized Brigade | А0664 | Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi | |
| 91st Artillery Regiment | А0242 | Veseliy Kut | |
| 95th Airmobile Brigade | А0281 | Zhytomyr | |
| 79th Airmobile Regiment | А0224 | Mykolaiv | |
| 80th Airmobile Regiment | А0284 | Lviv | |
| 1st Airmobile Division | |
| Separate Brigade | |
| Separate Regiments |
2008 Structure
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79th Airmobile Brigade -
80th Airmobile Regiment -
81st Brigade Tactical Group (Iraq War) -
28th Training Battalion
Present Structure
-
25th Airborne Brigade -
95th Airmobile Brigade - 79th Airmobile Brigade
- 80th Airmobile Brigade
-
81st Airmobile-Assault Brigade - 28th Training Battalion
- 199th Training Center[3]
Commanders
The Commander of the Airmobile Forces since 2015 is Major General Michael Zabrodskii.
| Name | Rank | Period of command |
|---|---|---|
| Vitaly Raevsky | Major General | 1992 - 1998 |
| Ivan Yakubets | Colonel | 1998 - 2005 |
| Serhiy Lysovyi | Colonel | 2005–present |
| Oleksandr Shvets | Colonel | 2012 - 2015 |
| Michael Zabrodskii | Major General | March 2015 – present |
Armament
Equipment of the Airmobile Forces is similar to the equipment used by Russian Airborne Troops.
Personnel firearms
- PM, semi-automatic pistol (9×18mm)
- AKS-74,[4] para assault rifle (AK-74 with folding skeleton buttstock) (5.45×39mm)
- AKS-74U, short-barreled para assault rifle carbine with folding skeleton buttstock(5.45×39mm)
- AKMS, para assault rifle with a downward-folding metal stock similar to that of the German MP40 (7.62×39mm)
- RPKS-74, the light weight para machinegun (5.45×39mm)
- PKM, general purpose machine gun (7.62×54mmR)
- Dragunov SVDS sniper rifle (7.62×54mmR)
- GP-25 and GP-30, the under-barrel 40mm grenade launchers for fragmentation and gas grenades which are attached to AKS-74 of some paratroopers to increase firepower for combating enemy foot troops
- AGS-17 "Plamya" (Flame),[5] the automatic grenade launcher - may being replaced by a much lighter UAG-40.[6]
Armoured Vehicles
Only one Brigade, the 25th is currently using BMD-1 and BMD-2 armored fighting vehicles.[7] The 95th Brigade, the 79th Brigade and 80th Regiment use BTR-80.[5]
Artillery
- 2S9 "Nona-S" configuration of 2S9 Nona, 120mm self-propelled mortar[7]
- ZU-23-2,[7] an aged but effective and powerful design of a double barrel 23mm anti-aircraft gun, commonly used against infantry and even APCs and IFVs, it is either mounted on any amphibious hulls, usually based on PT-76 light tank, or can be towed by jeep or truck as it has wheels.
References
- ↑ CHRONICLE 08.qxp
- ↑ (Russian) № 477-р від 3 грудня 2001 року "Про шефство Дніпропетров
- ↑ "Сергій Машковський привітав військовослужбовців 199 навчального центру ВДВ ЗСУ." [199th Training Center Airmobile Forces welcomed by Sergey Mashkovsky]. oda.zt.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2016-03-25.
- ↑ S stands for skladnoy (Russian: складной), means folding. Issued only for parachute-landing purposes
- 1 2 (Ukrainian) MoD News Article
- ↑ http://www.lk.com.ua/specials/armament/grenadelauncher-uag40.php?lang=en
- 1 2 3 (Ukrainian) MoD News Article
External links
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