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Naval Infantry

Marine Corps Day is celebrated in Ukraine every year on May 23. Commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, Vice-Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa, congratulated the marines in the areas of mission performance on 23 May 2023: "I congratulate all of you on the holiday! But we still have a lot of work ahead of us - we need to completely free Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson regions from the occupation. And the main thing is that the marines must return and free our permanent place of deployment - Crimea. Only after that can we consider that we have put an end to this war. Good luck to you and your family! Together to victory".

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 23 May 2023 that Kyiv was planning to reinforce its marine brigades. "New marine brigades will be added to our existing units, and we will provide them with modern weapons and equipment," he said in his nightly video address. Ukraine's "key task" was "to bolster our defense, to increase the capabilities of our warriors and our country as a whole," he said. Zelenskyy made the comments after visiting front-line positions near the towns of Vuhledar and Maryinka in the Donetsk region.

"It is an honor for me to be here today and congratulate you on the Day of the Marine Corps of Ukraine. This is a special day. Special for all citizens of Ukraine. A day of special courage, resilience, and strength that you, the fighters of the Marine Corps of Ukraine, have... Today I have the honor to announce that a decision has been made to significantly increase the potential of the Ukrainian Marine Corps - to create a Marine Corps. The state will do everything for the development of this important, strong type of troops. To equip our marines with modern weapons and equipment and to create new marine brigades of Ukraine. There will be even more of those who can do even the impossible."

Zelensky recalled the contribution of marines to the defense of Snake Island and the city of Mariupol, the battles for Avdiivka and Volnovakha, the defense of Mykolaiv, the protection of Odesa and the defense of Kherson Oblast. The Commander-in-Chief listened to the report of the commander of the marines and the "Donetsk" OTU, Lieutenant General Yuriy Sodol, about the current situation on the designated section of the front.

The head of state talked with Ukrainian soldiers and took part in the celebrations. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the Marine Corps is a brotherhood of strong, hardy, true to their convictions and vocation fighters who always demonstrate speed, determination and results. According to him, since the beginning of the Russian aggression, the military units and units of the marines have been reliably holding the defense in the most important areas of the front, professionally and confidently destroying the invaders.

"Every day on the battlefield, the Ukrainian marines prove that they are a powerful force that destroys the enemy, liberates Ukrainian lands, performs the most difficult tasks in the most difficult conditions. And we need more of that power. Therefore, starting today, we are significantly increasing the potential of the marines and creating a marine corps," the President said.

He presented awards to dozens of soldiers on the national Day of the Ukrainian Marines. For the personal courage and heroism shown in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, selfless service to the Ukrainian people, the head of state conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine and awarded the "Golden Star" orders to Colonel Yury Andriyenko and Colonel Mykola Palas. For personal courage and selfless actions in the defense of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the marines with the orders of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd degrees, "For courage" of the 2nd and 3rd degrees, Princess Olga of the 3rd degree and Danylo Halytskyi.

In recognition of the high professionalism, combat merits, and courage of the personnel of the military units, the head of state presented the award of the President of Ukraine "For Courage and Courage" to the Marine Corps Command of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 35th Separate Marine Corps Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrogradsky and its units : 18 separate battalion of marines and 137 separate battalion of marines, as well as 406 separate artillery brigade named after Colonel-General Oleksiy Almazov and 140 separate reconnaissance battalion. Volodymyr Zelenskyi awarded the military rank of brigadier general to the chief of staff — the deputy commander of the Marines of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel Oleksiy Androsov.

A new Marines Brigade was to have been formed in 2014 on the basis of the 1st Feodosia Marines Battalion. By one report, the brigade of Ukrainian marines was evacuated by sea after their Black Sea naval base at Feodosiya was overrun by Russian forces on 24 March 2014. The Defense Ministry would not reveal their new location. But according to media reports the brigade had been moved to a southeastern base in the Henichesk region, on the Ukrainian mainland adjacent to Crimea.

Maj. Gen. Olexander Rozmaznin, Chief of Central Command Center of Armed Forces of Ukraine, spoke 24 March 2014 about it in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. “First battalion is the basis for the future best brigade of black berets in our Armed Forces,” he said. According to Maj. Gen. Olexander Rozmaznin, several black berets were injured. Unit commander and his deputy were captured. “We try to free our officers and we hope we’ll talk with them as soon as possible,” he informed.

The status of the Ukrainian Naval Infantry was uncertain afater Crimea and Sevastopol officially joined Russia when President Putin signed a final decree 21 March 2014. All military installations in the Crimea had moved to Russian jurisdiction, and all Ukrainian troops had left the peninsula, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Crimea, Rustam Temirgaliev decladred 24 March 2014, after the base of the Ukraine’s marines in Feodosia, a port and resort city in Crimea, was taken under control by "self-defense squads".

The capture took place early in the morning and the operation lasted for about an hour. The base remained sealed off. The squads reportedly entered the base after two armored infantry vehicles broke the perimeter, then used stun grenades to force up to 80 Ukrainian marines to surrender. No information about casualties or injured was initially available. A day before the commander of the base, Captain Aleksandr Lantukh, declared the marines were willing to leave the base only if they were allowed to take their weapons and military vehicles with them.

The Marine Infantry of Ukraine [Morskaya Pehota Ukrainyi] was a separate battalion of troops coastal defense ZSU Naval Forces of Ukraine and a member of the United rapid reaction force to the point of dislocation in the city of Feodosia. It is no secret that creating Ukrainian Marines was helped by the whole country. Substantial financial assistance to the Marines provided the leaders of district and city councils in Ternopol, Lvov, Kiev and other Ukrainian cities.

The main overall objectives of the Marine Corps are the steps to capture the points-based Navy, ports, islands, some parts of the coast of the enemy. If the bulk of troops are units of land forces, Marines land in front-line to capture the points and stations on the coast and provide them landing on the main body. In the battalion of marines of Ukraine, problems are somewhat different from the common challenges of marines, their priority is to peacekeeping and the fight against terrorist groups, conduct military operations on its territory, to repel aggression by the enemy. The weapons of the Marines basically consists of a floating military equipment, portable anti-tank and air defense systems and automatic weapons.

The day of creation of the modern Marine Corps Ukraine can be considered Feb. 22, 1992, when in Sevastopol the 880th Otdelny Battalion under the command of Major Vitaly Rozhmanova took the oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people. By the way, sergeants and sailors, calling the service of the Russian Federation, remained in the battalion, and signed a statement of desire to promote military service in Ukrainian. At the same time a decree of the Minister of Defence was given for the enrollment of the 880th separate battalion of Marines in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, the command of the Black Sea Fleet in Moscow did everything to prevent the transfer of Marines to the jurisdiction of Ukraine. The battalion commander and his deputy were dismissed from their positions, the battalion disbanded and the personnel transferred to other military units.

On July 1, 1993, after the establishment of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, the 1st Separate Battalion of Marines was formed at Sevastopol. This enrolled in the best officers of the Black Sea Fleet, who wanted to serve his motherland. They brought with them the spirit and traditions unique to this type of elite troops. In order to separate the 1st Battalion of the Marines as soon as possible as a combat-ready unit, the personnel of military service were taken from soldiers and sergeants of airmobile troops. Volunteers were given psychological tests, the physical qualities of the candidates in the Marines and their moral qualities were tested, along with the state of military discipline. The high requirements for the selection of recruits for service in the Marine Corps remain today.

On September 1, 1993, the 41st Separate Marines Battalion was formed. On 20 September, according to directive of the Chief of General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces, it was under the management of 4th separate brigade MP Naval Forces of Ukraine. From 1995 to 1999 4 OBrMP was a member of the National Guard of Ukraine (NSU - disbanded in December 1999). Currently, separate battalion of marines, Feodosia (only) Naval Forces of Ukraine is part of the Coastal Defence Forces Naval Forces of Ukraine ZSU.

The Ukrainian Navy’s Naval Infantry Battalion received a NATO Interoperability Certificate on 16 November 2012. The 3-year certificate, which would allow the battalion to take part in NATO-led operations, was the result of a 4-year effort of training and preparation.

Plans were underway to establish two naval infantry brigades.

The Order of the Minister of Defence #109 dated May 25, 1993 put into effect the provisions on cockade and sleeve Signs of marines and management of coastal defense troops of the Naval Forces of Ukraine ", which regulated patterns of differences and how they wear in these parts. The combination of crimson on a black background in heraldry denotes a symbol of power, emphasizes rigid centralism. Moreover, the combination of these colors in the history of the fleet used to define the Navy shore structures. In the history of Russia and the Cossacks crimson color - the color of combat squadrons. Patches for determining the individual units are worn on the left sleeve of dress and undress at a distance of 10 cm from the edge of shoulder strap is strictly in the center, but on the field uniform - on the left sleeve patch pockets.

Structure

1. Managing Battalion
2. 1st MP Company
3. 2nd MP Company
4. reinforced grenade platoon (AGS-17),
5. air assault company,
6. mortar battery,
7. reconnaissance platoon.

Equipment and armament Marine Corps Ukraine

1. Floating Armored Transporters: 40 pcs. BTR-80
2. Mortars: 6 pcs. 2S12
3. Grenade Launchers: 6 pcs. AGS-17
4. Firearms: AKS-74 AKS-74U, PKM, SVD, RPG-7D, SE-25, MP.
   
   
   

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