21st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade

The 21st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade is a formation of the Russian Ground Forces. It was formed on 1 June 2009 from the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division as a result of the 2008 Russian military reform.[1]

21st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade
Russian: 21-я отдельная гвардейская Краснознаменная Омско-Новобугская ордена Богдана Хмельницкого мотострелковая бригада
21st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	2009–present
Country	Russia
Branch	Russian Ground Forces
Type	Motorized Infantry
Size	Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Totskoye, Orenburg Oblast MUN 12128
Engagements	War in Donbass • Battle of Ilovaisk

In 2014, the brigade was involved in the Russian military intervention in Ukraine.[2]

History

In August 2014 the brigade's units fought in the Battle of Ilovaisk. On 29 August, during a Ukrainian breakthrough attempt from Ilovaisk, a "northern" column of Ukrainian forces took the fight with 21st brigade's troops on a road between Voznesenka and Horbatenko villages.[3] Ukrainian T-64 tank and several BMP-2s of 51st Mechanized Brigade were able to destroy two T-72BA tanks[4][5][6] and a BMP-2[7] of the 21st Motor Rifle Brigade. Another 21st brigade's T-72BA tank was destroyed near Kumachove village, presumably by a Tochka-U missile strike of the 19th Missile Brigade.[8]

A Ukrainian Headquarters briefing held on 11 March 2015 noted the 21st Motor Rifle Brigade units are operating near Yenakiiyeve, Ukraine.[9]

References

1. Holm, Michael. "27th Guards Motorised Rifle Division". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
2. Sutyagin, Igor (March 2015). "RUSI Briefing Paper: Russian Forces in Ukraine" (PDF). Royal United Services Institute: 3. Retrieved 3 November 2016. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. "Серпень 2014 року. Іловайськ. Частина ІV. Чому і як виходила з оточення "північна" група генерала Руслана Хомчака - Суспільство - Український тиждень, Тиждень.ua" [August 2014. Ilovaisk. Chapter 4. Why and how the "northern" column led by General Ruslan Khomchak tried to break through]. tyzhden.ua. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
4. "Exclusive: Charred tanks in Ukraine point to Russian involvement". Reuters. 2016-10-23. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
5. "'Orenburg Weather' Destroyed Tanks of the 21st Brigade Near Starobesheve – InformNapalm.org (English)". InformNapalm.org (English). 2015-08-31. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
6. "Russian military near Ilovaisk in 2014. 21st Motor Rifle Brigade (MUN 12128) : Askai on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-11-03.
7. "Destroyed in August 2014, BMP-2 of the Russian 21st Motor Rifle Brigade. White dots on a turret and in front of a hull near right track : Askai on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-11-03.
8. "Tochka-U, Russian Military Losses, and Other Coincidences Of August 2014 – InformNapalm.org (English)". InformNapalm.org (English). 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
9. "The ATO Headquarters Briefs Foreign Press on Frontline – InformNapalm.org (English)". InformNapalm.org (English). 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2016-11-03.