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Rubizh Brigade

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4th Brigade of Operational Assignment
4-та бригада оперативного призначення
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active4 January 2016 - present
Country Ukraine
Branch National Guard of Ukraine
RoleOperational Units
Garrison/HQHostomel, Kyiv Oblast
PatronSergeant Serhii Mykhalchuk [uk]
EngagementsRusso-Ukrainian War
Decorations
For Courage and Bravery
Websitehttps://www.facebook.com/RapidReactionBrigade
Commanders
Current
commander		Artem Ilyukhin

The 4th Brigade of Operational Assignment named after Serhiy Mykhalchuk (Ukrainian: 4-та бригада оперативного призначення), also known as the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade "Rubizh" (Ukrainian: Бригада швидкого реагування НГУ «Рубіж»)[2][3] is a brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine formed in 2016.[4]

The brigade was established as an elite unit trained and organized under NATO standards. The unit would receive expert support, high-quality selection of fighters and technical equipment.[3][5] In 2023, the unit was reorganized as one of the National Guard's new Offensive Guard units and renamed as the "Rubizh Brigade".[6]

History

[edit]

Although the brigade was established on 2 June 2015,[7] actual recruitment of personnel to the brigade started in October 2015.[8] The unit was trained by foreign military advisers and veterans in conformity with NATO standards, including by Canadian soldiers as part of Operation UNIFIER, most recently in summer 2021.[9] According to Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov the creation of the brigade should become the first step towards converting the National Guard into a professional army.[5]

On 2 June 2016, the formation was presented its colours.[5] According to pro-Russian website Essence of Time, on 19 June 2016 President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko decided to send the Brigade to Donbas.[10] On 11 August 2020, the brigade was awarded the honorific of Sergeant Serhii Mykhalchuk [uk], who died in combat in December 2019 in Bakhmut Raion and was awarded the title 'Hero of Ukraine' posthumously.[10]

The Brigade was reportedly involved in fighting against a Russian Airborne Troops air assault in the Battle for Antonov Airport, located at outskirts Kyiv in Hostomel, on 24 February 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[11] The 4th Brigade's fast reaction and counter-attack prevented the airport from being captured by the Russian forces on the first day, and helped to prevent the airport being used to airlift more troops and capture the capital Kyiv. As a result, the Kyiv offensive turned into a slog fought in the city's northwestern metropolitan areas in Hostomel, Bucha and Irpin.[12]

After the retreat of Russian forces from the Kyiv axis, the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade was redeployed to the East Ukraine, to fight at the Eastern Ukraine offensive.[10] In the east, unit was involved at the Battle of Severodonetsk, where they fought a month-long defense of the city.[10][13] And later in the year, the unit was deployed at Bakhmut to fight in the Battle of Bakhmut.[14]

In January 2023 it was announced that the 4th Brigade of Operational Purpose was granted the nickname 4th "Rubizh" Brigade as part of the Offensive Guard program of the MIA of Ukraine.[6]

On 1 July 2024, scouts from the Ukrainian Rubizh Brigade captured “several dozen Russian soldiers”, mostly mobilised conscripts, in an unspecified location.[15]

In November 2024, elements of the brigade were deployed near the village of Stelmakhivka in the Luhansk Oblast.[16]

In February 2025, Danylo Borysenko, a representative of the brigade, said that its battalions were responsible for areas on the Siversk front near the village of Bilohorivka, on the Lyman front near the villages of Yampolivka [uk] and Kolodiazi, and on the Kupiansk front near the villages of Zahryzove [uk] and Petropavlivka.[17] The next month, he said the brigade's units remained responsible for areas near Bilohorivka, Yampolivka, Zahryzove and Petropavlivka.[18]

As of June 2025, units of the 4th National Guard Brigade were still operating both on the Pokrovsk front and the Siversk front.[19][20]

Structure

[edit]

As of 2023 the brigade's structure is as follows:[4]

  • 4th "Rubizh" Brigade
    • Headquarters & Headquarters Company
    • 1st Battalion of Operational Assignment
    • 2nd Battalion of Operational Assignment
    • 3rd Battalion of Operational Assignment "Svoboda"
    • 4th Guardsmen Battalion
    • 5th Operational Battalion
    • 6th Guardsmen Battalion
    • Special Intelligence Company
    • Snipers Company
    • Tank Company
    • 4th Field Artillery Regt
    • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
    • Signals Company
    • Combat Service Support Battalion
    • Medical Company
    • Brigade Band
[edit]
Soldiers of the Brigade in 2016.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Russian Airborne Disaster at Hostomel Airport | Aberfoyle International Security". 8 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Триває набір до бригади швидкого реагування Національної гвардії України | НГУ". 13 January 2019. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b "БРИГАДА ШВИДКОГО РЕАГУВАННЯ НГУ: ШЛЯХ ВІД СТВОРЕННЯ ДО БОЙОВОГО ПРАПОРА - оборона, військовослужбовці, Національна гвардія (01.06.16 22:45) « Політика України « Резонанс | Цензор.НЕТ". 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Thousands of volunteers enroll in Ukraine's offensive brigades on first day of call". Euromaidan Press. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Arsen Avakov: "The NGU light infantry brigade represents a new model of military unit" (PHOTOS, VIDEO)". Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  6. ^ a b Palikot, Aleksander (25 March 2023). "As Fighting Rages On At The Front, Thousands Join Ukraine's Offensive Guard". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Найновіша в НГУ 4-та бригада швидкого реагування отримала бойовий прапор (ФОТО, ВІДЕО)". mvs.gov.ua. 2 June 2016.
  8. ^ Butusov, Yuri (1 June 2016). "Бригада швидкого реагування НГУ: шлях від створення до бойового прапора". censor.net.
  9. ^ "National Guard gets a fast-response brigade". Ukraine under attack. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d "Ukrainians cede land on eastern front, but hold on to hope". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Bloody Day in Ukraine Ends With Russian Advances, Setbacks | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  12. ^ McGregor (8 March 2022). "Russian Airborne Disaster at Hostomel Airport | Aberfoyle International Security". Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  13. ^ "The soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine showed how they blew up the bridge between Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk". 18 May 2022.
  14. ^ "National Guardsmen hold off Russian attack near Bakhmut". www.ukrinform.net. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  15. ^ IVASHKIV OLENA (1 July 2024). "Several dozen Russian soldiers surrender – video". Ukrainian Pravda. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Коли чув підліт ворожого FPV, зайняв мертву позицію і поклав ногу біля себе: історія пілота БПЛА, який вижив". АрміяInform [uk] (in Ukrainian). 1 April 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Вбивати штурмовиків на підході — найефективніший рецепт відбиття штурмів від бригади «Рубіж»". АрміяInform [uk] (in Ukrainian). 21 February 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  18. ^ "Оптоволоконні дрони, авіація та «об'ємні» обстріли — підтримують атаки російських штурмовиків на Сході". АрміяInform [uk] (in Ukrainian). 4 March 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  19. ^ Козлова, Діана (19 June 2025). "Армія РФ штурмує Сіверський напрямок групами по 4-15 мотоциклів — командир екіпажу БпЛА". Suspilne (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Росія атакує Сіверський напрямок хімічною зброєю". Judicial and Legal Newspaper (Ukraine) [uk] (in Ukrainian). 15 June 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
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