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15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade (Ukraine)

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15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade
15-та окрема бригада артилерійської розвідки «Чорний ліс»
Battalion's insignia
Founded1991
Country Ukraine
Allegiance Armed Forces of Ukraine
Branch Ukrainian Ground Forces
TypeRocket and Artillery Forces Brigade
RoleArtillery and Reconnaissance
Part ofGround Forces Command
Garrison/HQDrogobych
Nickname(s)Black Forest Brigade
Motto(s)"Lightning Fast and Accurate"
Colours
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander		Colonel Alexander Popov
Insignia
Former Insignia
Former Insignia

The 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade "Black Forest" (MUN A1108) is an artillery and reconnaissance Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces directly subordinated to the Ground Forces command but is currently operationally subordinated to the Operational Command West. It operates a variety of artillery and drone systems including western, indigenous and Soviet era weapons.

History

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On 24 August 1991, the 337th Rocket Artillery Brigade of the Red Army was subordinated to Ukraine following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union and took the oath of allegiance to Ukraine on 12 December 1991. In 1998, the first rocket artillery division "Smerch" of the 337th rocket artillery brigade carried out combat launches at the Chauda military training ground. On 20 August 2003, it became 15th Rocket Artillery Regiment and was recognized as the best unit of the Operational Command West. In 2008, the 1st Rocket Artillery Division of the 15th Rocket Artillery Regiment performed live fire training at the Chauda military training ground. On 4 May 2006, the regiment was awarded a Battle Banner. On 21 August 2008, it received the honorary title of "Drohobych".[1] In June 2012, the regiment's personnel took part in the 20th review-competition for the best organization of physical training and sports in the Armed Forces of Ukraine performing in over a hundred categories and took the first spot.

Since April 2014, the 15th Guards Rocket Artillery Regiment has been involved in the War in Donbass.[2] On 26 August 2014, a soldier of the regiment, Komar Yuri Igorovich was killed as a result of a firearms attack on a travelling convoy near Heorhiivka, Luhansk Oblast.[3] On 18 November 2015, all Soviet awards and references were stripped from the regiment's title.[4] Two units of the AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar were transferred to the regiment on 17 August 2018.[5]

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it saw direct combat against Russian forces. On 7 July 2022, a soldier of the brigade, Bordun Ivan was killed by Russian artillery shelling shelling near Siversk during the Battle of Bakhmut.[6] In September 2022, it was participating in the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive.[7] Throughout the invasion, the 15th Brigade had managed to find and destroy more than 30 air defense systems alone 2023, including the S-300, S-350, S-400, BUK, "Predel-E", Russians specifically target the brigade due to its operational capabilities employing planes and the S-400 but failed to achieve their aims. Its aims gradually shifted from strikes at the range to 20 km to now 30 km.[8] On 3 November 2023, it was awarded the honorary name "Black Forest".[9] In January 2024, the brigade's forces destroyed multiple BM-21 Grad MLRSs in Luhansk Oblast.[10] On 20 January 2024, it destroyed a Russian Tor missile system.[11] On 27 April 2024, the 15th brigade in coordination with Kabul-9 discovered and hit a Russian Podlet-1K Radar using WB Electronics Warmate.[12] On 4 July 2024, it destroyed a Russian Supercam S350 UAV along with its operators.[13] On 8 September 2024, it destroyed a Russian Yastrub-AV using a HIMARS.[14] A soldier of the brigade, Vasyl Laganyak died on 28 October 2024 while performing a combat mission near Razdolne in Donetsk Oblast.[15] On 16 November 2024, near Tavria [uk], Vasylivka Raion, artillerymen of the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade launched an M142 HIMARS strike on a concentration of Russian troops killing twenty Russians and was followed by a second strike during the evacuation of the dead and wounded, causing further casualties.[16] On 12 December 2024, the brigade released a video showcasing its forces conducting dual strikes targeting a Russia Zoopark-M1 radar likely using M142 HIMARS or M270 MLRS.[17] On 3 January 2025, the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade "Black Forest" published a video showcasing the destruction of the Russian Pantsir-S1 using the American M142 HIMARS.[18] On 27 January 2025, it destroyed a radar for the Russian S-300 missile system.[19] It has also been known to use British Storm Shadow missiles and was able to destroy a Russian platoon command post using them [20]

Equipment

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Model Image Origin Type Number Details
Artillery
BM-30 Smerch  Soviet Union Heavy self-propelled 300 mm multiple rocket launcher 5+ [21]
M142 HIMARS  United States Light multiple rocket launcher [16]
M270 MLRS  United States Armored self-propelled multiple launch rocket system [17]
Armored vehicles
BRDM-2  Soviet Union Amphibious armoured reconnaissance vehicle
RADARs
AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar  United States Counter battery mobile radar 2 [5]
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma  United States Surveillance and intelligence electro-optical UAV [20]
DJI Mavic  China FPV drone [8]
DeViRo Leleka-100
("Stork") 		 Ukraine Air reconnaissance/loitering munition [8]
Athlon Avia A1-CM Furia  Ukraine Air reconnaissance [8]
ASU-1 Valkyrie  Ukraine Air reconnaissance [8]
Ukrspecsystems Shark  Ukraine Air reconnaissance [8]
Ukrspecsystems Mini Shark  Ukraine Air reconnaissance [8]
Tekever AR3  Portugal Autonomous VTOL ISTAR craft [22]

Commanders

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  • Colonel Hryhoriy Demyanchyk (2012–2020)[23]
  • Colonel Oleksandr Popov (2022-)[24]
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Until 2022, before becoming a brigade, the old sleeve insignia of the 15th Rocket Artillery Regiment depicted a shield with a dragon's head, surmounted by a small State Emblem of Ukraine, against a background of crossed cannon barrels. The dragon's head represents the power of missiles.[25]

In July 2022, singer Viktor Vynnyk wrote the brigade's march, and presented it in his performance on 11 September.[26]

References

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  1. ^ "15 реактивний артилерійський, Дрогобицький, Київський, орденів Леніна, Червоного прапора, Богдана Хмельницького, Олександра Невського полк". Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Українські військові вдячні усім за підтримку та просять вірити у нашу перемогу". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  3. ^ Комар Юрій Ігорович Archived 20 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Указ Президента". Archived from the original on 31 August 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b "США передали ЗСУ дві контрбатарейні РЛС AN/TPQ-36". Ukrainian Military Pages. 2018-08-17. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  6. ^ У бою біля Сіверська загинув захисник України зі Львівщини Іван Бордун. 11.07.2022, 16:50
  7. ^ Відповімо терористам на кожну їхню підлість, на кожну ракету — ми це можемо — звернення Президента України.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Очі богів. Як артрозвідка ЗСУ зробила стрибок до знищення "аналаговнету" та "С-400"". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  9. ^ "Указ Президента України №729/2023 «Про присвоєння почесного найменування 15 окремій бригаді артилерійської розвідки Сухопутних військ Збройних Сил України »". President of Ukraine. November 3, 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  10. ^ "Бригада "Чорний ліс" уразила значну кількість "Градів" росіян". Мілітарний (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  11. ^ [1]
  12. ^ "Дрони-камікадзе уразили елементи російської РЛС 48Я6-К1 «Подлет»". Мілітарний (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2024-04-27. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  13. ^ Біля Варварівки ЗСУ уразили операторів дрона Supercam
  14. ^ Ukrainian Defense Forces Destroy Russian Yastrub-AV Artillery Reconnaissance System with HIMARS MLRS. VIDEO
  15. ^ Karnaukh, Nataliya (November 1, 2024). "На Львівщині 1 листопада попрощаються із шістьма військовослужбовцями". Public Lviv. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  16. ^ a b "HIMARS вдарив по скупченню російських військових на Запоріжжі". Мілітарний. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  17. ^ a b Ukrainian Armed Forces rocket artillery hits Zoopark-M1 radar
  18. ^ "HIMARS знищив російський "Панцирь" у Донецьку". Мілітарний. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
  19. ^ Ukrainian "Black Forest" Brigade Destroys Russian Radar While Moving on the Battlefield
  20. ^ a b "Ukrainian Black Forest Brigade uses drones to a lethal test". The Times. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  21. ^ "Дрогобицькі артилеристи готові до реформ". Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  22. ^ [2]
  23. ^ Zaxid.net. "Командир військової частини у Дрогобичі використовував солдатів на будівництві свого будинку". ZAXID.NET (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  24. ^ "Комбриг 15 бригади артрозвідки: Ми нищимо комплекси, де кожна плата, як злиток платини намазаний чорною ікрою". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  25. ^ "Символи «бога війни»". Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014. Archived 2014-12-07 at the Wayback Machine
  26. ^ Віктор Винник — Марш 15-ї окремої бригади артилерійської розвідки ЗСУ

Sources

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