Russian separatist forces in Ukraine
Russian separatist forces in Ukraine, primarily the People's Militias of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), were pro-Russian paramilitaries in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. They were under the overall control of the Russian Federation, and were also referred to as Russian proxy forces. They were active during the war in Donbas (2014–2022), the first stage of the Russo-Ukrainian War. They then supported the Russian Armed Forces against the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the 2022 Russian invasion. In September 2022, Russia annexed the DPR and LPR, and began integrating the paramilitaries into its armed forces. They are designated as terrorist groups by the government of Ukraine.
The separatist paramilitaries were formed during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine. The Donbas People's Militia was formed in March 2014 by Pavel Gubarev, who proclaimed himself "People's Governor" of Donetsk Oblast, while the Army of the South-East was formed in Luhansk Oblast. The Donbas war began in April 2014 after these groups seized Ukrainian government buildings in the Donbas, leading the Ukrainian military to launch its Anti-Terrorist Operation against them.
During the Donbas war, Russian far-right groups were heavily involved in recruiting for the separatists, and many far-right activists joined them and formed volunteer units. The Russian separatists have been held responsible for war crimes, among them the shootdown of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and the Mariupol rocket attacks, which they have denied. The militias were also responsible for illegal abductions, detention, and torture of civilians of the Donbas.
The separatist paramilitaries were supported by, and were proxies of, the Russian Armed Forces. Ukraine, the United States, and some analysts deemed them to be under the command of Russia's 8th Guards Combined Arms Army. Although the Russian government often denied direct involvement, evidence suggested otherwise. The separatists admitted receiving weaponry and supplies from Russia, being trained there, and having thousands of Russian citizens in their ranks. By September 2015, the separatist units, at the battalion level and up, were acting under the command of Russian Army officers. In 2023, Russia acknowledged separatists who fought in the Donbas war as being eligible to receive Russian combat veteran status.
Although called "militias", shortly before the 2022 Russian invasion, the separatist republics began forced conscription of men to fight for Russia. The Donbas conscripts have been described as the "cannon fodder" of the Russian forces; by November 2022 the casualty rate of the separatist units was almost 50%, according to official separatist sources.
History
On 3 March 2014, during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, groups of protesters took control of the regional administration building in Donetsk. An armed opposition group named the Donbas People's Militia, led by Pavel Gubarev, participated. This happened when 11 Ukrainian cities with significant populations of ethnic Russians erupted in demonstrations against the new Ukrainian government. On 6 April 2014, 2,000 pro-Russian protesters rallied outside the regional administration building. On the same day, groups of protesters in Eastern Ukraine stormed the regional administration building in Kharkiv, and the SBU headquarters in Luhansk. The groups created a people's council and demanded a referendum like the one held in Crimea.
Donbas war
On 12 April, armed members of the Donbas People's Militia seized government buildings in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, and set up checkpoints and barricades. The same day, former members of the Donetsk "Berkut" unit joined the ranks of the Donbas People's Militia.
On 13 April, the newly established Ukrainian government gave the separatists a deadline to disarm or face a "full-scale anti-terrorist campaign" in the region. Later that day, the first reports came in of fighting between the people's militia and Ukrainian troops near Sloviansk, with casualties on both sides. On 14 April, members of the Donbas People's Militia blocked Ukrainian military KrAZ trucks armed with Grad missiles from entering the city. On 15 April, a full scale "Anti-Terrorist Operation" was launched by the Ukrainian government with aim of restoring their authority over the areas seized by the militia.
On 16 April, the militia entered Sloviansk with six BMD airborne amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicles they had obtained from elements of the 25th Airborne Brigade who had switched allegiance. A Ukrainian military column was disarmed after the vehicles were blockaded by locals in Kramatorsk. The militia also received a 2S9 "Nona-S" self-propelled 120 mm mortar. On April 20, an unidentified armed group in civilian clothes attacked a militia checkpoint at the entrance to the city of Sloviansk. Three attackers and three members of the militia were killed. On May 14, eight members of the militia seized an IMR armored vehicle from Novokramatorsky Mashinostroitelny Zavod.
On May 15, the Donbas People's Militia sent an ultimatum to Kyiv. They demanded the withdrawal of all Ukrainian troops from Donetsk oblast. On May 17, several members of the militia seized two BRDM unarmed armored vehicles from Severodonetsk and Lysychansk (Luhansk Oblast) On May 22, the Federal State of Novorossiya was declared. On May 23, several members of the people's militia seized another BRDM-RKh unarmed armored vehicle from Loskutovka (Luhansk Oblast)
In July 2014, the estimated manpower of the separatists was around 10,000–20,000.
The militia were widely suspected to have been involved in the downing of a civilian airliner, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, on 17 July 2014.
On August 8, the militia claimed that after battles near the Russian border, they had captured 67 pieces of equipment in varying conditions (serviceable equipment lacking ammunition or fuel, with faults, damaged in battle and completely unusable), including 18 "Grad" multiple rocket launching systems, 15 tanks and armoured personnel carriers, howitzers, MANPADS, etc. As of August 12, the militia had at least 200 armoured vehicles.
July and early August were disastrous for the militias, with many analysts saying they were on the verge of defeat, before a sudden counteroffensive, which the Ukrainian government said was supported by Russian troops, encircled thousands of Ukrainian troops and forced them into a retreat. The militias soon re-captured several strategic positions such as Savur-Mohyla and Luhansk International Airport.
In September 2014, the DNR and LNR People's Militias became the 1st Army Corps and 2nd Army Corps[73] of the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya (Russian: Объединённые Вооруженные Силы Новороссии; acronym NAF), which was to be the army of the proposed Novorossiya (New Russia) political union. Lieutenant General Ivan Korsun became its commander-in-chief. The Novorossiya project was suspended in May 2015 due to infighting, but the two separatist armies would still operate in an unified manner.
On 2 February 2015, Head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, announced that there would be a general mobilization in the DPR of 10,000 volunteers, and he aimed to eventually expand the NAF to 100,000 soldiers.
In March 2015, the estimated manpower of the separatists rose to 30,000–35,000 personnel.
On 20 May 2015 the leadership of the Federal State of Novorossiya announced the termination of the confederation 'project' but the United Armed Forces was retained as the joint armed service of the DPR and LPR.
The Ukrainian government in mid-2015 claimed there were about 42,500 fighters on the separatists' side, which include 9,000 Russian soldiers.
2022 Russian invasion.
During the prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic started a process of mass mobilization of its population in order to build an army for the Russian invasion. As there weren't enough volunteers in the separatist army, and the Russian government wasn't willing to start mobilization of its own population, men from ages 18 until 65 from any background were conscripted to form the separatist army. Groups of DPR/LPR officers roamed the streets searching for men at the age range, arresting and sending to conscription offices any they found. In some regions, up to 80% of employees of local enterprises were called up, which led to the shutdown of mines (the main source of employment in the Donbas) and public transport, resulting in the paralysis of city and public services.
Most of the Donbas conscripts are unexperienced, received little-to-no training and were badly equipped, and suffered from morale issues and heavy casualties. The role of Donbas conscripts by Russian forces has been described as "cannon fodder". There were reports of conscipts being issued antiquated equipment such as World War I-era Mosin–Nagant rifles and the early Cold War-era T-62 tanks. By November, the DPR ombudsman reported that the DPR militia suffered almost 20,000 casualties (both wounded in action and killed in action), translating into a staggering 50% casualty rate, with outside observers believing it could possibly be higher. The mass conscription has been considered a war crime by some, as the Article 51 of the Fourth Geneva Convention bans the forceful conscription of soldiers from occupied territory, but Russian authorities claimed they are part of the independent sovereign nations of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic.
Separatist forces advancing during the Battle of Lysychansk at the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
After the leaders of the Russian proxy republics signed treaties of annexation with the Russian president on September 30, 2022, the Russian State Duma approved legislation on October 3 mandating the integration of the "people's militias" into the Russian military, backdated to the date of annexation. Upon the "annexation" of Ukrainian territories in September 2022, Russian occupation officials began forcibly conscripting Ukrainian men in occupied parts of Kherson oblast, and were reportedly ready to mobilize 3,000 in occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast.
On 31 December 2022, Putin visited the Southern Military District headquarters in Rostov-on-Don to present battle colours to representatives of the militias and a command academy in Donetsk, referring to them as the 1st Donetsk Army Corps and 2nd Guards Luhansk-Sievierodonetsk Army Corps. In January 2023 the Russian defence ministry announced that "self-sufficient force groupings" would be established in Ukraine, and in February that four Russian-claimed oblasts in southeastern Ukraine were placed under command of the Southern Military District of the Russian Ground Forces, part of a long-term effort to integrate various irregular forces. On February 19, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Militias were formally integrated into the command structure of the Russian Armed Forces.
Structure
The militias consist of different armed groups, sworn to the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic. Militant groups which refused to do so were disarmed as gangs in the DPR. Other groups are autonomous forces.
According to Ukrainskyi Tyzhden, a Donetsk Operative Command set up in May 2016 by Russia coordinates the military efforts of the Donetsk People's Republic. The tank battalions they claim Russia can deploy include the DPR Diesel Battalion, and LPR August Battalion. Euromaidan Press reported in September 2018 that the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya comprised two army corps: the 1st Corps, called the "People's Militia of the DNR" and the 2nd Corps, called "People's Militia of the LNR".
On 28 December 2018 commander of the Ukrainian Navy Ihor Voronchenko claimed that the DPR had created a flotilla stationed at Novoazovsk, made up of about 25 converted fishing boats. According to Voronchenko, the DPR had named this flotilla the "9th Regiment of the Marine Corps".
Militia forces
1st Slavyansk Brigade (Russian: 1-ая Славянская бригада) – Brigade formerly commanded by Igor "Strelkov" Girkin. He was the Minister of Defense of allied separatist militias in the DPR and LPR from 16 May to 14 August 2014. Strelkov's name was later revealed to be Igor Girkin, a Moscow-born Russian, Army veteran and former FSB agent.
AA Regiment
Danube Group
Diesel Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Дизель») – Separate tank battalion formed in 2015, equipped with Soviet equipment, including T-72B1s.
Dome Group
Horlivka Group
Oplot 5th Separate Infantry Brigade or Oplot Brigade (Russian: Батальон «Оплот», meaning "Bulwark Battalion") – First commanded by Alexander Zakharchenko. Originally a Donbas People's Militia battalion, it expanded to a brigade by September 2014 during the DPR militia restructuring.
Kolchuga Group
Russian Imperial Legion (Russian: Имперский легион) is the military arm of the Russian Imperial Movement, a Russian white supremacist Orthodox nationalist organization that has recruited thousands to fight for the separatists. Imperial Legion and RIM have been recognized as a terrorist movement by Canada and United States for their links to neo-fascist terrorists.
Novoazovsk Group
Oplot Group
Reconnaissance Battalion
Sparta Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Спарта») – Special forces battalion formed and led by Arsen Pavlov, known as Motorola, until his assassination in 2016. His successor was Vladimir Zhoga, from Sloviansk, and known by Voha. Zhoga was killed in battle in March 2022 during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
1st Separate Battalion-Tactical Group "Somalia" or Somalia Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Сомали») – Tactical group led by Lieutenant colonel Mikhail Tolstykh, known as Givi until his assassination in 2017. In 2022 the Battalion's leader was Lieutenant Colonel Timur Kurilkin.
Typhoon unit
Special forces
1st Battalion Khan
3rd Battalion
DShRG Rusich (Russian: ДШРГ «Русич») – Special forces-type company affiliated with the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group and commanded by Aleksey Milchakov, a Russian Neo Nazi. Made up of far-right Russian and other European volunteers. On July 10, 2015, Milchakov announced that the Rusich Company would be withdrawing from Donbas for retraining and refitting. In April 2022, it was reported that Rusich had returned to eastern Ukraine, this time as part of the private military company Wagner Group.
Reconnaissance unit Zimargl
Kalmius Brigade (Russian: Бригада «Кальмиус») – Special forces brigade commanded by Sergei Petrovskiy.
Rapid Response Team
Vostok Brigade (Russian: Бригада «Восток», meaning "East Brigade") – Special forces brigade founded and led by Alexander Khodakovsky. It has foreign volunteers including Russians and North Ossetians. Begun as a battalion, as of June 2014 it had about 500 men, according to Khodakovsky. It later expanded to a brigade.
Rear forces
Engineering Battalion
Patriotic Forces of Donbas (Russian: Патриотические силы Донбасса)
Electric Warfare unit
Steppe Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Степь»)
DPR Republican Guard (Russian: Республиканская гвардия ДНР) – Elite unit created by Alexander Zakharchenko on January 12, 2015. Commanded by Major-general Ivan Kondratov, and composed of six battalions that total more than 3,000 fighters.
Slavic Unification and Revival Battalion or Svarozhich Battalion – formed by members of the Rodnovery (Slavic native faith) movement, at its peak 1,200 fighters, now part of the Vostok Brigade..............................
Repair Battalion
International Brigade "Pyatnashka" (Russian: Бригада «Пятнашка», meaning "15th Brigade") – International brigade commanded by Akhra Avidzba, known by Abkhaz. DPR positions in Marinka are held by this unit.
Support Battalion
Mariupol-Khingan Naval Infantry (Russian: Мариупольско-Хинганский морская пехота) – Formed in 2016. The name is based on the Soviet World War II 221st Infantry Mariupol-Khingan Red Banner Order of Suvorov Rifle Division.
Vikings Battalion – Motorized infantry unit formed in 2015.
DPR Security Service Battalion (Russian: Батальон службы безопасности Донецкой народной республики) – Security Service of the Donetsk People's Republic.2
Horlivka Group
Territorial defence
1st Battalion
2nd Territorial Defense Battalion "Miner's Division" (Russian: Шахтёрская дивизия) – Reorganized into a territorial defensive battalion after September 2014.
3rd Battalion
4th Battalion
5th Battalion
6th Battalion
Militia Regiments
1252nd regiment (from Mordovia)
1439th regiment
Luhansk People's Republic
Main article: 2nd Army Corps (Russia)
People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic (Russian: Народная милиция Луганской Народной Республики, lit.'People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic'), or 2nd Guards Army Corps (LPR) – Formed on 7 October 2014.
Militia forces
1st Separate Mechanized Brigade "August" or August Battalion – The only tank battalion in the LPR People's Militia.
2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade named after Kliment Voroshilov.
4th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade
6th Separate Cossack Motorized Rifle Regiment named after Ataman Matvei Platov.
7th Chistyakovskaya Motorized Rifle Brigade
Zarya Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Заря», meaning "Dawn Battalion") – First commander was Igor Plotnitsky. Commanded by Andrei Patrushev.
AA Battalion
Artillery Brigade
Command Regiment
Cossacks Motorized Brigade – Don Cossack volunteer group commanded by Rashid Shakirzanov.[95] The group has over 4,000 fighters and access to armor and artillery. From May to November 2014, the group was commanded by Ataman Nikolai Kozitsyn. Kozitsyn was forcibly removed from power in November 2014 and replaced by Shakirzanov. The group's headquarters is in Antratsyt, and their rule expands to Krasnyi Luch. Initially, this group was identified as Russian Special Forces by the U.S. State Department following the takeover of the Sloviansk city council. In November 2014, the group instated capital punishment in Perevalsk to deter crime. Kozitsyn stated that there is no more marauding, burglaries or car-jacking in the city.
The separatist paramilitaries were formed during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine. The Donbas People's Militia was formed in March 2014 by Pavel Gubarev, who proclaimed himself "People's Governor" of Donetsk Oblast, while the Army of the South-East was formed in Luhansk Oblast. The Donbas war began in April 2014 after these groups seized Ukrainian government buildings in the Donbas, leading the Ukrainian military to launch its Anti-Terrorist Operation against them.
During the Donbas war, Russian far-right groups were heavily involved in recruiting for the separatists, and many far-right activists joined them and formed volunteer units. The Russian separatists have been held responsible for war crimes, among them the shootdown of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and the Mariupol rocket attacks, which they have denied. The militias were also responsible for illegal abductions, detention, and torture of civilians of the Donbas.
The separatist paramilitaries were supported by, and were proxies of, the Russian Armed Forces. Ukraine, the United States, and some analysts deemed them to be under the command of Russia's 8th Guards Combined Arms Army. Although the Russian government often denied direct involvement, evidence suggested otherwise. The separatists admitted receiving weaponry and supplies from Russia, being trained there, and having thousands of Russian citizens in their ranks. By September 2015, the separatist units, at the battalion level and up, were acting under the command of Russian Army officers. In 2023, Russia acknowledged separatists who fought in the Donbas war as being eligible to receive Russian combat veteran status.
Although called "militias", shortly before the 2022 Russian invasion, the separatist republics began forced conscription of men to fight for Russia. The Donbas conscripts have been described as the "cannon fodder" of the Russian forces; by November 2022 the casualty rate of the separatist units was almost 50%, according to official separatist sources.
History
On 3 March 2014, during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, groups of protesters took control of the regional administration building in Donetsk. An armed opposition group named the Donbas People's Militia, led by Pavel Gubarev, participated. This happened when 11 Ukrainian cities with significant populations of ethnic Russians erupted in demonstrations against the new Ukrainian government. On 6 April 2014, 2,000 pro-Russian protesters rallied outside the regional administration building. On the same day, groups of protesters in Eastern Ukraine stormed the regional administration building in Kharkiv, and the SBU headquarters in Luhansk. The groups created a people's council and demanded a referendum like the one held in Crimea.
Donbas war
On 12 April, armed members of the Donbas People's Militia seized government buildings in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, and set up checkpoints and barricades. The same day, former members of the Donetsk "Berkut" unit joined the ranks of the Donbas People's Militia.
On 13 April, the newly established Ukrainian government gave the separatists a deadline to disarm or face a "full-scale anti-terrorist campaign" in the region. Later that day, the first reports came in of fighting between the people's militia and Ukrainian troops near Sloviansk, with casualties on both sides. On 14 April, members of the Donbas People's Militia blocked Ukrainian military KrAZ trucks armed with Grad missiles from entering the city. On 15 April, a full scale "Anti-Terrorist Operation" was launched by the Ukrainian government with aim of restoring their authority over the areas seized by the militia.
On 16 April, the militia entered Sloviansk with six BMD airborne amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicles they had obtained from elements of the 25th Airborne Brigade who had switched allegiance. A Ukrainian military column was disarmed after the vehicles were blockaded by locals in Kramatorsk. The militia also received a 2S9 "Nona-S" self-propelled 120 mm mortar. On April 20, an unidentified armed group in civilian clothes attacked a militia checkpoint at the entrance to the city of Sloviansk. Three attackers and three members of the militia were killed. On May 14, eight members of the militia seized an IMR armored vehicle from Novokramatorsky Mashinostroitelny Zavod.
On May 15, the Donbas People's Militia sent an ultimatum to Kyiv. They demanded the withdrawal of all Ukrainian troops from Donetsk oblast. On May 17, several members of the militia seized two BRDM unarmed armored vehicles from Severodonetsk and Lysychansk (Luhansk Oblast) On May 22, the Federal State of Novorossiya was declared. On May 23, several members of the people's militia seized another BRDM-RKh unarmed armored vehicle from Loskutovka (Luhansk Oblast)
In July 2014, the estimated manpower of the separatists was around 10,000–20,000.
The militia were widely suspected to have been involved in the downing of a civilian airliner, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, on 17 July 2014.
On August 8, the militia claimed that after battles near the Russian border, they had captured 67 pieces of equipment in varying conditions (serviceable equipment lacking ammunition or fuel, with faults, damaged in battle and completely unusable), including 18 "Grad" multiple rocket launching systems, 15 tanks and armoured personnel carriers, howitzers, MANPADS, etc. As of August 12, the militia had at least 200 armoured vehicles.
July and early August were disastrous for the militias, with many analysts saying they were on the verge of defeat, before a sudden counteroffensive, which the Ukrainian government said was supported by Russian troops, encircled thousands of Ukrainian troops and forced them into a retreat. The militias soon re-captured several strategic positions such as Savur-Mohyla and Luhansk International Airport.
In September 2014, the DNR and LNR People's Militias became the 1st Army Corps and 2nd Army Corps[73] of the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya (Russian: Объединённые Вооруженные Силы Новороссии; acronym NAF), which was to be the army of the proposed Novorossiya (New Russia) political union. Lieutenant General Ivan Korsun became its commander-in-chief. The Novorossiya project was suspended in May 2015 due to infighting, but the two separatist armies would still operate in an unified manner.
On 2 February 2015, Head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, announced that there would be a general mobilization in the DPR of 10,000 volunteers, and he aimed to eventually expand the NAF to 100,000 soldiers.
In March 2015, the estimated manpower of the separatists rose to 30,000–35,000 personnel.
On 20 May 2015 the leadership of the Federal State of Novorossiya announced the termination of the confederation 'project' but the United Armed Forces was retained as the joint armed service of the DPR and LPR.
The Ukrainian government in mid-2015 claimed there were about 42,500 fighters on the separatists' side, which include 9,000 Russian soldiers.
2022 Russian invasion.
During the prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic started a process of mass mobilization of its population in order to build an army for the Russian invasion. As there weren't enough volunteers in the separatist army, and the Russian government wasn't willing to start mobilization of its own population, men from ages 18 until 65 from any background were conscripted to form the separatist army. Groups of DPR/LPR officers roamed the streets searching for men at the age range, arresting and sending to conscription offices any they found. In some regions, up to 80% of employees of local enterprises were called up, which led to the shutdown of mines (the main source of employment in the Donbas) and public transport, resulting in the paralysis of city and public services.
Most of the Donbas conscripts are unexperienced, received little-to-no training and were badly equipped, and suffered from morale issues and heavy casualties. The role of Donbas conscripts by Russian forces has been described as "cannon fodder". There were reports of conscipts being issued antiquated equipment such as World War I-era Mosin–Nagant rifles and the early Cold War-era T-62 tanks. By November, the DPR ombudsman reported that the DPR militia suffered almost 20,000 casualties (both wounded in action and killed in action), translating into a staggering 50% casualty rate, with outside observers believing it could possibly be higher. The mass conscription has been considered a war crime by some, as the Article 51 of the Fourth Geneva Convention bans the forceful conscription of soldiers from occupied territory, but Russian authorities claimed they are part of the independent sovereign nations of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic.
Separatist forces advancing during the Battle of Lysychansk at the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
After the leaders of the Russian proxy republics signed treaties of annexation with the Russian president on September 30, 2022, the Russian State Duma approved legislation on October 3 mandating the integration of the "people's militias" into the Russian military, backdated to the date of annexation. Upon the "annexation" of Ukrainian territories in September 2022, Russian occupation officials began forcibly conscripting Ukrainian men in occupied parts of Kherson oblast, and were reportedly ready to mobilize 3,000 in occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast.
On 31 December 2022, Putin visited the Southern Military District headquarters in Rostov-on-Don to present battle colours to representatives of the militias and a command academy in Donetsk, referring to them as the 1st Donetsk Army Corps and 2nd Guards Luhansk-Sievierodonetsk Army Corps. In January 2023 the Russian defence ministry announced that "self-sufficient force groupings" would be established in Ukraine, and in February that four Russian-claimed oblasts in southeastern Ukraine were placed under command of the Southern Military District of the Russian Ground Forces, part of a long-term effort to integrate various irregular forces. On February 19, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Militias were formally integrated into the command structure of the Russian Armed Forces.
Structure
The militias consist of different armed groups, sworn to the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic. Militant groups which refused to do so were disarmed as gangs in the DPR. Other groups are autonomous forces.
According to Ukrainskyi Tyzhden, a Donetsk Operative Command set up in May 2016 by Russia coordinates the military efforts of the Donetsk People's Republic. The tank battalions they claim Russia can deploy include the DPR Diesel Battalion, and LPR August Battalion. Euromaidan Press reported in September 2018 that the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya comprised two army corps: the 1st Corps, called the "People's Militia of the DNR" and the 2nd Corps, called "People's Militia of the LNR".
On 28 December 2018 commander of the Ukrainian Navy Ihor Voronchenko claimed that the DPR had created a flotilla stationed at Novoazovsk, made up of about 25 converted fishing boats. According to Voronchenko, the DPR had named this flotilla the "9th Regiment of the Marine Corps".
Militia forces
1st Slavyansk Brigade (Russian: 1-ая Славянская бригада) – Brigade formerly commanded by Igor "Strelkov" Girkin. He was the Minister of Defense of allied separatist militias in the DPR and LPR from 16 May to 14 August 2014. Strelkov's name was later revealed to be Igor Girkin, a Moscow-born Russian, Army veteran and former FSB agent.
AA Regiment
Danube Group
Diesel Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Дизель») – Separate tank battalion formed in 2015, equipped with Soviet equipment, including T-72B1s.
Dome Group
Horlivka Group
Oplot 5th Separate Infantry Brigade or Oplot Brigade (Russian: Батальон «Оплот», meaning "Bulwark Battalion") – First commanded by Alexander Zakharchenko. Originally a Donbas People's Militia battalion, it expanded to a brigade by September 2014 during the DPR militia restructuring.
Kolchuga Group
Russian Imperial Legion (Russian: Имперский легион) is the military arm of the Russian Imperial Movement, a Russian white supremacist Orthodox nationalist organization that has recruited thousands to fight for the separatists. Imperial Legion and RIM have been recognized as a terrorist movement by Canada and United States for their links to neo-fascist terrorists.
Novoazovsk Group
Oplot Group
Reconnaissance Battalion
Sparta Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Спарта») – Special forces battalion formed and led by Arsen Pavlov, known as Motorola, until his assassination in 2016. His successor was Vladimir Zhoga, from Sloviansk, and known by Voha. Zhoga was killed in battle in March 2022 during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
1st Separate Battalion-Tactical Group "Somalia" or Somalia Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Сомали») – Tactical group led by Lieutenant colonel Mikhail Tolstykh, known as Givi until his assassination in 2017. In 2022 the Battalion's leader was Lieutenant Colonel Timur Kurilkin.
Typhoon unit
Special forces
1st Battalion Khan
3rd Battalion
DShRG Rusich (Russian: ДШРГ «Русич») – Special forces-type company affiliated with the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group and commanded by Aleksey Milchakov, a Russian Neo Nazi. Made up of far-right Russian and other European volunteers. On July 10, 2015, Milchakov announced that the Rusich Company would be withdrawing from Donbas for retraining and refitting. In April 2022, it was reported that Rusich had returned to eastern Ukraine, this time as part of the private military company Wagner Group.
Reconnaissance unit Zimargl
Kalmius Brigade (Russian: Бригада «Кальмиус») – Special forces brigade commanded by Sergei Petrovskiy.
Rapid Response Team
Vostok Brigade (Russian: Бригада «Восток», meaning "East Brigade") – Special forces brigade founded and led by Alexander Khodakovsky. It has foreign volunteers including Russians and North Ossetians. Begun as a battalion, as of June 2014 it had about 500 men, according to Khodakovsky. It later expanded to a brigade.
Rear forces
Engineering Battalion
Patriotic Forces of Donbas (Russian: Патриотические силы Донбасса)
Electric Warfare unit
Steppe Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Степь»)
DPR Republican Guard (Russian: Республиканская гвардия ДНР) – Elite unit created by Alexander Zakharchenko on January 12, 2015. Commanded by Major-general Ivan Kondratov, and composed of six battalions that total more than 3,000 fighters.
Slavic Unification and Revival Battalion or Svarozhich Battalion – formed by members of the Rodnovery (Slavic native faith) movement, at its peak 1,200 fighters, now part of the Vostok Brigade..............................
Repair Battalion
International Brigade "Pyatnashka" (Russian: Бригада «Пятнашка», meaning "15th Brigade") – International brigade commanded by Akhra Avidzba, known by Abkhaz. DPR positions in Marinka are held by this unit.
Support Battalion
Mariupol-Khingan Naval Infantry (Russian: Мариупольско-Хинганский морская пехота) – Formed in 2016. The name is based on the Soviet World War II 221st Infantry Mariupol-Khingan Red Banner Order of Suvorov Rifle Division.
Vikings Battalion – Motorized infantry unit formed in 2015.
DPR Security Service Battalion (Russian: Батальон службы безопасности Донецкой народной республики) – Security Service of the Donetsk People's Republic.2
Horlivka Group
Territorial defence
1st Battalion
2nd Territorial Defense Battalion "Miner's Division" (Russian: Шахтёрская дивизия) – Reorganized into a territorial defensive battalion after September 2014.
3rd Battalion
4th Battalion
5th Battalion
6th Battalion
Militia Regiments
1252nd regiment (from Mordovia)
1439th regiment
Luhansk People's Republic
Main article: 2nd Army Corps (Russia)
People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic (Russian: Народная милиция Луганской Народной Республики, lit.'People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic'), or 2nd Guards Army Corps (LPR) – Formed on 7 October 2014.
Militia forces
1st Separate Mechanized Brigade "August" or August Battalion – The only tank battalion in the LPR People's Militia.
2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade named after Kliment Voroshilov.
4th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade
6th Separate Cossack Motorized Rifle Regiment named after Ataman Matvei Platov.
7th Chistyakovskaya Motorized Rifle Brigade
Zarya Battalion (Russian: Батальон «Заря», meaning "Dawn Battalion") – First commander was Igor Plotnitsky. Commanded by Andrei Patrushev.
AA Battalion
Artillery Brigade
Command Regiment
Cossacks Motorized Brigade – Don Cossack volunteer group commanded by Rashid Shakirzanov.[95] The group has over 4,000 fighters and access to armor and artillery. From May to November 2014, the group was commanded by Ataman Nikolai Kozitsyn. Kozitsyn was forcibly removed from power in November 2014 and replaced by Shakirzanov. The group's headquarters is in Antratsyt, and their rule expands to Krasnyi Luch. Initially, this group was identified as Russian Special Forces by the U.S. State Department following the takeover of the Sloviansk city council. In November 2014, the group instated capital punishment in Perevalsk to deter crime. Kozitsyn stated that there is no more marauding, burglaries or car-jacking in the city.
26-30, F