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72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade

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Not to be confused with 72nd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine).
72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade
72-я отдельная мотострелковая бригада
Active2022–present
Country Russian Federation
Branch Russian Ground Forces
TypeInfantry
Part of3rd Army Corps
Garrison/HQTotskoye, Orenburg Oblast
EngagementsRussian invasion of Ukraine:

The 72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (Russian: 72-я отдельная мотострелковая бригада) is an infantry unit of the Russian Ground Forces, part of the 3rd Army Corps.[1]

History

Formation

The recruitment of the brigade from volunteers was announced by local authorities in early August 2022, as part of the drive to create the 3rd Army Corps from volunteers to reinforce Russian troops fighting in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Penza Oblast governor Oleg Melnichenko announced the recruitment of 60 volunteers from his region on 5 August, and disclosed that the formation of the brigade would take place at Totskoye.[1] The brigade includes the Alga (Russian: «Алга», Tatar: "Алга") battalion, formed from Volga Tatars in Tatarstan, and the Molot (Russian: «Молот»), lit. 'hammer') battalion from Perm Krai.[citation needed]

Kherson counteroffensive

Main article: 2022 Kherson counteroffensive

A soldier from the "Alga" volunteer battalion reported that the battalion suffered significant losses during the Kherson counteroffensive fighting on the right bank of the Dnieper.[2][better source needed]

Donetsk Oblast

The Alga battalion was committed to the Battle of Vuhledar on 6 February 2023.[citation needed] By May, the brigade was committed to the Battle of Bakhmut, holding positions to the south of the city. The brigade was later reported by Wagner Group-supporting milbloggers on 15 May to have retreated south of Ivanivske during a Ukrainian counterattack towards Klishchiivka.[3] On 21 May, the Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade reported that the 72nd Brigade was unsuccessfully counterattacking to regain its lost positions.[4] The fallout from the retreat of the brigade near Bakhmut resulted in Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin publicly blaming the brigade for abandoning neighboring Wagner troops.[5] In support of this effort, on 4 June, Prigozhin published a video of the interrogation of the brigade's commander, accusing him of ordering his troops to fire on Wagner troops.[6]

2023 counteroffensive

Main article: 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive

As the initiative around Bakhmut began to shift, the Brigade remained in place on the southern flank of Bakhmut around Andriivka and Klishchiivka. On 15 September, the Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade claimed to have "completely destroyed" the 72nd Brigade, with many officers taken prisoner, in the course of capturing Andriivka.[7] However, on 9 October, the 3rd Assault Brigade announced the capture of the commander of the "Alga" battalion in the same area.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Олег Мельниченко напутствовал направленных в именные подразделения добровольцев". Пенза-Обзор - новости Пензы и Пензенской области (in Russian). 5 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  2. ^ ""Под Угледаром казанский батальон положили практически полностью"". iStories. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 15, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 21, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 6, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Уволенный полковник рассказал о массовых преступлениях ЧВК «Вагнер»". Moscow Times (in Russian). 8 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 15, 2023". Critical Threats. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 9, 2023". Critical Threats. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
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