126th Coastal Defence Brigade

Russian Coastal Troops formation 126th Guards Coastal Defence Brigade Great emblem of the 126th Coastal Defence Brigade.svg Great emblem of the Brigade December 1, 2014 – present Russia Coastal Troops ~2000 (2017)С именем Суворова на Знамени http://redstar.ru/index.php/advice/item/20592-s-imenem-suvorova-na-znameni 2014-12-15 Красная звезда [Red Star] 2017-12-21 ru https://web.archive.org/web/20180124123753/http://redstar.ru/index.php/advice/item/20592-s-imenem-suvorova-na-znameni 2018-01-24 18th Combined Arms Army, Black Sea Fleet Perevalne, Republic of CrimeaЧерноморский флот https://vpk.name/library/f/ch-flot.html Новости ВПК 2017-12-21 ru https://web.archive.org/web/20190607130602/https://vpk.name/library/f/ch-flot.html 2019-06-07 T-72 main battle tank Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022) Southern Ukraine campaign Battle of Voznesensk 2022 Kherson counteroffensive Dnieper campaign (2022–present) Lieutenant ColonelGasparyan Andranik Sarkisovich The 126th Guards Coastal Defense Brigade is a formation of the Coastal Defence Troops of the Russian Navy. Its Military Unit Number is 12676. The brigade is part of the 22nd Army Corps, Coastal Forces of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.The first military parade in recent history took place in Crimea https://rg.ru/2017/05/09/reg-ufo/v-krymu-proshel-pervyj-v-novejshej-istorii-voennyj-parad.html 2017-09-05 Russian newspaper 2017-12-21 ru https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052437/https://rg.ru/2017/05/09/reg-ufo/v-krymu-proshel-pervyj-v-novejshej-istorii-voennyj-parad.html 2017-12-22 The brigade's garrison is located in Perevalne, in the Simferopol region of the Russian-occupied Republic of Crimea. The brigade traces its lineage to the 126th Rifle Division of the Second World War, which was active with its headquarters at Simferopol for many years after the war as the 126th Motor Rifle Division. It was disbanded in 1996. After the annexation of Crimea the Russian Government reformed a unit, using one of the old division's barracks, that inherited the lineage of the division. History thumb|200px|Armoured vehicles of the 126th Coastal Defence Brigade during a company tactical exercise (RTU) at one of the combat training ranges in Crimea|left The 126th Brigade was formed on the basis of the 36th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Navy, military unit A2320, which was formed from units of the 32nd Army Corps in 2003. In early 2014, the brigade's barracks in Crimea were surrounded for several weeks by masked Russian special forces soldiers during the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. On March 21, 2014, servicemen loyal to their oaths to Ukraine were allowed to leave Crimea for unoccupied Ukraine; the remainder were given the option of quitting or renouncing their oaths to Ukraine and swearing a new oath to the Russian Federation. According to Colonel S. I. Storozhenko, the brigade commander, 199 servicemen, of 1,200, left and 300 quit; the remainder swore allegiance to the Russian Federation."Military people should not beg civil war like candy" https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2016/04/27/68391-171-voennye-ne-dolzhny-vyprashivat-u-grazhdanskih-voynu-kak-konfetu-187 Valery Shiryaev April 2016 Novaya Gazeta 27 45 Thereafter, it was reported that the brigade and its commander entered the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation as a separate coastal defense brigade of the Black Sea Fleet. On December 1, 2014, the 126th Separate Coastal Defence Brigade was formed on the basis of this formation.First Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov checked the arrangement of the 126th Separate Coastal Defence Brigade https://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12132341@egNews 2017-06-07 Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense 2017-12-21 en https://web.archive.org/web/20210417100647/https://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12132341%40egNews 2021-04-17 live The number was chosen to commemorate the Soviet 126th Rifle Division, which took part in the Crimean offensive during World War II.МЕДЫНЦЕВА Анастасия Командующий ЧФ РФ: 126 бригада береговой обороны станет передовым соединением нашего флота Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet: The 126th Coastal Defence Brigade will become the forward unit of our fleet. https://www.crimea.kp.ru/daily/26319.4/3197712/ https://web.archive.org/web/20250911041821/https://www.crimea.kp.ru/daily/26319.4/3197712/ 2025-09-11 2025-12-11 crimea.kp.ru ru The current brigade in Russian service inherited the awards, Fighting Way, titles and military glory of that division. The division became the 126th Motor Rifle Division in December 1964 and for decades, its 257th Guards Tank Regiment was located at Perevalne.126th Motorised Rifle Division https://www.ww2.dk/new/army/msd/126msd.htm 2026-10-10 www.ww2.dk It was finally disbanded in 1996. Battle of Voznesensk Battle of Voznesensk On March 2, 2022, as part of the Southern Ukraine offensive during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, units of the brigade advanced from Mykolaiv towards the city of Voznesensk, in an attempt to find a crossing over the Southern Bug river. The column consisted of 400 men and 43 vehicles.https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-voznesensk-russia-soldiers-defeat-b2037837.html Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers defeated larger Russian force in strategically important town, report claims Independent Dasgupta Sravasti 17 March 2022 17 March 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220929165249/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-voznesensk-russia-soldiers-defeat-b2037837.html September 29, 2022Trofimov Yaroslav 16 March 2022 A Ukrainian Town Deals Russia One of the War's Most Decisive Routs The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-russia-voznesensk-town-battle-11647444734 16 March 2022 https://archive.today/20221006115719/https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/ukraine-russia-voznesensk-town-battle-11647444734 October 6, 2022 The unit failed to find a crossing due to preparations taken by the city's mayor and civilian population; there were numerous roadblocks, a bridge over the Mertvovod Mertvovod River uk Мертвовод was destroyed, and the shoreline of the river had been dug out. So, Russian vehicles could not ford it. The defense of the city was mostly mustered by the Ukrainian 80th Air Assault Brigade, local civilian militias, Territorial Defense Forces, and Ukrainian Special Operations Forces. The Ukrainian paratroopers said that they rendered the 126th's artillery ineffective, and the 126th was forced to withdraw from the city after sustaining heavy losses. Ukrainian officers estimated that a total of 100 Russian soldiers died, 10 were captured, and 30 of the unit's 43 armoured vehicles were either destroyed or abandoned in one day; Ukrainian forces were able to salvage 15 of these into working order.Десантники з Львівщини відбили ворожу атаку військових росії в бою за Вознесенськ: детальніше Paratroopers from the Lviv region repelled the attack of the Russians in the battle for Voznesensk: details https://loda.gov.ua/news?id=66690 2022-03-31 loda.gov.ua uk 2022-04-01 https://web.archive.org/web/20220401124129/https://loda.gov.ua/news?id=66690 dead On March 28, 2022, the brigade was awarded the Guards status.Nandy Sumana 28 March 2022 'Guards' title for Russia's two naval brigades for protecting Fatherland India Today https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/story/guards-title-for-russia-two-naval-brigades-for-protecting-fatherland-1930555-2022-03-28 30 March 2022 31 March 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220331010933/https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/story/guards-title-for-russia-two-naval-brigades-for-protecting-fatherland-1930555-2022-03-28 live2022-03-28 126 отдельной бригаде береговой обороны присвоено почётное наименование гвардейской The 126th separate coastal defense brigade was awarded the honorary title of Guards http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/68074 2025-12-11 Президент России ru By 19 April 2022, the Ukrainians claimed that the brigade had suffered 75% casualties during the invasion so far.https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/apr/19/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskiy-says-battle-for-donbas-has-begun-dialogue-between-macron-and-putin-stalls-live?page=with:block-625e39558f08790595e28ef7#block-625e39558f08790595e28ef7 Russia suffers losses of 75% on Black Sea fleet coastal defence brigade, Ukraine claims The Guardian 19 April 2022 25 April 2022 2022 Kherson counteroffensive 2022 Kherson counteroffensive On October 15, 2022, the Institute for the Study of War wrote in their daily "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment":Cafarella Jennifer 2022-10-16 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 15, 2022 https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment_15-25/ 2025-12-11 Institute for the Study of War en-US "A video posted to social media on October 13 shows servicemen of the 126th Coastal Defence Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet in an unspecified location in Kherson Oblast complaining that they have been fighting in the area since the beginning of the war without breaks or troop rotation. The servicemen asserted that they are being "crushed" by Ukrainian forces and emphasized that they have one BTR (armored personnel carrier) for 80 people, which is greatly restricting their maneuverability. After the video circulated, a Wagner Group–affiliated Telegram channel announced on October 14 that Wagner Group leadership decided to transfer four off-road vehicles to the 126th Coastal Defence Battalion [sic: Brigade] in support of their efforts to hold the frontline in Kherson Oblast. Ostriv Velykyi Potomkin 2022–2023 Dnieper campaign#Ostriv Velykyi Potomkin Since at least November 2022, the 126th brigade has been stationed on Ostriv Velykyi Potomkin, the scene of continued skirmishes, as part of the 2022–2023 Dnieper campaign. Since the liberation of Kherson, the island has been re-occupied several times.Rohalska Nadiia 2022-12-09 Окупанти готують десантну операцію на Дніпрі: засіли на острові під Херсоном, – Машовець The occupiers are preparing an amphibious operation on the Dnieper: they landed on an island near Kherson, - Mashovets https://www.stopcor.org/ukr/section-uanews/news-okupanti-gotuyut-desantnu-operatsiyu-na-dnipri-zasili-na-ostrovi-pid-hersonom-mashovets-09-12-2022.html 2022-12-17 StopCor uk It had initially been liberated by Ukrainian forces on December 7 but was re-occupied by Russian forces on December 9.Dymnich Nataliia 26 January 2023 На Херсонщині загинув військовослужбовець з Прикарпаття Ігор Олійник Ihor Oliinyk, a serviceman from Prykarpattia, died in Kherson Oblast https://suspilne.media/367048-na-hersonsini-zaginuv-vijskovosluzbovec-z-prikarpatta-igor-olijnik/ 2023-03-22 Suspilne uk 19 March 2023 Украинский десант вновь был накрыт российской артиллерией на островах в районе Херсона A Ukrainian landing was again covered by Russian artillery on the islands near Kherson https://topcor.ru/33234-ukrainskij-desant-vnov-byl-nakryt-rossijskoj-artilleriej-na-ostrovah-v-rajone-hersona.html 2023-03-22 Репортёр ru9 December 2022 Россияне пытаются окружить Бахмут с севера и юга и продвигаются под Херсоном - военный эксперт The Russians are trying to surround Bakhmut from the north and south and are advancing near Kherson - military expert https://strana.today/news/417970-rossijane-pytajutsja-okruzhit-bakhmut-voennyj-ekspert-mashovets.html 2022-12-17 Strana.ua ru2022-12-08 Arestovich: about the situation on the front line https://odessa-journal.com/arestovich-about-the-situation-on-the-front-line/ 2022-12-17 Odessa Journal en-US Ukrainian and Russian forces both maintain a presence on the island and have contested the island since January 2, 2023.Hird Karolina Stepanenko Kateryna Bailey Riley Mappes Grace Layne Philipson Klepanchuk Yekaterina Kagan Frederick W. 3 January 2023 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 3, 2023 https://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/Russian%20Operations%20Assessments%20January%203%202023.pdf 2023-01-04 Institute for the Study of War en https://web.archive.org/web/20230425142837/https://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/Russian%20Operations%20Assessments%20January%203%202023.pdf April 25, 2023ЗСУ звільнили острів Великий Потьомкінський на Херсонщині – джерела The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated Potemkin Island in the Kherson region - sources https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/01/2/7383342/ 2023-01-04 Ukrainska Pravda uk https://web.archive.org/web/20230116095916/https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/01/2/7383342/ January 16, 2023 The 126th brigade claimed to have repelled an assault on March 7, while Ukrainian forces claimed to have killed 13 Russians and destroyed 6 armored vehicles and a tank during an air strike on 16 April. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 7, 2023 Hird, Karolina, Wolkov, Nicole, Barros, George, Mappes, Grace, Mason, Clark; March 7, 2023; Institute for the Study of War (Archive)Russian Observation Post on Dnipro River Islands Destroyed April 16, 2023 (Archive) On August 25, 2023, Ukraine attacked the brigade in Perevalne, Crimea.https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/08/25/7417127/ Ukraine hits Russia's Black Sea Fleet Guards Brigade in occupied Crimea Alleged involvement in the Oleshky humanitarian crisis According to Ukrainian investigative news outlet Slidstvo.Info, the 126th Coastal Defence Brigade, alongside the 331st Guards Parachute Regiment of the 98th Guards Airborne Division are involved in the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the city of Oleshky.https://kyivindependent.com/russian-military-units-allegedly-involved-in-oleshky-humanitarian-crisis-identified/ Russian military units allegedly involved in Oleshky humanitarian crisis identified 29 September 2026 29 September 2026 Yuliia Taradiuk Kyiv Independent Both units are alleged to be involved in Russia's ongoing effort to prevent humanitarian organizations from providing aid to the Russian occupied territories of Ukraine. References Category:Brigades of Russia Category:Military units and formations established in 2014 Category:Black Sea Fleet