The 37th Separate Marine Brigade (Ukrainian: 37-ма окрема бригада морської піхоти, romanized: 37-ma okrema bryhada morsʹkoyi pikhoty; 37 ОБрМП, unit number A0216), is a marine infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Marine Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The brigade was part of the Ukrainian Navy until 23 May 2023.
| 37th Marine Brigade | |
|---|---|
| 37 окрема бригада морської піхоти | |
 Sleeve patch of the Brigade | |
| Active | January 12, 2023 – present |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Branch |  Ukrainian Naval Infantry |
| Role | Naval Infantry |
| Size | 1,200-1,500 |
| Engagements | |
| Website | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Vitaliy Napkhanenko |
| Insignia | |
| Old unit patch (Feb 2023 - Jul 2023) |  |
History
editThe brigade was formed on January 12, 2023 as part of an expansion to the Ukrainian Naval Infantry which saw the creation of four other new marine brigades. The 37th was established from a battalion of the 79th Air Assault Brigade and veteran officers from the 36th Marine Brigade. The unit has been outfitted with a mix of both new western supplied equipment, and old soviet stockpiles. This includes Canadian Roshel Senators, British Mastiffs French AMX-10 RCs and old soviet towed artillery and small arms.[1]
The unit was first reported in active combat in Novodonetske, a front-line settlement in the southern Donetsk Oblast. They began to engage the DNR Militia's Vostok Battalion on June 3. Without armored support, the Brigade used an intricate web of cover artillery fire to have their troop transports get as close to Russian positions to facilitate attacks, before returning beyond Russian artillery range. Due to this, the unit has launched a slow, but consistent advance in the region during the opening of the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive.[2]
Due to the lineage of the 36th Marine Brigade originating from loyal Ukrainian elements from the Russian occupation of Crimea western media has speculated the Ukrainian Armed Forces intend to use the 37th, as well as its other four other new marine brigades, to launch a naval invasion of the peninsula, should southern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts be liberated.[1]
Structure
edit37th Marine Brigade (37 ОБрМП A4548). Commander Vitaliy Napkhanenko
- Headquarters & Services Company
- 1st Marine Battalion (AMX-10 RC)
- Airborne Assault Company
- Fire Support Company
- 2nd Marine Battalion
- Airborne Assault Company
- Fire Support Company
505th Separate Marine Infantry Battalion (505 ОБМП A4635). Formed in Feb 28, 2023. Commander Lt. Col. Oleksandr Tonenchuk
- Tank Battalion (AMX-10 RC).
- Brigade Artillery Group (M109 howitzer, 2S1 Gvozdika)
- HQ and Artillery Reconnaissance Battery
- 1st Self-propelled Artillery Division, 1st SADn (122mm D30 howitzer)
- Marine Anti-tank Artillery Division (ПТРК 37 ОБрМП) (MT-12 Rapira)
- Anti-Air Defense Missile Artillery Battalion
- Reconnaissance Company
- FPV Drone Unit
- Sniper Company
- Electronic Warfare Company
- Signals Company
- Anti-Aircraft Radar Company
- Security Company
- Engineer Company
- Replacement and Maintenance Battery
- Logistics Company
- CBRN-defense Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear Company
- Medical Company
- Military Police Company
- 37th Marine Brigade Band
References
edit- ^ a b Korshak, Stefan. "Ukraine's Counteroffensive, Units to Watch #7 – 37th Marine Brigade". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ Axe, David. "At The Bleeding Edge Of Ukraine's Counteroffensive, The Ukrainian Marine Corps Switches Up Its Tactics". Forbes. Retrieved 10 June 2023.