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The 88th Mechanized Brigade (Ukrainian: 88 окрема механізована бригада) is a brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces allegedly formed in 2023.[1] The brigade posted a page on Facebook in February 2023, and was identified as one of three new brigades formed at that time.[citation needed] In October 2024, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially confirmed that this brigade does not actually exist.[2]
| 88th Mechanized Brigade | |
|---|---|
| 88 окрема механізована бригада | |
 Shoulder Sleeve Insignia | |
| Active | February 15, 2023 - Present |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Branch |  Ukrainian Ground Forces |
| Role | Mechanized Infantry |
| Engagements | Russo-Ukrainian War |
| Website | Official Telegram Account |
History
editThe creation of the brigade was announced in February 2023. As of March 2023, the brigade is in possession of Humvees.[3][better source needed]
In March 2023, the brigade was first mentioned in an official source when the Varash District State Administration reported that the 88th Mechanized Brigade, along with the 13th Jager Brigade, had joined Tactical Group Volyn, bolstering Ukrainian defenses near the Belarusian border.[citation needed]
The formation of these two brigades quickly raised suspicion, as their unit numbers did not align with standard Ukrainian military numbering conventions. Moreover, no volunteers ever requested donations for them, nor were there reports of missing relatives from their ranks or any publicly available information regarding their military unit number. The 88th Brigade, in particular, dismissed fundraising for the brigade as fraudulent and stated on their Facebook page that they're fully equipped with necessary ammunition, making it the first Ukrainian Army unit to claim complete provisioning.[citation needed]
Structure
editAs of 2023 the brigade's structure is as follows:[1]
- 88th Mechanized Brigade,
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company
- 1st Mechanized Battalion
- 2nd Mechanized Battalion
- 3rd Mechanized Battalion
- Artillery Group
- Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
- Reconnaissance Company
- Engineer Battalion
- Logistic Battalion
- Maintenance Battalion
- Signal Company
- Radar Company
- Medical Company
- Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear Protection Company
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Axe, David. "Swedish Missiles. Emirati Armored Trucks. The Ukrainian Army's Newest Mechanized Brigade Has A Weird Mix Of Weapons". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ Axe, David. "The Bizarre Case Of Two Fake Ukrainian Brigades". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ "88 окрема механізована бригада". Telegram. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
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