The 56th Motorized Brigade of Mariupol is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The brigade was activated on 23 February 2015 in the city of Dnipro in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and took command of three volunteer territorial defence battalions. The brigade fought in the Russo-Ukrainian War and has functioned as a motorized brigade.
The brigade gain fame as one of defending Ukrainian units of Mariupol during siege of 2022.
In June 2019, it was announced the 56th Motorized Brigade would be transferred to the Ukrainian Naval Infantry and remain based in Mariupol as part of the effort to increase the size of Ukrainian Marine Corps to 4 brigades.
As of December 2023, the brigade was holding an 18-kilometer front line near Kramatorsk with around 7 000 men. Its commander, 38-year old Yan Iatsychen, complained of lack of artillery and ammunition.
At the end of August 2026, brigade was defending Kramatorsk, where it has served since 2024.https://freeradio.com.ua/rosiiany-khovaiut-bronetekhniku-v-bakhmuti-ta-poliuiut-na-avtivky-v-kramatorsku-56-bryhada-zsu/https://56ompbr.mil.gov.ua/about
Commanders
2015: Colonel Andriy Viktorovych Melnyk 2016—2017: Colonel Serhiy Stepanovych Perets 2018—2021: Colonel Igor Vyacheslavovich Ivanov 2021—2023: Colonel Serhiy Anatolyovich Sirchenko 2023—2024: Colonel Yan Volodymyrovych Yatsishen 2024—2024: Colonel Serhiy Oleksiyovych Onushko 2024—2025: Colonel Andriy Dibrova Since 2025: Colonel Dmytro Vasilyevich Trofimukhttps://www.facebook.com/share/15z8GAtbRR/
Structure
As of 2024, the brigade's structure is as follows:
56th Motorized Brigade, Mariupol Headquarters & Headquarters Company 21st Motorized Battalion "Sarmat" 23rd Motorized Battalion "Khortytsia" 37th Motorized Battalion Caucasus Legion Tank Battalion Artillery Group Headquarters & Target Acquisition Battery 1st Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (152 mm SpGH DANA) 2nd Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (D-20) Rocket Artillery Dattalion (BM-21 Grad) Anti-tank Artillery Battalion (MT-12 Rapira) Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion Reconnaissance Company Attack Drone Company "Katenyata" Sniper Platoon Engineer Battalion Logistic Battalion Maintenance Battalion Signal Company Radar Company Medical Company Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Company
All three Motorized Battalions - 21st, 23rd and 37th were formed in 2014 as Territorial Defense Battalions "Sarmat", "Khortytsia" and "Zaporozhzhia". They were all reformed in 2015 under the command of 56th Motorized Brigade. Caucasus Legion joined the ranks of the brigade in September 2023. It was originally formed in June 2022 with volunteers from the Caucasus region.
References