In the course of the identification of the Russian units participating in the undeclared war against Ukraine, we identified a tank unit and one of its officers from the 17th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (military unit No. 23132, Southern Military District, Shali, Republic of Chechnya, Russia).
The acquired photographs confirm information that the Russian units were directly involved into fights near Pervomaiskyi and Stepanivka settlements (Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine). Mass media repeatedly wrote about the Russian tanks participated in combat actions in the area of Stepanivka.
This is not the first case of identification of the units of the 17th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Ukraine: we wrote about the presence of that brigade in the area of Pervomaiskyi in September. The 17th Brigade also had combat losses in August, 2014; we know of at least four its servicemen killed in action.
According to preliminary estimations, despite the claims by the Russians on the withdrawal of their troops, servicemen of the 17th Brigade and other Russian units still remain in Ukraine working as instructors and advisers, as well as working as contract soldiers in the forces of the DPR and LPR. It is highly unlikely that these troops will depart until the Russian Federation believes it has secured its objectives in Ukraine.
Original article by Irakli Komakhidze; edited by Larry Field
Read the latest book “Donbas in Flames. Guide to the Conflict Zone” published by Prometheus Center. This guide will be useful to journalists, researchers, war experts, diplomats and general readers seeking information on the war in Donbas.
15 Responses to ““Tankman”: Russian Officer of the 17th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade Who Participated in Armed Hostilities in Donbas”
10/14/2014
Units of the Russian Armed Forces Which Have Been Deployed to Fight in Eastern Ukraine - BurkoNews.info[…] Guards Independent Motor-Rifle Brigade ([1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]), Shali, Chechnya (presumably 2 BTGs). Unit has significant combat losses and then BTGs were […]
10/15/2014
«Танкист» — российский офицер 17-й ОМСБр, участник летних боев на Донбассе - Inform NapalmInform Napalm[…] English: “Tankman”: Russian Officer of the 17th Independent Motor-Rifle Brigade Who Participated in Armed… […]
03/04/2015
Panzer der 18. separaten motorisierten Schützenbrigade aus Tschetschenien in der Ukraine. - InformNapalm.org (Deutsch)[…] 17. separate motorisierte Schützenbrigade (englisch) („T-72“, Einheit №23132, Stationierungsort: Schali, […]
06/19/2015
Ein Offizier der 17. Brigade RF wurde mit dem "Tapferkeitsorden" für den Krieg im Donbass ausgezeichnet. - InformNapalm.org (Deutsch)[…] „Panzerfahrer“- russischer Offizier der 17. Brigade, Teilnehmer der Sommerkämpfe im Donbass…; […]
06/24/2015
Officer of the Russian 17th Motor Rifle Brigade Awarded Order of Courage for the Donbas War - InformNapalm.org (English)[…] ‘Tankman': Russian officer of the 17th Independent Motor Rifle Brigade who participated in arm…; […]
07/09/2015
Units of the Russian Armed Forces Which Have Been Deployed to Fight in Eastern Ukraine - InformNapalm.org (English)[…] Guards Independent Motor-Rifle Brigade ([1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]), Shali, Chechnya (presumably 2 BTGs). Unit has significant combat losses and then BTGs were […]
07/15/2015
Tanks of the 18th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Ukraine | InformNapalm.org (English)[…] the 17th motorized rifle brigade (T72 tanks, military unit No. 23132, Shali, Republic of Chechnya, […]
08/04/2015
Russische Panzer "T-90" der 136. SMSBr im Luhansker Gebiet - InformNapalm.org (Deutsch)[…] „Panzerfahrer“: russischer Offizier der 17. SMSbr und ein Teilnehmer der Sommerkämpfe im Do…; […]
08/11/2015
SFL „MSTA-S“ der 17. SMSBr nahe Nowoasowsk. - InformNapalm.org (Deutsch)[…] „Panzerfahrer“- russischer Offizier der 17. SMSBr und Teilnehmer der Sommerkämpfe im Donbas…; […]
08/13/2015
2S19 'Msta-S' Self-Propelled Mortar of the 17th Brigade near Novoazovsk - InformNapalm.org (English)[…] – “Tankman”: Russian Officer of the 17th Independent Motor-Rifle Brigade Who Participated in Armed… […]
12/23/2016
"F#cked-up brigade" - former contract soldier about 17th MRB of the Russian Army (Video) - InformNapalm.org (English)[…] “Tankman”: Russian Officer of the 17th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade Who Participated in A…2014-10-13 […]
01/28/2017
Russian tanker gave away colleagues from the 17th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Donbas - InformNapalm.org (English)[…] appeared in our publications: “’Tankman’: Russian Officer of the 17th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade Who Participated …from 2014 and “Russian officer who lost the Order of Courage” […]
01/28/2017
Russian tankman gave away colleagues from the 17th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Donbas - InformNapalm.org (English)[…] appeared in our publications: “’Tankman’: Russian Officer of the 17th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade Who Participated …from 2014 and “Russian officer who lost the Order of Courage” […]
07/02/2017
Of living and dead: 17th MRB of the Russian Army (infographics) - InformNapalm.org (English)[…] “Tankman”: Russian Officer of the 17th Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade Who Participated in A…2014-10-13 […]
09/14/2017
Identifiering av spanare från den 17:e Motoriserade skyttebrigaden som har kämpat i Donbass[…] Russian officer of the 17th Brigade who participated in armed hostilities in Donbass, 2014-10-13 […]