• Languages
Language (English)
  • Українська (UA)
  • Русский (RU)
  • English (EN)
  • Deutsch (DE)
  • Français (FR)
  • Español (ES)
  • Беларуская (BY)
  • Български (BG)
  • Polska (PL)
  • Čeština (CZ)
  • Slovenský (SK)
  • Lietuvių (LT)
  • Latvijas (LV)
  • Nederlands (NL)
  • Português (PT)
  • Italiano (IT)
  • Svenska (SV)
  • Norsk (NO)
  • Dansk (DK)
  • ქართული (GE)
  • Română (RO)
  • Magyar (HU)
  • Ελληνικά (EL)
  • Deutsch (AT)
  • العربية (AR)
  • Türkçe (TR)
  • Azərbaycan (AZ)
  • Татарча (TAT)
  • 日本語 (JP)
  • 中文 (CN)
  • 한국어 (KR)

    Logo

    support informnapalm
    Navigation
    • Home
    • News & OSINT
      • Donbas
      • Crimea
      • Syria
      • Georgia
      • World
      • Summaries
      • Misc
      • Social review
    • Top Investigations
    • History
    • About Us

    The 23rd Brigade’s Armed Vehicles And Personnel As Part of Novorossiya’s Armed Formations

    on 08/26/2015 | | News | Russian Military Assessment Print This Post Print This Post
    • ru
    • de
    • by
    • ua
    • pl
    • en
    • bg

    Based on our own investigations we can assume that the Russian command uses the battalion and company tactical groups in the undeclared war against Ukraine. These groups are based at the Ukrainian border and are used to enforce the DNR/LNR’s illegal armed formations in critical moments.

    Mainly these are the servicemen of the Southern Military District, but soldiers from other districts can be met as well. The Russian soldiers also play role of the coordinators, counselors, and officers who provide the coordination and communication with the regular army of Russia. The Russian contract privates and sergeants occupy the positions of instructors, specialists and junior command personnel (rocket and tubed artillery crew commanders, communication crews, scouts, electronic suppression, snipers, etc).

    Among the other previously disclosed military units of the Southern Military District which act as the parts of the DNR/LNR armed formations (‘Somali‘,’People’s Militia‘, etc) we can list the following ones:

    • the 19th motorized rifle brigade (military unit No. 20634, Vladikavkaz, North Osethia, Russia)
    • the 18th motorized rifle brigade (military unit No. 27777, Kalinovskaya and Khankala, Republic of Chechnya, Russia)
    • the 7th military base (military unit No. 09332, Gudauta, occupied Abkhazia, Georgia)
    • the 33rd motorized rifle brigade (military unit No. 22179, Maykop, Republic of Adygea, Russia)

    Russia’s GRU special forces units:

    • the 10th special forces brigade (military unit No. 51532 and 65564, Goryachy Klyuch, Krasnodar Krai, Russia)
    • the 22nd special forces brigade (military unit No. 11659, Stepnoi, Rostov Oblast, Russia)

    The most of the illegal armed formations’ equipment is transferred from Russia and is not a ‘war trophy’. It is mainly the outdated weaponry and equipment which is sent to ‘Novorossiya’ instead of being sent to the storage bases after the Russian military units rearming. This includes the infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-1 and BMP-2), armored personnel carriers (BTR-80), auxiliary armored tracked vehicles (MT-LB), BM-21 rocket launchers, 2S1 ‘Gvozdika’ mortars, and so on – this has been mentioned a lot of times in our OSINT investigations. Besides using the old weaponry, Russia also conducts the testing of the latest equipment units in Donbas (electronic suppression, small arms).

    The new article by InformNapalm presents another undeniable evidence that the 23rd motorized rifle brigade (military unit No. 65349, Samara, Central Military District) provides Novorossiya’s militants with its military equipment and that the contract servicemen of this brigade fight in the ‘Viking’ armed formation.

    In result of the Russian mercenary Eduard Miroshnikov profile investigation (archive) we identified the BTR-80 vehicles with the tactical signs of the 23rd brigade: red square with three dots and the hull numbers written with red paint.

    1-1 1-3 1-2

    A career serviceman Aleksandr Grats (VK profile, archive) is one of the contacts from Miroshnikov friend list. He serves in a recon unit of the 23rd brigade. Despite the lack of the information in Grats’s profile that links him with the 23rd brigade we still can find it after a short investigation. For example, Grats was ‘flexing his muscles near Orenburg [Russia]’ in August, 2014 (a comment on the profile wall, archive).  And he was on training in Samara [Russia] in September, 2014, which was confirmed by similar photo proofs of his comrades-in-arms Timur Asevov and Vadim Nasyrov (we will talk about him later).

    2-1

    2-4

    2-2   2-7 2-5 2-6

    In the end of September, 2014, Grats was moved to Donbas (proved by the provided photos). At this moment Aleksandr fights in the ‘Viking’ battalion (seen at 09:28-10:00 in the video ‘Viking battalion holds the southern borders of DNR‘ from July 18, 2015). Taking into account Grats’s radio communication knowledge and relation to reconnaissance, we assume that he, most likely, takes part in the interactions between the militants and the Russian military units.

    2-12 2-11

    2-3 2-8 2-9 2-10

    Notes: The ‘Viking’ battalion for a long time was based in the Telmanove area, where Dnepr-1 scouts found a whole military camp of the Russian-terrorists forces. The pictures of the combat training of this formation (including the tactic signs mentioned above) can be found in the photo albums of a ‘military reporter’ Dubovy.

    Let’s return to Grats’s comrade Vadim Nasyrov (VK profile, archive) who also took part in the training in Samara in 2014. In the photos uploaded on August 31, 2014, we can see the BTR-80 vehicles of the 23rd brigade which were moved to Donbas and transferred to the militants. The Russian serviceman also boasted with the pictures of his winter assignment to Donbas.

    3-1 3-3 3-2 3-4-2 3-4-13-8 3-6 3-7

    This way we can assume that the BTR-80 units (withdrawn from the operational use and replaced by BTR-82) were not moved to the storage bases, but were transferred to Donbas by the Russian servicemen on ‘Ukrainian assignments’.

    Note: according to our information, the tactical battalion group of the 23rd brigade was noticed in Oktyabrsky raion of Rostov Oblast a year ago. And it had the BTR-82 vehicles (check out ‘The Southern assignment of the 23 brigade‘, in Russian).

    P.S. The topic about the BTR-80 transferring is still actual no matter it is dated a year ago. For example the ‘LNR forces advance on the Ukrainian positions‘ video (uploaded on August 11, 2015) shows the rear side of an armed transporter with the inscription ‘LNR’ over the red tactical sign of the 23rd brigade (00:52 and 04:40).

    Screenshot

    The 23rd brigade from Samara has been mentioned in our articles regarding the ‘Ukrainian assignments’ for several times already. Numerous photo proofs of its servicemen presence in Donbas were acquired:

    • The 23rd Motorized Rifle Brigade Fights in Ukraine. Photo Proofs

     

     

    Original article by krmvictory and Irakli Komakhidze translated by Oleksandr Klymenko

    Tags: Russian Armed ForcesRussian invasion

    Recent Posts

    • Andriy Derkach and his tapes. About one special operation to interfere in the US presidential election

      08/10/2020 - 0 Comment
    • The Suicide Squad: top managers of the Russian public sector dying suspiciously during wartime. Infographics.

      07/11/2025 - 0 Comment
    • Hacked: Deputy Defense Minister of Russia Pavel Fradkov. Business interests of Kadyrov and Kabaev in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine

      05/01/2025 - 0 Comment
    • Analysis and examples of sanctions evasion schemes used by Russian military-industrial complex

      04/28/2025 - 0 Comment

    Related Posts

    • Identification of Russian military marauder with Polaroid and correction of Ministry of Digital Transformation mistake

      06/12/2022 - 0 Comment
    • Card decks: “Covered card of Ruscism” and “War Criminals” projects by InformNapalm

      05/16/2022 - 0 Comment
    • The criminal from Bucha lost his phone in Ukraine. “They already know they are known all over the world”

      05/06/2022 - 0 Comment

    13 Responses to “The 23rd Brigade’s Armed Vehicles And Personnel As Part of Novorossiya’s Armed Formations”

    1. 10/13/2015

      Ryska 74:e skyttebrigadens soldater strider som ”huliganer” för “Folkrepubliken Luhansk” i Donbass | InformNapalm (På svenska) Reply

      […] 23:e motoriserade skyttebrigaden, förband 65349, Samara, Ryssland […]

    2. 01/19/2016

      Rusia está construyendo una base militar en la zona de Jarkov y lanza a 23a de OMSBr - InformNapalm.org (Español) Reply

      […] “23 BGMRa del ejército ruso combatió en Ucrania. Fotos de las hazañas del verano” y “Vehículos blindados y personal de la 23a brigada de Samara, como parte de una formación arm… […]

    3. 01/20/2016

      Ryssland bygger en militärbas nära Charkiv för den 23:e brigaden – InformNapalm på svenska Reply

      […] ‣ The 23rd motorized rifle brigade fighting in Ukraine ‣ The 23rd brigade’s armed vehicles and staff as a part of Novorossiya’s armed formations […]

    4. 02/01/2016

      Contratistas de la 74a OMSBr de FR luchan encubierto en batallón de "LNR" "Hooligans" - InformNapalm.org (Español) Reply

      […] de infantería motorizada (unidad militar No. 16544, Borzoi, República de Chechenia, Rusia) 23a brigada de infantería motorizada (unidad militar No. 65349, Samara, Rusia) 19a brigada de infanteria motorizada (unidad militar No. 20634, Vladikavkaz, Osetia del Norte, […]

    5. 07/05/2016

      Ekskursija po karines bazes šalia Ukrainos. Antra dalis. Valuiki - InformNapalm.org (Lietùvių) Reply

      […] Naujausi BTR-A tipo šarvuočiai. Identifikavimą lengvina –kamufliažinis nudažymas, raudoni borto numeriai (šiuo atveju borto numeris „234“ ) ir identifikacinis ženklas: raudonas kvadratas su trimis taškais, bei kariniai numeriai „76“, signalizuojantys, kad minėtas automobilis priklauso CKA. Taip pat reiktų pažymėti, kad InformNapalm yra identifikavę 23-ą brigadą tiek Rostovo srityje, tiek Ukrainoje. Donbase tai buvo nurašyti BTR-80, kuriuos brigadoje pakeitė BTR-82A. Pirmuosius 23-oji AMŠBR naudojo „komandiruotėje į Ukrainą“. Vėliau jie buvo atiduoti „Novarosijos armijai“ žr. 23-osios Samaros brigados technika ir sudėtis Nelegaliame kariniame susivienijime (NKS) „Novoross… […]

    6. 07/23/2016

      A Tour of Russian Military Bases Along the Ukrainian Border. Part 2. Valuyki - InformNapalm.org (English) Reply

      […] Modern BTR-82A APCs . Their distinguishing features are camouflage patterned color, red vehicle numbers ( in this case it is 234) and the tactical sign consisting of a red square with three dots. The license plates of the wheeled vehicles show the region number of 76, which denotes the Central military district. It is important to note here that InformNapalm previously recorded the presence of servicemen and APCs from the 23rd Brigade, identified by the same style of vehicle numbers and tactical signs, in Rostov Oblast  and in Ukraine. The vehicles found in Donbas were of the BTR-80 model, retired after the partial rearmament of the unit with the new BTR-82As. They were used by the tactical group of the 23 Separate Motor Rifle Brigade during their “Ukrainian mission trip”, later they were handed over to the “Novorossiya Army”, see The 23rd Brigade’s Armed Vehicles And Personnel As Part of Novorossiya’s Armed Formations […]

    7. 07/28/2016

      Russia Builds a Military Base near Kharkov And Deploys the 23rd Brigade - InformNapalm.org (English) Reply

      […] The 23rd Brigade’s Armed Vehicles And Personnel As Part of Novorossiya’s Armed Formations […]

    8. 09/08/2016

      "Figaro": un sargento de la 28ª brigada de las Fuerzas Armadas RF en las filas de los grupos armados ilegales "Pyatnashka" (Vídeo) - InformNapalm.org (Español) Reply

      […] ArtBr 291. (Troitskaya, Ingushetia) ; de CVO – 74a OMSBr (Ugra, región de Kemerovo.), 23a OMSBr (Samara) OMSBr 15 de “mantenimiento de la paz” (Roshinsky guarnición región de […]

    9. 12/20/2016

      Uppdatering: Novorossias reservarmé i Rostov län - InformNapalm på svenska Reply

      […] separata motoriserade skyttebrigaden (Yurga, Kemerovo län), 23:e separata motoriserade skyttebrigaden (Samara), 15:e “fredsbevarande” separata motoriserade […]

    10. 01/03/2017

      Skitbrigad – f.d. kontraktssoldat om ryska 17:e motoriserade skyttebrigaden (video) - InformNapalm på svenska Reply

      […] 23:e motoriserade skyttebrigaden (Samara) […]

    11. 08/16/2017

      Valuyki and Boguchar: common markings on military equipment operated by Russian Army and LPR - InformNapalm.org (English) Reply

      […] The equipment with these tactical markings was repeatedly spotted on the territory of Ukraine in operation of the illegal armed groups of Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR). Read more: The 23rd Brigade’s Armed Vehicles And Personnel As Part of Novorossiya’s Armed Formations. […]

    12. 08/20/2017

      Samma märkning på rysk utrustning i LNR som i Valuyki och Boguchar Reply

      […] Den 23:e brigaden som en del av Novorossias väpnade formationer […]

    13. 11/05/2017

      Varför brigadchefer för den 15:e Brigaden så villigt följer Kremls brottsliga order Reply

      […] artiklar, inom ramen för Rostovregionen och invasionen av Ukraina 2014. Vi vet också att soldater från brigaden har stridit för de olagliga beväpnade formationerna i Donetsk- och […]

    Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


    *
    *

    Follow us on social media
    Slate | Sl8 | InformNapalm
    does not receive any financial support from any country’s government or large donors. Only community volunteers and our readers help us to maintain the site. You can also become one of the community volunteers or support InformNapalm with your donations:

    Patreon

    BuyMeACoffee

    USDT TRC-20: TUbRscbCFns4kvWbUnQRBow9ajxSXwxFJU

    Ethereum: 0xf8979c0e0f82EaF1E79704Eb10b750906868cb72

    Bitcoin: bc1qj6nmqwc75tkwv5zuq4x8ljq94xwqp2msf5kyv3

    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    © 2014-2019. «InformNapalm». CC BY 4.0