24th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)
The 24th Mechanized Brigade (Ukrainian: 24-та окрема механізована бригада, abbreviated 24 ОМБр) is a mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, based at Yavoriv in the west of Ukraine.
| 24th Mechanized Brigade (2003–present) 24th Mechanized Division 24th Motor Rifle Division 24th Rifle Division 1st Simbirsk Infantry Division (26 Jul – Nov, 1918) | |
|---|---|
| Ukrainian: 24-та окрема механізована бригада імені короля Данила | |
24th Mechanized Brigade shoulder sleeve patch | |
| Active | 26 July 1918 – present |
| Country | Soviet Russia (1918–1928) Soviet Union (1928–1991) Ukraine (1991–present) |
| Branch | Ground Forces |
| Type | Mechanized Infantry |
| Size | Brigade |
| Part of | Operational Command West (1 July 2006-present) 13th Army Corps (before 1 July 2006) (formerly Soviet 13th Army) |
| Garrison/HQ | Yavoriv MUN A0998 |
| Nickname(s) | Royal Infantry Iron Brigade (former) Iron Division (former) |
| Patron | King Danylo Halytskyi |
| Motto(s) | "Milites Regum" "In Iron Division - iron soul, iron will and iron step." (former) |
| Equipment | BMP-2, T-64 |
| Engagements | Russian Civil War Winter War World War II Russo-Ukrainian War 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Battle of Donbas (2022–present) |
| Decorations | Order of the October Revolution (removed) Order of the Red Banner (3) (removed) Order of Suvorov (removed) Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (removed) For Courage and Bravery |
| Battle honours | King Daniel of Galicia Berdychiv (removed) Iron (removed) Prince Daniel of Galicia(removed) Samara (removed) Ulyanovsk (removed) |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel Ivan Holishevskyi |
The brigade, the oldest in continuous service within the Ground Forces, was originally formed as the 1st Simbirsk Infantry Division of Soviet Russia in 1918 during the Russian Civil War. The unit was soon renamed the 24th Rifle Division. It fought in the Winter War and World War II, during which it was destroyed during Operation Barbarossa.
Reformed without inheriting the lineage of the first formation, the second formation of the 24th gained the Berdychiv honorific for its actions during the Zhytomyr–Berdychiv offensive in late 1943, and was given the battle flag and traditions of the first formation in early 1944 to preserve historical continuity.
The division became a motor rifle division in 1957. The full name of the division was the 24th Samaro-Ulyanovsk Motor Rifle Berdychivska, Iron, Order of the October Revolution, Thrice Red Banner, Orders of Suvorov and Bohdan Khmelnytsky Division. In 1992, it was taken over by Ukraine and became the 24th Mechanized Division. In 2003, it was downsized to a brigade.
The brigade saw its first combat in almost 70 years during the war in Donbas from 2014. Its Soviet honorifics were progressively removed and replaced with the King Daniel of Galicia honorific following the beginning of the war in Donbas.