72nd Guards Mechanized Brigade

The 72nd Mechanized Brigade is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. It was previously named the 29th Rifle Division and then the 72nd Guards Rifle Division of the Soviet Ground Forces.

World War II
On December 5, 1941 the 29th Rifle Division was being formed in Akmolinsk, Kazakhstan. By January 16, 1942 the division was finally formed. The division was made up of 106th, 128th, 299th Rifle and 77th Artillery Regiments. Separate 125th Anti-Tank, separate 78th Saper, separate 124th Signal, 29th Medical Battalions. 104th Reconnaissance Company. Until June 1942 it was held in reserve, until the men had received enough training.

In July 1943 29th Rifle Division was ordered to move to Stalingrad and join the 64th Army. In August 1942 units of the division first met with the Germans. During Battle of Stalingrad they killed 5,242 and took 13,447 captive.

On February 2, 1943 the Battle of Stalingrad was finally over. Due to the heroism of the soldiers the 29th Rifle Division was redesignated the 72nd Guard Rifle Division by Directorate of the General Staff order №104 on March 1, 1943.

On March 3, 1943, 72nd Guard Rifle Division was involved in battles for liberation of Belgorod. Soon they were near Kharkiv and Krasnohrad. The 72nd Guards Rifle Division became a motor rifle division stationed in the Kiev Military District.

After the fall of the Soviet Union it was transferred to Ukraine. In 1992, Colonel ЛИТВИНЦЕВУ Володимиру  Яковичу  -  Commander 72nd Guards Motor Rifle Division of the Kiev Military District was given the rank of Major General. (Edict of the President of Ukraine No.90/92, 20 лютого 1992) On August 23, 1995, Colonel Nikolai Nikolaevich TSYTSYURSKOMU, Commander 72nd Mechanized Infantry Division of the 1st Army Corps of the Odessa Military District, was given the rank of Major-General. (Edict of the President of Ukraine No.792/95) On June 29, 1999 the 72 Red Guards Mechanized Division of the North Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was given the honorary title of "Kiev". It was later reduced in size to a mechanized brigade.

In accordance with a decree of August 23, 1998, Colonel ПЕДЧЕНКУ Григорію Миколайовичу -  командирові  72nd Mechanised Division  Північного   оперативного   командування Ground Forces of Ukraine; was promoted to major-general.

Awards

 * March 1, 1943 received the honorable designation "Guards"
 * January 1944 received Order of the Red Banner award for clearing the city of Kirovohrad
 * September 20, 1943 received the honorable name "Krasnohradska"

Famous people of the Division

 * Lieutenant Volodymyr Mykheiev - First person in the division to receive Hero of Soviet Union award
 * Oles' Honchar, Oleksandr - Ukrainian writer

1988-1991
Late Soviet Period Structure
 * 222nd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment - Bila Tserkva
 * 224th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment - Bila Tserkva
 * 229th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment - Bila Tserkva
 * 292nd Armored Regiment - Honcharivske
 * 155th Guards Artillery Regiment - Smila
 * 1129th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment - Bila Tserkva
 * 1345th Anti-Tank Battalion
 * 117th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion - Bila Tserkva
 * 538th Separate Signal Battalion - Bila Tserkva
 * 220th Separate Engineer Battalion - Bila Tserkva
 * 280th Separate Maintenance Battalion
 * 892nd Combat Service Support Battalion

1992-2002

 * [[Image:155ap.jpg|25px]] 155th Artillery Regiment
 * 224th Mechanized Regiment
 * [[Image:229mp.jpg|25px]] 229th Mechanized Regiment
 * [[Image:1129zrp.jpg|25px]] 1129th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
 * [[Image:23bz.jpg|25px]] 23rd Chemical Battalion
 * 59th Separate Armor Battalion
 * [[Image:72tb.jpg|25px]] 72nd Separate Tank Battalion
 * 117th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion
 * [[Image:149mb.jpg|25px]] 149th Medical Battalion
 * 220th Engineer Battalion
 * [[Image:280rb.jpg|25px]] 280th Maintenance Battalion
 * 538th Signal Battalion
 * 892nd Combat Service Support Battalion
 * [[Image:1345ad.jpg|25px]] 1345th Anti-Tank Battalion

Brigade Order of Battle 2002-present

 * 1st Mechanized Battalion
 * 2nd Mechanized Battalion
 * 3rd Mechanized Battalion
 * Armored Battalion

Past commanders

 * Colonel Fedir Mykytovich Zhabrov June 1942
 * Lieutenant Colonel Anatoliy Ivanovych Kolobutin June 1942 - October 1942
 * Major General Anatoliy Ivanovych Losiev October 1942 - Spring 1945
 * Major General Sergiy Bezlishchenko
 * Lieutenant General Sergiy Ostrovskiy