Armoured Forces (Ukraine)

The basis of the Armoured Forces are tank brigades and tank battalions of the infantry brigades (mechanized, light infantry and mountain), which have great resistance to the striking factors of both conventional and nuclear weapons, firepower, high mobility and maneuverability. They are able to make the most complete use of the results of fire (nuclear) damage to the enemy and in a short time to achieve the final goals of combat operations.

The combat capabilities of tank formations allow them to conduct active combat operations day and night, at a considerable distance from other troops, to crush the enemy in counter-attacks and battles, to overcome large areas of radioactive contamination on the move, crossing water obstacles, and also to quickly create a strong defense and successfully resist the onslaught of overwhelming enemy forces.

Armored Brigades in Ukrainian service are designed to provide heavy support to mechanized infantry brigades during offensive and defensive operations. Unlike mechanized infantry brigades, armored brigades due not have a motorized infantry battalion attached.[1] Due to brigades being designed for independent operations they have a complete set of organic supporting units including a complete artillery regiment, an anti-tank battalion, an anti-aircraft battalion, a sniper company, a recon company, an engineer battalion, material repair battalion, logistics battalion, electronic warfare company, radar company, NBC defense company, signals company, medical company, and a commandant's platoon.

Since the start of the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine the size and composition of Ukraines armored brigades have changed dramatically to include both more men as the Ukrainian Armed Forces mobilize but also to include the different kinds of weapons and equipment being supplied by Ukraine's Western backers.

Tank Battalion (x3)

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Tank Company (x3)
• Recon Platoon
• Anti Aircraft Platoon
• Engineer Platoon
• Medical Section
• Support Company
  • Technical Support Platoon
  • Material Support Platoon

Before the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine the UGF's then two armored brigades were equipped with either T-64BV tanks, T-64BV mod 2017, or T-80BV tanks. After the invasion Ukraine was able to capture and repurpose large numbers of Russian tanks such as T-72B3M mod 2017, T-72B3, T-72B, T-80BVM, T-80, and T-90M. Western nations have also pledged large numbers of tanks from their own stocks such as their own vintage T-72 models, PT-91 Twardy tanks from Poland and more recently Challenger 2 tanks from Britain, Leopard 2 and Leopard 1 tanks from multiple European countries, and the M1A1 Abrams from the United States. These new additions have bolstered the armored fighting force.

Mechanized Infantry Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Infantry Company (x3)
• Mortar Battery (6x 120mm)
• Grenade Platoon (6x AGS-17)
• Recon Platoon
• Air Defense Platoon (9x Igla MANPAD)
• Engineer and Sapper Platoon
• Signals Platoon
• Battalion Medical Center
• Supply Company
  • Technical Support Platoon
  • Material Support Platoon

Artillery Regiment

• HQ, Recon and Target Acquisition Battery
• SPG Battalion (2x 2S1 Gvozdika)
• Rocket Artillery Battalion (BM-21 Grad)

Anti Tank Battalion

Anti Aircraft Defense Battalion

Sniper Company

Recon Company

Combat Engineer Battalion

Repair Battalion

Logistics Battalion

Electronic Warfare Company

Radar Company

CBRN Defense Company

Signals Company

Medical Company

Commandants Platoon

Brigade Band

• 1st Tank Brigade, Honcharivske,[2] Chernihiv Oblast
• 3rd Tank Brigade (Reserve), formed 2016[3][4]
• 4th Tank Brigade (Reserve), formed 2017[5]
• 5th Tank Brigade (Reserve), formed 2016[6]
• 17th Tank Brigade, Kryvyi Rih,[7] Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
• 12th Tank Battalion, Honcharivske,[8] Chernihiv Oblast
• 14th Tank Brigade (Reserve), formed 2015 (possibly inactive)[9]

• 17th Guards Tank Division[10][11] reformed as 17th Tank Brigade in 2003
• 23rd Training Tank Division, disbanded and the 6065th Storage Base since 1987[11]
• 30th Guards Tank Division[11] reformed first as 30th Tank Brigade and then reformed as 30th Mechanised Brigade in 2004
• 41st Guards Tank Division, disbanded and the 5193rd Storage Base since 1989[10][11]
• 42nd Guards Tank Division, disbanded and the 5359th Storage Base since 1990[10][11]
• 48th Guards Tank Training Division, reformed as 169th District Training Centre[10][11]
• 117th Guards Tank Division, reformed as 119th District Training Centre[11]

• M55S, T-62, T-64, T-72, PT-91 Twardy, T-80, T-84, Challenger 2, Leopard 1, Leopard 2, M1 Abrams, T-90, M-84 main battle tanks in armored battalions
• AMX-10 RC wheeled light tanks/armored reconnaissance vehicles in armored battalions
• BMP-1, BMP-2, BVP M-80, AIFV, M2 Bradley and Marder IFV tracked infantry fighting vehicles in tracked mechanized infantry battalions
• BTR-3, BTR-4 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles in wheeled mechanized infantry battalions
• BTR-60, BTR-70, BTR-80, VAB, M1117, TAB-71M, Patria Pasi wheeled armored personnel carriers in wheeled mechanized infantry battalions
• MT-LB, GT-MU, M113, FV432, FV105 Sultan, FV430 Bulldog tracked armored personnel carriers in tracked mechanized infantry battalions
• BRDM-2, Fennek armored scout cars, some on tank destroyer configuration
• MT-LB-12 (TD) tracked tank destroyers

• (in Russian) Feskov – V.I. Feskov, K.A. Kalashnikov, V.I. Golikov, The Soviet Army in the Years of the Cold War 1945–91, Tomsk University Publishing House, Tomsk, 2004
• (in Russian) Lenskiy – А. Г. Ленский, Сухопутные силы РККА в предвоенные годы. Справочник. — Санкт-Петербург Б&К, 2000