Ukrainian Marine Corps
Encyclopedia
The Ukrainian Marine Corps ( literally means "Naval Infantry") is a branch of the Ukrainian Navy
. It is used as a component part of amphibious, airborne and amphibious-airborne operations, alone or in accordance with formations and units of the Army in order to capture parts of the seashore, islands, ports, fleet bases, coast airfields and other coast objects of the enemy. It can also be used to defend naval bases, vital areas of the shore, separate islands and coast objects, security of hostile areas.
The motto of "Always Faithful" is similar to the US Marine Corps "Semper Fidelis"
of land and naval forces, Skoropadskyi brought attention to creating the marine corps during his first month in power. On May 23, 1918 he ordered the Department of Navy to Begin forming a Brigade of marines consisting of three regiments.
The mission of the Marines was protecting the coastal areas, serving as a garrison force for forts and conducting landing operations.
According to the order the Brigade was divided into three regiments. First regiment was responsible for the areas between the western border until the village of Suchavka, near Odessa
. Second regiment was responsible for territory between Suchavka and Stanislavov. Third regiment protected the areas from Stanislavov until Perekop
. Brigade was also put in charge of guarding property of the Navy Department.
Each of the three regiments consisted of three kuren
s. Each kuren consisted of three Sotnia
and a machine gun unit. Commandant of the first regiment was Ilarion Isaievych.
On August 31, 1918 each unit was given the permanent headquarters. First regiment's HQ was located in Odessa
, second's HQ in Mykolaiv
and third's HQ in Kherson
. Also at this time 3 squadrons of cavalry were formed. First was stationed in Odessa
, second in Ochakiv
and third in Perekop
.
In October 1918 new recruits born in 1899, would have joined the ranks of the marines, however due to the political situation of that autumn the recruits had to wait until a better time.
Not long after, Pavlo Skoropadskyi was removed from power in an uprising led by Symon Petliura. Marines continued to faithfully serve their nation under the banner of the Ukrainian People's Republic
. Many of them have died for freedom and independence.
On February 22, 1993 880th Separate Naval Infantry Battalion of the Black Sea Fleet
commanded by major Vitaliy G. Rozhmanov pledged their allegiance to Ukraine.
After the Naval Forces were created on July 1, 1993 first battalion of Marine Corps was formed in the city of Sevastopol
. First marines were transferred from the airmobile units. On September 1, 1993 the 41st Separate Marine Battalion was formed. By September 20, 1994, 4th Marine Corps Brigade was stationed in the Tilovoe village of Crimea
. From May 1996 until 1998 the Brigade was a part of Ukrainian National Guard. In 1998 it was transferred to the Navy
and re designated 1st Separate Marine Corps Brigade. In 1999 the Brigade consisted of two battalions numbering 1,500 marines.
During 2003–04 years during the armed forces program to reduce the number of brigades, Marine Corps Brigade was reduced to a Battalion.
Currently it is under the jurisdiction of the 36th Separate Coastal Guard Brigade. The battalion is stationed in Feodosiya.
Ukrainian Navy
The Ukrainian Naval Forces is the navy of Ukraine and part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was established in 1992. It consists of 5 branches: surface forces, submarine forces, Navy aviation, coast rocket-artillery and marines...
. It is used as a component part of amphibious, airborne and amphibious-airborne operations, alone or in accordance with formations and units of the Army in order to capture parts of the seashore, islands, ports, fleet bases, coast airfields and other coast objects of the enemy. It can also be used to defend naval bases, vital areas of the shore, separate islands and coast objects, security of hostile areas.
Mission
Act independently during attacks on enemy's naval installations, ports, islands, and coastal areas. Clear the enemy's coastal areas provide security during landing of the main force.The motto of "Always Faithful" is similar to the US Marine Corps "Semper Fidelis"
Hetmanate
Former Russian Imperial army general Pavlo Skoropadskyi understood the importance of marines in providing security to the country. Being the commander-in-chiefCommander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of land and naval forces, Skoropadskyi brought attention to creating the marine corps during his first month in power. On May 23, 1918 he ordered the Department of Navy to Begin forming a Brigade of marines consisting of three regiments.
The mission of the Marines was protecting the coastal areas, serving as a garrison force for forts and conducting landing operations.
According to the order the Brigade was divided into three regiments. First regiment was responsible for the areas between the western border until the village of Suchavka, near Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
. Second regiment was responsible for territory between Suchavka and Stanislavov. Third regiment protected the areas from Stanislavov until Perekop
Perekop
Perekop is a village located at the Perekop Isthmus connecting Crimean peninsula to the Ukrainian mainland. It is known for the Fortress Or Qapi that served as the gateway to Crimea...
. Brigade was also put in charge of guarding property of the Navy Department.
Each of the three regiments consisted of three kuren
Sotnia
Sotnia was a traditional division of the Cossack regiments. For example from earliest records of the Zaporizhian Sich, and means 'a hundred'. It is equivalent to company ....
s. Each kuren consisted of three Sotnia
Sotnia
Sotnia was a traditional division of the Cossack regiments. For example from earliest records of the Zaporizhian Sich, and means 'a hundred'. It is equivalent to company ....
and a machine gun unit. Commandant of the first regiment was Ilarion Isaievych.
On August 31, 1918 each unit was given the permanent headquarters. First regiment's HQ was located in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, second's HQ in Mykolaiv
Mykolaiv
Mykolaiv , also known as Nikolayev , is a city in southern Ukraine, administrative center of the Mykolaiv Oblast. Mykolaiv is the main ship building center of the Black Sea, and, arguably, the whole Eastern Europe.-Name of city:...
and third's HQ in Kherson
Kherson
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
. Also at this time 3 squadrons of cavalry were formed. First was stationed in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, second in Ochakiv
Ochakiv
Ochakiv is a city in the Mykolaiv Oblast of southern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Ochakivsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located on a peninsula in the Black Sea, at the entrance to the Dnieper Rivers's estuary,...
and third in Perekop
Perekop
Perekop is a village located at the Perekop Isthmus connecting Crimean peninsula to the Ukrainian mainland. It is known for the Fortress Or Qapi that served as the gateway to Crimea...
.
In October 1918 new recruits born in 1899, would have joined the ranks of the marines, however due to the political situation of that autumn the recruits had to wait until a better time.
Not long after, Pavlo Skoropadskyi was removed from power in an uprising led by Symon Petliura. Marines continued to faithfully serve their nation under the banner of the Ukrainian People's Republic
Ukrainian People's Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic or Ukrainian National Republic was a republic that was declared in part of the territory of modern Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, eventually headed by Symon Petliura.-Revolutionary Wave:...
. Many of them have died for freedom and independence.
Modern history
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
commanded by major Vitaliy G. Rozhmanov pledged their allegiance to Ukraine.
After the Naval Forces were created on July 1, 1993 first battalion of Marine Corps was formed in the city of Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
. First marines were transferred from the airmobile units. On September 1, 1993 the 41st Separate Marine Battalion was formed. By September 20, 1994, 4th Marine Corps Brigade was stationed in the Tilovoe village of Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
. From May 1996 until 1998 the Brigade was a part of Ukrainian National Guard. In 1998 it was transferred to the Navy
Ukrainian Navy
The Ukrainian Naval Forces is the navy of Ukraine and part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was established in 1992. It consists of 5 branches: surface forces, submarine forces, Navy aviation, coast rocket-artillery and marines...
and re designated 1st Separate Marine Corps Brigade. In 1999 the Brigade consisted of two battalions numbering 1,500 marines.
During 2003–04 years during the armed forces program to reduce the number of brigades, Marine Corps Brigade was reduced to a Battalion.
Currently it is under the jurisdiction of the 36th Separate Coastal Guard Brigade. The battalion is stationed in Feodosiya.
Reform
The ideal goal in the reform of the Marine Corps is to form a unit which would be similar to the units sent to Iraq. It is planned that there will be no more conscripts in the Marine Corps, only professional soldiers.1918 structure
- 1st Regiment - OdessaOdessaOdessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
- 1st Kuren
- 1st Sotnia
- 2nd Sotnia
- 3rd Sotnia
- machine gun unit
- 2nd Kuren
- 3rd Kuren
- 1st Kuren
- 2nd Regiment - MykolaivMykolaivMykolaiv , also known as Nikolayev , is a city in southern Ukraine, administrative center of the Mykolaiv Oblast. Mykolaiv is the main ship building center of the Black Sea, and, arguably, the whole Eastern Europe.-Name of city:...
- 3rd Regiment - KhersonKhersonKherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
- 1st Cavalry Squadron - OdessaOdessaOdessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
- 2nd Cavalry Squadron - OchakivOchakivOchakiv is a city in the Mykolaiv Oblast of southern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Ochakivsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located on a peninsula in the Black Sea, at the entrance to the Dnieper Rivers's estuary,...
- 3rd Cavalry Squadron - PerekopPerekopPerekop is a village located at the Perekop Isthmus connecting Crimean peninsula to the Ukrainian mainland. It is known for the Fortress Or Qapi that served as the gateway to Crimea...
1998 structure
- Separate Air Assault Battalion "Lion"
- Separate Air Assault Battalion "Berkut"
- Separate Air Assault Reconnaissance Battalion "Sword"
- Separate Combat Engineer Battalion "Crab"
- Separate Signal Company
- Anti-Tank Battalion
- Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion
- Artillery Battalion
- Artillery Battalion
Current structure
Today, all of the marines are organized into 1st Separate Marine Battalion.- 1st Marine Company
- 2nd Marine Company
- 3rd Air Assault Company
- Mortar Battery
- Reconnaissance Platoon