160th Separate Mechanized Brigade

Name: 160th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Military unit: A4977.

Subordination: Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, "South" Operational Command.

Insignia: an official emblem has not yet been published (branding in development).

Deployment location: not officially disclosed; unofficially — Kyiv Oblast, with some units training at ranges in the north and center of Ukraine.

Created: spring 2023, as one of the new brigades of the second stage of the deployment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's reserve.

Formation began in March–April 2023 as part of a program to significantly expand the reserve of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Formed under conditions of full-scale war to reinforce defense and offensive operations on various sectors of the front.

First public appearance: summer 2023 — the completion of combat coordination training at a training ground and readiness to carry out combat missions was officially announced.

Participation in combat: 160 OMBr distinguished itself with actions in the eastern and southern directions, including in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts (summer–autumn 2023 and winter 2024).

The brigade suffered significant losses in the fighting near Avdiivka, Kurakhove, and Orikhiv.

Current status: as of 2024–2025, the brigade remains on the front line, is regularly mentioned in front-line reports, and is being replenished with mobilized personnel and volunteers.

Typical structure:

    3 mechanized battalions (units "A", "B", "C")
    Tank battalion
    Artillery group (howitzer, rocket, anti-tank artillery)
    Air defense battalion (anti-aircraft missile unit)
    Reconnaissance company
    Engineer-sapper battalion
    Signal company
    Medical company
    Support company
    Headquarters company

Separate units:

    a separate UAV company is noted for its work
    there is information about the formation of strike drone units (FPV and reconnaissance)

Weapons:

    T-64BV and T-72 main battle tanks
    BMP-1, BMP-2 IFVs (less often M113, Mastiff — under lend-lease)
    BTR-4 and BTR-80 motorized infantry armored personnel carriers
    Artillery: towed and self-propelled guns (2S1 "Gvozdika", 2S3 "Akatsiya"), BM-21 "Grad" multiple rocket launchers
    Anti-tank weapons: "Stugna-P" and "Korsar" ATGMs, NLAW, Javelin
    Air defense: "Igla" and "Stinger" MANPADS, anti-aircraft guns
    Drones: reconnaissance (DJI Mavic, Autel, Fly Eye) and strike FPV drones (both in-house development and donation-funded procurement are confirmed)
    Supply vehicles — KrAZ, MAN, Oshkosh

Traditions and spirit:

– The official history and insignia are still being formed — as part of the second wave of new brigades, the unit is actively introducing new approaches to recruitment and command culture.

– Common unofficial call signs: "Rys" (Lynx), "Murom", "Hrim" (Thunder), "Motor" (from social media and front-line reports).

– The phrase "Unbreakable Hundred" is often used for the brigade's combat core.

– Commanders mentioned include Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Kovalenko (led the brigade during its formation), Captain Andrii Pyrizhok (killed in 2023, posthumously Hero of Ukraine), and Major Oleksandr Sokolenko (commands one of the mechanized battalions).

– 160 OMBr frequently appears in video and photo reports on YouTube, Telegram, and TikTok captioned "Brigade of a New Era," with soldiers actively posting videos from the front line.

– Cases of cooperation with volunteers and public initiatives to supply drones and equipment have been noted.

– Since early 2024, the brigade has joined the "Army of Drones" initiative.