1226 separate support battalion

1226 Separate Support Battalion is a specialized unit within the 20th Army Corps of the Operational Command "South" of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The slogan of the battalion: "Fulcrum Victoriae", that is, "Support of Victory". The unit is also known as the Serpentine Shaft. The battalion is a reliable engineering and technological foundation for the combat units of the corps. We ensure high mobility of our own troops, create insurmountable lines for the enemy, erect complex fortifications, protect logistics routes from enemy UAVs and implement the most modern robotic solutions on the front line. Battalion commander: Lieutenant Colonel Kovalchyshyn Roman Vasyliovych (since May 2023).

The history of the battalion dates back to the most difficult period of a full-scale war. The unit was formed on May 30, 2023 as a separate engineering battalion. From the first days of formation, the personnel began to perform responsible tasks for the development of echeloned defense and fortification equipment of positions in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia directions, as well as for the protection of strategic critical infrastructure facilities. In August 2025, responding to the new challenges of modern warfare, the unit underwent a large-scale organizational and staff transformation: the engineering battalion was expanded and reorganized into a 1226 separate support battalion with official entry into the 20th Army Corps. Since September 2025, the full battalion has been performing special and combat missions in the combat zone in the Dnipropetrovsk direction, ensuring the stability of the defense and logistics arteries of the corps.

Структура 1226 ОБП побудована для забезпечення повного циклу інженерної, спеціальної та логістичної підтримки військових частин корпусу:
Управління та керівництво
• Командування
• Штаб
• Фінансово-економічна служба
• Тил
• Озброєння
Основні спеціалізовані підрозділи
• Інженерно-саперна рота
• Рота загороджень
• Інженерна рота
• Інженерно-дорожня рота
• Інженерно-маскувальна рота
• Рота радіаційної, хімічної, біологічної розвідки
Спеціальні та забезпечення підрозділи
• Відділення радіоелектронної боротьби з БПЛА (РЕБ з БПЛА)
• Взвод зв'язку
• Взвод матеріального забезпечення
• Медичний пункт батальйону

1226 Separate Support Battalion combines classical engineering and special equipment with the latest technological developments:
• Unmanned systems and robotic complexes: the use of UAVs and ground-based robotic complexes (GRS) for remote area mining and reconnaissance. • EW and anti-drone protection: specialized equipment for the erection of anti-drone nets and protective domes over the main logistics routes. • Engineering and heavy equipment: special equipment for the construction of pontoon and bulk crossings, the arrangement of non-explosive engineering barriers (such as "Egoza", WFP), the fortification of command posts and clearing the terrain. • Special CBRN reconnaissance and demining equipment: modern complexes of analysis, demining and neutralization of explosive ordnance.

Symbols and Identification
The armband of the unit looks like a heraldic shield, vertically divided into two fields: olive and black. • Four golden crossed sabers on an olive background symbolize military prowess and belonging to the 20th Army Corps. • The golden brick tower on a black background is an international traditional symbol of the engineering troops, personifying the steadfastness, protection and skill of building defensive lines. Internal traditions and spirit of the unit
In 1226, the OBP reigned in a spirit of fraternity, mutual respect, and equality before a common duty. The battalion appreciates the contribution of every soldier — from soldier to officer.

"Symbolic dedication by Golden Shovel"
There is a special internal tradition in the unit. Each serviceman who receives another military rank or appointment to a higher position undergoes a symbolic ritual in front of the ranks. The commander solemnly and symbolically touches the Golden Shovel — with the words:
“Don't forget where you came from and where you started!”
This tradition reminds every commander of the importance of staying close to personnel, remembering the hard work of basic engineering, and appreciating every fighter on the front lines.