129th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade

The 129th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade (129 OVMBr) is a formation of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Stationed in the city of Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The brigade is part of the "East" Regional Directorate of the Territorial Defense Forces

The brigade was formed after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In early October 2022, the brigade's soldiers liberated the villages of Arkhanhelske and Myroliubivka in Kherson Oblast. In October 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the brigade commander with the battle flag. In September 2024, the brigade took part in repelling a Russian mechanized offensive in Kursk Oblast.

Brigade command (headquarters);
235th Separate Battalion;
236th Separate Battalion;
237th Separate Battalion;
238th Separate Battalion;
239th Separate Battalion;
248th Separate Battalion;
7th Separate Battalion "Arei";
engineer company;
signal company;
logistics company;
mortar battery

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs);
quadcopters;
thermal imagers, night vision devices, thermal and collimator sights;
vehicles;
radio stations.

The brigade has a tradition of regularly remembering fallen soldiers — both during formations and in informal settings. Memorial corners are set up in units, and moments of silence are observed.

When joining the brigade's ranks, recruits go through a brief ritual — receiving the brigade's sleeve patch and taking the military oath in the presence of commanders and comrades-in-arms. In some battalions there is a tradition of passing on tokens bearing call signs or company symbols.

The brigade emphasizes its Cossack roots. Symbols — sabers, a star, a powder flask, an image of a Cossack on the sleeve patch — are actively used not only in emblems but also in the visual design of units, company flags, and equipment.

Several volunteer initiatives operate within the brigade. For example, the "Rugby Players" unit organizes fundraising for drones and equipment and supports comrades-in-arms. Participation in volunteering has become part of the brigade's combat brotherhood.