The 3rd separate assault brigade transfers to Avdiivka for reinforcement: what is known about it?

The 3rd separate assault brigade confirmed that it was urgently redeployed to reinforce Ukrainian troops in the Avdiivka area. Soldiers of the 3rd SAB were previously involved in battles on numerous hot spots, including Bakhmut.

What is known about the 3rd assault unit, which will strengthen the defense of the front-line city NikVesti tells.

On Thursday, February 15, the press service of the 3rd SAB reported that the situation in the city at the time of the establishment of the brigade was extremely critical. Separate battalions of the brigade have already conducted a raid in the enemy-occupied areas of Avdiivka. The enemy's forces on their stretch comprise approximately 7 brigades.

The history of creation and in which battles the brigade participated

The 3rd separate assault brigade is part of the Ground Forces of Ukraine and was created in Kyiv on February 24, 2022, in the first hours of a full-scale invasion.

At the end of February 2022, the «Azov» ground defense units began to be created in Kyiv, which later fought near Kyiv. Already on March 9, the detachment was expanded to the SSPR «Azov» as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and later reformed into a separate unit of the «Azov» SSO of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In January 2023, SSO «Azov» became part of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was expanded to a brigade.

The brigade took part in the liberation of part of the Kyiv region, in particular the cities of Irpin, Moschun and Brovary. During the full-scale war, soldiers of the 3rd SAB were also involved in the battles for Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.

The fighters of this brigade took part in the summer-autumn offensive operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Bakhmut direction. In May 2023, one of the first reported successful offensive actions in the Bakhmut district. And on September 14, 2023, the third assault unit liberated the settlement of Andriivka, which is located near Bakhmut.

In December 2023, it became known that the 3rd SAB was forced to leave for recovery after the battles near Bakhmut. It is known that they defended this direction for almost a year and during this time liberated more than 20 square kilometers.

«The third separate assault brigade is formed on the same principles on which the legendary «Azov» and the entire Azov movement stand. Having passed a difficult selection, only highly motivated and strong-spirited fighters, ready for constant improvement and tough battles with the enemy on the front lines, enter our ranks,» the brigade's official website says.

Command and composition of the brigade

The commander is Colonel Andrii Biletskyi, who was founder and first commander of the «Azov» regiment.

Biletskyi commanded the liberation of Mariupol in 2014 and also initiated and led operations to liberate Shyrokyn and a number of settlements in Donetsk region in 2015. Organizer of Mariupol blockade operations and commander of tactical group «A» in the defense of Bakhmut.

Yurii Hlodan, an Odesa citizen, also fought in the brigade, whose family died in April 2022 as a result of the shelling of the Tiras residential complex in Odesa. After the death of his family, Yuriy joined the ranks of the AFU. At first he fought in the «Azov» brigade, later transferred to the 3rd brigade. In November 2023, Yurii died while performing a combat mission.

We will remind you how Andrii Biletskyi announced a hunt for those involved in the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Olenivka. After that, the embassy of the Russian Federation in Britain published a tweet calling for the hanging of prisoners of war from the Azov regiment.