Great Raid of 2014

In June 2014, the country's leadership developed a strategic plan that foresaw blocking the Russian-Ukrainian border by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as the surroundings of the cities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.^[2] In July, the units blocking the border came into the southeast vicinity of Luhansk and in the east of Donetsk regions. ATO command had developed a plan for the release of units at the border. According to the plan, the units of the 95th Air Assault Brigade, 30th Mechanized Brigade, 51st Mechanized Brigade, 25th Airborne were to occupy Savur Mohil, Stepanivka, Marinovka, to establish control over the ferries on the Mius River and to relieve the units of the 24th and 72nd Mechanized and 79th Air Assault Brigades.^[3]

The main strike of the operation was the 400 paratroopers of the 95th Air Assault Brigade and tanks of the 30th Mechanized Brigade. All who took part in the operation were volunteers.^[4][3]

Discover more about Planning related topics

Armed Forces of Ukraine

Armed Forces of Ukraine

The Armed Forces of Ukraine, most commonly known in Ukraine as ZSU or anglicized as AFU, are the military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the President of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rada parliamentary commission. They trace their lineage to 1917, while the modern armed forces were formed after Ukrainian independence in 1991.

Luhansk

Luhansk

Luhansk, also known as Lugansk, is a city in Ukraine, although currently it is occupied by Russia. As of 2022, the population was estimated to be 397,677 , making Luhansk the most populous city in the region and the 12th-largest in Ukraine. In 2001, nearly half of the population was ethnically Ukrainian, and 47% was ethnically Russian.

Donetsk

Donetsk

Donetsk, formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka, Stalin and Stalino, is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine located on the Kalmius River in Donetsk Oblast. The population was estimated at 901,645 in the city core, with over 2 million in the metropolitan area (2011). According to the 2001 census, Donetsk was the fifth-largest city in Ukraine.

30th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

30th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

The 30th Prince Konstanty Ostrogski Mechanized Brigade is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The full name of the unit is 30th Independent Mechanized Brigade "Konstanty Ostrogski".

51st Guards Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

51st Guards Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

The 51st Guards Mechanized Brigade was a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, stationed at Volodymyr in Volyn Oblast, on the border with Poland. The Brigade drew its history from the 15th Guards Rifle Division of World War II, which was converted into the 15th Guards Motor Rifle Division in 1957. The division was renumbered as the 51st Guards Motor Rifle Division in 1965 and awarded the honorific Perekop in honor of the 51st Rifle Division of the Russian Civil War.

25th Airborne Brigade (Ukraine)

25th Airborne Brigade (Ukraine)

The 25th Separate Airborne Sicheslav Brigade is an airborne formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.

Savur-Mohyla

Savur-Mohyla

Savur-Mohyla, often transliterated using the Russian spelling Saur-Mogila, is a strategic height in the Donets ridge near the city of Snizhne, in liberated Ukraine.

24th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

24th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

The 24th Mechanized Brigade is a mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, based at Yavoriv in the west of Ukraine.

72nd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

72nd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

The 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. It was previously named the 29th Rifle Division and then the 72nd Guards Rifle Division of the Soviet Ground Forces. In 1957, it became a motor rifle division.

79th Air Assault Brigade (Ukraine)

79th Air Assault Brigade (Ukraine)

The 79th Air Assault Brigade is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. The paratrooper brigade is based in Mykolaiv.

Battle for Lysychansk

The first battles in the raid began for the liberation of Lysychansk. According to the operation plan, the 95th brigade units were to conduct raids and go to the southern outskirts of the city and from there start liquidating enemy units. The 24th brigade had to do this from the north. Following the 95 brigade, from the south came to the Battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine "Donbas", which carried the operation of liquidation of Russian units in the direction to the city center.^[5]

Two days before the assault of Lysychansk, scouts were sent to identify the reference points of militants. The scouts discovered a block post, which wasn't previously known.^[6]

On July 19, units 95th brigade went to the offensive. First they destroyed the block post, discovered by scouts on the eve. The advanced detachment set the task to take a strategically important height. From the first time they didn't get it, and was not able to get, and advanced detachment fighters were forced to retreat. However, during a new battle which lasted a few hours the enemy left their positions and the 95th brigade took the height.^[6][7]

After that, the paratroopers took under control the oil refinery, which could be destroyed by Russian troops and separatists.^[8] The battle lasted from dinner to the evening of July 19, with 5 paratroopers being killed and 40 injured.^[9]

That was the greatest joy for all the time of my service. When local saw that armoured personnel carriers with Ukrainian symbols, they ran to salute us. On the way the local people unfolded blue-yellow flags and dressed up vyshyvankas. They were standing along the road clapping, singing the Ukrainian hymn and shouting "Glory to Ukraine!", "Thank you for coming!". — Vasyl Bodnar, soldier of the 95th brigade.^[10]

According to official information, the paratroopers carried out a 470-kilometer raid on the rear of the separatists, and at the same time destroyed three hostile checkpoints.^[11] However, the most important achievement was the creation of a corridor for units trapped at the border to retreat. Thanks to the skillful actions of paratroopers and infantrymen, 3,000 people and more than 250 pieces of equipment were able to be evacuated safely.^[12]

The raid is noteworthy because of its length and the fact that it was the first time Ukrainian and Russian forces clashed in the War in Donbas. According to Phillip Karber, it was one of the longest armored raids in military history.^[13]

The raid was also a significant morale booster for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, especially the Air Assault forces. The skill and conduct of the 95th Air Assault Brigade was praised by American military expert Dr. Phillip Karber.^[14]