# 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade (Ukraine)

The 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade "Black Forest" (MUN A1108) is an artillery and reconnaissance Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces directly subordinated to the Ground Forces command but is currently operationally subordinated to the Operational Command West. It operates a variety of artillery and drone systems including western, indigenous and Soviet era weapons.

## History

On 24 August 1991, the 337th Rocket Artillery Brigade of the Red Army was subordinated to Ukraine following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union and took the oath of allegiance to Ukraine on 12 December 1991. In 1998, the first rocket artillery division "Smerch" of the 337th rocket artillery brigade carried out combat launches at the Chauda military training ground. On 20 August 2003, it became 15th Rocket Artillery Regiment and was recognized as the best unit of the Operational Command West. In 2008, the 1st Rocket Artillery Division of the 15th Rocket Artillery Regiment performed live fire training at the Chauda military training ground. On 4 May 2006, the regiment was awarded a Battle Banner. On 21 August 2008, it received the honorary title of "Drohobych". In June 2012, the regiment's personnel took part in the 20th review-competition for the best organization of physical training and sports in the Armed Forces of Ukraine performing in over a hundred categories and took the first spot.
Since April 2014, the 15th Guards Rocket Artillery Regiment has been involved in the War in Donbass. On 26 August 2014, a soldier of the regiment, Komar Yuri Igorovich was killed as a result of a firearms attack on a travelling convoy near Heorhiivka, Luhansk Oblast. On 18 November 2015, all Soviet awards and references were stripped from the regiment's title. Two units of the AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar were transferred to the regiment on 17 August 2018.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it saw direct combat against Russian forces. On 7 July 2022, a soldier of the brigade, Bordun Ivan was killed by Russian artillery shelling shelling near Siversk during the Battle of Bakhmut. In September 2022, it was participating in the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive. Throughout the invasion, the 15th Brigade had managed to find and destroy more than 30 air defense systems alone 2023, including the S-300, S-350, S-400, BUK, "Predel-E", Russians specifically target the brigade due to its operational capabilities employing planes and the S-400 but failed to achieve their aims. It's aims gradually shifted from strikes at the range to 20 km to now 30 km. On 3 November 2023, it was awarded the honorary name "Black Forest". In January 2024, the brigade's forces destroyed multiple BM-21 Grad MLRSs in Luhansk Oblast. On 20 January 2024, it destroyed a Russian Tor missile system. On 27 April 2024, the 15th brigade in coordination with Kabul-9 discovered and hit a Russian Podlet-1K Radar using WB Electronics Warmate. On 4 July 2024, it destroyed a Russian Supercam S350 UAV along with its operators. On 8 September 2024, it destroyed a Russian Yastrub-AV using a HIMARS. A soldier of the brigade, Vasyl Laganyak died on 28 October 2024 while performing a combat mission near Razdolne in Donetsk Oblast. On 16 November 2024, near Tavria, artillerymen of the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade launched an M142 HIMARS strike on a concentration of Russian troops killing twenty Russians and was followed by a second strike during the evacuation of the dead and wounded, causing further causalities. On 12 December 2024, the brigade released a video showcasing it's forces conducting dual strikes targeting a Russia Zoopark-M1 radar likely using M142 HIMARS or M270 MLRS. On 3 January 2025, the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade "Black Forest" published a video showcasing the destruction of the Russian Pantsir-S1 using the American M142 HIMARS. On 27 January 2025, it destroyed a radar for the Russian S-300 missile system. It has also been known to use British Storm Shadow missiles and was able to destroy a Russian platoon command post using them

## Equipment

| Model | Origin | Type | Number |
| Artillery ||||||
| BM-30 Smerch | Soviet Union | Heavy self-propelled 300 mm multiple rocket launcher | 5+ |
| M142 HIMARS | United States | Light multiple rocket launcher | |
| M270 MLRS | United States | Armored self-propelled multiple launch rocket system | |
| Armored vehicles ||||||
| BRDM-2 | Soviet Union | Amphibious armoured reconnaissance vehicle | |
| RADARs ||||||
| AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar | United States | Counter battery mobile radar | 2 |
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ||||||
| AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma | United States | Surveillance and intelligence electro-optical UAV | |
| DJI Mavic | China | FPV drone | |
| DeViRo Leleka-100 ("Stork") | Ukraine | Air reconnaissance/loitering munition | |
| Athlon Avia A1-CM Furia | Ukraine | Air reconnaissance | |
| ASU-1 Valkyrie | Ukraine | Air reconnaissance | |
| Ukrspecsystems Shark | Ukraine | Air reconnaissance | |
| Ukrspecsystems Mini Shark | Ukraine | Air reconnaissance | |
| Tekever AR3 | Portugal | Autonomous VTOL ISTAR craft | |

## Commanders

* Colonel Hryhoriy Demyanchyk (2012–2020)
* Colonel Oleksandr Popov (2022-)

## Popular culture

Until 2022, before becoming a brigade, the old sleeve insignia of the 15th Rocket Artillery Regiment depicted a shield with a dragon's head, surmounted by a small State Emblem of Ukraine, against a background of crossed cannon barrels. The dragon's head represents the power of missiles.
In July 2022, singer Viktor Vynnyk wrote the brigade's march, and presented it in his performance on 11 September.