The 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade "Black Forest" (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.
Russo-Ukrainian war
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.Комар Юрій Ігорович 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.У бою біля Сіверська загинув захисник України зі Львівщини Іван Бордун. 11.07.2022, 16:50 In September 2022, it was participating in the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive.Відповімо терористам на кожну їхню підлість, на кожну ракету — ми це можемо — звернення Президента України.
The recon elements of the Brigade have been observed using Shark drones to guide British Storm Shadow missiles into targets and was able to destroy a Russian platoon command post.
On 4 December 2024 the unit was awarded the honorary award For Courage and Bravery by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
On November 16, 2024, the unit attacked a concentration of Russian troops, approximately 30–40 men, near Tavria. The strike was carried out using M142 HIMARS missiles, and the troop concentration had been previously reconnoitered by a drone from the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade. More than 20 Russian soldiers were reported killed. Shortly afterward, as additional troops arrived to evacuate the wounded, the brigade conducted a double tap strike using cluster munitions to maximize casualties.
On July 21, 2026, the unit conducted an operation targeting the Khalino airfield in Kursk Oblast, striking a Russian MiG-29 fighter jet and a Pantsir missile system.
List of destroyed Systems TypeRoleNoteDateS-300S-350S-4009K37 BukSAMAround 30 Systems destroyed2022–2023Leer-2EWDestroyed, most likely by HIMARS28 August 2023Predel-ERADAR9K330 TorSAMDestroyed20 January 2024BM-21MLRSMultiple BM-21 Destroyed in Luhansk OblastJanuary 2024Podlet-1KRADARSpotted in cooperation with Kabul 9 and destroyed by WB-Electronics-Warmate27 April 2024Supercam S350UAVDestroyed with crew4 July 20241K148 Yastreb-AWRADARDestroyed by HIMARS8 September 2024Zoopark-1MRADARDestroyed by HIMARS or M270.12 December 2024Pansir S-1SAMDestroyed by HIMARS31 December 202496L6ERADAR96L6E RADAR of a S-300-Battery destroyed27 January 2025S-350SAMDestroyed16 February 20259S36RADAR9S36 RADAR for Buk destroyed12 March 2025Buk-M1SAMDestroyed21 March 2025R-330Zh ZhitelEWDamaged or destroyed24 March 20259A316RearmSAM9A316 rearming vehicle for Buk-2M destroyed by drone6 April 2025BM-27 UraganMLRSDestroyed with GMLRS via HIMARS16 April 2025Buk-M29A316SAMRearmA launcher and a rearming vehicle destroyed21 April 2025Buk-M3SAMDestroyed1 May 2025Buk-M1SAMDestroyed7 May 2025Buk-M1SAMDestroyed16 May 2025Buk-M3SAMDestroyed24 May 2025Tor-M2SAMDestroyed by rocket double strike31 May 2025Zoopark-1MRADARDamaged or destroyed4 June 20252S7 PionSPHDestroyed12 June 2025Buk-M1SAMDestroyed by the 413th Regiment of Unmanned Systems, assisted by the 15th brigade8 July 2025Buk-M3SAMDamaged or destroyed by drone13 July 2025D-30HowitzerDestroyed22 August 2025Buk-M2SAMDestroyed5 September 2025Buk-M2SAMDestroyed17 September 2025Buk-M3SAMDestroyed25 Oktober 2025Buk-M3SAMDestroyed by drone4 November 2025T-90TankDamaged or destroyed by drone14 November 2025D-30HowitzerS-400SAM2 Launchers of a S-400 System destroyed, most likely part of the 568th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment14 December 2025Buk-M2SAMDestroyed by drone17. December 2025Torf-SRADARDestroyed14 January 2026D-30HowitzerGun and crew destroyed by cluster munition6 February 2026Pantsir-S1SAMDestroyed by drone28 February 2026OsaSAMDamaged or destroyed by drone19 March 2026Buk-M2SAMDamaged or destroyed by drone29 March 2026Zoopark-1MRADARDestroyed by drone5 April 2026S-300VSAMLauncher und command system of a S-300V destroyed by Lasar's Group assisted by air reconnaissance by the 15th brigade10 April 2026 Equipment ModelImageOriginTypeNumberDetails Artillery BM-30 Smerch Heavy self-propelled 300 mm multiple rocket launcher 5+ M142 HIMARS Light multiple rocket launcher M270 MLRSArmored self-propelled multiple launch rocket system Armored vehiclesBRDM-2Amphibious armoured reconnaissance vehicle RADARsAN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radarCounter battery mobile radar 2 Unmanned Aerial VehicleAeroVironment RQ-20 PumaSurveillance and intelligence electro-optical UAV DJI MavicFPV droneDeViRo Leleka-100("Stork")Air reconnaissance/loitering munitionAthlon Avia A1-CM FuriaAir reconnaissanceASU-1 ValkyrieAir reconnaissanceUkrspecsystems SharkAir reconnaissanceUkrspecsystems Mini SharkAir reconnaissanceTekever AR3Autonomous VTOL ISTAR craft https://x.com/TEKEVER/status/1868985881799147621
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.Віктор Винник — Марш 15-ї окремої бригади артилерійської розвідки ЗСУ
See also 107th Rocket Artillery Brigade 14th Radio Technical Brigade
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References
Sources Структура Сухопутних військ ЗС України