The Main Department of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles "Phoenix" or the "Phoenix" Unmanned Systems Regiment is a regiment level Unmanned Systems unit of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, a part of the Pomsta Brigade. It is the largest and most successful UAV unit of the Ukrainian border guard. It was established in 2024 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine and is the sole border guard unit to be part of the presidential project "Drone Line", part of the Unmanned Systems Forces. Its commander Lieutenant Colonel Dmytro Oleksiuk has been awarded the Hero of Ukraine.

History The Phoenix UAV Group originated from the 2nd Border Rapid Response Command of the Luhansk Border Detachment. In January 2024, the Phoenix UAV Group of the 2nd Border Response Command, headed by Dmytro Oleksiuk was deployed to partake in the Battle of Bakhmut, seeing combat for the first time destroying Russian personnel, artillery pieces and armored vehicles including tanks.(ВІДЕО) У кожній бойовій бригаді прикордонників буде окремий підрозділ РУБАК". In late summer 2024, the unit was expanded and became the 1st Border Commandant's Office of the Rapid response Reconnaissance and Strike Unmanned Aerial Systems "Phoenix".Бригада «Помста» створить першу в ДПСУ комендатуру РУБАК. In mid 2024, the 1st UAV Commandant Office "Phoenix", led by Commandant Dmytro Oleksiuk, was carrying out combat operations in several areas of the frontline, in Bakhmut, Lyman, and Kupiansk directions.(ВІДЕО) Розвідувально-ударна комендатура РУБпАК «Фенікс» вже активно працює у складі бригади «Помста» It was equipped with various attack FPV drones, rotor and fixed wing "bomber" UAVs, fixed wing percussion drones, multirotor and fixed wing aerial reconnaissance drones, radars and electronic warfare equipment as well as robotic ground vehicles.Про підрозділ «Фенікс» на сайті Lobby XОстаннє, що бачить ворог".

In 2024 "Phoenix" claimed to have hit 1,742 Russian personnel killing at least 933, moreover, 169 armored vehicles including 54 tanks were hit by the unit.Офіційний сайт ГВ БАС «Фенікс».Підсумки року від РУБпАК «Фенікс» | Ліквідовано 933 окупантів, знищено сотні одиниць техніки.У РУБАК «Фенікс» розгорнули широку інфраструктуру для роботи з дронами. At the end of 2024, "Army of Drones" project was initiated with five most effective UAV units becoming a part of it, "Phoenix" became the sole representative of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.Офіційний сайт президентського проєкту «Лінія Дронів». In the second last week of December 2024, "Phoenix" destroyed a Russian T-72 tank and damaged another and also hit 2 transport vehicle, an armored vehicle, 2 IFVs and numerous structures in Kupiansk direction,(VIDEO) “Phoenix” drones strike the enemy in the Kupiansk direction which was followed by the destruction of a 120-mm mortar and four IVFs, in the last week.(VIDEO) Border guards of “Revenge” brigade struck occupiers in the Kupiansk direction

In February 2025, it was expanded to the Main Department of Unmanned Aviation Systems "Phoenix" or the Phoenix RegimentUkraine bets on unmanned systems with expansion of best drone units with the area of responsibility being Donetsk Oblast, Luhansk Oblast and Kharkiv Oblast. On 23 March 2025, "Phoenix" struck and destroyed a Russian R-330 Zhitel Electronic Warfare vehicle in Donetsk Oblast.Ukrainian Border Guards Destroy R-330 Zhitel EW System Using FPV As of April 2025, Phoenix had killed over 1,500 Russian personnel and wounded over 1,200 more and had also destroyed 103 tanks, 205 armored vehicles, 99 mortars, 284 artillery pieces, 1924 transport vehicles, 458 ammunition depots, 43 drone control points and 342 Russian drones, amongst its targets were the "Zoopark-1" radar station worth $25 million and the T-90M tanks, the regiment had inflicted a total damage worth one billion USD on Russian forces.Знищив понад 1500 окупантів і техніки на мільярд: як "Фенікс" став нічним жахіттям для ворога On 13 April 2025, it destroyed a Russian an armored vehicle, an MT-LB and a Russian position.Окупантам не сховатись — «Фенікси» відбили механізований російський штурм на Донеччині On 14 April 2025, Phoenix reported killing two Russian soldiers and wounding one as well as destruction of an MT-LB, an S-60 cannon, two armored vehicles, six trucks including one caddying ammunition, four additional vehicles and a boat by its forces over the past week.Вполювали російського «Тигра» — «Фенікси» на Луганщині знищили ворожі цілі On 16 April 2025, it destroyed a Russian UAV control position.Повітряний «мисливець» на наземного «жучка»: дрон «Фенікса» знищив рідкісну наземну ціль окупантів On 3 May 2025, "Phoenix" repelled a Russian assault in Kupiansk, destroying town motorcycles and two quadricycles killing two Russian soldiers and wounding six more.Ukraine’s border guards engage Russian assault troops, post raw footage On 26 May 2025, it further destroyed a Russian tank along with vehicles including "bukhankas" and motorcycles, at least ten Russian personnel were also killed.Drones of the State Border Guard Service destroyed Russian equipment in the Kharkiv direction On 29 May 2025, it destroyed a Russian R-330 Zhytel electronic warfare system."Фенікс" проти "Жителя": українські дрони знищили ключовий російський комплекс РЕБ As of early July 2025, UAV operators of the Phoenix unit had hit 10,000 targets including 3,421 Russian personnel killing 2,175 and wounding 1,246, moreover, 404 heavy armored vehicles including 157 tanks were also struck.«Живчик» — смерть ворогам: історія прикордонника, який став пілотом". On 2 July 2025, its UAVs destroyed a Russian BM-21 Grad MLRS, an anti-aircraft gun, an armored vehicle and a truck.The Phoenix Unit Strikes Again: Ukrainian Border Guards Crush russian BM-21 Grad System, Artillery, and Vehicles (Video) On 15 July 2025, "Phoenix" struck three Russian armoured vehicles including two, moreover two transport ‘loaf’ vehicles, an ATV, a lorry and a Russian position were struck, around a dozen Russian personnel were killed as well.Border guards from the ‘Phoenix’ unit destroyed 2 enemy tanks On 18 July 2025, the unit destroyed two Russian tanks, a D-20 howitzer, a "Bukhanka" van, a motorcycle and eliminated 10 Russian soldiers.Ukrainian border guards destroy two tanks, artillery piece, about ten occupiers in Donetsk region On 22 July 2025, Phoenix UAVs destroyed a Russian tank, an armoured vehicle, two "loaf" vehicles and killed around a dozen Russian personnel by striking their position.Border guards from the “Phoenix” destroyed a tank, an armoured vehicle, and “visited” occupiers’ shelter On 5 August 2025, it destroyed a Russian BM-21 Grad.Russian BM-21 Grad Multiple Launch Rocket System Met its end in Donetsk

Commanders

Lieutenant Colonel Dmytro Mykhailovych Oleksiuk (2024-)Олексюк Дмитро Михайлович".

References