Military unit
The 8th Mountain Motor Rifle Brigade was a formation of the Russian Ground Forces.
In 2014–2015 brigade's units participated in the war in Donbas.
History
Previously the 8th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade (not a mountain formation) was active in Transdnestr after the deactivation of the 59th Guards Motor Rifle Division. It was formed on 1 June 1997 from that division, and disbanded on 1 November 2002.[1]
The current formation traces its history from a premiere tank regiment of the storied 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division. In 2009 the 1st Guards Tank Regiment, descended from the 1st Guards Tank Brigade (ru:1-я гвардейская танковая бригада) formed in World War II, became the 8th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade.
In August 2014 the brigade's units fought in the Battle of Ilovaisk. On 26 August a column of mixed 8th Mountain Brigade and 31st Air Assault Brigade units was ambushed by a Ukrainian anti-tank artillery squad of the 51st Mechanized Brigade near Mnohopillya village.[2] Three Russian armored vehicles were destroyed (2 MTLB-VMK's and a MTLB-6M).[3][4] A wounded soldier of 8th Mountain Brigade was captured: Aleksandr Desyatov.[5][6] A wounded soldier of the 8th brigade was reported being sent to Kiev for medical treatment after his armor vehicle was destroyed in a fight.[7]
According to Sutyagin, 8th brigade's units fought in winter battles 2015 in Donbas.[8]
In 2016, the 2009 reform was partially reversed and the brigade became again the 1st Guards Tank Regiment.
References