“The Troubled Fate of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Brigade in Russian-Ukrainian Conflict”

The 72nd separate motorized rifle brigade of the Russian Federation, parts of which were defeated near Bakhmut by Ukrainian defenders from the 3rd separate assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, had previously suffered crushing defeats twice in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions.

Source: ISW report

Literally: “Problems with the combat effectiveness of the Russian military, which are exacerbated by constant attacks in the Bakhmut region, are likely to significantly limit the ability of Russian forces in the area to defend against local Ukrainian counterattacks.

The 72nd separate motorized rifle brigade of the Russian Federation itself is a symbol of the many problems that the Russian military constantly faces.”

Details: As noted in the report, on August 7, 2022, ISW analysts reported that the 72nd separate motorized rifle brigade was being formed in the Orenburg region of the Russian Federation as part of the 3rd Army Corps, a new formation that mainly consists of volunteer battalions.

It is noted that in September 2022, the media reported that the 3rd Army Corps of the Russian Federation deployed in the Kharkiv region, and also that the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region largely destroyed the components of the corps. Among them, the report notes, was probably the 72nd separate motorized rifle brigade.

ISW also recalled that Ukrainian media suggested that after the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region, the surviving elements of the 72nd separate motorized rifle brigade were probably redeployed to the Mykolaiv region, where they suffered losses during the southern counteroffensive of Ukraine in October 2022.

ISW cannot confirm exactly where the brigade’s units are currently located. The institute also cannot confirm where the 72nd brigade was relocated after the withdrawal of Russian troops from the western bank of the Dnieper. However, analysts noted, it is very likely that elements of the 72nd brigade, which were recently redeployed to the Bakhmut area, are not operating there at full strength.

“The involvement by the Russian military command in the Bakhmut direction of elements of the formation, which suffered two defeats in a row, along with the already depleted Wagner elements, probably provides the Ukrainian forces with opportunities that they can use with limited counterattacks,” the report says.