21 separate rifle battalion OK North. History

The military formation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of the Northern Command. The assembly of the battalion has begun 24 February 2022 Dr.. from volunteers in the conditions of besieged Chernigov.

In the first days, the battalion was kept as a reserve in case of street battles in Chernihiv. From its composition, a combined unit of grenade launchers was allocated to repel possible breakthroughs of enemy armored vehicles in the city center. At the beginning of March, the personnel 21 battalion in separate companies, platoons, detachments and combat groups took a direct part in the defense of Chernihiv in the eastern and southern directions.

1 mouth (Commander Captain Ihor Voloshko), reinforced by units from the warehouse 2 та 3 company, together with the soldiers of the First Tank Brigade, defended the eastern edge of the city near the village of Novoselivka. Next to them is a separate group of fighters (Commander Captain Dmytro Mamchur) defended the ski base. The enemy attacks these positions every day, using all means of fire impression, including aviation. The Ukrainian defenders had to retreat from the first line of defense, but the enemy could not break through further.

A unit of fighters 3 the mouth (Commander Captain Hryhoriy Makhankov) along with subdivisions 58 brigades and the National Guard defended the village of Kolychivka and the bridge over the Desna. The only road passed through it, the so-called "road of life", which was used to connect besieged Chernigov with Kyiv by road, carried out the evacuation of the population and brought everything necessary to the city. 7 In March, Ukrainian soldiers repelled the enemy's offensive, destroying several units of Russian armored vehicles, and held the village and the banks of the Desna until the end of the siege.

Consolidated unit of the battalion on the basis 2 the mouth (Commander Major Yury Tarasenko), along with subdivisions 58 brigades, covered the neighboring village of Lukashivka. 9 In March, the enemy stormed the village, using to 80 units of equipment (танків, BMP, MTLB, etc) and several hundred soldiers against 120 Ukrainian soldiers with small arms. During the day, the defenders held back the offensive, destroyed about a dozen units of enemy equipment, but suffered heavy losses, were surrounded and were forced to retreat.

After the liberation of Chernigov 21 OSB carried out combat missions to cover the northern border of Ukraine in the Belarusian and Russian directions. From September 2022 Dr.. 21 OSB takes part in battles in the east of Ukraine - in the defense of Bakhmut, Vugledar, in the estuary direction.

Interesting Facts:

The unofficial emblem of the unit is the mythical beast "Simargl", which is considered one of the traditional symbols of Chernigov. Because of this, the unit was sometimes called the "Simargl" Battalion. At the same time, the fighters of the battalion use the sign of the Chernihiv eagle.

The initial composition of the battalion was formed mainly from residents of Chernihiv and the region - mostly from Kulikivka, Sharp, Козельця. Soldier "Movchun" came to Chernihiv on a bicycle from occupied Semenivka, having overcome the distance of 150 km. A group of reservists from other regions also joined the battalion, who, as of the day of the beginning of the Russian invasion, were undergoing retraining at the "Desna" educational center.

7 During the battle in Kolychivka in March, Captain Hryhoriy Makhankov personally destroyed a tank and two enemy armored vehicles.

9 In March, during the battle in Lukashivka, several Ukrainian soldiers were captured. One group of captured Muscovites was placed on top of the MTLB and taken to a nearby village. On the field, the tractor blew up on a mine, the boys got loose, closed the hatches, so that the Muscovites could not get out, and fled to their own.

Veteran 21 OSB, доктор історичних наук, Professor Serhii Lepyavko

Documentary film about the defenders of Chernihiv "We defended - let's defend!» TV channel Novy Chernihiv. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ4XVvMY9RI

HEIGHT. How Ukrainian fighters stopped the Russians near Chernihiv. https://texty.org.ua/projects/109122/vysota-yak-ukrayinski-bijci-zupynyly-rosiyan-pid-chernihovom/

How the battalions crossed Desna. Oleksandr KRYUCHKOV. 17 May 2023 https://ukurier.gov.ua/uk/articles/yak-desnu-perejshli-bataljoni/

"Died in the fight against evil forces": defenders of Chernihiv were buried in Yalivshchyna. Olena Safarova. 18 April 2022. https://suspilne.media/230016-zaginuli-v-borotbi-z-necistou-silou-u-alivsini-pohovali-zahisnikiv-cernigova/

A memorial rally was held near Chernihiv on the anniversary of the liberation from the Russian invaders. 30.03.2023 18:23

https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-regions/3689556-do-ricnici-vizvolenna-vid-rosijskih-zagarbnikiv-pid-cernigovom-vidbuvsa-memorialnij-miting.html

"Lyrics, born of war" Valery Vovka: patriotic meeting in the Chernihiv regional library for children. https://chernihiv-lib.org.ua/news/ virshi_narodzheni_vijnoju_valerija_vovka_patriotichna_zustrich_v_chernigivskij_oblasnij_biblioteci_dlja_ditej/2023-02-17-3650

The wounded "Sarmat" fought the occupiers for another hour: another story of the defender of Chernigov. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sEc-WtxLXPo

Nine months in Russian captivity. Oleksiy Anulya told. https://texty.org.ua/articles/111196/devjat-misjatsiv-u-rosijskomu-poloni-oleksij-anulja-rozpoviv-jak-zmuchenyj-holodom-yiv-chervjakiv-i-zhyvu-myshu/

STYLET AND PEN: DMYTRO MAMCHUR CHANGED A PEN FOR A AUTOMATIC. Vitaly NAZARENKO. http://che.cn.ua/index.php/all-news/item/7492-stylet-i-stylos-dmytro-mamchur-zminyv-pero-na-avtomat

Hryhoriy Makhankov "Afghan": "We are simply doomed to Victory!». 24 February 2023 Dr.. https://www.0462.ua/

They saved Chernihiv from the encirclement: memories of the Ukrainian military about the battle in Kolychivka. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0CIBlpIsRvA

Call sign "Professor": as a doctor of historical sciences from Chernihiv became a soldier. 17 May 2022 https://val.ua/uk/129468.html

Documentary film of the Suspilne Chernihiv TV channel “Battle for Chernihiv”, 1-3 series.