119th Territorial Defense Brigade

The 119th Territorial Defense Brigade is a formation of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, organized in Chernihiv Oblast and associated with Operational Command North. It was established on 29 March 2018 as the first brigade raised for Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces. Its creation responded to the need to coordinate and support more than 40 local defense units that had previously lacked a unified brigade-level structure. The planned personnel model emphasized local reservists, including older reservists up to the age of 55, reflecting the territorial-defense mission of protecting communities and important infrastructure within the region. Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the brigade conducted recurring training at the Honcharivske training range. Its largest reported pre-invasion exercise took place from 12 to 26 May 2021 and involved more than 2,000 reservists from the 162nd, 163rd, 164th, and 167th battalions. On 28 January 2022, the brigade was reported to be approximately 70 percent formed. Its peacetime establishment exceeded 400 soldiers and officers, while wartime planning envisaged more than 4,000 personnel. The planned deployment concept placed five of its six battalions in the relevant raions of Chernihiv Oblast, with one battalion assigned to the defense of Chernihiv city. Following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, brigade units participated in fighting around Chernihiv and in nearby settlements, including Novoselivka, Shestovytsia, Yahidne, Lukashivka, and areas near Chernihiv. The brigade later continued to operate in the wider Russo-Ukrainian War. Its 163rd Battalion was involved in combat near Bakhmut, where Moldovan-born sniper Oleksandr Matsievskyi was captured and executed by Russian forces in late 2022. In spring 2023, brigade units conducted patrols along border areas and helped destroy Shahed-136 attack drones. The reported wartime structure includes brigade headquarters, six territorial-defense battalions, an engineering company, a communications company, a logistics company, and a mortar battery. The battalions are associated with Sedniv, Nizhyn, Pryluky, Novhorod-Siverskyi, Ripky, and Mena. The unit received its battle flag on 27 August, although the source material does not specify the year. On 21 September, Chernihiv City Council recognized brigade commander Colonel Oleksii Vysotskyi by granting him honorary citizenship of Chernihiv; the source material does not specify the year for that award. Vysotskyi is listed as commander from 2018 through 2024. No current commander is identified in the supplied reference material.

The 119th Territorial Defense Brigade was formed in Chernihiv Oblast on 29 March 2018. It was the first brigade created for Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces. The organizational requirement arose because more than 40 local defense units in the oblast lacked a common structure capable of coordinating training, mobilization, logistics, and territorial assignments. The brigade was designed around a local-reserve model, with plans to use reservists up to 55 years old. Its mission was closely tied to the defense of communities and infrastructure in Chernihiv Oblast rather than to the operation of a conventional standing maneuver formation. The brigade established a regular training cycle that included annual exercises at the Honcharivske training range. A particularly large exercise took place from 12 to 26 May 2021, when more than 2,000 reservists trained with the 162nd, 163rd, 164th, and 167th battalions. On 28 January 2022, shortly before Russia's full-scale invasion, the brigade was assessed as 70 percent formed. Its peacetime strength exceeded 400 soldiers and officers, while wartime plans called for more than 4,000 personnel. The operational design provided for five of the six battalions to be distributed across the oblast's raions and for one battalion to defend Chernihiv city. The brigade entered combat during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Its units fought in and around Chernihiv, including at Novoselivka, Shestovytsia, Yahidne, and Lukashivka. These operations placed the brigade within the broader defense of northern Ukraine during the early invasion. The brigade subsequently remained involved in the war beyond the immediate Chernihiv battles. The 163rd Battalion operated near Bakhmut, and in late 2022 its sniper Oleksandr Matsievskyi, who was born in Moldova, was captured and executed by Russian soldiers. The battalion was still reported to be fighting in the Bakhmut area in January 2023. In spring 2023, brigade personnel performed border patrols and participated in the destruction of Shahed-136 one-way attack drones. These activities illustrate the brigade's broad territorial-defense role, combining local security, border observation, air-defense support, and frontline combat. The formation was also publicly recognized: it received a battle flag on 27 August, although the available source does not specify the year, and Chernihiv City Council granted Colonel Oleksii Vysotskyi honorary citizenship of Chernihiv on 21 September, also without a year specified in the supplied material. The brigade's reported 2022 structure consisted of headquarters, six territorial-defense battalions, an engineering company, a communications company, a logistics company, and a mortar battery. The 162nd Battalion was associated with Sedniv, the 163rd with Nizhyn, the 164th with Pryluky, the 165th with Novhorod-Siverskyi, the 166th with Ripky, and the 167th with Mena. The brigade forms part of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and is assigned to Operational Command North. Colonel Oleksii Vysotskyi is identified as commander from 2018 to 2024. The supplied reference material does not establish the identity of a successor or provide later organizational details.

1. 2023Border patrol and counter-drone operations

   In spring, brigade units patrolled border areas and destroyed Shahed-136 drones.

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2. 2022Pre-invasion formation and wartime deployment

   In January the brigade was approximately 70 percent formed, and after the full-scale invasion its units fought around Chernihiv and nearby settlements.

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3. 2021Major reservist exercise

   More than 2,000 reservists took part in an exercise from 12 to 26 May, involving four of the brigade's battalions.

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4. 2018Brigade established in Chernihiv Oblast

   The 119th Territorial Defense Brigade was formed on 29 March as the first brigade raised for Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces.

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A regional military formation focused on territorial defense, mobilization of local reservists, protection of Chernihiv Oblast and its population, border security, and combat operations within Ukraine's defense system.

• 2023163rd Battalion continued fighting near Bakhmut

  The brigade's 163rd Battalion was reported to be operating in the Bakhmut area in January 2023. Its sniper Oleksandr Matsievskyi had been captured and executed by Russian forces in late 2022.

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• 2023Brigade units patrolled border areas and engaged Shahed drones

  During spring 2023, units conducted border patrols and destroyed Iranian-designed Shahed-136 attack drones.

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• 2022Brigade reached approximately 70 percent formation before the full-scale invasion

  As of 28 January, the brigade had more than 400 personnel in peacetime and a planned wartime strength exceeding 4,000.

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• 2022Brigade units fought in and around Chernihiv

  Units participated in combat around Novoselivka, Shestovytsia, Yahidne, Lukashivka, and other areas near Chernihiv during Russia's full-scale invasion.

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• 2021Large-scale reservist exercise involved more than 2,000 personnel

  A major exercise held from 12 to 26 May involved reservists from the brigade's 162nd, 163rd, 164th, and 167th battalions.

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• 2018119th Territorial Defense Brigade formed in Chernihiv Oblast

  The brigade was established as the first brigade raised for Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, consolidating support for numerous local defense units in Chernihiv Oblast.

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• 119th Brigade received its battle flag

  The brigade was reported to have received its battle flag on 27 August; the supplied source does not identify the year.

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• Chernihiv recognized brigade commander Oleksii Vysotskyi

  Chernihiv City Council awarded Colonel Oleksii Vysotskyi honorary citizenship of Chernihiv; the supplied source does not identify the year.

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1. 119th Territorial Defense Brigade