15th Transport Aviation Brigade (Ukraine)

15th Aviation Special Purpose Brigade

15th Transport Aviation Brigade before August 15, 2008

In 1995, the regiment received Antonov An-30B aircraft and personnel from the disbanded 86th Independent Long-Range Reconnaissance Squadron.

On February 17, 1997, the 1st ATR was reformed as the 15th Transport Aviation Brigade

In 2001 the Brigade was known as 15th Aviation Special Purpose Brigade.[2]

• 1st Transport Squadron - Antonov An-26, a single Antonov An-24 and a single Tupolev Tu-134A-3. Its tasks are the transportation of cargo, personnel and senior members of the armed forces and the state.
• 2nd Aerial Photography Squadron “Blakytna stezha” - An-30B aircraft which carry out international observation missions under the “Open Skies” Treaty, performing aerial inspections.
• 3rd Helicopter Squadron - Mil Mi-8 of various versions for transportation of high-command officers and leaders of the state.

• An-24[3]
• An-26[3]
• An-30[3]
• Tu-134[3]
• Mi-8[3]

• Participated in the war in Afghanistan from 1981, and performed both standard tasks, aerial photography of the territory for mapping and special tasks: visual monitoring of Mujahideen groups, vectoring of combat aircraft on weapon caravans and assistance in SAR operations.
• Brigade was involved in response Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster.
• Supported Ukrainian operations in UN missions in the former Yugoslavia, Iraq), and Africa (Angola, Sierra Leone.
• Brigade have actively participated in anti-terrorist operations in East Ukraine.
• International observation missions under the “Open Skies” Treaty, performing aerial inspections.

• On June 6, 2014, An-30B board number 80 was shot down by terrorists over Slavyansk, Donetsk Oblast. [4]

• Karpov, Victor V.; Tabachnyk, Dmytro V. (2006). Ukrainian Military Symbols. Kiev: Lybid. p. 180. ISBN 966-06-0453-X.