10th Naval Aviation Brigade (Ukraine)

10th Naval Aviation Brigade
10-та морська авіаційна бригада
Brigade Insignia
Active	2004 - present
Country	Ukraine
Branch	Ukrainian Navy
Type	Brigade
Role	Naval Aviation
Part of	Ukrainian Naval Aviation
Garrison/HQ	Mykolaiv
Nickname(s)	Colonel Ihor Volodymyrovych Bedzai Brigade
Engagements	Operation Atalanta Operation Ocean Shield Russo-Ukrainian War Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation Russian invasion of Ukraine
Decorations	For Courage and Bravery
Commanders
Notable commanders	Colonel Ihor Volodymyrovych Bedzai
Aircraft flown
See #Aircraft Operated

Military unit

10th Naval Aviation Brigade (also called the Colonel Ihor Volodymyrovych Bedzai brigade) is the sole Brigade of the Ukrainian Naval Aviation established in 2004 by the merger of 9th Mixed Marine Aircraft Squadron, 316th Separate Marine Aviation Squadron and the 555th Naval Helicopter Regiment. It operates a vast arsenal of fixed-wing, rotatory and unmanned aircraft. It was previously garrisoned at Novofedorivka but is currently based at Mykolaiv.

History

The unit was established in 2004 by the merger of the 9th Mixed Marine Aircraft Squadron, 316th Separate Marine Aviation Squadron, and the 555th Naval Helicopter Regiment of the Ukrainian Navy with the last commander of the 555th regiment, Yuriy Moskalyov becoming the brigade's first commander. On 14 October 2008, the brigade was assigned the name Saka, to its place of deployment.

Ukraine's naval units, accompanied by the brigade's aircraft participated in several deployments such as Operation Atalanta and Operation Ocean Shield.

The brigade took part in the military exercise "Sea Breeze 2014". In March 2014, during the Russian invasion of Crimea, the battalion's aircraft stationed at Novofedorivka carrying personnel in radio silence mode, risking getting lost and without warning the higher command, evacuated to the mainland to the Kulbakino Air Base, leaving behind only ground vehicles. On 3 March 2014, the evacuation started as the helicopters of the brigade took off without taxiing onto the runway, straight from the hangars followed by aircraft. In just eighteen minutes, four planes and five helicopters were evacuated to the mainland. After five days, a pilot of the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade in civilian clothes evacuated another helicopter assigned to Ukrainian frigate Hetman Sahaidachny and took it to mainland. The brigade became the first unit to evacuate all of its combat equipment completely from Crimea. In April 2014, an incident took place outside the Novofedorivka Air Base in the military dormitory building, which was occupied by Ukrainian servicemen and their families that were awaiting relocation to mainland Ukraine. While Major Stansilav Karachevsky, the head of Operational HQ of the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade was preparing his belongings in preparation to leave Crimea, an altercation between him and several soldiers on both sides broke out. The scuffle escalated to where Russian spetsnaz sergeant E.S. Zaitsev shot the unarmed officer twice in the head at point-blank range with an AK-74 assault rifle on the 5th floor of the dormitory building where Russian soldiers were evacuating the troops. Major Karachevsky was pronounced dead immediately. A second Ukrainian personnel, identified as Captain Artem Yermolenko, was beaten and abducted by Russian soldiers. Russian sources confirmed the death of a Ukrainian major perpetrated by one of its sergeants. After the incident, the major's body was reportedly taken by Russian troops. Zaytsev was convicted by a Russian military court for murder and sentenced to two years imprisonment.

In July 2016, the brigade took part in the international military exercise "Sea Breeze 2016".

On 16 March 2017, the brigade received a Mi-14PL helicopter after its restoration at the Aviakon Aircraft Reparation Plant, and another Mi-14PL was handed over after restoration on 2 July 2017.

In January 2018, a serviceman of the brigade (Vasiliev Vadim Oleksandrovych) was killed under undisclosed circumstances while fighting the separatists. On 8 June 2018, the brigade received a Ka-226 helicopter adapted for military medical purposes.

In August and October 2019, the brigade received two Mi-8MSB -B helicopters, modernized by Motor Sich JSC. On 31 October 2019, Yehor Shishkin, a businessman from Mykolaiv, presented his personal An-2 aircraft to the Ukrainian Navy and it was inducted into the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade after a ceremony.

In January 2020, the brigade received an An-2 aircraft that had been confiscated from smugglers. In late 2020, the brigade received a new modernized Mil Mi-2MSB -B helicopter.

On 25 November 2021, the brigade received two more modernized Mil Mi-8MSB-B helicopters.

In early January 2022, the brigade received a new training building equipped with flying simulators, workplaces for personnel training, interactive whiteboards, and a gym with modern sports equipment. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade was pre-deployed to reserve airfields and airstrips to prevent missile attacks and prevent equipment losses. A Bayraktar TB2 of the brigade distracted the air defense of the Russian cruiser Moskva giving enough time window for it to be hit by a R-360 Neptune. On 2 May 2022, a Bayraktar TB2 of the brigade destroyed two Raptor-class patrol boats of Russian Navy. On 7 May 2022, during the Snake Island campaign, a helicopter of the brigade flown by the commander of Ukrainian Naval Aviation, Ihor Bedzai was attacked by a Russian Su-30 but the Mi-14 evaded gunfire but was hit by a R-73 guided missile killing Ihor Bedzai along with four other personnel (Mykhailo Ihorovych Zaremba, Serhii Mykolayovych Mushchytskyi, Yuriy Pirog, and Ilchuk Vasyl Vasyliovych) on board. On 24 June 2022, the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade was given the honorary name of Colonel Ihor Bedzai. In the coming days, a Russian amphibious assault ship and two anti-aircraft missile systems "Tor" near Snake Island were hit by the brigade's Bayraktar TB2s. On 8 May 2022, a Bayraktar TB2 of the brigade destroyed an Mi-8 helicopter during an attempted landing on Snake Island. A soldier of the brigade (Yuriy Viktorovych Severnyuk) was killed in combat on 4 October 2022. In November 2022, in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine the United Kingdom announced they were donating three former Royal Navy Westland Sea Kings to Ukrainian Navy which were inducted into the brigade. On 2 July 2023, the brigade was awarded the honorary award "For Courage and Bravery".

Structure

Management and Headquarters
Fixed Wing Squadron
- An-2T
- An-26
- Be-12
Helicopter Squadron
- Ka-27
- Ka-29
- Ka-226
- Mi-14PL
- Mi-8
- Mi-9
- Mi-14
- Westland Sea King
UAV Squadron
- Bayraktar TB2
Radio, Communication and Technical Support Battalion
Maintenance Battalion
Technical and Operational Aircraft equipment Battalion
Technical and Operational Automobile equipment Battalion
Material support Company
Rescue Paratroopers group
Meteorological group
Engineering Service
Guardian Platoon

Commanders

Colonel Yuryy Volodymyrovych Moskalyov (2004-2006)
Colonel Khomenko Volodymyr Volodymyrovych (2006-2013)
Colonel Ihor Volodymyrovych Bedzai (2013-2019)
Colonel Oleinikov Ilya Mykolayovych (2019-)

Aircraft Operated

Image	Aircraft	Origin	Roles	Notes
Fixed Wing Aircraft
	An-26	Soviet Union	Military Transport Aircraft
	Be-12	Soviet Union	Maritime patrol aircraft/ Anti-Submarine aircraft
	An-2	Soviet Union	Military Transport Aircraft	Privately donated to the 10th separate naval aviation brigade.
Helicopters
	Ka-226	Russia	Medical Helicopter
	Ka-27	Soviet Union	Anti-submarine warfare/Search and Rescue Helicopter
	Ka-29	Soviet Union	Military Transport Helicopter
	Mil Mi-14PS Mil Mi-14PLM Mil Mi-14PL	Soviet Union	Anti-submarine warfare/Search and Rescue Helicopter
	Mi-8MSB	Ukraine	Multipurpose helicopter	Modernized
	Mi-2MSB	Ukraine	Multipurpose helicopter	Upgraded and Modernized at Vinnytsia Aviation Plant LLC
	Westland Sea King	United Kingdom	Anti-submarine warfare, medium-lift transport and utility helicopter	Donated by Royal Navy
UAVs
	Bayraktar TB2	Turkey	Reconnaissance and Strike UAV