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Separate Special Purpose Battalion
chevron of the Separate Special Purpose Battalion
Founded	July 2022
Country	Ukraine
Allegiance	Ministry of Defence (Ukraine)  Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
Type	Spetsnaz
Role	Anti-tank warfare Artillery observer Close-quarters combat Cold-weather warfare Counterinsurgency Direct action Drone warfare HUMINT Irregular warfare Mountain warfare Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance Special operations Urban warfare
Size	Battalion
Part of	International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
Nickname(s)	OBON
Motto(s)	Marşo ya joƶalla ("Freedom or Death")
Colors	Ukraine  Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
Engagements	Battle of Donbas (2022) 2022 Ukrainian southern counteroffensive Eastern Ukraine campaign Battle of Bakhmut 2023 Belgorod Oblast incursions March 2024 Western Russia incursion
Commanders
Current commander	Hadzji-Murad Zumso Khavazhi Amaev [ru]

The Separate Special Purpose Battalion of the Ministry of Defense of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, also known as OBON, is a spetsnaz formation of Chechen volunteers, functioning as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine. It is one of several Chechen armed volunteer formations on the side of Ukraine. It was created by Akhmed Zakayev on July 29, 2022, on the basis of a Chechen formation that has been fighting on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine to combat the purposes of their common enemy.

History

On July 29, 2022, at a meeting with the leaders of the Chechen volunteers in Kyiv, Akhmed Zakayev announced the creation of a new Chechen armed formation on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

This formation was named OBON (Separate Special Purpose Battalion) and included in the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine. According to Zakayev himself, as the battalion becomes bigger, it will be transformed into a "Separate Special Purpose Brigade" as part of the International Legion.

The unit is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense of the government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria abroad, headed by Akhmed Zakayev. It includes fighters from among the representatives of the Chechen nationality who serve in the Ukrainian army, as well as volunteers from the Chechen diaspora in Europe and abroad.

The officer of the Ukrainian army Khadzhi-Murat Zumsoevsky who served for several years in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was appointed as the commander of the battalion. His deputy is Khavazhi Amaev [ru], a participant in the second Russian-Chechen war and Syrian civil war.

Participation in the Russo-Ukrainian war

In the beginning of August 2022, the battalion took part in the battles in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. In August–September 2022, the battalion has taken part in the Ukrainian counteroffensive of the southern regions. On May 13, 2023 member of the battalion Hussein Dzhambetov defected to the Russian side. In September 2023, the unit is fighting on the Verbove-Novopokrovka front.

On September 26, 2024, the media outlet of the Chechen government in exile announced the formation of a new UAV unit to participate in drone warfare against the Russian Armed Forces, called “Stiglara Tajzar” (meaning “Heavenly Wrath” in Chechen).

Structure

• Hadzji-Murad Zumso Group.
• Abdul-Hakim Shishani Group.
• Muslim Sadayev's Group.
• Khavazhi Amaev's Group.
• Stiglara Tajzar

Commanders

• Rustam Azhiev – colonel of the CRI Armed Forces
• Hadji-Murad Zumso – Battalion commander
• Khavazhi Amaev – Deputy battalion commander
• Muslim Sadaev – Captain of the CRI Armed Forces

See also

• Sheikh Mansur Battalion
• Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion

References

1. "Chechen Fighters in Ukraine Set Sights on Homeland". Jamestown. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
2. Mikhalchenko, Lidia (19 November 2022). "Chechen Separatist Fighters Defend Ukraine Against 'Common Enemy' Russia". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
3. "Sheikh Mansur Battalion fighter tells story of traitor who switched to supporting Kadyrov".
4. ^ "APPOINTMENT OF THE COMMANDER OF THE OBON ARMED FORCES OF THE CRI IN UKRAINE". The Chechen Press (in Russian). Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
5. ^ "PRESS CONFERENCE IN KYIV". The Chechen Press (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
6. "Revival of the Defense Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria at the warehouse of the Armed Forces of Ukraine". YouTube (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
7. "Akhmed Zakaev in Kiev. Appointment of Hadji-Murat Zumso as commander of the OBON Armed Forces of the CRI in Ukraine". YouTube (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
8. ^ "Orders numbered 22-32 of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the ChRI". The Chechen Press (in Russian). Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
9. "A unit under the command of Hadji-Murat Zumso in the Donetsk Region". YouTube. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
10. "Ichkerian Battalion Fighters Liberate Village Of Arkhangelske In Kherson Region". Charter97. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
11. "Променял Ичкерию на Кадырова: воевавший за Украину боец вернулся в Чечню". 17 May 2023.
12. "Объявление Вооруженных Сил Чеченской Республики Ичкерия". thechechenpress.com. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
13. "Абдул Хаким Ажиев. Полковник ВС ЧРИ. Назначение зам И.О. Верховного Главнокомандующего ВС ЧРИ". thechechenpress.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.

v t e International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
Infantry Regiments	1st International Legion 2nd International Legion 3rd International Legion Canadian-Ukrainian Brigade Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion Karelian National Battalion Norman Brigade Pahonia Regiment Russian Volunteer Corps Separate Special Purpose Battalion Freedom of Russia Legion
Special Forces Wing	Special Operations Forces (Ukraine)

v t e Ukrainian volunteer battalions
Armed Forces	131 ORB "UNSO" 3 ODSB "Phoenix" 46 ODSB "Donbas" "Wild Duck"
Territorial defence battalions	1st "Volyn" 2nd "Goryn" 3rd "Volya" 4th "Zakarpattya" 6th "Zbruch" 8th "Podillya" 9th "Vinnytsia" 10th "Polissya" 11th "Kievan Rus" 12th "Kyiv" 13th "Chernihiv-1" 15th "Sumy" 16th "Poltava" 17th "Kirovograd" 20th "Dnipropetrovsk" 21st "Sarmat" 22nd "Kharkiv" 23rd "Khortytsia" 24th "Aidar" 25th "Kyivska Rus" 34th "Batkivshchyna" 37th "Zaporizhzhya" 42nd "Rukh Oporu" 43rd "Patriot" Reformed 7th "Khmelnytskyi" 14th "Cherkasy" 18th "Odesa" 19th "Mykolayiv" 39th "Dnipro-2" 41st "Chernihiv-2" Disbanded 5th "Prykarpattya" 40th "Kryvbas"
Special Tasks Patrol Police	"Berda" "Bogdan" "Bolgrad" "Vinnytsia" "Dnipro-1" "Ivano-Frankivsk" "Kyiv" "Kryvbas" "Crimea" "Luhansk-1" "Lviv" "Mykolaiv" "Peacemaker" "Poltava" "Svityaz" "Svyatoslav" "Sicheslav" "Scythian" "Sumy" "Eastern Corps" "Ternopil" "Kharkiv" "Kherson" "Chernihiv" "Storm" Reformed "Azov" "Harpoon" "Donetsk-1" "Golden Gate" "Cascade" "Kyiv-1" "Kyiv-2" "Kyivshchyna" "Kremenchuk" "Mirny" "Sich" "Temur" "Kharkiv-1" "Kharkiv-2" Disbanded "Artemivsk" "Donetsk-2" "Poltavshchyna" "St. Mary's" "Slobozhanshchyna" "Tornado" "Fog" "Shakhtarsk"
National Guard	"Serhiy Kulchytsky" "Donbas" "Raven" "Azov"
Independent formations	"Dzhokhar Dudayev" "Kastuś Kalinoŭski" "Noman Çelebicihan" "Sheikh Mansur" Caucasus Legion Imam Shamil "T. Shevchenko" "Sarmat" Ukrainian Volunteer Corps "Pechersk" "Pahonia" "RUYAN" "North" Tactical group "Belarus" Ukrainian Volunteer Army 5th Battalion 8th Battalion "Aratta" "Black Fog" Jewish Company "Wolf" "Volyn" "Hospitallers" "Freedom of Russia" "Kayfariki Group" "Resistance Committee" "Polish Volunteer Corps" Reformed Georgian Legion "Carpathian Sich" "Kholodnyy Yar" "OUN" NGOs supporting military Aerorozvidka
Self-disbanded units are marked in italics.

v t e Separatist and autonomist movements in Russia
Protests	2024 Bashkortostan protests 2022 North Caucasian protests 2022 Russian Far East protests 2020 Kashtau mountain protests 2018–2019 Ingushetia protests 2018-2020 Shies protests 2014 Movement for Federalization of Siberia
Unrest and conflicts	March 2024 western Russia incursion Belarusian and Russian partisan movement (2022–present) Chechen–Russian conflict 2014 Grozny clashes 2010 Tsentoroy attack 2007 Zhani-Vedeno ambush January 2005 Dagestan Raids 2005 raid on Nalchik 2004 raid on Avtury 2004 raid on Grozny 2004 Nalchik raid 2004 Nazran raid 2002 Grozny OMON ambush East Prigorodny conflict Insurgency in the North Caucasus
Terrorist attacks after 2017	2017 Saint Petersburg Metro bombing Kizlyar church shooting
Coalitions	Civic Council Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum Free Nations League Idel-Ural
Current organizations	Separatist Adat People's Movement All-Tatar Public Center Committee of Bashkir Resistance Free Ingria Ingush Independence Committee Ittifaq Party Karelian National Movement Oirat-Kalmyk People's Congress Respublika Movement Autonomist Free Buryatia Foundation
Inactive organizations	Baltic Republican Party Caucasus Emirate Islamic State – Caucasus Province Transformation of Ural Republican Movement of Karelia
Active armed groups and units	Ajnad al-Kavkaz Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion Imam Shamil Battalion Imam Shamil Dagestan Battalion Junud al-Makhdi Karelian Group Khamzat Gelayev Battalion Separate Special Purpose Battalion Sibir Battalion
People	Akhmed Zakayev Fauziya Bayramova Fail Alsynov Rafis Kashapov Said-Khasanom Abumuslimov Vadim Shtepa Vladislav Ammosov
Related	1992 Tatarstani sovereignty referendum Balkar and Karachay nationalism Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Circassian nationalism Erzyan Mastor International Legion Oyda Pan-Turkism Siberian regionalism Siberian Republic Tatar nationalism Turanism Ural Republic

• Regiments of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
• Battalions of Ukraine
• Chechen armies in exile