13th Khartiia Brigade

Khartiia Brigade
Sleeve patch of the Brigade
ActiveMarch 19, 2022 – Today
Country Ukraine
Branch National Guard of Ukraine
Role Offensive Guard
SizeBrigade
Part of 2nd Khartia Corps
Garrison/HQKharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast
Engagements
Websitewww.khartiia.org x.com/khartiia_eng?s=09
Commanders
Current
commander		Daniel “Cuba” Kitone
Notable
commanders		Vsevolod Kozhemyako [uk]
Colonel Ihor Obolienskyi
Insignia
Patch when unit was battalion size

The 13th Khartiia Operational Brigade (Ukrainian: 13-та бригада оперативного призначення «Хартія», also spelled Khartia) is a combat brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine formed in 2022.[1]

Khartiia was founded by volunteers to defend against Russian offensives from the Kharkiv region. It has also seen action in Bakhmut, Soledar, Ocheretyne, and Serebrianskiy Forest. In 2023 Khartiia was reformed as a brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. In April 2025 the 13th National Guard Khartiia Brigade was assigned to lead the newly organized Second Corps.

History

Ukrainian businessman Vsevolod Kozhemyako [uk], CEO of the Agrotrade Group [uk], founded Khartiia at the outset of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.[2] The unit was formed in March 2022 by volunteers. Initially it was a part of the 127th Territorial Defense Brigade.

Ihor "Cornet" Obolienskyi, a National Guard of Ukraine colonel who rejoined the army in 2022 after a three-year stint in business, led Khartiia's military development.

Vsevolod [Kozhemyako] called me and proposed to join our forces, recalls the Khartiia commander Obolienskyi about the start of the full-scale war. [3] I would be responsible for the troop, and he would manage and organize the unit. So we had this great synergy from the very beginning.

In spring 2022 Khartiia fought off the Russian invaders near Kharkiv and liberated Ruska Lozova along with other Ukrainian forces. Khartiia was one of the first Ukrainian units to reach the border with Russia during the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region in September 2022.

In December 2022 Khartiia was the only Ukrainian volunteer military unit in the battle of Bakhmut.

The Khartiia fighters with the Ukrainian Armed Forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi

In 2023 Khartiia was reformed as a brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, less than a year after it was founded.

Early May 2024 saw the brigade fighting in Ocheretyne and Serebriansky Forest.

Khartiia has kept their focus on the defense of Kharkiv. In May 2024, the brigade was redeployed from the Donetsk region to the Lyptsi direction. Khartiia's fighters stopped the massive Russian attack on Kharkiv. They faced what brigade commanders called waves of "meat assaults" as dozens of Russian troops would attack positions daily.[4] In October of 2024 Russia launched a resumed offensive in Kharkiv. The brigade captured seven Russian soldiers and a howitzer.[5] As of December 2024, the brigade was still positioned on the front lines in Kharkiv Oblast.[6]

The brigade has also been on the forefront of advancing new technologies on the battlefield. In December 2024, Khartiia Brigade released footage of robotically controlled ground combat vehicles laying anti-tank mines.[7] This was part of the first fully robotic ground combat operation in history.[8][9] The brigade has multiple success stories employing unmanned ground vehicles, such as the Tarhan, Tor, and Zmii for CASEVAC.[10][11][12] The Brigade has also advanced anti-drone technology[13] and Ukrainian-made radio technologies utilizing mesh networks.[14]

Two new corps were announced in April 2025 as part of a reorganization of the AFU.[15] Commanders from Azov and Khartiia were chosen to lead the new corps.[16] In February of 2025 President Zelensky announced Ukraine's Armed Forces would reorganize into a corps structure.[17]

In May 2025, the brigade announced that it had recaptured lost positions north of the village of Lyptsi in northern Kharkiv Oblast in cooperation with Ukraine's 92nd Assault Brigade.[18] In the same month, the Brigade also announced the formation of an air defense battalion equipped with anti-drone technology.[19]

Structure

  • 1st Battalion of Operational Assignment
  • 2nd Battalion of Operational Assignment
  • 3rd Battalion of Operational Assignment
  • 4th Battalion of Operational Assignment
  • Tank Company
  • Reconnaissance Battalion

Commanders

  • Khartiia volunteer unit founder – Vsevolod Kozhemyako (2022—2023)
  • Khartiia brigade commander – Ihor Obolienskyi (since 2023)
  • Khartiia chief of staff – Maksym Holubok (since 2023)

Mission planning and NATO interoperability

Khartiia's motto is “We're building the new Ukrainian army”. The brigade uses the protocols of military decision-making process (MDMP) and troop leading procedures (TLP), as well as modern SOPs (standard operating procedures). Khartiia conducts after-action reviews to make the most of every mission. The unit also uses the NATO-standard S-structure of the brigade staff. “We’re here to set a new example and build the new Ukrainian armed forces. Taking care of our fighters, military planning according to NATO standards and modern management methods – that's what Khartiia stands for,” the brigade states.[20]

Recruitment

Khartiia launched its first recruiting campaign in 2023.[21] “[We] guarantee 60 days of military training” was the campaign's slogan.[22] The brigade's commander Ihor Obolienskyi, military medic Kalyna and the ISTAR unit head Bit were chosen to be the faces of the next recruitment drive.

In 2024 the prominent Ukrainian poet, novelist, musician and a long-time Khartiia supporter Serhiy Zhadan joined the ranks of the brigade.[23] Ukrainian historian and the Istorychna Pravda website editor-in-chief Vakhtang Kipiani joined up in 2024.[24]

In July 2024 the French philosopher and writer Bernard-Henri Levy paid a visit to the Khartia fighters.[25] In September 2024 the historian Timothy Snyder visited Khartiia in the Kharkiv region.[26] In October 2024 the brigade welcomed the minister of defense of the Netherlands Ruben Brekelmans.[27]

Traditions and symbols

Serhiy Zhadan proposed the name Khartiia, combining the term “charter” in Ukrainian with Kharkiv, the unit's hometown.[3]

Zhadan also wrote the official anthem of the brigade, performing it with his band Zhadan and Sobaky.

The Khartiia emblem is a variation of the coat of arms of the Kharkiv Sloboda Cossack Regiment, a bow with an arrow, tightly drawn. It also contains a stylized letter "X", which refers both to the name of the unit and to its origins in Kharkiv.

Memorialization

Khartiia makes a point to pay respects to its fallen heroes, regularly featuring their obituaries on the official social media pages.

The Khartiia patronage service was formed in 2024. Its mission is to take care of the wounded soldiers and support the families of the fighters killed in action.[28]

References

  1. ^ ROMANENKO, VALENTYNA. "One more brigade called Khartiia to be added to Offensive Guard". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  2. ^ Krushelnycky, Askold (2025-01-21). "Ukraine's Bookishly Belligerent Brigade". CEPA. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  3. ^ a b "Про стандарти НАТО у війську, економію боєприпасів та проведення After Action Review: інтерв'ю АрміяInform з комбригом «Хартії»". armyinform.com.ua.
  4. ^ "Ukraine war: Russia's 'meat assaults' batter Ukraine's defences". www.bbc.com. 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  5. ^ Bondar, Karina (2024-10-04). "Military: Ukrainian troops captured 7 Russian positions near Lyptsi". Gwara Media. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  6. ^ Приходько, Роман (1 December 2024). "Хартія та 92 бригада майстерно стримали росіян на Харківщині". Militarnyi (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  7. ^ Hnidyi, Vitalii Hnidyi (January 16, 2025). "Ukrainian brigade pioneers remote-controlled ground assaults". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  8. ^ Mukhina, Olena (2024-12-17). "Ukraine military deploys dozens of ground robots, UAVs, FPV drones in historic combat operation in Kharkiv Oblast". Euromaidan Press. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  9. ^ "Якою була реакція ворога на роботизовану операцію на Харківщині: розповів представник бригади «Хартія»". Громадське радіо (in Ukrainian). 2024-12-17. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  10. ^ Gubina, Evgenia (2025-05-20). "Khartiia successfully evacuated a wounded soldier thanks to a ground robot – it traveled 12 km". Межа. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  11. ^ Gubina, Evgenia (2025-07-21). "Khartia's ground robot saves wounded infantryman's life". Межа. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  12. ^ Cherevko, Vlad (2025-08-09). "Zmii-500 ground drone of Khartiia Brigade rescues wounded soldier, covering distance of 34 km – video". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  13. ^ "13th Khartiia Brigade to Launch Air Defense Battalion With Anti-Drone Technology". UNITED24 Media. 2025-05-16. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  14. ^ "The 13th Khartiia Brigade deployed the Himera communication system using drones". Mezha.Media. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  15. ^ Олексієв, Федір (2025-04-15). "Two new corps have been created in the National Guard – they are headed by 'Azov' and 'Khartiia' commanders | Ukraine Top News". glavnoe.in.ua. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  16. ^ "Azov, Khartiia commanders to lead 2 new National Guard corps". The Kyiv Independent. 2025-04-15. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  17. ^ "'We need the corps system' — Zelensky approves plan to restructure army". The Kyiv Independent. 2025-02-03. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  18. ^ "Day 1,170: fighting continues across front lines despite Putin's truce". Ukraine Crisis media center. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  19. ^ "13th Khartiia Brigade to Launch Air Defense Battalion With Anti-Drone Technology". UNITED24 Media. 2025-05-16. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  20. ^ @khartiiabrygada (17 October 2024). "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KHARTIIA 🧵" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  21. ^ "13 БРИГАДА НГУ "ХАРТІЯ"". www.khartiia.org.
  22. ^ "Як стати рекрутом". www.khartiia.org.
  23. ^ "Сергій Жадан вирішив стати до лав бригади Національної гвардії України «Хартія»". 25 March 2024.
  24. ^ "Кіпіані: Готовність бути воїном народжується з ігор / Сценарій параду на Червоній площі, Жадан". YouTube. 29 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Французький письменник Бернар-Анрі Леві завітав до Хартії, де служить Жадан". espreso.tv.
  26. ^ "Тімоті Снайдер у розмові з Сергієм Жаданом: Програна війна імперії абсолютно потрібна. І росіяни мають це в майбутньому (відео)". 23 September 2024.
  27. ^ @DefensieMin (7 October 2024). "Oekraïne blijft zich slim verdedigen tegen de Russische overmacht" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  28. ^ "Патронатна служба". www.khartiia.org.

Further reading

allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_Khartiia_Brigade