In August 2014 the regiment's units fought in the Battle of Ilovaisk. On 24 August, around 12:15 AM, a column of BMD-2s of the regiment was hit by a Ukrainian anti-tank squad of the 51st Mechanized Brigade near Kuteinykove village, 13 km West of Amvrosiivka town. Two BMD-2's were destroyed.[6]
The paratroopers left their vehicles and took cover in trees nearby. Several hours later, around 5 PM, they left their cover and were captured by the reconnaissance group of the 51st Mechanized Brigade near Dzerkalne village, the Ukrainian battalion tactical group's field headquarters. Ten paratroopers were captured.[7][8]
The Russian military stated that the captured paratroopers had crossed the border "by accident".[9][10] During a briefing held on 5 August 2015, the Ukrainian General Military Prosecutor revealed that the captured paratroopers were exchanged between 29 and 30 August 2014 for 200 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who were detained by Russia and pro-Russian forces.[citation needed]
Between 29 and 31 August the regiment's paratroopers guarded Ukrainian prisoners captured in the Ilovaisk pocket after the failed Ukrainian breakthrough attempt near Ilovaisk.[11]
Paratroopers of 331st Airborne Regiment were spotted in other regions of Ukraine occupied by pro-Russian forces: in Stanitsa-Luhanska village in March 2015,[12] and in Donetsk in August 2016.[13]
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
The regiment took part in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and lost several of its service members, including the commander Colonel Sergey Sukharyev,[14] whose death was reported on 17 March 2022.[2]
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine claimed on 20 March 2022 that all but one member of the regiment were killed in action. This includes the destruction of approximately 200 Russian combat vehicles.[15]
References
^"空降兵:俄军快反力量的中坚" [Airborne Troops: The Backbones of Russia's Quick Responce Force]. 中国军网 (China Military Network of the PLA) (in Simplified Chinese). 2022-01-20.