| Separate Special Purpose Battalion | |
|---|---|
chevron of the Separate Special Purpose Battalion
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| Founded | July 2022 |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Allegiance |  Ministry of Defence (Ukraine)  Chechen Republic of Ichkeria |
| Type | Commando |
| Role | Anti-tank warfare Artillery observer Close-quarters combat Cold-weather warfare Counterinsurgency Direct action Irregular warfare Mountain warfare Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance 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)[1] 2022 Ukrainian southern counteroffensive Eastern Ukraine campaign |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
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The Separate Special Purpose Battalion of the Ministry of Defense of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria,[2] also known as OBON,[3] is a military commando 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.
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.[4][5]
This formation was named OBON (Separate Special Purpose Battalion) and included in the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine.[5] 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.[6][7]
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.[5]
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.[4] His deputy is Khavazhi Amaev [ru], a participant in the second Russian-Chechen war and Syrian civil war.[8]
In the beginning of August 2022, the battalion took part in the battles in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.[9] In August–September 2022, the battalion has taken part in the Ukrainian counteroffensive of the southern regions.[10] On May 13, 2023 member of the battalion Hussein Dzhambetov defected to the Russian side.[11] In September 2023, the unit is fighting on the Verbove-Novopokrovka front.[citation needed]
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