38th Marine Corps Brigade
The 38th Separate Marine Brigade named after Hetman Petro Sahaidachny (38th SMB) — a brigade-sized unit of the Ukrainian Marine Corps. It is part of the 30th Marine Corps Corps. The brigade was formed in early 2023. In the summer of 2023, it fought in the Donetsk region near Velyka Novosilka. In the winter of 2024, it held defensive positions in the Pokrovsk direction.
The brigade was named after Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny, hetman of the Zaporizhian Host in the 17th century.
History of the Unit
November 10, 2022, marked the establishment of the 38th Marine Brigade in the city of Horishni Plavni, Poltava Oblast.
The brigade was formed around the 503rd Battalion and is led by Hero of Ukraine Yevhen Bova. In February 2023, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that London was expanding its training program for Ukrainian military personnel to include fighter pilots and marines. Shortly after this announcement, the first battalion of the newly formed 38th Brigade departed for training. In May 2023, it was reported that the brigade, along with the 37th Brigade, was in the process of being formed.
Since July 2023, the unit has been engaged in combat operations in the Vuhledar area.
On July 25, Roman Sinitsyn reported that marines from the brigade had destroyed a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter.
In August 2023, the unit, together with the 35th, 36th, and 37th Marine Brigades, took part in the liberation of Urozhayne.
Starting in October 2023, the brigade was deployed for an amphibious landing on the left bank of the Dnipro River near Kherson, and later fought in the battles for Krynky alongside other Marine brigades.
On December 6, 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the brigade with a battle flag.
As of December 2024, the brigade was holding the defensive line in the Pokrovsk direction.
On December 5, 2024, the unit was awarded the honorary distinction “For Courage and Bravery”
As of February 2025, the unit was part of the 30th Marine Corps Corps.
On May 23, 2025, the brigade was given the honorary name of Hetman Petro Sahaidachny.