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The 18th separate army aviation brigade was established in February 2015. In fact, the unit considers October 1 as its birthday, when the first Mi-8MSB-V helicopter appeared. The unit was formed on the basis of the 215th aviation commandant's office (unit A2673) of the Air Force of Ukraine, which was a reserve airfield for fighters of the 831st Myrhorod brigade. The brigade became the fourth such unit of army aviation within the Ground Forces of Ukraine. On March 26, 2017, a Mi-2 helicopter belonging to the brigade crashed near Kramatorsk. There were three crew members and two passengers on board. Three crew members died, Lieutenant Colonel Yevgeny Voloshyn, Captain Dmytro Movchan and Senior Lieutenant Roman Kandul, and two passengers, Colonels Valery Melnyk and Viktor Kalytych, officers of the Armaments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On December 5, 2020, the brigade, "in order to restore the historical traditions of the national army regarding the names of military units, taking into account the exemplary performance of assigned tasks, high indicators in combat training", was awarded the honorary name "in the name of Igor Sikorsky". On August 29, 2023, Mi-8 military helicopters of the 18th OBrAA crashed in Kramatorsk district of Donetsk region, 6 pilots were killed.
18th Separate Army Aviation Brigade named after Ihor Sikorskyi is an aviation unit of the army aviation branch within the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The brigade bears the honorary title in recognition of the renowned aircraft designer Ihor Sikorskyi, highlighting its connection to both Ukrainian and global aviation traditions.
Formation History:
The brigade was established in 2015 as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reform and the development of army aviation. Although it was founded in February, the unit considers its official birthday to be October 1, the day its first Mi-8MSB-V helicopter arrived. It was formed on the basis of the 215th Aviation Command Post of the Ukrainian Air Force, previously serving as a reserve airfield for the 831st Myrhorod Fighter Brigade. It became the fourth such army aviation unit in the Ground Forces of Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the war in Eastern Ukraine, and especially after russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the unit has carried out combat missions supporting ground forces, conducting evacuations, logistics, and strike operations. The brigade also actively develops the use of unmanned aerial systems.
Key Battles:
Pilots of the 18th Brigade have participated in numerous operations, including attempts to land Ukrainian airborne troops on Snake Island. The brigade provided air support to AFU units on the eastern front during the most intense phases of fighting. Its crews conducted medical evacuations and delivered ammunition under challenging combat conditions.
Honors and Awards:
The brigade’s personnel have repeatedly received state awards. Pilot Maksym Chaika became a full recipient of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi. The command and servicemen have received letters of gratitude and awards from the General Staff, volunteer foundations, and clergy. Metropolitan Epiphanius personally presented commendations to the brigade’s soldiers, recognizing their heroism and self-sacrifice.
On March 26, 2017, a Mi-2 helicopter from the brigade crashed near Kramatorsk, killing all five on board—three crew members (Lieutenant Colonel Yevhenii Voloshyn, Captain Dmytro Movchan, and Senior Lieutenant Roman Kandul) and two passengers (Colonels Valerii Melnyk and Viktor Kalytych from the AFU Armaments Directorate).
On December 5, 2020, the brigade was granted the honorary title “named after Ihor Sikorskyi,” to restore historical military traditions and in recognition of its exemplary performance and combat readiness.
On August 29, 2023, two Mi-8 helicopters of the 18th Brigade crashed in the Kramatorsk district of Donetsk region, resulting in the deaths of six pilots.
