The 59th Seperate Brigade
(The 59th Seperate Brigade Patch)
…Our ambition is to support any brigade who has needs we can fulfil via 3D printing, but we are constrained by a resources/funding gap, so we focus on ‘the 59th’
What is a ‘Separate Brigade’?
The term is a relic of Soviet doctrine, but in modern Ukraine, it means one thing: Autonomy.
Self-Contained Power:
A ‘Separate’ brigade does not need to phone a Divisional HQ to beg for artillery or air support. It owns its own fire. Unlike a standard regiment, which is a cog in a larger machine, a Separate Brigade is a self-contained combined-arms ecosystem. It integrates infantry, armour, artillery, engineers, and air cover under a single command. It moves faster, strikes harder, and acts without bureaucratic delay.
The Technological Shift :
In the 59th, this autonomy is powered by silicon and plastic. Traditional heavy support is increasingly supplemented—or replaced—by unmanned systems.
Air Cover: Aerial drones now act as reconnaissance, artillery spotters and light bombers, substituting for conventional artillery..
Ground Support: Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) handle logistics, and casualty evacuation.
The Printing Connection:
This reliance on high-tech autonomy comes with a cost: maintenance. Drones, by nature, are high-attrition assets. The 59th burns through chassis, rotors, and stabilisers to maintain their independent air force. They are a "special" unit because they trade technology for human losses. We exist to ensure they have the spare parts to keep making that trade.
In March 2025 President Zelensky visited the 59th Separate Brigade to receive a report on the use of unmanned systems, electronic warfare equipment and robotic complexes, within which area the brigade is actively adopting innovative technologies.