In 2003 the
32nd Army Corps, which was tasked with the defense of
Crimea and fielded 12,000 troops, was disbanded. Following the disbandment 6,400 servicemen where re-deployed to other parts of the country, and the remaining 5,600 troops where transferred to the Ukrainian navy and reorganized into new units in 2004. The defense of Crimea was tasked to the 36th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade in
Perevalne, the
1st Marine Corps in
Feodosia and the
501st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion in
Kerch. The 5,600 Ukrainian personnel stationed on the peninsula attempted to resist the 30,000 Russian troops during the
Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. 58.42% of the unit betrayed their country, higher than the 29.6% of all Ukrainian personal in Crimea. The 126th Coastal Defence Brigade uses the 36th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade's old barracks in Perevalne as their headquarters.
Legacy Elements loyal to Ukraine from the 1st Marine Battalion, 36th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade, and 501st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion would be merged to form the
36th Marine Brigade. Former soldiers of the 36th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade would continue to be listed as members of the Brigade during the
War in Donbas until at least 2020. ==References==