Formation The recruitment of the brigade from volunteers was announced by local authorities in early August 2022, as part of the drive to create the 3rd Army Corps from volunteers to reinforce Russian troops fighting in the
Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Penza Oblast governor
Oleg Melnichenko announced the recruitment of 60 volunteers from his region on 5 August, and disclosed that the formation of the brigade would take place at
Totskoye.
Donetsk Oblast The Alga battalion was committed to the
Battle of Vuhledar on 6 February 2023. By May, the brigade was committed to the
Battle of Bakhmut, holding positions to the south of the city. The brigade was later reported by
Wagner Group-supporting
milbloggers on 15 May to have retreated south of
Ivanivske during a Ukrainian counterattack towards
Klishchiivka. On 21 May, the Ukrainian
3rd Assault Brigade reported that the 72nd Brigade was unsuccessfully counterattacking to regain its lost positions. The fallout from the retreat of the brigade near Bakhmut resulted in Wagner Group leader
Yevgeny Prigozhin publicly blaming the brigade for abandoning neighboring Wagner troops. In support of this effort, on 4 June, Prigozhin published a video of the interrogation of the brigade's commander, accusing him of ordering his troops to fire on Wagner troops.
2023 counteroffensive As the initiative around Bakhmut began to shift, the Brigade remained in place on the southern flank of Bakhmut around
Andriivka and
Klishchiivka. On 15 September, the Ukrainian
3rd Assault Brigade claimed to have "completely destroyed" the 72nd Brigade, with many officers taken prisoner, in the course of capturing Andriivka. However, on 9 October, the 3rd Assault Brigade announced the capture of the commander of the "Alga" battalion in the same area. == References ==