Created in May 2014, Aidar was the first
territorial defense battalion of Ukraine, a volunteer military detachment subordinate to the
Ministry of Defence. In June 2014 the Battalion participated in the liberation of Schastya, the northern suburbs of Luhansk, from Russian backed separatists. According to the Aidar battalion, 58 militants were eliminated during the operation. Then late that month the Battalion was involved in an attack on Separatists in Luhansk not coordinated or approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. This engagement then lead to influence campaigns as part of information warfare in the region with Battalion and Separatist leaders making counter claims. In July the Aidar Battalion was involved in the battles to liberate Luhansk airport. The soldiers entrenched themselves on the Luhansk-Lutuyne highway near the bridge over the Vilkhivka River and unblocked the airport. During the engagement from 20 to 27 July the Aidar Battalion liberated five settlements and four highways while sustaining heavy casualties. On 8 August 2014
Ukraine's Defense Minister Valeriy Heletey stated that the battalion would be reorganised, would receive better equipment and would see more combat missions. The battalion came to spotlight after several dozen of its members were killed in an ambush south of
Shchastia after the announcement of the ceasefire on 6 September 2014.
2015–2022 in an attack against separatist forces After the initial combat in 2014 the Ukrainian Government struggled to control volunteer battalions and sought to bring them under military command. In late January and early February 2015 the Battalion picketed several government buildings, in protest of the Ministry of Defense seeking greater control of the unit. These protests then escalated into clashes. The
Russian Federation under the auspices of the illegally occupied
Donetsk People's Republic tried and convicted captured members of the Aidar Battalion. The Battalion was declared a terrorist organization by the illegitimate Government of DNR. The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced former Battalion commander to Denis Muryga to 16 years in prison. As of October 2018, the battalion had lost 130 soldiers killed in action. Aidar was formally disbanded on 2 March 2015 "to prevent illegal actions of some representatives of volunteer units" (according to the
General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces). After a "careful selection of soldiers", it was then reorganized as the 24th Separate Assault Battalion of the Ukrainian Army. Later it became a part of the
53rd Mechanized Brigade.
Russian-Ukrainian war The Aidar Battalion was ordered to hold a defensive line near the city of
Volnovakha when the full scale Russian invasion began in 2022. Russian forces began shelling the area on 22 February, but the Aidar Battalion reported engagements on 18 February. By February 26, the Russian assault lead by the Russian backed
Donetsk People's Republic 100 Brigade encountered brigade's T-64BV tank battalion and the attached 24th "Aidar" Assault infantry battalion of Ukraine's 53rd Mechanized Brigade. In March multiple soldiers of the Battalion were captured by the Russian military. Volnovakha was seized by the 163rd Tank Regiment (from 150th Motor-Rifle Division) and the DPR's 11th Motor Rifle Regiment. The Battalion had success against Russian assaults in Bakhmut assisted by new drone technology. The battalion helped to innovate many methods for using drones during trench warfare. In May 2023 Aidar helped overtake Russian positions in Klischiivka near Bakhmut. The Russian Government, again under the guise of the DNR put 18 Aidar Battalion soldiers on trial in June 2023. On 24 April 2024 the Battalion was involved in
battles near Chasiv Yar. Aidar captured four Russian soldiers with the 1st Battalion of the 102nd Regiment of the 150th Motor Rifle Division of the Russian Army. In April 2025 the Russian Federation sentenced the captured Battalion fighters to 15 to 17 years, The Aidar Prisoners were tried under Russian terrorism laws given the illegal annexation of Luhank and Donetsk. == Battalion structure ==