The Somalia Battalion was formed in the summer of 2014 in
Ilovaisk as the Separate Company "Somalia", and was commanded in its first few years by
Mikhail Tolstykh, a native of Ilovaisk who went by the
nom de guerre ‘Givi’. The name of the unit supposedly derived from the "irregular" look of its first fighters, and got its name because when fighters lined up for the first time "...they were dressed in all manner of civilian clothes, such as shorts and trainers, did not look like a combat force, and, in their view, resembled Somali pirates". In the fall of 2014, the company was raised to battalion strength and deployed into the 1st Separate Battalion Tactical Group “Somalia”. In early 2015, it was reformed into the Separate Mechanized Battalion “Somalia”, which in spring 2015 was renamed the 1st Separate Tank Ilovaisk Battalion. In September 2015, during another reorganization, the unit was reformed into the Separate Motor Rifle (Assault) Battalion "Somalia". The Battalion took part in the 2015 Victory Parade held in
Donetsk. On 12 February 2016, the unit was awarded the honorary designation "Guards". In February 2017, the unit's commander, Mikhail Tolstykh, was assassinated in his office with a
RPO-A Shmel rocket launcher and an explosive device. After the death of the commander the battalion was named after him. DPR forces, primarily the Battalion started shelling the
Mariupol direction with artillery. Days after heavy fighting with assisted firepower from
810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, the battalion captured
Mariupol. The battalion got incorporated with
9th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade. The battalion participated in the
Battle of Avdiivka and
Battle of Pokrovsk. ==Equipment==