Combat-Proven Tank Battalion of 3rd Heavy Brigade Disbanded

The First Tank Battalion of the 3rd Heavy Mechanized Brigade has been disbanded. According to Serhiy Ponomarenko, a former serviceman of the brigade and Hero of Ukraine, this unit was the brigade’s most capable, with many of its crews serving continuously since 2022. The disbandment was not connected to the brigade’s transformation from a tank unit into a heavy mechanized formation, but rather stemmed from internal conflicts within the brigade itself.

What Preceded

According to the veteran, in an interview with Espreso.tv, after the appointment of a new brigade commander, he brought in a close associate as his deputy—an officer who has committed physical abuse. “In my view, it’s horrifying,” Ponomarenko said. “No officer should be allowed to beat personnel and boast about it. He has video recordings on his personal phone showing soldiers being thrown into pits, locked in cages, and proudly talks about having a whip for beatings. To me, that’s something beyond reality in our current situation.”

“A commander should lead by example. But here, he hides in a bunker, afraid to come out, and makes decisions under the influence of a man who beats soldiers. This isn’t an army — it’s a farce,” he said with frustration in an interview. Ponomarenko called on the country’s leadership to step in. He believes that if no action is taken, many soldiers will start leaving the unit voluntarily, because “no one will go into battle under commanders like these.”

Additionally, Ponomarenko warned of another looming threat — the preparation of an order to disband the 1st Tank Battalion, which he describes as the most combat-capable and well-coordinated unit.

“Fifty percent of the personnel in the 1st Tank Battalion have been serving since early 2022. These are the soldiers who have stood by me through nearly the entire war, from the very first days of the full-scale invasion until now. Well-coordinated crews and a battle-hardened, tightly knit team are about to be broken up to reinforce battalions that are better at showing off. I don’t know—maybe they bring gifts or something—but a much less prepared and equipped battalion remains, while a highly trained and well-organized battalion is being dismantled,” Ponomarenko stressed.

He later confirmed on social media that the battalion had been disbanded, and no investigation has been launched by officials into the matter.

About the commander

Since 2021, the brigade was led by Colonel Roman Sheremet, who graduated Military Institute of Tank Troops in Kharkiv. He served in the 1st Tank Brigade (today 1st Heavy Mechanized Brigade), and progressed from a lieutenant to battalion commander and to head of the command post. He was replaced in June 2025 by Ivan Lysenko, who is the current commander of 3rd Heavy Mechanized Brigade.

Source: interview with Serhiy on Espreso.tv, Serhiy Ponoramenko on Facebook