The Sparta Battalion (Russian: батальон «Спарта») or 80th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion "Sparta" named after A. S. Pavlov (Russian: 80-й отдельный гвардейский разведывательный батальон «Спарта» имени А. С. Павлова; MUN 08806) is a special purpose unit of the Russian Armed Forces. Until 2023, unit was part of Russian people's militia military unit of the Russian republic of Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine. The unit has been fighting against the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donbas war and the 2022 Russian invasion. Formed in 2014, it was initially led by the Russian-born Arsen Pavlov (callsign "Motorola") until his death in October 2016, and then by Vladimir Zhoga (callsign "Vokha"), from Sloviansk,[2] until his death in March 2022.[3]
The battalion took part in the Battle of Ilovaisk and Second Battle of Donetsk Airport and several others.[4][5] According to Foreign Policy, the Sparta Battalion has "a reputation for ruthlessness".[6] It has committed war crimes in the Donbas. The battalion has been described as Russian ultranationalist,[7] and the European Eye on Radicalization notes that it uses a combination of Russian imperial symbols and "symbols of the Spartan military culture, well-known drivers of the far-right".[8]
^"Institute for the Study of War".
^"Separatist known as Vokha will become new commander of the Sparta Battalion". UA Wire. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
^Batchelor, Tom (2022-03-24). "Russian commanders killed in Putin's war as Ukraine invasion 'not going to plan'". The Independent. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
^"The Battle of Ilovaisk: Details of a Massacre Inside Rebel-Held Eastern Ukraine". Newsweek. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
^"Ukraine Live Day 335: The Battle for Donetsk". The Interpreter. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
^Losh, Jack (2016-10-25). "Is Russia Killing Off Eastern Ukraine's Warlords?". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2022-04-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^"Ukrainian Veterans Recall Pivotal Tank Battle In Volnovakha". Forbes. 9 November 2022.
^Borgonovo, Federico (2022-04-07). "Putin's Hybrid Army". European Eye on Radicalization.
The SpartaBattalion (Russian: батальон «Спарта») or 80th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion "Sparta" named after A. S. Pavlov (Russian: 80-й отдельный...
(Russian: Воха), was a Russian-Ukrainian separatist who commanded the SpartaBattalion, a pro-Russian separatist force that is involved in the Russo-Ukrainian...
of the SpartaBattalion, a pro-Russian force that is involved in the Russo-Ukrainian War. His son Vladimir was the commander of the battalion from 2016...
killed in combat. On 5 March, Colonel Vladimir Zhoga, commander of DPRs SpartaBattalion, was killed in Volnovakha. On 10 March, Captain Maksym Misharin, a...
militant known for murdering and torturing Ukrainian POWs, who led the SpartaBattalion up until his death in a blast on his apartment in Donetsk. A Russian...
during daylight hours. The soldiers of the Greek Expeditionary Force, SpartaBattalion adapted its name and called it Outpost "Haros", the modern Greek equivalent...
New Terminal ruins (October 2014) DPR SpartaBattalion troops during a break (October 2014) DPR Somalia Battalion fighter near a heavily damaged area (October...
Group Oplot Group Reconnaissance BattalionSpartaBattalion (Russian: Батальон «Спарта») – Special forces battalion formed and led by Arsen Pavlov, known...
to aid it afterwards. On 5 March, DPR colonel and commander of the SpartaBattalion Vladimir Zhoga was killed in Volnovakha, with his father Artem immediately...
pro-Russian militia, the Vostok Battalion, which accused the ROA of looting, and of avoiding combat. The Vostok Battalion (Russian: Батальон Восток, Ukrainian:...
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Militia with EMR uniforms, wearing iconic telnyashkas thereunder. SpartaBattalion soldier wears an EMR uniform and a Ribbon of Saint George during the...
Kominternove, and began to advance toward Novoazovsk. According to the battalion, Ukrainian flags were raised in Shyrokyne, Pavlopil and Oktyabr. Ukrainian...
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Rosich, a surname Rosic (disambiguation) Russian Imperial Movement SpartaBattalion This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Rusich...
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Slavyansk Brigade Republican Guard Pyatnashka Brigade SpartaBattalion Somalia Battalion Vostok Battalion 2nd Army Corps (People's Militia of the Luhansk People's...
Global Information
Russia
DPR People's Militia (2014–2022)
1st Donetsk Army Corps
