Pavel Sudoplatov Battalion

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Pavel Sudoplatov Battalion
Russian: Батальон имени Павла Судоплатова
Coat of arms of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast
ActiveSeptember 2022 – Present
Country Russia
Allegiance Russia
TypeMilitia
Size600+ (claimed, January 2023)[1]
Part ofBARS-32
PatronPavel Sudoplatov
EngagementsRussian invasion of Ukraine
Commanders
Current
commander		Dmytro Pogrebnyak
Notable
commanders		Yevgeny Balitsky

The Pavel Sudoplatov Battalion (Russian: Батальон имени Павла Судоплатова, romanized: Batal'on imeni Pavla Sudoplatova), sometimes known as BARS-32,[3] is a Russian volunteer battalion in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

As of 2024, Dmytro Pogrebnyak is the unit commander.[4]

History

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The battalion was established in September 2022[5][6] and consists of pro-Russian Ukrainians[7] and foreign volunteers.[8] It is allied with the Russian-installed authorities in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast and led by Yevgeny Balitsky,[6] whose son is also a member of the battalion.[1]

It is named after Soviet intelligence officer and Melitopol native Pavel Sudoplatov, known for conducting the assassination of Ukrainian Nationalist leader Yevhen Konovalets as well as having involvement in the assassination of revolutionary and dissident Leon Trotsky.[9]

The PSB was formally registered as the State Unitary Enterprise "Volunteer Battalion named after P.A. Sudoplatov" by the Federal Taxation Service.[10] Volunteers are paid 400,000 rubles or 5,000 US dollars.[10]

On 4 July 2023, the battalion was subordinated into the BARS-32 ceasing its existence as an independent unit.[11]

On 24 January 2024 at 3:00 AM, Ukrainian sources claimed that 24 members of the battalion were killed and 4 were wounded after a Ukrainian drone strike near the village of Pokrovka.[12] On 14 August 2024, the unit was investigated by the Investigative Committee of Russia for embezzling resources in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region.[4]

On 24 January 2025, the ISW assessed that the battalion, operating as part of BARS-32, is operating in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.[13]

Foreign fighters

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Foreigners who have been recruited to the PSB include nationals from Serbia,[14] Sweden,[citation needed] and Turkey.[15]

Organization

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Since 2023, the battalion is attached to the 58th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces.[4]

Structure

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  • "Judgment Day" UAV team[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Добровольцы из Сербии поступили в батальон имени Судоплатова". РИА Новости (in Russian). 13 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  2. ^ "The volunteer battalion named after Sudoplatov thwarted an enemy attempt to occupy strongholds in Zaporizhzhia". 23 June 2023.
  3. ^ https://investigator.org.ua/en/investigations/264530/
  4. ^ a b c karaivan (2024-08-14). "«Battalion Named after Sudoplatov» Disrupted and Investigated - Центр журналистских расследований". Центр журналистских расследований. Archived from the original on 2024-09-15. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  5. ^ "В Запорожье создали батальон в честь организатора убийства Льва Троцкого Павла Судоплатова - Газета.Ru | Новости". Газета.Ru (in Russian). 22 November 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  6. ^ a b "Балицкий: добровольцы из Сербии поступили в батальон имени Судоплатова в Запорожской области". Газета.Ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  7. ^ Григорьев, Дмитрий (2022-11-23). "Батальон имени Судоплатова. Запорожцы встречают ВСУ с оружием в руках". AiF (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  8. ^ "В батальоне Судоплатова ждут добровольцев из Европы". РИА Новости (in Russian). 17 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
  9. ^ "Russia 'Normalizing' Occupation Regime in Southern Ukraine (Part Two)". Jamestown.
  10. ^ a b "ГУП "Добровольческий батальон". Воюющее в Украине формирование впервые зарегистрировали в России как бизнес Русская служба". BBC News. 2023-03-09. Archived from the original on 2023-06-27.
  11. ^ CDS (2023-04-08). "CDS Daily brief (07.04.23) | CDS comments on key events". Центр оборонних стратегій (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  12. ^ a b "Russian 'Judgment Day' Drone Pilots Eliminated by Ukrainian Forces". Militarnyi. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  13. ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
  14. ^ "Serbian Volunteers Start Combat Training in Ukraine, President Vucic Asks Russia to Stop Recruiting Its People: Break the Rules".
  15. ^ "Volunteers from Turkey join Zaporozhye Region's Sudoplatov battalion". TASS. Retrieved 2025-05-09.