53rd Reconnaissance Battalion (Ukraine)


The 53rd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion is a battalion of the Ukrainian ground forces acting as an independent unit, formerly subordinated to the 116th Mechanized Brigade. It has seen combat during the Russo-Ukrainian war, initially as a rifle battalion and has been performing reconnaissance and combat operations throughout the entire front. It was established in 2022.

History

It was established in 2022 as the 53rd Rifle Battalion in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and was later subordinated to the 116th Mechanized Brigade. On 17 September 2022, two soldiers of the battalion were killed in action. On 27 September 2022, a soldier of the battalion died as a result of injuries sustained in combat.
On 19 February 2023, two soldiers of the battalion were killed during the Battle of Bakhmut. Two soldiers of the battalion went MIA in Bakhmut on 19 and 21 February 2023. On 11 March 2023, a soldier of the battalion was killed in Bakhmut. On 13 March 2023, a soldier of the battalion was killed in Bakhmut. On 22 March 2023, a soldier of the battalion was killed in Bakhmut. On 29 March 2023, a soldier of the battalion was killed in Bakhmut. On 1 April 2023, a soldier of the battalion went MIA in Bakhmut. On 13 September 2023, a soldier of the battalion was killed in action.
On 17 March 2024, a soldier of the battalion went MIA and was later confirmed to be dead in November 2024. On 5 May 2024, a soldier of the battalion was killed in Staromaiorske. Another soldier of the battalion was killed in Staromaiorske on 7 May 2024. Two soldiers of the battalion were killed in Makarivka on 9 May 2024. On 9 August 2024, a soldier of the battalion was killed in Vozdvyzhenka. On 23 August 2024, a soldier of the battalion was killed in Novohrodivka. On 29 August 2024, a soldier of the battalion was killed in action. On 30 November 2024, a soldier of the battalion went MIA in Kurakhove.
On 10 March 2025, three soldiers of the battalion were killed in Shevchenkove. On 20 April 2025, a soldier of the battalion was killed in action. On 18 July 2025, a soldier of the battalion was killed in action. In August 2025, it became a reconnaissance battalion.

Equipment