21st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade (Russia)

21st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade
Russian: 21-я отдельная гвардейская Краснознаменная Омско-Новобугская ордена Богдана Хмельницкого мотострелковая бригада
21st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	2009–present
Country	Russia
Branch	Russian Ground Forces
Type	Motorized Infantry
Size	Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Totskoye, Orenburg Oblast MUN 12128
Engagements	War in Donbas • Battle of Ilovaisk

The 21st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade is a formation of the Russian Ground Forces. It was formed on 1 June 2009 from the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division as a result of the 2008 Russian military reform.

In 2014, the brigade was involved in the Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

In August 2014 the brigade's units fought in the Battle of Ilovaisk. On 29 August, during a Ukrainian breakthrough attempt from Ilovaisk, a "northern" column of Ukrainian forces took the fight with 21st brigade's troops on a road between Voznesenka and Horbatenko villages. Ukrainian T-64 tank and several BMP-2s of 51st Mechanized Brigade were able to destroy two T-72BA tanks and a BMP-2 of the 21st Motor Rifle Brigade. Another 21st brigade's T-72BA tank was destroyed near Kumachove village, presumably by a rocket strike of the 19th Rocket Brigade.

A Ukrainian Headquarters briefing held on 11 March 2015 noted the 21st Motor Rifle Brigade units are operating near Yenakiiyeve, Ukraine.