Ukrainian Naval Infantry

Naval Infantry Морська пiхота
Cap badge (cockade) of the Ukrainian Naval Infantry
Active	May 23, 1918 -
Country	Ukraine
Branch	Ukrainian Navy
Type	Coast guard / Marines
Role	Amphibious warfare
Size	200 soldiers (2 battalions, before 2014)
Part of	36th separate brigade of coastal defense
Motto(s)	«ВІРНИЙ ЗАВЖДИ» Always faithful
Anniversaries	November 16
Engagements	Ukrainian War of Independence 2014 Crimean crisis War in Donbass
Commanders
Current commander	Lt. Col. Dmytro Delyatytskyy (1st Bn.); Temporary Acting Bt. Cmdr. Lt. Col. Roman Malanchuk (501st Bn.)
Insignia
Tactical recognition flash

The Naval Infantry (Ukrainian: Морська піхота) is part of coastal defense troops of the Ukrainian Navy. It is used as a component part of amphibious, airborne and amphibious-airborne operations, alone or in accordance with formations and units of the Army in order to capture parts of the seashore, islands, ports, fleet bases, coast airfields and other coast objects of the enemy. It can also be used to defend naval bases, vital areas of the shore, separate islands and coast objects, security of hostile areas.

The Naval Infantry's missions are to:

Its motto is "Always Faithful" .

Former Russian Imperial army general Pavlo Skoropadskyi understood the importance of naval infantry in providing security to the country. Being the commander-in-chief of land and naval forces, Skoropadskyi brought attention to creating the naval infantry during his first month in power. On May 23, 1918 he ordered the Department of Navy to Begin forming a Brigade of naval infantry consisting of three regiments.

The mission of the Naval Infantry was protecting the coastal areas, serving as a garrison force for forts and conducting landing operations. According to the order the Brigade was divided into three regiments. First regiment was responsible for the areas between the western border until the village of Suchavka, near Odesa. Second regiment was responsible for territory between Suchavka and Stanislavov. Third regiment protected the areas from Stanislavov until Perekop. Brigade was also put in charge of guarding the property of the Navy Department.

Each of the three regiments consisted of three kurins. Each kurin consisted of three Sotnia and a machine gun unit. Commandant of the first regiment was Ilarion Isaievych.

On August 31, 1918 each unit was given the permanent headquarters. First regiment's HQ was located in Odesa, second's HQ in Mykolaiv and third's HQ in Kherson. Also at this time 3 squadrons of cavalry were formed. First was stationed in Odesa, second in Ochakiv and third in Perekop.