Throughout 2025, 163 new shoulder sleeve insignia have been approved for military units

Throughout 2025, 163 new shoulder sleeve insignia have been approved for military units. Of these, 62 have been approved since the beginning of the second half of the year. The approvals were issued by the Minister of Defence of Ukraine and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The shoulder sleeve insignia were developed by the Main Directorate for the Development of Logistics Support and designed with consideration of historical traditions and modern military symbolism, reflecting territorial heraldry and unit-specific functions. They combine traditional elements with unique symbols that represent and individualize each military unit.

Examples of symbolic elements featured in the shoulder sleeve insignia of military units:

• Military unit A5143: the shoulder sleeve insignia features crossed sabers pointing downward, illuminated by crosses, along with crosses with broadened ends — symbols once used in the coats of arms of the Mohyla family (the House of Movileşti).
• Military unit A4122: the shoulder sleeve insignia incorporates motifs from the flag of the Kyiv Regiment of the late 17th century. This not only indicates the unit’s base but also symbolizes its readiness to defend the Homeland. In this design, the flamberge — a sword with a wavy blade — alludes to the weapon of Archistrategos Michael, the patron saint of the Kyiv lands.
• Military unit A4939: the shoulder sleeve insignia features a serrated shield division pattern, the shape of which resembles a machine-gun belt — a unifying symbol for anti-aircraft machine-gun battalions. In this design, the silver cross symbolizes the region where the unit is based.
• Military unit A4024: its shoulder sleeve insignia incorporates a shield division defined by a straight line broken by a spearhead, symbolizing the ability to pierce armor. The emblem of Mstyslav Volodymyrovych, founder of the Grand Principality of Chernihiv, indicates where the unit is based and its subordination.

One of the family’s representatives, Petro Mohyla — a distinguished Ukrainian political, educational, and religious figure — headed the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. The Kyiv Brotherhood Monastery (the Epiphany) and its lands in Pushcha-Vodytsia, which belonged to the Academy, indicate the geographical base of this military unit.

The approval of new shoulder sleeve insignia marks an essential stage in shaping the military identity of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in strengthening the esprit de corps among their personnel.

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine will continue to support the development of military insignia that help preserve historical heritage and enhance service members’ motivation to fulfill their assigned missions.